《Game of Kingdoms》 Introduction ¡®Huh. So this is what awaits us when we die?¡¯ I idly thought to myself as I opened my eyes and took in the complete and utter darkness that enveloped me. ¡®But why the fuck did I have to die that way?¡¯ My thought drifted back to the last thing I remembered, my death. A lorry had jumped the curb not far from the High Street of my hometown and, thanks to over a decade serving my country and the training that had brought, I reacted on instinct and moved to pull a young mother and her child in a pushchair out of the way as the Argos lorry careened into the vacant lot where one of the various corner shops that had disappeared over the last few years had been. The mother had fallen over when I¡¯d pulled her back, and I¡¯d turned to check that she and her child were ok until someone behind me started screaming, ¡°Look out!¡± I turned back at the call, only to see a traffic light, one smashed by the lorry as it lost control, heading directly for me. Sadly, the moment that I realised what it was and where it was falling was the moment that I was struck face-first by the metal pole. I vaguely remembered banging my head as I fell backwards, but it was a blur and that was all I could remember. Part of me was proud to have died saving the lives of others, as it was the whole reason that I¡¯d initially joined the Royal Marines, then transferred to the SBS for eight years of service. However, the greater part of me was furious that after my decade-plus of service, and having survived various hellholes and warzones, I was killed by a mother-fucking traffic light! I tried to scream at the sheer absurdity of how I¡¯d died, only to discover that wherever I now was, I was in some kind of substance. As I opened my mouth, a strange, flavourless jelly-like substance seeped in. I tried to move my arms but it was as if they were pushing through quicksand, which was weird as the jelly didn¡¯t seem that viscous. ¡®What the fuck is this?¡¯ I kept trying to move, but everything was sluggish and slow, almost as if my limbs were unable to respond to what I wanted them to do. A gentle shockwave rocked wherever I was, and I stopped moving. I could hear faint, distant sounds, as though someone or something was outside this weird, funky cocoon I was in was speaking. Yet I couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of what was being said. Another vibration hit me through the jelly. It wasn¡¯t forceful and, unless I missed my guess, it was as though something was gently rocking my cocoon. The darkness seemed to lift a touch as I swore that I sensed light from in front of me, but it was so weak that I was unable to tell where it was coming from, never mind what was there. Strangely, after only a few minutes, my eyes felt heavy, and as I lost a battle to stay conscious one question dominated my thoughts. ¡®What the fuck is going on?¡¯ ¡­¡­
¡­¡­ Time while floating in this vicious jelly in darkness that was only punctuated by more faint, vague light from a great distance was hard to keep track of. It was a struggle to stay conscious for more than a few minutes at a time ¨C I¡¯d spent a few cycles of alertness counting and while the time I was awake was increasing, I was barely able to get to six minutes before tiredness overtook me. Or at least I thought it was six minutes. My memories of previous cycles were¡­ hazy at best. That made no real sense as I could still remember my life before my ¡®death¡¯. Heck, even things that happened decades ago seemed to come to me clearly, though I felt little to no emotion when my mind drifted back to what had once been. Family, friends, lovers, none of them invoked an emotional response. Apart from the occasional far-off light, every awake cycle seemed to have shockwaves. Sometimes these were nothing more than a gentle constant vibration that felt as though they were coming from one location while others were a series of predicable shockwaves that made the entire chamber ¨C or whatever this thing I was in ¨C vibrate. When I¡¯d not been trying to work out how long I was awake for, make my body respond or have my thoughts drift back to previous events in my life, I¡¯d spent time trying to work out just what the fuck was going on and there were a couple of theories that I¡¯d come up with. Firstly, this might be some sort of weird-as-fuck black-ops R&D project like from a bad sci-fi movie. Or perhaps like the healing tank they¡¯d put Luke in at the end of The Empire Strikes Back. Secondly, though more as an aside of my first idea, I did wonder if this wasn¡¯t some sort of insane way to torture and break someone mentally as there were moments where it felt as though I was going insane from the constant, mind-numbing insanity of what was happening. If it was either of those options, then I knew that the moment I was released I was going to fucking kill someone for subjecting me to this mind-numbingly boring tank, preferably as slowly and painfully as I could. However, if it wasn¡¯t one of those options, but instead something else ¨C be it some weird-as-fuck thing that happened to a soul when the body died or a fucked-up part of religion that everyone didn¡¯t know about ¨C then I really had no idea how I¡¯d react. And the less said about the most disturbing idea (one that I refused to contemplate) that drifted around in the darkest, most fucked up parts of my mind, the better. ¡­¡­
¡­¡­ Hundreds, if not thousands or even tens of thousands, of awake cycles later, I was finally able to move my arms and legs enough that I could touch my body with my fingers. Doing so was the most tiring thing I¡¯d ever done ¨C it made training in the Brecon Beacons look like a walk in the park ¨C but finally being able to move enough to check my body felt worthy of celebration. Or it would¡¯ve if things hadn¡¯t taken a fucking turn for the strange (or fucked-up depending on how much of my worse fears were true) as I discovered a tube heading into my body. While my touch was¡­ impaired, it felt as though the tube was grafted onto my skin seamlessly and when I¡¯d trying to squeeze the tube, I¡¯d almost blacked out. That tube was likely being used to help me survive in the jelly, but the less said about the location of it, the fucking better. After discovering this, the horrible, insane, downright terrifying idea that had been drifting at the back of my mind became more prominent in my thoughts, though I did everything I could to not dwell on that; nor compare what I knew of my situation to what it reminded me of. The cycles seemed to be getting longer ¨C I was now up to about twenty minutes ¨C and I was able to retain more of my memories of what had happened in the previous cycles; not that there was much with remembering. The light outside also became brighter, though since before it had been like a dim light a mile away a night that wasn¡¯t saying much, and I¡¯d noticed that it only really appeared every dozen awake cycles or so. The sounds from outside were also coming into focus. Whereas before it had just sounded like indistinct background noise, now I was able to, just about, make out different voices. One voice, a female¡¯s, was always louder ¨C though still incomprehensible ¨C and I felt that whoever this was, they were the one who spent the most time monitoring my situation. Well, that or¡­ ¡®No. It¡¯s not that. It can¡¯t be that.¡¯ . .. .... This had to end soon. It had to. Otherwise, I was going to go insane as that horrible, downright mad idea was going to become prevalent and I¡¯d ¡­ God, let this be over soon. ¡­¡­
¡­¡­ A thousand or so cycles later and something unexpected happened. I discovered that the jelly I was encased in was warm. Now, it might¡¯ve always been warm and I just hadn¡¯t realised it, but the fact I was able to sense the change in the temperature of the jelly was a change. And after thousands of cycles of boring repetitiveness ¨C even the most creative ways to make whoever had stuck me in this hell pay were beginning to lose their appeal ¨C any change was welcomed. My memories of my life before my accident ¨C or death, but I didn¡¯t want to contemplate that as it gave the horrible, insane, downright terrifying idea that continued to bounce around the darkest corners of my mind more strength ¨C were still strong, but any lingering emotional attachment I had to them was gone. Everything from then now seemed like nothing more than instructional videos or training exercises. The other thing that had happened was that the cocoon I was in seemed to be getting smaller. The light sources from outside were growing brighter ¨C though still nowhere near bright enough to see what was outside, while the voices were becoming more distinct. I could place just over a dozen voices now, though I still had no idea what was being said. It was almost as if everyone was speaking a foreign language, which had implications about where I was that I really, really didn¡¯t want to contemplate. Hopefully, it just meant I¡¯d been abducted by some foreign government as the other thing that could mean¡­ No. That voice, that crazy idea in the darkest depths of my mind had to be wrong. It just had to. ¡­¡­
¡­¡­ ¡®My name is Craig Robert McKay. Six-nine-eight-one-zero-seven-three-three-one. Sergeant. Born the sixth of November, nineteen-ninety-one in Blairgowrie, Scotland.¡¯ I repeated the thought to myself once more. The cycles had grown longer, now reaching around forty minutes, but I¡¯d lost track of how many there had been. Hell, I¡¯d begun to lose track of who I was and where I came from. ¡®I joined the Marines when I was eighteen, then applied for the SBS when I was twenty-one.¡¯ The only way I could get through the cycles was now to repeat my personal history to myself, over and over. ¡®I had a sister who lives in Falkirk. My parents died three years ago. I was never married, committing myself to the military.¡¯ Yet, as the cycles continued, and I kept repeating my information, I began to feel as though I was slowly losing my grip on who I was, and I could feel my sanity slowly drifting away. ¡®My name is Craig Robert McKay. Six-nine-three-eight-zero-one-seven-three- one. Sergeant. Born the sixth of November, nineteen-ninety in Blairgowrie, Scotland.¡¯ I¡¯d tried screaming, vainly hoping that would draw the attention of the voices, but it hadn¡¯t happened. Instead, I¡¯d swallowed mouthfuls of the jelly, discovering that it now tasted sickly sweet to the point I almost retched. ¡®I joined the Marines when I was seventeen, then applied for the SBS when I was twenty-one.¡¯ There didn¡¯t seem to be any way out of this hell. Even as I felt my sense of self drift away, the memories of my life remained strong and clear. It made no sense. ¡®I had a sister who lives in France. My parents died five years ago. I was never married, committing myself to the military.¡¯ When will this hell end? What could I do to make it end? This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡­¡­
¡­¡­ I was awoken abruptly as a massive shockwave, unlike anything I¡¯d felt before, rippled through the jelly. I blinked and tried my best to look around to see what had caused it, but save for the fact that the background light was stronger than it had ever been, there was no hint as to what had happened, or even where it¡¯d come from. Before long another shockwave vibrated through the jelly and, unless I missed my guess, it had occurred somewhere below my feet. I felt a strange heat in the jelly and tilted my head back as much as I could, though that wasn¡¯t an easy thing to do when your entire body felt wrong and was encased in jelly. I gasped as I saw a bright, light far above my head and as I wondered what it meant another shockwave came and I was carried by the force of the wave closer to the light. A wave of hope filled me as the light became brighter ¨C though I couldn¡¯t make out what was on the other side ¨C and I realised that I was finally about to leave this hellish place. However, as another shockwave cascaded through the cocoon, and I was pushed closer still to the light, two things happened that had me screaming mentally. First, that horrible, insane, downright maddening idea that had been floating around the fringes of my mind came to the fore. Second, I swore I saw something waiting outside the light that looked far, far too much like hands for my mind to take. ¡®NOOOO!!!!¡¯ I screamed mentally as the handlike shapes all but confirmed my worst fears about where I was and I swore I heard my mind snap as I tried to process the impossibility of what was happening. I was being born again. Another shockwave came, pushing me close enough to the light that my head squeezed against the source, cutting off the source of light, and I stopped moving. However, what happened from then on, I didn¡¯t know as I mentally recoiled at the realisation of what was happening and did my absolute best to ignore everything that was happening. ¡®This isn¡¯t real. It¡¯s just a nightmare. I¡¯m going to kill everyone for this.¡¯ Something gripped my head. ¡®No! No!! NO!!! NOOO!!!¡¯ The things on my head pulled. ¡®Fuck you, you motherfucking, arsehole. I¡¯m going to fucking kill you then feed you entire fucking shit-brained family to the fishes, you arsehole!¡¯ Another shockwave hit as the things pulled and I closed my eyes as the light became too bright. I was pulled away from¡­ there and heard something slice through meat or flesh. It felt strangely hard to think, as though I was dying, only for someone to slap my bare arse. My eyes popped open and I glared at the upside-down man ¨C at least I think it was a man as my vision was strangely blurry. ¡®Try that again you mother-fucker?¡¯ ¡°Waaa!¡± My brain froze as the cry of a baby escaped my lips. ¡®Wha¡­ No! No! NO! NOOO!!!¡¯ I screamed mentally as I processed that the fear that had been lurking around my mind for several thousand cycles (one I had done my best to ignore and not contemplate) was proven true. ¡®No, this isn¡¯t happening! No! Fucking, stupid fucking insane fucked up fucking nightmare of fuck!¡¯ ¡°Wwaaaaaaa!¡± Hearing myself wail like a newborn babe ¨C which I now apparently was ¨C was the single most terrifying and unnerving thing I¡¯d ever heard, or likely would ever hear. My mind was barely able to focus on what I¡¯d just gone through as I tried to comprehend that all those cycles, trapped in the darkness floating in jelly had actually been me growing in a womb. ¡®Fuck!¡¯ ¡°Waa!¡± Whatever fucking bullshit had happened for this to happen could go and fuck a whale sideways! This shite was going to leave so many mental scars I¡¯d need to hire every fucking shrink on the planet to not end up a sociopathic monster who¡¯d be responsible for World War Four. And it likely still wouldn¡¯t be enough to contain my anger. I¡¯d barely begun to vent my anger at this, this¡­ insanity, when I vaguely saw something be placed over, then around, me. Likely it was a blanket as I felt warmer the instant that I was wrapped in it. The man holding me then turned ¨C the world behind him as blurry as he was ¨C and I felt myself being lowered. While his features were hard to make out, the man had dark hair, possibly black, and was dressed in robes that for some reason reminded me of a monk. However, my focus soon shifted as I was turned and handed me off to a woman who, if my blurred vision wasn¡¯t tricking me, was lying on a bed. This woman had to be - no matter how bizarre the idea was ¨C my new mother. She pulled me close enough to her face that I was able to focus on her enough to see what she looked like. Her jet-black hair was matted against her skull ¨C likely from sweat ¨C and she was breathing heavily, but my attention was drawn to her face; well, more specifically, her eyes. They were unlike any eyes I¡¯d seen before; being a magnificent shade of violet ¨C which was an eye colour I¡¯d never heard of occurring naturally ¨C and drew attention to a lightly tanned face that, even soaked in sweat from exertion was unmistakeably beautiful. For the briefest moment, my anger at being reborn was lost as I gazed upon a woman that would put most supermodels to shame and a stray thought had me wondering if I¡¯d be blessed with eyes of violet as well. She smiled as I focused on her, and in a move that restored some of my anger, lifted a single finger to touch my nose. Annoyed, I lifted my hand to swat her finger away, only for my hand to close around her finger. Her smile grew, and while I was still annoyed at her actions, I couldn¡¯t stay angry at her as her smile was breathtaking. One day, I hoped, I¡¯d find who had done this to me ¨C who had made this beautiful woman my new mother ¨C then kill them for denying me the chance to at least attempt to woo her. She shifted my position, and I was both glad and infuriated again as she brought me close to her bosom. While what I could make out of her frame suggested she had a slim build, her breasts were large; insanely so from my new perspective. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± The woman spoke but whatever she said was incomprehensible. Either my ears were unable to process her words, or she spoke a tongue so foreign that I couldn¡¯t decipher any of it, and I was leaning towards the latter as the vague shapes I could make out around the room hinted at a medieval level of technology. The wall behind my mother¡¯s bed appeared to be made of white stone ¨C possibly marble ¨C and while it looked smooth to my blurred vision, I doubted it was. To her left, I could just about make out something that was likely a drape while to her right there appeared to be a painting; or at least I assumed it was one as the edges were dark brown while the rest were a myriad of colours my fucking infant eyes couldn¡¯t differentiate. Something to my left moved, though I wasn¡¯t able to see what it was. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± another voice behind me and to my right spoke, but again whatever was said was unknown to me. I moved to turn my head to see who had spoken (if it was the man who¡¯d birthed me, I wanted to commit his face to memory for future retribution) but I was unable to do so as my mother held me firmly but gently against her breast. I wished I could understand at least some of what they were saying. No, I knew I wasn¡¯t that great at languages, but I spoke basic French, Farsi and bits and pieces of a few others, but whatever they were speaking matched nothing that I had knew or had ever heard. Everything said so far was gobbledygook, which was going to be a fucking pain for learning when and where I was. Trait Activated! Comprehension Even if you cannot speak a language, you can understand what is said. Be careful as such an ability is rare in any world. ¡­¡­ ¡®Wait? WHAT?!¡¯ I screamed in my mind ¨C and ignored that my mental scream made me bawl like the baby I appeared to be ¨C at the strange blue text that suddenly came into existence in front of my eyes. I turned my head, hoping that the text would vanish, but it stayed in the very centre of my vision. I then released my grip on my mother¡¯s finger and tried to wave away the floating text, but that did nothing; mainly because my arm was about a responsive as a newly minted officer was useful. The short, stubby thing that was my arm was next to useless for motor control, which had me cursing even more internally, and made me bawl out even more. ¡®Stupid, shitty baby fucking arms! And what the fuck is going on?!¡¯ Ignoring how my pathetic actions looked to those around me, I kept trying to make the text disappear. However, no matter what I did, the text wouldn¡¯t leave, which only made my anger come flooding back; and my baby screams grow louder. ¡°[My, you are a vocal one, aren¡¯t you?]¡± I stopped venting internally (and screaming externally) as I realised that I¡¯d understood what my mother had said and focused on her face. ¡®What the fuck?!¡¯ ¡°[It appears he recognizes your voice, my lady.]¡± That came from the male voice I¡¯d hear earlier, and while I tried vainly again to see who had spoken, my mother¡¯s grip was too constricting to allow me to do. Though from what little I remembered about babies from my old life ¨C as, no matter how much I didn¡¯t want to admit it, this was clearly a new life for me ¨C that was likely for the best as new-borns and young infants had little ability to support themselves and move around independently. ¡°[He is also curious, Cordin.]¡± My mother replied. ¡°[He tried to move at hearing your voice.]¡± While it was nice to have a name for the man who¡¯d be my nemesis for the next few years at least, I was more interested in the fact that the floating blue text had slowly dissipated as my mother had spoken. Likely the timing of it vanishing was just coincidence ¨C though if it happened a second and third time I¡¯d be worried ¨C but it was good to know the text, if anymore appeared (and I had a feeling there would be more), would disappear over time. Still, the idea that I¡¯d have random bits of floating text appear in the centre of my vision was not a comforting one. ¡°[A most encouraging sign, my lady.]¡± Cordin, replied as my mother smiled down at me and moved her finger around; likely to try and draw my attention. ¡°[It seems he has been blessed by the Gods.]¡± If I could¡¯ve frowned, I would¡¯ve at hearing Cordin mention Gods plural. While there were places in my old life that had worshipped multiple gods ¨C Hindus had multiple gods though, if I remembered correctly (and it seemed I still had perfect recall of anything I¡¯d learnt in my old life) they were all just part of a singular greater God ¨C but the major religions were monotheistic; particularly the ones worshipped by Caucasians. And it had been that way for millennia. Thus, to be sitting in a room with two people that were Caucasian-looking ¨C even if mother had a solid tan ¨C and discover they worshipped a religion with multiple gods was¡­ unsettling for the implications it implied. ¡°[He is a gift from the Old God, Maester. Just like his father.]¡± Mother replied, making me even more confused as now there appeared to be two sets of gods existing in the same place. That generally never went well. ¡°[Oh, has something drawn your attention, my child?]¡± I blinked wondering what she was talking about only to realise that while I¡¯d been thinking about the issues caused by being in a place that worshipped at least two sets of multiple gods (it sounded like a Roman-Greek situation but that¡¯s meant that I was reborn thousands of years in the past, which was not something I really wanted to contemplate when I was still trying to fully wrap my head around being reborn) I¡¯d been staring at the painting to her right. ¡°[That is one of our ancestors, Samwell Dayne, as he rode to attack Oldtown.]¡± Oldtown? Well, that¡¯s not a very original name for a place, but it did make sense I guessed. However, I couldn¡¯t remember hearing of a place with that name from my old life, yet, I swore I remembered coming across a place by that name at some point. Had it been in a book or a TV show? Sadly, even with my apparent perfect recall, one random name of a place was insufficient to have me lock on to a specific memory that might contain an answer. A door creaked open somewhere to my left and I heard footsteps that seemed to be made against stone and the jangling of clothing from a newcomer to the room. ¡°[Maester Cordin. How do my daughter and the babe fair?]¡± the newcomer asked. Vainly, I tried to turn enough to see who it was but was still unable to do so. The next few months and years stuck in the body of a babe were going to royally fucking suck. ¡°[Both are well, my lord.]¡± Cordin replied as a new hand, one that belonged to an older woman in simple clothing, reached over and dapped a damp cloth against my forehead. Likely this was the midwife who¡¯d helped with my birth ¨C and the source of the noise I¡¯d heard before Cordin had first spoken, but it wasn¡¯t overly important. What was more so was the fact that I was becoming convinced that I¡¯d never find a shrink (more like a few hundred I felt I¡¯d need) to talk to about my issues with experiencing my ¡®birth¡¯. ¡°[The child is alert and aware of your daughter¡¯s voice.]¡± Cordin continued. ¡°[Surprisingly so for a new-born.]¡± Huh. So my mother was the daughter of a lord. That was handy as if I was in a more primitive time (something that seemed likely from what little I¡¯d heard and seen with my blurred vision) as from my history classes in secondary school ¨C and boy would those classes be useful for the first time in decades ¨C being born into a lower caste-slash-social status family would¡¯ve seriously limited my prospects in this new life. At least that was one good thing, however small, about my rebirth. Now if I just knew why the fuck this was all happening the better. Objective Activated! The Truth of the Matter Survive until your 5th nameday. Reward: Answers to how and why you are here. Failure: Death. ¡­¡­ What? What?! WHAT?!?! My anger rapidly grew as I stared at the new floating blue text. If I was reading it right, not only had someone or thing arranged for me to be reborn (with all my memories and consciousness intact) but that they had a reason for doing so. And that this might not be just a time in the past as I had a bad feeling that no-one had ever used the tern name-days for birthdays, at least not on Earth. However (and also thankfully as that thought was just¡­ mind-numbing) I was able to distract myself as the face of an older man stuck his face directly in front of mine. ¡°[Father!]¡± my mother huffed at her father¡¯s behaviour, but the old man paid her no mind, preferring to focus on me. I did my best to lock eyes with him as I examined his features. Like my mother he had purple eyes, though his were more lilac in shading and his hair while generally black, was greying behind and over his ears. His face was worn, likely from a long life, but not as badly worn as I¡¯d expected from someone living in the technology level this room seemed to hint at. Clearly, being a lord in this timeframe (please, please don¡¯t let my concerns about this not being Earth be true) allowed him a level of comfort I hadn¡¯t expected. Thank fuck. ¡°[Hmm, yes. He does seem unusually alert. And he has your hair, my dear.]¡± My grandfather ¨C I really was going to need a way to handle the anger that every little reminder that I¡¯d been reborn was generating ¨C commented as he reached out and touched my forehead. A small smile crept onto his face as I tried pathetically to slap the finger. ¡°[Heh. This one will be trouble I suspect. Though I do hope he loses the colouring of his father. Provided your claim about his father is true.]¡± ¡°[I do not claim father, I know.]¡± Mother responded and as my grandfather moved his head back, I saw her glaring at him. ¡°[I have lain with just one man, and while I regret that doing so brought some shame upon our house, I do not regret falling for him, nor the blessing the Old Gods have granted me this day.]¡± She shifted her gaze to me and while I was still very much uncomfortable about having an adult mind in a baby¡¯s body ¨C and doing my absolute fucking best to not think about it too hard ¨C I couldn¡¯t deny the love I saw in her eyes; nor feel an urge to, once I was old enough, to do everything I could to protect her. ¡°[Hmm. It is good to hear you once more speak of the Old Gods, Ashara.]¡± Grandfather said, drawing my mother¡¯s attention from me. I¡¯d have looked at him too, but he was now out of sight, still learning my mother¡¯s name was nice, and I felt Ashara was a good name for her; even if it was a touch unusual to my ears. ¡°[However, there may well be¡­ complications to arranging a union between you and the Starks.]¡± I felt my heart seize as he said the name ¡®Stark¡¯ as that was something I did know of, though not from my history books. ¡°[Arthur has sent a rider with a message.]¡± Grandfather continued, keeping me from focusing on the horrible idea that was brewing in my mind. ¡°[His friend, the harp-player has run off with the Weirwood Knight, and Arthur claims the player¡¯s wife is understanding and accepting.]¡± ¡°[Gods be good.]¡± Mother gasped and pulled me closer to her bosom and I added my discomfort at how close I was to her breasts, and my latest burst of anger at the insanity to the pile that I¡¯d have to expunge later (likely in a very violent and explosive way) and focused on the conversation. Something about it felt important; doubly so when added to the strange floating blue text and the hints about where I was (please, please let that be fucking wrong). ¡°[This knight¡­ it is the same one as from Harrenhal?]¡± Grandfather asked and I watched mother answer with a nod. ¡°[Gods¡­ This¡­ There will be war if the Starks are not informed quickly.]¡± ¡°[Wh, when did Arthur date it?]¡± Mother asked slowly as she held me tightly. ¡°[Nearly three weeks ago.]¡± Grandfather replied with a sigh. ¡°[Maester Cordin, I will need your help to prepare a raven for Winterfell.]¡± ¡°[Of course, my lord.]¡± ¡°[And to prepare the men. I fear we are already too late, and the Starks will call their banners.]¡± ¡°[I¡­ Yes, my lord.]¡± I heard something that sounded like keys on a chain jingle ¨C I assumed that was Cordin, even as I filled away the next little hint about where I was with his title of Maester ¨C as I felt my eyes grow heavy. ¡°[F-father, what of Arthur? He needs to know that the father of his nephew is ¡­] ¡°[Right now, Arthur has other things to concern himself with.]¡± Grandfather said, cutting off mother. ¡°[Once¡­ once things have calmed down, I will speak with him, Prince Rhaegar, Lord Rickard and his son. Provided we¡¯re all still alive after this.]¡± Grandfather sighed loudly and mother¡¯s grip on me tightened further. However, my focus was on staying awake. I could feel my body beginning to lose its fight with consciousness, but I knew that what was being said here was important to not just the current state of the world (and fuck, did I really, really hope I was wrong about where I was) and my place in it. ¡°[It appears I¡¯ve managed to tire out my grandson.]¡± Grandfather said, somehow having seen my losing battle with sleep. ¡°[Once he has settled, and you are able to move, come and find me and your mother. We have much to discuss.]¡± ¡°[Yes, father.]¡± The door to the room opened a third time, but I didn¡¯t care because as I began to fall asleep I allowed myself to focus on all the names I¡¯d heard just now. With those, and my ability to recall, with apparent perfect clarity, events in my old life, I was easily able to confirm my theory about where I was, and likely when. Somehow, someway, I¡¯d ended up in Westeros at the very beginning of the events that would become known as Robert¡¯s Rebellion. As I finally drifted off to sleep, a single thought dominated my mind. ¡®This is all kinds of fucked up.¡¯ ...... Prologue 1 As the clouds of sleepiness left my mind, I instinctively stretched to gain feeling in my arms, only to stop and curse as I was greeted by the sight of my short, pudgy arms that were connected to my fucking baby body. You¡¯d think after over three months of waking as a mother-fucking babe I¡¯d expect it, but no! Every time I woke, there was always a moment where I forgot until I caught sight of a limb or my belly and was reminded of the sheer fucking insanity of my new existence. Though at least this time I was able to control my anger and not descend into another mental round of cursing out who or whatever had decided this fate for me. Though I still swore at how fucking useless a babe¡¯s body was when you had the mind of an adult. I remembered clearly every minute of my twelve years of military service ¨C first with the Royal Marines then the SBS ¨C and all the time I¡¯d spent training or fighting. Yet all that knowledge, all that experience was useless with me stuck in this pathetic, stupid arsed baby-shite body. Just when I was¡­ not quite born, I could easily remember everything from my past life. In this case, it was a few classes in secondary school ¨C ones I thought I¡¯d spent flirting with a girl named Becky ¨C that dealt with babes and the stages of early life development. Those memories told me that the average babe was unable to do basically sweet-fuck-all for the first few years. Oh, they could learn to crawl, shite and sort of play, but most couldn¡¯t walk or talk until they were two. Though, I¡¯d resolved to be walking and talking before my second birthday because the longer I was treated like a fucking toy, and had to deal with my mother (and others) making stupid fucking baby sounds in my face whenever they came close, the closer I got to trying to find a way to kill myself. Which for a babe that couldn¡¯t even crawl was nigh on fucking impossible. Fuck this new life and the horse it rode in on. There were two things ¨C beyond trying vainly to learn to crawl, walk and talk at three months ¨C that kept me from going completely off the deep end. Those were, firstly, learning about where I was now, which was the castle of Starfall in Dorne at the mouth of the Torrentine river, and the lands around us. Though I wasn¡¯t told much as such things often devolved into baby-talk/kissy-face bullshit. And secondly, trying to catch any snippet of conversation about Robert¡¯s Rebellion. Provided that my existence hadn¡¯t caused any major changes to the timeline, then the war should just about be kicking into gear. I didn¡¯t know the exact time that events took place, but I knew that Ned and Robert had been in the Vale when things had started, so it would take them several months to get back to their respective kingdoms and raise their banners. Though what did have me confused was that my grandfather, Lord Beric Dayne, hadn¡¯t left with a retinue until a week or so ago. Nothing from my memories ¨C I¡¯d essentially re-read the two books in the series that I¡¯d gone through in my previous life and rewatched the TV show (though it was a chore to review the later seasons) ¨C gave much detail about the exact timeline, so I was having to make assumptions based on the tech level and the few passing snippets of information I¡¯d heard. When my grandfather had left, he¡¯d gone with my two uncles, Alebert (the heir) and Aldric to meet a Dornish host ¨C the local name for an army ¨C to fight for the king. Yet, the few whispers I¡¯d caught suggested that Doran Martell wasn¡¯t overly hurried about raising this host. Regarding my family, my aunt (Lady Roslyn) was pregnant with Alebert¡¯s child while my eldest uncle, Arthur ¨C the one who sent the letter that had been revealed when I was born ¨C had gone silent along with Rhaegar; the man who all but started the war by running away (if Arthur¡¯s letter was telling the truth) with Lyanna Stark. And this was where things got very fucking confusing for me personally. Lyanna Stark was the sister to my father, Brandon. Sadly, my father and grandfather on that side of the family (Lord Rickard Stark) had been killed by the King, Aerys. The King had then demanded the head of my uncle Eddard and Robert Baratheon. Since Robert was betrothed to Lyanna, and both were wards of Jon Arryn, but neither was willing to die nor Jon to kill them. Hence war; well, the war that was only now just getting started really. With nothing to do beyond keeping my ears open for any snippet of information about what was going on, I¡¯d spent my time in my new¡­ body, trying to push my new body to complete my two goals; be walking and talking before I was two. Though it was hard to walk when my body still struggled to crawl more than a few metres before I was picked up by someone. Usually, that was my mother, grandmother or one of the minders assigned to me (Myra and Wylla who served as my child-minders and¡­ nursemaids.) though my eldest aunt (Adrya) kept pestering my mother and grandmother to be allowed to hold me. What was driving me mad was that, just like my memories of my past life, I could remember every single thing that¡¯d happened to me since my¡­ rebirth with crystal-clear clarity. And while those new memories seemed to generate lower emotional responses than I¡¯d expect (which was different from memories from my past life ¨C those generated no emotional response) ¡®reviewing¡¯ them generated new responses. I knew these people were either my family, or just doing their job, but I fucking hated having to be treated as a babe. Even if I understood that in my current ¡®state¡¯, with me having over a decade serving in the military, and as a Tier-One operator, it was beyond fucking embarrassing to be treated like this. I heard the door creak open and turned my head to see who had come in. That, however, was hard to do as the crib I was in had high sides to stop me from falling out once I was able to stand under my own power. Which made sense if I was a normal babe that would try to explore everywhere as they grew, but to me, who knew that leaving the crib was dangerous, it felt like a prison cell. ¡°[Good morning young one, how are we feeling today?]¡± asked Myra as her large head came over the edge of the crib. I glared (or tried to anyway) as she reached in and slowly lifted me. Once she had me resting against her rather ample chest, she moved one hand around to tap my nose. I attempted to swat it away. However, my body was slow to respond and, judging by the smile that grew on her face at my actions, she mistook my move for me trying to playing with her. ¡°[Ah, awake and alert as normal. You are a smart one.]¡± She said as she turned and gently bounced me in her arms. ¡®Fucking stop treating me like this!¡¯ I tried to say, though all that came out was nothing more than gargles and other stupid sounds, which as usual, made her smile grow even more. ¡°[Hmm. Are you hungry little one?]¡± She asked as she sat on a chair in my room. As she carefully balanced me on her knee with one hand, the other moved to unfasten her dress. As her breast came into view, I closed my eyes and began to recite a now-familiar mantra. ¡®You¡¯re doing this to survive. You¡¯re doing this to survive.¡¯ ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡®Twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty.¡¯ I said to myself as I slowly moved my legs along the floor and took one cautious step after another. Based on the odd times I was taken for night-time walks, I suspected it had been about six moons (the local word for months) since my ¡®birth¡¯ and while I¡¯d gotten almost nowhere with my goal of talking ¨C anything that came out of my mouth was unintelligible to everyone ¨C I was getting closer to my goal of being able to walk at least fifty steps unaided. Whenever I could, I tried to walk (though until today I¡¯d never gotten beyond twenty steps) it had taken a few weeks before my mother or one of my minders realised what I was trying to do. They¡¯d kept picking me up or offering a hand to help me, though I¡¯d swatted (or tried to) away their help until mother had realised what I was trying to do and left me to my own devices. Though there was always someone watching (today that was Myra) since I was still a babe. As I took my thirty-third step, I lost my balance ¨C or my leg gave out as it wasn¡¯t developed enough for this much walking ¨C and I fell arse-first to the ground. ¡°[Oh, are you ok?]¡± Myra asked as she covered the short distance between the rug I was walking on and the chair she¡¯d been using to reach me. She scooped me up off the soft rug and pulled me close. No, you stupid bitch. I still need you to carry me around!¡¯ Though as usual, I kept my response internalised as I was sick of listening to myself talk like a babe. Instead, I glared up at her, which had the usual effect of making her smile. Now, was my response harsh? Yes, but after getting the same general question every single fucking time I failed and fell on my arse, I was fed up with being civil in my metal responses. ¡°[You¡¯re very much not one to sit still, are you little pup?]¡± she stated as she bounced me in her arms. As she turned, I caught sight of my cot and prayed she wasn¡¯t going to put me back inside, as I was sick of spending time in there. Yes, it was a good place to develop plans for how to go about altering events to suit my goals (not that my goals were much beyond learning to walk and talk at the moment) but staring up at the stone ceiling was beyond fucking boring. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Just as she reached the cot ¨C making me think my prayer had gone unanswered ¨C the door to the room opened and she turned, then lowered her head. ¡°[My lady.]¡± ¡°[Is he behaving himself?]¡± Mother asked and moments later she came close enough that I could see her smile down at me. Even if she was my mother, there was no denying how beautiful she was. Though I was glad that because I was young (read a pre-teen) I didn¡¯t have to worry about being aroused by her presence. ¡°[He is determined to walk, my lady.]¡± Myra replied as she passed me to my mother. ¡°[Every time he is awake, it is the first thing he tries. He¡¯s up to thirty and three steps.]¡± Mother turned her head and smiled down at me. ¡°[I see my young wolf is keen to leave his lair.]¡± She said as she ruffled the whisps of hair on my head. While I hadn¡¯t seen myself in a mirror, I knew from comments that it was black like my mother¡¯s, though many people commented on the fact it was darker. Myra had even said it was as dark as the void between stars, which made me really curious to see it for myself. While I was curious about seeing my new hair for the first time, what I really wanted to see were my eyes. According to everyone, I¡¯d inherited the purple eyes that my mother, oldest aunt and grandfather had. Though here again, my eyes were not an exact match for my mothers. While hers had a haunting quality to them, from what others said mine had specks of grey near my pupils. Mother seemed happy about this as she said it reminded her of my father, Brandon Stark, as she¡¯d once claimed that his eyes had been like grey mists you could get lost in. ¡°[Would you like to go for a walk?]¡± Mother asked and I managed to nod, and as my body slowly responded, I once more cursed my stupidly weak and pathetic new body. I knew that eventually, this would pass (as was proved by the fact I was finally starting to move to semi-solid foods, consigning the terror of breast-feeding to memories I planned to never, ever think about again) but until it did, and I was able to train this body for the battles I knew were coming, I¡¯d keep cursing at being stuck as something so weak and pathetic. While mother had said we were going for a walk, I knew this meant her carrying me around as I simply couldn¡¯t walk well enough to manage such a thing; even with a helping hand. And while being carried everywhere was demeaning, getting out of my room was helpful as it let me map out a general layout of the Dayne ancestral home of Starfall. So far, I¡¯d learnt that Starfall was situated on an island in the mouth of the Torrentine river, and not on the banks as I¡¯d thought. I hadn¡¯t left the castle yet, but I¡¯d been able to determine that the castle was large, on par or bigger than Edinburgh castle from my old life. The walls around the castle weren¡¯t that high, but from the few times I¡¯d been taken to the ramparts, I¡¯d realised that they didn¡¯t need to be as the island was high enough that attacking and scaling the walls from most sides would be nigh-on impossible for the technology of Westeros. The walls were dominated by six towers, though outside of the two which were connected to the main keep, I didn¡¯t know anything about them save that the northern and southern towers were much, much higher than the others. The courtyard was massive, easily able to hold a thousand people, if not two, with room to spare, and each time I¡¯d seen it, it¡¯d been buzzing with activity, though the only place I¡¯d been to outside of the main keep and few short walks along the ramparts was the Sept of the Seven. Mother had taken me there a few times (the first time had been for my blessing by the Septa) but generally, she avoided the place. While I didn¡¯t know why, from what I¡¯d observed, mother¡¯s actions were causing friction with grandmother (who was a very devout woman). Every guard or servant that we passed paused (if they weren¡¯t doing something) and lowered their head as mother walked past. Mother seemed to know most of their names and greeted them as we walked, stopping to talk to one every so often. None seemed concerned or upset that she was carrying around a bastard, and while that might just be because mother was a lady of the house, I suspected it was because we were in Dorne; which if Oberyn had been telling the truth in the show, was more tolerant and accepting of bastards. Sadly however, this relaxed attitude didn¡¯t extend fully to my grandmother. While she was gentle and kind, it was easy for me to tell that she was less than thrilled by me. Now, that could just be because the Starks were on the opposite side of the war from the Daynes, but I felt there was more to it. Almost as if she felt I was some kind of threat to the family. Which, given that uncle Alebert¡¯s wife died in childbirth (and the babe was stillborn), was understandable. There was every chance that my grandfather and all three uncles could die in the war (if the show was correct then at least Arthur would die) making my mother the heir to the house and placing me in a position to attempt to claim the title. Not that I would do so unless both my aunts died as well. Eventually, my mother took me to a balcony that had a wonderful view of the sea. I could see several vessels out in the water, and while most looked like simply fishing boats, two were larger ships with one heading east to west while the other was heading away from Starfall. ¡°[My Lady, Lady Helenys has requested your presence in Lord Beric¡¯s solar.]¡± Mother turned, ending my view of the sea, and I saw a young boy, perhaps twelve, had entered the room with the balcony. His skin was a darker tone than that of my mother or her family and had brown hair, but nothing about him stood out and I couldn¡¯t remember seeing him before. ¡°[Thank you, Hurdon.]¡± Mother replied. At that, the boy turned and left with mother following him out of the room. I was concerned that mother would return me to my room, but thankfully she turned in the direction that headed away from my room. I¡¯d never been to the lord¡¯s solar (nor even knew the castle had one, though in retrospect I should¡¯ve expected there to be one) so learning where it was would help expand my mental map of the castle. Plus, I was curious why mother had been summoned to the solar. It took mother about five minutes to reach the solar, with us skirting around the great hall of the main keep (which made sense since those were two locations where the Lord of a castle would spend most of their time). There were two guards outside, and unlike the other guards, these two made no move to acknowledge mother¡¯s presence. Instead, the one on the left (a shorter man that was almost as broad as he was tall) turned the handle on the large wooden door that was between them. ¡°[Ashara, good.]¡± Grandmother began as we stepped into the solar, which was pretty much what I¡¯d expected a medieval office to look like. Bookcases dominated the two walls to the side, while grandmother sat behind a large, black wooden desk. However, my attention was on the large lit fireplace behind, or more importantly, the three metal prongs that were fastened to the wall. That had to be a holding place for an ancestral sword, and I wondered if House Dayne had a Valyrian blade like House Stark¡¯s Ice. Above those prongs was an old, beaten shield that bore the sigil of House Dayne; a white sword and falling star crossed over a purple background. ¡°[I have received ravens from your father and brother.]¡± Grandmother continued from behind the large desk as mother sat down across from her. Grandmothers¡¯ eyes shifted to me, and for a moment they narrowed. ¡°[How is young Cregan today?]¡± She asked, her nose wrinkling at my name. While it was close to my name from my former life, something about the way my grandmother and others said it felt off. As if it wasn¡¯t a normal name for House Dayne or Dorne to use. Which made me suspect it was a name used by the Starks, though I¡¯d never heard it before in the show or the two books I¡¯d read. ¡°[Still trying to walk. Thirty and three steps according to Myra.]¡± Mother answered as grandmother slid a small note across the table. Mother shifted me to one leg before reaching out and picking up the note as grandmother replied. ¡°[Impressive. Neither you nor your siblings were walking so well at such a young age. I just wished you¡¯d picked a less¡­ Northern name.]¡± Huh. That confirmed why Cregan didn¡¯t sound right. Obviously, there had been a famous Cregan Stark at some point in the past, which was why (when combined with what my old name was and whatever resulted in my rebirth here) it had been chosen for my name. Mother gasped and my focus shifted from my grandmother to the note mother was reading. Sadly, as had happened a few times before, my strange trait of Comprehension didn¡¯t cover written languages. Thus, the paper looked like it was covered in nothing but scribbles to my eyes. ¡°[Married?! And she¡¯s with child?! Has the whole world gone mad?]¡± Mother asked as the note was passed back to my grandmother. Instantly, I had a suspicion as to who the note was talking about, but without confirmation, a suspicion was all it was. ¡°[It is possible. Arthur did mention before that the princess Elia was aware of all this. And Targaryens have taken multiple brides in the past.]¡± Grandmother explained as she picked up the note and then tossed it carefully into the fireplace behind her. My mind swirled as I got my confirmation. Lyanna had married Rhaegar and was with child. One who would be found and named Jon by Ned later this year. Part of me wanted to scream to the heavens about what was going to happen. However, I knew that if I tried to do so, then I¡¯d just end up crying (fucking stupid baby body) and thus end the meeting before I could learn any more. Therefore, I kept my mouth closed and tried to not appear too curious about what was being discussed. ¡°[B-but, if this is the case, then the war¡­]¡± Mother¡¯s words trailed off as she came to the conclusion that I¡¯d reached moments before. ¡°[Indeed.]¡± Grandmother commented before she sighed loudly, and slummed into the chair. It was as if she had aged a decade in that second as gone was the strong (and slightly scary) older woman and in her place was one weary of the life. ¡°[A bloody mummer¡¯s farce, all of it.]¡± Grandmother shook her head before then looking down at me once more. ¡°[If only your father had been less¡­ hot-blooded, and the King less insane.¡±] She paused and shifted her attention back to mother. ¡°[You would be married to the Heir of the North, with Cregan next in line to be Lord Stark after Brandon, and we¡¯d have alliances with two of the Lord Paramounts, as well as the crown.]¡± A silence fell over the room as the two women contemplated that scenario. I, however, was glad it wouldn¡¯t come to pass. Now, don¡¯t get me wrong, I liked the Starks (and would kill to get a direwolf as an animal companion) and it would¡¯ve placed me in a location to better prepare for the dangers north of The Wall, but something told me that if I was raised in Winterfell, I¡¯d have less time to explore as I¡¯d end up being trained to be the heir. Plus, I had always been curious about Dorne. The show¡­ well, it had ruined the storyline involving House Martell, but the few snippets I¡¯d caught about Dorne that came from the books made them sound much more fun to be around. Plus, the weather was better. ¡°[C-can we get word to Lord Stark or Lord Arryn?]¡± Mother asked, breaking the silence and pulling me from my thoughts. Grandmother shook her head. ¡°[Unlikely. Apart from us being on opposite sides of the war, the King is keeping Princess Elia and her children in the Red Keep as hostages in all but name. Any act by us, a loyal vassal house of the Martells, to reach out to Lord Stark would likely result in the death of the princess and her children, along with my husband and your brothers being executed as traitors.]¡± ¡°[Gods, this¡­]¡± Mother paused and dabbed at her eyes with her free hand. ¡°[W-what of father and my brothers?]¡± ¡°[I received a raven from him last night. He, Alebert and Aldric have met up with the Dornish host under the command of Lewyn Martell at the entrance of the Prince¡¯s pass. From there, they plan to march to King¡¯s Landing to join the host assembled by Prince Rhaegar.]¡± Mother sighed. ¡°[I¡­ This¡­ It can¡¯t be happening.]¡± Her worry was easy to see and hoping to comfort her, I reached out and grasped one of her fingers in mine. She looked down at me and smiled, seeming to take some comfort from my presence. ¡°[Sadly, it is.]¡± Grandmother stated, her eyes narrowing as she once more glanced at me. ¡°[I have prepared a raven for Prince Doran, but I feel there is little he can do to prevent things becoming worse. While Beric and Arthur are close to each other, Arthur hints that they¡¯ve not been keeping their location a secret from House Fowler. Though he has asked for a nursemaid and supplies to be dispatched directedly to their location.]¡± She looked down at the table and sighed. ¡°[Beyond that, there is nought we can do but pray for everyone¡¯s safe return.]¡± ¡°[On both sides.]¡± Mother added. ¡°[I do not wish Cregan to grow up without knowing his father¡¯s family.]¡± Mother and grandmother locked eyes at that before grandmother looked down at me once more and sighed again. ¡°[Indeed. Let us hope the Seven will hear our words.]¡± She added as she stood. Mother followed suit, being careful of how I was balanced in her arms but paused just as grandmother reached the door to the solar. ¡°[I-I will head to the Godswood. P-perhaps a prayer to the Old Gods will grant protection to Lord Stark as well as our family.]¡± Grandmother frowned and one eyebrow seeming to twitch before she responded. ¡°[Hmm. Mayhaps there is reason in praying to all the Gods, New and Old. While I am not a Dayne by birth, I know the linage of this house traces back to the First Men. Even if your house converted to the Seven at the same time as mine, the child is of the First men. Mayhaps that will be enough for the Old Gods to hear your pleas.]¡± Mother nodded and followed grandmother out of the room. As they walked, I wondered what I¡¯d find in the Godswood of Starfall. Until just now I didn¡¯t realise that the Daynes were a First Men house. From what little I knew of the history of Westeros, I thought all houses south of the Neck followed the Seven (bar the Ironborn, but they were nothing but pirates and thugs. My mind began to wonder if the Starfall Godswood would have a weirwood tree like the one in Winterfell. Would be the same size or have a face carved into it like all weirwoods were meant to have? Of course, my curiosity fizzled as I realised that if it did have a weirwood, then that would mean that the Three-eyed raven (who¡¯d taught Bran in the show) would know about me. I gulped hard at that. The idea that a man who could use magic to look into the past (and from what was implied the future) would no doubt consider a presence from another world a variable. One great enough that he might just wish to remove me from the board before anyone knew I was even playing. And what do the Children of the Forest, or the Others (or even the Lord of Light if it was real) feel about my presence? I gulped again as mother stepped into the courtyard and separated from grandmother. For the first time since my rebirth, I suddenly felt very, very concerned about just what my future held, and the dangers that were hidden in this world. ¡­ ¡­ Prologue 2 As the door to my room creaked open, I looked up from the simple wooden toys in front of me (which I was using to help improve the motor skills of my new body). Myra, as had become the custom, was sitting in a chair nearby keeping an eye on me while doing some needlework on a dress. About a moon or so after I¡¯d learnt that Lyanna was pregnant with Jon I¡¯d finally reached my goal of fifty steps unaided, and now, about a moon before my first nameday (the local term for a birthday) I¡¯d passed one hundred steps. The day that I¡¯d learnt about the conception of Jon Snow was also the day I¡¯d entered the Godswood of Starfall, and I¡¯d breathed a sigh of relief when I discovered there was no weirwood tree present, just the leftover stump of one under a massive oak tree that dominated the place. As mother had sat with me under that oak tree, she¡¯d explained that while most houses of Old Men blood still had a weirwood tree in their Godswood, the Daynes had been forced to remove theirs by Princess Nymeria of the Rhoynar when House Nymeros Martell had united Dorne under her banner. While I wanted to see a weirwood tree for real, there not being one did make me feel safer as I was unsure if the Three-Eyed Raven could see into Starfall without one. (Yes, in the show he¡¯d shown Bran the Tower of Joy, but something about that never sat right with me as if his powers came from the Children of the Forest or the Old Gods, how could he have seen into Dorne?). Then again, meeting (or at least being viewed by the Three-Eyed-Raven might¡¯ve given me a hint if I had any magical potential, as in the first book Bran had dreamt of flying and I felt that was the moment his magic awakened. Since then, I¡¯d been to the Godswood at least once a month as I found it relaxing to sit or play under the trees. And it had been there that I¡¯d begun to play with things by myself. Just as when I¡¯d started trying to walk, I¡¯d pushed back or ignored others when they tried to stop me (or get me to do other things) and mother had quickly caught on that I was once more showing signs of wanting to do something on my own. I still had a minder with me at all times, hence why Myra was in the room, but I was generally left to my own devices outside of mealtimes. Which was a good thing as Wylla had left the castle not long after I¡¯d learnt about Jon¡¯s conception (which fitted into the story Eddard had told Robert about Jon¡¯s mother being someone with the same name), thus I only had to deal with the mental issues of breastfeeding from my mother instead of a family servant as well. About the only person in the castle who seemed angered by my rapid development was my youngest aunt, Allyria. She was about five years older than me (and had the same hair and eye colouring as my mother) but was unhappy with my rapid growth as it was showing her up. I¡¯d tried to play with her, but she¡¯d kept her distance and glared when we¡¯d been in the same room. My older aunt, Adrya, was far friendlier. She often came by to play or hold me (which wasn¡¯t something I particularly enjoyed as I felt like a new toy for her to play with) and while her eyes were much lighter than mothers ¨C verging on a light purple/blue mix ¨C it was easy to see the signs that she¡¯d be a beauty once she matured (she was eleven currently). ¡°[And how is my little wolf today?]¡± Mother asked as she walked through the open doorway, a smile on her face though I saw that it didn¡¯t reach her eyes, which had been a common event over the last few moons. The war, with her brothers and father off somewhere and little hint as to what they were doing, was placing a strain on her and grandmother. From what little I¡¯d been able to overhear and deduce, Robert had been doing well until he¡¯d been beaten by a Reach host and driven into the Riverlands. While that should mean the loyalist forces had the advantage, from what I knew of geography, that wouldn¡¯t hold as Robert would be able to meet up with Ned, Jon Arryn (and provided the double marriage had taken place) the Tullys. The Dornish host had only recently left Dorne but was not going to reinforce the Reach host. Instead, it was heading to King¡¯s Landing. While, on the surface, that showed the Dornish support for the crown, I felt it was only half-hearted at best. Even if Prince Doran had received the raven from grandmother about Rhaegar, Lyanna and Elia (and I suspected Elia had already told her brother the plan anyway), the directing of the army away from the fighting, and towards King¡¯s Landing (where Elia and her children were) hinted there was more going on than I knew about. Which had me once more cursing myself for not reading all the books and browsing the wiki. ¡°[H-horse]¡± I managed to say as I held up a small wooden knight on a horse. Having to learn an entirely new language from the perspective of a baby was¡­ frustrating (to put it mildly). However, I accepted that I had to go through this, even if I was dreading the lessons on the written language that would come in a few years. The strange trait I¡¯d gotten on¡­ my birthday (Comprehension) only worked for languages spoken by others, thus I had to push through learning the language verbally. Yes, it was a pain, but having the trait (even I was still confused as fuck as to why I had it) made things easier and let me listen in on conversations people didn¡¯t think I could follow. Mother¡¯s smile grew and now reached her eyes. ¡°[Yes, that¡¯s a horse. But with the man on the horse like that, we call it a knight. Knight.]¡± She explained as she knelt beside me. ¡°[Nogh.]¡± I tried. ¡®Fucking stupid child¡¯s mouth.¡¯ This was the only downside of having to learn any language, but it was one I¡¯d dealt with in my previous life (though I couldn¡¯t remember doing so as a baby, thank fuck. My old life memories only went back to when I was around five or so). ¡°[It¡¯s alright Cregan.]¡± Mother said, which meant my annoyance at getting the word wrong must¡¯ve shown (again) and a few of her fingers brushed back a lock of my hair from my forehead. ¡°[Take your time. Try again. Knight.]¡± While getting treated like a babe was¡­ well, annoying as fuck didn¡¯t quite cover it, I had slowly learnt to accept it; and bury my fury about having to experience life as a babe again. All I could hope was that once I turned five, and that strange objective I¡¯d seen was completed, that things would begin to make sense. And it had better, or by the Gods, Old and New (even if I didn¡¯t care for either group) I was going to kill someone (likely a few someones) to satiate my fury. ¡°[Knoght.]¡± ¡°[Almost. Kn-i-ght]¡± ¡°[Knight.]¡± ¡®Thank fuck!¡¯ Mother¡¯s smile broke into a wide grin, and she picked me up and spun me around. ¡°[Yes, that¡¯s it! That¡¯s my little wolf!]¡± I felt a smile creep onto my face at once more seeing how happy my learning speed made mother as it was hard to not get caught up in her joy (though I still was going to fucking kill whoever made someone so beautiful my mother). ¡°[Cregan is¡­ unusually clever, my lady.]¡± Myra said. That made my mother stopped spinning me around and she turned to face my minder. Sadly, I couldn¡¯t see either of their faces as mother had placed me over her shoulder. ¡°[It¡­ It is almost unnatural.]¡± Myra finished weakly, and if I had to guess, I¡¯d say she was looking down at the floor as mother glowered at her. ¡°[He is the child of two ancient houses, Myra. Both carrying the blood of the First Men.]¡± Mother replied, her tone carrying a clear warning. ¡°[He is clever yes, incredibly so, but that is simply a blessing of the Old Gods.]¡± ¡°[Yes, my lady. I meant no disrespect.]¡± Mother sighed and I felt her pat my back (which was so fucking degrading). ¡°[I do hope so Myra.]¡± Any further discussion was cut off by a knock and the door, though again due to my humiliating position, I couldn¡¯t see who had entered. ¡°[Lady Ashara, your mother has received some¡­ troubling news.]¡± Maester Cordin began, letting me know who had entered my room. ¡°[She¡­ well, it would be best if you and your sisters met with her in your father¡¯s solar.]¡± I felt mother tense at Cordin¡¯s words, which wasn¡¯t surprising. With the war going on and the way that things seemed to be heading (from what I¡¯d heard, Robert had joined up with Eddard and the others and beaten a large loyalist host) the chances of any news being good for House Dayne were slim at best. ¡°[Very well.]¡± Mother replied with a sigh and began to walk towards the door. ¡°[My lady, I do not believe the babe should be present.]¡± Cordin offered slowly. I wanted to glare at him for trying to deny me the chance to learn more about what was going on, but with mother had placed me over her shoulder so I couldn¡¯t see him. ¡°[Your mother was most¡­ disquieted by the news.]¡± Right, that suggested that something had happened to my grandfather, one of my uncles or perhaps even all of them. Which did hint that the battle of the Trident had already taken place, but until I learnt what the message was about, I couldn¡¯t be sure. Mother stopped and I offered a quick prayer to any god who would listen to not have her take Cordin¡¯s words to heart. ¡°[Perhaps you are right, Cordin.]¡± At my mother¡¯s words, I frowned, and as she turned around to hand me to Myra, I glared at Cordin. While I couldn¡¯t do anything to him now, the fact he¡¯d done this a few times (cut me off from overhearing something useful) and was there to birth me, meant he was high on my list of people to make their lives miserable. Now, I didn¡¯t hate him enough to want to kill him (though I couldn¡¯t deny the idea had some appeal) but I was getting sick of his interference. I needed to know what had happened between Robert and Rhaegar. There was always a chance that the world I¡¯d been... reborn into wasn¡¯t a copy of either the books or the show. For example, there was a chance that my being reborn had somehow altered things so that Rhaegar won on the Trident. If that came to pass, then it would mean the death of Robert, and likely Ned and Jon Arryn as well. That would prevent the births of the rest of the Stark children along with the royal bastards. The thought that my presence would change things dramatically had resulted in a month of concern and worrying. Almost all my meta knowledge would be useless, and I¡¯d be working from a weak position to prepare for what was to come. A weakened North was the biggest issue as that would make the first line of defence (and the most likely kingdom to accept that the White Walkers had returned) far weaker than in canon. Yet, if the North (and other kingdoms) was weakened by Rhaegar winning, the counterpoint would be that the kingdoms would likely be more united and if I was able to convince Rhaegar and his wives (provided Lyanna survived birthing Jon) of the threat north of The Wall, it was more likely the Seven Kingdoms as a whole could prepare for what was to come. And it would mean that Joffrey would never be born, which would be a relief. While he wasn¡¯t the biggest mortal threat (that was likely a toss-up between Littlefinger and Varys) not having to worry about that insanity would be a blessing. Then again, I¡¯d still have to find a way to neuter or kill (more than likely the latter) Ramsey Snow. As my mind once more drifted to possible scenarios, Myra placed me back on the ground, next to the wooden knight. Before I picked it up and returned to working on my motor skills, I cursed myself for the thousandth time for not reading all five books or at least deep diving the wiki. Something told me that the knowledge from the books was going to be far, far more useful to me in this version of Westeros. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ NOTE: From here on in, Common Tongue will be displayed in ¡°¡­¡± marks. English and all other languages will be in ¡°[¡­]¡±. This signifies that the Common Tongue is now his main language, and he understands it enough to use it as a first language. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°A..Ae¡­gon, Ageon¡­ and¡­ hip.¡± ¡°His.¡± Maester Cordin corrected, from above and behind me. He tapped the word I¡¯d mispronounced with an annoying fucking pointer and repeated the word. ¡°His.¡± ¡°His¡­ sis ter, sister¡­ wi¡­ves., wives.¡± I finished, once more cursing the downside of being able to speak reasonably clearly before I was eighteen months (though here eighteen was called eight and ten). Because I¡¯d shown an advanced ability to speak, mother had convinced Cordin to begin tutoring me in learning to read, and it was clear that Cordin wasn¡¯t happy about it as he had chosen a large, old book that detailed the Targaryen conquest of the Seven Kingdoms as my source material. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. While I didn¡¯t enjoy having to learn yet another language, I knew it was something that I¡¯d need to do. In my old life I¡¯d picked up the very basics of a handful of languages when my unit had been deployed for an extended period in a foreign country. Though the only language bar English that I was even halfway comfortable speaking was French; and that was only because I could recall every single class I¡¯d had in secondary school. What was making the Common Tongue so difficult was that the characters were nothing like any earth-based script I¡¯d ever come across, so there was no point of origin for me to use as a base. Hence the need to learn the old-fashioned way of trying to string together the letters into phonics blocks. ¡°Well done my boy, very well done.¡± Maester Cordin said as he lifted the stick from the line that he¡¯d asked me to read. ¡°In all my time, I¡¯ve never seen a child so easily learn the common tongue, nor one so young.¡± ¡°Thanks to your tiaching, Cordin.¡± I replied as I turned to look up at him. The mistake in my word was intentional as I¡¯d noticed several of the family servants (and grandmother) giving me odd looks as I slowly walked or talked with mother. While the intentional mistakes I was placing in my speech wouldn¡¯t deflect much of the attention (concern or fear possibly) that I¡¯d gained, anything that might mitigate the risk that I wouldn¡¯t make my fifth nameday was something I knew that I had to do. Hopefully, once the strange objective I had was completed I¡¯d learn just how and why I was here and who or what had brought me to this dimension. ¡°¡®Teaching¡¯ Cregan.¡± Cordin corrected with a gentle smile as he reached over me and closed the book that I¡¯d been reading, though not before placing a loose scroll of paper to mark the page we¡¯d been at. ¡°While I would like to take credit for your frankly miraculous learning speed, I cannot. You are blessed, by both the Old and New Gods, with a drive that very few children ever show. Indeed, I foresee you becoming more learned than some Maesters if you so desire.¡± I kept my face as calm as I could even as I internally cringed. Religion had never been a big part of my old life (particularly once I¡¯d started taking part in combat operations with the Royal Marines and SBS). Seeing the suffering and chaos that was inflicted on others (often because of operations carried out by myself and the teams I served in) had further removed my belief in a god. Then, when you throw in the¡­ pushiness of certain people who claim to be speaking for God (in any form) and often wanted to start fights/riots/wars over what they felt was the correct interpretation of religious doctrine and well, I was very much an agnostic by the time I died. There were far too many hints and subtle nudges about that being the way many followers of the Seve-who-are-One behaved that I honestly felt the less I had to do with that pantheon the better. Septa Railey, the leader of Starfall¡¯s Sept, was a great example of this. The non-too subtle glares she sent my way and the comments about the heathens in the North not recognising the divine right of the King to rule over them, had her quickly ascend to the upper echelons of a kill list I had developed in my head. If I had to listen to one more self-indulgent screech from that bitch about why the Old Gods were heretics and sinners, then I¡¯d likely commit my first murder before I learnt why I was in Westeros. ¡°Now, I think that is enough reading for today. Time for the banners.¡± Cordin continued as he picked up the book I¡¯d been reading from and then placed an even larger book in front of me. I groaned at having to do this again as, thanks to the same reason that I remembered my old life clearly (well, everything after I turned 5 anyway) I knew the sigils, words and current lords of every house in Dorne already. One unexpected thing I¡¯d discovered once I¡¯d started learning the details about the various houses of Dorne (after mother felt that since I could speak, I could learn the banners) was that my grandmother had been born into House Blackmont. However, the sigil and words that dominated my thoughts were those of House Dayne. I already knew the sigil/banner as it was plastered all over the castle, but the words had stuck with me ever since mother had first told them to me. Night falls, we rise. To most those sounded like nothing more than a link to a long-forgotten time, but to me, they signalled that House Dayne had played a role in the Long Night; and may well do so again when the Others (I¡¯d discovered that here no-one called them White Walkers, which hinted that I was in the book-verse; or one very close to it at least) returned. Sadly, however, Cordin and mother had decided that I wasn¡¯t allowed to read any books detailing the Long Night. Though mother had hinted that there were family legends that stated that the Daynes had fought alongside the Starks during the Long Night, which was where the house words came from. Just as Cordin opened the book of banners (Not what it was called but what I referred to it as) to the Dornish pages, a knock came from the door. I turned as best I could, though since I was in a fucking baby high-chair (or what passed for one here) I couldn¡¯t turn enough to see who had entered. Still, mother had promised me that once I turned two, I wouldn¡¯t have to put up with these types of chairs, so I was willing to overlook how degrading these things were until that happened. ¡°Begging your pardon Maester Cordin, but Lady Ashara wants the boy in the Lord¡¯s solar.¡± One of the servant boys (Jarden if I recalled the name correctly) said a moment after the door opened. Cordin turned to face me and with a smile, closed the book of banners. ¡°It seems the banners will have to wait. Are you comfortable going with Jarden or would you prefer I take you?¡± I pulled up everything I knew about Jarden. The boy was older than me, around nine or so, and while I hadn¡¯t had any real interaction with him, I had seen him talking often with aunt Adrya. Though what concerned me is the fact I¡¯d seen him come and go several times from the Sept when mother took me to the Godswood so she could relax under the trees. While his attending service in the Sept likely didn¡¯t mean anything, when combined with my lack of personal connection to the boy, I was reluctant to go with him. ¡°With you Cordin.¡± I replied once I¡¯d made up my mind. Cordin nodded, and with a glance dismissed Jarden. As I heard the boy¡¯s footsteps recede, Cordin reached down and lifted me out of the highchair. While I could (probably) make the walk by myself, it would take me an hour at least. (Yes, I¡¯d walked from my room to the great hall ¨C which was roughly where the Lord¡¯s solar was ¨C a few times and it was not easy) Thus, I was willing to put up with the degrading nature of being carried for the speed it would get me there. Though being carried was far, far, far less degrading than the issues with my sanitary needs. Getting my arse washed after shitting was one of the most (if not the most) degrading things to have ever happened to me. In either life. Fucking stupid arsed baby¡¯s body. By the time we reached the Lord¡¯s solar, my annoyance at being carried had long since dissipated, being replaced by curiosity as to why I¡¯d been summoned. The solar was now no longer the residence of my grandfather as, from what I¡¯d learnt, he and uncle Alebert had died on the Trident. Uncle Aldric was the new Lord Dayne, but he hadn¡¯t returned to Starfall. Likely, that was because he was being held as a prisoner by Robert and Ned¡¯s forces, but that was just speculation on my part. The death of my grandfather and one of my uncles left me conflicted as, while I was glad that the timeline was still in place (and Ned was still Lord Stark as I wanted nothing to do with that title) I was also disappointed they died. I hadn¡¯t interacted much with uncle Alebert, but grandfather had seemed to genuinely like having me around in the short time I¡¯d known him before he¡¯d ridden off to war. Still, having my knowledge of what was to come (even if that meant about fifteen years of Robert being a shit king and then being replaced by Joffrey with all that ensued) still be accurate and useful was going to be a blessing. Though that didn¡¯t mean I wouldn¡¯t contemplate shifts that could alter future events (beyond my very existence) and dismantle what I thought was going to happen. More that I could now discount an entire timeline that was drastically different from what I¡¯d expected. Truthfully, having these years to consider, develop and enhance plans, counterplans, and contingencies for what was to come was probably the only good thing about being reborn as a mother-fucking babe. Hopefully, my actions in the future would help prevent the Others from killing all life on the planet (and arrange things so I¡¯d had a comfortable life) but until I was old enough to begin my plans, I would just spend the time creating and developing them. Though if things here ended up even half as fucked up as the final seasons of the show, then it would have all been for nothing. Outside the solar there were four guards instead of the usual two, which made me frown. Why would there need to be extra guards here? This was one of the most secure locations in the castle, so it didn¡¯t make much sense. Unless someone inside was a potential threat to mother and grandmother. Cordin knocked on the door, and an instant later Grandmother called out. ¡°Enter.¡± The Maester pushed open the door, as it opened, I saw mother sitting on the far side of the table near grandmother. That confirmed that there were visitors in the room, yet from my position, I couldn¡¯t see who it was. ¡°My Lady.¡± Cordin said as I was handed to my mother. As she turned me and placed me on her knee, allowing me to see that there were two other people in the room. A short, scraggly man was standing at the rear, holding something in his arms, but my focus was instantly on the front of the pair. This man wasn¡¯t overly tall (though next to his companion he certainly appeared to be) and was wearing loose mail and leather armour, with a dark brown overcoat. My eyes quickly were drawn to the brooch holding the surcoat in place, particularly the emblem upon the brooch. I gasped a little as I realised what it was, and who this man was. That was a direwolf, which meant this was Lord Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell, and my uncle. A second later I realised that the man behind him was likely Howland Reed, and the bundle he was holding was the young Jon Snow. ¡°I¡­¡± Eddard began, and my eyes snapped from the bundle (where I was all but certain Jon Snow was), to my uncle. He gulped as our eyes met, and then shifted his gaze to mother. ¡°Who is the father?¡± ¡°Your brother Brandon.¡± Mother replied slowly and I felt her grip on me tighten fractionally. ¡°While I enjoyed our time at Harrenhal, Brandon was more¡­¡± Her words trailed off and as she breathed deeply, Eddard chuckled nervously. ¡°Aye, he was.¡± Eddard said slowly. He glanced behind him at Howland, who gave his liege lord an almost imperceivable nod, before he returned his focus to us. Since neither mother nor grandmother were reacting to the babe in Howland¡¯s arms (I¡¯d seen the bundle move twice since I¡¯d arrived so there was no doubt in my mind it was baby Jon) it seemed as though they were unaware of the babe¡¯s parentage. While there was a chance Jon had been revealed before I¡¯d arrived, I thought that was unlikely. Even if they thought the babe was Eddard¡¯s bastard, they¡¯d have likely still made some gesture towards it; fetching a servant to get some milk or something. Eddard licked his lips then ran a hand through his hair. ¡°Were¡­were you and my brother¡­¡± ¡°No. Cregan was born out of wedlock.¡± Mother replied tensely as her grip on me again tightened. ¡°He is not a threat to your claim as Lord of Winterfell.¡± And thank fuck for that. I really, really didn¡¯t want to be the Lord of the North. While that would put me in a position to prepare the best for the Others, the shite I¡¯d have to deal with as the Warden of the North would outweigh any advantages gained from being Lord Stark. ¡°That¡­ Gods. This¡­ this isn¡¯t¡­ I never expected things to go this way.¡± Eddard got out, his thoughts likely all over the place at the reveal of my parentage. He sighed once more then gave me a weak smile. ¡°I came to Dorne to find my sister,¡± Mother again tensed at that, ¡°only to lose her but gain an unexpected nephew.¡± He finished, again giving me a weak smile. I was barely able to keep a frown from my face until I realised this meant he was already claiming Jon was his bastard and not the child of Lyanna and Rhaegar. Smart man. ¡°We are sorry for your loss, Lord Eddard.¡± Grandmother offered, though to me, it seemed that her words lacked most of the warmth or support such a statement would normally have. ¡°And I for yours, Lady Helenys.¡± Eddard offered back. He paused for a moment as if gathering his thoughts. ¡°I am unsure if you are aware, but House Dayne lost its Lord and Heir on the Trident.¡± ¡°Aye, we received a raven telling us this and demanding a ransom for Aldric from your fellow traitors!¡± Grandmother snapped back; her tone having lost any hint of civility. ¡°Mother!¡± My own called out, and I had to assume mother was concerned that Eddard would report the feelings of my grandmother to King Robert. Though, given what I heavily suspected had happened in the Red Keep after the city fell, I felt there was only a small chance that Eddard would do so. ¡°I understand your anger, my lady.¡± Eddard began slowly. ¡°And, in different circumstances, I would likely agree with you. However, they are not. Though rest assured, King Robert will not hear of your opinions from me.¡± Eddard paused and his eyes seemed to glass over for a moment as he likely relived the events in Kings¡¯ Landing. ¡°We¡­ There¡­¡± He paused once more and sighed, his free hand running along his chin as he stroked his beard. ¡°Something happened there that should not. Robert should not have condoned it while I could not accept it, and I left to find my sister before we came to blows over it.¡± There was confirmation that what I suspected had happened in King¡¯s Landing did indeed happen. Which was both a sad (as it meant Elia and her children had died horrifically) and a good (because it further cemented that my knowledge was valid) thing. One thing that it did do was place the Mountain very close to the top of my kill list. Higher than even Joffrey, though that was only because the boy had not been born yet, so there was still a chance he wouldn¡¯t be a fucking arse. ¡°W-we have heard rumours.¡± Grandmother began slowly as I felt mother¡¯s breath hitch. ¡°About Princess Elia and her children.¡± My brow creased at hearing that rumours about what had happened had already reached Dorne. In the place of Robert, Jon Arryn, and Tywin, I¡¯d have done my best to limit who knew the fate of the princess and her children. Now, I could only imagine the fury that was brewing in Sunspear at those rumours, and I had to wonder how the Martells were prevented from going to war with Robert over what happened to Elia. Eddard glanced at my mother and grandmother before nodding. ¡°They are true.¡± That gesture, and the words that accompanied it, seemed to age him by over a decade, and I heard my grandmother inhale sharply as my mother¡¯s fingers dug painfully into my sides. ¡°And I must now give you more terrible news.¡± He paused once again and turned to Howland. The shorter man handed the bundle that contained Jon to Eddard, and after a nod to his liege lord then my grandmother, he departed the room. ¡°After relieving the siege of Storm¡¯s end, I received news of where my Lyanna was being held; at a place known as the Tower of Joy.¡± Eddard continued slowly, as I felt a dread creep into the room. Yeah, this was not going to be a fun reveal. ¡°There, I, Howland, and six other of my bannermen found my sister guarded by three members of the Kingsguard. Lord Commander Gerold Hightower, Ser Oswell Whent and Ser Arthur Dayne.¡± Mother¡¯s breath hitched at the mention of her brother (and my uncle), and I heard what sounded like nails scrape over the large table that grandmother sat behind. ¡°M-my son?¡± Grandmother asked in a voice barely above a whisper and if I could¡¯ve, I¡¯d have moved to support her for what was about to come. Eddard sighed and looked down at the ground. ¡°He, along with everyone bar Howland and myself fell that day. My sister died soon after.¡± His voice was barely above a whisper, but in the silence of the room, it carried to everyone easily. The room fell into silence as my family digested the news Eddard had just given them. My focus, however, was on the bundle Eddard was clutching close to his chest; both his hands were holding the babe tight. It was almost as if he was afraid of what revealing the babe would result in. Yet, if he was concerned about Jon being here, then why was he so adamant about coming to Starfall? ¡°Who that?¡± I asked, breaking the silence by raising my hand and pointing at the bundle. Eddard¡¯s face exploded in shock, and he almost lost his grip on the bundle. A cry erupted from it, which broke the spell that had fallen over the room. ¡°My son asks a good question, Lord Eddard.¡± Mother stated, and I to look up at her, receiving a smile for my curiosity. And again, I had to curse whoever decided that she would be my mother. Her smile was better than any I had seen in my former life, and her beauty rivalled the most attractive females on Earth. ¡°H-he speaks?!¡± Eddard asked. I turned back to face him and saw he was looking at me through almost freakishly wide eyes. ¡°Can walk too.¡± I replied and stuck out my tongue. Childish I knew, but fun to do as well. Plus, I hoped it would help to alleviate some of the sour mood that was filling the room. Mother chuckled at my comment, which was as I¡¯d hoped, and a small smile crept onto Eddard¡¯s face. Though it dropped as the bundle again cried and he looked down at the babe within. ¡°The babe is your bastard?¡± Mother asked, a hardness in her tone. Ned visibly flinched at that and pulled the bundle closer to his chest. He opened his mouth to say something, only to stop then sigh and take a moment. ¡°After¡­ the battle outside the tower, I headed up to find Lyanna. She¡­¡± He paused and closed his eyes, likely reliving the moment. ¡°She had just given birth to a child, and with her final breath gave him to me to¡­ protect.¡± My eyes shot open at this as Eddard, in a move that made no logical sense, had just revealed that the babe he was carrying with the child of Rhaegar and Lyanna. Maybe he wasn¡¯t as good at playing the game as I¡¯d thought when he¡¯d claimed to all (well most it seemed) that Jon was his bastard or maybe the revelation about me had distracted him enough to make him change his plans regarding what he¡¯d tell the Daynes. Either way, this was an unexpected event that would likely have ramifications in the years to come. ¡°The child wasn¡¯t stillborn?¡± Grandmother asked slowly, and I suspected she was putting two and two together in her head as to who, or more importantly what, Jon really was. The heir to the Targaryen dynasty. ¡°It lived?¡± Eddard¡¯s eyes had narrowed a fraction at my grandmother¡¯s words. Which made sense as she¡¯d just unintentionally revealed that she knew Lyanna had been with child. Thankfully, however, he let the slip go (though I suspected he¡¯d bring it up at a later date) and pulled the cloth back to reveal young Jon¡¯s head. ¡°Yes, my lady.¡± Eddard replied and he took a step forward, letting us all see the babe in the bundle. ¡°This is her daughter, Alysanne Snow.¡± . .. ¡­ As my grandmother stood and began to move around the table, my eyes locked on those of my cousin. My female cousin. And one thought dominated my mind. ¡°The fuck?¡± Prologue 3 To the rest of the world, as I sat on the floor of my room, it looked as though I was glaring at a small wooden ship. Yet, I was in fact mentally fuming at the insanity I found myself in. Somehow, at the behest of some unknown power, I''d been reborn in Westeros. And that unknown power had decided to fuck with one of the major protagonists of the book and TV show. What made my fuming even worse was that I had no one to direct my anger at. Blaming a new-born baby was pointless. They had no control over the fact an outside force had decided to fuck with their destiny and change their gender. Nor the fact said force had decided to drop me in to deal with the fallout. ¡°Waahh!¡± Said babe cried. I turned my attention from the wooden ship, letting my anger fade from my face, to look at little Alysanne Snow. No matter how much I wished I was looking at Jon Snow, that wasn''t going to happen. And as Alysanne continued to cry, Wylla lifted from my former crib (I¡¯d graduated to an adult bed ¨C though one with high sides ¨C a few months prior). ¡°Shh, little one.¡± Willa whispered as she pulled Alysanne into her arms and began to gently rock her. ¡°It¡¯s ok. Cregan isn¡¯t angry at you, are you Cregan?¡± She asked as she shifted her gaze to me, narrowing her eyes. I sighed and shook my head. ¡°No Willa. Shop is boring.¡± I replied, doing my best to cover my anger at the ripples the change she held in her arms generated. Though calling Alysanne a ripple was a gross understatement. Who knew a simple sex change would unleash a tidal wave of alterations to the timeline? And while I was angry that there was no Jon Snow, I couldn¡¯t be angry at Alysanne. Yes, her being here was a shock to a great many of my plans and ideas. Though since I hadn''t written any of them down, I didn''t need to burn pages of now useless plans and ideas. Though this meant my anger at being reborn here, and now having to scrap every one of my initial plans, was going to have to stew. Until I reached my fifth nameday, and learnt what the fuck was going on, nothing was going to calm my growing anger. Over the last week, I''d been serving my punishment for swearing openly in front of my mother, uncle and others. Since I was still young, and I cover my arse by saying I overheard it in the yard one day, yet that didn''t stopped mother from grounding me in my room for a week. While not great, it had given me time to go over the more obvious issues Alysanne''s existence caused. While there were a few issues in the southern kingdoms with no Jon being around (though those were all after Ned¡¯s death and the War of the Five Kings, which I was unsure of how I¡¯d attempt to alter to suit my plans) in the North, and beyond the Wall¡­ well, shit was going to hit the fan much, much harder. Jon not being there to take the black caused major issues for the Night¡¯s Watch and the Wildlings. It would also affect others - like Samwell Tarly - that played important roles in discovering the truth about the Others. Not getting the Wildlings through the wall, which without Jon seemed unlikely, would give the Others a massive influx of¡­ bodies for their army. And that worry had made it hard to sleep for the last week. And of course, no Jon would have major implications for the Starks (and others) and Winterfell. Without Jon to bond with, Robb would likely gravitate more towards Theon, if that still happened. Theon, if he was at Winterfell, might not develop into the annoying shite he became without Jon around to pick on. While it was unlikely - Theon did come across as being very full of himself in the early books - I couldn''t discount that a more balanced Theon might develop. However, if Theon did end up at Winterfell, then I was concerned he''d try and seduce Alysanne for the simple notch it would grant him of bedding a Stark. If that seemed a possibility, then I might have to arrange an accident for him before he could see it through. Provided I was able to do so, that is. Catelyn would (hopefully) be nicer to Alysanne as the girl was less of a threat to Robb becoming Lord of Winterfell; though the counter to that was that I expected her vitriol towards me to be barely contained when I visited Winterfell. While I did want to see the castle and visit the Wall (not just because of their importance with the threat in the Lands of Always Winter) I had no interest in living there. Thankfully, mother and grandmother had shut down Ned¡¯s suggestion that I return north with him (that had put my mother in a foul mood for a day or so though I¡¯d only discovered why yesterday as I was now banned from being brought to any meeting in the solar due to my outburst) as they understood better than Ned did the problems of raising a Stark bastard in Winterfell would bring. Plus, with me in the North, I¡¯d likely be cut off from the rest of the Seven Kingdoms, and while that¡¯d give me more time to prepare for the future, it would also limit my ability to gather allies without raising the ire of those in power (I think.) ¡°Ship, Cregan. It¡¯s pronounced ¡®ship.¡¯¡± Wylla replied. ¡°Ship.¡± I stated though I was well aware of the correct pronunciation. That drew a smile from Wylla even though I suspected she knew I could say the words clearly. I knew that if I started speaking with clear pronunciation and sentence structure it would generate problems, so I allowed small mistakes in grammar and pronunciation to ¡®creep in¡¯ to my words to alleviate some of the concerns others had (and, I hoped, divert the attention of Septa Railey who I¡¯d overheard commenting on my ¡®unnatural¡¯ ease with the Common Tongue). Beyond the North, a female replacement for Jon caused an issue with Targaryen claimants for the Iron Throne (provided that Viserys still died before Daenerys was ready to return to Westeros). While it would be a long time until Alysanne learnt the truth of her heritage (and I was leaning towards either trying to subtly nudge Ned to reveal that information or doing so myself if he died before he could) once she did, it would open an entirely new can of worms to deal with. If they had to support anyone for the Iron Throne, the North would likely rally around Alysanne (provided the Starks were still in power), while Dorne would probably support Daenerys. Of course, that would require that both live to be old and powerful enough to be in a position to try to claim the throne from whoever was on it at that time (and I found myself often praying that the events of the show were now consigned to the garbage with my presence altering events). Still, many of my basic ideas (grow some form of powerbase, prevent Ned from going to King¡¯s Landing ¨C or at least help him keep his head, weaken Baelish, Varys, and the other major players) were still doable; though with me still a bairn, all I could do was plan, counterplan, and postulate for what I could, should or would do. When Wylla shifted her gaze back to Alysanne, I shook my head. Every time I went down the roads of what had, would, and might change because there was no Jon Snow, I had a hard time pulling myself back. And after a week of doing so, I knew that I couldn¡¯t continue to dwell on it; at least not right now. Being a baby sucked, but at least it was going to give me a great deal of time to develop plans (even if I suspected that most of them wouldn¡¯t be worth the time put into them as something else changed because of my presence). Apart from Alysanne¡¯s very existence, two major changes that had occurred (or at least they were things that I didn¡¯t think were ever confirmed to have happened in canon) were that my mother and grandmother were aware of Alysanne¡¯s parentage and that Ned, Howland and the babe were still in Starfall a week after arriving. For the former, I suspected that Ned revealing that was due to the shock of meeting me and discovering that I could talk which would no doubt have major ramifications for the future. For the latter, I was working from snippets of information that I could overhear (as no amount of using my baby cuteness ¨C and that was fucking galling to have to do ¨C was helping to return myself to my mother¡¯s and grandmother¡¯s good graces and when it did, the Northern party would likely have left), it seemed that, as thanks for returning Dawn to Starfall, grandmother had arranged for something to be done. Sadly, beyond getting Ned to return to the Tower of Joy to recover Arthur¡¯s bones, I couldn¡¯t think of what this thing grandmother had arranged could be. Yet, Ned hadn¡¯t left Starfall since arriving, though that did mean that I was able to bond a little with him whenever he came to visit Alysanne and myself (since the girl was sharing my room for the time being.) Ned¡¯ frequent visits also had me wondering if my being alive in this timeline (unlike the stillborn babe that Ashara was said to have had in the books) was a factor in delaying his departure. I shook my head again. Every time I thought about the possible changes that had or would occur, I got distracted. Yes, I had time to consider them, but they were all I was thinking about currently, and that was an issue (as was that many of the possibilities I¡¯d already considered seemed to contradict another one). Right now, these things were outside my control, so even though I did need to plan for the future, I also needed to understand that there were a lot of things that I simply couldn¡¯t plan for in my current state or location. Chaos may be a ladder, but it was a fucking weird one to understand, never mind climb. (Also, note to self, find a way to deal with Baelish ¨C if possible ¨C before the time of the books start.) ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°Leave it alone Cregan.¡± Mother ordered as I tugged at the neck of an uncomfortable lilac shirt with dark grey embroidery that mother had forced me to wear after breakfast. The thing was certainly well made and felt very soft against my skin, but the collar was a touch too tight to be comfortable; hence why I was constantly pulling at it while she held me in her arms. When I¡¯d asked why I had to wear this damn thing, I¡¯d been told that someone of importance was arriving today and that I needed to make a good impression on them. Yet, as I was held by my mother, I saw my uncle Aldric ¨C the new Lord Dayne ¨C and his newly married wife, Joenne (formerly of House Wyl) were frowning. That had me suspecting that while this person was important, neither of them were happy this person was coming to Starfall. ¡°It¡¯s tight.¡± I replied as I tried once more to pull at the collar, only for mother to rock me in such a way that I missed. I frowned at her, though it did nothing but draw a wry smile from her, and my mind turned to what had happened over the last year or so. Ned, Howland, and baby Alysanne had left about a moon after they¡¯d arrived, though they left with an escort of twenty men-at-arms from Starfall and Wylla. My former wetnurse (boy was I glad she¡¯d left and I was being transitioned to solid foods) had left in a cart with Alysanne in her care, and six large chests at the back of said cart. It¡¯d taken some doing (read pleading mixed with puppy-dog eyes ¨C which I was still uncomfortable using, but it was a tool I had to exploit). But I¡¯d learnt that the six chests carried the bones of the men who''d been on Ned''s trip to Starfall. From that, I was able to postulate that they were the men who¡¯d died at the Tower of Joy, which was confirmed not long after my uncle returned, and my family had a private burial for Arthur¡¯s bones. That action would create ripples in the North (I wasn¡¯t sure what exactly ¨C which had me cursing once more at not having read past A Clash of Kings) and hopefully remove some of the support the Roose had likely cultivated before the Red Wedding. Since then ¨C bar the marriage of Aldric to Joenne ¨C nothing of any importance had happened. Or at least, nothing that I¡¯d been able to discover. Even when mother had finally gotten past my cursing at the reveal of Alysanne (which I¡¯d blamed on something I¡¯d heard in the courtyard at some point) I¡¯d been barred from the solar, or any meeting where house business was discussed. Now, this might just be my uncle and goodaunt laying down the law to my mother, but I suspected she hadn¡¯t complained about it. ¡°You can take it off after, but not before.¡± Mother responded. ¡°You need to make a good impression on our guests. They¡¯re here because of you.¡± That snapped my attention away from the collar. The only person I could think of that would come to Starfall because of me was Ned Stark, but the chances of him coming south again after the war were¡­ slim, at best. Now curious as to who was arriving, I turned as best I could (being held was such a limiter on where I could look) to see the main gate to the courtyard. Around the courtyard there were about three dozen guards lined up from the gate to the steps of the Great Hall (where I was with mother, Uncle Aldric and the rest of my family). The rest of the place seemed to be going about their regular business with fletchers, blacksmiths, traders, and other guards wandering around or working at various buildings that dotted the walls of the keep. I spotted Septa Railey talking with a few women near the entrance of the keep, but the less I dealt with that woman the better. From the few sermons I¡¯d been forced to attend in the Sept, the Septa liked to preach on and on about the blasphemy of those who didn¡¯t follow the Seven. I¡¯d never liked the Seven when reading the books or watching the show, but now, with her preaching reminding me of the way the Church had behaved in the Middle Ages, I was convinced the Seven (if they existed, which I doubted) could go fuck a lemon for all I cared. If I had to claim a religion, I¡¯d likely follow the Old Gods. Though that risked being in sight of the Three Eyed-Raven, which was something I was hoping to avoid since he was such a fucked-up character (and even if I¡¯d not read much about him in the books, I suspected he¡¯d be worse there than in the show.) If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. After what felt like an hour (but was probably no more than five minutes) a horn sounded ¨C signalling an arrival of importance to Starfall ¨C and two Dayne guards came riding into the courtyard; each on top of golden horses (Sand Steeds according to Maester Cordin, who was about the only person of any importance not present for this arrival), though my eyes were instantly drawn to the banner of the group of six behind them. There, the direwolf of House Stark flew proudly in the wind, as if challenging any who dared threaten it. ¡°Uncle has come back?¡± I asked in slightly broken Common as the horses all came to a stop (including a wagon and six more Dayne riders who brought up the rear). I kept my sight on the six newcomers as servants approached to help them with their horses. All wore what looked like simple leather riding armour, though it was clear all were feeling the heat as every one of them had a red face and three all but snatched satchels from the servant once they¡¯d dismounted. Mother smirked as she gently bounced me in her arms. ¡°No. And Yes.¡± My brow creased at her reply, though I could easily see that none of the six were Eddard Stark (plus, if he¡¯d arrived, the party would¡¯ve been much larger than just six riders). An instant later my brow rose as I remembered that there are three named Starks at this moment in time: Ned, young Robb and Benjen. Before I could wonder about that, the lead rider approached the steps where I was with the rest of my family (well, my Dornish family.) The rider was a young man, likely still in his teens, with dark brown hair that highlighted a sharp, angular face where a pair of bluish-grey eyes rested. Those eyes were something that caught my attention. In the show, Benjen had brown eyes, while the books had said blue-grey. Based on what I was seeing, I was leaning heavily towards this world being based on the books and not the show. Benjen looked slim, though I doubted he was underfed as he moved with the comfortable ease who¡¯d been trained to fight and likely had lost some weight on the journey to reach Starfall. The teen bowed as he reached the bottom of the steps. ¡°Lord Dayne, I am Benjen of House Stark. On behalf of my brother, Lord Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North and the other houses in the North, I greet you and offer our thanks for helping my brother return the bones of the fallen Northern lords and nobles to their families.¡± His voice was soft, and a slight smile came to his face; though I noted it didn¡¯t quite reach his eyes. I heard someone shuffle their feet to my left (likely one of my aunts as both were standing there in dresses that matched the one mother was wearing ¨C bar that mother filled hers out far, far more effectively) and there was a slightly longer pause than I would have anticipated before uncle Aldric responded. ¡°Lord Benjen, you and your guard are welcome in my halls.¡± Aldric began, his voice a touch tense and even though I couldn¡¯t see him due to how mother was holding me, I suspected he¡¯d glanced down at his missing left hand. During the battle of the Trident, it¡¯d been cut off by an overzealous Vale fighter and after that (and getting stabbed in the back of his right leg just below the knee) he¡¯d been captured by the rebel forces. If not for the fact someone realised that he was a lord, he would likely have died from his wounds, which would¡¯ve left mother as the Lady of Starfall. Although it left him with a notable limp, he was thankfully right-handed so had not lost the ability to defend himself with a blade if the need arose. ¡°I offer bread and salt within my halls to you and your escort and extend my thanks for your brother¡¯s actions in returning Dawn, helping us gather the bones of my brother, and ensuring that our soldiers were returned to us.¡± Aldric finished, and I saw Benjen¡¯s smile slip and his shoulder¡¯s slump. ¡°Did something occur on your journey?¡± ¡°Sadly, we lost two of them, and one guard of House Stark to raiders just south of Summerhall.¡± Benjen responded, his focus staying on Aldric. ¡°We¡¯ve brought their bones here so their families may have some solace, and I¡¯d ask that, if possible, I am allowed to bury the bones of my fallen man in your Godswood.¡± I felt mother shift at hearing about the deaths of the unnamed guards (at least to me). With the war still fresh in the minds of everyone ¨C and Aldric bearing the wounds of that conflict ¨C losing more lives to needless fighting likely had upset her. ¡°Then once again, I offer my thanks.¡± Aldric said, though this time the tenseness in his voice had noticeably lessened. ¡°And know that while our houses fought on opposite sides of the war and are separated by almost all of the Seven Kingdoms, if any member of House Stark needs safe harbour in Dorne, House Dayne will provide it; provided we are at peace.¡± The smile returned to Benjen¡¯s face, though it was smaller than the old one, and he nodded. ¡°Aye, and House Stark is grateful for the friendship of House Dayne. And on behalf of my brother, I extend the same offer to House Dayne should any member of your house ever find themselves in the North.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± I blurted out. While I already knew the answer to that, I was getting bored of the little formal speeches both were giving (and wanted to get this damn collar off.) While the promises of friendship between the houses were unexpected but nice, they amounted to little as the odds (baring today and Ned stopping by to return Dawn) of either house needing such help were very small. Benjen turned his attention my way and, after giving a brief nod to mother, his smile grew as our eyes met. ¡°Ah, the young pup.¡± He began as he took a step towards me. ¡°I¡¯m Benjen, your uncle. My brother, your uncle Eddard, asked me to travel here to help train you.¡± ¡°Train at what?¡± I asked. In canon Benjen had been the First Ranger of the Night¡¯s Watch, making him skilled in tracking and hunting, but a sixteen-year-old boy wouldn¡¯t likely have all that skill currently. Then again, him being here and not joining the Watch soon after Ned arrived back in Winterfell felt like a major ripple. Oh, it wasn¡¯t on par with Alysanne (and I hoped nothing ever was) but it was a major change all the same. Now, there was still a chance he could still join the Watch, but given he said he was here to train me, and I was still a few moons shy of my third birthday ¨C meaning he¡¯d have to stay to train me until I was at least a teenager (maybe) ¨C meant the odds on him joining the Watch ¨C never mind climbing to the rank of First Ranger ¨C were rather long. Benjen shrugged. ¡°Whatever takes your fancy; with your mother¡¯s permission of course.¡± He added as I felt mother tighten her grip on me. As he continued, the smile on his face slipped for a moment before he restored it. ¡°Starks generally don¡¯t do well south of the Neck. Well, save your namesake Cregan Stark.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a Sand.¡± Joenne replied bluntly. While Benjen seemed surprised by my goodaunt¡¯s tone, and mother¡¯s grip on me tightened even more, I wasn¡¯t upset or surprised. Ever since she¡¯d married Aldric, she¡¯d been wary of me, and that wariness had only grown in the intervening months, and she¡¯d failed to provide Aldric with an heir. Until she did, mother would remain the heir, placing me very close to the title of Lord Dayne. Though I¡¯d stated I had no interest in being Lord Dayne (I¡¯d claimed it was too boring), I was but a babe and everyone felt I didn¡¯t fully understand what I was saying. I had little interest in that title (or becoming Lord Stark) because while it would certainly help to have a ready-made powerbase to start from for what was to come, I¡¯d also be constrained by the rules and customs expected of a Lord ¨C or Warden ¨C in Westeros. Yes, by staying a bastard with no titles I¡¯d be starting from a lower point, but I¡¯d have far fewer restrictions placed on me for what I wanted or needed to do. I hoped. ¡°Aye, my lady, he is. But that doesn¡¯t mean he is not Stark or Dayne.¡± Benjen responded far more easily than I¡¯d expected a young man to be able to do in the face of such vitriol. While he had been taken aback by Joenne¡¯s bluntness, it didn¡¯t seem to stay with him. ¡°He won¡¯t ever be one; Dayne or Stark.¡± Joenne snapped, and I felt mother bristle at the harshness of her goodsister¡¯s tone. ¡°Aye, but he¡¯s a Stark by blood.¡± Benjen shot back only to stop and sigh. ¡°Forgive me, my lady. It¡¯s been a long ride and as a third-born son, my training was more aimed at warfare than diplomacy.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Aldric commented, his tone remarkably light given to how serious and upset his wife sounded (the problem with being held was that I couldn¡¯t turn my head properly to see people¡¯s faces, thus I had to make judgements on their moods based on their words and tones). ¡°Much like Lord Eddard, was not expected to become the Warden of the North, but then¡­¡± ¡°Aye.¡± Benjen replied as the mood in the yard shifted from tense to sombre. ¡°Perhaps we might continue our talk over some food and wine, a nice vintage of amber gold recently arrived?¡± grandmother suggested, speaking for the first time since Benjen had arrived. ¡°Standing out here in this sun isn¡¯t great for my old bones.¡± ¡°Of course, mother.¡± Aldric said and mother turned, taking Benjen from my line of sight, though it did let me glimpse my uncle and goodaunt. He appeared distracted, looking down at the ground, while Joenne¡¯s face was marred by a scowl; one that grew worse as she spotted me. Thankfully, she didn¡¯t say anything as she left my sight, and I watched as Benjen followed my uncle and goodaunt into the hall. Just before mother turned to follow, I noticed the five guards that had accompanied Benjen. From their gear, and the placement of the Stark sigil on their armour, it was likely none were of noble birth, but merely members of the Stark household guard who¡¯d been assigned to accompany Benjen south. Their hands stayed near the swords while their eyes scanned the courtyard for potential threats, which showed they¡¯d been trained well (and knew they were in potentially hostile territory), and I¡¯d expect poor or lazy escorts to have let their guard down the instant the offer of food was given. That brought to mind an issue that had been bouncing around my mind for months. If Ned had stopped in King¡¯s landing on his way back home (a possibility even if he left Starfall on a ship bound to Oldtown, then there was a fair chance that Robert and Jon Arryn were aware of me. And even if Ned hadn¡¯t mentioned it to them, I had to suspect that Varys was already aware of my existence. Though with Benjen now travelling south to Starfall ¨C a fact that wouldn¡¯t have escaped the notice of any of the major players in Westeros ¨C meaning my existence was a known factor. Hopefully, it would be a decade-plus before any of those players (Tywin, Olenna and Varys being the main ones currently in the game) considered me of any importance. I sighed as mother carried me into the hall. I¡¯d hoped that my existence wouldn¡¯t cause any major ripples until much later, but that now made two inside my first three years. At this rate, all my foreknowledge would be useless before I could do anything with it. Chaos may be a ladder, but when the steps kept shifting, it was a fucking hard climb (and thinking that brought to mind the fact I needed to find a way to remove Baelish before he unleashed his form of chaos on the Seven Kingdoms.) ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ Shortly after my third nameday, I once more found myself waiting with the rest of my family on the steps to the Great Hall, looking over the courtyard of Starfall. The major differences between when Benjen had arrived (and he was still here) and now was I was allowed to stand for myself, that my clothes were even finer ¨C and thus more expensive ¨C than then, and that a large part of the keep¡¯s staff, if not the majority, were standing around the courtyard. The kitchen staff were busy cooking, and I did my best to ignore the smells coming from the kitchens that made my stomach grumble in anticipation, while any member of the guard that wasn¡¯t on-duty was lined up in three rows between the main gain and the Great Hall. Benjen stood off to one side ¨C still prominent, but not close enough to the family to suggest that he was a part of it ¨C and looked like he was about to faint under the full armour and wool cloak he was wearing. Likely this was the finest clothing he¡¯d brought with him, but it was a piss poor choice for the heat of Dorne. His guards were standing behind him, far enough back to not impose on the Dayne guards, but close enough that they would be able to reach him if the need arose. While I hadn¡¯t learnt much from Benjen in the intervening moons (beyond him teaching me the banners and words of every Northern house and the names of many of the lords and heirs) he was always friendly around me and promised to teach me to ride and use a bow once I was old enough. Though what always made me chuckle was the fact Adrya had taken a liking to Benjen and would often find reasons to spend time around us (mainly by using me as her excuse.) I hadn¡¯t commented on it, but both mother and Aldric had; much to Adrya¡¯s embarrassment. ¡°Who¡¯s coming?¡± I asked as I did my best to not pull at the collar of the silk doublet that was a dark shade of purple with grey accents and silver buttons that mother had forced me to wear for this. While the silk was very soft against my skin, the collar ¨C just like last time ¨C was far too tight and every time I turned my head, it dug into my neck. Mother knelt and wiped a spot on my cheek before answering. ¡°Someone important.¡± She replied as she stood then smoothed a wrinkle in the flowing lilac gown she was wearing. As I looked up at her and took in the way the dress seemed to accentuate every curve on her body while subtly (for Westeros¡­ maybe) drawing attention to her breasts, I was glad I was nowhere near puberty. If I was¡­ well, I¡¯d have likely earned an embarrassing talk with her later about why I¡¯d reacted the way I had (and by the Gods, was I not looking forward to the day that talk was needed.) Whoever was arriving was important to her, as over the last week she fretted about every little detail to the point that she¡¯d angered my grandmother and goodaunt several times with her constant pestering. Clearly, she wanted to make a good impression on this guest, but I was struggling to think who would be worthy of this much of my mother¡¯s interest. I turned my attention from my mother and took in the courtyard. While my field of vision was limited by the number of people present ¨C and my lack of stature ¨C I could still easily make out the barbican of the main gate, several of the larger buildings dotted around the massive courtyard (I felt it could easily hold a few thousand souls with there still being room to move around), the Sept (the place I hated the most) and the various towers that dotted the wall of Starfall; in particular, the two that dominated everything bar the Great Keep. The Palestone Sword stood to the north and watched approaches over land and upriver while the Grey Spire stood to the south and surveyed any approach by sea. I couldn¡¯t quite make out the Godswood but knew that it stretched from the Sept to the base of the Palestone Sword tower. If I could avoid it, I¡¯d go nowhere near the Sept (actually, I was fast approaching a desire to burn it down with Septa Railey inside) but I had to walk past it to reach the Godswood; which was a place that I found relaxing. With no Weirwood tree in the centre ¨C an old oak tree stump was the centre of the wood ¨C I felt safe from the Three-Eyed-Raven and found the quietness relaxing. Sadly, I was only allowed to go there under supervision as my mother was concerned that I¡¯d hurt myself trying to climb trees (a logical, if misplaced assumption.) A smirk came to my lips as I remembered the first (and only) time Septa Railey had tried to ¡®convince¡¯ Benjen to reject his heathen gods and convert to the Seven. The blunt response he¡¯d given her (and the less than subtle threat hidden within his words) had shut the stupid bitch up and I¡¯d seen her actively avoid Benjen ever since (which was another reason I tried to spend time around him.) A loud horn sounding drew my attention back to the main gate, and as trumpets played, ten riders came galloping into the yard. The front four were Dayne guards while the latter two were guards as well, though my attention was on the middle four. Two were girls that looked to be around Adrya¡¯s age, or a bit younger as was the boy that rode just in front of them. Though as my eyes took in the man leading them, and the magnificent horse he rode in on (its fur was jet black like my hair, though the mane and tail seemed to burn like hot coals as the light caught them), I felt my eyes widen as I saw the sigil he wore. The spear and sun of House Martel was borne as the clasp of a red silk cloak that danced as if alive while his armour was leather tanned red, almost as if to hide any blood that got on it. A smile danced on the man¡¯s face, though there was the hint of danger within the sharp features that made it clear this man was someone to be wary of. ¡°Presenting Oberyn Nymeros Martell, Prince of Dorne.¡± One of the lead riders called, and everyone fell to a knee. I followed suit, though as I did, I spotted that Benjen¡¯s expression had locked, and his eyes narrowed as they kept their focus on Oberyn. And unlike the others, I kept my eyes up, wanting to take in the scene before me, even as I realised that this Oberyn looked nothing like Pedro Pascal from the show, all but confirming that wherever I¡¯d been reborn, it was closer to the books in source material. Oberyn slid from his horse before it¡¯d come to a stop (and long before a servant could come to help him), looking like a man that demanded ¨C and often got ¨C all the attention he wanted. His eyes scanned my family slowly, and his lips twitched when they landed on my mother. I felt my mouth twist into a snarl as he did, which drew his attention. A single brow rose as our eyes met and as his smile grew, I felt a shiver travel up my spine. Oberyn was dangerous (something I was aware of from the show ¨C though I again wished I¡¯d read the books to learn how his fight with the Mountain went there) and I¡¯d drawn his attention and curiosity. ¡°My Prince, Starfall is yours.¡± Aldric said, drawing Oberyn¡¯s gaze away from me. ¡°Rise Lord Dayne and I thank you for the welcome.¡± Oberyn began as my uncle began to stand. ¡°To see that even at the far reaches of Dorne, my house is still respected brings joy to my heart, as does seeing familiar faces.¡± He finished as his gaze shifted back to my mother. ¡°And new ones.¡± He added as our eyes met once more. As my uncle moved to reply, I realised that things had just got a lot more interesting for me (and that was before Oberyn even learnt who I was, or that Benjen was here with me.) ¡­ ¡­ Prologue 4 ¡°Wyl.¡± I muttered as the pointer tapped against a symbol in the book I was looking at. It was the day after the arrival of Prince Oberyn, and I found myself in Cordin¡¯s quarters reviewing the banners of the houses of Dorne. After a few years of learning this, I was rather fucking bored of it. The meal when Oberyn and his daughters (Obara, Nymeria and Tyene) had arrived was a tense affair. Or it was for mother, her family, and the prince. I was ¡®too young¡¯ to appear interested in such things. The presence of uncle Benjen caused issues as soon as he was introduced, with Oberyn''s mood quickly turning sour. I''d been seated to my mother''s right while Oberyn was to her left. This meant I was able to catch a fair bit of what the prince said. His tone and gestures made it clear he was unhappy to find a Stark in Starfall. While generally diplomatic, Oberyn did make a few attempts to rile Benjen up. Unfortunately for him, Benjen was more like Ned than Brandon and didn''t outwardly react to the comments. Either he had a better handle of his ''wolfsblood'', or it wasn''t as strong in him as in Brandon. He also seemed to wish to speak to Lord Aldric privately and danced around the purpose of his visit when pressed. A few semi-subtle hints had me realising he knew that Viserys and Daenerys had escaped to Essos and that he wished to strike back against the Usurper. He didn''t mention the two Targaryens by name, but the hints were easy to pick up when one had outside knowledge. Nor was it hard to understand his reasons for wanting to support a Targaryen restoration. His sister, niece and nephew had been raped and butchered by the Mountain and Robert had failed to condemn it. Both mother and Benjen had spoken of how Ned had been infuriated by Robert¡¯s reaction to the death of Elia and her children. That did go some way to calming Oberyn''s anger at Lord Stark, but not enough that he was comfortable with uncle Benjen''s presence. Things may have improved once mother had removed me from the room, but I rather doubted it. ¡°Fowlor.¡± I said as Cordin¡¯s pointer moved to another banner. Yes, I''d said it wrong, but I frankly didn''t care. Even getting the names and words of each house correct for a month hadn''t brought these lessons to an end. Thus, I was bored out of my mind with the monotony of the last eighteen months of lessons. My new ability to remember everything I saw, read, or heard clearly meant I''d gotten the houses and banners down years ago. Yes, it had taken time for me to get the correct pronunciation for most of them, but other than that, the lessons had lost their purpose almost instantly. The only strange part of this ability was that memories of my old life lacked any emotional weight. All that remained was the memories and knowledge from back then, without any baggage attached to them. Because of this perfect recall I already knew some of the basics of swordplay from watching the guards training. I might not know the names of the moves, nor did I have the trained muscle memory for them, yet I knew how they should be performed. That would, hopefully, make it much easier to learn to fight in this world: once I was allowed to train. The same held true of fighting styles and moves I knew from my older life. The knowledge was there, but the body was too weak to use them properly. ¡°Fowler, Cregan.¡± Cordin corrected tersely before sighing. ¡°I know that you think you know all the banners and words, but you will continue to learn them until your mother says otherwise. Making mistakes out of boredom will do nothing to expedite your mother¡¯s decision.¡± He remarked before tapping his pointer against another Dornish house. ¡°Now this one.¡± ¡°House Yawnwood.¡± I muttered. I knew Cordin was right in saying that my intentional mistakes wouldn¡¯t make my mother decide that I didn¡¯t have to learn these lessons (and allow me to move onto something new) anymore. However, I¡¯d already proven I knew them, yet I was still stuck in these classes. Something told me there wouldn¡¯t be a change in my studies until I was five, at least. Thus, if I had to endure them, I might as well annoy Cordin while he ¡®taught¡¯ me. A chuckle drew my attention before Cordin could correct me. Turning my head towards the door to the Maester¡¯s quarters, I saw Prince Oberyn. He was leaning with his shoulder against the wooden frame. His posture was relaxed, and his smile appeared friendly. Yet the way his fingers were drumming against his arm, and the slight tapping of his toes on one foot suggested something was on his mind. ¡°Yawnwood.¡± He began as a shift of his shoulders pushed him off the frame. ¡°I must remember that one the next time I visit Lord Anders.¡± He walked towards us, making Cordin turn and bow. ¡°My Prince, does Lady Ashara know you are here?¡± Cordin asked as Oberyn came close to the table I was seated at. The prince¡¯s smile grew, though there was a slight twitch at the corner of one eye at Cordin¡¯s question. Languidly he waved a hand in the Maester¡¯s general direction. ¡°There is no need to fear, Maester. Your lady was most¡­ descriptive in what would happen to me if I made any move against her son.¡± He chuckled as he shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t realise she could think of such imaginative punishments.¡± His eyes drifted to me, and his smile grew. ¡°And I have no wish to learn if she would truly carry them out. What I do wish though, is to meet her son and see if he is as¡­ impressive as she claims.¡± ¡°Hello there.¡± I said as he sat down beside me. His eyes stayed locked on mine and I realised this was a test. Not one most children would understand, but a test all the same. Ignoring what I know about the man, I could tell he was dangerous. Even if I was in my former body, with all my training, I¡¯d have still been wary around him. Yet a feeling had me thinking this challenge of his would be important for my future. Backing down now would likely have him dismiss me as someone unimportant. Even trying to play it off as a child wouldn¡¯t work as I¡¯d already held his gaze too long. Yet Oberyn had always been one of my favourite characters from the show, and I¡¯d planned to read the books to see if that characterization held true there. Earning the man¡¯s interest, and maybe a touch of respect, felt like the right thing to do. Especially as I was a Stark bastard in Dorne, and he was a prince of the region. Plus, there was also the fact that my mother had spoken highly of me to Oberyn, and I didn¡¯t want to disappoint her. Our stare lasted for several minutes ¨C I thought since telling time was hard to do without a clock ¨C before he broke contact. A chuckle escaped his lips as he turned and looked at Cordin. ¡°Hmm, so she was right.¡± He moved closer and slid onto the bench beside me. Cordin had opened his mouth to comment, but the prince had been quicker, and I now found myself right next to the prince. ¡°You are smarter than you look.¡± ¡°Me a baby. All think I¡¯m stupid.¡± I replied, intentionally dumbing down my words to emphasise my point. That drew another chuckle from him. ¡°Very true.¡± He commented as his table-side hand moved towards the book on banners that I¡¯d been learning from. ¡°I was away for the war. The one your father¡¯s and aunt¡¯s actions started, and I returned¡­ angry. However, when I learnt that your mother was with child, yet not married, I was surprised. I thought that the¡­ courtesies of King¡¯s Landing had made her forget she was Dornish.¡± He chuckled and glanced towards the book. While I heard the pages flicking as he turned them, I kept my focus on the viper. ¡°Then, as I¡¯m making my way here, I hear rumours. Eddard Stark had spent time at Starfall before returning north with a bastard girl." His eyes took on a dangerous glint as he spoke, and I wondered if he suspected anything about Alysanne¡¯s true origins. ¡°Then I hear that his younger brother, and one of the only two adult Starks left in this world, was now staying at Starfall. Such an unexpected development, even in the best of times.¡± He paused, and the sounds of the pages turning stopped. ¡°Now tell me young one, whose banner is this?¡± I managed to keep a smirk of my own from my face, but it was a close thing. I didn¡¯t have to look at the book to suspect where he¡¯d turned it ¨C the rough number of pages turned helped me guess as well. Yet, even without that knowledge, I could guess the answer with some ease. ¡°House Stark; my father¡¯s house.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t look.¡± Oberyn said as he pulled his hand back from the book, then leaned back to establish some distance between us. ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± ¡°My father was a Stark. Dorne fought them. And you said my uncle¡¯s name.¡± I replied as he crossed his arms. I paused and tilted my head to one side to relieve the growing pressure at the back of my neck. Straining it to look up at Oberyn was, in another example of the problems with a bairn¡¯s body, tiring as fuck. I let a smile creep onto my face as I continued. ¡°You want to see if I''ll be bad. For you, for your house.¡± ¡°And will you?¡± He leaned forward until all I could see was his face. Cordin¡¯s chain rattled as he moved around behind Oberyn. ¡°My Prince¡­¡± ¡°Hurt my family, I will be.¡± I replied, cutting off Cordin''s words. ¡°If not, then no.¡± Dumbing down my words was a chore, but I couldn¡¯t risk overplaying my hand. Certainly not with someone as dangerous as Oberyn Martell while stuck in a baby¡¯s body with only a Maester to defend me. Another long moment passed between us, until, suddenly, he threw his head back, laughed. He then slapped his non-table hand against his thigh. ¡°Excellent. Most excellent!¡± He called as he returned his attention to me. Years of training kicked in and I moved to grab Cordin''s pointer, before stopping myself mid-motion. From the wide smile dominating his face, he seemingly had noticed my action. ¡°Such passion, such fire¡­¡± He barked out another laugh. ¡°Your mother was right. You are a wolf of Dorne.¡± He shook his head as he continued to chuckle. ¡°Yet the sands of Dorne are no place for a lost cub.¡± ¡°He is not lost, Prince Oberyn.¡± Came Benjen¡¯s voice from the doorway, drawing my attention from Oberyn. ¡°Nor is he alone.¡± My uncle continued as he walked purposely into the room. One hand was close to his dirk (which I¡¯d never seen him without, even at more formal affairs). The other was clenched and his body was tense as if expecting a fight. ¡°Ah, Ser Benjen, how nice of you to join us.¡± Oberyn said as he stood slowly. His whole demeanour changed as he slipped off the bench and faced my uncle. In a mirror of Benjen¡¯s stance, his hand had drifted to the dagger at his waist, though the other hand stayed open and away from his body. ¡°I was simply speaking with your nephew here. Lady Ashara spoke so highly of him last night that I felt I had to meet him.¡± ¡°And your comment about being a wolf in Dorne?¡± Benjen asked slowly with a half-closed mouth. ¡°I was simply warning him of the dangers one can face in Dorne if unprepared, or alone.¡± Oberyn waved his wandering hand in a dismissive gesture ¨C even as I saw the other drift closer to his dagger. ¡°I was simply warning him of the dangers one can face in Dorne when unprepared and alone, Ser Benjen.¡± ¡°I am no ser, Prince Oberyn.¡± Benjen responded as he took a step towards the prince, leaving them barely a metre apart. ¡°And while Cregan may not carry the Stark name, he is a member of our pack.¡± The air grew tense as the two men focused on each other, and no one else. Quickly, I grew concerned for Benjen. I''d seen him spar with some of the guards, so I knew he was a competent fighter. However, Oberyn was... far more dangerous and a step or two beyond anyone Benjen had fought before. It might still be a decade before Oberyn fought the Mountain, but I knew the prince was a dangerous and cunning fighter. Suddenly, taking me by surprise, Oberyn took a step to the side. That took him away from me, which helped me feel safer, and he chuckled as he lifted his hands from his belt. ¡°Good, good. Family is what is most important.¡± Benjen¡¯s shoulders slumped, and his hand fell away from his dirk. ¡°I¡­ You have my condolences for what happened to Princess Elia and her children.¡± His face shifted, though I couldn¡¯t work out all the feelings he was displaying as he continued. ¡°When my brother told me of King Robert¡¯s actions¡­ I¡­¡± He sighed loudly and ran a hand through his hair. ¡°What happened to begin the war¡­ I can never forgive the Mad King¡¯s actions. Yet most of my anger is aimed at Prince Rhaegar. And my sister''s behaviour towards him. Yet, I find myself... torn. Supporting any man who¡¯d encourage and enjoy the slaughter of innocent women and children is... unsettling.¡± I watched Oberyn clench his fists at the mention of his sister and her children, then turn white at their fate. Silence engulfed the room as we all waited for the prince¡¯s response. Cordin moved over, protectively coming between me and Oberyn. Even from behind, below and to the side, I could see the anger as it boiled inside Oberyn. The ways his muscles tensed as if he was fighting to not lash out in anger. To not attack Benjen for Ned''s part in the war that led to their deaths. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°I did not¡­¡± Benjen began, only to stop when Oberyn raised a palm towards him. ¡°I know you did not. However, your brother helped place¡­ Robert on the throne.¡± Oberyn¡¯s words were coming out from behind gritted teeth and the pain in his voice was easy to hear. ¡°Even if Lord Eddard¡­ is angered with that monster for what happened to my dear Elia. Even with him returning the bones of Ser Arthur and Dawn to Starfall. Or you being here to protect your nephew... It will be many, many moons before I feel I will be comfortable stomaching the mere mention of him.¡± Oberyn took a step towards Benjen, who tensed at the prince¡¯s approach. ¡°However, know that I don''t blame you for those events. Like myself, you were far from the fighting. Thus, so long as your presence here doesn¡¯t threaten the safety of House Dayne or Dorne, I can¡­ tolerate you being here.¡± With that, he marched past Benjen so quickly the younger man barely had time to move to avoid begin hit. As I watched the prince leave, it was easy to imagine the pain and anger that had just been uncapped within him. I was, however, impressed that he''d managed to not direct that anger towards Benjen, or at least, not act on it against an innocent man. I doubted I would be so restrained in his place. Which proved I was right about him being here; things were going to be interesting. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ While I was banned from the training yard by my mother, nothing prevented me from sitting just outside. From the bench that I was currently on I could see and hear the clashing of swords, spears, axes, and shields as the castle''s guards trained inside. All under the watchful eyes of the master-at-arms (a local man named Bradyn who''d fought at the Trident.) Currently, Bradyn was putting the newest recruits through their paces, but from what I was seeing, none of them would ever amount to much. Oh, they''d get better and be serviceable guards, but none stood out as having a real knack for combat. Now there was a chance I was wrong about the recruits. After all, my training was from a different era and world. Plus, if someone committed enough training to a discipline they could almost always become great. However, none of these recruits struck me as being ready, willing, or able to take that step. Then again, there was always the chance I''d never be able to. Oh, I knew the very basics (a perk of watching others train paired with my perfect memory), but I hadn''t reached an age where I could begin my training. Yet I felt I''d be able to take most of the recruits before I was a teen. ¡°Hah!¡± A cry of excitement drew my attention from the recruits to another part of the yard. There, I could see Obara Sand (Oberyn''s eldest daughter) sparring with the prince''s squire, Daemon Sand. Obara, like her father, favoured the spear, though it was easy to see she had a long way to go to be on his level. Yet, against the younger squire, this wasn¡¯t a big issue. Daemon was a moon or two over ten and was a long, long way away from being a good fighter. Though, unlike the guard recruits, it was clear to see he had the potential to be. Obara had driven Daemon back ¨C likely why she yelled out ¨C though the boy¡¯s shield was still able to defend. Which was about all I¡¯d seen him do in the three spars the pair had held since arriving in Starfall a week prior. He just didn¡¯t have the height, strength, or ability to counter Obara so spent much of his time defending. A good strategy, if you could outlast an opponent or knew you could escape the fight soon. Sadly for Daemon, neither of these were an option in the yard. Obara began a lunge, aiming to reach over the top of Daemon¡¯s shield. The boy countered this by altering the angle of his shield, likely to try and force the spear tip away from him. Apparently, Obara had been hoping for this as she flicked her shoulders and the spear angled down. That allowed her to take advantage of the movement of Daemon¡¯s shield. Daemon reacted by bringing the edge of his shield down towards the spear shaft. He might have been trying to break the spear, but Obara was ready for this. A flick of her rear arm lifted the tip of her spear. It caught the downward edge of the shield. Then, with a subtle shift of her arms, she had her spear twisting the shield away from Daemon, exposing his body. Before Obara could exploit this gap, Daemon¡¯s sword came around. It smacked against the shaft of the spear, driving the tip to one side. He slid backwards, extending the distance between them. While that seemed counterintuitive to me, it did allow him time to reset his defence. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a little young to be here?¡± I turned my head and looked upwards to see Oberyn smirking down at me. His posture was relaxed, and he had his arms crossed in front of him. A red silk tunic was partially unbuttoned, exposing his chest to the Dornish sun making it unlikely he was heading into the training yard. ¡°Mother says I can¡¯t go in.¡± I replied before turning back to the yard. There I saw Daemon had brought his sword up to swat away a probing thrust from Obara¡¯s spear. ¡°But I can watch from here." He chuckled. ¡°Aye, I suppose you can.¡± He slid onto the bench beside me, making Myra shift from her seat nearby. A simple gesture with his hand stopped her from standing as I wondered why he¡¯d chosen now to speak with me once more. Since that first meeting in Cordin¡¯s chambers, outside of mealtimes, I hadn¡¯t run into the prince at all. Though I had met two of his daughters fairly frequently. He''d arrived with his three oldest children, and I''d heard him mention his youngest was back in Sunspear. Those two daughters always seemed to find ways to cross my path, even when I was nestled away in Cordin''s quarters. Obara spent almost all her time in the yard, but the other two were the ones I''d run into. Nymeria was the middle one and spent her time with Adrya ¨C which made sense as they were roughly the same age. Tyene was the youngest, and along with Oberyn looking nothing like he did in the show, had been the final nail in the coffin that I might be in a show-based world. Tyene here was blonde-haired and blue-eyed and had bonded with Allyria over their closeness in age. Apparently, there was less than half a moon between them. While I often spent time around my aunts, the regularity that I''d run into them over the last week left me in little doubt as to their purpose. In all likelihood, Oberyn had asked them to observe me, though for what reason remained unclear. Perhaps I''d discover a hint as to why today. ¡°So, who do you think will win?¡± He asked, pointing at the pair sparring. ¡°My daughter or squire?¡± ¡°Both could.¡± I began as I saw Oberyn lean forward on the bench, to watch the pair more closely (or make it seem that way). As I spoke, Obara charged forward and sent a jumping strike towards Daemon. The blow landed against his shield, but thanks to the way he¡¯d angled it, deflected away from the boy¡¯s body. ¡°Obara is¡­ angry. Always attacks.¡± I continued as Obara slid the spear off the shield then shifted her weight, seemingly trying to push the shield towards Dameon. The boy took one step to the side, then rolled the shield in such a way that the spear tip struck the ground. ¡°Demon¡­¡± ¡°Daemon.¡± Oberyn corrected with a chuckle, though I was aware of the correct pronunciation. Once more, I was playing the role of smart, but not too smart, for a three-year-old. ¡°Daemon is good, but he¡¯s¡­ scared? He won¡¯t go.¡± As I said that, Obara used this to flick dirt into the air. However, Daemon had already shifted back; away from the dust and denying her the chance to temporarily blind him. This made the girl snarl, and she rushed forward, unwilling to let Daemon settle. Even as I spoke and the spar continued, I made sure that my words were intentionally kept simple to not arouse too much suspicion from the prince. I caught sight of Oberyn nodding at my words and he sighed as Daemon took several steps back to try and negate the onrushing Obara. ¡°Yes. Daemon has potential, but he¡¯s too timid.¡± He stated as Obara continued to push her attack (which had been the case in every spar of theirs that I¡¯d seen). ¡°Obara is bigger and stronger, but Dameon¡­¡± Oberyn paused and rolled a hand dramatically, drawing my attention away from the spar to him. ¡°He showed aggression at first, but after Obara started dominating him, he became timid.¡± He paused as he realised that I was now looking at him and then turned my way. ¡°Still, enough about them, what about you? Do you think you¡¯ve learnt anything watching all this?¡± he asked, his hand waving to indicate the training yard. ¡°Can you do any better?¡± He added as he stood. ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to spar with me.¡± He continued as he turned to face me, making me sigh in relief. ¡°I simply wish to see if you¡¯ve learnt anything from watching others.¡± ¡°Lady Ashara doesn¡¯t want him in the training yard, my lord.¡± Myra commented, having come closer at some point and overheard Oberyn¡¯s words. Oberyn gave her a smile that made her cheeks redden. That had me both cursing my luck at not being able to do that in my old life and wondering if I could learn to do it in this one. He extended his arms, indicating the area outside the training yard where we were. ¡°Then we won¡¯t enter the yard, my dear.¡± With Myra flustered because of Oberyn, the prince took advantage by walking into the training yard. I watched as he made a beeline for the nearest location of training weaponry. I slid off the bench as he studied the weapon rack for a moment before scooping up a dagger and walking back towards us. Even if it was just a training blade (and thus blunted for safety) I was still concerned as he approached. Particularly as he was twirling and twisting the weapon with the ease of someone well versed in its usage. On instinct, I slid one foot back and took up a defensive stance. ¡°Hmm, so you have been watching.¡± He commented with a smirk as I cursed myself for moving as I had. Yes, it¡¯d been instinctual, but it wasn¡¯t something any normal three-year-old would do. Or any child unversed in combat. The prince stopped showing off with the blade, holding it lightly in his palm, giving another hint of his comfort with such weapons. ¡°And relax little one, if I wanted you harmed, I wouldn¡¯t be foolish enough to do so in such a public place.¡± ¡°People get hurt in the yard every day.¡± I replied as I slowly willed my mind to relax and shifted from my defensive stance. All I could do now was lower my guard ¨C such as it was ¨C and hope he saw that as a sign I didn¡¯t fully understand why I¡¯d reacted to his knife twirling. ¡°And I know you don¡¯t like Starks.¡± I added on, hoping it would explain my reaction; at least a little. Oberyn¡¯s eyes narrowed at the mention of my father¡¯s house and there was a pause before he responded. ¡°While it¡¯s true that I don¡¯t like the Starks, I¡­ do not blame your uncle for going to war. In his place, I would likely have done the same. However, you¡¯re a Dayne as well as a Stark and I happen to like most Daynes.¡± He finished with a smile that seemed a touch forced, making me wonder if whatever he was here to discuss with my mother and uncle hadn¡¯t gone as he¡¯d hoped. ¡°Am I most?¡± He chuckled as his posture finally relaxed. ¡°That remains to be seen. Your mother was a friend of my sister and you¡¯re certainly¡­ different from what I¡¯d expect from a child. Even one born of both Dorne and the North.¡± As he spoke, he spun the blade once more until he gripped the blade, leaving the hilt facing outwards. Then he extended it towards me. ¡°Now, let us see if you have as much potential out here as you do with the books.¡± I took the dagger, though at my current size it was more akin to a longsword which forced me to use two hands to hold it. That resulted in me having to change my stance to one that, outside of seeing in the yard, I had no experience with. I felt I''d adopted the correct stance for wielding a two-handed blade, or close to it at least. However, my body lacked any training to do so, and my arms rapidly strained against the overwhelming weight of the blade. I tried my best, but in less than thirty seconds, the tip had landed in the dirt. ¡°Hmm, it seems that is too heavy for you.¡± He commented before crouching to take the dagger from me. ¡°Though the shift you tried to do was a good start.¡± Nonchalantly, he tossed the dagger back into the training yard (with a blind toss over his shoulder) and began to look around the ground near us. ¡°Hmm, let¡¯s see.¡± He muttered as I watched the dagger fly into the training yard, and clatter to the ground a metre from the bench Oberyn had collected it from. That made one of the recruits jump as the blade skidded to a halt against his feet. ¡°Ah! This will do nicely.¡± I returned my focus to Oberyn to find that he¡¯d picked up a small twig, maybe the length of my arm, and was holding it out towards me. I looked at the twig and grimaced. The thing was pathetic, and the fact I had to use this to show any semblance of understanding of a combat stance was¡­ insulting. Yet, I knew this was another chance to make an impression on Oberyn, which was something I felt would be important for my future. Thus, I did as he asked and slipped into an approximation of a one-handed blade stance. If the branch had been shorter, I could¡¯ve maybe used some of my old training with knives to set my stance. However, that would risk giving away that I knew more than I should, so treating the twig as a sword made the most sense. My stance was¡­ sloppy. Even before Oberyn¡¯s brow creased I knew it was wrong. Yet, my body failed to respond as I wished. And while that made perfect sense (I was still barely past my third nameday) it was frustrating. Plus, it felt as though something else was stopping me from adopting a better stance; some outside force that was holding me back. I heard someone snigger and turned my head to see that Obara and Daemon had finished their spar and come over. Judging from the tell-tale swelling of a newly formed bruise on Daemon¡¯s face ¨C and the smirk Obara wore ¨Cit was clear who had won. I¡¯d thought it was Obara that had sniggered, but it was Daemon who was covering his mouth in a vain attempt to hide his amusement at my stance. ¡°What?¡± I growled out at him, though it had all the venom of a newborn kitten (and came out in a voice so high-pitched I doubted even a kitten would fear it.) ¡°Your form. It¡¯s¡­ really, really bad.¡± He managed to get out from behind his hand-covered mouth. ¡°And were you even able to take that stance at such an age?¡± Oberyn asked his squire, who had the good sense to realise he¡¯d overstepped. ¡°How old were you before you could get a basic stance down? Six? Eight?¡± Oberyn added, seemingly using the moment to comment (without directly doing so) on his squire¡¯s poor form against his daughter. ¡°Now, while Cregan¡¯s form is¡­ bad, there is potential there.¡± The prince continued, returning his attention to me. His lip twitched as I began to shift my wrist around, trying to get a feel for the way the twig felt in my hand. ¡°Real potential.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think Lady Ashara will let you train this one father.¡± Obara began as she moved forwards. ¡°Nor the Stark boy.¡± She tapped my right arm, pushing it closer to my body. ¡°Keep that arm in. Don¡¯t want you making the same mistakes as Daemon.¡± Her tone was teasing, but I felt it was aimed more at the squire than me and did as she said. ¡°Good, that¡¯s better.¡± ¡°Trying to adopt one for yourself, daughter?¡± Oberyn teased, making Obara humph in annoyance. ¡°No. But I think I see what you¡¯re up to.¡± She replied, jerking a thumb at me and smirking. ¡°And he¡¯d be a better squire than this one.¡± She added, giving Daemon a none-too gentle shoulder push, making the boy stumble. ¡°Hey!¡± Said boy snapped, though Obara ignored him, and began to walk away. However, before she was far enough away that I couldn¡¯t see her face, I caught sight of her smirk evolving into a full-on smile. ¡°Obara¡¯s correct, Daemon. You do leave gaps in your stance. We¡¯ll work on that after supper.¡± Oberyn stated with a smirk that told me Dameon wasn''t going to enjoy that training. Oberyn''s smirk grew to a smile as he refocused on me. I still held the twig in the approximate position the recruits were taught to hold a standard longsword. ¡°And as for you Cregan¡­¡± ¡°Oberyn! What are you doing?¡± Hearing my mother¡¯s voice, and the building fury in her tone, I dropped the twig, relaxed my stance, and turned to face her. Thankfully for me, her anger was directed entirely at Oberyn. The prince seemed aware of the danger he was in as he flashed her a smile (one likely designed to distract many a maiden). He also lifted his arms in what was a universal sign of surrender or submission. ¡°I simply found your son watching the recruits training and grew curious if he was as quick here as with his books.¡± He began as he took a step towards her, entering striking range. "I assure you, my dear Ashara, that I¡¯d never go back on my word.¡± He said slowly. How he managed to make his words sound as though they were dipped in honey, I didn''t know. Though I wanted to learn that ability. He took another step towards mother (as I saw Myra''s face redden further because of his words) and moved his hands towards mother¡¯s forearms. ¡°Humph.¡± Mother blurted out as she walked past the prince, avoiding his hands just before they reached her forearms, and bent down to scoop me up. "You may have given your word Oberyn, but I am still leery with you being around Cregan. Especially, if you wish to break my rule about him not learning until he is five.¡± I hated being picked up as the world spun for a moment before I was settled against whoever had grabbed me. A part of me wanted to retort that I wasn¡¯t a baby, but I¡¯d rather her anger stayed focused on Oberyn than me. That wasn¡¯t fair, but I¡¯d still not returned to her good books enough to be allowed anywhere near my uncle''s solar. Plus, I couldn¡¯t deny that I shared some of my mother¡¯s concerns that Oberyn might try something. Regardless of his words about not striking out at Benjen and me, Ned had fought against Dorne in the war. ¡°I bow to his mother¡¯s wishes.¡± Oberyn replied, bowing as he spoke. ¡°However, I would like it noted that we never entered the yard. Plus, the boy is indeed just as quick on the uptake out here as he is with his books.¡± Oberyn continued as he once more stood upright. He shifted his gaze to me and smiled. ¡°I see great things in your future, young wolf. Great things indeed.¡± ¡­ ¡­ Prologue 5 Oberyn and his daughters stayed at Starfall for around three weeks before leaving. In that time Oberyn spoke with me a few more times, though he didn¡¯t attempt any further training for me. However, Obara and Nymeria both offered me pointers at random points during their time in the castle. After they left, life returned to normal for my family. Sadly for me, that meant a return to my lessons with Cordin. Three more months of practising my Common Tongue and reviewing the houses, banners, and words of all the current houses of Westeros took place before my lessons changed. After that, mother allowed my education to evolve. My lessons changed to the history of Westeros ¨C focusing on the times since the Conquest or events in Dorne like the arrival of the Rhoynish ¨C and elementary mathematics. That soon changed to, for Westeros, advanced mathematic and basic science terms. On my fourth nameday, along with my gifts from my family (which mainly consisted of books and new clothes), was a package from Oberyn. Inside were two wooden daggers, though for me they were more akin to longswords, and a note from the prince. In it, he stated that he hoped I would enjoy his gift, and trained regularly with them as when he next met, he would want to see improvement from my first attempt. While that wouldn¡¯t be hard ¨C I could barely lift a small branch and hold a stance for more than half a minute ¨C the fact I¡¯d gained his attention was good. I¡¯d wanted that because he was one of the better fighters I knew of (so long as he wasn¡¯t thinking about his sister) and held enough power in Dorne to, potentially, be useful to my plans for the future. Said plans were still all on the drawing board, so to speak, but most involved me staying and being trained in Dorne for at least my first ten years. However, mother had been seething about the prince¡¯s gift, and I wasn¡¯t given the daggers to train with for a week after my nameday. Sometime later mother told me she was both angry with the prince for trying to circumvent her instructions and also that they might be a danger to me. From that, I suspected she meant that the daggers may have been soaked in poison. While it was unlikely that Oberyn would¡¯ve done something so obvious ¨C and since I did eventually get them, hadn¡¯t been the case ¨C I could understand her fears. I was a bastard of House Stark, with my uncle being referred to by some in Dorne as the Usurper¡¯s loyal dog. That characterisation irritated me, but I let the comments go as, quite frankly, I had more important things to be concerned about. Namely my studies and training. After about a moon mother had relented in letting me train and Uncle Benjen had taken control of my training, for which I was only allowed one hour a day with the training daggers ¨C my mother putting her foot down in a slightly irrational but expected way ¨C though I quickly found a way around that ruling. With Benjen¡¯s help, I began simple physical training. I didn¡¯t want to push my young body too hard as if I recalled correctly too much exercise at a young age was dangerous, but I still wanted to begin training my body for the challenges that life would throw at me. This was further helped by getting riding lessons, which was something I had never learnt in my old life. One thing I¡¯d started doing, both with the daggers and with other things like my writing lessons, was using both hands. I was pleased that I was still left-handed in my new life ¨C having to retrain my mind to use another hand would be weird as fuck ¨C and both Ser Bradyn and Benjen commented that it would give me a slight advantage against some people but being able to use either hand would be an even greater advantage. Though I wasn¡¯t sure if I¡¯d dual-wield. While that was fun in games, this wasn¡¯t a game. One thing I discovered was that, even though I could remember how I¡¯d learnt to fight in my old life, I struggled to train my new body in those methods. Now, some of the movements and katas were beyond my current body, but several of the ones that I should have been able to work through I couldn¡¯t. Much like when I¡¯d tried to adopt a basic stance for Oberyn, it was as if something was blocking me from being able to move my body correctly. Hopefully, once I turned five and learnt how and why I was reborn here that would become clearer; though a part of me suspected it wouldn¡¯t. About a half a moon after my nameday, Joenne revealed she was with child. That made everyone in the castle happier and meant my Seven-loving goodaunt got off my case (slightly) about my father¡¯s family being heathens for following false gods. If not for my mother and uncle doing their best to keep me away from her, I might¡¯ve ended up grounded again for cursing. Though with the number of curses floating around my head whenever she brought up the ¡®glory of the Seven-Who-Are-One¡¯, if I verbalised them, I¡¯d likely be kicked out of the castle. However, near the end of the year, the child ¨C that I later learnt was a girl ¨C was stillborn, which left both my uncle and goodaunt in, an understandably, sour mood. During that time mother and grandmother took over many of the duties of the lord and lady of a castle. When Joenne finally broke from her funk, tension existed between her and my mother; likely due to some fear Joenne had that mother was trying to undermine her and ensure that she would inherit Starfall once my uncle died. One upside to mother having to spend more time ruling was that I was finally taken out of Starfall. Mother had to meet with the mayor of the nearest town, Riverguard, which sat on the western shore of the Torrentine river a league downriver of the tidal limit. From what I knew, there were two more towns and a dozen or so villages dotted around the territory controlled by Starfall, though all bar Stonepass ¨C which sat on the eastern banks of the Torrentine ¨C were further upriver or along the mountain passes that led into Dorne and the Reach. Further upriver were the lands of Daynes of High Hermitage; a cadet family of House Dayne that, in theory, guarded the upper reaches of the river for House Dayne. However, from the way mother and Cordin spoke of them, there were clearly tensions between the two branches of the Daynes. Even further upriver was the territory of House Blackmont, my grandmother¡¯s house of birth. Getting out of Starfall was nice, though I wasn¡¯t allowed to ride by myself just yet and Riverguard was, frankly, an unimpressive place. While the size was hard to tell given I didn¡¯t get to explore the town, it likely didn¡¯t have more than seven thousand residents and the place seemed a touch empty. When I asked about that, mother informed me that many of the men of fighting age had died during Robert¡¯s Rebellion (though she referred to it as the War of the Usurper). The place also stunk of fish. While that wasn¡¯t unexpected ¨C it was a town on the coast ¨C the smell was worse than what I remembered from similar towns back in Scotland. A raven arrived later in the year announcing Prince Joffrey¡¯s birth, which landed him on my kill list. While I¡¯d always expected for that to be the case, with the changes that had occurred since my birth, I held off on doing so until he was confirmed to exist. Now, there was a small, almost insignificant, chance he wouldn¡¯t grow to be a spoilt sadist, but until I knew for sure, I¡¯d leave him on the list. Another thing was that I had no hint of his colouring, so I couldn¡¯t say for certain that he was the bastard of Jaime and not the trueborn heir to the Iron Throne. I¡¯d had a sleepless night as I considered the idea that he would be just as bad as I expected but trueborn as that would royally fuck up so many things. That idea, like many, was making my mental list of how to go about things, who to watch, who to kill and the like grow massively. The ripples of my birth had forced me into all but ignoring my metaknowledge beyond having a possible ¨C maybe even likely ¨C direction of the Seven Kingdoms over the next ten or so years. Thus, I had to make plans, counter plans and multiple contingencies for things that might or might not happen. That had me having respect for the work Varys and Baelish did in manipulating whole kingdoms to serve their goals. Thankfully training in the yard, learning to ride, or physical exercise helped my mind let go of my concerns about the future. Uncle Benjen had even commented ¨C more than once ¨C that I seemed more at peace after a training session than before. It also helped that I could now count the number of months until my fifth nameday ¨C and learning how and why I was here ¨C on one hand. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ It was about a moon until the turn of the year, and I found myself standing alone outside the Lord¡¯s solar. Why mother wasn¡¯t with me was strange, but I had to assume she was either busy with something else or was already inside. This was the first time I¡¯d been invited in since my outburst over Alysanne Snow; though it had taken me a long time to not call her Fem!Jon in my head. I was still confused as to why Ned had revealed that, but my best guess was that learning about my birth knocked him off his stride. Still, it was a strange choice for him to make and would likely make things interesting in the future. Of that I was certain. One of the two guards knocked on the door, and a moment later my uncle¡¯s voice called out. ¡°Enter.¡± The other guard pushed the door open, and I walked in to see my uncle, goodaunt, and mother sitting around the table. None of them looked happy but, and the glare Joenne sent my way had me concerned that I was here because of an incident with Septa Railey a few days ago. Two days ago, I¡¯d had the misfortune to knock over the Septa. She¡¯d screamed about the objects she¡¯d been carrying; claiming that they were meant for the Sept but were now covered in mud. I¡¯d retorted that could be fixed by covering the entire Sept in mud and maybe suggested that would be an improvement. Unsurprisingly she didn¡¯t take that well, and against the demands of Benjen ¨C who as normal, was watching my training ¨C dragged me towards the main hall screaming about my blasphemy. Mother had intercepted the Septa, and while barely managing to contain her anger at the Septa¡¯s actions towards me, promised I¡¯d be punished for my mistakes. So far, however, nothing had happened. Whatever the reason for me coming here was, it was clear Joenne was aware of my comments to the Septa. Which was an issue as my goodaunt was a fervent follower of the Seven, more so than even the Septa. She reminded me heavily of the worst elements of religions in my old life. Preaching loudly about the virtues of their religions, being blind to contradictions or flaws within, and slamming any other religion. ¡°You summoned me?¡± I asked, having given up on making mistakes in my Common to hide my intelligence. While I wasn¡¯t sure how well that had worked, with me being nearly five, I saw no need to hide my intelligence as much. Mother turned at my voice and my uncle looked up for the table. ¡°Ah, Cregan. Yes, I called for you because there is a matter that needs to be discussed.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what I said to the Septa.¡± I offered, hoping to cut off a lecture before Joenne could start on one. ¡°She just wasn¡¯t very nice to me after I accidentally knocked her over.¡± Aldric snorted before glancing at his wife. ¡°While that still has to be resolved, that isn¡¯t why I summoned you.¡± He began but my focus had shifted to my mother. While there was a smile on her face, it felt forced as it didn¡¯t reach her eyes. In addition, her fists were clenched tightly enough that her knuckles were white and her lips thin suggesting she was angry about something. ¡°Mother?¡± I asked as I stepped forward and placed my small hand on one of her fists. I felt some of her tension dissipate as she replied. ¡°I¡¯m alright little one.¡± She shifted and glared at her brother. ¡°Your uncle has just been discussing a topic that I have no interest in.¡± Aldric shook his head and sighed. ¡°I am aware of your opinions on the matter, Ash. However, it isn¡¯t something we can keep avoiding and I felt having Cregan here might help you come to a decision.¡± He focused on me as he continued. ¡°The issue here, Cregan, is that your mother has received offers of marriage. Offers that would mean the both of you leaving Starfall.¡± ¡°From whom?¡± I asked slowly. While I had expected there to be offers for her hand ¨C mother was gorgeous after all ¨C I wasn¡¯t keen on going to a place where bastards were looked down on, or the faith of the Seven was strong: basically, anywhere that wasn¡¯t the North or Dorne. ¡°Houses Hightower, Costayne and Vaith,¡± Aldric began. ¡°Garth Hightower is from the most prestigious house, though he is only the second son of Lord Leyton Hightower and won¡¯t inherit Oldtown. Tommen Costayne is the heir to his house while Daeron Vaith is a young, unmarried lord to House Vaith.¡± I pulled the information about each from my mind. Hightower was easily the largest, which was what Aldric had stated, and mother marrying into their house would place me near the Citadel. While that seemed interesting, there was a concern that the Hightowers would try to push mother to send me to the Maesters. That is something I¡¯d fight against, and if she capitulated to those theoretical demands, I¡¯d be forced to run away from home to avoid it. House Costayne was a minor house from the Reach that was about two-thirds of the way between Starfall and Oldtown. That was easily my least favourite choice as the house was minor, in the Reach and on the coast; meaning it would be a likely target for Ironborn attacks. Sadly, the one book I¡¯d read didn¡¯t mention when the Greyjoy Rebellion took place, beyond it happening about a decade before the canon timeline. House Vaith was in Dorne, however it was a very minor house on the river Vaith; one of the tributaries of the Greenblood. Mother marrying into House Vaith would at least let me stay in Dorne. Still, as I considered the options ¨C none of which were great ¨C another option came to me. ¡°What about uncle Benjen?¡± I offered, though that made mother snort derisively. ¡°I will not marry the youngest brother of your father.¡± She replied tensely. ¡°I know your grandfathers were considering for me to marry Eddard, but Benjen is neither him nor Brandon.¡± Well that was a blunt dismissal. I knew mother wasn¡¯t happy with Benjen being here to help train/protect me, but obviously I¡¯d missed something between them. I¡¯d realised things between them had grown tense after my last nameday ¨C and Oberyn¡¯s gift of wooden training daggers ¨C but I hadn¡¯t realised things were still frosty. ¡°That and I would prefer my daughter and grandchild were close enough that visiting them would be feasible.¡± Grandmother added, which drew a glare from Joenne. The woman was still, righty, testy after the stillbirth of her child, but this fear she held that Ashara would one day become the Lady of Starfall was just irrational. I mean, they were discussing marrying her off and sending her away from the castle and they had years to birth an heir. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. I put my goodaunt¡¯s misplaced anger out of my mind as another suggestion came to me. This one was, well, different but if there were going to be ripples, why shouldn¡¯t I create ones that might benefit me. ¡°What about Prince Oberyn?¡± I suggested, drawing a sharp intake of breath from mother as everyone turned to look at me. ¡°What?¡± Mother asked as she pulled her hand away from mine. It might have been subconsciously as her reaction was as if I¡¯d somehow burnt her. ¡°The prince is unmarried and it would be a good political match.¡± Aldric offered, making my mother¡¯s head snap around so fast I wore I heard her neck complain. ¡°He has a paramour! One I have spoken to on occasion.¡± Mother snapped in what was likely meant to be a counterpoint. However, her knowing Ellaria made it a better choice because I doubted that ¨C no matter how beautiful mother was ¨C Oberyn would give up his paramour for her. ¡°Then you are already comfortable with her? Good.¡± Aldric responded, seemingly in agreement with my logic. ¡°This is Dorne, my child,¡± grandmother began to add, ¡°not King¡¯s Landing. Such things are common and even your father had one for a time. As do I.¡± I felt my brow rise at hearing that my grandmother was still active. Though since she was in her forties, it wasn¡¯t too shocking. Though the rapid-fire images of her doing¡­ that which flashed through my mind were things I never wanted to consider. ¡°Mother! Think of Cregan!¡± Mother snapped back as I felt her hands reach for me. A moment later her hands were over my ears. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s met Valdrion around Starfall.¡± Grandmother replied as I slipped free of my mother¡¯s grasp. ¡°Besides, I remember catching you and a young lady-in-waiting in certain situations when you were younger.¡± I really, really didn¡¯t need to hear that. Not when I already knew what my mother looked like naked and had issues dreaming about her. ¡°MOTHER!¡± My mother screeched, making me wince, as Aldric fought to hide his amusement behind a hand. However, I saw that Joenne wasn¡¯t in any way happy about this. Sadly it seemed even though she was Dornish, her beliefs about the Seven ¨C and its issues against such relationships ¨C overrode that. Which made me wonder if the members of her family were happy that she was now married and living in a different castle. ¡°And there were those rumours about you and a certain Princess of the Seven Kingdoms.¡± Grandmother continued, making me wish I could clear such memories from my mind. Or wish I was older and not related to her so I could enjoy what my imagination was bombarding my mind with. I turned to look at my mother and saw her staring at my grandmother in open-mouthed shock. Her mouth began to move, though no sound came out, making her look like a drowning fish. My mind wandered for a moment as I considered mother and Princess Elia enjoying themselves, though quickly I shook my head to clear said images. Those were so not things I needed rattling around in there. A cough drew my attention to my uncle as he covered his mouth. His face was red and there were hints of water around his eyes as he strained to speak. ¡°M-moving on. Would you be averse to a raven being sent to see if the prince is interested in such a match?¡± He asked while trying to keep his tone neutral. ¡°I, uh, ah, o-okay.¡± Mother finally managed to get out as I saw Joenne¡¯s face was so red I was worried for a moment that she might explode. Which would be something I¡¯d paid to have happen. Fucking religious wackjob. ¡°Good. I believe we can end this here, and Cregan, thank you for the suggestion.¡± My uncle said, looking down at me at the end. I smiled up at him as mother stood, for the first time in a while carrying me as she turned to leave. Normally, I would¡¯ve complained about that, but given to rumours about her brought up ¨C by her mother no less ¨C and the out of right field suggestion I made about Oberyn, I was willing to allow it. Thus, as my mother moved through the corridors of Starfall, seemingly in a daze about where she was going, I let my mind wander to the idea of Oberyn becoming my stepfather; or however it was referred to here. The ripples and alterations to the timeline from this, while not on the scale of Alysanne ¨C after all, what could be ¨C were going to be massive. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ The time between the discussion regarding suitors for my mother¡¯s hand and my fifth nameday seemed to pass a snail¡¯s pace. Which was in no way helped by Lady Joenne all but demanding that my punishment for knocking over Septa Railey and then commenting on the decorations of the Sept resulted in me having to help clean said building for a moon. One day rolled into the next, and while I was enjoying my training with uncle Benjen ¨C both physical and martial ¨C and my more advanced ¨C for my age ¨C lessons with Cordin, things just felt as if they were slowing down substantially. Now, Cordin¡¯s lessons were enjoyable, and I had started learning botany ¨C though that was mainly how to recognize certain plants and the properties they held ¨C and, after some persuasion, what little he knew about old Valyria, including rumours and stories regarding their magic. Now, Cordin lacked the link of Valyrian steel on his Maester¡¯s chain that would signify an understanding of such subjects, but he had some books on the topic. However, in every discussion or lesson that dealt with old Valyria, or any subject where ¡®magic¡¯ was involved, he was dismissive of the idea. About the only magical topic that he didn¡¯t dismiss was dragons, though if he had I¡¯d have questioned his mental faculties. As it was, it took a lot for me to stomach such the anti-magic agenda that he was trying to imprint upon me and not respond that he was talking out of his arse. Though one thing that did help temper my urge to respond was that, barring my rebirth here, I¡¯d yet to see any sign that this version of Planetos had magic: well, outside of freaking dragons. About two moons before my nameday, I was once more summoned to the Lord¡¯s solar. There I learnt that not only had Oberyn and Doran responded to my suggestion ¨C though Aldric explained he¡¯d left that part of the message ¨C but that the details of the wedding had been discussed. Apparently, at my mother¡¯s insistence, the wedding was to take place a few days before my fifth nameday. Learning of my mother¡¯s apparent acceptance of the marriage, I¡¯d asked her why she¡¯d agreed. She¡¯d revealed that years before Elia married Rhaegar Elia and Oberyn had come to Starfall with their mother; the then ruling Princess of Dorne. That voyage had been to find suitors for the pair, and while no marriage came from their visit to Starfall, mother became close to both and would later serve as a lady-in-waiting to Elia once she wed Rhaegar. She danced around how close she¡¯d become to the princess, but I heavily suspected that my grandmother¡¯s comments had an air of truth to them. Mother then explained that, while she would prefer to stay unmarried and raise me in Starfall, she accepted the fact she needed to marry. House Dayne had cast their lot with the Targaryens before the war and, with the Usurper now on the throne, their standing outside of Dorne was at an all-time low. Bonding their house to the Martells, while making the King (though at no time did mother refer to Robert as that) even less happy with them, would secure their standing in Dorne. When I asked her about her feelings regarding Oberyn, she¡¯d blushed and looked away before commenting that he had a certain charm to him. Though not in the same way my father had. She also mentioned that from the ravens she¡¯d exchanged with Ellaria, the woman would likely make a good friend and held no dislike of me. Something proven by the fact she served as a stand-in mother for Oberyn¡¯s bastards. The castle became abuzz with energy about a moon and a half before my nameday as preparations for the wedding began in earnest. Grandmother had commented on the fact that having a Prince of Dorne marry in Starfall was a high honour as they were one of the Great Houses of Westeros, and I learnt that the normal practise was for the wedding to take place at the husband-to-be¡¯s holding, or that of the more important house. To have both of those overturned for this wedding was an impressive coup for House Dayne, though I wondered if it was done by Oberyn as a gift to mother. Or if there was a more political reason ¨C which would suggest Doran was behind it ¨C to it that I couldn¡¯t quite see. There wasn¡¯t much for me to do in the leadup to the wedding, save for being dragged to the tailors every week to ensure my measurements were correct. While I dreaded having to put on another set of fancy clothing, I couldn¡¯t complain about their comfort or lightness. Which was a point in Dorne¡¯s favour as I suspected that in the other Kingdoms, heavier and more numerous layers were worn to formal events. Well, most of the time. One thing I did learn was that after the wedding, mother and I would be moving to Sunspear. That wasn¡¯t in any way surprising, but it was going to be a change. Sunspear was said to be drier than Starfall, but the fact uncle Benjen had promised he¡¯d come with was a concern. Or it was until I learnt that Prince Doran had promised Benjen safe passage in Dorne while he was helping to train and protect me, which was how I learnt that once I turned eight, my uncle planned to return to the North and join the Night¡¯s Watch. When I¡¯d asked him why he wanted to do that, he¡¯d replied that ¡®there was always a Stark in the Watch¡¯ and such a posting held great honour. However, something in his tone and body language then, and whenever I asked about his childhood in Winterfell had me thinking there was more his choice than because of those reasons. Thus, about two weeks before my nameday, I found myself once more standing with my family in the courtyard. We were once more gathered at the bottom of the steps that led to the Great Hall, though because of who was arriving and why my mother was standing to my uncle¡¯s left while I was at my mother¡¯s other side. The courtyard was far more crowded than the last time the prince had arrived, though that wasn¡¯t a surprise. Then, he¡¯d come unannounced ¨C or as close as one of his status could ¨C while this time the castle had been preparing for his arrival for two moons. Throw in that mother was marrying the prince, and well, it seemed as if everyone from the holdings of House Dayne had arrived. Including, much to my family¡¯s annoyance, Gunther and Gerold Dayne of High Hermitage. Both were stations off to the right, even father from the main family than Benjen; who this time was wearing new leather armour more suitable to Dorne than what he¡¯d worn last time, though they¡¯d been crafted in a more Northern style. My clothing, like my family¡¯s, was dominated by purple, though the edgings and other sections were in a light grey. And the collar was far less restrictive than the last one. ¡°When will he get here?¡± Allyria asked from somewhere to my right. While she was five years older than me and looked like a younger version of my mother, she had all the patience of a child. Though I agreed with the sentiment as we¡¯d been standing here for nearly ten minutes after learning that Oberyn¡¯s party had arrived in Riverguard and an honour guard sent to greet them about an hour ago. ¡°Soon sister. Patience is a virtue after all.¡± Aldric replied with hints of amusement in his tone. Not a moment later the main gate horn sounded a single time. That meant an approaching party was friendly, and perhaps a minute later the lead riders entered the courtyard, banners of Dayne and Martell being flown proudly. While the Dayne escorts were outfitted in chainmail armour ¨C since this was a formal occasion Aldric had insisted they wore heavier armour than they regularly wore on patrols ¨C the riders for House Martell looked to be wearing light leather armour. From what I could tell, and it was hard to see them over the crowds even with me being on the upper step outside the Great Hall, the armour appeared lighter than what the Dayne guards usually wore, but if they were for riding in the desert, that made sense. Apart from the differing armour, it was easy to tell which riders were serving which house as they all bore the colours and banners of their liege¡¯s house. As those guards moved to the sides of the clear lane between the main gate and the Great Hall ¨C acting as another layer of defence to go along with the two rows of Dyane household guard who lined the lane ¨C another group of riders came through the gate. Oberyn was in the lead of this group, and he was followed by Obara, Nymeria and Tyene along with a fourth girl with a handful of Martell outriders behind them. The new girl had a far darker skin tone than the others, but from the way her eyes scanned the courtyard and the fact of whom she was riding with, I suspected she was another of Oberyn¡¯s bastards. She looked to be somewhere between my age and Allyria¡¯s (between four and ten), and there was a keenness to her eyes as they took in the courtyard and the gathered crowd. Behind them came a carriage surrounded by a dozen Martell guards with the remaining Dayne honour guard bringing up the rear. I frowned at seeing the carriage, though more about why it had so many guards. I knew ¨C thanks to mother ¨C that Oberyn was bringing Ellaria with him, but as a simple paramour, I doubted she rated a dozen guards. My attention returned to the prince as he dismounted with an ease that spoke of his comfort in a saddle. He lazily handed the reins to a member of the household who handled the horses before walking over to the carriage as it came to a stop near the Great Hall. While some people dropped to their knees as he walked, my family stayed upright, and I watched as he opened the door to the carriage. A young girl, just on the cusp of maturing, stepped out ¨C taking Oberyn¡¯s offered hand ¨C and my uncle went to a knee. As my family and I followed, a voice called out. ¡°Presenting Oberyn Nymeros Martell, Prince of Dorne and Princess Arianne Nymeros Martell, Princess of Dorne, heir to Sunspear and the Principality of Dorne.¡± That had my eyes coming back up to get a better look at the princess. Based on her height beside Oberyn, she looked to be in her early teens at best. Her skin was a rather appealing shade of olive, and her thick, curly black hair was held back in a simple knot. There was a little bit of bulk to her short frame and, without her clothing, I suspected she¡¯d look very plain. Yet, for a moment our eyes met and in the dark pools of her eyes, I thought I saw a hint of intelligence mixed with regret. Breaking eye contact, I returned my focus to the ground in front of me and waited patiently until given rise to stand. ¡°Princess Arianne, you honour my family and all of Starfall with your visit. Starfall is yours to command.¡± Aldric stated, and from the angle of his voice, I could tell he was still kneeling. ¡°I thank you for the gracious welcome, Lord Aldric,¡± Arianne began, her voice carrying a regal quality to it that I wasn¡¯t quite believing. While she¡¯d likely been coached on etiquette and the like from a young age ¨C something I¡¯d been lucky to mainly avoid so far due to my heightened intelligence and maturity ¨C this was likely the farthest she¡¯d ever been from home. And quite possibly one of the first times she¡¯d had to take the lead in these greeting rituals. ¡°Please, everyone stand.¡± We did as she commanded, and I saw that while she was at the bottom of the steps of the Great Hall ¨C and had Obara, Nymeria and a half-dozen Martell guards close by ¨C Oberyn was walking over from the carriage. My breath caught at the beautiful older woman on his arm, and it took me a moment to realise that she was carrying something carefully with her other arm. This was undoubtedly his paramour Ellaria Sand and, after both cursing my young age and offering a prayer of thanks that I hadn¡¯t hit puberty yet, I mentally congratulated Oberyn on getting such a sensual woman as his paramour. A gentle nudge of my side brought my attention back to the steps and as I blinked, I saw mother glancing down at me. There was a slight frown on her face as I wondered just how long I¡¯d been staring at Ellaria. ¡°Sorry.¡± I mumbled out, drawing a sigh from mother and a faint, chuckled from Aldric. ¡°Cregan, the Princess was speaking to you.¡± Mother said, and I felt my cheeks heat up as I looked at the girl. There was a small smile on her face (as there was with the two Sand Snakes near her) but a twitch of her eye made me wonder if I¡¯d offended her in some way. ¡°Princess, my apologies. I was simply curious who the woman with your uncle was, and what she was carrying.¡± I offered before lowering my head slightly, though not enough to break eye contact with Arianne. ¡°It was in no way a comment on me finding you anything less than captivating.¡± I continued, before wanting to slap myself for trying to flirt with a princess as a four-year-old. Arianne¡¯s cheeks darkened and I caught Nymeria giving me a wink and Oberyn smirked before the princess replied. ¡°I, I was asking if you were looking forward to being a member of my family.¡± I chuckled. ¡°Truthfully, I wouldn¡¯t be, princess. Oh, your uncle will be my¡­ goodfather, but by blood, I¡¯ll still be a Stark and a Dayne.¡± ¡°You see yourself more as a Stark than a Dayne?¡± She asked as her brow creased. ¡°According to uncle Benjen, I take after my mother more than my father; though I wonder if he¡¯d have fitted in better in Dorne. He was known for being hot-headed and passionate.¡± I replied. Oberyn and Ellaria both chuckled at my words while the new Sand Snake narrowed her eyes as she stood beside Tyene at their father¡¯s side. ¡°That¡­ was very much a non-answer, young Cregan.¡± Oberyn commented as he reached his niece¡¯s side. ¡°A smart choice for a wolf in Dorne.¡± ¡°Prince Oberyn,¡± mother cautioned, which made the prince raise his hands in mock surrender; mirroring his behaviour after his impromptu training session with me over a year ago. ¡°No offence is intended, my lady. I merely find your son to be a most curious riddle.¡± His focus returned to me as he placed a hand on Arianne¡¯s shoulder. ¡°One that was able to tempt my dear niece into leaving Sunspear.¡± Arianne¡¯s cheeks darkened as I turned my attention to her. ¡°I, I¡¯ve never met a Northman before. You¡¯re not as savage as many say.¡± I chuckled and glanced over at Benjen. There was a soft smile on his face though it was combined with a tensing of his jaw. ¡°I really couldn¡¯t comment on that, princess. Though perhaps my uncle could.¡± I offered, making the princess turn to see Benjen. ¡°Lord Stark.¡± Benjen lowered his head. ¡°Lord Stark is my brother, princess. I am simply Benjen.¡± Arianne spent a moment examining my uncle before she spoke again. ¡°To call you by your name alone is¡­ a touch personal, Lord Benjen. While that may be the way of the North, I wouldn¡¯t feel proper doing such.¡± Benjen lowered his head once more, in seeming acceptance of her words. ¡°Though I, and many, are curious about why a Stark of Winterfell came to Dorne to protect a bastard.¡± "When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies but the pack survives." Benjen offered, making Oberyn laugh loudly. "He said the same thing to me, dear niece." The prince said, as he turned to my uncle and smirked. "Northerners, it seems, are much like Dornish. Blood is more important than if the child is base or trueborn." "While we are not as, accepting, of bastards as Dorne, we understand that every body matters. Winter is Coming." Benjen responded, a slight smile creeping onto his face. "As you remind us every month," Aldric commented, drawing a chuckle from most people. "Though perhaps before winter does come, we should step inside. If we stay here any longer, I fear the kitchen staff will grow angry at us wasting the feast they prepared and seek work elsewhere." That drew another chuckle before Arianne replied. "Of course. And we thank you for the food and drink, Lord Dayne." The princess walked forward and took the arm Aldric offered. Oberyn came close behind and offered his arm to mother. She smiled and accepted it, and I turned to follow them in when I heard footsteps behind me then a hand ruffled my hair. "Stop it!" I snarled - rather pathetically since I was still a bairn - and pushed the hand away. "What''s the matter little wolf, don''t you like me playing with your fur?" Nymeria asked as she pulled her hand back. That drew chuckles from Tyene and the dark-skinned sand snake. ¡°No, but I¡¯d rather not have mother fussing over it for hours again.¡± I replied as I turned my head to look at her. She¡¯d grown a few inches since I¡¯d last seen her and looked to be on the cusp of physically maturing. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I think I missed your name, I¡¯m Cregan.¡± I said to the dark-skinned girl who was only a head or so taller than me. ¡°Sarella.¡± She replied as her eyes seemed to scan me before moving off to look at something else. ¡°Ignore her,¡± Tyene said as she slipped between us and slid her hand onto mine. ¡°Tell me what has happened since we last were here. Did you receive father¡¯s gift?¡± I managed to keep my confusion from showing at having these two speak to me instead of my aunts. A glance to my left showed my aunts were busy talking ¨C or in Adrya¡¯s case, flirting ¨C with Daemon. So either this was planned by the Sand Snakes ¨C a possibility ¨C or they were just talking to me as my aunts were busy. With a resigned sigh, I began to detail everything that I knew had happened in the years since their last visit. ¡­ ¡­ Revelations 1 Revelations 1 ¡­ I groaned as I opened my eyes and found¡­ nothing but pure darkness. ¡®What?¡¯ I tried to say, though no words came from my mouth, instead saying within my mind. ¡®The fuck?¡¯ I blinked, thinking maybe there was just something wrong with my sight. I¡¯d never gotten so drunk that I couldn¡¯t remember where I was or how I¡¯d got¡­ My thought process trailed off as my memory returned. I¡¯d been near the High Street, heading for the Jade Garden for dinner when I¡¯d heard brakes screeching. A truck had jumped the curb and was barrelling towards a young mother with a pushchair not far behind me. My training had kicked in and I¡¯d move. I¡¯d gotten the mother, child and myself out of the way of the truck, then heard it careen into a lamppost, then the storefront of an abandoned shop. I¡¯d turned to speak to the woman, to make sure he and her child were ok, only for her to scream ¡°Look out!¡± As I¡¯d turned, I¡¯d seen the lamp post falling towards me, but had no time to move before it filled my vision. The next thing I saw was¡­ whatever the hell this place was. ¡®Am, am I dead?¡¯ I wondered as I felt anger begin to flood my mind. A decade of service in the military, with most of it in the SBS, and that was how it ended?! That was just fuckin¡­ Welcome to User Recalibration ¡®The fuck?!¡¯ I shouted in my mind as I tried to pull back at the strange blue words that seemed to form from mist in front of my eyes even as the room became engulfed in a dull, constant white light. However, with nothing for my feet to get a grip on, I couldn¡¯t do that. Though even as my body prepared for a fight, I noticed that I also wasn¡¯t falling away. However, I was upright ¨C if I even was ¨C wherever this was, was also stopping me from moving around. Though my limbs were still free to move. Freaky and concerning as it meant I had no way to defend myself if I was attacked. Calibration Commencing Realising it was apparently futile, I stopped struggling to move and instead focused on my surroundings. The floating, mist-like text had shifted around to make new words ¨C which were a touch worrying as calibration didn¡¯t sound encouraging ¨C but, as far as I could determine, there was nothing else around me. Light filled the area equally without any hint as to where it was coming from, and there was no way to tell where any exit was. Or indeed, in what direction I¡¯d have to go to escape. Rebirth world selected. [Code:- F5^Cv)(g: ¡­ ¡­ I woke up with a start, bouncing up in my bed as if I¡¯d been electrocuted ¡°Th-that, that was,¡± I muttered trying to get my thoughts in order as the memory of my time in the whiteness was unblocked. While a part of me was terrified that whatever had decided to send me here could not only neuter my emotions, but restrict memories, I knew that was a problem for another time. For now, I had to process what I¡¯d just learnt. The discovery that some of my anger about why I was here could be directed at myself was irritating; which only got worse when I realised that I still didn¡¯t know why I was here. Fine, according to the floating text, I was being ¡®recalibrated¡¯ and had selected Ashara Dayne and Brandon Stark as my parents willingly but beyond that, and what I suspected was to come, I was still groping around in the dark as to the purpose of all this. I closed my eyes and took a slow, deep breath to bring my rising emotions under control. I needed to approach this as logically as I could to help me understand what I¡¯d just learnt. It all had to be integrated into the various plans, strategies and ploys I had floating around in my head. The traits that I¡¯d selected for myself reminded me of an RPG game, yet nothing about this place felt like a game. Nor was I treating it as such. Still, when combined with how I ended up here, and the time in the whiteness¡­ I shook my head and chuckled in disbelief as I realised that I¡¯d been reborn in another world. Just like in the various Gamer and Self-Insert stories I¡¯d read online. Well, this would take som¡­ Wait! What?! Why was there a flashing blue light in the bottom right of my vision? I turned my head from side to side, but the light remained, making me wonder if it was somehow connected to my rebirth. Tentatively I tried to touch it, though that did nothing. ¡°Well duh, Cregan. It¡¯s in your mind, not in the air.¡± I mumbled to myself at my moment of stupidity. I then considered how to interact with the light. Remembering how the calibration had gone, I tried a few basic mental commands, however none of them worked. Though when I focused on the light, it blinked. For a moment, I scrambled back in my bed as the light expanded and moved towards the centre of my vision. There, it shifted to reveal the same blue text I¡¯d seen in the recalibration. Objective Achieved! ¡°Huh?¡± A second later I remembered clearly the objective I¡¯d seen moments after my rebirth and at the same time, the text shifted around. The Truth of the Matter Survive until your 5thnameday. Reward: Answers to how and why you are here. ... Activate Reward? Yes/No ... Well that was a no-brainer. ¡®Yes.¡¯ I thought, remembering that the recalibration had been done with mental commands. Reward activated. ... CONGRATULATIONS As a Recalibrated User who has survived their earliest years of rebirth, your memory of recalibration has been unlocked. Additionally, Bloodline Perks are now active. All traits ¨C be they Creation-based or selections from the Reward options ¨C have been active since rebirth. Finally, your unique Interface is available to initiate. Do you wish to initiate the Interface? [NOTE: Interface can be initiated at a later date, though failure to initiate it by your 6thyear will result in the Interface ¨C and all associated benefits ¨C being locked] Yes/No? ... I bit back a growl of annoyance at the lack of information I¡¯d just gotten. It was as if I was dealing with a brand-new 2nd Lieutenant who stuck to their training religiously. Initiating Interface System . .. ... Time to synchronise ... 15 hours. ... ¡°Oh fuck off!¡± I spat out. I mean, making me wait five fucking years to understand what was going on, then give me a memory detailing why I was reborn where I was and making me wait almost the entire day for further information? Yeah, I was back to dealing with yo-yos and their ¡®good ideas¡¯. Fucking wonderful. As the clock for synchronisation began to count down, I wondered how I was meant to, if not dismiss it, then shift it from the centre of my vision. Thankfully, the next moment, the text returned to the bottom right of my vision. Unlike before though, it didn¡¯t blink and just sort of sat there. That would take a bit of getting used to, but it was better than having to try and ignore floating text that partially obscured my vision for an entire day. I slid from my bed, saying a silent thanks that, unlike the last three nights, I''d been able to get a good night¡¯s sleep. Those last three nights had been traumatising. With my room next to mother¡¯s, it meant I¡¯d had to listen to her and Oberyn enjoy the first few nights of marriage. And of course, two nights ago they¡¯d brought Ellaria in to join them. While I didn¡¯t beget any of them enjoying themselves, did they not give a fuck that a five-year-child was is the room next door? Fuck, the talk the morning after the wedding about how the sounds I might¡¯ve heard weren¡¯t because Oberyn was hurting my mother had been the single most embarrassing moment of my new life so far. And had me dreading the Westerosi version of the birds and the bees. While I was sure they¡¯d still been active last night, after three nights of bad sleep, my young body had decided enough was enough and I was asleep the moment my head hit my pillow. Hopefully they would begin to curtail their nightly behaviour soon. We were due to leave by ship for Starfall before the new moon, and if they kept this up until then, I think everyone in the castle would be cheering for us to leave just so they could have a peaceful night¡¯s sleep. As I walked towards the small washing bowl one of the servants had placed in my room before I¡¯d woken, I led concerns about my sleep patterns and whatever was being meant by an Interface drifted from my mind. There was little I could do about either ¨C at least for now. Plus, my day was going to be reasonably busy. The last of the guests for the wedding would leave today, and frankly I couldn¡¯t be happier. While Gunther Dayne of High Hermitage was an annoying man with an enlarged sense of importance, his son was on a whole other level. For reasons that weren¡¯t openly stated ¨C but which I suspected were jealously mixed with resentment ¨C he hated me and Uncle Benjen. He¡¯d gone so far as to anger Benjen enough that the Stark had accepted a challenge with live steel. Benjen had reluctantly accepted and managed to defeat the younger man (Gerold looked to be in his mid to late teens). That had been an eye-opener for many as, until then, Benjen had neither boasted about his skill with a blade, nor openly showed it. Oberyn had been badgering my uncle for a spar, and Benjen had grudgingly accepted, though only once we were all in Sunspear. Gerold, not taking his loss well, had threatened me one morning when I was waiting near the training yard. While he hadn¡¯t been able to carry out his threat ¨C mainly due to Obara and Nymeria arriving in the yard, followed closely by Benjen ¨C that had marked the young man out as a problem I¡¯d have to keep an eye on. With the Daynes of High Hermitage gone, it would just be the Martell party that remained in the castle, at least until we all left. Even though I lacked blood links to the family, Arianne and Oberyn had both openly stated that I was a part of the family, with Arianne also commenting that I was perhaps the only bastard in Westeros with direct ties to two great houses. As I finished washing, a knock came from my door. ¡°Come in.¡± I called out and the door opened to allow Myra entrance. ¡°Morning little one. Sleep well?¡± She asked, a smirk dancing on her lips. ¡°Surprising, yes.¡± I stepped back from the basin and walked over to a stool where my clothing for the day had been placed. ¡°Good, now come along. Your mother and goodfather are waiting in the Great Hall.¡± Myra commented as I pulled a thin, but very comfortable light grey tunic over my head. ¡°Today is an important day.¡± ¡°Is it?¡± I asked as I then slipped into my braies. While a touch longer than underwear from my older world, they were remarkably comfortable. Myra chuckled and shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t play coy little wolf. I¡¯ve seen you trying and failing to hide your excitement for today. Now come along. If you take too long, I think Lady Ashara might give your nameday gifts to your aunts or new cousins.¡± I chuckled at that as I slipped on my pants. ¡°Oh, very well.¡± As I slid the sandals onto my feet and then followed my former minder out of my room, I caught sight of the blue dot in the corner of my vision and sighed. That had been the real reason I¡¯d been excited for today. Though while waiting nearly fifteen more hours to learn more about what was going on ¨C and having that blue dot in my vision all day -was going to be annoying, I could be patient. Besides, Oberyn ¨C after seeing my form with the wooden daggers he¡¯d sent me last year ¨C had been hinting that he¡¯d gotten me something better for this nameday. I''d be lying if I said I wasn¡¯t curious about what that was. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ That evening, I was back in my room not long after dinner. While everyone in the hall had assumed it was because I wanted to read the books mother had gifted me, that wasn¡¯t entirely true. Now, I was enjoying the first of the two books ¨C a book by Maester Dwan summarizing another much rarer and more detailed book on dragons by Maester Thomax ¨C and would likely do the same with the second ¨C a book by Maester Donnel on the Valyrian Freehold, but I was more interested in other things. Namely the fact the synchronization for the Interface only had around thirty minutes to go. I lifted an arm to turn the page on the book I was reading ¨C which would likely be added to the Maester¡¯s library in Sunspear if they didn¡¯t already have the book ¨C only to knock against a metal wristband. Well, it would be a wristband when I was older, but for now, it was too big for that. When I held it up to admire it, the light glistened off a coiled dark grey snake, the craftsmanship such that when the light caught the amethyst gemstone eyes just right, it almost seemed alive. Today, the only reason I¡¯d been wearing it was to not offend Arianne as it was a gift from her and her cousins to me. I was still surprised that the princess had gotten me a nameday gift as I was a bastard with no blood ties to her. Yes, my mother had married her uncle, but that didn¡¯t make us family really. However, I wasn¡¯t stupid enough to not thank her for the gift; nor wear it during the day. I¡¯d likely make sure to keep wearing it as I grew up as keeping the young princess happy was a smart political move, plus I rather liked it. Beside the wristband sat the sheath of Oberyn¡¯s gift. The dagger ¨C that was more akin to a short sword at my current stature ¨C was being kept by my mother until I proved myself skilled enough to be trusted with it. Hopefully that wouldn¡¯t take long as the weapon was a work of art. The actual blade was made of castle forged steel with a slight curve that ended in a wicked point but it was the pommel that truly made me adore it. The handle was crafted from dark ebony wood, with curved indents for a more secure grip while the pommel was a finely engraved wolf¡¯s head made from bronze with purple gemstone eyes, all made, according to Oberyn, by the best Smith in Sunspear. As I easily predicted ¨C and wished I¡¯d made a bet with someone about ¨C mother had been enraged with my gift from her new husband. After glaring at him for several minutes, she¡¯d take the blade from me with the promise that she¡¯d return it once I was properly trained in its usage. Oberyn had then volunteered to supervise that training, pointing out that Nymeria was one of the most skilled knife-wielders he knew, and he¡¯d taught her everything he knew. Of course, mother hadn¡¯t liked the gift, but had acquiesced to her new husband and after breakfast, I¡¯d experienced my first training session with the prince. The man was a monster on par with the worst I¡¯d ever trained with. He pushed me further than my new body had ever gone before, and by the time the hour was over, I¡¯d had to be supported by Daemon to make it to lunch. It turned out that the term for stepfather in Westeros was simply goodfather ¨C which, I guess made sense ¨C but referring to the Viper as that was, even though I¡¯d been the one to suggest the union, going to take some getting used to. As was the fact I would soon be heading to Sunspear with my new family. That, along with Benjen¡¯s presence at my side, was going to cause more ripples in the timeline, including ones I hadn¡¯t yet considered. However, if I could manage it, I wanted to get Doran and Eddard on, if not speaking terms, then in semi-regular contact. While the houses had been on opposite sides of the war, with what I expected to come in Westeros, the two could be useful allies for each other. Better to have the potential for that, than allow the Lannisters and others to pick them off separately. I put such thoughts to one side and returned to the book until some time later, I became aware that the blue dot was once more blinking. Closing the book ¨C though not before placing a sheet of parchment in it to mark my page -I concentrated on the dot, then watched as the blue text reappeared. Synchronisation complete. Initiate Interface for the first time? Yes/No? ... ¡®Yes.¡¯ I replied instantly. And everything went black. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ Revelations 2 Revelations 2 ... I blinked as light returned to my sight, and slowly I lifted my head from my book. I looked at the book and was relieved to see I hadn¡¯t drooled all over it, thank the Gods, that would¡¯ve been fucking embarrassing. A glance towards the window let me see that light was still spilling into the room, though it was a touch milder meaning some time had passed, and since the light was still stronger from that window than the smaller, eastward facing one, I knew it was still the same day. With that concern out of the way, I focused on the small blinking light-blue dot in the bottom right of my vision. Interface initiated! Congratulations recalibrated user, you have successfully lived long enough in your new dimension (5 planetary cycles in this case) to achieve Interface initiation. However, at this point, some explanations are required. This interface, while sharing similarities with things you may recall from your former life, is not a gaming system. This new life is very real, and you and the people here will be dead and gone if you die. That said, the reason the Interface is similar to a gaming system, is due to previous recalibrated users of your species being most comfortable with this setup. ... Currently, there are 6 major sections (along with various sub-sections) to your Interface. These are: Core Stats Skills Bloodline Perks Traits Objectives Interface Settings and Help ... It is highly advisable that you examine each section as soon as you can to avoid confusion about how they and the Interface affect you and the world around you. To view any section or sub-section, simply think ¡®display¡¯ followed by the section (or sub-section) you wish to see. ... Well okay then. I wasn¡¯t sure what this interface would involve but hearing it would be set up like a gaming system and recognising a few of the sections from RPGs, gave me a rough idea of what I could expect. Plus, I already knew two of my stats ¨C Strength and Agility ¨C from regaining my memory of how I ended up here. Though I knew that after I¡¯d learnt all this, I was going to have to process that whatever being had placed me on Planetos could lock away my memories because that shit was fucking scary. Still, I put that concern to one side for now and moved on with learning about my new¡­ Powers? Abilities? and watched as the blue smoky text shifted around. Core Stats To many recalibrated users, Core Stats suggests elements of entertainment from their former existences. While this is generally true, this interface doesn¡¯t track every stat you have. This is because tracking many stats makes the new existence feel less ¡®real¡¯ to many users. As such, this interface only tracks two stats. These are Strength and Agility. ... Strength, as the name implies, tracks your physical strength ¨C both current and potential. This affects what you can carry whether that is something like a crate, a suit of armour or a surface-to-space cannon. It also determines how high certain skills can go by limiting the tiers available for those skills based on your current strength. Agility, as the name implies, tracks how agile your body is ¨C both current and potential ¨C while also affecting your movement speed and stamina, with your current value determining if you can only run as fast as an infant for a few minutes, or outrun jet planes for hours. It also determines how high certain skills can go by limiting the tiers available for those skills based on your current agility. ... In your new world, the average maximum for your chosen species is 20 for both Strength and Agility, due to your choices in recalibration however, these limits may have been raised or lowered. ... NOTICE Due to early recalibrated users drawing unwanted suspicion early in their new lives, age limits for your Strength and Agility are in effect. These work in two steps. The first step is applicable until you reach 11 cycles and keeps your physical characteristics within acceptable ranges for younglings of your species. The second step is applicable from 11 to 16 cycles and keeps your physical characteristics within acceptable ranges for young adults of your species. ... ADDENDUM Due to selections in recalibration, the upper limit for your age has altered. ... Current Stat values [age potential] (maximum potential) Strength: 4 [8] (33) Agility: 5 [9] (38) ... That was a little different to what I¡¯d expected, yet as I re-read the text, I found myself agreeing with the logic behind only tracking those two stats. While, in game terms, other stats could be tracked, the tracking of mental stats had always seemed a weird thing to do; at least when considered outside of said game. Now, I was a little surprised that tracking of my health wasn¡¯t done, but perhaps that would be explained in another section. The low values for my two tracked stats made sense as I was only five, as did the fact my agility was a touch higher. The small number of physical exercises and training sessions I had done were all geared towards movement and reactions rather than being able to lift things. The fact my age-limited Agility was a little higher tracked with my overall potential Agility being higher than my Strength potential. With nothing else to concern me regarding stats, I moved on to the next section. Skills As the name of the section implies, this is where your overall ability to do certain things is tracked. This helps a user see just how good (or not) they are at doing a certain thing. However, to keep the list from growing insanely complicated, not all possible skills are tracked, and many are grouped under a group skill (indicated by the skill being underlined in the Skill List). Certain skills will be marked with (*). This signifies that either your knowledge of that skill is higher than should be possible due to your current stats, or the skill suffers from severe restrictions due to your age and physical status. Also, some things you will learn in your new world will not be tracked as, unless the user can come up with acceptable reasons for adding them in, they serve little purpose to be tracked other than to count skill levels. Additionally, many skills from your old existence are not tracked as they¡¯d either have no way to improve them in your new existence, or they would be superfluous. Another place where the skills are important is in tracking your ability to purchase traits. How to do so is explained in the Traits section of the Interface. ... The skills currently being tracked: Medicine (*) Crafting (*) Sailing Finance (*) Common Tongue English High Valyrian Weaponry Maintenance Astronomy Cleaning Cooking Riding Composure (*) Deception (*) Intimidation (*) Insight Negotiation (*) Observation Seduction (*) Singing Athletics (*) Plants Poisons Sleight of Hand (*) Stealth (*) Swimming (*) Tracking (*) Trapping (*) Aerial Warfare Ground Warfare (*) Naval Warfare (*) 1-Handed Bludgeon Bows (*) Brawling (*) Crossbows Short Blades (*) Swords Thrown Weapons(*) ... To view details about a given skill, or the sub-skills in a group, simply think the phrase ¡®display skill¡¯ followed by the skill name. ... Damm. That was a long list. And according to the Interface, it was shorter than it could be. The mention of skills being restricted explained why there¡¯d been times I¡¯d felt as if I couldn¡¯t do something I should have been capable of or struggled to remember things I knew how to do. Yet the more I thought about this Interface placing limits on me, the more a rising fury and disbelief began to grow like a fire in my breast. I breathed slowly, taking deep breaths to control my anger at having something able to limit what I knew and eventually, I felt the fire subside enough that I was to look at what had been done without the first ten thoughts being curses. While the anger wasn¡¯t gone, the implication that previous users ¨C and that was a whole other kettle of fish I¡¯d have to think about at a later point ¨C had aroused suspicion due to being smarter/stronger/faster than any child should be given the actions of the Interface ¨C and whoever controlled it ¨C some validity. But the fact they could not only limit my ability to use something I knew but lock away other things (for example, I spoke enough Farsi to hold a basic conversation for about five minutes) was just terrifying and enraging at the same time. Still, I was able to keep my feelings under control for long enough to move on. I examined the various skills that were either limited or had sub-groups to see what was going on. Most skills were limited due to my age or lack of strength and/or agility; which made sense when I took my emotions out of it; or tried to. Having a five-year-old know how to use a knife to kill someone silently would raise questions even in a world as prone to war as this one. The sub-skills often only had one or two things listed under them, meaning there were other things I still had to learn ¨C which for the various combat skills, made perfect sense ¨C or it was done to streamline the Interface; just as the description had stated. I had also discovered that there were nine tiers for every skill (Lacking, Deficient, Average, Talented, Trained, Accomplished, Master, Paragon and Mythic). Even my highest skill ¨C English ¨C was only in the Accomplished tier, which hinted that reaching the highest tiers would be a lot of work. And given to their names, that made sense. Other skills, like my mental and social styled skills, were limited due to my age and physical body ¨C just as the Interface stated they would be and again, without the emotional and physiological issues that brought up, it made sense. After all, who but the most pathetic or fucked-up people would be intimidated or seduced by a five-year-old child? Yet, for all my issues with how the Interface tracked my skills, being able to see where I was in each one was something that I could see as being very useful. Or so I hoped. With the sunlight spilling into the room starting to dim ¨C hinting that it¡¯d taken me longer than I¡¯d realised to contain my anger at the limits placed on me ¨C I finally moved onto the next section. Bloodline Perks These are perks that are a result of the families you chose to be born into, and their ancestry, or as a result of how the Interface interacts with your new dimension. Please note that certain bloodline perks are locked or hidden due to factors that this Interface cannot detail. However, be assured that they will be revealed when they¡¯ve activated the requirements to reveal them are achieved. ... Currently known perks: Blood of the Andals [Medium] Blood of the First Men [Major] Blood of the River [Minor] Child of the North [Major] Child of the Sun [Medium] Westerosi Bastard [Known] ... NOTICE To learn more about a perk think ¡®display¡¯ followed by the perk in question. ... Hmm, things linked to where, and to which families, I was born¡­ Now, this was interesting. Or it was until I started to read. Blood of the Andals granted a small (ten per cent) boost to my ease to improving my skills when using a weapon made from steel. Blood of the First Men granted a similar boost with weaponry, though in this case, it was five per cent to bronze or wooden weapons. While Blood of the Rivers simply indicated that I had the faint traces of the Rhoynish in me. Overall, the three Blood perks had only minimal uses, at best. The two Child perks weren¡¯t much better. Child of the North meant I had a natural resistance to the cold, or damage taken from a cold source ¨C which, for a moment, I assumed meant being attacked by someone with an icicle ¨C while also hinting that it might affect how I dealt with people. Child of the Sun was similar, though the resistances came against heat and damage from fire along with being quicker to anger due to my Dornish blood. The last perk, Westerosi Bastard, was what I¡¯d expected. Simply put, most nobles ¨C save for most of those in Dorne and the followers of the Old Gods ¨C would look down their noses at me for being born a bastard. People would also look down upon me if they were devout followers of the Seven, which partially explained why Joenne was such a bitch towards me. There was also a chance this could also affect how people in areas of Essos saw me, but the description didn¡¯t go into detail, likely due to the sheer size of the continent. All in all, that section was a disappointment. Traits These are special abilities that you can either purchase, are rewarded through exploration and study, or granted to you based on your status as a recalibrated user. Acquisition of purchasable traits is determined by your overall number of skill levels, though do note that only the highest skill in each sub-group is counted for this). For every 5000 skill levels, you gain one Standard Trait Point (StTP). For every 10000 skill levels, you gain one Special Trait Point (SpTP). ... Current skill level total: 6370 StTP: 1 SpTP: 0 ... Current Traits: Athletic Bastard [Known] Comprehension [*] Emotionless Recall [*] Feline(*) Herculean(*) Heterochromia Perfect 10(*) Intelligent Large Left-Handed Shrewd Well-Endowed [L] Well-Endowed [G] ... To learn more about a trait, simply think ¡®display trait¡¯ followed by the trait in question. If you wish to see the traits available to purchase, simply think ¡®available traits¡¯. ... NOTICE The traits Comprehension and Emotionless Recall are unique to recalibrated users. These help the user settle into their new world by making it easier to learn the local languages while retaining everything learnt in a former life without any emotional baggage. ... I¡¯d known about all those traits except Emotional Recall ¨C though most only because of the memory that¡¯d been restored to me that morning ¨C but it was still nice to see them listed there, with the same descriptions as mentioned before. As for Emotionless Recall, that ¨C as the name suggested ¨C meant I could recall everything that had happened to me in both lives (as much as I¡¯d like to forget my earliest years in this one) though with the added benefit that my memories from my former life wouldn¡¯t carry any emotional baggage. That explained why I¡¯d been so calm about being reborn and hadn¡¯t suffered from bouts of depression about my former life and a desire to go back. Yet a caveat in the trait¡¯s description stated that this trait wasn¡¯t active between the time of my death and rebirth, although to my memory, I remembered everything with crystal clear clarity. Even if there were some things I didn¡¯t want to. After checking all the traits were as they should be and learning about the ones I didn¡¯t know I had, I browsed what traits I could purchase. Available Traits Current skill level total: 6143 This grants you (1) Standard Trait Point (StTP) and (0) Special Trait Points (SpTP). You have spent 0 StTP and 0 SpTP. StTPs are listed normally. SpTPs are underlined. Traits available for purchase: Boosted Book Learning Boosted Martial Learning This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Boosted Stamina Unlock Magic [***] ... To learn more about a trait, simply think ¡®display trait¡¯ followed by the trait in question. To purchase a trait, simply think ¡®purchase¡¯ followed by the trait in question. ... NOTICE Due to at least one of your bloodline traits being of the Medium variety and being inclined towards magic, the Special Trait Unlock Magic has been reduced to a Standard Trait, allowing you to purchase it with 1 StTP. ... Just to be sure, I examined all the traits, but my mind was already focused on the Unlock Magic option. The ability to use magic of any form in a world with dragons, shadow monsters, ice demons and who knew what the fuck else was just common fucking sense. Even if said magic seemed to come at a price to the caster ¨C based on what I remembered and the warnings Cordin had given about magic in my lessons ¨C not taking it just felt like a worse idea than taking it. The three other traits, as their names implied, boosted my ability to learn from a book, from physical training/real combat or gave me increases to my overall stamina and its regeneration rate; though I had no idea what those were or how to discover them as nothing in the Interface had hinted at such a thing as of yet. Having done the proper reconnaissance of the other traits, I thought ¡®purchase ¡®Unlock Magic¡¯. There was no text to confirm my purchase ¨C something I noted as I¡¯d have to be sure before I purchased my next trait ¨C though a second later, the blue floating text shifted around. Magic Unlocked! Initiating Section integration. . .. ... Magic section ready for integration. Initialization will occur during the user¡¯s next sleep cycle. In addition, Bloodline Perks have been altered, where applicable, to reveal any hidden magical effects they produce. ... That was anti-climactic as fuck. I mean, I figured I¡¯d pass out again, but instead I¡¯d have to wait until I slept; and of course, now I was too excited to go to sleep. Fucking wonderful. Still, as my annoyance at the delayed reveal of my magic took place, I cast my mind back to the only book in the series I¡¯d read. Unlike the show, there''d been a scene showing Bran dreaming. Since it involved a three-eyed crow and happened before he woke up after his fall, I always suspected that was when his greenseer ability had awoken. However, based on the fact I had to sleep to unlock my magic, perhaps it had done more than just unlock greensight. And now I was concerned about having the man in the tree (in the show he¡¯d been called Brynden but since I¡¯d not read far enough in the books, I couldn¡¯t be sure that was his name there. Or here for that matter) appear in my dreams. Putting aside that concern for now ¨C though I was already considering how to handle things if the bird showed up in my dreams ¨C I returned to the Bloodline Perks section. There I discovered that the three Blood perks had changed, though not all for the better. While Blood of the First Men now granted me double experience when using magic ¨C suggesting that magic would use something similar to skills to determine what I could and couldn¡¯t do ¨C along with a twenty per cent decrease in the cost of using mana (how the Interface defined my magical reserves). It also granted me a ten per cent increase in the damage potential and longevity of any spell, ritual, rune empowering or other magical activity I engaged in plus the same percentage protection from directed magical attacks. Since it was weaker, Blood of the River granted weaker bonuses, though there, the protections and bonuses ¨C all being five per cent ¨C were based around water and ice magic. The downside came from Blood of the Andals which made sense given to their faith being very anti-magic. That perk increased the cost of all magic, regardless of what type or form it took, by ten per cent though it did increase my resistance against magical attacks by the same amount. While that was not something I wanted, I could see a use for it since, at least for the next few decades, most of my fighting was likely to take place in Westeros where the religion and bloodline were dominant. With those changes noted, I moved on to the next section. Objectives These are possible goals for you to achieve during your second life given to you by the Overseers. Sometimes they will be to go somewhere or meet someone. Other times they will want you to carry out certain actions. Others still will conflict with other objectives. Objectives may or may not also carry a time limit. While there is no requirement for you to complete an objective nor penalty for failing to do so, the Overseers will offer rewards for doing so and not completing certain objectives could have ramifications for you and those close to you in later years. However, the same can be true for completing an objective. The choice is yours. ... Current Objectives: A Friend for Life A Morning Blade A Mother¡¯s Love Dragon Killer Dragon Lover Highest of the Seven Keeping it in the Family Making the Eight The Far North The Bastard who Would be King ... So, the ones responsible for my rebirth were known as the Overseers? Nice to at least have a name to curse at when something fucking insane happened. As for the actual objectives, the fact that I didn¡¯t have to do them was encouraging yet the warning that not completing some of them might cause me problems was a concern. Hopefully, it would be easy to tell which ones were important and which weren¡¯t. Though reading through the initial list, it became clear which ones were¡­ flavour objectives and which would have ramifications. A Friend for Life dealt with getting an animal companion; likely something similar to the direwolves the Stark bonded with. While having such a beast as a companion would be amazing, the odds of that happening were¡­ slim. I would not be completing A Mother¡¯s love. No matter how attractive I felt my mother was, I wouldn¡¯t be bedding her. And the same went for Keeping it in the Family which wanted me to bed two members of my family. Well, unless it was counting my new stepfamily, in which case I might be willing to consider it. Once I was at least a decade older. A Morning Blade was interesting. I could either, somehow, become the new Sword of the Morning, or train a future member of House Dayne to earn the title. While wielding Dawn was something I was interested in, I wasn¡¯t a huge fan of greatswords. Their size, while good for the field of battle, made them problematic anywhere else. Still, not the worst objective to consider. Dragon Killer and Dragon Lover were opposing objectives. The former wanted me to kill all remaining direct Targaryens before any retook the Iron Throne. That would be incredibly dangerous as without Daenerys¡¯ dragons, fighting off the Others would be next to impossible, at least in my mind. The latter objective required me to seduce and bed a member of the family. That had some appeal as Daenerys was described as an otherworldly beauty in the books; though if the choices were sleeping with Viserys or killing him, I¡¯d kill the fucker and save the world the grief. Highest of the Seven was right fucking out. No way in a million years could I see myself becoming High Septon. Well, unless it was part of a ruse to destroy the Faith from the inside and bring down the Great Sept and Starry Sept. Preferably in a manner matching the show. While I didn¡¯t approve of the reason for destroying the Great Sept, watching it explode was enjoyable. Making the Eight was, like a few previous objectives, one that revolved around sex which made me wonder if the Overseers were voyeurs who got off on watching the people that they rebirthed sleeping with those in their new worlds. Regardless, bedding one person from each of the seven kingdoms and the Crownlands wasn¡¯t something I was opposed to. Given the right targets that was. Though I was curious if the Riverlands and Iron Islands counted as one kingdom or if it was an either-or situation. The Bastard who would be King was interesting. Unlikely as hell to happen but interesting as it wanted me to become king, either by conquering the Seven Kingdoms (or another kingdom on Planetos) or marrying the ruler of a kingdom. There was appeal there, though how to pull it off (or why a princess/queen would want to marry me) would take a shit ton of planning. The final objective, The Far North, was probably the easiest as all I had to do was step foot north of The Wall. That, in theory, shouldn¡¯t be that hard to pull off. I suspected that new objectives would be added in, though hopefully not at random times or in batches as that would be irritating. However, I had little control over such things. With that section finished I headed to the last. Interface Settings and Help This section is a place to discover information on the Interface when a user is unclear about a feature, or a new feature is added, or alter certain effects of the Interface. Possibilities include, but aren¡¯t limited to; The way the Interface informs a user of a change in skill, stat or objective. The colour of the Interface. How much of the Interface is displayed at various settings. ... To access the Help menu, simply think ¡®Display Help Menu¡¯. To access the settings, simply think ¡®Display Settings¡¯. ... That was about what I expected, though I still spent some time seeing what I could change. In the end, I stuck with the blue tint for the Interface, though I had it display my Stamina and Mana bars in the top left corner of my vision. While there was no health bar per say, if I was infected with any disease, poison or other such substance that could be inhaled, ingested or inserted into me a warning alert would appear there. With the setup of the Interface finished, I returned to my book as, while I wanted to sleep and discover how my magic would activate, my mind was too active to allow me to do so. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ For one brief moment, I thought I was actually falling. Then I remembered that I¡¯d gone to bed then tossed and turned as sleep eluded me. Since I wasn¡¯t in my room and was currently high above Westeros, I quickly concluded that I was dreaming and that I was about to go through something similar to Bran¡¯s ¡®awakening¡¯. Wonderful. Still, even if this was a dream, the detail of the world below me was incredible. Oh, it wasn¡¯t on par with what I¡¯d seen during my recalibration, nor the same as satellite imagery from my old life, but it was far, far better than what I¡¯d expect if I was truly skydiving. And now I found myself reminiscing about that part of my old life. While there were no emotions tied to the memories, I still found myself wishing there was wind in this dream. If only to make the experience that bit more realistic. Being SBS meant I didn''t have to do many HALO insertions, but I¡¯d done the cross-training required for it for charity and found I loved it almost as much as I enjoyed carrying out amphibious assaults on vessels that needed to be freed or seized. Bringing my attention back to where I was, so to speak, I focused on the land below and felt my vision zoom in on Starfall. Since it was night, there wasn¡¯t much activity to see, though I could easily pick out the guards on the walls, ramparts and guard stations due to the torches that burnt nearby those locations. There was far less light coming from the main keep, but I could see a light emanating from my uncle¡¯s solar, meaning he was likely working late Provided that what I was seeing was real. I also thought I heard a gentle buzzing coming from somewhere in the keep, but I couldn¡¯t place the exact location. Putting Starfall aside, I followed the Torrentine river inland until coming to where a major tributary joined it. There, on the banks just north of where the two rivers met, sat High Hermitage. For a moment I considered zooming in to see if I could see what my arsehole of a cousin, Gerold Dayne, and his father were up to, but frankly, I had little interest in trying to find them in a castle I knew nothing about. As I travelled further upriver, eventually spotting Blackmont ¨C home to House Blackmont, my grandmother¡¯s birth family ¨C I realised that while I was falling, it was far slower than I should be. While I hadn¡¯t yet determined the exact strength of gravity on Planetos, a few simple experiments ¨C like dropping an apple from a balcony and seeing how long it took to hit the ground ¨C had me realising the gravitational acceleration here was close to what it was on Earth. From Blackmont my gaze turned eastward. I quickly found my way through the mountains to Skyreach. From there, I followed the Greenbelt River to Yronwood then my gaze travelled along the northern coast of Dorne. I passed Ghaston Grey ¨C feeling a strange coldness as I did ¨C and the Tor before reaching Ghost Hill and the Broken Arm. There, I turned south and soon saw first the Water Gardens then Sunspear. Sunspear was, as I expected, dominated by the Tower of the Sun and the Spear Tower. I wanted to explore the castle and the Shadow City that existed in and around the wall of the castle, but as I focused on Sunspear, I felt something unexpected. Several things actually, as when I concentrated on them, the largest and most dominant feeling was of a presence that was calm and serene on the surface but held the threat to wipe away any who challenged it; anger and fury that rolled just beneath the surface like a hurricane. That presence didn¡¯t feel like a threat, nor did it feel like something warm and inviting. However, the last presence felt¡­ wrong. It was faint, almost as if it was being drowned out by the other presence yet I could still feel it brushing my senses, a ravenous fire aiming to destroy and devour everything in its path without care. Morbidly curious, I focused on this small feeling and realised that it wasn¡¯t centred on Sunspear as a faint, yet firm tendril of shifting fire extended out of Sunspear and across the Narrow Sea and the Stepstones. From those islands, other tendrils emerged with the strongest coming from Bloodstone. I sensed more tendrils emerging from Lys, Tyrosh and Myr. All the tendrils began to merge as I continued east, and the smell and taste of ash and burnt meat invaded my senses as I reached the Rhoyne. Down the river, I followed the tendril as it grew thicker and more menacing ¨C though upriver I thought I felt something similar to the strongest presence in Sunspear- until I reached Volantis. As my eyes caught sight of the Black Walls of Eastern Volantis, the tendril reached its source, and as it grew more powerful and dangerous, as if from a bonfire into a sun it turned its focus on me. I recoiled as my senses were overloaded with the smells and tastes from earlier, though now they were joined by chanting and the pained screams of millions dying horribly. A great pillar of fire reached up from the city, and even though I was hundreds of miles away, I instinctively knew to pull back from the oldest of the Free Cities. The flames spread through the sky lighting the world in a hellscape of red and orange and I knew it was searching for me. I kept my focus on Starfall and silently prayed as the flames crawled through the sky; searching for me. Only when they finally pulled back to Volantis did I relax, though still I kept a careful watch from the corner of my eye on the city. Whatever that was ¨C and I had a few ideas ¨C it was far too dangerous for me to risk antagonising it any time soon. Which took Volantis off the list of places I wanted to visit; or at least, pushed it to the pile to not visit until I was sure I could survive in this world. Fly. I turned my head to the left upon hearing the voice in my mind and saw a raven flying next to me. Well, gliding since if it flew, I¡¯d fall below it quickly since even with the delayed gravity of the dream I was still falling. ¡°What if I don¡¯t want to?¡± I shot back. ¡°I¡¯m enjoying falling.¡± When you hit the ground, you will die. ¡°Why? This is a dream and you¡¯re just something my mind made up. So when I hit the ground I¡¯ll just wake up.¡± I countered, playing into what the raven would expect me to think. I wouldn¡¯t play out and out dumb, as there was a chance I could learn a few things from the raven, but no need to let on just how smart everyone thought I was. And certainly not just how much I really knew. Though once again I was cursing myself for not reading all the books and the show for not going into details about just what the Three-Eyed-Raven could do. Is this a dream? I glared at the bird as it glided around me. ¡°I went to sleep and woke up here. If this isn¡¯t a dream, then what is this place and why am I here?¡± You are here because your mind wanted you here. Now fly. I scoffed and waved my arms. ¡°How am I meant to do that? Unlike you ¨C and how are you talking by the way ¨C I don¡¯t have feathers.¡± I doubted he¡¯d answer the middle question but dropping it in might help me get lucky with understanding how some of his magic worked. Not all wings need feathers, and I am here because your mind summoned me. My glaring at the bird intensified but that had no effect on it. I fucking hated riddles and hidden meanings, though it was a good thing I already knew enough to work out that he meant he was here because my magic had unlocked and that to fly I only had to concentrate on it. Still, with my rate of descent being far slower than it should be, I suspected I had anywhere from fifteen to twenty minutes ¨C if such things really mattered here ¨C to fly. Because of that, and to spite the annoying bird, I chose not to and instead turned my gaze north of Dorne. I saw Highgarden pass by on my left, though I barely gave the massive, well-decorated castle much thought. The same was true of Storm¡¯s end, though there I sensed something different. Faint, likely because of how far the castle was from my gaze, but there. There was something similar to what I¡¯d felt in Sunspear, but not quite the same. From King¡¯s Landing a twisted, vile smell wafted in the air, but I paid it no heed and kept heading north. The only reason I spotted Casterly Rock was because of just how high into the sky it reached, though my attention was drawn by a rotten, broken feeling that came as I passed over Harrenhal. If I had to guess, I suspected the castle was cursed, which fit with the few stories I¡¯d heard about the place. Like Casterly Rock, The Eyrie only stood out because of how high up it was but a glance towards it left me short of breath. The castle was so high on a mountain that, given how long it¡¯d stood and my understanding of how geography worked, it should¡¯ve fallen due to natural causes centuries ago. Yet still it stood, suggesting there was more to its construction than just the science of this world. Though that could also be true of the other seats of power I¡¯d passed over. Moat Cailin passed by quickly, though there was something elusive, hidden within the swap that stretched across the Neck. Yet, my eyes were soon drawn to Winterfell. That castle, while not decorative as Highgarden, as politically important as Casterly Rock or King¡¯s Landing nor as high up as the Eyrie still took my breath away. Winterfell was massive, on a scale that was hard to comprehend. Starfall was a large castle ¨C on par with some of the largest on Earth ¨C yet, at a guess, I felt Starfall could fit inside Winterfell¡¯s outer walls (of which there were two) three or four times over. As I came closer, I felt something powerful, ancient within the massive fortress that nothing but an army of insane size would be able to breach easily. That sense of power came from the large forest within the walls, or more specifically the red-leafed weirwood tree that dominated the Godswood. The raven beside me cawed as I focused on the tree, and as I did, I saw the carved eyes upon it turn to look up at me. Unlike in Volantis, whatever was behind those trees ¨C or at least whatever was there before the Three-Eyed-Raven and would likely be there long after him ¨C didn¡¯t consider me a threat. Or at least it didn¡¯t lash out as we gazed upon each other. A twist of a branch almost like an arm extending outward drew my attention from the tree towards the centre of the fortress. There, from where I saw steam rising from a few opened windows, I felt a faint tremor. There, somewhere, was something calling to me. Something important. Something has caught your attention? I ignored the bird¡¯s question as I focused my gaze on the area around what I instinctively knew was the main keep within Winterfell. Whatever was down there was calling to me. Yet, as much as I wanted to search for whatever that was, I knew my time in the sky was limited and there was one place I still had to go. Reluctantly, I pulled my gaze from the seat of House Stark and let it travel further North. I passed over the mountains that were home to the mountain clans of the north ¨C and there I felt a passing presence that reminded me of the weirwood tree in Winterfell ¨C saw Bear Island far to the west and the Last Hearth to the east, though by this point my focus was on the long, massive wall of glittering blue and purple ice that ran across the continent. The Wall was said to be impossible to miss from the ground as you passed Last Hearth, but from up high it was visible from the southron kingdoms. Yet, seeing it from there was nothing compared to watching it grow as my gaze approached it; something only matched by the growing sense of power that radiated from the Wall. The power was strong and unyielding, immovable as if the ice had actually frozen it in place, yet it held no animosity towards me and I felt no fear. Though the more I focused on the Wall, the more I realised the projection of power was just that. The source behind the power wasn¡¯t anywhere near as strong as it should be for the projection it was sending out. ¡°It¡¯s failing,¡± I muttered as I realised what this meant. ¡°The¡­ magic that powers it is losing strength.¡± The raven cawed before replying. Yes. The magic that has empowered the Wall for millennia, that has kept the great threat sealed in the Lands of Always Winter, is slowly fading. Soon, within a lifetime or two, it will lose its strength and the threat it sealed away will rise to endanger all life once more. That was more than I expected the raven to reveal, but it did open up an avenue for me to ask about. ¡°Y-you mean the Others? I thought they were nothing but legends.¡± All legends have some truth. If you wish to know the truth, look deeper upon the north. I chuckled and shook my head at that. I wasn¡¯t falling for that so it could try and convince me to work for it to stop the Others. Oh, I didn¡¯t want them to win, but I also had fuck all intention of becoming one with a tree. ¡°No thanks. I think I¡¯ll just trust you.¡± I turned my gaze back to the wall. ¡°That power is magic. It¡¯s what I¡¯ve sensed in other places, and I¡¯m sure if the Wall has magic, then so do the Others. And since I¡¯m seeing all this, maybe I also have magic. IF that¡¯s the case, the longer the Others don¡¯t know about me, the safer I¡¯ll be.¡± Wise words for one so young. Yet wise you have shown yourself to be Cregan. The blood of three ancient magical linages flows through you. The Blood of the First Men is the strongest, but not alone. Powerful you might become, but that power, attract dangerous attention it will. ¡°Like what I felt in Volantis? Fucking wonderful.¡± I muttered, before realising that this wasn¡¯t acting my age. The raven knew I was smarter than normal ¨C suggesting it had been watching me already, which was a touch terrifying ¨C but I could still act like a kid when I wanted. Plus, I¡¯d already pegged Volantis as a potential problem and was leaning towards this magical threat being linked to the worship of R¡¯hllor. The raven said nothing, and I pulled my gaze back south. Yet on the way, I felt something fucking awful, something that reminded me of a water bloated corpse. I wasn¡¯t prepared to go close enough to find out what the stinking, decrepit feeling was, but I realised quickly that it was centred around the Iron Islands. It wasn¡¯t on par with Volantis as a threat, but it certainly was a threat; one that was far too dangerous for me to deal with anytime soon. As I noticed details appearing on the tops of the mountains of Starfall without me concentrating on them I let my gaze drift out into the Sunset Sea. Thanks to the recalibration I knew there was a sizable landmass far to the west, but whatever was there was too far away to trigger any reaction from my ¡®magical senses¡¯. Thus I shifted my focus to Essos, though I made sure to give Volantis a wide berth. From Old Valyria I felt something malicious and decrepit, yet the power lurked like a dormant volcano while over the Dothraki Sea there were faint murmurs of weak power. Something that, in the past may have been strong but was now little more than dust in the wind. In the far east, I saw the Five Forts and within them powerful magic. it was similar to that that came from the Wall, though darker, more violent, soaked in and dripping with blood. Yet, even at this distance, I could sense the same kind of decaying power as from the Wall. Whatever those were built to keep out were also a threat to consider as when the magic of the Five Forts faded, that threat would be able to breach the defences. I pulled my gaze back, though not before quickly passing over Yiti. From there I sensed more magic, and far to the south something malformed and malicious, like in Old Valyria, rested. I kept my gaze far to the south to avoid Volantis, and though I didn¡¯t linger, I sensed more malevolent presences in Ulthos and Sothoryos. If you do not fly soon, you will die. The raven¡¯s words drew my gaze back sharply, and I felt whatever it was in Volantis ripple as I did, though thankfully it didn¡¯t lash out again. I glanced down and saw the bird had spoken true. The towers of Starfall were coming into focus with faint lines of brickwork starting to stand out where light existed. I pushed aside any doubt I had about not being able to fly, spread my arms wide and, as I flapped them, I willed myself to fly. Somehow, someway, something caught against my flapping arms and I began to glide on the not-wind. I banked gently, beginning a slow circle of Starfall and looked around trying to work out how the fuck this had just happened. Oh, I knew it was magic of a form, but part of my mind was still trying to understand how it worked. ¡°Well this is weird,¡± I muttered as I watched my arms flap against nothing yet provide lift. There is more in this world than what you can learn in a book, young one. Keep your mind unlocked and you might just discover what. I shook my head ruefully. ¡°Shame you couldn¡¯t have said that before I pissed off whatever it was in Volantis,¡± I mumbled back. When I¡¯d been reborn here ¨C and during the recalibration process it seemed ¨C I¡¯d expected there to be some magic here. Dragons, ice zombies and shadow monsters existed after all. Yet I¡¯d expected that beyond them, and the regular power-hungry morons that seemed to exist everywhere, that was all I¡¯d have to face. Now I knew different. There were threats out there that potentially could be as dangerous as ¨C or more so ¨C than the Others. And most, I had to assume, would consider me a threat. ¡°Why let me see all of this?¡± I asked the raven as we glided high above Starfall. Winter is coming. Darkness and chaos with it. But perhaps you can rise as night falls. ¡°No pressure,¡± I mumbled after letting out a barking laugh. ¡°I¡¯m just one person, and a bastard at that.¡± Oh, I know I chose to be a bastard, and I didn¡¯t regret my choice, but it was something to use to suggest doubt to the raven; and the man behind it. One you may be. Yet one who should not be you are. Already you have caused unforeseen ripples. Fate, power, swirls around you. A hand in the path this word will take you will have as the power within you emerges. ¡°So this whole thing, this dream, it was a test to prove I was worthy of using magic?¡± I spat at the bird. ¡°You let me see just how dangerous the world really is to see how I¡¯d react?¡± In a way, yes. ¡°And if I was a threat? What? You¡¯d let me fall and die?¡± Only if magic failed to awaken within. With many over the years, I have done this, most do not wake. Those that do must choose their own path once the curtain is pulled back and they see what exists out of sight. The Old Gods see something in you, young Cregan. Something unexpected and powerful. I sense you know more than you should, things none but the Gods should. That makes you useful to me, to them. ¡°I¡¯m nobody¡¯s pawn!¡± I snapped back and flung an arm towards the bird. It easily avoided the attack, which caused me to lose control of my glide and begin to tumble over. Yes, you are. You are a pawn of Gods and powers beyond even my understanding. And you know this even if you choose to deny it. Perhaps the future will be better with you here, perhaps not. The paths are not yet chosen. I find that most refreshing. I bit back a retort about what the bird could do with its mumbo-jumbo. The Dumbledore/Yoda vibes it was giving off likely weren¡¯t helping as I wasn¡¯t a fan of either character; or the wise old mentor stereotype in general. I opened my mouth to fire back, only for the raven to bank towards me. ¡°What ar¡­¡± That was all I could get out before its beak struck me in the forehead, and as it did, everything faded away into darkness. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I awoke with a jolt. Blinking rapidly as my mind processed my ¡®dream¡¯, I looked around my room to see the first rays of light creeping in the eastern window. Groggily, I shook my head then pushed the covers off my body. ¡°That was a fucking weird dream,¡± I muttered as I kept my eyes down to stop the room from spinning. ¡°Cregan!¡± My head snapped around at hearing my name, which made me groan from the sudden movement. Myra, who was the one who¡¯d called out, was standing having just placed a bowl on a short table for me to use in my morning wash. ¡°Where did you learn such language?¡± I blinked to help me focus as she glared at me. ¡°I think it was when cousin Gerold was here,¡± I replied slowly as my mind began to spin a tale to cover my arse. ¡°Or maybe it was from someone in the yard,¡± I added before shrugging. ¡°I¡¯ve heard it a lot but where I first heard it I couldn¡¯t say for sure.¡± Which was true as even with Emotionless Recall I couldn¡¯t find the memory from when I¡¯d first heard that curse. Perhaps that is what the Interface meant by my memory being affected before I was reborn. Still, both examples I¡¯d given were true as Gerold had called me a ¡®fucking bastard that was in his way¡¯ while the language in the yard was far from suitable for polite conversation. ¡°Your mother won¡¯t be happy to know you¡¯re using such language,¡± she commented as she rested her hands on her hips. I shrugged at the threat as my mother had heard me swear already. And I¡¯d only been a babe back then. Not that I was much older now but hearing swearing from a babe was likely far more unsettling than from a young child. ¡°She¡¯s heard me say it before.¡± ¡°And what was her response?¡± Myra asked, a twitch of her lips suggesting she had an idea what my punishment had been. ¡°Grounded in my room for a week,¡± I replied, not really caring. While the punishment now would likely be worse, with my mother recently married I knew ¨C and had heard, Gods how I wished I could wash those nights from my mind ¨C she had other things on her mind. Besides, a few weeks of being grounded would give me time to understand the full breadth of the Interface and my magic; once I dealt with the blinking blue dot and unlocked that section. Mysa locked her eyes on mine and held my gaze before sighing and shaking her head after about half a minute. ¡°Just¡­ don¡¯t use such language around others.¡± She finally replied. ¡°Your washing basin is ready. Once you¡¯re washed and changed, your mother is waiting in the Great Hall.¡± I waited until Mysa had left the room and closed the door before I concentrated on the blue dot. Interface Section Unlocked! ... Magic This section has been unlocked by using a Standard Trait Point (on the downgraded Special Trait Unlock Magic) and surviving this world¡¯s magical activation event. However, as you may or may not be aware, magic on Planetos is not an easy thing to use. All magic here requires sacrifice. While this is normally a sacrifice of your internal energy ¨C defined as Mana from here on out ¨C which deepens with the more magic you cast, most of the more complex and visually impressive magic requires rituals, blood offerings and extreme sacrifices. Thankfully, the blood and sacrifices don¡¯t have to be from you or any allies you gain. At least not most of the time. Also, for a new magic-user, such spell work is far beyond them. Now, a user can discover many different forms of magic, however for all but the most common, usage with that branch of magic is restricted until it is learnt. This can be from a long-forgotten source like a book or magical storage device, from a magic user skilled in that form of magic or from discovering a way to unlock the branch through private research and application. ... With the Magic Section unlocked, it is time for you to determine your initial magical ability or elemental preference. Please note that selecting a preference doesn¡¯t preclude you from learning other elemental forms, or gaining a preference with them. As a recalibrated user, you are not limited in such a way. However, taking a preference, while making that elemental form easier to use, learn and improve, will hamper your ability with its opposite elemental form. In future, however, there may be branches of magic that when taken, lock off another branch. Also, there may exist the opportunity in the future for the user to spend a Special Trait Point to unlock a currently locked branch of magic. However, this is not guaranteed. ... NOTICE Due to your Bloodline Perk Blood of the First Men being of the major variety, you may select one of the skinchanging or Greensight branches of magic for free. ... WARNING! Current planetary conditions make any usage of magic considerably more difficult. The mana cost, effectiveness and experience gained with any type of magic is increased or decreased accordingly by 500%. This will last until the ********* event occurs. ... Available Magic abilities: Earth Compatibility Fire Compatibility Greensight (Free) Prophetic Dreams Skinchanging (Free) Water Compatibility Wind Compatibility ... To learn more about an ability, simply think ¡®details¡¯ followed by the magical ability. To select a magical branch, simply think ¡®purchase¡¯ followed by the magical ability. ... Okay, that was a lot to take in. Magic here came in branches, which made sense I guessed, but most were locked away from me, so even if I knew about them ¨C such as the shadow monsters Melisandre used or the raising of the dead used by the Others ¨C I couldn¡¯t learn anything about them without help. While infuriating, I could understand the logic. Playing around with magic that powerful, and others like it, without having any idea about what I was doing was the kind of shit that resulted in apocalypse-level events. Though thinking about those two branches of magic made the interface blinking light appear. I concentrated on it and had what I suspected confirmed. Magical Branch Discovered! Shadow Magic discovered though it shall remain locked until studying from an appropriate source is undertaken. ... Magical Branch Discovered! Necromancy discovered though it shall remain locked until studying from an appropriate source is undertaken. ... Yeah, that was what I¡¯d expected. And regarding Necromancy, I had zero interest in it. That was far, far too much of a dangerous thing to ever think about using. Or so I hoped. I thought again about the magic section, and the text shifted to return to the earlier details. From there, I began to read up on the various branches available to me. The compatibilities were for the four standard magical elements (which had my mind drifting back to watching Avatar: The Last Airbender. That might be a useful place to start for possible ways to use those forms of magic. Each compatibility made that element easier to use (costing twenty-five per cent less mana to power and maintain) and grow (a ten per cent growth in that branch''s magical experience counter, whatever that was). It also carried synergy bonuses when used with the two close elements, though the downside was that the opposite element ¨C fire to water, earth to air ¨C would be twenty per cent more difficult to power and maintain. One thing I also had to consider was how my Bloodline Perks would affect any magic I took. That had me cursing the Andals and their anti-magic ways once more. This was far more than the low-level magic world hinted at in the books and show, so their anti-magical hysteria was going to be a fucking pain to deal with and since they¡¯d managed to all but kill magic in Westeros, I¡¯d have to be careful about how and when I used magic. The chance that a devout follower of the Seven discovered my magic and then reported it to the Faith was going to be a constant danger for decades to come. I put aside deciding on which elemental magic I¡¯d take and read about the other three magic branches. Two of which were free while one wasn¡¯t. The one that wasn¡¯t free, Prophetic Dreams, wasn¡¯t something that sounded interesting and after reading the details, I¡¯d be giving it a hard pass. While having hints about what the future may hold might be useful, the sheer amount of uncertainty around such dreams made it dangerous. After all, if to avoid the death of someone I cared for, I chose to do the very thing I shouldn¡¯t have, only because it¡¯s what the dream said I shouldn¡¯t, yet that person still died, I¡¯d feel like shit. And that was only one example of the flaw with glimpses of the future in my mind. Greensight was frankly downright terrifying. While being able to see into the past and future ¨C or a possible future as the further forward one went the less certain it was to occur ¨C wasn¡¯t the worst thing, the fact that it could slowly cost me my ability to emotionally connect with people petrified me. While I hadn¡¯t been the most social of people in my old life, the idea of not having any connection with others was something I didn¡¯t want to experience. That left Skinchanging as the choice for the free power. While the chances of me ever getting a familiar on-par with a direwolf was slim, the ability to use the senses of an animal was tempting. My mind could already see the tactical advantages of being able to get a bird¡¯s eye view of an enemy¡¯s army or castle or sneaking into a location as a snake to kill a target or using a squirrel of something of similar size to scout an enemy¡¯s defences before a battle or using the nose of a hound to track a target lost in the woods. That one was a power I¡¯d liked since before my rebirth, so taking it now was a no-brainer; especially since it was free. Magical Branch Unlocked! Skinchanging is now unlocked and usable. Skinchanging into the mind of an animal will depend on your skill with the branch, your mana reserves, your relationship with the targeted animal and its general belligerence and intelligence level. ... With that done, I turned my attention to which elemental compatibility I would take. I was leaning towards fire since the Others were the clear and present magical threat, however I wasn¡¯t going to rush into a choice without taking the time to consider things carefully for at least a day. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ Wolf in the Sun 1 Wolf in the Sun ¡­¡­? The gentle rocking of the ship greeted me as I woke. It¡¯d been a touch over a moon and a half since we¡¯d left Starfall, and while a trip around the southern coast of Dorne wouldn¡¯t normally take that long, with Arianne and Oberyn on board, each time we¡¯d put to shore ¨C in Lemonwood and Salt Shore ¨C we¡¯d been hosted by the ruling lord and spent about a week in each place. While this hadn¡¯t always been fun, it had allowed Oberyn to introduce his new wife and son to the lords, and for Arianne to network with them. The first lord, Tremond Gargalen was the lord of Salt Shore, and the minute we left I was relieved. While he¡¯d been less than happy when he¡¯d discovered uncle Benjen among our group ¨C since Benjen was only in Starfall for me, when I left, he came along ¨C he¡¯d been unable to do anything as my uncle was under the protection of Oberyn and Arianne. Sadly, that fact didn¡¯t dent his interest in Arianne, which started to grate after the first day. Or more accurately, his interest in pairing up the princess with Raman, his third son. Raman, well, he wasn¡¯t very impressive. Oh, he certainly wasn¡¯t lazy or anything, but all he could do was talk about fighting and spent his entire time pestering Arianne ¨C or at least that¡¯s all that she complained to me and her cousins about ¨C and frankly, he wasn¡¯t that good, for a noble trained at least. Daemon bested him easily when they sparred, as had Nymeria; though there Raman had dismissed their spar as pointless because Nymeria was a girl. That had infuriated Arianne ¨C not to mention Nymeria ¨C and she¡¯d spent the last four days either around Daemon, her cousins or me. While I could understand the choices of Daemon and her cousins, her need to seek me out had confused me. Especially as it had continued since we¡¯d left Salt Shore. Now, some of it I suspected was to scout me out, though whether that was for her uncle, father, herself or all of the above, I couldn¡¯t say. Yet, after being asked my opinions on banal things for close to the thousandth time, I was past the point where I felt an urge to jump off the nearest cliff. I wanted to retort about how boring all the stuff she asked me about was, but as the future ruler of Dorne, I felt it safer to hold my tongue ¨C which would¡¯ve been true even if I¡¯d been born noble ¨C at least until I understood what she was trying to do. Thankfully, our time in Lemonwood went much quicker. Lord Deziel Dolt wasn¡¯t much older than Obara. Thus, like many children of lords in Dorne, had grown up in the Water Gardens under the care of Doran Martell. From that time ¨C and his brother was still there ¨C he knew the Martell family ¨C trueborn and baseborn ¨C and seemed to hold little interest in courting Arianne. Nymeria spent most of our time there teasing Deziel about one thing or another, but beyond that, and him allowing me and Sarella access to his family¡¯s library ¨C well, he opened it to everyone, but we were the only ones to take him up on the offer ¨C nothing of note seemed to happen. Then again, after getting access to the library, I basically camped out there until we left. As did Sarella Sand. She was the fourth of five bastard daughters belonging to Oberyn and was far more bookish than her sisters. Strangely, even though she¡¯d spent a lot of time in Maester Cordin¡¯s study in Starfall, we¡¯d barely interacted. In Lemonwood, as the only two people present, we spent all but the last day tolerating each other. On that day, we¡¯d both wanted to read the same book, and thus had spent the day close as we raced against each other to read and remember each page. While I could clearly remember everything on the pages, to avoid suspicion I¡¯d intentionally gotten a few wrong, though not enough to allow Sarella to win our impromptu game. Since then, we¡¯d spent time discussing theories and ideas we¡¯d come across in books and she¡¯d already promised to show me the Martell family library when we arrived in Sunspear; though I had the feeling that there were books in another place in Sunspear that she¡¯d rather read than those available to her in the library. The other snakes had spent their time doing other things. Obara spent every moment ashore in a yard ¨C as did Daemon when not carrying out his duties as a squire for Oberyn ¨C and I¡¯d seen her spar with her father, Lord Deziel and most surprisingly, uncle Benjen. Their spar had been a very cagey affair. Which made sense given the recent history of Westeros, and the sides of Houses Stark and Martell in Robert¡¯s Rebellion/The War of the Usurper. Still, after it had ended, Benjen ¨C who¡¯d won the day ¨C had quickly offered a rematch which she¡¯d accepted. Obara had won that and they¡¯d agreed to have one final spar in Sunspear to settle matters, but something told me that wouldn¡¯t be the last time the pair sparred. Since the first spar, the pair had grown surprisingly close and spent time speaking in hushed voices about ¨C judging from their hand motions ¨C either fighting techniques or something I wanted nothing to do with. Tyene had spent most of the time around Ellaria and her half-sister Elia or in the company of Arianne. The same was true of Nymeria, though she¡¯d also spent some time in the yard; though every time she saw me looking at her, she smirked as if enjoying a private joke with the smirk noticeably larger whenever I was around Tyene, Sarella or Arianne. When I was around Tyene, Arianne or both, they seemed to enjoy fishing for compliments from me. While I knew I was far more eloquent than any other boy my age, it was a little unsettling to have to do it multiple times every day. Yes, both were still young ¨C Tyene had a cute little button nose while Arianne wasn¡¯t the most attractive to look at, there were hints the child flab that she had was beginning to break ¨C but with one being the future ruler of Dorne and the other her cousin, I figured it was better to keep myself in both their good graces. Plus, while I doubted it lifted the relevant skills, it was still a good way to practice my social skills for when I¡¯d really need them later in life. As the sounds of the crew on deck drifted to my ears, I put thoughts about the trip, and the various things that had happened on it, to one side, and slid from the rack in the quarters assigned to me. My bunkmate was uncle Benjen ¨C he¡¯d insisted on it in fact ¨C but he was already up and about. In the corner of the room near the door was a small basin of water that was for washing. While not the same size as the one I¡¯d had in Starfall ¨C nor refilled as often ¨C it sufficed, I couldn¡¯t wait to get ashore and enjoy a proper bath again or experience the waterfalls in the Water Gardens that Arianne and the snakes spoke about. There was a knock at the door just as I finished washing my face and upper body as best I could. I lifted my head from the basin to see Arianne step into the room. As usual, her robes were¡­ more revealing than I¡¯d have been entirely comfortable with in my old life. I knew it was common for such thin and breathable fabric to be worn in Dorne ¨C and many of my clothes weren¡¯t much better ¨C and nothing untoward was visible, but being able to see her skin underneath in places wasn¡¯t something I was overly comfortable with yet. Though today, as with most days we¡¯d been at sea, she was wearing a shawl over her shoulders to deal with the morning breeze that was often a touch cooler than ideal for the clothing preferred in this part of Westeros. Still, I was thankful that my mother and Ellaria didn¡¯t often wear such flimsy clothing. While I couldn¡¯t feel lust, since I was a child, such things would be a distraction that I¡¯d rather not have to deal with. If only Nymeria dressed more conservatively ¨C for Dornish ¨C like the two women and not like the princess. I swore that she was trying to catch me looking at inappropriate times, which meant whenever she came into a room, I found myself finding interest in anything but her. Of course, Nymeria had seen this and now it had developed into, for me, an unwanted game between us. Once I was old enough, I wouldn¡¯t be diverting my attention and I understood that girls were considered beddable once they¡¯d flowered, but it was still something I wasn¡¯t comfortable thinking about currently. As was the issue that anyone I slept with would be mentally younger than me, and if it was one of the snakes or, gods forbid, Arianne, then I¡¯d have to be careful that it didn¡¯t feel as though I¡¯d groomed them¡­ well, that was an issue that I¡¯d deal with once it came up. In a good ten plus years. ¡°Good morning princess,¡± I said as I picked up the small towel that was beside the basin to dry my face as I put my concerns about her clothing, and the effect it would have on me when I was older into a mental box labelled ¡®problems for later¡¯. Arianne smiled as she shook her head. ¡°We¡¯ve been over this Cregan. As we are family now when not in a formal setting, you can call me by my name.¡± She said as she stepped towards me then took the towel from my hands. ¡°We¡¯re on a ship surrounded by my mother and¡­ father,¡± I began as she gently used the towel to dry my hair. While I didn¡¯t like anyone touching it ¨C something Nymeria loved to tease me about ¨C Arianne had somehow discovered that I was fine when someone dried it. ¡°My uncle, your cousins and several dozen of your household guard,¡± I continued as she gently massaged my scalp with the towel. She¡¯d done this every day we¡¯d been at sea, which had become a point of good-natured ribbing from others about me having a princess dotting on me. ¡°We are never truly alone. That said, how may I be of service this morning?¡± She slapped the towel against my arm. ¡°You know damn well that¡¯s not what I meant by alone,¡± she remarked with a small smile. Said smile grew when she stepped back, and our eyes met. A small sigh escaped her lips before she turned away. ¡°Those eyes aren¡¯t fair.¡± She muttered, which made me have to suppress a chuckle. I knew taking Perfect 10 was going to affect others ¨C which, along with the potential charisma boost I¡¯d get from my looks, was one of the reasons I¡¯d taken it ¨C but having an eleven-year-old, especially a princess, reacting to it was a touch unsettling. I smirked as I turned my back to her and moved to the bottom of my rack. ¡°There is little I can do or say to deny you, princess,¡± I commented as I picked out my clothes for the day. ¡°I¡¯ll take what openings I can.¡± As I sat down on my rack to get changed, I saw she was now looking in my direction again. ¡°Um, do you have to be here while I change?¡± Arianne¡¯s smirk returned. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say you couldn¡¯t deny me anything?¡± She asked as she rested her hands on her hips. I shook my head even as I chuckled. ¡°Yes, but what would people say if they knew you came to my quarters every morning to watch me get changed?¡± I asked as I pulled my sleeping tunic off. ¡°My uncle has already warned me to be careful when playing with wolves,¡± she commented as she took a step forward as I pulled my daily tunic over my head, ignoring the faint scent of salt that came from it. The smell was something I¡¯d grown used to on the journey to Sunspear. ¡°And my cousins have their own feelings about wolves.¡± As my tunic dropped down, I saw she¡¯d stepped closer ¡°But I think I like dangerous things.¡± ¡°And what about your parents?¡± I asked as I pulled my arms away as if nothing was wrong, even as I did my best to not wonder how much longer it¡¯d be until we reached Sunspear, and these morning visits would end. ¡°I¡¯d rather not have the first thing Prince Doran does when I meet him is have me thrown into Ghaston Grey.¡± She laughed and gently slapped my shoulder as I leaned down to pull my trousers over my underwear. I¡¯d taken the precaution of changing those the night before as I¡¯d rather not have rumours start due to Arianne¡¯s morning visits. ¡°He¡¯d never do that, though he might consider the Wall. And even if he considered it, I¡¯d get mother to convince him otherwise.¡± She remarked as she kicked my boots to me. ¡°If it does become a problem, I¡¯ll take you as my sworn shield.¡± ¡°While I¡¯d be honoured to guard you, princess, I¡¯m not sure your father would think that an appropriate response to rumours,¡± I commented after chuckling at her remark and tying my boots. ¡°Besides, once I¡¯m older I think I¡¯d like to travel. I want to visit Winterfell at least once, and maybe cross the Narrow Sea.¡± The idea of being a sworn shield was¡­ unappealing in the extreme. While it would be a generally comfortable life, it wouldn¡¯t allow me the time to explore and prepare for what was to come. Much like being the son of a lord would¡¯ve locked me into one place and made it hard to make the moves I wanted without people thinking I was trying to make a play for a higher station. It was because of this desire to travel, and the most obvious threat of the Others, that I¡¯d taken Fire Compatibility as my first magical trait. Now, that wouldn¡¯t help much against the threat I suspected would come from Volantis and the followers of R¡¯hllor, but there was a chance that I could dissuade their threat by using fire magic. Though I wanted nothing to do with religion, the fewer issues I faced before the Others were dealt with the easier ¨C relatively speaking ¨C things would go. Now, I¡¯d given considerable thought to taking Water Compatibility as it was the magic of the Rhoynish ¨C and I had a very slight affinity for it from my Blood of the River [Minor] Perk. In the end, though, I¡¯d hedged my bets and taken the magic most likely to be useful against the Others and their army of Wights. Now, from what was implied by the Interface, I could unlock the other elemental forms of magic if I learned to commune with the element, and I did have some ideas about how to do that, but so far those were just ideas. One big issue with using any magic though, and this was linked to the followers of R¡¯hllor, was how the various religions of Planetos would react if it was discovered I could use magic. In Westeros, my biggest concern was the Faith. They would likely denounce me as a demon and, if I got lucky, allow me a trial by combat instead of simply killing me. The worshippers of the Old Gods would, I hoped, be less concerned about it but I couldn¡¯t say that for certain. The Ironborn and their god could get buggered to death by a whale for all I cared about their opinion on magic. Reavers and rapists that they were, I hoped in this timeline they¡¯d be wiped out if they rebelled against the throne. As for the religions of Essos and beyond, R¡¯hllor was always going to be an issue but for the rest, I¡¯d need to do some research to determine their position on magic. When I slept the night after taking Fire Compatibility, I¡¯d had a dream of a flame. The flame had danced around me, and the longer the dream went on, the more I felt as though I could feel the flame as it moved. When I¡¯d woken and was alone, I tried to manipulate the fire in a torch. It hadn¡¯t moved much, but it had moved. After that, I''d gotten a notification that Fire Magic was unlocked. Since then, I¡¯d tried to use magic every day, though it was very draining, and not in a way I''d felt before, almost as if it was a drain on my soul ¨C likely due to whatever was limiting the effectiveness of magic on Planetos ¨C and in a moon and a half, I¡¯d only managed to increase the magical power¡¯s level by two. According to the new menu in the interface on unlocked magic, each level in an elemental style of magic indicated how easily I could manipulate that element and what I could possibly do with it. That was generally unhelpful as I¡¯d already realised that, plus there was no indication of how many levels there were to my Fire Magic. The only useful hint it did give was that with Runes or Rituals ¨C two branches of magic that were now known but locked ¨C I could increase my control of a form of magic beyond my current level. As for the other elemental forms, I¡¯d tried to unlock them by doing simple things ¨C making water vibrate, generating a breeze, etc ¨C but so far nothing had worked, which suggested that unlocking them would take more of an effort. I had a few ideas about how to do that, but so far, I hadn¡¯t attempted them. Mainly as finding the time to do so without arousing suspicion was a chore. I also tried to manipulate magic internally, however, so far, nothing had worked. I felt like I could feel my magic in my body, but it wasn¡¯t responding to my desires. Either my mana reserves were too low to do internal magic, or ¨C since it wasn¡¯t something that was revealed by the Interface ¨C that form of magic wasn¡¯t possible on Planetos. Regardless of which it was, a bit of thinking on the matter had me realising that it made sense that I couldn¡¯t do internal magic. If any new magic-user could, then the risk they¡¯d accidentally destroy their own body while trying to reinforce it was distressingly high. ¡°Perhaps I could travel with you, or you with me,¡± Arianne suggested as I stood then tilted my head. ¡°My father is reluctant to allow me to travel.¡± She explained as I approached her and the door. ¡°It took me a week of pleading and the support of my uncle to convince him and I¡¯ve greatly enjoyed the trip.¡± She finished with a smile as I reached her side. She was older than me, and I wasn¡¯t anywhere close to puberty, but I barely came up to her shoulder, and that was only because she was short for her age. ¡°Even our time in Salt Shore?¡± I asked as I opened the door and saw, as expected, two Martell guards standing in the narrow corridor that ran past my cabin. Like the rest of the Martell guards, I knew their names as I¡¯d asked, though, like the rest, they only spoke while on duty when directly spoken to. ¡°Ok, maybe not that part of the trip,¡± She replied as we turned towards where the stairs led up to the main deck; and saw another two Martell guards stationed there. ¡°But I had a direwolf for protection,¡± She added as she gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze. ¡°Direwolves are not pets, Princess,¡± I responded with a shake of my head, ¡°plus, I¡¯m not a Stark.¡± She made to reply, and we soon stepped onto the main deck. The wind ruffled my just dried hair, which forced me to push back a few bangs that blew into my eyes. The ship we were on was large, at about twenty meters long and a third as wide but managed by a small enough crew that the Martell group ¨C guards included ¨C didn¡¯t make the space too tight. ¡°We need to get that cut when we reach Sunspear,¡± Arianne commented with a smile as I pushed more hair out of my eyes. I agreed with her, but I didn¡¯t like it when someone cut my hair. I wanted to grow it out a bit ¨C to help establish a difference from my old life ¨C however, my mother refused to allow me to grow it too long or give me a band to tie it back with. ¡°While I like your hair, those eyes shouldn¡¯t be hidden away. ¡°Ah, there you are, dear niece,¡± I turned to the familiar voice to find Oberyn standing on the aftercastle near the railing, my mother and Ellaria with them; though I saw that baby Elia wasn¡¯t. Since I hadn¡¯t seen Tyene or Nymeria on deck so far, it was probable one or both were watching their sister. ¡°And I see you¡¯ve found Cregan once again,¡± he commented, a wide smirk dominating his face, ¡°care my dear, or people will begin to talk.¡± Mother gave him a gentle nudge with her elbow, though she also smiled as she looked down at us. While things between the three seemed good, there were moments when I caught Oberyn looking at me as if I was a puzzle to be solved. Likely he was still trying to determine how I fit into whatever plans he and Doran were devising to get back at the Lannisters for their sister¡¯s murder. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°Rumours started by you, I would guess,¡± Arianne shot back with a smile of her own. Oberyn shrugged, neither confirming nor denying the jovial accusation. ¡°But I thought he¡¯d enjoy seeing his new home as the morning sun breaks over it. From the way you speak of it, it''s magical.¡± ¡°That it is, dear niece. That it is,¡± Oberyn replied before looking at me directly. ¡°Go, take your¡­ cousin to the forecastle and let him gawk.¡± Before we turned, I saw Ellaria lean over and whisper something to my mother. Whatever it was earned her a gentle slap on the arm, though mother¡¯s smile grew at the comment. Arianne led me to the front of the ship, past where Benjen, Obara and Dameon were talking quietly but animatedly about something ¨C likely combat ¨C and up the stairs to the forecastle. The two guards stationed there, along with the crew who were currying about, ignored us though I knew the two who¡¯d been outside my door were only a few steps behind. Try as they might, walking quietly on a wooden deck wasn¡¯t an easy thing to accomplish. ¡°There!¡± Arianne called out after we¡¯d been standing and waiting long enough for Benjen, Obara and Tyene to join us. I followed her point and stopped, stunned at the sight that greeted me. Starfall was an impressive castle, being on-par with some of the larger castles I¡¯d seen on earth, but Sunspear put it to shame with ease. The sun¡¯s light caught off the dome at the top of two towers that rose high above the citadel within the walls of the city, reflecting the light for any passing ship to see; and to momentarily blind anyone who looked directly at it like I had. As I blinked to clear my vision ¨C and ignored the chuckle I caught from Benjen ¨C the thin, tall tower with a thin dome and spire on top that had blinded me was the Spear tower, which reached majestically into the sky. Beside it, and giving off its own glare, though I was smarter this time not to look at it, was the Tower of the Sun. That was from where House Nymeros Martell, to give it its full name, ruled Dorne from. Near the, leaning out over the sea below was a dull, stone keep that was, in all likelihood, the Sandship; the castle ruled by House Martell before Mors Martell wed Princess Nymeria of Ny Sar. Around the three features, I could just make out the walls of Sunspear. The three Winding Walls as they were called, cut around at odd angles ¨C which, from what Cordin had taught me was due to them taking advantage of the natural rock outcropping Sunspear was built on ¨C with dark shadows falling between the walls to house the Shadow City. The walls made attacking the keep directly a nightmare as there was only one direct path through all three walls. When the Targaryens had come to conquer Dorne, they hadn¡¯t relied on armies so much as three massive dragons. Yet, the Dornish had managed to kill one of those dragons and its rider, Queen Rhaenys, one of the reasons why the rulers of Dorne were still called Princes and Princesses and not just Lords like the rest of Westeros. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡± Arianne asked, drawing me from thoughts on learning all the nooks and crannies of the castle and city. Thanks to Emotionless Recall, it made developing a mental map of anywhere I went easy. Yes, said map didn¡¯t have the locations of people on it, nor any hidden passages until I discovered them ¨C I¡¯d found one in Starfall, but that had only been a quicker way from the Lord¡¯s solar to the Great Hall ¨C but it was a massive advantage that I exploited whenever I went somewhere new. ¡°It is,¡± I replied as I considered Sunspear. This was to be my home for at least the next three years. When I reached eight namedays, the plan was for Benjen to return to the North and I hoped I¡¯d be allowed to go with him. Not to stay, but simply to visit and meet my father¡¯s side of the family. Plus, it would allow me to, I hoped, visit the Wall and complete the objective The Far North. Since that was the easiest of the objectives from the Interface ¨C and one of the few I had much interest in completing ¨C it made sense to use it to see what rewards I unlocked by completing an objective. ¡°Though I hope the library matches the rest of the splendour,¡± I added with a smirk, that wasn¡¯t just for show. While Maester Cordin kept a good number of books, and I¡¯d found a few new ones to browse in Lemonwood, I wanted new materials to read. Hopefully, even a few books on water magic, though that was a long shot and a half. Arianne sighed and gently slapped my shoulder. ¡°After nearly two moons, and after just seeing the beauty of my home, all you can think of is books?¡± I turned to face her and did my best to ignore the smirks worn by most of the others ¨C Oberyn, mother, Ellaria, Nymeria and Tyene had all arrived at some point ¨C on the forecastle with us. I did note though, that Daemon was the only one not smirking at the interaction between me and Arianne. ¡°I¡¯m sure the training yards are far more impressive than those in Starfall,¡± I said with an overly exaggerated smile. Arianne rolled her eyes and huffed. ¡°However, I doubt anything there will compare to you, princess.¡± That ended her huffing in an instant. As her cheeks reddened, I turned to look at the Sunspear once more. Though I saw Oberyn¡¯s smirk grow into a grin while mother shook her head. What stuck out though, was Daemon. The boy¡¯s eyes narrowed, and I wondered if perhaps he had intentions towards Arianne. Once my eyes were back on Sunspear, I pondered on why I felt a need to flirt with Arianne and her cousins. Part of me felt it was just me building a rapport with the future ruler of Dorne ¨C and my new home ¨C while another felt it was good practice for when I had to enter the Great Game. However, another part of my mind was concerned that I was doing this for less than altruistic reasons. That part was the part that wasn¡¯t happy with Oberyn being with my mother and felt a need to get back at the man someway. All three parts of my mind agreed though that, with everything to come, I¡¯d need as many allies as possible and better skills for the dangers that were to come, be they mundane or magical. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ It was the end of the day that I was finally able to settle into my new room, which allowed me to go over our arrival in Sunspear. Upon reaching the docks, we¡¯d been greeted by Manfrey Martell, Oberyn¡¯s uncle and the Castellan of Sunspear. As Castellan he was basically the governor of Sunspear and the Shadow City and responsible for managing the day-to-day affairs as well as overseeing the security and defences of the joined locations, which was why he¡¯d greeted us at the docks. He, along with a platoon-sized group of Martell guards escorted us to the Tower of the Sun where Prince Doran and his wife, Lady Mellario of Norvos were waiting for us. That meeting had been a real eye-opener for several reasons. First, and given how I was now certain this world was based on the books and not the TV show this was the least surprising, was that Doran came across as far more intelligent and measured in his behaviour. No disrespect to the actor who¡¯d played him in the show, but the character there was¡­ weak. This Doran, and my new uncle, spoke kindly to Benjen, showing no outward signs of anger towards a Stark that¡¯d expect; hell, he even spoke of his sadness of the fate of Lyanna Stark and respect for how Eddard handled the reveal of what had been done to Princess Elia and her children. Second was that the few gathered lords didn¡¯t seem bothered by my parentage. Oh, I knew most wouldn¡¯t give a flying shit about me being a bastard, but the fact I was a Stark bastard was semi-common knowledge by now. Hell, I¡¯d even heard one rumour that Alysanne and I were twins, but separated to ease the burden on our parents: Eddard and Ashara. While untrue, the fact the glares sent Benjen¡¯s way ¨C which he ignored with apparent ease ¨C never came my way was interesting. Though that might be because Arianne and her cousins stood close to me as we were introduced to the court. Third, and perhaps the most unexpected ¨C and intriguing from a purely physical point of view ¨C was Lady Mellario. Apart from showing signs of a possibly hidden intelligence with a few barbed questions, what stood out to me was how beautiful she was. Long dark hair, a soft tanned complexion ¨C probably from being in Sunspear as Norvos was one of the more northern free cities ¨C and very full breasts on a frame that didn¡¯t look much over a metre-sixty in height made her stand out even among the noblewomen in the court. Yes, her belly was swollen with child, but it was clear to see who Arianne took after in, if not figure currently, then general looks. If Arianne ended up taking her mother¡¯s beauty to team with her gentle olive skin, she¡¯d be amazingly beautiful in a few short years. Of course, that had the concerns about grooming pop back into my mind, but I pushed them away as, while my mind was older than hers, physically I was younger. If I wanted to enjoy myself here, I¡¯d have to accept that, unless I targeted women physically far older than me, I¡¯d be involved with women mentally younger than I was. The last point, and this tied into Lady Mellario, was Arianne¡¯s younger brother, Quentyn. He was around my age at a guess, but given he stayed near his father and rarely spoke, it was hard to get any read on him. Hopefully, that would change soon as he might be the only boy close to my age here. Yet, what was obvious about him was that something was causing issues between Doran and Mellario over him. When he was introduced by Doran, Mellario sent a glance her husband¡¯s way. When combined with a few other subtle comments and reactions, it made it clear that something to do with their son was driving a wedge between the ruling couple. After the introductions, and a formal lunch, I ¨C along with Ashara and Benjen ¨C had been given a tour of the castle. Oberyn had led it, but Obara, Tyene and Nymeria had tagged along. The first thing the two younger sand snakes had said to me was that Arianne couldn¡¯t come since she was catching up with her parents, which was understandable. The pair often added comments quietly about this and that, though Nymeria kept smirking every time she saw her elder sister and Benjen walking close together. While I doubted anything would happen between that pair, it would be something to keep an eye on as I¡¯m not sure how happy Oberyn would be with one of his daughters enjoying herself with a Stark. After a small dinner, as we were all still full from lunch, I¡¯d been shown to this room; which was mine while I stayed in Sunspear. It was far larger than my old room in Starfall, and far more opulently decorated. Thankfully, the tones were subdued as I¡¯m not sure I¡¯d have enjoyed being in a room covered in bright orange, yellow and copper. My room wasn¡¯t as close to Oberyn¡¯s, which was a relief as it meant I wouldn¡¯t be subjected to hearing him enjoy himself with my mother or Ellaria. Just after we¡¯d left Starfall, my mother had talked to me about those noises. That had been an excruciatingly awkward conversation as I¡¯d had to play dumb when she¡¯d explained that she and Oberyn had been playing in their room, but she was sorry that the noise was so loud it might¡¯ve affected my sleep. At least now I wouldn¡¯t have to hear those sounds again. I hoped. The rooms around mine were occupied by the sand snakes and used a communal bathroom. Thus, while I¡¯d be near people I knew, it meant that when we stayed in Sunspear I¡¯d be getting eyefuls of things I didn¡¯t want to see; at least not until we were all at least in our late teens. Nymeria, as was her way, even made a joke on the matter and while I played dumb, the wink she sent me after her comment made me wonder if she saw through my act. Hopefully, once we headed to the Water Gardens ¨C which the snakes and Arianne had described to me ¨C where there were far more children, trueborn and baseborn alike, things on that front would improve. Otherwise, it was going to be a long handful of years growing up around these girls. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I moved forward slowly, stepping forward with my front foot while my back leg glided behind me as it was meant to. ¡°Good, good,¡± Benjen encouraged me from somewhere to my side, ¡°the advancing step is one of the most fundamental parts of your footwork.¡± He explained as I repeated the motion once more. My mother hadn¡¯t been happy when, barely a week after arriving in Sunspear ¨C and just before we¡¯d left for the Water Gardens ¨C Oberyn had taken me down to the yard to begin my training. It turned out that normally no physical training took place until a child was seven or eight, but Oberyn wanted to get me started early. Mother had reluctantly given her blessing, and not long after that, Benjen had taken a few sessions each week to teach me as well. While I wasn¡¯t armed ¨C I didn¡¯t even have a wooden training sword ¨C Benjen was taking me through some of the basics of what every swordsman needed to know. However, even after several months of doing so, I was still stuck just going through the footwork. Not even having picked up a practice sword; and that was only when I wasn¡¯t being pushed to my physical limit by Benjen to improve my strength, stamina and flexibility. Apparently, with Benjen planning to return to Winterfell once I was eight, he wanted to make sure I had a good foundation. Hence why this training was taking place concurrently with my initial training with Oberyn, which dominated my training in the yard. I¡¯d spoken with Benjen about maybe heading north with him when it was time for him to leave; not to stay in Winterfell but to visit my family there. He¡¯d been receptive, though not sure how my mother would react, which was something I agreed with. She¡¯d become very protective of me since we¡¯d arrived in the Dornish capital, and I suspected that bringing up the idea of me travelling so far away at a young age would, at least currently, be shot down instantly. With no one else to talk to ¨C I¡¯d barely spent any time around Quentyn or others my age bar Sarella ¨C I¡¯d spoken of my idea to Arianne, Nymeria and Tyene. All three had been interested, though for different reasons. Arianne¡¯s was the simplest as she wanted to travel; something she¡¯d expressed to me on our voyage to Sunspear. Nymeria wanted to see if Northern women were allowed to fight beside men if they wished while Tyene had expressed curiosity about how strong the Faith was among Northmen. Tyene¡¯s mother had been a Septa and, while still young, she showed a worrying belief in the faith in the Seven. ¡°Stop!¡± Benjen ordered and, with years of training to respond to commands from a superior, I obeyed. It wasn¡¯t easy as I was in mid-lunge, but I was able to do so. ¡°Your feet should never cross,¡± he explained as his hands guided my arms to the correct position. ¡°That makes your foundation weak and easy to break.¡± He stepped back to gently kick at my heel. ¡°Slide this back a touch. That¡¯s good. Now, remember this isn''t about speed, speed will come with practice, this is about ingraining the correct movements.¡± I heard his boots scrape on the gravel. ¡°Good, now continue.¡± I did as ordered and resumed my steps, slower and more purposefully, it felt slow and awkward ¨C even more so than what I usually achieved ¨C but I was able to make it across the yard without any missteps. ¡°Footwork will only get you so far little cub,¡± I turned at the familiar voice to see Obara as she stepped into the section of the yard Benjen had commandeered for my training. Little cub had become her chosen nickname for me and, after I¡¯d asked her to stop using it, she¡¯d said she¡¯d only stop after I defeated her in a spar. Given she was over a decade older than me, and I hadn''t even held a blade, I had more of a chance of finding a dragon egg than that happening before I was an adult. ¡°Aye, but Cregan¡¯s young. This is the time to make sure the basics stick,¡± Benjen replied, a faint smirk coming to his face as he spoke to my older sister (it was still taking some getting used to that Westerosi had no terms for step-siblings, but I knew it would pass). ¡°Besides, how old were you when you started your training?¡± ¡°Point,¡± Obara responded with a similar smirk to Benjen¡¯s on her face even as she twirled around her spear. ¡°Have you finished yet?¡± Benjen chuckled and shook his head. ¡°Almost.¡± He turned to me and smiled. ¡°Go through the steps a hundred more times. After that, wash up then head to Maester Caleotte for your lessons.¡± He said before stepping over a bench where he¡¯d left his sword and shield, though not before giving Obara a wink. I shook my head at the behaviour of the pair as I returned to my drills. I got through four before the sound of steel on steel drew my attention. I turned to watch Obara and Benjen spar. They were going slow to start, as they¡¯d done every time I¡¯d seen them spar, with Obara prodding at Benjen¡¯s shield with her spear, searching for a weakness to exploit. At first, I thought that perhaps she was just annoyed about losing to Benjen in their spar at Salt Shore, but the more she came around, the more I doubted that was the case. Or at least the only reason they still sparred. As Obara was forced to slide back to avoid a probing stab from Benjen, a laugh escaped her lips, and I felt my brow rise. Unlike her sisters, Obara came across as very sullen. Oh, she found things amusing and smiled, but that was the first time since I¡¯d met her that I¡¯d heard laughter from her. I wasn¡¯t sure how others saw things, but I¡¯d have been willing to put a bet down that, if they weren¡¯t already, they¡¯d be fucking each other before the year was out. That would be one hell of a ripple ¨C possibly one strong enough to stop Benjen from joining the Night¡¯s watch ¨C and would have ramifications for the future, I was sure. The biggest obstacle to anything happening would be Oberyn, but apart from a few narrow-eyed glances towards Benjen when he¡¯d been talking to Obara publicly, my new father seemed unconcerned about the developing situation between the wolf and the snake. Though I was a little concerned that he¡¯d be less understanding if they, as I felt was all but certain, took things to the next level. ¡°Why have you stopped?¡± Benjen called out just after deflecting a thrust from Obara with his shield. ¡°Have you finished all your drills already?¡± ¡°Sorry uncle,¡± I shouted back, not sure he heard me as Obara brought her spear back, clipping the edge of the shield and making the sound of metal-on-metal ring out in our area of the yard. Turning my attention from the spar, I moved into a starting position. Other children, especially ones my age, would likely complain about having to do this shadow fighting day after day for over a moon. However, I knew different. Every moment spent training, learning, refining how you fought made actual combat inside the wire that much easier. As my former squad leader had been fond of saying, train easy, fight hard and die. Train hard, fight easy and live. ¡­ ¡­ Wolf in the Sun 2 Wolf in the Sun 2 ¡­ ? ¡°I must say when Maester Cordin sent me a raven informing me that a young child, not to mention a bastard at that, was showing more intelligence than other children, and even some adults, I was sceptical,¡± Maester Caleotte commented as I closed my book and slid from the bench in his private study where I and several other children in Sunspear my age had recently finished a lesson. ¡°Yet, to see you now, and having taught you for several moons, I see that if anything, Cordin was underselling the talent you possess.¡± He shook his head and chuckled as he picked up the book I¡¯d just closed; one detailing the history of the Rhoynish before they¡¯d fled to Westeros. ¡°Even Sarella, for all her thirst for knowledge, is left in your shadow and she is reading at a level many summers beyond her age.¡± ¡°I enjoy reading,¡± I replied as he carried the book over to his bookshelf. While his back was turned, I stood and let my eyes once more drift to a collection of three books that were on the highest shelf. While there were other books on the shelf, what had caught my eye from the moment I¡¯d started my lessons here was that the words on the spines of all three books were in Valyrian. I suspected that those books, apart from being worth more than everything else in the room put together, would contain things useful to either my magic ¨C since fire magic was something associated with Valyrians ¨C or hints about where in the ruins of the Valyrian empire I might find something worth looting; possibly even both. Though the chances of me being able to mount an expedition to Valyria any time in the next two decades were slim. ¡°Not only is it relaxing but it helps to focus my thoughts.¡± I actually did find reading relaxing, but after spending the first month in Sunspear proving that I knew all the words, banners and lords of every major and minor house ¨C active or extinct ¨C in Westeros, I would be happy to never have to look at those books again. Thankfully, Caleotte had seemed satisfied with my ability by then and moved me on to more advanced subjects. Or at least, in most cases, more advanced for Westeros. It was frightfully boring to be going over mathematics that wasn¡¯t very far beyond primary school level when it was meant for teenagers. Plus, I¡¯d begun very basic lessons in subjects like geography and biology. Though at least with the latter, I was learning about the local fauna and flora which were entirely new, so it wasn¡¯t all bad. And now, after nearly two moons, Caleotte had finally let me resume my lessons in High Valyrian; or at least in how to understand the spoken facet of the language. Caleotte chuckled once more as he turned back to face me. The rest of the class had left about five minutes ago but he had asked me to stay behind for a moment. ¡°Indeed. That is something many people, from the simplest of peasants to the lords and even a few Maesters, forget.¡± He commented as he walked toward me. ¡°I know you are young, but have you considered a career as a Maester? With your mind, I think you¡¯d have little problem completing a chain before you have reached Prince Oberyn¡¯s age.¡± I repressed a sigh at the question. Cordin had been subtly ¨C for an adult talking to a child ¨C hinting at that idea to me and my mother for a few years. My goodaunt had also suggested it, though with less subtlety and clearer indications that she felt I was a threat to the inheritance if she didn¡¯t have a child. Thankfully, that threat would be lessened now as just after we¡¯d left Starfall Joenne had given birth to a young boy they¡¯d named Edric. Of course, if the babe died young, then that concern Joenne had about me would return, at least until mother and Oberyn had a child of their own. Then things could get messy as while mother was now the second in line to inherit Starfall, any child she¡¯d have with Oberyn would be a Martell. All I could hope was that scenario didn¡¯t come into play as it would be more hassle than it was worth. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I replied slowly, ¡°I mean, Prince Oberyn makes travelling and adventuring sound so much fun, though I do enjoy learning,¡± I said making sure to keep things vague for now. After all, I wasn''t even sure of my plans for the future, beyond having to prep for the war kicked off by Ned¡¯s death and the return of the Others. So far, nothing else seemed to have changed. Joffrey had still been born and, according to what I¡¯d caught being discussed by my new father, he had the same colouring as his mother. That heavily hinted that the boy was still a bastard of incest; not that I had any proof of that yet. Caleotte smiled and, much to my annoyance, ruffled my hair.¡± Of course, of course. You¡¯re still young so there¡¯s no rush, but you can at least consider it.¡± He offered before moving his hand to my back and guiding me towards the door of his study. ¡°Now go. I¡¯m sure your mother has things for you to do before you all depart for the Water Gardens.¡± As he opened the door, he gave me a gentle push out of the study. ¡°I¡¯ll also send a message to Maester Riler. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll get anything out of another month of studying house words and banners.¡± That made me sigh in relief. ¡°Thank you Maester Caleotte,¡± I said as I turned and smiled at him, ¡°and good day.¡± He nodded in response before closing his door. I turned and took a few steps down the corridor, heading in the general direction of the main yard when I saw someone leaning against a wall a few metres in front of me. Sarella Sand was leaning out one of the window arches that gave a view of the Winding Walls and the Shadow City with her nose in a book. Her skin was a far darker tone than that of her half-sister, reminding me of Milk chocolate, and while not much physically older than me, her eyes were always alert and focused on everything going on. Plus, the mind behind them was, as Maester Caleotte had just commented on, far sharper than any other at her age. Well, barring myself, though she would most likely surpass me as we got older and my advantage in foreknowledge vanished. ¡°Is there something I can help you with dear cousin?¡± I asked her, making her lift her head from a small book she¡¯d been holding. Though given that I¡¯d caught her eyes glancing my way as I¡¯d exited the Maester¡¯s study, I suspected she¡¯d only been reading it as a cover to wait for me to leave. Her cheek twitched at me calling her cousin, but that was the only reaction to me speaking before she slowly looked up from her book. ¡°Yes, you.¡± She said as she absently closed her book and pushed off the arch to face me. ¡°Oh, and what have I done to draw your interest?¡± I asked with a slight smirk. I had a suspicion that she was curious about why I so easily absorbed and remembered our lessons, as I¡¯d come along and disrupted the order in the class by leaving everyone behind; including her and she¡¯d been leaps and bounds ahead of the others. Her eyes narrowed in a way that reminded me of her father and she took a step forward. One small, mocha finger came forward and pushed against my chest. ¡°You¡¯re too smart,¡± she said as she invaded my personal space. ¡°How do you know so much?¡± This was probably an attempt to assert dominance in the social hierarchy, but I was having none of it. Letting my smirk grow into a smile, I reached up and took her finger into my hand, then guided it away from my chest. ¡°I¡¯m good at remembering things,¡± I explained with a shrug as if what I could do was just a quirk, ¡°what I see stays in my mind easily.¡± She shook her head as she pulled her finger from my hand and jabbed it against my chest once more. ¡°No, there¡¯s more to it than that.¡± She countered as her eyes stayed locked on me. ¡°I can see it in your eyes. You¡¯re holding back. It¡¯s as if you know more than you should.¡± She continued as I wondered if my cover of hiding my intelligence wasn¡¯t as good as I thought it was. ¡°You know the answers before Maester Caleotte teaches us like it was something you''d learned before.¡± Her eyes narrowed even further. ¡°And I¡¯ve seen you looking at the books on the top shelf. The ones on dragons, Valyria and magic.¡± The need to read those books grew dramatically at her reveal. ¡°Oh, you didn¡¯t know what they were?¡± She asked with a smirk coming to her lips as she correctly read my reaction. ¡°No. While I can speak a little, I haven¡¯t had any lessons on reading High Valyrian,¡± I replied as I ran through possibilities on not just what those books might contain, but how to spin this situation with Sarella. Initially, I¡¯d wanted to just give her a challenge to push herself to see if she was as intelligent as everyone said, but now¡­ ¡°Can you read them?¡± Her smirk grew. ¡°Maybe. Why, what¡¯s it to you?¡± She asked slowly, her finger still on my chest though without the same force behind it. ¡°What are the titles?¡± I asked back, avoiding her question for now. She chuckled and shook her head. ¡°No. If you want to know that, then tell me why you keep looking at them.¡± Even at such a tender age, this girl knew how to barter for information. Honestly, I should have expected this from one of Oberyn''s daughters. The only problem was that I wasn¡¯t entirely sure as to what she wanted in return; though, from the way she brought up those Valyrian books, I¡¯d wager she wanted to read them as well but hadn¡¯t come up with a way to gain access. ¡°Likely for the same reason you do, curiosity,¡± I offered. Her pupils widened for a moment, but that was enough to confirm my theory. ¡°At a guess, you haven¡¯t come up with a plan to get them, so mayhaps we might come to a mutually beneficial arrangement.¡± I offered, intentionally using long words with the hope that she wouldn¡¯t understand them, allowing me to regain some control over the conversation. ¡°Why?¡± she asked slowly; though whether that was because she was unsure of what I¡¯d said, or because she didn¡¯t want to confirm my thoughts, I couldn¡¯t say. ¡°We share a common goal,¡± I explained. Sarella, while not as close to Arianne as Nymeria and Tyene, was much easier to read than those two. The girl clearly had a weakness for knowledge, and forbidden knowledge ¨C such as the Valyrian books ¨C would be extremely tempting. ¡°We both want to read the books, but you don¡¯t have a plan and I can¡¯t yet read Valyrian.¡± Sarella was the only snake who spent as much time as I did reading, though she probably read more since I¡¯d not seen her in the yard with her sisters nor heard her name come up when mother, Ellaria or Lady Mellario spoke about their daily activities when the other girls were mentioned. Unless I missed my guess, this girl was desperate to learn all she could, and that was something easy to exploit and could, with the right training and direction, be very helpful for me in the future. With all the training I did in the yard, plus whatever else would be added to my time as I matured, I suspected I wouldn¡¯t be able to research things as much as I¡¯d like. Sarella though could be used to handle that issue for me. Plus, with her being a girl in Westeros, then there would come a time when she¡¯d be denied knowledge simply because of her gender. A mistake to be sure, but one that I could also turn to my advantage. She stepped even closer, almost resting her palm against my chest. ¡°You have a plan?¡± She whispered aggressively as if she suddenly felt threatened that I already had a plan to get the books. I stepped back just enough to restore distance between us ¨C who knew when someone would come around the corner and spot us, and while the whispers of children weren''t something to be concerned with, better not to risk it ¨C and gave her a cheerful smile. ¡°Mayhaps, but I think we should take this talk somewhere else,¡± I continued as I took hold of her free hand and began to walk. I ignored the sharp intake of breath from her, preferring to casually see if the young boy who was further down the corridor behind Sarella was still watching us. ¡°You never know who¡¯s watching,¡± I added as I pulled her beside me, gesturing with my eyes towards the serving boy. It took Sarella a moment to process what I said, or I assumed so as after a few steps the resistance to me holding her hand eased and she took a few quick steps to come up beside me. While she didn¡¯t seem overly happy with my actions, she didn¡¯t pull away either. I waited until we were not only past the serving boy but around a corner and heading down a flight of stairs with no one else around to let go of her hand. ¡°We can talk more about our plans to get those books at the Water Gardens,¡± I whispered, using the sound of our steps to mask some of my voice. ¡°Preferably when we¡¯re alone.¡± ¡°OK, but you¡¯d better have a plan,¡± she whispered back as we continued to descend. ¡°I¡¯ve got part of a plan,¡± I explained honestly. ¡°There¡¯s no way I can get the books alone, but until now I¡¯ve not had anyone I¡¯d consider willing or able to help to bother with fleshing it out.¡± Even over the echoes of our footsteps on the stone steps, I heard Sarella humming as she pondered my words. ¡°Ok, but what if we get caught?¡± I shrugged. ¡°Best if we¡¯re not, though that¡¯ll make planning things take longer. Still, if we are caught, I¡¯ll take the blame,¡± I offered, using this as another small way to gain her trust and support. ¡°This time,¡± I tacked on quickly to hint that even if we were caught it wouldn¡¯t stop me from trying. That earned a faint chuckle from her, suggesting she was fine with trying several times at least. We continued down the stairs in silence from then on and soon came to a landing with a corridor heading in the direction of one of the smaller courtyards inside Sunspear. From that courtyard, it would only take us about five minutes to reach our quarters ¨C Sarella¡¯s room was opposite mine, with our closest to the minder Oberyn had assigned to look after his children ¨C where we¡¯d likely find her sisters waiting or servants collecting our belongings for the short journey to the Water Gardens. Just before we reached the courtyard, Sarella took my hand and pulled me into a small alcove. ¡°Very well,¡± she began, her face hidden in shadow as the sun shone on mine, forcing me to raise a hand to block it out and see her. ¡°But Maester Caleotte knows I want those books.¡± I shrugged even as I began to step out of the alcove. ¡°Then we have to be careful you¡¯re not the one stealing them.¡± Not letting her get the last word in, I stepped into the courtyard and heard her follow a few steps behind me. ¡°Sarella! There you are!¡± I turned to my left at the voice and saw a young woman walking toward us. Lyselle was one of the women that the Martells employed to help with fostering and following her were Jayne Ladybright and my second cousin, Jynessa Blackmont. ¡°Sorry Lyselle, we were talking about my book,¡± Sarella responded in a voice far sweeter than what she¡¯d used with me. ¡°Cregan likes reading too.¡± She added and I turned back for a moment to see she was holding up her book ¨C The flowers of Dorne, was the title ¨C to show the nursemaid. ¡°Ah, well at least it seems you two are finally speaking,¡± Lyselle responded, making me turn back to her to catch her smiling down at us. At a guess, I¡¯d place Lyselle in her mid to late twenties and from the sighting of her I¡¯d caught around Sunspear, she may or may not have been involved with one of the guards who was normally stationed outside the Great Hall in the Tower of the Sun. ¡°Still, Lady Ellaria is waiting for you in your room, Sarella. Apparently, someone hadn¡¯t finished packing before going to their lessons.¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± Sarella said meekly in that same weaker sounding voice. It seemed that she knew the basics of how to pretend to be less than she was with at least this nursemaid; a skill that I felt I could use if she grew to be a trusted ally. ¡°Hmm. Cregan, your mother is in the Godswood with Lady Mellario. Mayhaps you should go see her and check what you need to do before you leave,¡± Lyselle said as she turned her attention to me. ¡°Sure, but I¡¯m already packed,¡± I answered before turning to face Sarella. ¡°I enjoyed our talk today. I hope we get a chance to talk again later,¡± I said, giving her a wink as I spoke. She smiled, her cheeks growing a shade darker as she did. ¡°Yes, I do think I¡¯d like that.¡± With a smile, I turned back to Lyselle and the other children. ¡°My ladies,¡± I said with an extravagant bow. Lyselle rolled her eyes even as a small smile came to her face while Jayne and Jynessa giggled before the latter leaned over and whispered something to the former. I quickly head off on a route that would take me to the Godswood. While it was an impressive garden, the main tree wasn¡¯t a weirwood, there wasn¡¯t even an old stump like in Starfall. Instead, the dominant tree was an imposing oak. While I doubted there was anything my mother wished to speak with me about, I still planned to check in with her. And while there was no weirwood tree in the Godswood, I¡¯d have to be careful. While nothing said the three-eyed crow could see into Sunspear without a weirwood, nothing said he couldn¡¯t either. Well, nothing outside of the show, but there was little from that which applied in this version of Westeros. Because of that, I only just avoided cursing myself again for not reading all the books before I died. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I walked slowly towards the Lord¡¯s solar in Water Gardens, knowing full well who and what awaited me inside. Behind me walked a guard who while not being forceful, was there to ensure I didn¡¯t try to run, though that would be stupid. After all, where was I going to run? I was still a few months from turning six and the only place I could go, if I somehow was able to escape the Gardens, was Sunspear; which would just make things worse. The two guards outside the solar saw me and my escort approach and after nodding ¨C presumably to my escort ¨C the one on the left opened the door and slipped inside. ¡°The prince will see you now,¡± the guard said a moment later after stepping back out. Taking a deep breath and replaying the incident that led me to being summoned here over in my head one last time, I steeled myself for this talk then stepped inside. There I found Prince Doran and Prince Oberyn waiting for me. Doran was sitting comfortably¨C though given his issues with gout, he may well have still been in the wheelchair he¡¯d started using in the last month or so ¨C while Oberyn was behind him, leaning almost lazily against a bookshelf. Their expressions were neutral, though I swore that as my eyes turned to my father, I saw his lips twitch upwards while his eyes shone with amusement. ¡°Please, take a seat,¡± Doran said in a tone that made it clear it was not a request. I climbed into the chair and stared at them; though that was made harder as the chair¡¯s cushion wasn¡¯t high enough to make it easy for me to see any of Doran bar his head. Silence fell over the room and while I wanted to explain things, I knew that any outburst would make it seem like I was guilty, and I wasn¡¯t. Well, save that one of the others involved in the incident that resulted in me being here was Prince Quentyn Martell. ¡°You understand why you¡¯re here?¡± Doran asked slowly and I nodded. ¡°Then explain to me why the scuffle in the hall this morning resulted in you punching my son. He has already told me, rather emotionally¡± Oberyn snorted quietly there, ¡°about what he says happened. As have several of my nieces and the other children that were present. However, I wish to understand all sides of the story before passing judgement on your actions.¡± ¡°Yes, my Prince,¡± I started, lowering my head just enough to show respect for him. ¡°This morning, after my training session with my uncle Benjen in the yard, I headed to the Great Hall ¨C as I always do after a training session ¨C for lunch. Several times while walking there another boy, who I¡¯d rather not name, had been saying things about my father. I¡¯d been ignoring it, so this morning, he decided to take things further.¡± I paused as I replayed the moments once more in my mind. While I doubted Callor Vaith ¨C the boy in question ¨C or any of the others present at the start would tell the truth, I knew that no matter how this played out, I would be punished. Being honest was my only recourse to counter how bad said punishment would be. ¡°As I entered a corridor near the Great Hall, he came up behind me and pushed me. I managed to keep my balance; however, this wasn¡¯t enough for him, so he kicked me from behind and I fell into a wall.¡± I paused and massaged my face for emphasis. While the fall hadn¡¯t done any real damage ¨C neither Maester Caleotte nor my Interface noted anything wrong (though if the Interface could even note such things wasn¡¯t clear) ¨C it had left me with a small cut over my right temple. ¡°The cut was nothing, but I thought I¡¯d almost lost my eye. I, I was angry,¡± I continued, taking slow, deep breaths to manage my temper. ¡°I kicked out and heard him scream as my foot landed. Then, before he or anyone else could react, I turned and punched him.¡± ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s how young Callor lost his tooth,¡± Oberyn remarked with the beginnings of a smirk creeping onto his face. ¡°He was most reluctant to explain how that happened.¡± I tried to keep a smirk off my face at hearing that. While the swing had been blind, since I knew how to fight, my punch had landed cleanly and knocked Callor on his arse. However, that was when things escalated rather quickly. ¡°If he did indeed start the fight, then his reluctance to tell us how that happened does make sense,¡± Doran partially agreed. ¡°Continue.¡± ¡°As Callor fell, someone else came at me. I stopped a foot from kicking my face, then someone grabbed my arm.¡± That was the moment where things had gone wrong. ¡°I, uh, pushed them with my shoulder then swung my arms. I think I hit them in the stomach and face. That¡¯s, eh, when I realised that I¡¯d hit Prince Quentyn. I, uh, didn¡¯t mean to but¡­¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°But you hit a Prince of Dorne and my son,¡± Doran interrupted, his face tensing as he spoke. ¡°That is a matter that cannot be ignored, even if it was, as you claim, an accident.¡± ¡°I understand, my Prince.¡± Yeah, there was no way I was getting out of being punished. Dorne might be more relaxed about bastards and their status than the other Kingdoms of Westeros, but Quentyn was still a trueborn son of a lord ¨C well, Prince in this case. Even if I¡¯d been a trueborn Dayne or Stark, in Dorne his son would always be higher than me on the social ladder; unless I found a way to circumvent said ladder. ¡°Now, your father here,¡± Doran glanced at Oberyn who smirked, ¡°feels that what happened was a case of boys will be boys. Something the guards who accompanied my son also seemed to suggest, though far less enthusiastically.¡± He paused and took a slow, deep breath. ¡°However, as the Prince of Dorne, even an accidental striking of one of my family, never mind my son, must be punished.¡± He paused and leaned back in his chair. His cheeks tensed from the movement, and I saw Oberyn slide forward fractionally before stopping. ¡°For a minimum of two moons, you are banned from the yard. During that time, and until I deem otherwise, all martial training is restricted.¡± I nodded reluctantly at that. I wasn¡¯t happy about it but complaining would only see the punishment lengthened. ¡°Also, while in the Water Gardens, you will serve your father as his page and while in Sunspear you will serve as one of mine. This will continue until you are old enough to squire with a lord of my choice.¡± I opened my mouth to argue against becoming a squire, only to stop and sigh. ¡°Y-yes, my Prince.¡± I instead replied, batting down my issues with becoming a squire, and thus being placed on a path to be knighted in the faith of the Seven. I had fuck-all interest in the Faith but arguing with Prince Doran so soon after accidentally hitting his son wasn¡¯t a safe thing to do. ¡°Something about this punishment disagrees with you?¡± Doran asked, having caught my hesitant response. ¡°I¡¯m unsure if you are aware brother, but Cregan here doesn¡¯t worship the Seven,¡± Oberyn offered with a rueful smile as his brother looked around at him. ¡°Like his birth father, he follows the Old Gods.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Doran murmured as he rubbed his chin and returned his attention to me. ¡°Be that as it may, the training to become a knight would, I feel, help focus your energy as you grow up.¡± ¡°Um,¡± I began, wanting to argue against being a knight, only to stop. While I had an issue with how certain people - such as The Mountain - could be considered knights, in general, the concept of them was good and I was far too young to protest on those grounds. Ignoring the fact that I had followed the Old Gods, the training I¡¯d get as a squire would be invaluable for the battles to come. ¡°Yes, my prince.¡± ¡°While I can understand your reluctance at being trained as a knight due to your beliefs, such training will serve you well in your life, and hopefully, instil some discipline,¡± Doran commented, probably taking my lack of enthusiasm as a sign of what Oberyn had just mentioned about my religious views. ¡°However, this doesn¡¯t excuse you from the need to apologise to my son. I do understand that boys will be boys, as my brother believes, but appearances must be maintained.¡± ¡°Of course, my prince.¡± I accepted his judgement with a lowering of my head. ¡°Good. Now Oberyn, mayhaps you might take Cregan here to his mother. I¡¯m sure Lady Ashara is concerned that my punishment would be far graver.¡± Oberyn chuckled and pushed himself off the bookshelf. ¡°Certainly, dear brother. Come along Cregan.¡± He added as he stepped around the large desk of the solar and moved towards the door. I stood and followed him from the solar. The guard that had escorted me here was still present and made a move to follow us only for Oberyn to wave him off. We walked in silence for a few minutes before Oberyn spoke. ¡°Cregan, I want you to know that, when the time comes for you to finish your time as a squire, if you still wish to not be proclaimed a knight of the Seven, I will accept your choice. However, I agree with my brother that the training will be good for you, I mean, look at me,¡± he said, a smile coming to his face as he spread his arms wide. ¡°Yes, father,¡± I replied, which made his smile grow. He and Doran were right about training to become a knight, and for a moment I¡¯d allowed my dislike of the Seven, and certain individuals who were proclaimed as knights, to colour me against the idea of, at the very least, training to become one myself. "Now come, your mother has been worried about what punishment my brother would assign you; though I suspect her admonishment for you fighting, and the punishment for that, will put my brother to shame.¡± ¡°Um,¡± I mumbled, making him laugh quietly before placing a hand on my shoulder. ¡°You made a mistake, now bear the punishment for it. Though you acted in self-defence, as you should when attacked or slighted ¨C something the guard confirmed I should say ¨C you still hurt others of a higher station than you. Yet, once your mother¡¯s punishment is over and we can return you to the yard, mayhaps we will have to alter your training. Taking down three boys, even one unintentionally, while ambushed is impressive. More so, as I do not believe you have begun any training to brawl.¡± He ruffled my hair, then chuckled at my pathetic growl. ¡°That kind of drive needs to be channelled.¡± As he stepped into the corridor containing the rooms belonging to the ruling family, I wondered if perhaps my response to the attack had revealed more about me than I¡¯d wanted. In that fight, while this body was still very young, my instincts for combat had kicked in with how I¡¯d fought back. Thank the Gods that I wasn¡¯t fully matured. Otherwise, Quentyn might have ended up with far more damage than just a bruised jaw. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°Is that all you can do?¡± Oberyn shouted out as I stumbled over the ¡®finish line¡¯. It¡¯d been a little over four moons since my accidental striking of Prince Quentyn and about two moons since I¡¯d been allowed back into the yard. Over the last four moons, Quentyn and I had grown even further apart, though given we¡¯d never become close in the moons before the incident, it hadn¡¯t been a major issue for me. Oh, most of the children our age had all flocked to Quentyn, but that was to be expected. Only Sarella and her friends, Jayne and Jynessa spoke with me socially, while the rest of the Sand Snakes and Arianne ¨C and their circle of friends ¨C still interacted with me when our paths crossed. While I wasn¡¯t certain, it appeared that there was a rift developing between Arianne and Quentyn; though that might just be due to their age and gender differences and the fact Arianne was the heir and Quentyn the spare. ¡°I know he¡¯s young, but I expected more from a wolf,¡± Nymeria commented loudly from where she was resting with her father, Tyene, Daemon, Arianne and a few others. Benjen and Obara weren¡¯t present as the pair had left to go riding not long after sunrise; an occurrence that was becoming more and more common. ¡°Aye, I guess the stories about the wolfsblood are only that,¡± Daemon added, drawing a chuckle from the others. I glared over at them before pushing myself up from my knees and looking back at the course I¡¯d just completed. In one area of the yard, Oberyn had set up what I¡¯d call an obstacle course though he¡¯d said it was based on training exercises he¡¯d come across in Essos. While he¡¯d added that the idea for this was to hopefully bleed off my excess energy ¨C ¡®if I had enough left to fight in the corridors, I could do more exercise in the yard¡¯ was how he put it ¨C I wasn¡¯t complaining as running through it felt familiar. Though this training course wasn¡¯t one designed for children, reminding me instead more of the ones I¡¯d seen while watching Kung Fu movies. Thankfully, however, Oberyn had altered this one to be more achievable for a child of six. Didn¡¯t mean it was easy though. Apart from the running poles, spinning wooden arms and other objects that I had to run through, and dodge around there were always several unexpected elements in the course that Oberyn altered each week. He¡¯d explained that this was to improve my reflexes, and I couldn¡¯t deny that it seemed to be working. I felt my body was growing more responsive; something that apparently the interface agreed with as my Agility was at ten (with it having increased from nine when I¡¯d started this course and with eleven being my maximum possible rating while six years old). While there was a chance that others would accept the displayed ratings for Strength and Agility as fact, I wasn¡¯t one of those. Instead, I preferred to keep pushing myself each day to be better. ¡°How the fuck would you react if you saw a fucking snake in front of your face?¡± I shot back, pointing at between the two poles I''d fallen between, only to discover as I''d looked up that there was a fucking snake just rising in front of my face. That had stopped me dead as I watched the snake closely until I was able to identify it. I¡¯d have to thank Maester Caleotte for teaching me about the various snakes that were native to Dorne as otherwise, I¡¯d have likely freaked the fuck out about what was a, relatively speaking, harmless milk snake. ¡°Life is full of unexpected surprises,¡± Oberyn replied as he pushed himself off the wall he¡¯d been leaning against and walked closer. ¡°How we adapt to them, how we use those surprises to shape our choices and adapt helps define the kind of person we want to be.¡± As he walked closer, he stopped next to the running poles I¡¯d pointed at and reached down. ¡°Besides, this snake is both harmless and defanged.¡± He added as he picked up the small snake with the ease of someone used to handling the animals. ¡°I realised that eventually,¡± I muttered as my breathing returned to normal, ¡°doesn¡¯t mean it wasn¡¯t a fucking shock.¡± As was the fact that, during my time studying the snake before I realised it was harmless, I swore I¡¯d sensed something from it. A brief moment passed in which I swore I was looking at myself through an infrared sensor. The colouring was in shades of blue and green, but everything else about it reminded me of an IR scan. Now that I¡¯d finished the course, I wondered if I¡¯d somehow caught a glimpse of how a snake saw as, unlike direwolves, their vision would be very different from human sight. Oberyn chuckled even as he turned and placed the snake in a small cage Dameon had brought over behind him. ¡°Ah, but as I said, how we react to such surprises defines who we are, and you behaved well when your moment came. Well done.¡± I smiled at his praise, though anything I wanted to say was cut off as Arianne and the snakes came over to speak with me. Yet, even as I spoke with them, taking their congratulations or good-natured ribbing about my reaction to seeing a snake, my mind began to wonder just what surprises Oberyn would add to this training course in the future. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ It was near the end of 288AC that I found myself back at the Water Gardens, sitting on the edge of one of the more isolated pools there. As I wanted the area was generally empty and since it was still early in the morning, it should stay that way for at least the next hour or so. Since unlocking magic, while I¡¯d managed to get Fire Magic up to level 8 (of who knew how many) I¡¯d been trying and failing to unlock the other three elemental forms (Water, Air and Earth) without any success. For Earth Magic I tried meditating on a pot of dirt, sitting on the beach and meditating in the desert ¨C though not too far from the walls of Sunspear as I was too young to wander off on my own. For Air Magic I¡¯d tried meditating at the highest room of the Tower of the Sun ¨C that I was allowed into ¨C without any success while for Water Magic I¡¯d tried and failed to unlock it while concentrating on a glass of water while sitting in the tide and soaking in a bath. The idea of submerging myself in a larger body of water was about the last easy option I had for unlocking it. After this, if it still wouldn¡¯t unlock, I¡¯d possibly have to go swimming in a river or the sea to have any chance of getting this branch of magic to work. Now, while there may be books in Sunspear that detailed how to use water magic, I¡¯d never come across any. That made perfect sense as such materials would be some of House Martell¡¯s most guarded treasures; so much so, that the Maesters might not even know they existed. As for asking the Maesters for help, that had been a dead end. While Maester Riler had a Valyrian steel link on his chain ¨C signifying some knowledge of higher mysteries ¨C he was even more opposed to talking about magic than Maester Caleotte. Riler wouldn¡¯t stop going on and on about the dark and demonic problems with magic to make him any use. I¡¯d seen a few street performers in the Shadow City from Essos who could do very limited things with fire and water magic ¨C namely making fire rise slightly from a pyre or generating small waves in a bowl of water ¨C but I was averse to asking them about their magic. Both because I¡¯d have to do so in front of others, which was a risk that might lead to problems in future, and that, in the case of the firemage, he was a follower of R¡¯hllor. What I¡¯d sensed in my magic dream coming from Volantis had led me to being very cautious about any interactions I had with followers of the Red God and had me giving the Red Priest who ran a small temple to the god in the Shadow City a very wide berth whenever I entered the city with my mother or others. My Fire Magic, while having grown stronger, was still very limited. I could make the flames in a torch dance, and even draw them towards my palm, but I couldn¡¯t yet bring them under control. Nor generate flames from nothing. While it was getting easier to do the things I could with magic, I felt incredibly drained afterwards; including coming close to fainting the first time I¡¯d managed to summon a torch¡¯s flame to my palm. While that was still something very hard to accomplish, seeing a small rope of fire stretching from my palm to the torch, and watching the end slowly grow larger and brighter as it floated above my hand, was an amazing sight. One day I hoped I¡¯d get the chance to throw the words the Maesters had given about magic and how it was gone back in their faces. Though I suspected Maester Riler might not live to see that as he was well past sixty. I looked down at the gentle waves created in the pool by a passing breeze and ruminated on the non-elemental magic forms I knew of but hadn¡¯t unlocked. Shadow Magic, Glamours and Necromancy were all listed alongside the elemental magics, Internal Magic and Prophetic Dreams. While the latter would likely never be unlocked, the three former magics had the potential to be; even if, in the case of Necromancy, I hoped it never was, disturbing the bodies of the dead in such a way struck me as perverse, that branch of magic also worried me deeply as it was most likely a branch of that magic that the Others used to raise their army of zombies Shadow Magic was the magic used by Melisandre for her shadow assassins and based on the warnings about what most magic in Planetos required and what I saw in the second season, a sacrifice of blood or lifeforce would likely be required to use it in any way. Glamours felt much simpler and safer to use, and I had a suspicion that was how the Faceless Men worked their tricks, or at least it was a branch of magic starting from Glamours. The strangest one was Internal Magic. That was one I¡¯d discovered by considering using magic to boost myself internally and honestly, I was glad it was still locked. The chances that I misunderstood magic, or my own growing body were great, so having it locked away made sure I wasn''t tempted to experiment with it. Still, as another wave blew across the pool, I put those thoughts aside for another day. Today it was my chance, I hoped, to finally unlock water magic. I took one last look around, making sure there was no one around, then after taking a deep breath, I slid into the pool. I felt the water surge past me, and I sank until I reached the bottom of the pool, which for safety, wasn¡¯t deep enough that I couldn¡¯t breathe properly if I stood up. As I settled at the bottom, I relaxed, remembering my breathing exercises from my old life, and slowly allowed some air to slip from my mouth. I cleared my mind of anything but thoughts of the water in the pool. It moved around me, brushing up against my skin as it rippled from my immersion. A little more air slipped from my mouth. My thoughts concentrated on the water, trying to pull it towards me. I felt a ripple wash over the surface of the water as another breeze kissed the surface of the pool. Calmness returned to the water, though I felt something begin to caress my mind. No tidal forces were working on the pool, nor was there a hint of another breeze, yet slowly it felt as though the water was shifting around. More air slipped from my lungs. As the water felt as though it started to shift, I began to feel it push against my skin. The water slid, shifted, and flowed around me, almost as if it wanted me to join with it. It seemed as if it was trying to merge with me, to carry me in its current. To flow and guide me to where it wanted me to travel. Air slipped from my lungs. As I allowed my mind to be carried away, I felt something growing in the depths. The gentle rocking of the waves grew stronger and more frequent. I felt as though I was being pulled deeper as the water grew more aggressive, as this force of nature began to increase in power. More air slipped past my lips. I was pulled upwards, towards the crest of growing waves, then deep down into ever sinking undercurrents. The waves had long since grown larger than the depth of the pool, yet I somehow knew that they could grow larger still. Reaching sizes large enough to, in my mind¡¯s eye, submerge hundreds of kilometres of land beneath their surging might. My chest grew tighter as yet more air slipped from my lungs. The waves grew ever more powerful, becoming more violent and showing incredible destruction as they crushed ships beneath themselves. My vision grew foggy as I was pulled high above the water, to the top of a wave from which I swore I could see the smoky ruins of Valyria. Suddenly the wave came crashing down on the coast. A city there was swept away by the surge, and I felt my eyes being forced open. I spluttered as water entered my mouth and quickly stood. I coughed as air flooded into my lungs and kept coughing even as I reached blindly for and found the side of the pool. As I pulled myself towards the edge, the coughing began to die down and, once I¡¯d regained control of my breathing, I saw the flashing blue light of the Interface in the lower right of my vision. Hopeful about what it would mean ¨C as I¡¯d never had such a waking dream when concentrating on an element before ¨C I mentally opened the Interface. Water Magic Unlocked! You have discovered a method to unlock access to your ability to control and manipulate water. With training, this could evolve into more advanced forms of elemental magic, however, that is for another day. ...? ¡°Yes!¡± I exclaimed quietly, only to slump back into the water exhausted, and inadvertently swallow some. While I was excited that I¡¯d finally unlocked Water Magic, and with this, seen a way to unlock the other base elemental powers, I was physically and emotionally drained. A new, short bout of coughing was brought on by the swallowed water, and I clung to the edge of the pool until it subsided. I leaned forward, keeping my head away from the water and spat out what I hoped was the last water that I¡¯d accidentally inhaled. Once the coughing had finally subsided, I pulled myself from the pool, though I turned and let my legs sink back into the water. I¡¯d managed to finally unlock another of the elemental magics. While I doubted it would be easy to level up ¨C not that Fire Magic was easy to improve ¨C I still felt better having it unlocked and available. Now all I had to do was repeat this process with Earth Magic and Air Magic and the set of four would be unlocked and trainable. ¡­ ¡­ Wolf Among the Roses Wolf Among the Roses ¡­ (Circa 289AC)?
¡°How are you doing, young one?¡± A now familiar voice asked from my right, and I turned to see Ser Baelor Hightower standing beside me. His armour shone resplendently in the sun, the engravings on the chest plate and pauldrons glittering from the gems inlaid into it. While the armour seemed gaudy, after spending time in Oldtown as, along with my family, guests of House Hightower, I doubted this was anywhere close to Baelor¡¯s most decorative armour. Nor was it merely for show. While I knew little about how armour was forged, nothing hinted that the armour he was currently wearing couldn¡¯t do its job if push came to shove. Though I doubted the long silk cloak emblazoned in his house colours would be anything but an impediment in combat. ¡°I¡¯m well, my lord,¡± I replied showing him the respect he expected due to our differences in rank, ¡°though I¡¯ll admit that spending days in a saddle is becoming both boring and painful.¡± Baelor gave a deep, booming laugh at that. ¡°Aye, it can be. But spending all this time in the saddle now will serve you well when you¡¯re older. And if Gods forbid, you ever need to ride into battle then all this time spent in a saddle now may well save your life.¡± ¡°Aye, my lord,¡± I replied with a lowering of my head. Seemingly content with our conversation, Baelor gave his horse a squeeze and it trotted forward. Likely he was returning to the head of the column, though I suspected he¡¯d stop at the carriages in front of me. In the lead carriage his wife, Rhonda Rowan, was travelling with my mother, Arianne, Tyene and Sarella. I¡¯d bet a Gold Dragon that Sarella was neck-deep in a book, and a few Stags that Tyene was speaking with Lady Rhonda about something to do with the Faith of Seven. While all my family were followers of the main religion of Westeros, Tyene was the more devout. Thankfully though, she wasn¡¯t a ¡®bible-thumper¡¯ otherwise I¡¯d have long since taken to ignoring her as I did Septa Railey in Starfall. As my arse complained once more about sitting in a saddle for the fourth day running, I felt jealous that Sarella had a book to distract her from the long, slow trek we were making to Highgarden which still had ¨C according to Oberyn at breakfast this morning ¨C at least three more days to go. We were heading to Highgarden ¨C and had been doing so since we¡¯d left Sunspear several moons ago ¨C because there was to be a big tournament there in Lady Alerie Hightower¡¯s name, which Oberyn planned to compete in. Still, while I was currently annoyed about being stuck in a saddle for several more days, the long trip we¡¯d made so far had, for the most part, been worth it. Initially, we¡¯d stopped off in Starfall where I¡¯d discovered I had a cousin. Edric Dayne had been born in our time away and was the new heir to Starfall, though that did little to limit Lady Joenne¡¯s dislike for me. From there we¡¯d sailed to Oldtown, which had been interesting. While I had some interest in visiting the Citadel, my mother had forbidden it. According to Oberyn, she was scared the Maesters would kidnap me and force me to join their order. While I suspected he was half-joking, if the various Maesters I¡¯d been taught by had sent ravens to the Citadel regarding me ¨C unlikely, but possible ¨C there might be a kernel of truth to his opinion. And frankly speaking, the idea of spending my life surrounded by cranky old men ¨C with little access to women ¨C arguing over science and technology that was centuries behind what I¡¯d dealt with in my former life was about as appealing as becoming a eunuch. And that was saying nothing of the threat posed by the Others and whatever other threats ¨C natural and supernatural ¨C existed on Planetos. Since I couldn¡¯t visit it during our current trip, Oberyn had provided Sarella and me with some new books to read though I knew I¡¯d have to return one day. I had no interest in joining the order, but since it was the primary ¨C and basically only ¨C source of knowledge in Westeros, I knew I¡¯d want inside at some point if only to see what was hidden within its walls. With the Citadel out, I¡¯d spent almost all my time in Oldtown in the High Tower with House Hightower. The High Tower was, frankly, insane. It was easily taller than most buildings in my former life, bar skyscrapers and similarly tall buildings, and was accepted as the tallest building in Westeros, even taller than The Wall, though Casterly Rock and the Eyrie are said to be higher due to where they¡¯re built. Which is, fucking insane. Meeting House Hightower had been a strange thing. Baelor, along with the rest of his family, had been reluctant to speak with me initially. I suspected that might¡¯ve been because I was a bastard and those weren¡¯t looked on kindly in The Reach and the family were devout followers of the Seven, though any issues regarding it were avoided due to my parents (or step-parent in Oberyn¡¯s case, though Westeros didn¡¯t have such terms). Lord Leyton Hightower hadn¡¯t ever deigned to speak directly with me, but Baelor and his brothers had slowly started to accept me. Now, that might¡¯ve just been because Oberyn had taken me to the High Tower¡¯s training yards each morning while we stayed there but I suspected it was more because I¡¯d more than once been found in discussion with Maester Dantis about varying subjects at a level well above my age. There was also the fact that Arianne made sure that whenever I had time away from Oberyn, the Maester or his books, she had me accompanying her. However, that had caused issues with Baelor¡¯s wife as Lady Rhonda disliked me doubly as I was both a bastard and an open follower of the Old Gods. While she¡¯d taken a slight liking to Tyene ¨C over their shared religious devotion ¨C she considered all us bastards beneath her. That made rather me glad that Ellaria had stayed in the Water Gardens with her daughters, Elia and Obella. I was certain that if Ellaria had come, she¡¯d have long since caused a scene with Lady Rhonda before the welcoming feast was over. Ellaria¡¯s ability to make impressively venomous barbs was on-par with Oberyn¡¯s, as was her general distaste for any who felt a bastard was beneath another due simply to the status of their birth. One interesting thing that I¡¯d noticed about my mother was her behaviour around Obella. The way she doted on both the newborn and Elia and the less-than-subtle glances she gave Oberyn, left me in little doubt she wanted another child. That was something that I was ambivalent about. On one hand, the idea that I¡¯d have a younger sibling to protect was interesting and worrying, since I knew what was coming in about a decade and a half. There was also the chance that them having a trueborn child would mean less time for me to spend with them. For my mother, that would likely mean more freedom, but with Oberyn it might mean less time under his tutelage in the yard. Someone else that was feeling amorous was Obara. During the welcoming feast in the High Tower, she¡¯d all but dragged Benjen onto the dance floor; then left arm-in-arm with him about an hour later. This was probably for the best as, if they¡¯d acted on their feelings then and there it would¡¯ve been a diplomatic disaster; even if it would¡¯ve been amusing as fuck to see how everyone reacted. Since then, the pair had been open about how close they were, and I wondered if their closeness would be enough to stop Benjen from joining the Night¡¯s Watch. Without Jon there to ally with the Wildlings ¨C which I assumed he also did in the books ¨C then Benjen joining the Watch was a certain death sentence and the loss of a very useful ally. While that had been passing through my head since they¡¯d made it official, the morning after the feast my attention had been on Oberyn. I¡¯d been concerned that, for all his talk about his daughters being free to see who they liked, having Obara fuck Benjen might be a step too far. However, instead of being annoyed in any way he¡¯d simply smirked and told Obara that it¡¯d ¡®taken her long enough¡¯. Now there was a chance he was just keeping his feelings hidden about the relationship for Obara¡¯s sake, but since he hadn¡¯t made any subtle (or less-than-subtle) comments towards Benjen, I was beginning to think Oberyn was accepting of the relationship. Still, if this relationship was serious, and it possibly was as Westeros wasn¡¯t the place when relationships not leading to marriage were common, the ramifications could be massive. A horn blowing drew my thought back to the present, and I saw the column hadn¡¯t just stopped but that the foot soldiers with us had stopped and were fingering their weapons. A second horn blast had them starting to form up into a defensive line. ¡°Get to the carriages,¡± I turned to see Daemon riding towards me from the rear of the column. ¡°I¡¯ll guard you until we¡¯re there then head to the prince.¡± Understanding that twin horn blasts signalled danger, I coaxed my horse into a trot and followed him towards the carriages where the women and children were gathered. As he left, I had to slap down my anger at being left here while he rode off to fight. I wasn¡¯t quite seven ¨C that would be next moon ¨C and while I was outperforming boys twice my age in the training yard (or at least in the few drills I was allowed to participate in), I understood I¡¯d be nothing but a hindrance in a real fight. All my experience of combat counted for nothing currently, and wouldn¡¯t until I reached, at least, my teens. As the Martell and Hightower guards formed defensive formations around the carriages, I slid off my horse, bottling my feelings about being inactive in a fight. All I could do was join my family in the carriage and hope this was a false alarm, or nothing more than a small group of bandits not realising they were attacking a major column. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°I don¡¯t know how you managed this my dear, but I¡¯m impressed,¡± Oberyn commented as he leaned back and looked over his shoulder at his daughter. I couldn¡¯t see Obara¡¯s face given I was sitting behind my mother and Obara was several seats to my right, but I knew she was smirking as she replied. ¡°I have my ways, father. Benjen is¡­ very skilled with a lance.¡± That drew a chuckle from Oberyn even as I ignored the less than subtle innuendo and turned my attention back to where we were. In front of us ¨C and I had to stand to see what was going on ¨C was a very impressive jousting arena. While the far-side stands were made of wood that would likely be taken down after the tournament, along with the tilt barrier (a wooden fence that ran the length of the jousting arena and kept the horses from crashing into each other), the stand my family and I ¨C and others from other noble houses ¨C were being hosted in by the Tyrells were made of marble with silk cushions for us to sit on. That Benjen was taking part in a joust was, well, shocking. From what he¡¯d said, such things weren¡¯t done often in the North; being seen as a frivolous waste of time and money. Yet, here he was taking part in such an event in the Reach; the very tournament we¡¯d travelled to Highgarden for Oberyn to compete in. ¡°I¡¯m still at a loss as to why a Stark has spent the last six years in Dorne,¡± Olenna Tyrells said from somewhere to my left. Oberyn was seated next to Mace (which just sounded like a bad idea all around) with their wives on either side of them. Arianne was seated behind Oberyn with the Tyrell children ¨C running Garlan, Loras and Margery with Willas off readying himself for his match which would end the first day¡¯s events. Oberyn¡¯s opening match had taken place at the start of the day, and he¡¯d easily won by unseating a travelling knight on their second tilt. On the far side of the Tyrells to the Martell party sat the major vassals of the Reach that were linked to the Tyrells via marriage while the Hightower party was to our right. The fact that Willas Tyrell was competing in this joust ¨C which was in honour of his mother¡¯s three-and-thirtieth nameday ¨C was a source of obvious conflict between Mace, his wife and mother. Mace, who wasn¡¯t as fat as he¡¯d been in the show, though we were still a decade away from those events, had convinced his son to compete in the joust even though Willas was still a squire for Randal Tarly. Lady Olenna was clearly quite furious about her grandson competing and it was likely only because I¡¯d seen her and Mace in public that I hadn¡¯t overheard her berating her son. When I¡¯d asked Oberyn about the situation last night, he¡¯d explained that it was likely Olenna who had arranged for Willas to squire with Randal Tarly. Lord Tarly was the only one to defeat the Usurper during the Rebellion, but Mace took the credit so sending Willas to squire for Randal was a way to appease their vassal. Though Oberyn suspected that Willas competing as a squire was also against Randal¡¯s wishes, meaning Mace had likely further damaged his relationship with one of his most powerful vassals. ¡°As we¡¯ve already explained, my lady, Benjen is with us at the request of his brother, Lord Eddard Stark, to guard young Cregan,¡± my mother replied politely to Olenna. ¡°When Lord Eddard returned Dawn to us and informed us of where my brother and the other members of the Kingsguard that died with him were, he wanted to take Cregan back to Winterfell. I refused but we agreed that Benjen, if he was willing, could travel south to watch over the boy for a while.¡± While most of the Tyrells and other Reach nobility had written me off once it was explained who I was, Olenna hadn¡¯t. While I hadn¡¯t been alone with her at any point, there¡¯d been a few times since the welcoming feast where I¡¯d seen her watching me. Perhaps she felt the story my mother and Benjen supplied was false ¨C which it wasn¡¯t, just omitting certain details about Ned¡¯s visit to Starfall ¨C or perhaps she wondered about the danger to the Reach of having a Stark, even a bastard one, being close to the ruling family of Dorne. Regardless, she was more interested in me than I would have liked. ¡°Once more I must express the thanks of my house to House Dayne and House Stark for the return of my great-uncle¡¯s bones,¡± Baelor commented, which drew a nod from my mother. ¡°Yes, you, Ser Benjen and Prince Oberyn have all explained that already,¡± Olenna began, ignoring the comment by Baelor, to reply as I saw her lean her head forward to see both me and my mother, ¡°however Cregan is, if you¡¯ll forgive me, simply a bastard. He has no legal claim to Winterfell, even with his father having been the heir before Lord Eddard. For Ser Benjen to travel the length of Westeros, so soon after a war where the North fought against the Reach and Dorne,¡± She paused and shook her head. ¡°It feels off.¡± I could see mother bristle and I suspected she wanted to retort, but Olenna kept going. ¡°Now, I will grant you that, from what Ser Baelor and Maester Caddar have said about the boy, he is gifted much like young Loras, but I have to feel there is more to Lord Eddard¡¯s motives than simple familial loyalty.¡± ¡°I too admit that I have wondered about Lord Eddard¡¯s motives for sending his brother, and at the time heir, to Starfall,¡± Oberyn began, drawing Olenna¡¯s attention to him and likely saving my mother from having to defend the arrangement she¡¯d made with Ned once more. ¡°Yet, if there is more to it, either Benjen is far more politically skilled than I give him credit for, or he is unaware of his brother¡¯s motives.¡± Oberyn chuckled and looked to the far right, where Benjen was due to arrive in the arena. My uncle wasn¡¯t present yet, but the joust was due to begin soon. ¡°That said, while no match for myself, Benjen is a competent fighter; even if the Northern style he favours is not to my liking. Then again, it does hold appeal to many, does it not Obara?¡± I heard Nymeria and Tyene chuckle while I saw Arianne move a hand to cover her mouth. A faint chuckle from beyond her suggested one of the Tyrell children understood the joke, but the target of the question stayed quiet. Though I suspected she was glaring daggers at her father. I also made no reaction to the comment as, under instruction from my mother and Oberyn, I was to hide just how socially aware I was. They were fine with me showing off in a learning or martial environment but wanted to keep that I was mature for my age a secret. Obara didn¡¯t respond to the barb, though the laugh she gave sounded a touch hollow and any further conversation was cut off by a horn being sounded. All eyes around the arena turned to see the newest pair of jousters. When the name of the local knight was read out, there were a few cheers, and I recognized the house as being a fairly minor Reach one near the border with the Westerlands. However, when Benjen¡¯s name was called out, a lull fell over the crowd as everyone turned to look at the Northman. Benjen¡¯s armour wasn¡¯t as grand as Oberyn¡¯s, though that was hardly a surprise. If Benjen hadn¡¯t planned to compete until Obara convinced him recently, then the armour wouldn¡¯t have been a custom job, but instead a set bought from a local armourer that while of good quality wasn¡¯t anywhere on par with a suit designed specifically for him. Another thing that was clear was that Benjen wasn¡¯t comfortable in the armour, or with his horse. He was fidgeting around more than I¡¯d seen any other jouster move, though if it was the armour that was irritating him it would make sense. Benjen had mentioned more than once that Northern warriors didn¡¯t normally wear the full heavy armour of a southern knight. It was too heavy, bulky and tiring to do so in the colder weather of the North so most preferred to not wear full plate. ¡°Five dragons on the wolf,¡± Oberyn called out firmly as the horses and riders were led to their starting positions. Several people were helping each rider, with Daemon helping the few warriors of House Stark that had come south with Benjen all those years ago. ¡°I¡¯ll take that,¡± Mace called back. ¡°Ser Rylon is young, but any Reach knight is better than a savage.¡± I bit my tongue to avoid retorting. Thankfully any further comment from Mace was cut off by an elaborately dressed (in House Tyrell colours) man who stepped into the middle of the arena. A hush fell over the crowd as he raised a simple red flag above his head. It fell, and the crowd erupted in a roar of delight as the two horses thundered towards each other. Their riders lowered their lances to strike as the roar and anticipation of the crowd grew as the distance between them shrunk. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I closed the door to my mother¡¯s room in Highgarden ¨C one she shared with Oberyn ¨C and turned to see her sitting on their bed. Beside her sat Arianne, whose smile threatened to break her face in half, and Tyene, who seemed to be trying very hard to not stay still. ¡°You summoned me, mother?¡± Mother¡¯s smile grew to match Arianne¡¯s for a moment before she schooled her features. ¡°I did. Come, sit beside me,¡± she said, patting the bed next to her. As I approached, Tyene slid over to give me room. ¡°How is your uncle Benjen doing?¡± She asked as I sat beside her. ¡°Any complications from his joust?¡± While the questions were valid, it was clear that they were simply a way for her to ease me into whatever it was she wished to truly speak about. ¡°He¡¯s doing well. The armour held though he was sore once it was removed,¡± I replied slowly wondering just where this conversation was going to go. ¡°The armour is fine so he can use it in his next joust, though Obara was being mindful of nuncle Benjen when I left.¡± The two girls giggled at that, and the smile returned to my mother¡¯s face, though far less dominantly than before. ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be more than capable of making sure he doesn¡¯t injure himself before his next joust tomorrow.¡± She paused and glanced towards a window before continuing. ¡°I was impressed with how he unseated Rylon Dunn. From the way Lady Alerie spoke of him, Ser Rylon is considered a decent jouster in the Reach with a few minor victories under his belt. To see him unseated by a Northern lord was a surprise for many.¡± I shrugged as I responded. ¡°Perhaps that¡¯s because Reach knights care more about how shiny their armour is than learning the skills to back up their supposed ranks.¡± That drew some more laughter from the girls even as mother shook her head. ¡°Possibly, though perhaps you¡¯ll keep such opinions to yourself.¡± She looked away once more and it became clear to me that she was conflicted about discussing the true reason for her summoning me. ¡°Cregan, how do you feel about our family? I mean, the family we now have with House Martell.¡± I felt the eyes of all three females on me as I replied. ¡°Other than Prince Quentyn not being someone I get along with, meaning almost all my friends in Sunspear are girls, I¡¯m happy.¡± I suspected I could see where this was going but didn¡¯t want to jump the gun. Mother glanced at Arianne before speaking once more. ¡°Indeed.¡± Somehow, I suspected that if the princess and her cousin ¨C and my goodsister ¨C weren¡¯t present I¡¯d get a talk about how I had to be mindful of spending time around such an important young lady. I already understood the perceptions, but if people were concerned over our friendship, then they really needed better things to do with their time. Or she might want to give me another warning about my tendency to backtalk, though given the number of subtle comments used by Oberyn, his older daughters and Arianne, I¡¯m not sure why she considered it an issue. And that was saying nothing of how much I was holding back on my normal snarky nature. ¡°Do you know what our plans are once the joust is over?¡± she asked, rather abruptly changing the direction of the conversation. ¡°I was under the impression we¡¯d be heading back to Dorne, possibly via land. Father¡¯s opinions on the lords northward and eastward of the Red Mountains aren¡¯t exactly favourable,¡± I answered, letting my amusement at Oberyn¡¯s feelings about those who sided with the Usurper slide out. Going to the Westerlands, Stormlands or Crownlands was something that Oberyn wouldn¡¯t want to do; not unless it was to gain revenge for those he blamed for Princess Elia¡¯s and her children¡¯s deaths. Though doing so would engulf the continent in another war, and as things stood, Dorne was never going to be powerful enough to go against the other regions, thus it was a good thing that Oberyn was able to focus his rage instead of rushing off and doing something foolish. Mother¡¯s smile returned, though this time it wasn¡¯t as happy as before. ¡°While his opinions do make travelling north of the Red Mountains an issue, thanks to some¡­ persuasion from myself ¨C along with a constant stream of questions by the princess in private ¨C your father has been convinced that we won¡¯t be returning directly to Dorne. Instead, we will sail north to Seaguard in the Riverlands. There we¡¯ll either resupply our ship or arrange transport over the roads, but either way, we will continue northwards.¡± I was growing more excited as my mother spoke, and if Tyene¡¯s hand coming to rest on mine was an indication, doing a damn poor job of controlling that excitement. ¡°I think Cregan has an idea of what you¡¯re hinting at, Lady Ashara,¡± Tyene offered, making Arianne cough out a laugh. Mother¡¯s smile lost some of the concern it¡¯d gained when I¡¯d brought up Oberyn¡¯s issues with being outside of Dorne. ¡°I would be surprised if he hadn¡¯t, Tyene. Still, as you¡¯ve likely surmised, the plan is for us to travel into The North and visit Winterfell. Benjen has already sent a raven to Lord Eddard informing him of our plans.¡± I felt the building excitement in me surge out as I realised that I¡¯d get to see Winterfell in the flesh. While the castle in the show had been impressive, it paled when compared to Highgarden, Sunspear and even Starfall. If this Winterfell was similar to how it was described in the book, then it would be a truly massive and awe-inspiring sight. Then there was the chance to meet my cousins, Robb, Alysanne and Sansa. Perhaps Arya, but if she was around, she¡¯d be a newborn at best. There was also the chance that I could convince Oberyn to take me and a few others to the Wall. That would allow me to complete the easiest of my optional Objectives, plus allow me the chance to see it in person. The show had done a decent job with presenting the Wall, but I knew that to see it in person would be a million times more impressive. However, once I was over my initial euphoria, something occurred to me, and I looked back at my mother. ¡°What about Benjen? When we return to Dorne, will he come with us? And what about Obara?¡± Mother¡¯s smile twitched downward a touch at the corners of her lips while I saw Arianne¡¯s shoulders slump. ¡°IT is likely that your uncle will remain behind. The arrangement I reached with Lord Eddard was for Benjen to watch over you until your eighth nameday. Since I doubt we¡¯ll be staying in the North for a year, I see no logic in Benjen returning south with us only to have to turn around and head back north a few months later.¡± She paused and glanced over me towards a large balcony from which one could see one of Highgarden¡¯s many impressive rose gardens before continuing. ¡°As for Obara,¡± she paused and sighed, ¡°I cannot say. That is something they need to discuss privately.¡± ¡°Yes, mother,¡± I commented, letting her know I wouldn¡¯t bother either of them about the subject; not unless they brought it up first. With a lull in the conversation, I let my mind consider Benjen and the details of why he¡¯d come to Dorne to watch over and train me. Whenever I¡¯d asked him about it, he generally replied with the same quote (the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives) as his reasoning. I knew there was more to it, beyond what mother had just revealed about her agreement with Ned, but what exactly wasn¡¯t something I was certain of. Perhaps Ned wanted to ensure my safety on the off chance that he and his children died, but then why would Benjen ¨C the heir before Robb was born ¨C be sent so far from home? Mayhaps I could ask Ned about it once we were in Winterfell, but even if I did, I doubted my uncle would reveal his reasons to me; certainly not while I was but a boy of seven. ¡°Are you going to tell him?¡± Arianne asked, which drew me from my musings to see her smirking at my mother. While Arianne was doing a good job of controlling her excitement about whatever else was to be discussed, Tyene wasn¡¯t. I could feel the bed shift every time she moved, which was almost non-stop shuffling around as if she was ready to jump up and shout whatever she knew to the world. ¡°I was giving him time to process we¡¯d be going to Winterfell, my dear,¡± mother replied to the princess before giving me her full attention. ¡°However, since Arianne has yet to learn patience, I feel I must reveal the main reason for asking you to join us.¡± She began as I saw one of her hands gently rubbing her belly. The hand had been there since I¡¯d entered but it was only the movement that now drew my attention to it, and set off a spark in my mind about what she was about to reveal. ¡°As you know, I¡¯ve been married to Oberyn now for¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re with child?¡± I blurted out, cutting her off whatever long-winded explanation she was likely about to use. By the way her brow shot up, and both girls laughed happily at my question, I was sure I¡¯d guessed correctly. ¡°I¡­ I may well be, yes,¡± mother said once she¡¯d recovered from my interruption, and the girls had settled down. ¡°I¡¯ve missed my last moon blood, and if I miss the next in a handful of days, then it is likely I will be with child.¡± She finished slowly as her eyes searched mine for something. ¡°How¡ª are you okay with this?¡± She asked, likely taking my calm outward demeanour as a sign I wasn¡¯t comfortable with the turn of events. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°You¡¯ve been married for two years, mother. Lady Ellaria has already given birth, and I saw how much you enjoyed helping her with young Obella and Elia so you wanting one of your own isn¡¯t strange,¡± I replied, trying to make sure I didn¡¯t sound too dispassionate about the matter. ¡°Y-you¡¯re not concerned that I¡¯d be replacing you with another child; one true born between myself and Oberyn?¡± Mother asked slowly as if she wasn¡¯t sure about either the topic or the question itself. Or perhaps my apparent lack of emotional response. I shrugged in reply. ¡°Why would I be? Oberyn didn¡¯t stop seeing Ellaria once he married you, nor does he treat any of his daughters badly because they¡¯re baseborn nor look down on me for being your bastard with another man,¡± I explained slowly, feeling that I needed to detail why I was unconcerned by this development. I¡¯d been expecting this since they¡¯d married, and having been around Oberyn for two years now, felt I had a decent understanding of his personality. ¡°Plus, I¡¯ve been looking forward to a little brother or sister since you married him,¡± I added, which was true. I¡¯d (mainly) enjoyed having a younger sister in my former life so having one here wasn¡¯t something I was against. In fact, I quite liked the idea of someone to divert attention from me while I was doing things I¡¯d rather not have my mother or others know about. Though the fact I¡¯d have to teach and protect them in Westeros from all the dangers that existed in this world wasn¡¯t encouraging. It took some effort for me not to laugh at the look of shock on my mother¡¯s face, though I failed to maintain my control as first Tyene then Arianne descended into fits of giggles. ¡°Does Oberyn know?¡± I asked, drawing a line under my reaction to her reveal. ¡°Not yet, no,¡± mother replied as she slowly got over her shock at my reaction. ¡°I will tell him after the joust if I miss my second moon blood. You aren¡¯t to mention this to him until after the tourney. If his mind is distracted during the jousts, accidents can happen.¡± ¡°Yes, mother,¡± I answered, fully understanding her concerns. Any soldier worrying about their new (or soon-to-be) born child was distracted in combat, and a potential problem to their unit. While a joust wasn¡¯t pitched combat, it was still somewhere you could die if your mind wasn¡¯t on the here and now. Something that was proven as, just on the opening day of the tournament, three knights had been injured. One suffering a broken collarbone if I guessed right while another had gotten the tip of a lance jammed in their armour. Another five riders had been unseated which couldn¡¯t have been a pleasant experience. I wondered if my mother had considered any names for her child but suspected she hadn¡¯t. the infant mortality rate was high, to say nothing of the risks of miscarriages without access to modern medicine, so I doubted she¡¯d do so ¨C or allow Oberyn to do so ¨C until much closer to the birth. Still, I couldn¡¯t deny I was curious if the child would be named for a Dayne or a Martell; or if I¡¯d have a younger brother or sister to look after. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ Two nights after my mother¡¯s reveal that she was likely pregnant I was once more in her room. With us were Tyene and Nymeria and no one was anywhere close to happy this time. Almost as one, we looked towards the door as we heard it creak open to see Arianne step into the room. Mother shifted around on her bed. ¡°How is Willas?¡± she asked as only a gentle hand on her arm from Nymeria stopped her from standing. Though said hand had been there for about thirty minutes as the oldest Sand Snake present tried to keep my mother calm. Arianne sighed before taking an offered glass of wine from Tyene and sinking into a lounge sofa beside her cousin. ¡°My uncle is assisting the Maesters, though from what I¡¯ve heard, Willas isn¡¯t going to make a full recovery. Lady Olenna is¡­ understandably upset about what¡¯s happened but so far, thank the Gods, hasn¡¯t allowed Lord Mace to carry out any of the outlandish threats he shot our way after the joust.¡± Arianne paused and took a sip of the wine, seemingly savouring the fluid as it soothed her throat. ¡°Lady Olenna all but sent her son to bed without his supper for being more interested in retribution than the son he forced into the joust.¡± That brought a smile to her lips, though it was very weak. ¡°Still, I fear that this accident will place a strain on the relationship between the Reach and Dorne.¡± ¡°Th-that is not unexpected,¡± mother began slowly as one hand subconsciously rubbed her belly. ¡°If Willas had died from the fall, and with Oberyn¡¯s reputation¡­¡± her words trailed off as my mind drifted back to earlier in the day. During the quarterfinals of the joust (not that it was referred to as a semi-final but that¡¯s what it was in my mind), Oberyn had been drawn against Willas Tyrell. The boy on the cusp of manhood had ridden well, skill and a dash of luck allowing him to reach the last eight, but it was clear even before the lots for that round were drawn that he was seriously out of his league. Hells, Willas was, outside of the fan favourite ¨C likely so many could curry favour with the Tyrells, specifically Mace ¨C lucky to have drawn Oberyn. Some of the other riders had been dismissive of the young Tyrell and likely would¡¯ve enjoyed unseating the future Warden of the South. Of course, just because Willas drew Oberyn didn¡¯t mean things had gone smoothly. During the fourth tilt, with Oberyn comfortably ahead, Willas had overreached. However, from my memories, it was clear that in his eagerness to unseat Oberyn, he¡¯d unbalanced himself allowing Oberyn to unseat him. That alone would¡¯ve likely been enough to annoy Mace, but Willas¡¯ foot had caught in his stirrup, and his horse had reared back from the sudden jerked, then fallen upon the young man¡¯s legs. Oberyn had been one of the first to reach the boy, moving impressively fast for someone in that type of armour, and even with Mace shouting for his guards to arrest ¨C then execute ¨C Oberyn, the prince had helped free Willas from under his horse. Not long after, as guards approached both Oberyn and the Martell party, Olenna had assumed control and demanded that everyone return to whence they came; with our party being escorted back to our rooms. Oberyn had demanded to go with the Maesters to help, which Olenna had cautiously allowed before the rest of us were escorted, for our protection of course, to our rooms, and politely asked to remain in our wing of the castle. Sarella had been brought to join us, which was when we learnt that Obara and Benjen were with local healers. Apparently, Obara hadn¡¯t taken kindly to being escorted to her room and started a scuffle with the guards, with Benjen joining in to help her. Neither were badly hurt, but from what the guards told us, they had a few cuts and scrapes that needed to be seen to. It was at that point that Arianne, showing impressive political savvy for a young woman, had all but coerced the guards into taking her to speak with Lady Olenna. She¡¯d left with the guards, who¡¯d returned a little later on with our evening meal. Now, after what felt like several hours, she¡¯d returned. ¡°Thankfully that won¡¯t be the case,¡± Arianne replied to my mother¡¯s concern. ¡°Still, I suspect that we will be leaving Highgarden soon; several of the Reach lords and castle staff are even more distrustful of me than when we arrived. Though I am pleased to note that Ser Baelor Hightower spoke in our defence to Lord Mace.¡± ¡°Should we be concerned about Lord Mace outliving his mother?¡± Nymeria queried, drawing a shake of the head from my mother. ¡°No. I suspect that when Lady Olenna is close to death, she¡¯ll find a way to have her son step down and allow Willas, or perhaps Garlan if the injury is serious enough, to become the new Warden of the South.¡± Mother explained slowly, only to sigh and let her shoulders slump. ¡°However, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Lady Olenna holds this over Dorne for the rest of her life. And that¡¯s not considering how Willas and his siblings feel about today once they¡¯re all adults.¡± ¡°I am hopeful your assessment is right, Lady Ashara,¡± Arianne said after handing her now empty glass to Tyene for a refill. ¡°While the current¡­ king might not care about a limited war between the Reach and Dorne, I suspect Jon Arryn would work to prevent it. From what my father said when the new Hand of the King came to Sunspear, Lord Arryn wants peace to reign across the Seven Kingdoms.¡± While this talk was going on I was staying quiet. While I did have opinions on the matter, I felt it was better to stay silent. Everyone knew I was smart for my age ¨C or those twice my age ¨C but showing an understanding of politics when I¡¯d never been coached on it outside of courtly courtesies, would raise eyebrows. ¡°And when Lord Arryn is dead? Do you think The Reach might try to gain approval from the Usurper to attack Dorne?¡± Nymeria asked. Mother thought on the question for a moment, her hand continuing to rub her stomach before she replied. ¡°Possibly. However, that is something better discussed with Prince Doran once we return to Sunspear.¡± ¡°Fucking politics,¡± Nymeria muttered before standing and moving towards the balcony. ¡°Should we be cautious about Lady Olenna moving against us?¡± Tyene asked as Arianne downed the second glass. ¡°No. The Reach lords place great importance on the concepts of chivalry,¡± mother began, ¡°any move against any of our party, even his bastard daughters, while we¡¯re inside the Reach would only draw suspicion on House Tyrell. Lady Olenna is far too cautious and intelligent to make such an open and dangerous move.¡± ¡°Agreed. I suspect she¡¯ll work from the shadows once we¡¯ve left the Reach. We¡¯ll have to be on the lookout for assassins and other manners of threats once we leave the Reach,¡± Arianne paused and smirked. ¡°Well, more so than usual.¡± She handed the glass to Tyene once more. ¡°Even then, I doubt any attempt against us would take place for at least a few years. Any earlier and there will be whispers and accusations that the Tyrells were behind our untimely deaths. Any later, and the matter would reek of petty retaliation instead of valid vengeance.¡± ¡°Once we¡¯re allowed to leave our rooms, I¡¯ll offer a prayer to the Seven for Willas¡¯ speedy and healthy recovery,¡± Tyene offered, making my stomach turn slightly. ¡°Mayhaps Cregan could visit the Godswood and offer a similar prayer to the Old Gods.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no weirwood tree here,¡± I commented as everyone involved in the conversation ¨C Sarella had spent the last few hours with her head buried in books, which hadn¡¯t changed with Arianne¡¯s return ¨C looked my way. ¡°Plus, the Old Gods don¡¯t work that way.¡± ¡°Still, it wouldn¡¯t help to be seen doing so. I¡¯ll join Tyene and her sisters in praying in the Sept. Your mother can escort you to the Godswood for you to pray there.¡± Arianne stated. I agreed with a slight nod which earned me a small smile. ¡°I¡¯d suggest you all return to your rooms and try to get some sleep. Tomorrow will be a testing day and it wouldn¡¯t do for any of us to embarrass ourselves or House Martell when dealing with the¡­ resentment many will show towards us.¡± Mother stated as she stood slowly, her hand never leaving her belly. ¡°That means you as well Sarella.¡± She added towards the youngest Sand Snake, drawing a roll of the eyes from the dark-skinned girl. ¡°Yes, mother,¡± Sarella drawled back, making me smirk. While Sarella didn¡¯t care much for social niceties, preferring to read and learn instead, I¡¯d discovered she had a budding sarcastic streak which I¡¯d been doing my best to nurture. Mother sighed and glanced my way, making it clear she blamed me for Sarella¡¯s gradual evolution into a snarky monster. I merely smiled and bowed to her and Arianne before making my way toward the door. As I washed and changed for bed, I let my mind wander regarding today¡¯s events. Had Willas getting injured been something that happened in the books, or was it a result of my presence here? The Tyrells never appeared in the first book, and only Margery and Loras of the children appeared in the show. That had me once more cursing myself for not reading the books, however, there was no anger at myself over that. I¡¯d been here long enough that I¡¯d accepted, in hindsight, that I¡¯d made a mistake in not reading all the published books, but that was now outside my control. What was more relevant was how the other major players in Westeros ¨C which to my knowledge at this moment, should just be Varys, Jon Arryn and Tywin Lannister ¨C would react to hearing of today¡¯s events. In their place, or at least Varys¡¯ and Tywin¡¯s, I¡¯d try to use this to destabilize the Reach and Dorne, though those two would have very different reasons for doing so. I sighed loudly as my head hit the pillow. Hopefully, I¡¯d be able to get some sleep instead of trying to plan out how they, and others, could use today to their advantage. Or at least, it didn¡¯t keep me up all night contemplating what I could do about it as I¡¯d done the last few nights while thinking on how to use our trip to the North to my advantage. Of course, there was the chance that because of today, that trip would be delayed, which would be absolutely fucking wonderful. Not. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I woke with a start, almost falling from my bunk as the ship we were on rocked violently to one side. ¡°Wh-what?¡± I groggily asked as I gripped the side of my bunk to stabilize myself and blinked rapidly to clear my sleepiness. Sounds of shouting reached my ears, but through the thick planks of the ship, I couldn¡¯t make out what was being said. ¡°We¡¯re under attack,¡± Benjen stated as I realised that he was hastily pulling his byrnie ¨C a chainmail shirt ¨C over his head. As I slid off my bunk in shock, he pulled the coif over his head. ¡°When I leave, go to your mother¡¯s cabin and stay there.¡± He ordered as he pushed the byrnie under his belt, which he then tightened. Realising the seriousness of the situation, I picked up his scabbard and handed it to him. For a moment I wondered why he wasn¡¯t pulling out his full armour from the chest, but then I remembered what Oberyn had once told me about fighting aboard a ship. While full or half plate offered the most protection, on a moving vessel, where the risk of falling into the sea was high, having armour that was too heavy and bulky meant the chance of death actually increased with one mistake or loss of footing. I knew from my old life how difficult combat aboard a vessel was, and while assaulting a tanker to free it from terrorists was massively different from defending a cog from a pirate attack, the basic concerns about being knocked overboard were the same. Chainmail, while heavy, wasn¡¯t as restricting and you could stay afloat while still offering good protection from most close-quarters attacks. ¡°Who¡¯s attacking us?¡± I asked as he slid a helm on then took the scabbard. ¡°Not sure, but hopefully just pirates thinking we¡¯re an easy target,¡± he replied as he secured the helm in place. I turned and picked up his shield, proudly emblazoned with the wolf of House Stark. The shield was made predominantly of ironwood with soft iron edging and while heavy, was remarkably durable according to Benjen and Oberyn. He took hold of the shield but didn¡¯t secure it against his arm. I suspect that was to avoid him being knocked down if someone struck it away while the ship rocked on the waves. He moved towards the door, only to stop and pass me the dagger Oberyn had gifted me on my fifth nameday. While I hadn¡¯t done much training with it, Oberyn had insisted that I bring it with us to the Reach; something I was glad of as my hand felt the familiar contours of the grip beneath my fingers. ¡°Stay close to me,¡± Benjen demanded as he turned to the door, sword now in hand. ¡°Yes, sir,¡± I replied, silently regretting that Oberyn wasn¡¯t onboard. He, along with Obara, Sarella and about a third of the Martell guards had remained in Highgarden. Willas was recovering and didn¡¯t blame Oberyn for what¡¯d happened; even considering he would likely always need a cane to walk. That had angered Mace and Olenna, but not nearly as much as Oberyn and Willas striking up the beginnings of a possible friendship. Oberyn wanted to stay to not only nurture the friendship ¨C Willas was the likely future Warden of the South after all ¨C but to both see if he could help Willas¡¯ recovery and consult with the Maesters on a few matters. He planned to head north via ship a few weeks after us As such the ship we¡¯d boarded to head north was smaller than our transport to Oldtown, which likely made it a more inviting target for these pirates. Still, to run into them when the captain said we were only a few days north of Lannisport was surprising. We hadn¡¯t stopped in the harbour there, due to issues with House Lannister, but I¡¯d seen it as we¡¯d sailed by. All in all, it was an impressive city, though not on par with Oldtown. Benjen paused his shield hand on the door and looked down at me. I readied myself, gripping my dagger tightly, and nodded back. I¡¯d have preferred to have something other than my sleepwear, but since I didn¡¯t have any armour, it really didn¡¯t make much difference. Though as a cold breeze swept into the room as the room opened, I did wish I¡¯d at least had time to throw on some more clothes. The sounds of shouting grew louder and were joined by the clashing of steel, though thankfully the corridor was empty. Once in it, I saw that two Martell guards were watching the stairs leading to the main deck carefully. Both had their shields in front of them, with their spears resting on the top. Four more guards were standing ready outside the room my mother was sharing with Arianne. I frowned as I saw that one guard was lying on the ground between the stairs and the princess¡¯ cabin, unmoving while the eighth that should¡¯ve been in the narrow corridor was nowhere to be found. As we neared the princess¡¯ room, the creaking of wood drew my attention to the stairs. A pair of feet began to descend, however before I could see anything more than this person¡¯s legs, the guards thrust their spears forward. One spear slid off the man¡¯s greaves, but the other found paydirt just below the knee. That guard pulled his spear back, causing the descending man to lose his balance. His head struck one of the stairs loudly before he slid to the bottom. Before he could recover, the two guards thrust forward again, impaling the tips of their spears in his neck. The man slumped to the bottom of the stairs, and one guard quickly moved forward to pull his body out of the way. Neither showed any concern for the final blood-filled gargles of the dying man, as I saw him pulled to join at least four others; including the missing Martell guard. With the body cleared the guard retook his position beside and they returned to waiting. Just as we reached the four guards outside Arianne¡¯s room, the door across the hall ¨C and the cabin next to ours ¨C opened. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Nymeria asked as she came to stand in the hallway. While she was wearing a shawl over her shoulders, it was easy to see she was still dressed in just her sleepwear as her legs were exposed below the knees, as was the triangle of chest between her neck and breasts. ¡°We¡¯ve been boarded. Pirates I think,¡± Benjen replied. Nymeria tensed as he continued. ¡°Stay in your room and bar the door.¡± Nymeria¡¯s eyes narrowed as she glared at Benjen. ¡°I know you can fight, but these pirates will target you, your sister and cousin. Stay in your room and protect Tyene.¡± Benjen¡¯s words soothed some of Nymeria¡¯s fury and I was impressed he¡¯d figured out how to phrase things to get her to stay down here. Like her father, Nymeria was hot-headed and quick to fight and while I didn¡¯t doubt her skill with a dagger, in the chaos that was undoubtedly ensuing above us, her going up there was just asking for trouble. The pirates would target her simply for her gender and like Benjen I had to agree that her staying down here was the more logical approach. Nymeria continued to glare at my uncle before huffing. ¡°Fine. But if they get down here, I''m joining the fight.¡± Benjen chuckled. ¡°Fine, now stay inside and bar the door.¡± Nymeria gave him a quick nod and closed the door. That was followed by the sounds of the latch being secured even as Benjen moved towards the four guards outside Arianne¡¯s room. ¡°The boy should be with his mother,¡± Benjen said to the guard. However, none of them moved to allow us access to the door. Benjen growled, at the four before the closest guard nodded. One of the rear pair knocked on the door with the shaft of his spear. "Princess, Ser Benjen is here with Cregan,¡± the lead guard said loud enough that his voice would carry inside. A moment later I heard the latch being unlocked, followed by the door opening and mother stepping out. She rushed forward, her shawl sliding from her shoulders, and pulled me into a tight hug that caught me off-guard and almost made me drop my dagger. ¡°Cregan,¡± she whispered as I struggled to breathe. ¡°Thank you.¡± She added, presumably to Benjen as I felt her grip lessen enough that I could inhale once more. ¡°I feel better going into battle knowing he¡¯s safe,¡± Benjen replied as I tightened my grip on my dagger, using that to ignore how close I was to my mother¡¯s bosom. And, once more, how well-developed she was in that area. ¡°May the Gods, old and new, grant you strength,¡± mother offered before she guided me firmly but gently into her shared room. Once inside, she let go of me and I heard the latch once more secure the door. Though before I could look around the room I was again pulled into a hug, though this time by someone much closer to me in height. As long dark locks fell over my head, my face was pushed into their neck, letting me inhale the familiar scent of Arianne. ¡°Thank the gods you¡¯re ok,¡± she whispered as she loosened her grip. ¡°I, uh,¡± my words trailed off as I was able to move back enough to see her; or more importantly, that she was only dressed in her nightgown that, like much Dornish fashion, was very thin and revealing. She was just hitting her teens and it was becoming clear that she was going to take after her mother and blossom into a very beautiful, if short as I was almost the same height as her and five years younger, young lady. ¡°Do you know anything about who¡¯s attacking us?¡± Mother asked, drawing my attention away from Arianne. ¡°No. Benjen suspected it was pirates and I saw the guards kill one as he tried to descend the stairs,¡± I paused as I cast my mind back to that short moment and frowned. ¡°Um, I think he had a sigil on his clothing,¡± I added as I examined the memory to see if I could make it out. Sadly, with the poor lighting in the corridor and the darkness on deck, I hadn¡¯t managed to get a clear look at the sigil; though I did have a suspicion that we weren¡¯t being attacked by pirates. However, I wasn¡¯t going to voice that and increase Arianne and my mother¡¯s worry. Arianne guided me over to a table in their cabin. Since Arianne was the heir to Dorne, as expected her cabin was much larger than the others with room for five or six of us to sit around the cabin in relative comfort. As I sat, I tightened my grip on my dagger as even though the seats were as comfortable as they could be for a ship, any thoughts of relaxing were non-existent as men fought and died above us. My blood felt like it was boiling at not being out there fighting to protect my family, but the more rational side of my mind knew that, at my current age and skill level, I¡¯d be more of a hindrance than anything. A few minutes passed before shouting was heard outside the door. I saw both women tense as the sounds of steel clashing against steel, intermixed with shouts and grunts from those fighting outside, seeped into the cabin. Something crashed against the door, followed by what I just knew was someone shoulder-barging the door in an attempt to enter. I slid from my chair and moved to stand between Arianne and mother and the door. I adopted a combat stance Though if the men outside could take out six Martell guards, I doubted I¡¯d be able to slow them down. That, however, didn¡¯t mean I wasn¡¯t going to try. ¡°Argh!¡± Arianne called out as she banged into something behind me. I glanced back to see she¡¯d caught her knee on the table as she¡¯d stood, however, what drew my attention was the candle that¡¯d fallen from the table. While the flame was gone, helping the nightly shadows grow, the embers were still burning. An insane idea entered my mind as I saw this, yet to do that would mean revealing something I didn¡¯t want anyone to know about currently. A crash at the door returned my attention to it, and I saw the edge of an axe had wedged its way through the door. Not enough that anyone could reach through, but it was clear the door wouldn¡¯t survive much longer. That made my idea all I had, so I closed my eyes and reached out with my magic. The sound of the axe being pulled from the door didn¡¯t help my concentration as I focused on the dying embers of the candle. Reigniting a flame was something I¡¯d only tried recently, and while taxing, was something I could do. However, for this to work, I was going to have to push much, much further. The axe smashed back into the door, and I heard Arianne stifle a scream. That did nothing to encourage me as the embers resisted my demand that they reignite. A third smash at the door soon followed. ¡°There¡¯s a girl inside,¡± a voice called out, breaking my concentration. The malice and excitement in that voice sent shivers down my spine. I growled at the clear intent in the voice, even as I tried to reignite those embers. However, with my eyes now open and seeing more of the room, I noticed a candle on a desk near Arianne¡¯s bed. That was still lit and I felt stupid as fuck for not thinking about using one of the other, still lit, candles in the room instead of focusing on the extinguished one near me. ¡°Two of them and a brat,¡± another voice said, and I looked at the door to see the hole was now large enough that I could make out the face of one of our attackers. It was hard to determine his age, what with the bad lighting and blood on his face, but I¡¯d guess he was in his early to mid-twenties. ¡°Can¡¯t wait to sample them.¡± He added with such lust that I had to fight an urge to throw my dagger at him. The face pulled back and I saw something red flash across the gap in the door as steel clashed against steel. ¡°For Dor-urgh,¡± a voice that I knew was one of the Martell guards called out as he was killed. Before there was time to process that, the door flew open and an older, war-worn man stepped into the room. His armour was soaked red, partially covering up the sigil on his chest though my eyes were drawn to the red blade at his side. As the faint light in the room caught it and seemed to dance down the blade, I swore I knew it. However, any thoughts of racking my brain for knowledge about the blade vanished as his eyes found Ariane and he chuckled. ¡°Never had me a princess before.¡± The burning in my blood roared, and I rushed forward, hoping to catch him unawares. However, before I¡¯d barely taken two steps, I saw movement and was sent flying across the room. ¡°Cregan!¡± I heard my mother call out moments before I struck something hard, and darkness engulfed me. ¡­ ¡­ Blood of the Wolf Blood of the Wolf ... (Circa 289AC)?
? ¡°Cregan!¡± My mother¡¯s voice ran out as I wobbled in the darkness. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him, I¡¯ll make you forget all ¡®bout the boy,¡± a deep, malicious voice replied. ¡°H-How, dare you! Get off me!¡± ¡°Hmm, never had a princess before,¡± an older sounding voice murmured with a dark laugh followed by something being ripped. ¡°AAAGH!¡± a young, female voice called out. With a groan, I lifted my head as the voices swirled around me. I blinked several times as I looked at the surface of whatever I was lying upon as my vision struggled to work. I tried to focus on anything, but my head hurt. Through the pain, I remembered I was on a ship. With my mother and¡­ ¡°No!¡± My head whipped around at the cry from a familiar female voice. Agony roared through my skull at the movement, but as I saw an old, balding man in blood-soaked clothing push a young, tan-skinned girl down onto a bed, my mind began to realign. ¡°Get off me!¡± The girl, Arianne, shouted as she slapped feebly at the much larger man¡¯s well-developed shoulders. Even as she did this, the man leaned forward, with an arm sliding between her spread-out legs. One hand caught the man¡¯s face, though the man seemed to ignore it. ¡°Heh. I like ¡®em feisty.¡± He commented as he pulled his arm back. Something ripped and, in the man¡¯s clenched fist was the remains of some small, flimsy clothing. ¡°NOOO!¡± Arianne screamed as her flailing increased. ¡°Arianne!¡± Another voice, my mother¡¯s called out. My head again moved, the pain and fog still there, to see another man slap my mother hard enough she spun and fell chest-first onto the table. ¡°Shut it whore,¡± the younger man who¡¯d just slapped her said before he grabbed the back of her nightgown and ripped it down, exposing her back past her waist. Mother screamed as I pulled myself to my knees. My head was sore but deep inside I felt something roaring, demanding to be let loose. ¡°A virgin, eh? Don¡¯t worry, old Dunstan ¡®re ¡®ll fix that,¡± the old man on the other side of the room commented with a chuckle that only fuelled the raging fire inside me. My blood boiled as I forced myself to one knee, and as I braced my hands on the floor to push myself upwards, I felt something cold, hard and familiar with my right hand. Risking taking my eyes from the rapidly degenerating scene in the cabin, I glanced down and saw my dagger. Slowly, fighting against the rage inside that wanted me to surge forward, I picked up the dagger. Though from the sounds the men were making as they began their assaults on my mother and cousin, I could¡¯ve dragged the weapon across the floor, and they likely wouldn¡¯t have cared. Another muffled scream came for my mother as the man pushed her back down, then fiddled with something at his waist. That was followed by a roar of anguish from Arianne, and I turned back to see the old man Dunstan had pushed his hand back between her exposed legs. Something inside me snapped at the sight, and as the fire in my blood howled in rage, I felt no desire to contain it. As I stood and moved toward Dunstan and Arianne, I once more spotted another candle on the desk beside the bed. Like the candle I¡¯d seen before, it had been knocked over, however, the wick of this candle still burned. The fury within me locked onto the flame and I felt a connection form between them as the flame flickered higher into the air. My mind demanded the flame obey as it rose far higher than it ever should have, then forming a thin line, leapt towards Dunstan. The tip of the flame struck his cloak then shot upwards and wrapped itself around his neck even as the rope of flame on his cloak expanded outwards. ¡°Wha¡­ Argh!¡± ¡°AH!¡± The dual screams of Dunstan and Arianne meant they¡¯d seen the flames engulfing the man; something further proven as he stumbled back from the princess and reached for the fire around his neck. He hissed as they burnt his hand even as I saw the flames slide under his armour into the gambeson underneath. Arianne took the moment of freedom to crawl into the corner of her bed, pulling her covers to her as cover. I thought I saw the younger man move, perhaps drawn by the panicked shouts from Arianne and Dunstan, however, my focus was on the old man. My blood burned with a desire to make him pay for trying to hurt Arianne, to make him burn for touching what was mine. As he stumbled back, I sprung into motion. The world seemed to slow down as my blood, boiling with rage, pushed me forward. A step back was avoided and I slashed the back of his knee. An arm flailed out, but I dodged it with contemptuous ease. His arm away from his body left him exposed underneath and I pounced. With no armour there, my dagger struck the gambeson, then sunk in further as I let him fall into the blade. A groan from my target empowered my actions, and I kept pushing until the hilt of the dagger was pushing up against the gambeson. His other arm came around, swinging wildly at me, but from my location, it couldn¡¯t do anything. As our eyes met, I savoured the look of shock and realisation in his eyes that his killer was a child. The sheer, unadulterated disbelief made my blood sing. I grinned in pure unadulterated joy as I felt a slight pop, my dagger had pierced his lung or heart. Something red came flying into my vision. I pulled back though not enough to avoid whatever was coming at me, and my vision blurred for a moment before I was pushed back hard. I slammed back first into something wooden and slumped to the ground. ¡°Dad?¡± the younger man all but whispered in the strange silence that had settled. I shook my head to clear my vision, only to find my left eye was still blocked. My hand went there as I saw Dunstan slumped out on the ground, his red blade lying between us. ¡°You little shit!¡± the younger man snarled, which just stoked my fury. Ignoring my hand which was now soaked red, I leapt forward. The fire inside demanded the blade that had struck me become mine, and as my fingers closed on the grip, my eyes got their first close look at the sword. The metal in the blade seemed alive with ripples that moved as if capturing the flow of the blood it had spilt. Something at the back of my mind shouted that it knew this blade, but that voice was lost in the frenzy that was engulfing me. As my fingers touched the grip, I felt a jolt surge into me, strengthening my resolve. I pulled it towards me, surprised at how light it felt, even as I heard metal being unsheathed. I turned to see the younger man approaching, sword in one hand, axe in another. His face was twisted in rage and disbelief, but I was incapable of fear. My spirit howled for more blood for those that dared to attack my family, my pack. ¡°I¡¯m going to fucking gut you!¡± He spat at me as he raised his sword to strike down at me. Both my hands gripped the red blade as I made it to my feet, and I braced. My rage demanded that I rip him to pieces for daring to touch my mother, but I had just enough control to know that standing was the better choice. Just as his blade started to descend, something smashed into the back of his head. He stumbled, almost losing the grip on his weapons, and I moved. Even as he instinctively turned to see what had happened, I closed the distance between us. ¡°Fucking whore! I¡¯ll deal with you after killing your little brat!¡± The man snarled at my mother. My blood sang for vengeance as he backhanded my mother, sending her flying stomach-first into the table. My soul thundered in rage at him laying a hand on my mother. My blood burned with the fury of a volcano as I swung the blade forward with the grace of a baseball bat. ¡°Now, for yo¡­ argh,¡± he spat out as I drove the blade into his knee. Somewhere in my mind, I wondered why the blade had slid through his armour so easily. He was wearing some armour there, but that had done nothing to stop my blade. However, the rage fuelling my actions could only revel in his grunt of pain as I pulled the blade free. ¡°Agh!¡± He called out as fell onto the bad knee. He swung his axe wildly, ducking I stepped forward and aimed the tip of my blade at his heart. The sound of metal on metal echoed around the room for a moment before, somehow, my red blade sunk into and through his armoured chest plate. His eyes widened in shock as I pushed forward, wanting to drive the blade through his very soul. ¡°Ugh,¡± the man grunted out as the hilt of the red blade stuck against his armour. I looked into his eyes, savouring the fact this bastard would soon join his father in the darkest pits of hell. I feasted upon seeing him realise that, just like his fucking arsehole of a father, he¡¯d been bested and killed by a fucking child! ¡°L-little f-fuck,¡± he barely managed to get out as I grinned to expose my teeth. A second later I saw something to my side and started to move. However, whatever it was still hit me and I was sent falling back hard for the third time in a matter of minutes. My head slammed hard into something once more, and as my head rang in pain from the strike, objects fell around me. ¡°Cregan!¡± A voice, Arianne¡¯s, call out and a moment later I felt a set¡­ no, two sets of hands, helping to right me. A gasp came from nearby. I blinked, trying to clear my vision, but my left side was now blurred. Before there¡¯d been something dripping down into it, making it awkward to see, but now it was impeding my vision to an extent that it was hard to see clearly from my left eye. ¡°Arianne, fetch some cloth¡± Mother all but shouted which was followed by frantic footsteps on the hard wooden deck of the cabin. A hand brushed my head. I winced as it tenderly touched my left temple before brushing from the bridge of my nose to my left ear. With my right eye starting to refocus I saw my mother kneeling in front of me. Her face was dominated by fear as she continued to lightly stoke across my forehead, yet as my good eye met hers, I felt something else was wrong. ¡°M, mother. A-re, you, ok?¡± I asked slowly as it hurt to think and speak. Arianne arrived at my mother¡¯s side, naked as the day she¡¯d been born but with something bundled up in her hands. Her eyes were wide as she passed the bundle to my mother. ¡°Ari..¡± I got out before she placed a finger on my lips. ¡°Shh. I¡¯m well,¡± she cut in as a weak smile came to her face. ¡°You¡­ I¡­ You saved us.¡± I smiled back at her, doing my best to ignore the pain that caused. ¡°Always,¡± I whispered back even as her smile faltered, meaning my attempt to hide my pain failed. Suddenly my mother moved closer and I felt something cover my left eye. I slowly realised she¡¯d used whatever Arianne had given her as a bandage and was tying it over my eye and forehead. That was not a comforting thought, yet as she pulled it tight against my skin, I couldn¡¯t find the voice to complain. The surge of energy I¡¯d gotten at seeing mother and Arianne in danger was quickly fading. ¡°There, that should at least slow the bleeding,¡± my mother said before she pulled back enough that I could see her face again. The tightness against my skull was uncomfortable but was necessary to stop the bleeding. Though the fact my left eye had been all but unusable before the bandage was applied wasn¡¯t encouraging. Feeling slightly uncomfortable I shifted my gaze back to Arianne only to instantly regret it. She was still naked and either didn¡¯t realise or was so concerned about me that it didn¡¯t matter. Still, I did my best to keep my eyes on her face. Even doing that, the way her eyes looked at me made me uncomfortable and as heat built in my cheeks, I forced myself to look past her without looking at her. On the floor, I saw the bodies of the two men I¡¯d killed. The younger man was slumped over, with the red blade ¨C Red Rain my mind supplied ¨C wedged through him with the tip sticking out of his back. I suspected that the angle the blade was at, with the hilt having wedged against the corner of the wall, was the only reason he wasn¡¯t slumped on the ground like his father. Pools of blood were staining the floor under each man and, with my mind starting to clear, I replayed the fight over in my mind. The only reason I was still alive was a combination of luck, magic and my opponents'' arrogance. ¡°C-Cregan, the f-fire,¡± Arianne began slowly, almost fearfully, which drew my attention back to her deep, soulful eyes. ¡°H-ow, wh-at?¡± ¡°AARGH! A scream echoed into the room from the corridor outside, cutting off a question I¡¯d rather not have to deal with right now. ¡°Tyene,¡± I mumbled, recognizing the voice. The fire inside, which had slid into the shadows of my spirit, ignited once more. Before either woman could stop me, I was on my feet and heading for the door. I moved to Red Rain, however at the angle the man was at, it would take too much time to remove it from his body. However, his weapons were on the floor near him the sword was too cumbersome to easily use but the axe was smaller, lighter and while still large for my stature, was something I could carry. ¡°Cregan¡± my mother began as she placed a hand on my shoulder as my own hands closed around the shaft of the axe. ¡°Stay here!¡± I growled out as I picked up the weapon and slid from her grip. The axe was meant for one hand, but at my size and strength, I¡¯d be better using it in two hands. ¡°But,¡± ¡°STAY HERE!¡± I snarled as I reached the remains of the door. My body hurt with every muscle screaming in agony, but the fury in my blood was awoken once more and it demanded I keep going. That I protect my family and make those fools attacking it pay with their lives. In the corridor, I saw the bodies of the four Martells guards that had been outside the door along with five others that would¡¯ve been with Dunstan and his son while the sounds of metal clashing and men shouting reverberated through the corridor. While most looked like they¡¯d died from blows ¨C or in one guard¡¯s case, bolts ¨C to vital places, or in the case of one pirate the loss of his head, two of the Martell guards had wounds on the chest. That had to have been the work of Red Rain, as only Valyrian Steel was capable of punching through armour with ease. ¡°Get off me!¡± Nymeria¡¯s voice echoed in the almost empty corridor. My focus snapped towards her shared room even as the sounds of fighting upstairs faded away as the burning in my veins screamed at me to move. The door to her room with Tyene was open with one of the Red Rain killed Martell guards slumped down at the doorframe. I moved closer, the complaints of my muscles buried under the fury inside as, from inside the room, sounds of the girls struggling and lecherous chuckles seeped out. The axe in my hands was heavy, but I couldn''t, wouldn¡¯t drop it. I had to move. I had to attack. Near the door, my foot caught on an arm, making something scrape on the floor. I glanced down and saw the man had been wielding a crossbow that was loaded and armed. A smile that was likely rather sinister with my face covered in blood came to my face as I saw the weapon. How and why it hadn¡¯t gone off when the pirate had fallen I didn¡¯t know, but the fuck was I going to complain. Seeing better odds with the crossbow, at least for an initial attack, I lifted it, though I had to drop the axe first, and stepped through the door frame. Inside I saw both girls struggling against attackers, though Nymeria was fighting against two with one holding her arms down while the second was ripping her nightgown. As the man grabbed her breast, drawing a scream, I saw red. Before I¡¯d even realised it, the bolt flew the short distance across the room, slamming into the man¡¯s throat. He fell to one side, though with enough force to cause the other to partially lose his grip on Nymeria. The girl twisted in his weakened grip and then kicked the remaining attacker in the groin. I turned towards where Tyene was struggling against another man, who was much larger than any other I¡¯d fought tonight. He was already reacting to the death of his friend, probably having heard the bolt firing, and had spotted me at the doorframe. The rage inside wanted me to charge forward, to rip him apart with my bare hands, but just enough of my rational brain remained for me to realise the folly in that. I snarled at him as he pushed Tyene into her bunk. As he stalked towards me, I began to backpedal, wanting to get to the axe I¡¯d dropped as quickly as I could. The crossbow stayed in my hands though as something was better than nothing. ¡°Not sure where you came from?¡± he spat as he moved closer and I backpedalled to the doorframe and saw my discarded axe near my feet, ¡°but I¡¯ll fucking send you to the Drowned God before taking my time with these two.¡± Movement from Nymeria¡¯s bunk drew my attention for a split second and I saw something glint in her hand as she attacked her remaining attacker. That man was just freeing himself from his dead comrade. Another step by the big man drew my attention back to him. ¡°Fucking Dornish cunts,¡± he hissed as he brought his axe high, ready to strike down at me even as I saw Nymeria drive the metal in her hand into the neck of her remaining attacker. I dropped the crossbow and started to reach for the axe. A flash of blonde behind him caught my eye, which was followed by Tyene calling out. ¡°Get away from him!¡± The man turned. ¡°Don¡­ urgh.¡± Whatever insult he wanted to use was snuffed out as Tyene smashed something in his face. I thought I saw a wisp of green smoke before the man staggered back. ¡°You lit-tle, bi¡­¡± the man groaned, stumbling forward. The axe slipped from his grip as both hands reached toward Tyene. Tyene¡¯s eyes widened with fear as she stumbled back, and I moved. In my haste, I hadn¡¯t managed to grab my axe, but the large man had dropped his axe when whatever it was that Tyene threw smashed into his face. I gripped his axe then, just as the man reached Tyene ¨C who was scrambling into the far corner of her bunk ¨C and swung the head of the axe at the back of the man¡¯s knees. ¡°Mine!¡± I roared as his balance failed. The edge of the axe found its mark, taking out his balance. His chest plate smacked off the edge of the bunk as his momentum carried him forward before he fell onto his side. His face was coated in a green liquid, with blood seeping from his mouth and eyes. ¡°Bitc¡­¡± whatever he planned to say was cut off as, with a roar, I lifted the axe high above my head, then drove the blade of the weapon down into his throat with all my remaining strength. Cartilage crunched as the axe wedged itself in his throat. I stumbled back, my strength and energy exhausted, and fell to the floor. Tyene blinked several times as she stared at the axe before looking at me. ¡°C-Cregan¡­ How?¡± she mumbled out as she seemed to be trying to piece together what¡¯d happened. ¡°Mine,¡± I whispered so quietly that I barely heard myself. Anything else I might¡¯ve wanted to say was lost as the sweet, tender embrace of nothingness engulfed me. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I groaned as my mind started to refocus. Quickly, images, sounds, then the full memory of the last thing I remembered came to me. Watching my mother and Arianne being attacked then fighting and killing to protect them, Tyene and Nymeria. Even with my eyes closed, I was able to review everything that¡¯d happened and wondered why I¡¯d been so¡­ enraged. I understood I was still physically young, so I¡¯d be more prone to emotional reactions, but my behaviour during those two short but intense fights was not me. It was almost as if something had come over me and clouded my mind with a fury that I had never before possessed. I put that concern to one side, I needed to open my eyes and see where I was. I wasn¡¯t on the cold, hard deck of the ship as whatever was under me was soft; I also felt none of the movement I would on a ship so I wasn¡¯t on the water any longer. It hurt to take a deep breath and when my eyes opened, I was greeted with darkness. Not the kind that you¡¯d experience at night as even when there was no moon overhead you could still make out things. Here, there was nothing but a hazy, indeterminate blackness. I tried to lift a hand to my face, hoping to clear whatever was interfering with my vision only to discover both my arms were being held in place. The bindings were soft against my wrists, so I wasn¡¯t in a cell, but I was still restrained. I felt that burning inside come back as I started to struggle against my bonds; something that grew worse as something pressed against my chest. ¡°Cregan,¡± the voice of my mother calmed my growing rage in an instant as if a storm had broken and tranquillity had returned to the ocean. I realised the push against me was gentle. Her voice sounded fine, though I sensed concern and fear in her tone. ¡°My lady,¡± an unknown male voice said slowly, ¡°I must ask you to stay back. The boy is likely weak and disoriented from his ordeal.¡± The pressure on my chest, which I suspected was from my mother¡¯s hands, withdrew. I heard a shuffling sound accompanied by the familiar jangle of a Maester¡¯s chain before a hand slid behind my head and lifted my lips to something cold. ¡°Drink,¡± the male voice of what I believed was a Maester said. Something wet slipped into my mouth. I cringed at the stinging sensation of the water, yet I wanted to gulp it down as a massive thirst surged through me. As I tried to gulp the water, the cup was pulled back. ¡°Easy there, boy. Slow, small sips.¡± The cup returned to my lips. The desire to gulp was still there, but I understood and obeyed the instruction. After what felt like a minute the cup was pulled back and after licking my lips, I spoke. ¡°Wh, wher,¡± even with the water I¡¯d just drunk, my voice was hoarse and my throat sore from trying to get out just a single word. ¡°We¡¯re in the Banefort,¡± my mother replied, having understood what I was trying to ask. ¡°Lord Quenten has placed us under his protection while Maester Warrek has been tending to you over the last six days.¡± ¡°Si-x?¡± I managed to croak out as I tried to process that it¡¯d been at least a week since the battle. At the same time, I pulled to mind where the Banefort was. It was a minor holding on in the Westerlands that was the closest point on the mainland to the Iron Islands. That fact confirmed with what I knew of the wielder ¨C well former wielder ¨C of Red Rain, confirmed what I¡¯d realised during the lull in the fighting that we¡¯d been attacked by the Ironborn. I suddenly wondered if this meant I¡¯d stumbled upon, and barely survived the Greyjoy Rebellion. That had happened about a decade before the books started, which would be around now. ¡°The ship carrying you and your family arrived in harbour six days ago,¡± Maester Warrek explained. ¡°Or what was left of it. From what I know, your escorts were captured or sunk by the Ironbron fleet you encountered, though yours was able to slip away in the night after they cleared the attackers. After that, you were placed in my care. However, you didn¡¯t arrive here until the day after the battle.¡± He paused as I reflected on the fact that I¡¯d been unconscious for a week. I didn''t think I''d been that badly injured, so why had it taken this long for me to wake? ¡°Lord Quenten owes you and Ser Benjen a debt of thanks. Without your warning, the killing of Lord Drumm and his son, and the delay it caused the Ironborn to engage your small fleet, the Westerlands would¡¯ve been unprepared for the Ironborn¡¯s act of rebellion. Lord Tywin Lannister managed to prevent the complete burning of the fleet thanks to a raven from Lord Quenten.¡± I groaned as my head lowered back to the pillow. Hearing we had been caught in the beginnings of the rebellion had been expected (if only by about a minute) but to hear that because we''d been caught in a battle, Tywin fucking Lannister had managed to save some of his naval might was a gutshot. That man was beyond dangerous, and my actions had helped him save part of his fleet. Now, I didn¡¯t know if this was how events had played out in canon, but I was pretty sure he''d lost the entire fleet during the Ironborn attack. Hopefully, this little ripple wouldn¡¯t affect too much of the rebellion timeline. Though if Theon was killed instead of being taken as a ward of House Stark I wouldn¡¯t complain. Little shit deserved almost everything that happened to him for betraying someone he''d sworn to be like a brother to. I racked my mind for anything I could on the rebellion from either the show or the single book I¡¯d read but came up with nothing of any use. From there, my thoughts turned to the other ships in our fleet. We¡¯d left Dorne with six escort ships, with a further four staying in the Reach with several lords and knights that had come to compete in the tourney at Highgarden and had chosen to stay with Oberyn for his protection. My thoughts turned to two of Arianne¡¯s handmaidens - Eyme Wells and Serylla, an orphan of the Greenblood - and the four nobles that I knew were on those ships; Jarden Garlagen (second son of Lord Tremond), Ser Ulwyck Uller (brother of Lord Harman), Ser Ario (a freedman from Essos) and Ser Corrad Allyrion (Dameon Sand¡¯s uncle). The men were likely dead, along with others who I¡¯d never met or learnt the names of. As for the handmaidens and any other female¡­ I shuddered to think what was happening to them if they hadn¡¯t died on their ships. Those deaths, along with the attack on Arianne and the unknown, to me, fates of Lord Quentyn Qorgyle and Ser Myles Manwoody - who had both been on board our ship - would send Dorne into a collective rage. There was no way in the seven hells that an army of Dorne wouldn¡¯t come to join this war. To say nothing of how apoplectic Oberyn was going to be once he heard what had happened. I was drawn from my thoughts as a door creaked open. ¡°Cregan?¡± My mother asked with noticeable concern. ¡°The boy is likely just tired, my lady,¡± Warrek said as I finally noticed that even with my eyesight blocked the Interface was still working. The small, blinking blue light that signified it had something to tell me was there in the bottom right of my vision. My Stamina and Mana bars were both at three quarters, which was something I¡¯d noted when I¡¯d woken up, but in my confusion, or before my eyes had adjusted to the blurry darkness I was seeing, I¡¯d failed to notice a faint orange line seemingly blocking them from filling fully. ¡°Mayhaps it would be best if you informed Ser Benjen and Princess Arianne of his awakening. They, and the others in your party, would likely be most grateful to hear of it.¡± ¡°Right, yes,¡± mother said before a stool scraped on the stone floor. ¡°I¡¯ll go get them.¡± There was a pause before a door creaked open. ¡°Maester Warrek, Thank you. I¡­ I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d have done if I¡¯d lost both children to this¡­ attack.¡± I frowned at hearing this and felt the rage from before begin to bubble. The Ironborn attack had taken her unborn child from her, my sibling from me? They¡¯d pay dearly for this. Whatever it took, however long I had to wait to get my revenge, I¡¯d make sure they paid for this. ¡°It was nothing, Lady Ashara. Even when we ignore your son¡¯s impressive feats in helping your party survive and warn us, it is my duty to care for the sick and injured.¡± Warrek sighed. ¡°Still, I shudder to think how terrible the attack on Lannisport could¡¯ve been if not for your timely warning.¡± ¡°Yes, it could have been much worse,¡± mother replied, though there was a hint of regret or anger buried in her tone. A moment later I heard the door creak closed. That was followed by hands coming to my forehead, then moving carefully round to my ears. ¡°Before your mother returns with the Princess and others, I think it would be best to check your wounds and change the bandage,¡± Warrek commented as he pulled his hands back then, judging by the slight creak coming from his direction, stood. ¡°I¡¯ll need you to keep calm and if anything hurts at any point tell me immediately.¡± ¡°O-k,¡± I managed to get out through my still painfully hoarse throat. His hands returned, though this time on my legs then my stomach, chest, and arms. Apart from some mild discomfort from my ribs ¨C which he informed me were cracked but healing well ¨C nothing felt out of place. ¡°Well, apart from your head everything is either healed or almost there,¡± he commented as his hands pulled back. ¡°Now, just wait there. I need to get some clean supplies before I examine your head.¡± I listened to the jangle of his chain as he walked away, and once I was sure he was far enough that I had a few moments, I opened the Interface and grimaced at what it told me.
Bloodline Perk Unlocked! The Wolfs-blood Like many a Stark before you, the blood of the direwolf flows strongly through your veins. That makes you very aggressive and protective of those you consider your ¡®pack¡¯ and gives you a singular focus for your anger when they are threatened. When the wolfs-blood sings, you gain considerable boosts, however until you learn to control the blood, you cannot engage or disengage the perk intentionally. You can fight for longer with greater ferocity and gain increased control over your magic, particularly any strengths you gain from your familiars. However, this comes at the cost of greater drains on your Mana and Stamina which, if left uncontrolled, can result in you suffering depletion of one or both. This can result in temporary reductions in your ability to channel magic, a lack of energy for hours or days afterwards, or in the most severe cases, the loss of consciousness for days at a time. ... In more mechanical terms, while this perk is active, you can shrug off a percentage of damage taken, gain boosts in experience increases when using magic and any magic costs less mana to empower. Your Mana and Stamina will drain fifteen to twenty per cent faster though you¡¯ll be able to use your Stamina for magic if your Mana reserves are depleted. ... MAGICAL INCREASE! Fire Magic has increased to level 17. ... Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. WARNING! STAMINA DEPLETION! Due to you overexerting yourself while the Bloodline Perk Wolfs-blood was active, you depleted your Stamina and lost consciousness. Under normal circumstances this will result in your losing consciousness for up to half a day, however, if combined with Mana Depletion and/or the Wolfs-blood perk being active, the time unconscious can increase dramatically. In most situations, a loss of Stamina isn¡¯t life-threatening, however, while unconscious you are defenceless and must rely on others to keep you safe. Also, for a period of up to three days, you will suffer limits on your Stamina regeneration and capacity. This period of physical exhaustion can be decreased with time and practice, however, how you go about that is something you¡¯ll have to discover for yourself. If this occurs concurrently with Mana Depletion this restriction period is quadrupled. ... WARNING! MANA DEPLETION! Due to overexerting your magical capacity, you¡¯ve depleted your internal mana reserves. Because of this, you¡¯ll suffer decreased rates of Mana regeneration, maximum mana and experience towards Magic for five days. This period of magical exhaustion can be decreased with time and practice, however, how you go about that is something you¡¯ll have to discover for yourself. In addition, if suffered concurrently with Stamina Depletion, the time limit to return your magical capacity to normal is tripled. ... Status Effects Active: Stamina Restriction: Time Remaining: 104:37:32 Mana Restriction: Time Remaining: 174:37:32 ... WARNING! INJURIES DETECTED! You are currently suffering from various injuries. The severity and location of an injury may carry penalties from what skills you can learn or use to your Stamina and Mana potential. Permanent injuries are beyond the ability of Planetos medical science to heal, however, with sufficient mana and practice, it may be possible to heal them. ... Current Injuries: Cracked Ribs: 654:37:42 Swollen Forehead: 11:37:42 Facial Scar: PERMANENT ... That was both worse than I¡¯d feared and not nearly as bad as it could¡¯ve been. That I¡¯d been unconscious for so long would¡¯ve done nothing for my mother¡¯s concern, so me waking now explained her relief. While the Stamina and Mana depletions explained why I¡¯d been unconscious for about a week and the thin orange lines over their respective bars. Seeing the Interface confirm I was injured was both unnerving and reassuring since I knew I wouldn¡¯t suffer any permanent effects from the battle. Well, bar a scar that, if I had to guess, was going to be over or near my left eye. I¡¯d been hit there twice in the fight with the Drumms, so having a scar from it wasn¡¯t unexpected. Hells, it might even make for a nice conversation starter with people if it didn¡¯t intimidate them (once I was older, larger and far, far better trained). The time remaining on the Mana and Stamina restrictions and the injuries were helpful to know both how long ago the battle had been and when I¡¯d be back at full strength. Though now that I knew exhaustion of my stamina and magic had ill effects, I¡¯d have to be more cautious about how and when I taxed them. Yet, as I re-read the notice about Mana depletion I wondered why it was talking about internal mana. That hinted that it was possible to create external sources of mana to draw on. While insanely beyond what I could currently do with my magic, it was something to research and ponder; especially as I was likely confined to this bed for a few weeks at least. As for the Bloodline Perk¡ª That was semi-expected in retrospect, incredibly powerful once controlled but downright dangerous until I did gain control. The anger that had powered me through the fight had been boosted by the perk, far beyond anything I¡¯d ever felt before. Adrenaline made you faster and braver in a fight, but Wolfs-blood was on another level entirely. I¡¯d been almost insane with rage when my mother and Arianne had been attacked ¨C and a part of me cringed at how they''d be doing after almost being raped ¨C and it¡¯d only calmed once they were safe. Well, until I¡¯d realised that Tyene and Nymeria had also been in danger. Looking back on the fight with an understanding of why I¡¯d felt that fury, and how it had empowered me, I could see that even with the perk granting me its insane boosts I¡¯d been very fucking lucky to survive, never mind win. The singular focus of the blood rage was a two-edged weapon. It¡¯d ¨C and would in the future I was sure ¨C make me far more dangerous in a fight than I had a right to be, but it also left me distracted by almost everything happening around me. Though I suspected that the fact my wolfsblood allowed me to ignore pain and injury was the only reason I¡¯d managed to keep going long enough to save Tyene and Nymeria. The jingle of Warrek¡¯s chain as he started back from wherever he¡¯d gone in the room had me dismissing the notices. I could ponder on them further later. For now, I knew it was safer to focus on Warrek as he treated my head injury. I felt something come to rest next to my left arm then heard something wooden being dragged for a moment on a stone floor. ¡°Now, let¡¯s see if the swelling has gone down any further,¡± Warrek muttered before his hands lifted my head, then fiddled with something at the back. A moment later the pressure of the bandage eased, which soon spread as I realised he was unwrapping the bandage. ¡°I¡¯m going to move the bandage from your eyes, but keep them closed,¡± Warrek commented once my vision was brighter but still blurred letting me know he wasn¡¯t removing it entirely as I¡¯d thought. ¡°Y-yes, s-sir,¡± I croaked, earning me what sounded like a good-natured harrumph from him. Light seeped into my eyes even with my eyelids closed and I grimaced. That expression grew more prevalent when I felt a gentle poke against my head just above my left eye, which sent a jolt of pain to my mind. ¡°Hmm. The swelling has decreased enough and it looks like you shouldn¡¯t lose the eye.¡± He instructed and I did as he said as I felt his fingers gently touch my forehead. ¡°Now, I¡¯m going to fully remove the bandage and apply a new one, though I¡¯ll make sure to not cover your right eye. However, if at any point you feel pain, I want you to tell me immediately let me know. Am I clear?¡± ¡°Y-yes, sir.¡± I croaked once more, earning me a smile. ¡°If only all my patients were as obedient as you,¡± he muttered. I heard him fiddling with something on my bed by my left side then, a moment later my head was once more lifted, and I felt his hands against my hair. A short while later the pressure was back against my skull. This was followed by gentle prodding around my still eyes before something was lain gently over my left eye; which, from what I felt, was in more pain than my right. ¡°Good. Now, I want you to open your right eye. Slowly though. It¡¯s been a few days and you¡¯ll need time to readjust to even the light from this overcast morning.¡± Slowly I opened my eye. The first rays of light made me wince, but I kept going until the eye was fully open. I blinked to help my eye not only adjust to the light but remoisturize as the blurry image of Maester Warrek came into focus. He was old, perhaps in his fifties, with a long but trimmed beard and the standard chain of a Maester around his neck. He smiled as I focused on him before leaning closer and moving my eyelids around. ¡°Good. Good. While I admit that I, like many Maesters, don¡¯t understand all the workings of the eye, everything appears normal.¡± The gentle pressure of my left eye shifted when his hand went toward it. ¡°Now, I¡¯m going to place another bandage around your other eye. The bruising has receded, but I¡¯d like to wait for at least half a moon before allowing you to use it.¡± I nodded in understanding before he leaned closer, lifted my head and the gentle pressure increased as he tied a second bandage over the eye. To others, I likely looked far worse than I was, but I understood and agreed with his caution. After securing this bandage, he pulled back and smiled once more. ¡°Normally I¡¯d warn you about how your ability to see distances would be affected, but given you¡¯ll likely be staying in this bed longer than the bandage will be staying over your eye, I suspect the warning would be moot.¡± He chuckled to himself before he stood. ¡°That said, you¡¯ll need to be careful when reaching for anything.¡± ¡°O-ok.¡± It was getting easier to talk, but I knew it would be a while still before I¡¯d be able to speak more than a few syllables at a time. Plus, while I owed the Maester for healing me, he worked for a lord loyal to Tywin Lannister. I was going to have to play dumb while we were in the Banefort to avoid anything being said to Lord Tywin. Well, anything more as there was a decent chance that I¡¯d been mentioned in a raven to the Warden of the West. ¡°Good. Now follow my finger as best you can,¡± he said before raising his index finger. I kept my gaze on it as he moved it around slowly, and when he finished his smile grew. ¡°Good, good. There doesn¡¯t appear to be any damage to that eye. Still, if you feel dizzy or things appear blurry, close it and inform whoever is watching over you.¡± I nodded my understanding as I licked my lips for what felt like the fiftieth time since I¡¯d awoken. He opened his eyes to say something, only to pause and shake his head. ¡°It¡¯s been some time since I¡¯ve seen such vibrant purple eyes, but the inner grey is, as far as I know of, rather unique,¡± he commented with a chuckle. ¡°I¡¯ve met someone with differing eye colours, and heard of others over in Essos, but never in all my studies have I heard of someone with two distinct colours within a single eye.¡± He shook his head in amusement. ¡°Combined with the scar you¡¯ll no doubt gain from your head wound and I¡¯d wager women will be drawn to you. That is if a certain princess allows them to get close.¡± He leaned closer as his smile grew. ¡°I do believe she is quite enamoured with you after your actions in saving her life.¡± With that, he stood and then collected the pan that was beside me on the bed. I watched as he shuffled to the far side of the room, towards a table that had several books and other objects upon it. Behind the table and chair on its far side was a bookshelf. While it was hard to make out exactly what was there, I could determine there were at least a dozen glass jars. I wasn¡¯t entirely certain, but I suspected that this might be a medical treatment room in the Banefort and wondered how comfortable this Lord Quenten was with having a bastard treated in a bed that members of his family had likely lain upon. Though with Arianne and Benjen representing two of Westeros¡¯ Great Houses and very likely having insisted, and the warning about an Ironborn attack on Lannisport having been proven true, the Lord had probably relented. Of course, there was also the chance he¡¯d done so to avoid angering Tywin Lannister. While the Lannisters weren¡¯t close to either the Starks or the Martells, Lord Quenten behaving badly would reflect on Tywin, which if this version was anything like the show version, would¡¯ve caused Lord Quenten trouble he¡¯d want to avoid. Thinking about my uncle and cousin had me wondering how they were. Had Benjen suffered his own injuries from the Ironborn attack? And how were Arianne, Tyene and Nymeria handling the aftereffects of almost being raped? For a brief moment I wondered why we¡¯d not sailed on to Seaguard in the Riverlands as planned, but it had likely been due to our ship being damaged and myself and others being injured. Coming to the Westerlands would¡¯ve caused further issues for Arianne, but I felt she¡¯d be able to deal with that one at least with my mother around to help. Provided that my mother could have been persuaded to leave my side for long enough to help the princess and my uncle with Lord Quenten. Before I could continue my thoughts on that matter, or let it drift to the horrors that would''ve happened to my mother and the others if I¡¯d failed, the door to Warrek¡¯s room flew open so quickly it sounded as if it groaned in protest. ¡°Cregan!¡± Arianne called out, catching me off-guard as she was usually much more careful about her behaviour around others. A moment later I groaned slightly as she all but leapt onto my bed, then slid her arms under my armpits then around the back of my neck before she pressed herself up against my cracked ribs. ¡°Princess!¡± ¡°Arianne!¡± The twin calls by my mother and Warrek were ignored as she placed her head against my chest. It took me a moment to recover from the shock of her actions ¨C and the spike of pain from my ribs ¨C before I could even try to recover. ¡°I, I thought¡­¡± she whispered as she pushed her head harder against my chest. ¡°A-air,¡± I managed to whimper out as I felt her sob. My voice seemed to break the spell she was under as she snapped back as if someone had slapped her. That sent another jolt of pain through me as my ribs protested. Once that was passed, I realised just how close she was as, for a moment, I got lost in her eyes. I opened my mouth to ask her to back off as my ribs were still hurting. A glint on her arm drew my eyes and I saw the coiled snake wristband ¨C that she¡¯d given me for my fifth nameday ¨C on her forearm. I wasn¡¯t sure why she was wearing it, beyond it being a link between us, but I was glad to see it was safe. ¡°Arianne!¡± Mother called out for the second time in about half a minute though my focus was on Arianne; or more specifically her lips which had been jammed against mine. There was a faint hint of strawberry on her breath as she kissed me hard even as her hand on my forehead slid into my hair. Before I could fully process that was she kissing me, she pulled back. Her cheeks had darkened, and her eyes were wide while a faint smile slid onto her lips. I could understand why she¡¯d reacted as she had, I had after all saved her from a horrible fate, but I was still in shock that she¡¯d not only kissed me but done so publicly. I pushed aside any thoughts about how attractive she was becoming as she slid into her teens or wondering if she¡¯d end up looking like her mother in a few more years, to concentrate on where we were. ¡°Thank you,¡± she whispered breathlessly. I wouldn¡¯t deny that hearing her breathless after a quick kiss was a good shot for my ego, but that was another thing I wasn¡¯t going to dwell on. I felt the muscles in my face complain as I smiled back at her. ¡°W-wel, c-ome,¡± I stuttered out. A moment later she slid back, easing the pressure on my stomach, though she made no move to stand even as my mother came around to the other side of the bed and glared at her. ¡°Princess, I can understand your¡­ relief that my son is alive and that you wish to express your, gratitude for his actions in saving us, but might I remind you that you¡¯re the Heir to the principality of Dorne and that my son is only 7 namedays old,¡± mother said with far more diplomacy than I¡¯d expected from her face. If looks could kill Arianne may well have died on the spot, and that anger was clear in her tone. Arianne looked over at my mother, and while I saw her tense for a second at the glare mother was giving her, she didn¡¯t move. Instead, she smiled at her. ¡°I understand your concern aunt Ashara, and your issue regarding decorum, however, I owe Cregan more than I can ever repay.¡± She paused and turned back to look at me. ¡°I owe much to the¡­ fire you showed to save me and your mother.¡± She said slowly, stressing the word ¡®fire¡¯. That meant she suspected I¡¯d had something to do with that, however, she knew that discussing it now was impossible. Though the glint in her eyes made it clear I wouldn¡¯t be able to put that conversation off forever. She slid from the bed at that point and lightly patted down her dress, which I finally noticed wasn¡¯t one of her usual ones. This one was thicker and more in keeping with styles I¡¯d seen in the Reach suggesting it was borrowed from someone in the castle or hastily created by a nearby tailor. ¡°Still, I do apologise for my¡­ lapse in judgement. I didn¡¯t mean to besmirch your son¡¯s honour, at least not as he is currently.¡± She added with a smirk. I pushed aside all thoughts of what that was implying, mainly as I wasn¡¯t able to see if she meant it. I¡¯d moved past my earlier issues with becoming involved with someone my physical age over the last few years, though I was still uncertain about starting something before I was in my mid-to-late teens. But if another initiated things, I doubted I¡¯d be against having some fun with them. Mother held Arianne¡¯s gaze for a long second then sighed loudly. ¡°Very well. However, once we return to Sunspear I will mention this to your parents.¡± That made Arianne freeze up for a moment which drew a laugh from someone behind my mother who I couldn¡¯t currently see. ¡°That¡¯s cruel,¡± a familiar voice said and a moment later a tall, lithe female slid past my mother. ¡°Though it¡¯s not the worst thing you could tell her father.¡± From behind my mother emerged Nymeria, a smirk on her face, followed closely by Tyene with Benjen bringing up the rear. Nymeria and Benjen both smiled at me though Tyene seemed to avoid meeting my gaze. ¡°I think it would be best if those stories are kept to yourself,¡± mother commented with a slight glare towards Nymeria, which only made the girl¡¯s smirk grow. ¡°Mayhaps it would be best if I gave you some space,¡± Warrek offered at the increased number of people in the room. While it could easily handle everyone, the Maester was the odd one out; even if it was his room or at least one he used semi-regularly. ¡°I¡­ thank you Maester Warrek. And I¡¯m sorry for the inconvenience,¡± mother replied. Warrek waved his hand in dismissal. ¡°There is no need to fret, Lady Ashara. Your son is very much the hero of the hour. Plus, this is a family affair, and I would be able to take this time to carry out other duties I have for my lord knowing my patient is in safe hands.¡± Warrek explained before he moved towards the door. ¡°However, I will return soon to make sure you don¡¯t wear out the boy.¡± ¡°I think Arianne¡¯s the one most at risk of doing that,¡± Nymeria commented, getting a chuckle from Benjen and Warrek, though the latter was less enthusiastic. Likely due to how open the Dornish were with such comments from a young age. The Maester did not comment as he slipped out of the room, though mother did glare at Nymeria once again. Arianne, who had spent the short conversation continuing to run her fingers up and down my forearm, seemed undisturbed by her cousin¡¯s jest. Though before my mind could dwell on that, my mother came closer and placed her hand on my leg just below the knee. ¡°Cregan,¡± she began slowly. ¡°What do you remember about the fight aboard the Sunchaser?¡± She asked slowly. The jovial mood at seeing me awake fell away and several people shared glances before looking at me. Generally, their expressions were neutral though Tyene seemed fearful while Arianne looked seemingly unconcerned. ¡°Particularly about the moments before you attacked and killed Dunstan Drumm?¡± While her tone was soft, I thought I heard a whisper of concern. Wanting to gather my thoughts before I considered answering, I shifted my gaze to the others, carefully examining them. Benjen seemed strangely relaxed about what my mother was subtly asking about. Arianne¡­ if the issue was even concerning her, she was hiding it brilliantly. Her gaze never left me and there was no hint of distrust or even curiosity. Yet, it felt as though there was something behind the caring gaze she was laying upon me and I wondered again how she was handling what had happened ¨C and almost happened ¨C to her. Nymeria was trying to stay as relaxed as Benjen, keeping a smirk on her face as she watched Arianne. However, like her cousin, I wondered how much of that was just putting on a brave face for my sake. On the other hand, Tyene wasn¡¯t hiding any of her nervousness, though given that she wouldn¡¯t meet my gaze, I wondered if the idea that I¡¯d used magic was causing her issues due to her faith. Though in the corners of her eyes I thought I saw the same affection directed at me as I saw from Arianne. I inhaled as I returned my gaze to my mother and considered my options. I could reveal my magic to them here and now, but that carried a risk that someone might overhear us. I was in no shape to defend myself from accusations from the local Septon or Septa. Yet if I denied it outright to them now, it would cause friction between us which could ignite if they later learnt I could do magic. Now, I might be able to spin it that I was young and scared, but I felt that wasn¡¯t the way to go. On Warrek¡¯s table, there was a lit candle next to the bowl he¡¯d used for cleaning my wound and changing my bandage. I considered making the flame dance but decided against it. The risks of revealing everything here and now were far greater than the rewards of having a group I trusted implicitly know that I could use magic. ¡°L, itt, le,¡± I replied slowly, suddenly glad that it hurt me to talk more than a single syllable at a time. Arianne¡¯s brow creased as I spoke, though that might just be because I sounded more like a ninety-year-old man than my non-answer. ¡°We should table this for later, my lady,¡± Benjen said slowly, drawing mother¡¯s attention to him. ¡°Cregan has only just woken and has issues talking. Then there¡¯s the fact we¡¯re not in Sunspear or Winterfell¡­¡± he let his trail off, but the warning was easy to pick out. ¡°Yes, yes, you¡¯re right,¡± mother agreed before sighing and shaking her head. ¡°I know you want answers Tyene,¡± she added as she saw something in the blonde girl¡¯s expression, ¡°we all do. However, I won¡¯t let anyone push Cregan to talk until he¡¯s ready to and we¡¯re somewhere¡­ more comfortable.¡± Tyene nodded slowly then glanced my way. Her eyes finally met mine and I swore I saw concern and care in them; though that might just have been because her face was awash with conflicting emotions. While I liked Tyene, her devotion to the Seven had always been an issue. According to the¡­ fools who led the religion and sprouted its ¡®wisdom¡¯, magic was the domain of the Lord of the Seven Hells and whoever used such powers was a servant of that great evil. Fucking morons were in for a shock when the Others came south and the other threats I¡¯d sensed in my ¡®dream¡¯ became active. ¡°We understand mother,¡± Nymeria began making it clear how serious she was as she referred to Ashara as ¡®mother¡¯. ¡°And we¡¯re willing to wait until our little saviour is healed and we¡¯re somewhere more controlled to return to this conversation.¡± Nymeria¡¯s eyes locked onto mine as she called me her saviour and I was glad I hadn¡¯t hit puberty yet. ¡°I think we should wait until my husband is with us before we return to the topic,¡± my mother suggested slowly before looking back at me. ¡°Oberyn is aware of everything that has happened and has relayed all information to Prince Doran. I suspect King,¡± she grimaced, ¡°Robert will call the banners to strike back at the Ironborn as they¡¯ve attacked at least three kingdoms. If so, a force from Dorne will be sent, as justice demands, and Oberyn will ride with the Reach forces to wherever the King,¡± again there was a slight grimace, ¡°assembles the army.¡± ¡°Wh, at, fun,¡± I muttered, making Nymeria and Arianne giggle. Tyene smiled as did Benjen though my mother glared at me. ¡°I suspect my brother will also join the King¡¯s forces,¡± Benjen offered. ¡°That¡­ is something we should discuss privately,¡± mother said slowly. ¡°For now, we need to ensure Cregan stays cared for and is given time to heal. ¡°Unless a request for him to move comes from Prince Doran, my brother or the King himself, I will do my utmost to ensure he doesn¡¯t leave his bed or this keep, my lady,¡± Benjen offered, puffing out his chest a little. ¡°He may be a bastard, but the blood of the wolf flows strong in his veins.¡± Nymeria¡¯s smirk grew wider at that, though she stayed quiet as mother moved closer to me, having slid round to the far side of the bed since Arianne was unwilling to move from her perch. ¡°I¡¯m sure you have many questions about what¡¯s happened, just as we have many for you. However, I don¡¯t want you pushing yourself to speak until Maester Warrek says you are free to do so.¡± She leaned close and, after brushing some hair off my forehead, kissed a spot where the bandage didn¡¯t cover it. ¡°I thank the Gods, old and new, that you are still with me.¡± He pulled back and looked at everyone else in the room. ¡°It would be best if we left and allowed Maester Warrek to return. Cregan¡­ needs time to recover.¡± ¡°Of course, my lady,¡± Benjen replied, which was followed by nods from the girls though Tyene was slow to do so, and Arianne never looked at mother when she nodded. Mother turned back to me and placed her hand on mine. ¡°Cregan, I need you to promise me you won¡¯t speak of what happened aboard the Sunchaser to anyone unless either myself or Benjen are present.¡± I nodded in agreement as I understood that the slightest slip in my story might lead to problems we¡¯d all rather avoid. ¡°Good, now rest. I will speak with the Maester about getting you something to eat as I imagine you¡¯re hungry.¡± My stomach chose that moment to growl in agreement, making everyone smile or chuckle. ¡°Now rest. I, I can¡¯t lose you.¡± Her hand went to her stomach as she moved towards the bottom of the bed. Arianne leaned close, though this time she only kissed my cheek, and it was a short, tender thing. As she pulled back, she smiled from behind slightly darkened cheeks, brushed a bang of my hair then slid from the bed. Tyene stepped closer and I could see the confusion that was raging inside her in her eyes. She leaned close and copied Arianne by kissing my cheek. ¡°I¡­ Thank you.¡± She mumbled out as she pulled back. ¡°I, I¡¯ll pray to the Gods, old and new, for your recovery.¡± She offered which caught me by surprise as, up until now, she¡¯d never once mentioned the Old Gods when talking about prayers or a blessing. ¡°All, ways,¡± I said back with a smile. That seemed to lift some of her confusion and earned me a smile in return. Though the doubt in her eyes was still there. Before she could say anything else ¨C if she even planned to ¨C Nymeria pushed past her and kissed me on the nose. For a second, as she¡¯d closed in, I¡¯d been concerned she was going for my lips but thankfully she didn¡¯t. ¡°Nymeria!¡± Mother shouted as the oldest girl present pulled back. The kiss was short and sweet, I smelt a hint of spice. ¡°We owe you for saving us,¡± Nymeria said, happily ignoring the glare my mother was giving her. ¡°Though I¡¯m not sure you¡¯re healthy enough, or old enough, for me to thank you properly.¡± She added with a wink that did nothing but encourage the thoughts running through my mind. Mother sighed loudly as I saw Tyene¡¯s eyes narrow, and Arianne giggled lightly. ¡°Girls,¡± mother said with a hint of steel in her tone. The three girls followed her to the door before my mother shared a look with Benjen and guided the three outside. Once the door was closed Benjen came closer, a smile on his face. ¡°Well, if there was ever any doubt, you¡¯re a wolf,¡± he commented with a chuckle, though a moment later the smile fell. ¡°Since you¡¯re likely concerned about it, know that your dagger has been cleaned and placed with your personal effects.¡± He paused and lifted his scabbard, which made him grimace suggesting he was more wounded than he was letting on, then drew the blade just enough that I could see the red rippled steel. ¡°As for this, I¡¯m keeping it with me at all times. While I¡¯m grateful to Lord Quenten for hosting us, I don¡¯t trust a Southerner as far as you could throw them. Especially one loyal to Tywin Lannister.¡± His tone made it clear he didn¡¯t approve of Tywin which was likely a result of being in Dorne for several years and maturing around the anger felt by House Martell for what¡¯d happened to Elia and her children. Anything else was cut off by a gentle knock at the door before a young woman, around Benjen¡¯s age, popped her head inside. ¡°Begging your pardon, m¡¯lord, but Maester Warrek asked me to check in on the boy.¡± I couldn¡¯t see Benjen¡¯s face as he turned to the cute girl. ¡°Of course. I was just speaking with my nephew. I¡¯ll take my leave and leave him in your pretty little hands.¡± Benjen said, making the girl blush. While Benjen didn¡¯t flirt openly ¨C if one excluded when he was around Obara ¨C I¡¯d heard him making such comments to servant girls in Sunspear and other places. Well, at least until he¡¯s hooked up with Obara. ¡°I¡¯ll come back later nephew. Until then, rest and behave.¡± He said to me with a smirk before sliding past the servant girl. Her blush grew as he passed and stayed with her as she came closer. ¡°I¡¯ll fetch the water then wash m''lord down before the Maester returns,¡± she said softly before stepping out of the room. Alone, I returned my thoughts to what the Interface had revealed and the behaviour of my family. I¡¯d have to find a way to control my Wolfs-blood as, while very useful, I¡¯d already seen how dangerous it was when I lost control. Though I suspected that control of the fire inside would only come with age and maturity as my body was still growing and developing. Another thing was realising that the Interface would provide information on injuries which was something that would be very, very useful in the future. As for the girls¡­ Well, all three were growing and maturing ¨C more so in Nymeria¡¯s case as she was a few years older than the others and spent more time training her body ¨C into very attractive young ladies. Still, while I doubted that those kisses were anything more than them expressing their relief at escaping what almost happened, if it was, I wouldn¡¯t complain. Oh, it¡¯d be a good few years before anything could happen between us, but it was something that I knew would start to invade my dreams as my body matured. Yes, I was older than them mentally, but unless I started chasing women my mother¡¯s age that would always be an issue, so I¡¯d learnt to move past it. That didn¡¯t mean, however, that I¡¯d start anything before everyone was physically and emotionally ready for relationships. A yawn came forth, ending my thoughts on what the future might hold, and as the door to the room creaked open once more, I felt my eyelids grow heavy and let the whispers of sleep flood my mind. ¡­ ¡­ To Meet a King To meet a King ¡­ (Circa 289AC)?
?One of the carriage wheels bounced, likely from hitting a stone on the road, jolting me from my slumber. I winced as pain shot up my leg as my foot banged against the wall of the carriage. ¡°Cregan, are you alright?¡± I turned to look at my mother. Both she and Arianne were looking my way, though from how Arianne¡¯s hands were positioned, it looked as though they¡¯d been discussing something before I¡¯d awoken. ¡°Yes, mother.¡± I did my best to keep any annoyance out of my voice, but since I¡¯d been asked some variation of that question at least a dozen times every day for over two moons since I¡¯d woken, I was beyond sick of it. I understood why she and others were asking, but I was no longer confined to a bed and could move around under my own power if allowed. I glanced out the window of the carriage, seeing the mountains we were passing through and a knight riding nearby wearing the black and grey of House Banefort. Going by what I knew of the continent, we were passing through the mountain range that separated the Banefort and a few other keeps from the rest of the Westerlands. At our current pace, we¡¯d reach Casterly Rock in about half a moon, though perhaps quicker if we met up with any other Lords and their force. It had taken us some time to move as the Ironborn were raiding the coast and, from what I¡¯d been told, Tywin Lannister hadn¡¯t summoned his banners until he¡¯d been assured King Robert was on the way. Of course, knowing where we were heading had made Arianne, my mother and the snakes nervous and angry in equal measure. With no love for either Tywin or Robert, having to meet them was something Arianne wasn''t keen on. Thankfully, it seemed my mother had ensured Arianne would behave herself with there being hints that this was a way to impress Doran; if I was following the snippets of conversation I¡¯d heard once it¡¯d been decided we were leaving the Banefort. While Lord Quneten wasn¡¯t a powerful lord ¨C or at least didn¡¯t seem to be ¨C he was still able to muster a few thousand soldiers; though only about three dozen were mounted and a third of that were knights. The rest were guards or conscripted serfs. To augment that the few remaining Martell guards were riding with us ¨C in a moment of serendipity, one passed by the window I was looking out of ¨C along with Benjen and Ser Myles Manwoody, the only other noble survivor from our ship. Lord Quentyn Qorgyle had died before we¡¯d made it to shore, and while Ser Myles was missing one of his feet, he still insisted on escorting the princess. The man had been enraged about what had happened and had promised Arianne that Dorne would raise an army to burn the Ironborn to ash for attacking her and her family. While I doubted the latter part, a Dornish army in Lannisport was something that concerned me. Particularly when Oberyn would arrive from Highgarden to lead it. Having Tywin, Robert and Oberyn under one roof was going to be like juggling wildfire, and while my mother was confident her husband would know who to direct his anger at when he arrived, I had my doubts. About as much as I had about Lord Quneten Banefort. While we were all grateful for his shelter after the attack, the fact I¡¯d taken Red Rain from the Drumms had been discovered. It was only the threat that ravens sent to Dorne, the Reach and the North by my mother and Benjen carried news of this that I felt stopped him from trying to take it. While that behaviour irritated me, I could understand it, his attempted matchmaking however had come close to making my blood boil. Something I¡¯d learnt even before I¡¯d been allowed out of my bed was that Stephas, the younger son of Lord Quneten, had been trying to woo Arianne. When I¡¯d first been told this I¡¯d almost lost control of my Wolfs-blood perk, but Tyene had explained with a snarl of her own that Stephas had decided the best way to win Arianne was to continually put the Sand Snakes down to make himself look good. He¡¯d tried the same thing towards me when Arianne had been helping me (by all but playing nursemaid) by suggesting I was lying about what had happened, which was to be expected of a bastard. Arianne¡¯s words towards Stephas were only just within acceptable norms when speaking to a hosting family (at least to me) but made it utterly clear that, unlike the Westerlands, Dorne did not fear or shun those born out of wedlock; instead treating them as family and she even quoted names of lords and ladies of Dorne who¡¯d married bastards, though I did note that none of the figures she¡¯d named had ever been the lord or lady of their house. After that Stephas had been conspicuous by his absence. ¡°Cregan,¡± I turned to look at Tyene at the opposite side of the carriage, Nymeria beside her, ¡°I was wondering¡­¡± ¡°This is not the place for this, Tyene!¡± Mother¡¯s words cut through Tyene¡¯s question, one she¡¯d been trying and failing (due to timing and possibly fear) to ask ever since I was able to walk around. While it was clear that everyone who knew the full details of what happened with the Drumms was curious about what I¡¯d done, Tyene had been unsettled. That made perfect sense since she was the most devout follower of the Seven in the family, and while her early interactions with me since my recovery had been timid, almost as if I frightened her, she¡¯d returned to her normal self around me in the last month and had grown bolder in probing about whether I could or couldn¡¯t wield magic. ¡°This is about as safe as it''s going to get for moons.¡± The remark came from Nymeria, accompanied by that customary smirk of hers. ¡°The driver is one of our house guards and no one outside will be able to overhear us if we keep our words quiet.¡± She leaned forward, one hand coming to rest on my knee and gave me a smile that, in about six or seven years would¡¯ve made me weak. My mind snapped back to my awakening in the Banefort, and the smell of her when she¡¯d kissed my nose. I may lack the physical maturity to react to her actions for now ¨C thank the Gods ¨C but that didn¡¯t mean her teasing wasn¡¯t influencing my mind. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright mother.¡± I cut off my mother, making her eyes snap towards me; along with everyone else¡¯s. ¡°Everyone¡¯s got questions about, well, that night. This is as good a time as we¡¯re going to get for several moons.¡± While I wasn¡¯t comfortable bringing the topic up, avoiding it ran the risk of the people closest to me misunderstanding what I had done and could do. To calm myself, I ran a hand through my hair, though that had me wanting to wash it as my fingers became caught in a knotted patch. ¡°During the attack, when you and Arianne were¡­ attacked, I, I wasn¡¯t thinking clearly.¡± My gaze stayed on my mother, save for a glance toward Arianne as her brow creased at having to remember that night. ¡°I saw the candle, I felt my blood boil..¡± ¡°Is that the Dornish or Northern blood in you, I wonder?¡± ¡°A bit of both, I guess,¡± I answered my mother¡¯s question vaguely. While that was certainly a possible reason for it, I wondered if it was the Wolfs-blood trait that was the main driver of my rage; or at least how quickly it seemed to grow. ¡°Anyway¡­ I saw the candle, my blood boiled, and I wanted the man to burn.¡± I looked over to Tyene and Nymeria. While they hadn¡¯t been in the room, they knew what had happened and Tyene¡¯s devotion to the Seven was a major concern; though since my awakening, she¡¯d always said she¡¯d pray to the New and Old Gods for me, which was a subtle change in her wording. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect anything to happen, but then the flame leapt up¡­ that man¡¯s clothing. Did I will it to happen? I don¡¯t know.¡± I shrugged and turned back to my mother. ¡°But it did, and in the chaos, I used that moment to attack. If I did make the flame move, then good as it helped save our lives.¡± Arianne¡¯s smile for me brightened the carriage. ¡°If it was just by chance, then I thank the Gods that it happened.¡± As I finished, Arianne leaned toward me. Her hand slid on top of mine as she spoke. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you used magic or not. I¡¯m just grateful your actions saved me¡­¡± her words trailed off and she glanced past me to her cousins. ¡°Saved us from those monsters.¡± Her hands slid from mine and her smile shifted into a smirk. ¡°Though I think we¡¯d all prefer it if you didn¡¯t act so rashly in future.¡± I heard the snakes chuckle, but my focus was on my mother. One hand had slipped to her belly, where the young life that had only begun growing had been snuffed out by those Ironborn cunts. ¡°We all are.¡± Mother said slowly, a hint of remorse for what she¡¯d lost easy to see in her expression and hear in her voice. I felt my anger at what the Drumms had taken from her, from us, flare up once more. While it didn¡¯t burn as powerfully as when it was confirmed my sibling had been lost, I knew that if I could, I¡¯d happily climb on a ship, sail to the Iron Islands, and burn them all to ash. As for the people¡­ The Ironborn would join their lands in oblivion, though I¡¯d attempt to save the children untouched by their madness and those taken as slaves. What had helped settle my rage was hearing that Oberyn was marching to Casterly Rock from Highgarden with an army from the Reach while Dornish forces would be further behind. While I knew he would be as furious as I was about what had happened, as twisted as it was, I was positively ecstatic to see how he made the Ironborn pay for killing his unborn child. That rage should, I hope, keep him from doing anything rash while in the presence of King Robert and Lord Tywin. ¡°Still, if what you are¡­ suggesting is true, you, we need to be careful.¡± Mother continued, helping to distract me before my anger seeped into my expression. ¡°Many would be frightened of what you may have done, others would whisper lies about you.¡± Her hand circled her stomach as she spoke. ¡°Others would want you dead, fearing you were consorting with a demon. I will never let that happen.¡± ¡°None of us will.¡± Nymeria¡¯s words drew my attention to her. Her conviction was clear on her face, though my focus shifted to Tyene. She was the most likely to turn on me. Our eyes met, and as the seconds drew out, I started to worry, yet eventually, she gave me a small, hesitant nod. ¡°The Gods, old and new, watch over you.¡± Tyene¡¯s voice was so quiet it was hard to hear her over the sound of the carriage moving that I had to guess what she said by reading her lips. It wasn¡¯t something I did very often but was a handy thing to attempt when combined with my Emotionless Recall trait. If I¡¯d read her lips right, and judging by the way Nymeria¡¯s focus shifted to her sister, that was probably the first time Tyene had placed the Old Gods before the Seven. While that didn¡¯t make me more willing to believe her, trust was something she and the others would have to earn before I would reveal I could wield magic. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I gazed across the hall, taking in the sights as the forces of the Crown and the Westerlands enjoyed a feast and let my mind review the day so far. We¡¯d arrived at Casterly Rock this morning, about a week earlier than I¡¯d expected, as the River Road was better maintained than I¡¯d expected and when we¡¯d passed near the Ashefort and Golden Tooth, their lords had joined their forces to our party. When we arrived, we were escorted to the main hall of Casterly Rock by Kevan Lannister. Entering through the main gate (The Lion¡¯s mouth) was another shock to me in regards to just how impressive certain locations were in Westeros. I mean, I¡¯d seen Casterly Rock, Oldtown and other places from above during my magical dream, but to stand at their base and stare up at them was another matter entirely. Particularly with Casterly Rock which was more a castle built into a freaking mountain than a castle on top of one. After being led through that gate ¨C which was wide enough to take several tanks side by side at the same time while a flight of Apache helicopters flew overhead ¨C and the caverns that made the lower levels of the keep, we¡¯d been escorted directly to the King. Or more accurately, Arianne, my mother and the other lords and nobles were. Tyene, Nymeria and I were taken to our quarters, which was fine with me as I¡¯d rather avoid walking into the lion¡¯s den. Once Arianne and my mother had returned from meeting Robert, and Arianne had calmed down at meeting the man she held responsible for her aunt and cousin¡¯s deaths, we¡¯d been given a tour of the Rock. It was conducted by Gerion Lannister, someone I knew of only in passing while studying the houses of Westeros. The man had the distinctive blond hair and green eyes of all Lannisters but was far more personable than Tywin; though Arianne kept her interactions with the man to a minimum which was probably for the best as his flirting with her kept drawing out my temper. I really needed to learn to get a handle on my Wolf¡¯s-blood. The various rooms he showed us were impressive, though the two that drew my attention most were their Stone Garden ¨C the Godswood of Casterly Rock which was just one massive twisted weirwood tree that had driven out every other tree ¨C and the Golden Library. Gerion had caught my eyes lighting up at seeing the rows of books within and joked that it reminded him of his nephew Tyrion. When Nymeria rather bluntly asked about the Imp, and after my mother had scolded her, Gerion had requested that we didn¡¯t use that term and that Tyrion was busy with duties given to him by Tywin. After the tour, we¡¯d returned to our rooms, and I¡¯d enjoyed sitting on the balcony taking in the view over Lannisport and the Sunset Sea as the wind cooled the air and enjoyed a book Gerion had sent to our room for me to browse detailing the glory of House Lannister. While Arianne and my (step) sisters had scoffed at the book and snarled at me reading it, I¡¯d explained that a well-read mind was like a well-kept sword in that it would fail less often as well as how learning about the history of a house was both useful to understand how they saw themselves and a good way to pass the time. As of now, I was sitting at a table near the back of The Lion¡¯s Feast - the great hall of Casterly Rock - and I was trying very hard to concentrate purely on my food and not the looks and comments the various squires nearby made towards Tyene and Nymeria. Being bastards, we were given a table near the back of the room with many of the squires and while a few Dornish guards were standing nearby, they were heavily outnumbered by guards from the Westerlands and Crownlands meaning I had to sit and try my best to ignore the comments. Though at least Nymeria was more than capable of holding her own in a verbal joust. That girl had a vicious tongue and had already embarrassed three squires from minor houses. Reaching forward to spear a chunk of succulent honeyed rabbit on my fork, I marvelled at how nice it was to have something different from the spicy meals of Dorne; I still wasn''t used to grilled snake or sauce with a drop of venom in it. One thing that stuck out was that even though the regions on Westeros were much closer together than on Earth, there was far more variety in the food I was eating here than I had tried in my former life. ¡°Can¡¯t they just shut the fuck up?¡± Tyene hissed in a low voice, having slid closer to me in an attempt to hide from those nearby. While it hadn¡¯t worked as well as Nymeria¡¯s barbs, it had resulted in her legs rubbing against mine. ¡°All they can do is talk. They¡¯ve got no deeds to prove their worth. Not like our little wolf.¡± Nymeria¡¯s hand slid into my hair and ruffled it. I growled in annoyance, which given to the light chuckle that came from both of them, was Nym¡¯s intention. ¡°He¡¯s worth a dozen of them already.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that little shite ever done?¡± The question came from a squire wearing a robe marking him as either from House Swyft or the squire of someone from the house. He looked to be in his mid-teens but was very scrawny and I wondered if he was able to even lift a sword and shield. ¡°Wet the bed and suck from his mother¡¯s tits.¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to suck from those.¡± That comment from another squire drew a round of laughter from the squires and, if not for Tyene¡¯s hand pushing down on my thigh, I¡¯d have likely jumped on the table and charged that motherfucker to gouge out his eyes with my fork. As I struggled against her grip, my free hand slid around the hilt of my knife. I might not be able to reach that fucker, but I could still wound him with it. ¡°And here I thought those wishing to be knights understood the concept of honour.¡± The words came from behind me as a hand on my shoulder kept me firmly in my seat. ¡°Mayhaps I should speak with your lords about your disregard for a member of a Great House and the disrespect shown towards my nephew.¡± Benjen¡¯s words, and the tone that made it clear he was fucking pissed, had the group of squires sink into their seats. While it wasn¡¯t as satisfying as teaching those fuckers the error of their ways personally, it was enough to clear the slowly forming could of anger that was threatening to overwhelm me. ¡°As for what Cregan has done, the king is aware of what happened on the Sunchaser and wishes to speak with him. An honour I doubt any of you will ever be worthy of. Come along nephew.¡± The hand slid from my shoulder, tapping my arm as a hint to drop the knife. I did that and let go of the fork, though before standing I gave the dumb fuck who¡¯d commented on my mother one last look. While I doubted I¡¯d have to deal with him ever again, if by some fluke of nature he survived the Ironborn, I¡¯d make sure to add him to my list of dumb shites to kill when I could. Nymeria and Tyene both gave me smiles of encouragement, though Nym accompanied hers with a wink that, as it had for the last few moons, drew my thoughts back to her hints when I¡¯d woken up in the Banefort. While I was still years away from puberty, thank the Gods, my mind kept linking her friendliness with that moment, which was a fucking nuisance. As Benjen led me from the table, though not before leaving two of the three guards that had come with him through the crowded hall. Some of the nobles scattered around looked our way, and I spotted the sigils of three dozen houses from the Westerlands and Crownlands ¨C though thankfully not that of House Clegane ¨C but the majority were more interested in talking among themselves than looking up as the only Northerner present ¨C Benjen was wearing clothing made in Dorne bearing the Stark direwolf ¨C escorted a child through the hall. ¡°Why does he want to see me?¡± Benjen glanced down and smiled before patting his waist. The sheath where he¡¯d carried Red Rain wasn¡¯t present, as with this being a major feast walking around with a sword on your hip was considered a mark of disrespect to the host and guest of honour, but the gesture was enough for me to understand why I¡¯d been summoned. Robert wanted to meet the boy who¡¯d killed Ironborn, taken a Valyrian steel blade and saved the life of a princess. That I was a Stark by blood likely also played into his interest. However, meeting the king meant being in the presence of Tywin Lannister. While he wouldn¡¯t consider me a piece in the Great Game, I¡¯d now be known to him as more than just a bastard of House Stark being raised by House Martell. Soon enough the king and his table came into view for me. Robert was sitting in the central seat which was, like almost everything in Casterly Rock, impressive to the point of being obnoxious and not a chair meant for him. Robert was swinging a large mug around carelessly and even at a distance, through the crowd of servants moving between tables, I could see mouthfuls of drink ¨C probably wine ¨C being sent flying every which way. To his right sat the man who would normally be seated in the ornate central chair that was backed by a lion¡¯s head, Tywin Lannister. The man was bald but he made up for that with bushy sideburns that wouldn¡¯t have looked out of place in the 1970s on earth. Before I could see anything else, two Lannister guards approached with one of the Kingsguard behind. I didn¡¯t know which one it was, though that wasn¡¯t surprising as the only two I¡¯d be able to pick out at a glance would be Barristan Selmy and Jaime Lannister with the latter likely not here as I didn¡¯t see Cersei at Robert¡¯s side. All I did know about this Kingsguard member was that he had blond hair, though not Lannister blond, and was shorter than Benjen by about half-a-head. The two Lannister guards started searching me, while the Kingsguard watched. While I understood the reasoning for doing so, the chances that a seven-year-old boy would be a threat to someone like Robert were slim at best. Still, the search gave me time to look around the main table and those on either side of it. The lord¡¯s table was raised above the floor onto which Benjen would¡¯ve led me if the guards hadn¡¯t stopped us. To Tywin¡¯s right sat his brothers Kevan and Gerion ¨C who gave me a mocking salute with his goblet when he saw me ¨C followed by other people that were either members of the extended house or had married into it. At the table to my left ¨C the king¡¯s right ¨C were other nobles wearing proudly the sigils of houses loyal to House Lannister and at the very end, closest to me, was Tyrion Lannister. His appearance was, as I¡¯d expected, more in line with the book description than the show, with mismatched eyes of green and black. As his eyes saw me, I didn¡¯t shy away from looking at him, though I tried to not make it clear I was watching him above the others. I wasn¡¯t sure if I failed or not, but he smirked at me before our short staring match was cut-off by one of the guards. Returning to the lord¡¯s table, I saw two Kingsguard standing behind Robert, one of which must¡¯ve been Barristan Selmy as he was the only member of the guard to have white hair. While Benjen and Oberyn had often talked about which knight was better than which, they both agreed that Barristan was one of, if not the, best in the Seven Kingdoms. To Robert¡¯s left sat, going by his age, location and the distinctive badge he wore over his heart, was Jon Arryn, Hand of the King. Behind him, just as with Tywin and all the other nobles stood a guard of House Arryn, though my attention shifted from Jon to the person to his left, Arianne. She was given the next seat of importance, which made sense as even if she was female, she was the heir to one of the Great Houses of Westeros. Her face was tense, likely from having to sit so close to men she blamed for her aunt¡¯s and cousins¡¯ deaths, but a gentle nudge and whispered word from my mother ¨C who sat to her left ¨C had her eyes find mine. A smile erupted on her face and the room felt more inviting and beautiful for it. Next to my mother was an empty chair, which given the Stark guard behind it, would be Benjen¡¯s. For him to be seated at the king¡¯s table was a great honour, but given the brotherhood between Ned and Robert, it made sense Robert would want Benjen close. And given Benjen¡¯s reddening face, it also meant my uncle was being forced to drink at something close to the king¡¯s pace. The table to my right ¨C the king¡¯s left ¨C seemed to be for the lords from the Crownlands and Stormlands that had come with Robert to Lannisport, and I picked out houses from both with ease. I was slightly surprised to not see any lords from the Riverlands, but given Ned wasn¡¯t here, it was likely they would arrive with the Northern forces soon. The two guards stepped back and the Kingsguard member walked into the central area. ¡°Your Grace.¡± The simple comment drew Robert¡¯s attention from the female servant who was refilling his mug. As he looked towards us the girl, who looked to be not much older than Nymeria, scampered away. A flash of something passed through Tywin¡¯s eyes before his focus turned from Robert to me. ¡°Hmm, so this is the bastard wolf, Brandon''s little pup?¡± Robert¡¯s voice boomed around the hall, making a lot of the conversation and his table and others quieten as a smile came to his face. ¡°I met him once. Big man, though not as big as me.¡± He laughed and several others laughed with him, though most I suspected were doing so to get or stay in his good graces. Though neither Tywin, Jon, Arianne, nor my mother laughed. ¡°Come closer, let¡¯s get a good look at you.¡± A wave of his goblet accompanied the instruction. I followed Benjen¡¯s lead as we approached the main table. Robert was tall, impressively so, with arms that looked thicker than tree trunks even under loose-fitting robes. Though what caught my eye was the fact there was none of the bulk he¡¯d gained by the time of the books and show. Either that hadn¡¯t happened yet, or this Robert had better self-control; though I was leaning to the former as the goblet in his hand and the redness of his cheeks were tell-tale signs of a drunk. As Benjen dropped to a knee, likely to formally present me, I decided to make things interesting. ¡°Fuck, you¡¯re big.¡± The words slipped from my mouth loud enough that most of the nearby tables could hear. I heard my mother inhale sharply and saw Arianne bring a hand to her mouth as both Tywin¡¯s and Jon¡¯s eyes narrowed, but I kept my focus on Robert. From everything I knew about him from before and had heard in passing in this life, he had no interest in formalities, so deciding to do away with such things now should, I hoped, put me in his good graces. As I hoped the smile on his face grew though the booming laugh he then sent echoing in the suddenly quiet hall caught me off-guard. Fuck was he loud. That had others joining in, though most seemed hesitant, which made sense since I''d just intentionally caused a faux pas and seemingly insulted the king. ¡°Aye, they don¡¯t grow them this big in Dorne.¡± Robert got out as his laughter subsided. Arianne¡¯s eyes narrowed at the probably unintentional slight, but she wisely kept quiet as Robert continued. ¡°Though if you take after your father, you¡¯ll be the tallest man in Dorne by the time you¡¯re a man.¡± That drew more laughs from the other tables, though I did note the Westerlands table was louder. Another wave of his goblet signalled his desire before he gave it voice. ¡°Well come on. Let¡¯s see the Wolf of Dorne.¡± I stepped forward, climbing a few steps until I was on the level below the table. While I¡¯d made an impression with my comment, I wasn¡¯t going to ignore all decorum and try to stand on the other side of the raised table of the king like an equal. While Robert likely wouldn¡¯t give two fucks, Tywin would take it as an insult and pissing him off was something I had no desire to do. ¡°You¡¯ve got your mother''s eyes, but that face,¡± there was a pause where he chuckled at some private joke, ¡°aye, you¡¯re a Stark alright.¡± His gaze shifted to Benjen for a second. ¡°Though I hope you take after your father more than Ned. Man wouldn¡¯t know a good time if it tied him to a bed and had its way with him.¡± While I couldn¡¯t argue that Ned came across ¨C in the books and show ¨C as far too serious/honourable at times, insulting one of the Wardens was not a good look for a king; even if they considered each other as brothers. ¡°Your Grace, mayhaps you might not¡­ jest about Lord Stark, the Warden of the North, when speaking with his brother and nephew.¡± Jon Arryn¡¯s comment suggested he agreed with me. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Lord Arryn. I love my brother, but his Grace is correct in saying my brother is far more¡­ restrained than most Northerners.¡± Benjen¡¯s words were soft, but I thought I caught a hint of something in his tone; perhaps blaming Jon Arryn for Ned acting more like an Arryn than when Benjen expected of a Stark. Of course, I only knew one Stark/Northerner well. The few guards that had come south with Benjen were standoffish with me still, or at least the two remaining ones were. A chuckle from Robert, though it sounded more like the roar of a bear than that of a man, returned my attention to him. ¡°When Ned gets here with Hoster Tully and their forces, we¡¯ll have to work on getting him to unwind.¡± The twinkle in Robert¡¯s eye as he spoke had me worried the king was going to try and drag Ned to a Lannister brothel ¨C or worse ¨C but before I could let my mind wonder/worry about that, Robert¡¯s massive frame focused on me once again. ¡°For now though, I¡¯d like to hear from the boy.¡± He waved his hands, gesturing for me to do something, which sent wine flying from his goblet onto the lavishly decorated table. Tywin¡¯s brow tightened near his eyes, but he said nothing as Robert continued. ¡°Your Grace, I¡­¡± ¡°Bah! None of that fuckery!¡± Robert cut in as I bowed when I spoke. ¡°Your uncle is my brother in all but blood. That makes you my nephew as much as his! Now tell me of your battle to save a princess and kill those Ironborn cunts!¡± Fire came to his eyes in what I felt was anticipation as he dropped down into his chair, making it creak at the sudden influx of weight. ¡°Surely Princess Arianne, my mother and uncle Benjen have already told the story, your Grace.¡± I¡¯d rather not have to speak the whole story in front of everyone, as, to an outsider it would seem fantastical that a child of seven had killed four men, including a Lord and his heir, to save a princess. Hells, even I would doubt it if I hadn¡¯t lived it and reviewed it heavily. ¡°They have, but I¡¯d rather hear it from the wolf¡¯s mouth.¡± A chuckle slipped from him at his joke. ¡°Tell me how you gutted those fuckers as they threatened your princess and mother.¡± I clenched my fists, trying desperately not to feel the anger about what had almost happened surge through me once more. That, however, drew a single booming laugh from the King. ¡°Aye, there¡¯s the famed wolfs-blood of the Starks.¡± He leaned closer as he kept speaking. ¡°There¡¯s no shame in being angry about what happened, nor wanting to kill them again and again. I dream of doing that to that fucker Rhaegar Targaryen every night for what he stole from me and your family.¡± The smile fell, replaced with a mask of anger that proved Robert, for all his faults, was Baratheon through and through. His fist tightened on the goblet, and I swore I heard the expensive cup groan under the pressure being applied to it. Before it gave though, he took another large, long gulp, then slammed it down on the table. ¡°More drink! And one for our young hero!¡± I avoided gulping at that as whatever he was drinking would likely be too strong for me even with having had a few sips of Dornish Reds that Nymeria, Obara and Oberyn had slipped me from time to time. ¡°Your, Grace, Cregan is but a boy of seven¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s sent men to their graves already.¡± Robert¡¯s words cut off my mother¡¯s complaint before she could give it, ¡°he can handle a bit of drink.¡± ¡°Yes, your Grace.¡± Mother¡¯s words came a moment later. I knew she wasn¡¯t happy about this, nor ¨C like Arianne ¨C that Robert was showing an interest in me, but there was nothing we could do about it in his presence. ¡°Hah!¡± Robert began, though whatever he could¡¯ve added was cut off as the young serving girl from before arrived. As she leaned over Robert¡¯s arm to refill her goblet, she jerked. At a guess, Robert had just given her arse a squeeze but I couldn¡¯t be sure of that. Though the way Jon Arryn¡¯s eyes narrowed, it was likely. Another servant handed me a goblet and I peered inside. Judging from the colour it was wine, though the dark red I was used to wasn¡¯t there. This was lighter and had a slight orange colour where the liquid was thinnest near the rim. There was a moment where I wondered if someone would try to poison me ¨C images of Joffrey¡¯s death unhelpfully popping into my head ¨C but there was no reason for anyone to do so. Still, learning how to detect poison in drinks was something I¡¯d have to learn. Both the more mundane way and with magic. ¡°To Cregan Sand, the Bloody Wolf and killer of Ironborn!¡± Robert called out, lifting his goblet high into the air, sending the liquid flying around. I shifted slightly to one side to avoid some of it landing on my tunic. Around me, I heard and saw others stand. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡°To Cregan!¡± Others called out. Most didn¡¯t sound enthusiastic, though I easily picked out Arianne¡¯s soft, musical voice through the crowd and looked at her. Her smile was massive, and her eyes looked at me with immense warmth. Beside her, my mother was trying to look happy, but the lines near her eyes and on her brow made it clear she wasn¡¯t happy about something. Likely a combination of me having to drink with Robert and me being front and centre in the Westerlands. Jon and Tywin both raised their goblets respectfully, though I could only hope that neither saw me as anything more than a pawn of Doran Martell¡¯s in the Great Game. One day I would be a player, but for now, I needed my anonymity and irrelevance to prepare. I lifted my goblet to the king, and then took a small sip wanting to both savour the taste and avoid coughing if the drink was stronger than I expected. The wine was far weaker than those in Dorne, though there was an unexpected hint of spice mixed with honey. While I wasn¡¯t sure, this was likely the honeyed wine produced in Lannisport and it wasn¡¯t half bad. Not as strong or as rich as the Dornish wines I¡¯d had, but pleasant all the same. Thus, I took another, slightly longer gulp. ¡°See! A wolf who can handle his drink!¡± That drew laughter from the others in the hall even as Robert smiled. ¡°Now Cregan, regale us with the story of how you fought and killed those cunts, won yourself a Valyrian steel blade,¡± that comment drew a few gasps and I heard one person start coughing, ¡°and saved your mother.¡± My gaze shifted towards my mother and Arianne ¡°And my princess, your Grace.¡± Arianne¡¯s smile somehow grew bigger, which drew a hearty chuckle from Robert. ¡°Aye, you¡¯re your father¡¯s son.¡± He downed another gulp from his goblet. ¡°Now, a story.¡± Mother gave me a nod, letting me know she was fine with me retelling the story, though I knew she wanted me to keep the more fantastical elements of the story out of it. On the way here, after I¡¯d semi-confirmed I could use magic without ever stating such, she, Arianne and I had come up with a brief story of the candle on the table falling onto Lord Drumm¡¯s clothing, then catching fire. That was believable enough, if unlikely, that it wouldn¡¯t be questioned too much. Benjen gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze as encouragement, and after taking in the faces of the various lords and ladies that all now seemed interested in how I, a bastard from Dorne, had gained a Valyrian steel sword. And in many cases, were already plotting how to steal it for themselves and I¡¯d kill anyone who tried. I¡¯d paid the Iron Price for that and would only give it up to someone I didn¡¯t trust by them killing me for it. Though, since I was seven, that wouldn¡¯t be too hard for most of them. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ The following morning, I broke my fast on apple cakes and blood sausage in a quiet hall ¨C since most people were recovering from the feast the previous night ¨C and had left not long after my mother and the girls had come into the hall. While me wandering Casterly Rock wasn¡¯t something my mother was happy about, she doubted anyone would try anything against me to gain Red Rain. After I¡¯d retold the story to the king, Lord Quneten, probably in an attempt to curry favour with Tywin, had said boldly that a child had no right to a Valyrian blade. Robert had all but snarled at Quneten, confirming that his comment about me winning Red Rain had been him stating he had no issue with me taking it. Robert even spat the Ironborn¡¯s concept of the ¡®Iron Price¡¯ ¨C the same logic I¡¯d used internally regarding my ownership of the blade ¨C to scold Quneten. After a whisper from Jon, Robert had then stated that if anything happened to me before I was old enough to wield the blade properly, then it would become the possession of House Martell; on the caveat that I didn¡¯t die in their care. Arianne had been incensed at the suggestion House Martell would kill a child ¨C a less than subtle barb at Tywin and Robert, but one neither responded to ¨C only for Jon Arryn to explain it was merely a precaution to ensure my safety. Before Arianne could say anything to further inflame the issue, my mother stepped in and accepted Lord Arryn¡¯s explanation; along with a veiled threat that anyone who thought about hurting me would have to deal with Prince Oberyn when he arrived in a few days. That had been the end of that, and I¡¯d been able to return to my table not long after. Tyene and Nymeria had teased me about what had happened ¨C after I¡¯d explained as they were too far to have heard everything ¨C then Nym took great pleasure in boasting that I was proof why the Dornish and North were superior to any from the Westerlands. Still, my mother had only allowed me to wander the halls of Casterly Rock ¨C outside of travelling to and from our quarters to the main hall ¨C with an escort, which was why one of the House Martell guards, a younger man named Erac who was one of the few to survive our encounter with the Ironborn, was walking a few steps behind me. I¡¯d initially thought of going to the library, in some small hope of meeting Tyrion, but decided against that as entering without Lord Tywin¡¯s permission would be a breach of etiquette. Even if Tyrion had been there, which was unlikely as he was probably passed out somewhere drunk like most of the keep, getting his permission wouldn¡¯t have been enough. Thus, I¡¯d just started wandering, passing a few servants and guards on the way. Some I¡¯d spoken to, asking for general directions and while the servants had been willing to help, the guards had either ignored me or given very blunt replies. I wanted to head down to Lannisport, mainly as I could see it from the balcony of our room, but the city was still recovering from the damage done by the Ironborn and sorting out provisions for the retaliatory strike. Plus, my mother had banned me from going to the city without either her or Benjen to accompany me, and with Benjen, as far as I knew, still sleeping off the effect of trying to keep up with Robert¡¯s drinking and mother having her breakfast, that idea was also struck from my list. Thus, as I¡¯d been walking, I¡¯d found myself drawing ever closer to the sound of steel clashing against steel. While I hadn¡¯t formally started any sword training before we¡¯d left Sunspear I¡¯d started using a bow. While I lacked the strength for it, I had some experience from my former life to draw on and was strong for my age, thus I¡¯d quickly stood out in my age group. Rather expectedly, given our brief history, that had the effect of increasing the distance between myself and Quentyn Martell. The second-born of Prince Doran had never warmed to me, and after my accidental striking of him when his friends had attacked me, a rift had developed between us. Thank the Gods Arianne was due to inherit. Rounding one final turn I found myself entering, what I assumed to be, one of the many training yards dotted around Casterly Rock. Inside there were two members of the Kingsguard. They were both in their splendid white armour and helms but lacked their cloaks. It was only thanks to the unique clasp worn by one that I¡¯d seen last night that I knew that fighter was Barristan Selmy; the current Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. As I watched him spar with his fellow Kingsguard, it was clear that not only was he not taking the fight entirely seriously, but that he was more skilled than even Oberyn and Benjen had suggested. There were a few parries, ripostes, and attacks that I didn¡¯t even understand why he¡¯d made them until after they were made. Hells, most of them came in ways I¡¯d never considered, though given I¡¯d yet to formally start my sword training and my previous experience was with knives in CQC, that wasn¡¯t a huge surprise. If I was tracking the spar properly, Selmy would have killed the other knight a dozen times in less than a minute if it had been for real. Either growing bored of the spar, having spotted me watching, or for another reason, Selmy decided to end the spar. He stepped forward, parried a powerful two-handed strike with incredible ease then, moving so fast I barely managed to track his sword, grasped the blade with his other hand and drove the point forward stopping right before the eyeslit. A single thrust would end with the other man taking a foot of steel in the face. ¡°I, I yield,¡± the other man croaked out, his breath heavy and laboured. Since armour wasn¡¯t as heavy as I¡¯d believed in my former life, that made it clear the man had been pushing himself hard to even last as long as he did against Selmy, and it was clear the older fighter wasn¡¯t even trying. Selmy accepted the surrender with a nod then stepped back. Once both were far enough away, they handed their blades ¨C which I could see now that they weren¡¯t moving were blunted training blades ¨C to a pair of servants who I¡¯d missed standing on the far side of the yard, then removed their helms. While the other man, who I now saw was the same man who¡¯d stopped me from approaching the king¡¯s table last night, was sweating profusely with a reddened face and his hair matted in clumps to his skull, Selmy¡¯s white hair, which fell to his shoulders, looked fresh while there was barely a hint of rosiness to his cheeks. As the other Kingsguard all but stumbled to a bench on the far side of the yard, Selmy turned towards me, a small smile creeping onto his face. ¡°Good morning¡­ Cregan was it?¡± ¡°Yes, Ser Barristan. And the same to you.¡± I replied as his eyes seemed to search my face for something, which I assumed he found as the smile ticked upward. ¡°I hope I didn¡¯t disturb your training.¡± Barristan took a flagon given to him by the same servant who¡¯d taken his training blade and took a long drink. As I waited, he returned the flagon to the servant and then took his sword from them. ¡°No. Ser Preston and I were simply taking time away from guarding his Grace to sharpen our skills,¡± Barristan explained as he reattached his sheathed blade to his waist. ¡°Though I am curious why you are here so early.¡± The question came as he finished securing his weapon. I shrugged, ¡°I was bored.¡± That got a small chuckle. ¡°Most mornings my father, uncle, or Ser Devron Spicer. He¡¯s, um, the master-at-arms in Sunspear. Well, most mornings they train me in the yard; at least before I have lessons with a Maester. But here¡­¡± I trailed off as I shrugged again, making him chuckle. ¡°You¡¯ve got nothing to do.¡± He stepped closer still and one armoured hand lifted my chin so he could look at my face. The other hand came up and brushed some bangs before he laughed softly. ¡°You have her eyes; well both hers and Brandon Stark¡¯s.¡± A slight edge came to his voice as he mentioned my father making me wonder if there was some bad blood between them, I didn¡¯t know about. ¡°And that hair is darker than either of theirs or your uncle Arthur¡¯s. Yet from what I heard last night, you are well on your way to matching him as a warrior.¡± ¡°Some warrior. I heard he died like a bitch in an alley.¡± That comment came from Ser Preston Greenfield who¡¯d crossed the yard in the time I¡¯d been talking with Barristan. The smirk on his face as he referred to my father (since I doubted he could know how Arthur Dayne died) fuelled a growingly familiar pool of rage deep inside. ¡°Mind you tongue Preston!¡± Gone was all the kindness in Barristan¡¯s tone as he turned to his fellow Kingsguard member. ¡°You were not there when Brandon Stark rode to the gates of the Red Keep and demanded the return of his sister and challenged Rhaegar Targaryen to single combat. Nor as the Mad King made him strangle himself in a vain attempt to save his father from the flames consuming him.¡± Barristan stopped and the anger he¡¯d directed at Preston slid from him. ¡°I am sorry for your loss, young one.¡± ¡°Thank you, Ser Barristan.¡± My anger was ebbing after Barristan chastised Ser Preston, though it hadn¡¯t fully subsided. ¡°Though I never knew him, he died trying to protect his family. If he had lived, I¡¯d have likely been raised in Winterfell instead of Sunspear.¡± Which would¡¯ve been all sorts of fun if Brandon had married Catelyn Tully as intended instead of my mother, meaning I¡¯d have had to endure everything that Jon Snow had, though probably worse as my mother wasn¡¯t a random woman but one of the most beautiful women in Westeros. Yeah, I dodged an arrow on that one. ¡°Aye. Lady Ashara marrying Prince Oberyn was an unexpected announcement.¡± The slight pause in Barristan¡¯s words, when combined with how he¡¯d spoken of my mother earlier when saying I had her eyes, made me wonder if he had feelings for her. ¡°Eh, the Dornish prince is well known for his love of loose women.¡± I felt the fire that had driven me on the Sunchaser return in earnest at Preston¡¯s comment about my mother. I leapt forward, wanting to rip out his throat, only for an armoured arm to latch down on my shoulder. With it coming from above, I was able to wriggle free by dropping low, but before I could take advantage of my freedom, it was taken away as the same arm slid around my midsection and lifted me off the ground. Preston¡¯s laugh only inflamed my rage and I swung wildly in the hope I might strike him even as I struggled against Barristan¡¯s grip. ¡°If you ever speak about Lady Ashara, or any other lady, like that again in my presence, honour will demand blood.¡± Barristan all but snarled at Preston, making the younger Kingsguard member blanch and step back, as he held me aloft to stop me from attacking the dumb motherfucker who¡¯d just insulted my mother. Preston¡¯s face twisted in shock, though that soon turned to anger. He snarled, and I all but dared him to attack as I flailed around in Barristan¡¯s arm. A step forward by Barristan seemed to make Preston reconsider, and after giving me one last, infuriated look, he pivoted then marched away. While my anger was still surging, seeing him retreat helped ease the tide, and I slowly stopped struggling against Barristan¡¯s grip. Once Preston had left the yard my anger ebbed away faster and eventually Barristan lowered me to the ground, though he kept on hand on my shoulder. ¡°While I understand your desire to protect your mother¡¯s honour, you are far too young to engage a knight, and certainly not a member of the Kingsguard.¡± The words were said softly and slowly, but they did little to clear my remaining rage. ¡°I could take him!¡± My eyes bore a hole in the passage through which Ser Preston had left. ¡°My father¡¯s been teaching me, and I¡¯ve already killed bastards like him!¡± ¡°While Ser Preston was far out of line, do not refer to my fellow brother nor any other knight in such a manner.¡± Barristan¡¯s tone turned sharper, though nowhere near close to how he¡¯d just spoken to Preston. ¡°Mayhaps Prince Oberyn hasn¡¯t given you enough training to focus your fire.¡± He removed his hand from my shoulder and stepped forward, cutting off my sightline of the exit I¡¯d been staring at. ¡°Let us see what you can do.¡± I blinked as my mind processed what he¡¯s just said. ¡°Wh-what?¡± A smirk spread on Barristan¡¯s face. ¡°Let us see what you can do.¡± He waved to one of the servants waiting around the yard. ¡°Get the boy the smallest training sword you have.¡± The servant bowed and raced off to a door nearby. At a guess, that was an armoury of some form, but my focus was on the realisation that I was about to have a training session with Barristan the Bold. That left me both excited and concerned. There was no doubt that while my training in Sunspear had been good, Barristan was levels better than Oberyn, to say nothing of the master-at-arms or Benjen who were further below my father than he was Ser Barristan. Thus, even a single session with Barristan would be useful. Yet, a part of me was worried that this would be far, far harder than anything I¡¯d so far experienced in my new life. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°Can we at least stop for a drink?¡± ¡°Lord Tywin is expecting you.¡± Even though I knew it was coming, I grumbled at the reply. It was the third day we¡¯d been at Casterly Rock and this morning, just like last, I¡¯d been in the yard with Barristan Selmy. To say the man had exacting standards was much like saying dragons were big. Yesterday he''d made me go through basic footwork for two hours, only after he was satisfied I had the footwork down had I been allowed to practise simple strikes with an iron-cored wooden blade, and even then a single misstep ended with a blunt blade on my shoulder and being told to start over, still I felt I''d learned more in a few days than a month under the master-at-arms. After what felt like days but was probably only an hour or two later, my mother had come and collected me, and while she wasn¡¯t happy that I¡¯d found my way into the yard, she was comfortable with Barristan training me. The way he spoke to her further hinted to me that he had feelings for her, which explained a bit of why he¡¯d been so willing to not only start my training yesterday but arrange with my mother that I¡¯d have a session with him each day, as his duties allowed before the army sailed to the Iron Islands. About an hour into this morning¡¯s session, two Lannister guards arrived stating Lord Tywin wished to speak with me. While Erac ¨C who was once more watching me ¨C had stepped between myself and the Lannister guards, Barristan enquired if my mother was aware of this, and when he learnt she wasn¡¯t, offered to come with as an adult escort. The guards were uncertain of this ¨C likely as their orders said nothing about bringing others with me ¨C and before it could become a scene, I asked Barristan if he would let my mother or Arianne know of my summons. I¡¯d also voiced that I doubted Lord Tywin wished to harm me, not least when he¡¯d just summoned me in front of the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. Barristan had agreed with that, though he stared a hole through each guard making clear the unsaid warning that if something did happen, he¡¯d be investigating the matter personally. We left the yard after I¡¯d cleaned and returned my training blade and the guards had ensured I wasn¡¯t armed; I¡¯d allowed the Lannister guards to escort me into the keep; Erac at my side. Of course, since I¡¯d been summoned in the middle of another tiring session, I¡¯d not been allowed to grab anything to drink, and the guards were moving at a decent pace that was forcing me to all but jog to keep up with them. I realised this was likely intentional, either because they were scared of taking too long to fulfil Tywin¡¯s orders or he wanted me tired and off-guard when we met, but I wasn¡¯t going to let it get to me. Already I suspected as to why I¡¯d been summoned as there were only two or three reasons Tywin would wish to speak to me, and since it was implied that it was only he who wished to speak with me, only one made sense. He wished to discuss my plans for Red Rain. When I¡¯d been taught about the various Valyrian steel blades in Westeros, the story of Brightroar, and how it¡¯d been lost during King Tommen II¡¯s expedition to Valyria just after the Doom. Since then, House Lannister had been without a blade and it was known that Tywin had tried to buy Valyrian Steel from various other houses to no avail. Since I was a bastard, with no historical links to Red Rain, trying to persuade me to sell to him made perfect sense, though with what I knew was out there, I was reluctant to even consider it. Apart from the threat of the Others, there was whatever I¡¯d sensed in Volantis during my dream ¨C and I used the term loosely ¨C with the three-eyed-raven. To say nothing of the other threats that were much further afield. I¡¯d need every Valyrian steel weapon I could get a hold of for the wars to come but to outright deny Tywin fucking Lannister in his keep was a dangerous thing to do. The guards let me through the Hall of Heroes, the tomb in Casterly Rock where kings and great lords of House Lannister were buried. Resplendent armour ¨C some far too decorative for me to think they¡¯d ever seen combat ¨C hung beside many of the tombs, showing off the wealth of the house, which was why I suspected they¡¯d taken me this way. After leaving the Hall of Heroes, the corridor we entered was more spartan and functional. There were guards every hundred metres in the corridor until we arrived at a large but simple-looking steel door where four guards waited. These four appeared to be better armoured and armed than the pair who¡¯d escorted me. ¡°Cregan Sand to see Lord Tywin.¡± The words came from the same guard who¡¯d spoken in the yard. One of the guards at the door glanced at the others. A pair stepped forward and I was subjected to another search, though this time they searched my pockets and inside my boots. While a touch invasive, I had no issue with it as they appeared to be Tywin¡¯s personal guard and had much higher standards to maintain. Once the search was done the two gave a nod to the lead guard. He turned to Erac. ¡°You are permitted to wait here, however, Lord Tywin is to speak with the boy alone.¡± I turned and gave Erac a nod. While this meant he¡¯d be breaking the order given to him by my mother to never let me out of his sight ¨C bar bathroom breaks ¨C she¡¯d understand. I hoped. The lead guard extended an arm and pushed open the door. I stepped through, entering a large, dimly lit room save for the central area where I could see Tywin standing near some bars. I approached slowly, making sure to not come at him from directly behind as that could easily be interpreted as a threat. As I walked, a loud yawn came from behind the bars, and I paused mid-step. The last time I¡¯d heard that sound in person I¡¯d been in my teens and on a date at Edinburgh Zoo as we¡¯d watched the lions there lazing around in the sun. Sure enough, out of the shadow in the cage stepped a fully grown male lion; its mane glittering like beaten gold as the light shone down on it. Once I was over my shock at seeing a lion that deep inside the castle, I resumed approaching. Eventually, I came to a stop about three metres away and off to one side of Tywin so he could see me from the corner of his eye if he looked. There, I bowed deeply, showing him the same respect I would to Doran Martell, then without waiting for a command to rise ¨C which was only required when in the presence of the king, though it might be asked for from some insecure lords ¨C I stood back to my full height. I waited quietly for him to begin our conversation, though his focus remained on the cage. The sound of metal sliding back drew my attention into the cage in time to see the remains of a butchered animal ¨C a pig from the looks of things ¨C slide down into a trough-like object. The male lion moved over quickly, joined by a female and two cubs, and began to rip the meal to shreds. I¡¯d seen this sort of thing in documentaries but seeing it up close was something else entirely. Without the bars those beasts would rip me apart and eat me with ease, which was likely why Tywin was having them fed now; a method to intimidate me and make me more inclined to agree to whatever he wished to speak about. A smart play and while it didn¡¯t work on me ¨C at least not as effectively as he hoped ¨C I¡¯d make sure to remember the lesson. ¡°They are powerful animals, aren¡¯t they?¡± The words were spoken gently but I heard them easily over the sounds of flesh being ripped apart and eaten. ¡°Yet remarkably docile until threatened or they see something they desire.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± My response was simple on purpose. While I suspected Tywin knew I was smart for my age ¨C something I¡¯d been unable to avoid during the retelling of the battle on the Sunchaser, I didn¡¯t want him to know just how intelligent I was, nor let him think I didn¡¯t understand his hidden meaning. ¡°Do you know why I¡¯ve summoned you?¡± That was a test, that I was in two minds about passing. If I played dumb then didn¡¯t take whatever he would offer for the sword, he might feel I¡¯d tricked him, making an enemy I didn¡¯t need or want currently. Yet if I revealed what I suspected I might make a list of pawns to watch. While the better choice of the two, it wasn¡¯t something I was happy about. ¡°If I had to guess, my lord, I¡¯d say you wished to speak with me about Red Rain.¡± He turned his head fractionally so he could see me while still watching the lion¡¯s feast. An eyebrow rose, which I took as a sign to explain. ¡°House Lannister has been without a Valyrian steel blade since before Aegon¡¯s Conquest. While you could easily take the sword from me, that would risk angering House Martell and House Stark due to my mother''s marriage and my father¡¯s blood, thus I think you want to buy it from me.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Tywin turned back to the cage, forcing me to watch as the male lion crushed a leg in its jaws with ease. Suddenly I felt very under-armed and missed having my dagger at my side but that had been given to Barristan to return to my mother or Arianne when he found them. ¡°You are correct in your thinking. Like this lion, I am the leader of my family, my pride. Yet I, and by extension, my house, is missing a blade with which to defend it.¡± His words were slow, measured as if he¡¯d been forced to consider them more due to my answer. ¡°When forced to do so, like the direwolf of your father''s house, you did so. You defended your mother, sisters and cousin; risking your very life to do so if Princess Arianne is to be believed.¡± ¡°The princess¡­ was under a great deal of stress that night, my lord. She has exaggerated the story because of that.¡± I wanted to downplay my actions even as I began to see where he was going with his speech. ¡°She may well have, but what is not up for debate is that, at the age of seven, you killed four men to defend your pack, killed men far more battle-hardened than some members of my guard, and did so with a blade known to many in Westeros.¡± He turned, bringing his entire focus to bear on me. ¡°Your actions also, indirectly, played a part in preventing the destruction of my fleet and the sacking of Lannisport. I owe a debt for that, and a Lannister always pays their debts.¡± I had to fight to keep from smirking at hearing those words. ¡°To defend your family, your pack, you used Red Rain. A Valyrian steel blade at once belonged to House Reyne; a now extinct house in the Westerlands.¡± No one I¡¯d talked to about Valyrian steel had ever confirmed that, so I couldn¡¯t say that it was true, yet the names did make sense. ¡°Yet at your age, and with your lack of status, I wonder if you realise just how much of a target you have become to the more¡­ unscrupulous people in the world. You are a bastard with a sword of legend. I, however, find myself in the opposite position. I head one of the Great Houses of Westeros, yet a blade of legend no longer guards my family, my pack.¡± ¡°I, um¡­ Forgive me, my lord, but are you saying you wish to purchase Red Rain from me?¡± My hesitation was for show, and I hoped he would buy it. Ignoring all the reasons I¡¯d already considered about selling Red Rain to Tywin Lannister, there was the fact House Martell didn¡¯t have a Valyrian steel weapon either. Yet now that Tywin was making it clear he wanted to purchase the blade, if I later gave or sold it to the Martells ¨C unlikely but still an option ¨C rejecting Tywin here would result in me ending up on the very list of his I was looking to avoid. ¡°Indeed.¡± His eyes were fixed on mine, trying to discover the smallest hint of my opinion and intentions. ¡°Any blade of Valyrian steel is worth its weight in gold, but such a price is too low, in my mind, for it. As such I am prepared to offer you one hundred thousand Dragons for the blade.¡± ¡°I, uh, th-that is a generous offer, my lord¡­¡± ¡°But you still feel that is too low? Understandable. Let us say half a million Dragons then.¡± Tywin¡¯s new offer cut me off before I could even consider a suitable reply and forced my mind to freeze for a moment. A hundred thousand Dragons was a fortune to make a powerful Lord, but half a million¡­ Gods, there was so much I could do with that. As my mind resumed working, I started to play around with figures in my head. The most basic set of armour made with castle-forged steel cost at least three Dragons ¨C something Daemon Sand had mentioned when boasting about his newest armour to Arianne ¨C while the winner of the Tourney of the Hand for Ned Stark would¡¯ve taken home forty thousand Dragons. With half a million I could hire an army and win a war or invest in trying to improve this world so it was ready for all the chaos to come. ¡°Th-that is a lot of money, my lord.¡± I licked my lips as they felt suddenly dry. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Mayhaps you are concerned about the history between my house and that of your new father¡¯s?¡± Once more Tywin cut me off from making a response. ¡°This is indeed a factor. Very well, I will raise my offer to one million Dragons.¡± Once more my mind seemed to freeze. I¡¯d only just gotten my head around what half a million Dragons could do when he¡¯d doubled the offer. The only reference I could draw on was the crown being six million in debt when Ned became Hand, with three million of that owed to House Lannister. That made it clear that the Lannisters had that kind of monetary reserves to draw on, so this wasn¡¯t an empty offer. ¡°I, um, uh.¡± My mind refused to let me string anything resembling a coherent sentence together. Tywin held up a hand, stopping my incoherent rambling. ¡°I understand this is something you need time to consider and discuss with your family. With your father and uncle arriving in a few days, I suspect you¡¯ll also wish to speak with them on the matter.¡± That made perfect sense, though I was surprised he was giving me time to consider the offer until I realised that was more meant for my family as they¡¯d be angrier about the offer than I¡¯d ever be and would need time to calm before they¡¯d even consider discussing the offer. ¡°As such, I¡¯m willing to wait for an answer until the campaign against the Ironborn is concluded. Though I would like an answer no later than the victory feast the king will no doubt call for.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord. And, uh, thank you.¡± Tywin gave me a curt nod, then turned back to the lions. After waiting for a short while to make sure he wouldn¡¯t say anything else, I took the dismissal for what it was and headed towards the doors. A gentle rap on them had them swinging open, though I only got a few steps out before my mother knelt before me, her hands resting on my arms. ¡°What did Lord Tywin want?¡± While the question was loaded, the fear in her eyes and the tight way she gripped my arms made it clear she was concerned Tywin had done something to me. While he never would directly, as that would violate Guest Rights, I could understand her worry since not only was Tywin Lannister an all but declared enemy of House Martell, but with her recently losing her unborn child, any threat towards me would result in her fear being magnified exponentially. ¡°I-it was a private matter, mother, and while he has given me leave to talk with you about it, I¡¯d rather do so with the rest of our family present to save me repeating the story over and over.¡± While I¡¯d like that, I knew that wouldn¡¯t happen. Once they got past their anger at his offer, I suspected they¡¯d want multiple confirmations regarding the final price Tywin had offered. While it wasn¡¯t nice to consider, I would admit that I was looking forward to seeing their faces ¨C and those of Oberyn¡¯s once he arrived ¨C when I told them that. Still, while I could already guess their positions and opinions on the matter, I wonder if my mother and Oberyn would let me decide for myself. That would absolve them of interfering in the arrangement Tywin had suggested, but it would put me in one hell of a position. Either accept the offer and lose a weapon with which to fight the Others or refuse and risk angering one of the most powerful and dangerous figures in Westeros. I really, really needed a third opinion. ¡­ ¡­ From Sand to Snow From Sand to Snow ¡­ (Circa 289AC)?
I felt myself moving through the air as it flowed around me as if it was alive. A gentle breeze brushed against my skin, not bringing any chill, but a comforting, protective warmth, then shifted, growing more powerful and aggressive. The strength of the breeze increased, turning into a strong wind, one which started to carry along with it. Looking down, I saw the branches of trees bend as the wind pushed through them. Simple wooden walls swayed, unsteady under the assault of the air. Ripples formed on a river divergent from its meandering direction as the wind kissed its surface. The wind grew stronger, and I saw bushes bend over to avoid the worst of the air while some smaller plants were pulled from the ground; their roots not being deep enough to resist the growing intensity of the wind. Yellow sand soared upward, picked up with contemptuous ease by the swirling air, blocking my downward vision for a time. When it cleared, below me I could see the deep blue-green of the clear waters of a sea. The undulating tide seemed to waver as the currents of air rushed into them. The sails of a ship enlarged as they caught the wind carrying me, being dragged along so unexpectedly that men on the deck stumbled and supplies fell over. I looked up, wondering where we were going and saw islands in the distance. Palm trees dotted the edges of the closest with a large mountain, possibly even a volcano, rising further back, likely on another of the islands that made up the archipelago. I closed my eyes, and listened as the air all but purred around me; the promise of power at my fingertips making me want to ¡­ ¡°Cregan?!¡± I was thrown from the thoughts by my mother¡¯s voice. My foot slipped and the tiles under me shifted. I slid down, the ledge of the roof approaching fast, forcing me to forget about the dream I¡¯d just experienced. My feet fought for grip, and my fingers dug fruitlessly for any handhold, but each movement only loosened more tiles. They clattered around me, drowning out the wailing of the wind from my perch high upon Casterly Rock. Seeing the edge of the roof I¡¯d climbed upon mere moments from passing underneath, approaching, a dark line came into view. The guttering. Hatching a desperate plan, I twisted, lifting my legs from the roof, then as they passed over the gutter, swung them underneath. My fingers grasped desperately at the railing of the gutters after they scraped against my legs. I hissed as my fingers caught. My body swung with my legs moving inward. I let go of my grip and brought them forward; barely managing to get them in front of me before I landed face-first on the balcony of my room. I groaned then pushed myself up. Already I knew my clothes were ruined. I had to get out of them before my mother found me. ¡°Cregan!¡± Too late I realised as I felt hands brush against my shoulders, sending fresh ripples of pain through my body. I was turned over and saw her worried eyes searching for damage; going first to my left eye, and the scar there from our run-in with the Ironborn, before wandering elsewhere. The concern faded quickly as she saw I appeared uninjured, replaced by a slowly growing pyre of fury. Her eyes lost their softness and took on a dark, foreboding glint. ¡°What in the Seven Hells were you doing?!¡± While her voice was quiet, I winced at the tone. Yet I understood why it existed. She¡¯d only recently lost her unborn child, my younger sibling, and now she finds me lying on the balcony of a high room within Casterly Rock; shattered tiles around us making it clear that I¡¯d been on the roof mere moments before. ¡°I, Uh.¡± I gulped hard, trying to regain my bearings under her intense glare. Any hope of bullshitting a reply died against the steel in her eyes. ¡°Magic.¡± My voice was so quiet that it barely reached my ears. The hardness of her eyes shattered, replaced by new concern. She blinked rapidly, as if trying to understand what I¡¯d said before I pulled upward; pushed into her chest. ¡°You could¡¯ve been killed. I can¡¯t lose you.¡± Her voice pleaded into my ear before the gentle sound of her weeping echoed against my chest. My arms slid up, wrapping as best they could around her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I whispered as I held her tight, ignoring, for now, the small blue dot at the bottom right of my vision. The message from my Interface could wait, as could a full explanation as to why I¡¯d been on the roof. Not because I didn¡¯t trust my mother, but because getting into details here and now would be an act of dangerous stupidity. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I fought off the urge to tug at the collar of my shirt. It was a new one mother, reluctantly, had made for me in Lannisport as the few items of clothing I had left from our unexpected arrival in the Westerlands were either, in her words, not up to the standard of a child of the Prince of Dorne, or too small. The shirt, along with the other clothes, had been made as word had reached Lannisport that not only had the Greyjoy Rebellion been crushed, but the king and his forces were returning. Hence why I was standing between Nymeria and Tyene at the back of a large crowd near the docks of the city. I glanced back and saw the now-familiar presence of Erac who, after my little roof-climbing expedition, had become my permanent shadow while we were outside of Dorne. The man took his assignment far too seriously, only giving me space when I entered the privy or was in a room with another member of my family. So far, mother hadn¡¯t come down on me heavily about why I was on the roof, only that I had been. She never referenced my reveal of why I¡¯d been up there, but it was clear that she ¨C and by extension, Arianne and my step-sisters ¨C were aware of my reasons; that had been made clear by the promise of several long, detailed discussions once we returned to Sunspear. And boy was I not looking forward to those. Turning back around, I took in the sight of the various nobles and figures of importance that were standing around the docks. Somewhere, near the front of the crowd, I knew that my mother and Arianne were standing with Tyrion and Genna Lannister. I knew Arianne would be less than happy about that, as she¡¯d been every time the thought of spending time around the Lannisters had occurred, but she¡¯d been raised to rule Dorne so knew how to behave in such situations. Honestly, I was a little jealous as meeting Tyrion was something I¡¯d hoped to do while in Casterly Rock, but so far, it hasn''t happened. However, Arianne, Tyrion, Genna and my mother weren¡¯t at the very front of the crowd as, about a quarter-moon after the fleet had sailed, Cersei Lannister had arrived in Casterly Rock with the young prick Joffrey who was currently in her arms. I knew that wanting to kill a babe for the crimes they¡¯d commit in the future was, to say the least, morally dubious at best, but if any little shit deserved it, it was Joffrey. Mother, bless her soul, had run interference between Cersei and Arianne as, for reasons that I felt went beyond Cersei being a Lannister, Arianne quickly started hating the queen. Though Arianne showed her upbringing by, during the few times I was near her and Cersei, acting as pleasant as she could; though both traded some subtle ¨C and less than subtle ¨C barbs with each other. The biggest surprise regarding behaviour, at least initially, had been Oberyn. He¡¯d arrived a few days after we had, and from the get-go, had gone out of his way to spend time around Robert and Tywin. I¡¯d brought that up with him one night, expressing my disbelief that he could be so civil to men he hated, and he explained why he was doing so. Oberyn had done it, and likely still had once the fleet sailed, to irritate and annoy the two. While I doubted Robert even realised what was going on, Tywin was probably not happy about that along with Oberyn rather clearly saying that I would not be selling Red Rain to Tywin; not unless he offered up the head of Gregor Clegane and Amory Louch; an offer I didn¡¯t even consider bringing up with Tywin when I spoke with him (with my mother present this time) before the fleet sailed and while I¡¯d not accepted his offer for my blade, I had given him suggestions on how to find his own Valyrian steel weapon instead. Judging from his face, at least one of my suggestions wasn¡¯t something he¡¯d considered previously. Oberyn¡¯s pattern changed again when my uncle Ned arrived. From then on, he spent his time around Ned. I¡¯d seen the two talking quietly once or twice and when they¡¯d spotted me, they¡¯d moved away as if not wanting me to overhear whatever it was they were discussing. Whether it was due to those talks or another reason, the Dornish host had sailed beside the Northern host. The Dornish host had been led by a scary-looking Lord Frankyln Fowler and it was easy to understand his anger as he slid from his horse and scooped up his remaining daughter, Jeyne, in his arms. His eldest daughter ¨C though Jeyne claimed there were only minutes between them ¨C was missing and presumed captured by the Ironborn after the attack on our small fleet. From my limited interactions with him, Lord Frankyln seemed a good man, though it was hard to tell when his driving desire was to find his daughter and rage to make the bastards who¡¯d taken her pay with their lives. And I wasn¡¯t putting words in his mouth as that was the exact reason he gave Robert as to why he¡¯d chosen to lead the Dornish host. While I couldn¡¯t be sure of it, I suspected that Ned sailing with Oberyn and the combined Northern and Dornish forces probably upset Robert more than anything else about the campaign. My mother and Arianne believed it was done that way as the other forces had more historic and local grievances with Dorne than the North did. Yet, based on the hushed conversations I caught between Ned and Oberyn, I felt there was more to it than just political concerns. The shining white armour and blond locks flowing gently as the sea breeze caught them beside Cersei indicated that, as always, her brother Jaime was standing guard over the pair. Since he was always at her side, I hadn¡¯t had a chance to meet him, though if he was as arrogant as he¡¯d been in the first book and early part of the show, that was probably for the best. I doubted he¡¯d have any time for a bastard from Dorne, even one that was the nephew of Ser Arthur Dayne. I saw several ladies in the crowd ¨C most being the wives of various nobles from the Westerlands and Crownlands ¨C glancing Jaime¡¯s way, but as happened every time I saw this, Jaime ignored them. Movement in Cersei¡¯s arms drew my attention to the little shit she was holding. Ok, he wasn¡¯t that much a shit as he was just a babe of three, but it was hard not to see or hear him and think of who he¡¯d one day become. Thankfully, since Cersei was averse to having any bastards near her golden child, I didn¡¯t have to be anywhere near the brat and thus risk any of my latent loathing of him being seen by a queen renowned for, in later years at least, finding slights and threats everywhere. A cheer rose from the crowd, and as arms lifted into the air, I looked towards the port¡¯s entrance. Or at least I tried to. I was standing near the back with the Sand Snakes and a few other people of minor ¨C to most nobles ¨C importance near the back of the crowd. Add that to the fact I was still a few moons short of my eighth nameday, and it was hard to make out anything. Thanks to the size of the lead ship, I was able to see the royal sigil, that of House Baratheon of King¡¯s Landing, flying from the top of the main mast but I didn¡¯t care about that. Like my stepsisters, mother and Arianne, I wanted to see that Oberyn was alive and well, and for me at least, my uncles Ned and Benjen. Well, perhaps Obara was more concerned about Benjen than I was, but that was a minor thing. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ A few hours after the fleet returned, but well before the evening''s feast that the king had proclaimed to celebrate his victory over House Greyjoy, I was waiting around in my mother¡¯s quarters. With me were the Sand Snakes. Currently, we were waiting for Oberyn, Lord Franklyn and Daemon Sand to appear though I¡¯d only seen the first two in glimpses when the fleet had returned. Oberyn had been at Ned¡¯s side before making a beeline for my mother and Arianne once his ship docked while Lord Franklyn had someone wrapped close against him. I hoped it was his daughter, but at the same time, if it was, then it meant she¡¯d likely been raped and abused by the Ironborn; in keeping with their customs. The groan of the lock in the door drew everyone¡¯s attention and as it opened to reveal a familiar figure, Tyene was already moving. ¡°Father!¡± Oberyn couldn¡¯t get out a quick response as Tyene launched herself against him, latching onto his waist. Nymeria and Obara moved over behind her, though with more grace and maturity. ¡°My beautiful daughters.¡± Oberyn pulled his two oldest daughters to him, Obara resisted for a fraction before submitting to the hug. Mother and Arianne moved forward from the door to join them. I started to move towards the group only to stop as two new figures came into the doorframe. One was Daemon but my focus was on the girl in front of him. While judging someone based on height was a hard thing to do ¨C just look at Arianne and Nymeria as the former was barely my height while I only came up to Nym¡¯s chest ¨C I¡¯d place this new girl close to them in age. She was dressed in worn clothes that looked to have seen work but were of a higher quality than a normal worker would wear. She had a tall, thin frame punctuated by a sharp nose that stood out from the pimples that dotted her cheeks. The eyes were dark, with a defiant, dangerous edge and her black hair, while unkempt, reached down to her shoulders. ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Oberyn leaned out of the hug he¡¯d been enjoying with his daughters, cast one eye back to the new girl, shared a smirk with my mother ¨C who shook her head ¨C then smiled as he looked at me. ¡°Of course, you spot the newcomer. Will I have to have a father-son talk with you before your mother is comfortable?¡± ¡°Oberyn!¡± If he heard or cared about my mother¡¯s scolding, he didn¡¯t show it. My question had drawn the attention of his daughters though, with all three looking warily at the newcomer. ¡°Still, I thank you for helping me win a small wager with your mother, Cregan.¡± He slid from his daughter¡¯s touch and moved back, one hand sliding around Ashara¡¯s waist. ¡°Though to answer your question, this is Asha Greyjoy; only daughter of the former Lord Balon Greyjoy and a ward of House Martell for the next ten years.¡± Nymeria and Obara both moved towards the now named Asha, though Oberyn¡¯s free arm extended, blocking their path. ¡°She is under our house¡¯s protection, my darling daughters, and unlike her father, bears no blame for the attack on our family.¡± I couldn¡¯t see either of my step-sister¡¯s faces, but the tenseness in their shoulders suggested they weren¡¯t happy about not being able to get their pound of flesh. ¡°What happened to Lord Balon?¡± The question came from Tyene, her voice was laced with barely controlled anger. I moved toward her and placed a hand on her arm. She tensed as her father answered her. ¡°Balon Greyjoy, along with one of his brothers, has gone to meet their god! Victarion Greyjoy now rules Pyke but is no longer the Lord of the Iron Islands. That honour was given to Lord Rodrik Harlaw. Asha¡¯s brother, and Balon¡¯s only remaining male heir, is the ward of House Stark.¡± Right, that was a change. Balon dead, along with one of his brothers ¨C was that Euron or another that wasn¡¯t mentioned in the show or first book? ¨C was a major ripple, but with an angry Oberyn there for vengeance, it made sense that he¡¯d preach to Robert to be more brutal. At a guess, and it was a strange thought to have, that likely meant Oberyn agreeing with Tywin that the Ironborn needed to be put down hard, countering the voices of moderation in Ned and Jon Arryn. ¡°I wonder how well you two will get along.¡± I blinked as I was knocked from my thoughts at Oberyn¡¯s words to me. Why would he wonder how I¡¯d get along with Theon? At a guess, not well if he was as arrogant and annoying as he was in the first book. I doubted we were still heading North, not least as Oberyn had already cancelled that plan after the events on the Sunchaser. When we returned to Dorne, we¡¯d be doing it at the head of a large host instead of travelling by sea. ¡°This is the Bloody Wolf of Dorne?¡± My head whipped from my stepfather to Asha even while I muttered a mental curse at Robert for hoisting me with that nickname. Yes, it sort of made sense, and such nicknames were semi-common in Westeros, but that didn¡¯t mean I had to enjoy it nor enjoy the infamy it would bring; not least among the Ironborn as the story around how I¡¯d gained Red Rain grew. ¡°Aye. This is the young man who killed Lord Dunstan Drumm, and three other Ironborn, and paid your beloved Iron Price for this.¡± Oberyn tapped the scabbard at his waist and I saw the now-familiar hilt of Red Rain there. Asha¡¯s eyes narrowed as she also followed Oberyn¡¯s hint and for a moment I wondered if she was related to or friends with the Drumms, before her focus returned to me. ¡°I thought he¡¯d be older, bigger.¡± Her tone was a mix of condescending and disbelief. ¡°The way you Greenlanders talk about him, I expected something¡­ more.¡± That was a challenge, one I wasn¡¯t going to let slide, and I took a step towards her before a hand came to rest on my upper arm; where the coiled snake bracelet rested. ¡°He might be young,¡± I fought off a wince as Arianne started speaking, ¡°but he killed four of your Ironborn; without any formal training.¡± She stepped forward, partially blocking my sight of Asha, though her hand stayed on my arm. ¡°Just imagine what vengeance he¡¯d have extracted from you¡­ people if he was but ten years older.¡± That was true and made the slight dismissal due to my age acceptable to me. However what drew my attention was the momentary looks Oberyn and my mother gave me; or more specifically, where Arianne¡¯s hand was still resting on my arm. ¡°If he does wish vengeance when older, I¡¯m afraid he¡¯ll be disappointed.¡± The comment from Oberyn made my brow crease. ¡°House Drumm is no more. All men of fighting age, bar those wise enough to surrender and chose the Wall over death, were put to the sword. The women were either given to the Silent Sisters or, if they remembered which family they came from, will be sent home as is the case for Jennelyn Fowler.¡± ¡°How is she?¡± Oberyn tried to reassure Tyene with a smile. ¡°She¡¯s alive, thank the Gods, but what was done to her¡­¡± he shook his head. ¡°Mayhaps later you, Nymeria and Arianne could speak with her.¡± ¡°Yes, father.¡± ¡°Anyway. The younger children of House Drumm, along with the children of a few other houses, are to be taken as wards by various lords in Westeros. Most will be going to Dorne or the North.¡± Oberyn smiled at that, and I wondered if it was because it was a small moment to show Robert and Tywin that the Dornish don¡¯t kill children simply because of what family they were born into. If that was the case, it was a nice way to spite the king and Lord Tywin while also showing Ned that, unlike those two, Dorne didn¡¯t condone the killing of enemy children. Plus, the other actions taken made sense as well. House Drumm were the ones to directly attack House Martell and had paid the price for their actions; as likely, had the house that had taken Jennelyn Fowler. ¡°You want to turn Ironborn into Greenlanders?¡± Asha all but spat out with venom. ¡°Fucking bullshit!¡± ¡°Language!¡± Mother¡¯s remark made me chuckle once. I¡¯d been getting that tone for a few years now, so it was nice to see it directed at someone else. ¡°You¡¯ll have to forgive young Asha, darling. The Ironborn lack many of the manners one would expect from noble houses.¡± Oberyn¡¯s comment was polite, but the slight inflection on ¡®noble¡¯ was a nice way to have a dig at the Ironborn without being obvious. That was one of the things I enjoyed about my life; getting to learn how to subtly insult people without openly doing so from someone as skilled at it as Oberyn Martell. ¡°And no, we don¡¯t want to turn you into Greenlanders. Merely show you that the Iron Way, as you call it, is outdated and unnecessary.¡± He clapped his hands together. ¡°Still, we have years to handle that. For now, I wish to speak with my son privately.¡± He stepped over, gently guiding Arianne away from me, then placed a hand on my shoulder. As we walked through his quarters, I let my mind quickly ponder the ramifications of Asha Greyjoy living with us in Sunspear. It was certainly unexpected, but if she was half as good a sailor as she appeared to be in the show ¨C later seasons and lack of logic notwithstanding ¨C then I might have someone around who¡¯d happily teach me sailing in this world. While it was a minor thing, I missed being on the sea far more often than I¡¯d expected. Oberyn led me to the room¡¯s balcony, which was amusing as it was the first time I¡¯d been there since being caught climbing onto the roof. Perhaps he didn¡¯t know about that yet, or perhaps he did and didn¡¯t care. Once he¡¯d pulled the curtains to shield us from the view of those inside, he slowly pulled Red Rain from its sheath. As with every other time I saw the blade, it seemed alive as the light caught the ripples that flowed along the heft of the blade. I could almost imagine the blood of House Drumm flowing through those ripples as Oberyn ended their lives one by one. He turned the blade and rested it on his bracer, making sure to keep the edges away from his arm. ¡°As promised, I return the blade to you.¡± He sounded formal as if this was some important ritual he was conducting, but as far as I knew it wasn¡¯t. I¡¯d simply given him Red Rain to take to the Iron Islands to increase the chances he¡¯d stay alive, and remove the temptation for anyone to steal it for Tywin Lannister while I was waiting around Casterly Rock. Yes, there¡¯d been a chance Oberyn might die in battle, but with Valyrian steel at his side, along with Dornish warriors, I felt the odds of that were slim. ¡°With this blade, those who threatened our family met their ends. Some with more dignity than others.¡± I had no issues with people dying from the blade, this was war after all. Though I did wish I¡¯d been old enough to go with them. I missed being inside the wire. ¡°Good. Though I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re being so fancy about this.¡± That drew a smirk from him. Oberyn sighed dramatically as he lifted the blade from his bracer. ¡°Can¡¯t you allow an old man his fun?¡± the question came as he started to slide the weapon back into his sheath. ¡°Still, this blade is an impressive weapon, and one day you will be a warrior worthy of wielding it. However, today is not that day.¡± The blade sunk into the sheath with ease until he was able to remove his hand from the hilt. For a moment I thought he meant he was going to keep the blade for himself. ¡°You have a long way to go in your training before that day though, and while I owe you more than you can ever know for protecting our family, I cannot in good faith allow you near this weapon until that day is reached.¡± I felt my fists unclench, having subconsciously formed them when I thought he was taking Red Rain from me, and relaxed my stance. While I was angry about not getting the weapon I¡¯d fought for back, I understood his logic for withholding it from me for now. I was far from ready to learn to fight with live steel, and certainly not with a Valyrian steel blade that had the ability to slice through armour with almost contemptuous ease. ¡°Cregan?¡± The use of my name drew me from my thoughts. ¡°Yes, father?¡± His brow was slightly wrinkled as he looked down at me. ¡°Do you understand why I¡¯m doing this?¡± I nodded. ¡°Yes father, and I agree.¡± The creasing of his forehead vanished at that. ¡°I need training, more so than anything I¡¯ve had so far. I saw that during my few sessions with or watching Ser Barristan. I got lucky on the Sunchaser, and with others now knowing I have a Valyrian steel blade to my name, if I¡¯m not ready to wield it, I¡¯d be an easy kill for anyone wanting such a blade for themselves.¡± Oberyn chuckled, shook his head and ruffled my hair; much to my annoyance. ¡°Mayhaps not how I would¡¯ve put it, but accurate all the same.¡± He pulled his hand from my hair, thank the Gods, and then knelt. ¡°You have potential, real potential, but right now, that¡¯s all there is.¡± He patted the sheath. ¡°This blade needs a certain style of fighting to best be used, one that you may not choose. If that happens, then mayhaps we can see about reforging the blade, but it''s better if the blade fits the warrior than if the warrior tries to fit the blade. I nodded in agreement and understanding. I knew from my past life that even in my former SBS unit, even though we all got advanced training, we each had our special roles and abilities. things that made us each slightly different fighters than the rest. There was also the fact that I knew I¡¯d be, slightly, more of an agile than a strength-based fighter. The difference in potential wasn¡¯t massive, but it was there. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°Then can I assume that my training will change once we return to Sunspear?¡± That drew a chuckle from Oberyn as he stood, which was a touch unsettling. ¡°That is a discussion for another day.¡± He turned without saying anything else as a sense of foreboding came over me. Before I could ask what he meant, he¡¯d pulled back the curtains, bringing us into view of everyone in the room. Tyene had gone back to the sofa she¡¯d been on before Oberyn had entered while Nymeria was talking with my mother and Arianne at a table. Asha was gone, likely led away by Daemon, while Obara was also no longer present. In her case, I had a good idea of where she¡¯d gone. It¡¯d been several moons since she¡¯d seen Benjen, and likely the pair wanted to ¡®catch up¡¯. ¡°For today, I¡¯d like to enjoy the company of my family for the first time in over a moon.¡± As we walked back into the room, I wondered how comfortable Oberyn was with Obara and Benjen¡¯s relationship; especially if, as I suspected, Obara might head north with Benjen. While a bastard daughter marrying a trueborn son wasn¡¯t unheard of, there were only a few examples of it happening in Dorne in the last hundred years, to say nothing of no mention of it in the books I¡¯d read concerning the lineages of the Northern houses. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ Later that day I was walking down a corridor/tunnel in Casterly Rock heading for the public area of Casterly Rock¡¯s library that House Lannister made available to visiting nobles. Tywin had arranged for me to have entry to the room just before the fleet had set sail for the Iron Islands and as the Dornish party planned to leave early tomorrow morning, this might be the last time I¡¯d get to browse the books there. I¡¯d read several already in my time here, and while most dealt with the glory and history of House Lannister, there were still the odd bits of interesting lore buried in the propaganda that many of the books contained. The permission to gain entry had come after I¡¯d rejected Tywin¡¯s offer to purchase Red Rain and then, to avoid angering Tywin, suggested other solutions to House Lannister¡¯s desire to have a new Valyrian steel blade. I wasn¡¯t sure how helpful he considered my suggestions, I felt he¡¯d accepted them when the permission to enter the library had been brought to my mother. The only caveat was that I wasn¡¯t allowed to take any books from the library, but I was fine with that as it gave me a quiet place to be by myself, away from my family. Currently, the library should be quiet as most people were still at lunch which had quickly turned into an impromptu feast ¨C or at least a practice event for the one planned this evening ¨C and it had given me a glimpse of the relationship between Robert and Cersei. While I¡¯d been seated with the Dornish party, I wasn¡¯t at the main tables with my mother, Oberyn and Arianne. Still, even from my seat, which was an improvement on my placement from when the fleet had sailed, I could see Robert pawing at the various servant girls that came to his table, doing so right in front of Cersei, Tywin, other members of House Lannister and nobles from throughout the realm. Seeing that behaviour made it understandable that Cersei wanted nothing to do with Robert, and with her beauty, it wouldn¡¯t have been hard for her to bed almost any man or woman she wanted; though I was aware she only had eyes for her brother, which was an entirely different, but no less fucked-up kettle of fish. I put the problems of the royal family on a backburner as I rounded the final corner and saw the doors to the library. As always there were two guards stationed outside and since neither had offered nor had I asked their names I referred to them mentally by simple titles. The two on-duty today were ¡®Blue-eyes¡¯ and ¡®Surly¡¯. Both tensed as they saw me approach, which was odd as they¡¯d never done that before. If Tywin was inside there¡¯d likely be four guards outside, as there¡¯d been both times I¡¯d spoken to him privately, or nearby as was the case whenever I saw him around Casterly Rock. ¡°Do I still have permission to enter?¡± The pair exchanged a look before Surly, in his usual gruff voice, answered. ¡°Fine. But make it quick and stay away from the private section.¡± I already knew to do that but chose not to comment on the fact. Instead, I gave the man a mock salute, which drew a grumble of laughter from ¡®Blue-eyes¡¯. Yes, it was petty to irritate one of the household guards like this, but it was one of the few regular sources of amusement I had in Casterly Rock and since I¡¯d be leaving soon, I might as well enjoy it while I could. Erac stayed outside as he wasn¡¯t allowed in, though that had caused a minor scene the first time I¡¯d come to the library. I walked through the large, intricately decorated wooden doors, that given to their rich, yellow colour I suspected were made of goldenheart wood, and entered the library proper. Outside of being famed for bows and other weapons made of wood, it was rarely used for anything else due to its insanely high price, which made it the perfect choice for a door for visitors to Casterly Rock to walk through. The library itself wasn¡¯t particularly large, with even the Dayne family library being larger, but this was only the public area. The private sections were off to the side, but what caught my attention was that instead of the normal single guard outside each of the two doors to the private area, there were two. I hadn¡¯t even seen through those doors, though I¡¯d be shocked if what was inside didn¡¯t put the Martell library to shame; and that was ignoring an even more restricted library that I¡¯m sure was only available to the Lord and heir of Casterly Rock. Likely that meant there was a member of House Lannister inside, and while I was curious about which member of the house it was ¨C and also glad it wasn¡¯t the Queen as no member of the Kingsguard was present ¨C it wasn¡¯t my reason for being here. Instead, I made my way over to a particular bookshelf, one that detailed the history of the Westerlands. While most of the tomes were droll ¨C detailing the various historic grievances between the houses in the Westerlands and how House Lannister was able to mediate those issues ¨C the book that had taken my attention for the last week or so was one surrounding the founder of the House, Lann the Clever. Most of the stuff surrounding him read as myth and legend, with the idea that he released mice and other vermin into the Rock at night to drive the original owners of the Rock, House Casterly, from their home. However, it was the legend of him tricking the Casterlys to leave by pretending to be ghosts and angry spirits that had my attention. While the Maester¡¯s dismissed this as simple trickery, I wondered if this was a form of magic. Perhaps some form of illusion or trickery. The story supposedly took place in the Age of Heroes; a time when magic would likely have been at its strongest. So if it was some form of illusionary or Glamour magic, the potential things it could do once magic returned were insane. I wasn¡¯t sure how long I read and reread the story of Lann as my mind played with the idea of how magic could¡¯ve been used to do what he did, but eventually, I grew tired of postulating. Thus, I turned to a book regarding the Dance of Dragons and flicked quickly to the pages detailing the actions of my namesake, Cregan Stark. What always caught my attention here was the supposed Pact of Ice and Fire. That was meant to give a daughter of Jacaerys Velaryon ¨C heir to the Iron Throne ¨C to the firstborn son of Cregan Stark, yet the pact had, according to various Maesters, never been sealed. As I considered once more if this pact was why many felt that Jon and Dany were destined to marry. Of course, since Jon wasn¡¯t Jon in my universe, that pact could never be sealed. The creak of a door drew my attention and I turned to see one of the doors to the private library open. My brow rose as I saw the one Lannister that I¡¯d hoped to meet but had so far failed to do so, Tyrion, walk into the common area. He was short, barely even coming up to my chest - which was a shock as this Tyrion was even shorter than the one in the show and I hadn¡¯t realised he was this short from the single book I¡¯d read - and had a large tome under his arm but what held my focus was his face. Two mismatched eyes of green and black under a forehead that came out too far and was capped by thin hair that almost looked white were another reminder that this world wasn¡¯t the world of the show. Not that I needed any proof of that after years of living here already. Tyrion stopped, having seen me starting and we became locked in an impromptu staring match. I felt he thought I¡¯d do like so many others and look away, so I didn¡¯t, instead holding his gaze until a faint smile came to his lips. ¡°So finally, I meet the Bloody Wolf.¡± His words were softly spoken, and there was something in his tone that hinted at, perhaps, some curiosity towards me. ¡°Lord Tyrion.¡± I lowered my head respectfully, though it still left me taller than him, as I replied. His station, as the nominal heir to Casterly Rock, was far above mine, so showing the respect he was due ¨C but likely didn¡¯t get ¨C felt the smart course of action. The rising of his brow suggested I¡¯d been correct. ¡°I would¡¯ve expected someone with your reputation to be in the yard, not surrounded by books.¡± There was no question there, but I caught a faint hint of annoyance, or possibly anger. I shrugged. ¡°Why not both? After all, the mind is a weapon every bit as much as a sword. And where the sword needs a whetstone, the mind needs books to remain sharp.¡± Yes, I was paraphrasing one of his best early lines ¨C of which there were many ¨C but it deserved to be used and this felt like the right moment to use it. Tyrion chuckled and stepped closer, with each step reminding me of a duck¡¯s waddle before he placed the book he was carrying ¨C a tome on the engineering of Casterly Rock ¨C on the table I was at. ¡°Wise words, though not something I expected to hear from a child with Stark or Dayne blood in them. Or with a title of the Bloody Wolf.¡± His using my nickname a second time so quickly felt like a test. ¡°My name is Cregan, my lord.¡± I kept my voice calm, as if not annoyed by the nickname even if that wasn¡¯t the truth. Tyrion smirked before glancing at the book I was reading. ¡°I am aware. But the King himself has given you a title, one that, after the various hosts gathered here depart, will spread across the Seven Kingdoms.¡± He took a few more steps towards me, which confirmed that even a few moons shy of my eighth nameday, I was taller than him. ¡°How does such a thing make you feel? Proud? Nervous? Angry?¡± I shrugged once more. ¡°I don¡¯t like it, but I understand that it¡¯s common.¡± A single brow rose, imitating his father though I doubted either would like the comparison. ¡°My birth father was known as the Wild Wolf while my step-father is the Viper.¡± Tyrion¡¯s smirk evolved into a smile. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve heard those before. And the stories behind them. And that of your uncle, Ser Arthur Dayne.¡± He paused as he looked down once more at the book I¡¯d been reading. ¡°And I see you¡¯re interested in the Old Wolf. Understandable as your mother likely named you after him.¡± His eyes came back to me, searching my face for something. ¡°I wonder if stories will be told of you as they are of him when your song is over.¡± I opened my mouth to reply, only for the sound of the main doors of the library opening to draw our attention. The white armour of the Kingsguard gleamed in the light as the figure stepped through the door frame, which when combined with the flowing blond locks, made it easy to tell this was Jaime Lannister. Beside me, Tyrion tensed for a moment though once it was apparent Jaime was alone, he relaxed. ¡°Tyrion, I¡­¡± Jaime paused mid-sentence as he saw me beside his brother. His brow creased as he looked me over. ¡°I do not believe we¡¯ve met young one.¡± Unlike Tyrion, whose tone had always seemed to carry an air of curiosity, Jaime¡¯s was slightly dismissive, as if I was beneath him. ¡°Ser, Jaime, I¡¯m Cregan Sand,¡± I explained as I lowered my head to him as I¡¯d done with Tyrion, though I went a fraction lower as Jaime was the more accomplished and renowned brother. Hopefully, Tyrion wouldn¡¯t take it as a sign of disrespect, but Jaime was a member of the Kingsguard. ¡°Ah, yes.¡± A light seemed to flick in Jaime¡¯s eyes, and he gave me another look over; this time taking the time to really see me. ¡°I¡¯ve heard the tale of how you killed a dozen Ironborn bare-handed to save your family. Most impressive.¡± The words were polite, but I caught the challenge in them; with the embellishment of what I¡¯d done making it very easy to pick up on. ¡°Thank you, Ser Jaime. However, it was only four, I was armed, though I was very, very lucky to make it out with only this.¡± I tapped my left eyebrow, drawing attention to the scar that cut through it and over my eye socket. A few millimetres and I¡¯d have likely lost my eye so while I didn¡¯t like the reminder of how close to death I¡¯d come, I wasn¡¯t going to complain about it. Tyrion chuckled. ¡°Lucky you may have been, but as I said, soon the story will reach every corner of Westeros; and dare I say, it will be more impressive than the one my brother here mentioned.¡± I groaned at that idea, but Tyrion wasn¡¯t finished. ¡°Mayhaps, many will soon proclaim you the heir of your uncle, Ser Arthur Dayne, and next Sword of the Morning.¡± My groan grew louder at that, and I heard Jaime join his brother in chuckling at my expense. ¡°Still, be it four or forty, you fought with honour to defend others, a mark of a true knight.¡± The remark came from Jaime after the two brothers had stopped laughing. ¡°And while I doubt you¡¯ll reach the level of Ser Arthur, Ser Barristan says you have potential; a rare honour.¡± I blinked. ¡°I¡­ Thank you, Ser Jaime.¡± I was unsure if that was a compliment from him, or just him being polite, but I¡¯d take it. And seeing an opportunity, I decided to try something. ¡°And thank you for King Aerys.¡± Jaime stiffened at the mention of the Mad King while beside me Tyrion stilled. ¡°That¡­ mad man killed my father and grandfather because his son kidnapped my aunt.¡± Yes, I might know that, in this world at least, that wasn¡¯t the case, but most people would never know the truth. ¡°I¡­¡± Now it was Jaime¡¯s turn to pause in confusion and he swallowed his words for a moment. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it for you, or House Stark. I¡­¡± He paused again, though this time he looked away, finding a spot on a wall to stare at. A plausible reason had been given by the show as to why Jaime had killed Aerys, and Jaime certainly looked conflicted about his reason as to why he did it, but I couldn¡¯t say for sure if the show-given reason was the truth here or not. ¡°Regardless of why you did it, for whatever it might be worth, you have my thanks.¡± I bowed deeply, making it clear that I was serious. I then gave Tyrion a shallower bow. ¡°Lord Tyrion. With your permission, I¡¯ll take my leave. My mother doesn¡¯t like me being away from her side for too long since¡­ the battle.¡± Jaime ignored me, continuing to stare off into the distance, lost in his thoughts regarding why he¡¯d broken his vows. Tyrion though gave me a slight but respectful nod. ¡°Understandable. And I hope that before you leave Casterly Rock we might speak again. It is rare to find someone so young with a mind as sharp.¡± The second-long glance he sent his brother made it clear he understood what I¡¯d done, though perhaps not fully why. ¡°A most unexpected, and not unwelcome, surprise.¡± ¡°Of course, my lord.¡± I lowered my head once more to both then moved off. While I didn¡¯t think either cared too heavily about courtly etiquette, it was better to make it clear that I understood and respected the rule, even if I disliked them. I exited the library, Erac at my heels, only to realise that not only hadn¡¯t I returned the book I¡¯d been reading to its place but that I¡¯d left it open on the table. A mistake, but given who I¡¯d ended up speaking with, one I felt/hoped no one would hold against me. As for Tyrion¡¯s hope, I doubted it would come true. The Dornish host would be leaving early tomorrow morning though if he could¡¯ve, I suspected Oberyn would¡¯ve left before this evening¡¯s feast. That would¡¯ve been disrespectful to Robert; enough that it could lead to problems for Dorne in the future. Still, whenever I next met them, I should have some groundwork in place. Tyrion was interested in me and I¡¯d not called Jaime Kingslayer; hells, I¡¯d even thanked him for what he¡¯d done which was likely the first time that had ever happened. When Tywin learnt of it ¨C there was little doubt in my mind he would ¨C then it would further improve his opinion of me; regardless of if he had managed to gain Nightfall or other Valyrian objects that could be reforged into a blade. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°Cregan?¡± I turned at hearing Ned¡¯s voice and saw him approaching on foot while I sat in the saddle of a light brown Sand Steed that Oberyn had left for me. ¡°Are you ready?¡± ¡°Yes, uncle,¡± I replied, earning a nod from him before he turned as someone approached. With him busy, I looked around the yard we were in just outside Casterly Rock and took in the sight of the Northern host. It had been about a week since the fleet had returned from the Iron Islands and while the Dornish host and my family had left the day after, I had stayed behind. This was because Oberyn had come to an agreement with Ned that until around my ninth nameday, I was to be a ward of House Stark. Oberyn had sprung this surprise on me the morning after the feast, away from my stepsisters and cousin, by taking me and my mother to meet Ned. Beyond a few subtle digs towards Ned having a bastard of his own ¨C though one or two sounded as if Oberyn knew or suspected there was more to Alysanne¡¯s story than what most knew ¨C the meeting had been relatively quick and when over, I¡¯d said my goodbyes to my mother and stepfather and gone with Ned to where the Northern lords were staying. Most of the lords had taken a liking to me, saying that the son of a Stark, trueborn or not, belonged in the North. There¡¯d been a few jokes wondering if I¡¯d be able to survive the cold, but nothing too rude that Ned felt a need to step in and comment. Not until Benjen had walked into the area with Obara at his side. That had drawn more than a few glances and sly comments but those were ended when Obara sparred with and beat, Harlon Poole. Harlon had been teased over the loss until Jorah Mormont had commented that he was sure his aunt and cousins would likely have words for the other lords. Jorah was tall, with thick black hair, but other than that, and the role he played in Daenerys¡¯ future, nothing about him stood out. Well, save for his new wife. Lynesse Hightower was very attractive, and even knowing how that relationship would go, I could tell it was a bad match. Still, Jorah¡¯s winning the tourney had earned me ten Dragons to add to the number Oberyn had left with Ned to help me pay for things while in Winterfell. ¡°Cregan,¡± I turned back to look at my uncle to see he was standing beside the Greatjon and boy, while Robert was big, the Greatjon had him beat. I was seated on a horse and was at eye height with him. Yet the giant of a man ¨C and I wondered if his family had some giant¡¯s blood in it ¨C was the nicest person I¡¯d met in the host. He¡¯d spent time telling me stories about my birth father; some of which were, frankly, not suitable for a child, but I didn¡¯t complain. He even said my father would be proud of me for killing Ironborn cunts ¨C his words ¨C and defending my family. ¡°I want you to ride with Greatjon and Theon Greyjoy.¡± I must¡¯ve failed to keep my dislike of the idea ¨C borne both for what Theon had done in the canon timelines and what the Ironborn had almost done to my family in this one ¨C from my face because Ned sighed. ¡°I know you have issues with his family, but the crimes of the father are not those of the son.¡± ¡°Yes, uncle.¡± He gave me a quick nod before walking away, the Greatjon beside him. I sighed then walked my horse over to where Theon was. The boy, while older than me, was on a smaller horse; one that looked less for riding in battle and more for working in the fields. That was likely to ensure he didn¡¯t try and run off while the host moved north. Just behind him, separating him from the few hundred captured Ironborn who had been forced to Take the Black, were Harwood Stout and Hallis Mollen and their retinues. Harwood saw me approach and gave a slight nod, which I returned. I hadn¡¯t interacted with either noble, so I didn¡¯t know how they felt about a bastard of Brandon being raised in Dorne, but Ned obviously trusted them to guard his ward and the prisoners, so that would do for me. I¡¯d spoken to Theon a few times since I¡¯d learnt I¡¯d been heading north, but he¡¯d been very withdrawn; almost shy. Likely that was just him struggling to come to terms with everything that had happened and having seen his sister, and only remaining sibling, leave for Dorne making her further away from him than any other member of his family. Save Euron who, apparently, had slipped off into the sea before the assault of Pyke and hadn¡¯t been seen since. It was hard to put aside my issues with Theon for what he¡¯d done in the other timelines, but I knew that this Theon wouldn¡¯t necessarily head down that road. Balon was dead, his sister so far away as to be all but dead, and Euron in the wind. While I doubted it could happen, I wanted to see if I could make him stay loyal to House Stark, or at the very least, not betray Robb as he had done in canon. If there was a chance I could pull that off, or convince him to, somehow, join me in my plans to prepare for the Others/make a name for myself in this world, then I had to take it. ¡°Greyjoy.¡± He lifted his head, wondering who had spoken. When he saw it was me, the faintest look of anger flashed across his face. Perhaps he hated me because I had killed other Ironborn, or just blamed everyone for his lot in life. Regardless, the look faded a second later. He opened his mouth to say something, only to stop. ¡°Sand.¡± The words came out quietly, in a resigned tone. For a moment I wondered if, like every other time we¡¯d spoken, he¡¯d planned to call me a bastard as a stupid way to try and annoy me, but honestly, it wouldn¡¯t matter if he had. I didn¡¯t take offence to the term, though that wouldn¡¯t stop others from trying to use it to annoy me. ¡°Lord Stark wishes for us to ride together.¡± I left out the part of the Greatjon, as I¡¯d rather enjoy watching Theon¡¯s reaction when that mountain of a man approached. I had considered lying and suggesting I¡¯d come over here on my own as he was the only boy my age in the host, but I¡¯d decided against it. That approach hadn¡¯t worked well the few times I¡¯d used it before; mainly as while there were no official squires and pages ¨C outside of the House Manderly contingent ¨C there were younger men and boys who¡¯d come south with the host to act in similar capacities to the various Northern nobles. I¡¯d spoken to a few, though none had stood out as interesting, with a few even being dismissive of me for being Dornish. ¡°Ok.¡± Yeah, that lacked any interest in, well, anything, but that wasn¡¯t a surprise. No matter how many times Ned called Theon a ¡®ward¡¯, we all knew he was a hostage to ensure Lords Victarion Greyjoy and Rodrik Harlaw behaved themselves. I shook my head at Theon, then moved my horse alongside his. Back from where I¡¯d come, I saw the Greatjon mount a horse that looked more like a plough horse than a warhorse with how large it was and smirked in anticipation of Theon¡¯s reaction. ¡°My Lord.¡± I was broken from my thoughts by the voice to my left and turned to see a servant of Casterly Rock standing there. Seeing he had my attention, he lifted a decent-sized pouch which looked to be made of what looked like high-quality leather with a lion embroidered with gold thread on the front. Hesitantly, I took it, being surprised first by the weight and then by the faint jiggle from inside; a sound only produced by coins rattling around together. ¡°From Lord Tywin as a thank you for your suggestions.¡± I nodded to the servant, which he took as a signal to leave, and then placed the bag on the saddle in front of me. Slowly, not wanting to risk the contents falling out, I loosened the strap. My brow rose at what was inside. ¡°What was that about?¡± I schooled my features not wanting to let on about what was inside and turned to see Lord Harwood had moved his horse closer to mine. His eyes shifted from me to the bag, and I suspected he wouldn¡¯t accept an answer that was too vague. ¡°Lord Tywin¡­ he wished to purchase Red Rain. I refused, but to avoid angering him while his guest, I gave him other options for such a weapon.¡± I paused and glanced at Theon to see him trying to look at me without making it obvious. ¡°Obviously those worked out and he wished to, I guess, thank me.¡± I turned and looked towards the castle in the mountain. As expected, I didn¡¯t see Tywin anywhere, but I knew that he¡¯d gained Nightfall, which had been one of my two suggestions. Clearly, he had decided that was enough to reward me with some coin and sent this pouch to me. It was hard to say for sure, but at a guess, I felt there were up to a thousand Dragons within. Helping the Lannisters gain a Valyrian steel blade wasn¡¯t something I¡¯d have expected to have done, but now both blades that had been on the Iron Islands were on the mainland. Thus, they were closer at hand when it came time to fight the Others. That was a win, or at least I was taking it as one and ignoring the chaos Tywin Fucking Lannister having Valyrian steel would unleash to what I knew of the future. And, if I had to guess, he¡¯d also acquired any object made of Valyrian steel his men could find on the islands. It might not be enough for a second sword, but even a few extra daggers of the metal could cause waves to erupt over Westeros. All I could do was hope that the ripples didn¡¯t alter the timeline too much to disrupt most of my plans. Chaos could be useful, but I was nowhere as keen on unleashing it as the Mockingbird. ¡­ ¡­ A Full Pack A Full Pack ... (Circa 290AC)?
I already knew that Winterfell was a massive structure from my magical dream, but like with Casterly Rock, seeing it from above failed to show the true scale and incredible effort that had gone into building it. We¡¯d seen the peaks of the highest buildings ¨C some that stretched what looked to be thirty to forty metres over the height of the walls ¨C a day before arriving at Winterfell, though we¡¯d stopped at Castle Cerwyn the night before where many houses that didn¡¯t have keeps north of Winterfell had broken off from the host and head home. Yet seeing in the evening and night before was nothing to approaching it as the sun hung high above. The castle was massive ¨C easily able to swallow Sunspear and the Shadow City within its walls ¨C ringed by two walls with several buildings rising higher than the inner wall. The outer wall alone was impressive, standing somewhere between twenty and thirty metres while the inner wall looked to be another ten to fifteen metres above that. In the far leftmost corner of the keep, the leaves of the massive weirwood tree at the centre of Winterfell¡¯s Godswood spread out, fanning that section of wall in a blanket of red. When those leaves had first become clear, my mind had wandered back to my magical awakening dream; in particular, who I¡¯d spoken to there. More than likely the Three-Eyed Raven would be able to see me through the weirwood, but I wondered if I¡¯d receive any further dreams or a vision brought on by him or the Children of the Forest. I¡¯d prefer if that wasn¡¯t the case, and he just stuck to observing me as, based on what was shown in the show, I wasn¡¯t a fan of his. Still, if he did speak with me, and brought up Alysanne, I might well ask him how things had changed with her being here instead of Jon. As the front of the column reached Winter Town and I saw Ned raise a hand towards a group of people who¡¯d gathered there, I turned my attention to my riding companion, Theon Greyjoy. In the nearly two moons we¡¯d been riding for, he¡¯d never spoken a word to me if I hadn¡¯t engaged him first, and even then, his replies were short, vague, and subdued. This made sense as he¡¯d only just seen his father''s head caved in by Robert¡¯s hammer and been taken hostage first by Robert and now Ned, and it had given me time to push my feelings regarding his canonical betrayal of Robb to one side. His lack of interest in conversation had made it hard to create any headway in potentially turning him away from the Ironborn ways, and what little I might¡¯ve made was probably undone by comments ¨C some subtle, some not ¨C regarding the Ironborn in general and Balon Greyjoy in particular. Still, while Theon¡¯s lack of interest in talking had made most days boring, it had allowed me to focus my attention on my magic. While training up Fire Magic wasn¡¯t doable ¨C not unless I wanted to explain why I was riding a horse with a lit candle during the day ¨C I had managed to get a few levels in both Air Magic and Water Magic. As expected, they levelled far slower than Fire Magic, Water Magic being the slower of the two but any growth was worthwhile compared to doing nothing while I rode. Mealtimes had been more enjoyable as first the Greatjon then other Northern lords and warriors had begun to regale me with stories about my birth father. Some, well most really, weren¡¯t suitable for a child¡¯s ears, but Ned either ignored that, or simply didn¡¯t hear some of the more vivid stories, yet from all of them it was easy to see why Brandon had been called ¡°The Wild Wolf¡± and as we approached Winterfell, I had to wonder if I had some half-siblings dotted around the North. The sounds of cheering as we approached Winter Town drew my attention and I saw that Ned had slowed the column to a virtual crawl as he leaned from his horse to speak with a handful of residents. While the place was largely deserted ¨C it was summer after all ¨C I¡¯d been told that when winter came it filled rapidly and became the sixth city in Westeros. Once we started moving a few people looked at me and Theon and whispered. While Theon got a few glares ¨C understandable as under the thick fur overcoat he was wearing his surcoat sported the Greyjoy sigil ¨C most seemed confused with me. I wasn¡¯t wearing anything that signalled where I came from, only wearing simple black breaches striped with purple, a sleeveless black velvet shirt embroidered with purple scrollwork and held closed by silver fastenings, my black snake glinting upon my arm and purple cloak trimmed in black fox fur over my shoulders, the fact I was riding a Sand Steed was the only thing to identify Dornish roots, though I doubted any smallfolk in Winter Town knew where the horse came from, I suspected my purple eyes and black hair started a few rumours on the spot. ¡°It no¡¯ much to look at now, but come winter you have a hard time moving through the streets at this time o¡¯ day.¡± I turned to see Rickard Karstark had ridden up beside us. The tall ¨C though nowhere near as tall as the Greatjon ¨C man nodded to people watching us, then after reaching into his wools, tossed a coin ¨C what looked like a silver stag ¨C to two children that appeared around my age. Rickard had spoken with me several times on the journey, but I¡¯d always felt there was something off about him. Like Theon, that might be my opinion of him in the show bleeding through, but I felt it was more than that. Almost as if he didn¡¯t like me, a bastard of Brandon Stark, being back in the North. ¡°That would be something to see.¡± He nodded at my reply before speaking. ¡°Aye. People come from all over the North in the winter, when it be far colder than now,¡± he added with a smirk as he glanced at Theon who I caught muttering about it getting colder even as Rickard continued. ¡°Might even pass White Harbour in how many people huddle in it, but the Starks take care of them all. When winter comes, be ye Highborn or low, the North works together.¡± There was something in his tone that felt like a warning, yet before I could respond, he gave his horse a gentle kick and it surged forward toward the head of the column. ¡°Colder?¡± I chuckled at Theon¡¯s muttering. ¡°Well, it is the North, what did you expect? Dorne?.¡± As expected, he didn¡¯t reply, choosing instead to try and bury himself in his sabblen overcoat, seeking warmth in the furs given to him by Ned when we¡¯d reached Moat Cailin. I¡¯d gotten a fur overcoat as well, but I was finding the weather tolerable - which was why I was wearing a lighter cloak - which was likely from having some resistance to the cold and having, in my previous life, grown up in Scotland. As we passed through Winter Town, my attention was taken up by the massive walls of Winterfell as they rose in front of us. There was no moat outside the outer wall, but one could be dug quickly in the case of an approaching army. I spotted dozens of guards manning the two towers of the gatehouse along with four more standing to one side as Ned led the column inside. ¡°What?¡± I was broken from my thoughts as my horse walked through the outer gate. A strange buzz, both foreign and familiar, tingled throughout my body, making the hair on my arms and legs stand on end. I didn¡¯t know what it was, and as my eyes snapped around looking for the source, I realised it felt like a mild electrical shock. I barely processed that between the two walls was a moat that was perhaps about ten metres wide and that wooden pathways were running from ramparts to ramparts before I passed through the inner gatehouse. As that happened, I felt another shock pass through my body, though this one was stronger, as if I was closer to the source. My eyes shot around, ignoring the various movements in the courtyard for the moment as I searched frantically for whatever had caused those odd sensations; and why no one else seemed to have felt anything. ¡°The hell was that?¡±No sooner had I muttered that to myself than I spotted a notice in the corner of my vision, which I quickly opened. Magical Area Entered! Winterfell As the blood of the Starks is strong within your veins, while you are within the walls of Winterfell, all magic relating to the Starks gains a 5% boost in power, duration and magic level growth. ¡­ ? ¡°M¡¯lord?¡± My head snapped to the voice to see a young man, perhaps an older teenager had come over and placed a hand on the reins of my steed. ¡°Lord Stark has requested you present yourself to him immediately.¡± I blinked, regaining my bearings, placed the notice from my thoughts for now, and took in the courtyard. All around various lords were sliding from their horses. Some were heading towards other people in the yard ¨C likely friends or family ¨C while others pushed on in a group towards the central keep which stood above all other buildings. There I saw Ned along with an attractive redhead, who I assumed was Cateyln Stark n¨¦e Tully, and what had to be the rest of his family. ¡°Thank you.¡± I slid off my horse ¨C who Oberyn had gifted to me nameless and thus I¡¯d named Rowan ¨C with far more ease than barely a month ago, but two moons straight of riding had gone a long way to improving my comfort in the saddle; along with removing, or at least numbing, any sense of saddle-sore. While I¡¯d never gotten to ride Rowan at anything more than a trot, Ned being too cautious with me for that, Rowan had easily outpaced any Northern horse and I suspected that he would best any non-Dornish horse in a race. ¡°Can you find a warmer stable for him? He is a Sand Steed and not built for the cold.¡± My hand ran down his neck, letting him know I was leaving for the time being. I would return though, not just to ride him but, if I figured out how to, to practice skinchanging. ¡°I shall speak to the stablemaster, m¡¯lord.¡± I nodded my thanks before heading towards the steps of the Great Keep where Ned and his family were gathered. I had to dodge around people, horses and wagons in a yard that put a football pitch to shame, but since no one was moving that quickly it didn¡¯t take me long to reach the Starks. Ned was kneeling to greet his children, while Catelyn was glaring at Obara, seemingly not approving of how close my stepsister was standing to Benjen. As I got closer, I saw that the arms of the pair were clasped, publicly declaring their relationship, which was possibly the source of Catelyn¡¯s ire as I doubted that she had kind thoughts towards the Dornish after the Rebellion; thoughts that would only get worse the moment she learnt Obara was a bastard. ¡°Nuncle.¡± Ned turned and stood as I spoke, lifting Sansa ¨C her hair the same vibrant red as her mother¡¯s ¨C in his arms. ¡°You wished to see me?¡± ¡°Nuncle?'''' The question came from a boy at Ned¡¯s side and going off his height and looks, this was likely to be Robb. However, my attention was instantly drawn to the other boy standing next to him. Unlike Robb, this boy had dark brown hair and grey eyes, looking far too much like Ned to be anything but a Stark by blood. ¡°Yes, Robb. This is Cregan Sand, your cousin by my brother Brandon.¡± In a moment I¡¯d seen coming when I¡¯d first heard I¡¯d be going to Winterfell, Catelyn¡¯s eyes narrowed as she glared down at me, though the intensity of the glare softened quickly as she got her feelings, whatever they may be, under control. ¡°He was killed by the Mad King right?¡± That drew my attention to the sixth person standing with the Starks ¨C even if she was a little further behind the main family ¨C Alysanne Snow. She, like Robb, was about a year younger than me and unlike Robb had the dark brown hair and grey eyes that were common for Starks. Hells, if not for the younger boy who was a spitting image of Ned, I¡¯d say Alysanne was the most Stark-looking of us kids. ¡°Cregan Sand, baseborn son of Brandon Stark and Ashara Dayne at your service, my lady.¡± I bowed to her in an overly dramatic fashion. Yes, it was silly, but it would, I hoped, move things past some of the formalities. While there was some emphasis placed on it, Northerners, from what I¡¯d seen, were far less interested in such things than the southern kingdoms. After rising, I turned and bowed to Catelyn. ¡°My Lady Stark, I thank you for being willing to house me while I foster in Winterfell.¡± Intentionally I stayed in the bow as I¡¯d rather not be drawn into the inevitable interplay between Lord and Lady Stark. Plus, by remaining bowed like this, I was shifting the onus onto her to allow me to stay, and after revealing my parentage, and making it clear I understood I was a bastard, I hoped it would alleviate some of her inevitable anger toward me being a threat to Robb one day becoming Warden of the North and Lord of Winterfell. ¡°And we are happy to have another member of the family, even a bastard, staying with us.¡± Her tone was sharp, making it obvious to any with any emotional sense that she wasn¡¯t happy with me but was willing to accept it for now. ¡°Please rise.¡± As I did I saw Ned was pinching the bridge of his nose with his free hand. ¡°I thought we went over this, You might not have been trueborn, but like Alysanne you are a Stark by blood.¡± What was left out was that Ned insisted that I didn¡¯t have to bow to him or his family because of my blood. ¡°Aye, uncle, we did. And while I¡¯m sure that¡¯s fine for Northerners, Lady Stark, like myself, was raised in a southern kingdom; though the Riverlands are far more temperant than Dorne,¡± I tacked that on to make it clear I wasn¡¯t suggesting I came from the same place and station as Catelyn. ¡°Not only is she the wife of a Lord Paramount, but the daughter of another. To not show her the respect her station deserves would insult both sides of her family.¡± I smirked as I glanced at Obara. ¡°Plus, uncle Doran would likely tan my hide for showing such disrespect.¡± I heard Ned give a small snort, and as I glanced up I saw the faintest of smiles had crept onto Catelyn''s face, and while she still didn¡¯t look overly pleased about my presence, I¡¯d take any crack in her armour if it made my stay here more tolerable. ¡°Uncle, mayhaps you might introduce me to my cousins?¡± That drew a smile from Ned and helped Catelyn¡¯s smile grow fractionally. ¡°Cregan, these are our children; Robb, Beron and Sansa,¡± as he introduced her, Ned shifted his arm around to expose her face. While she was very young, the resemblance to her mother was clear to see. ¡°And Alysanne, like you, is a bastard,¡± his face slipping a touch when he said that. ¡°I think my mother mentioned meeting her when I was very young,¡± Ned¡¯s face tightened for a moment, and while he hid it well, I knew he was frightened that my mother had revealed Alysanne¡¯s heritage to me. While I think most people failed to see it, I didn¡¯t and neither, interestingly, did Alysanne. ¡°She said when you brought Dawn back to Starfall you had a babe with you.¡± ¡°I never expected she would ever mention that.¡± Ned was certainly hiding any panic he may have felt but his face was tightening further the longer we spoke, and as he glanced at his wife it likely didn''t help assuage her fears at all, luckily for him someone cut the conversation short. ¡°What¡¯s Dawn?¡± the question snapped my eyes to the middle Stark child; and the one that shouldn¡¯t exist. The implications of Ned having another son, and one older than Sansa, was immense. If the timeline continued as it had in canon ¨C and that wasn¡¯t a certainty ¨C then what would be Beron¡¯s fate? Would he, like Sansa and Arya, be in King¡¯s Landing when Ned was executed, or would he stay in Winterfell after Robb called the banners? If Theon still betrayed the Starks, would Beron die at Theon¡¯s hands, alternatively would he hold the castle against Theon and throw the Ironborn from the North, or would he be with Robb in the Riverlands? ¡°Dawn is the ancestral blade of House Dayne.¡± The only thing surprising about that answer was who provided it. There was a glint in Alysanne¡¯s eyes as she looked at her younger ¡®brother¡¯ which drew my attention. While Dawn may have come up in one of Maester Luwin¡¯s ¨C Luwin was the Maester at this time if I remembered right ¨C lessons, the fact she could so easily recall that was interesting. ¡°How¡¯d you get that scar?¡± ¡°Beron!¡± Catelyn snapped at her youngest son, as I blinked to cover the fact I¡¯d almost got lost in wondering about Alysanne and Beron¡¯s roles to play in what was to come. While the question was a personal one, Beron was just young enough that he¡¯d likely not understand that. Or would play dumb to get away with it when Catelyn berated him later about it. The question itself wasn¡¯t a problem, as it had come up several times on the ride north as while most Northern lords and nobles had heard what I¡¯d done, they seemed to enjoy getting me to retell it. Though the Greatjon complained that I never varied nor embellished the story; claiming the greater the legend behind my scar and sword ¨C which was probably back in Dorne by now along with the other side of my family ¨C the more girls would like me. Ned had never found that funny, but the Greatjon and others had. For safety, I played dumb about his implication. ¡°Mayhaps we may continue this inside?¡± Ned offered as Sansa bounced gently in his arm. ¡°It¡¯s been a long ride and I, for one, would enjoy sitting with my family for a meal for the first time in many moons.¡± He glanced over at Benjen. ¡°And for some, years.¡± Benjen laughed lightly at that. ¡°Aye, I would love that. I have sorely missed the food from home.¡± He pulled Obara closer to him. ¡°While I also enjoyed Dornish fare, Winterfell will always be home.¡± Ned nodded and turned even as Benjen smiled at me. ¡°And, perhaps, once we are seated, Cregan can tell you how he got that scar and a Valyrian steel blade.¡± Even as I glared up at my uncle, my cousins who could walk all gawked at me. ¡°And how he became ¡®The Bloody Wolf¡¯.¡± My glare shifted to Obara for her comment, but like with Benjen, it had no effect. Catelyn¡¯s brow crinkled after hearing Obara speak; likely because not only had Obara spoken freely, but because of the nickname Robert had bestowed upon me. Hopefully, that little remark wasn¡¯t going to cost me any ground I¡¯d made with the Stark matriarch. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ The arrow flew from my bow and as I tracked its flight, I watched it strike the target, which was a good fifty paces away. It wasn¡¯t a great shot, only just inside the second ring out from the bullseye, but given it was closer than any of the two dozen arrows I¡¯d shot before, I¡¯d take it. Even though my overall Bows skill was average, that was locked up in Shortbow and while, technically, the bow I was using could qualify as such, since it was almost as big as I was tall, I was being forced to use my Longbow which was far worse. Now, since there was a difference between my Longbow skill and the overall Bows skill, I got a boost of half the difference to the sub-skill; though that still left me ranked as Deficient with a longbow. That had pissed me off but given after just two-dozen arrows I¡¯d gained a handful of levels, I could live with it. Though when it came to other combat skills it was more aggravating. ¡°Yay! Cregan!¡± The cheer for me had come from Beron as he stood looking down on me from a walkway that overlooked the archery section to the training yard. My cousin, who was barely past five, had taken an instant liking to me, which was both a blessing and a curse. While I enjoyed the attention of the younger boy, and it helped make Ned and Robb more comfortable with me around, Catelyn didn¡¯t like her son following the bastard of her former betrothed around. Thankfully, in the half-moon that I¡¯d been here, she¡¯d been too busy looking after Arya who had been born a few moons before we arrived. That, plus my promise to keep an eye on my cousin and Ned¡¯s word had made her reluctantly willing to allow Beron to, within reason, follow me around when we weren¡¯t in classes with Maester Luwin. Likely Beron¡¯s minder was a member of the household staff, though given I hadn¡¯t heard him saying his name over and over, I knew it wasn¡¯t Hodor. I¡¯d been curious if the gentle giant ¨C and given he was taller than the Greatjon, I suspected he had some giant blood in him ¨C would still be as he was in the books and show, and finding he was confusing. On one hand, if he¡¯d been born a simpleton then it was fine, but if it had been something that happened when he was younger, then did it mean that Bran¡¯s future ¨C and thus mine ¨C was hard locked? I just needed to find a moment where I could ask about it without it seeming like a strange question to ask. Giving Beron a salute with my bow, I turned to my right to see Robb and Theon aiming at their targets. While Robb¡¯s had only five, no six as one clipped the edge, in it, Theon¡¯s was peppered with arrows and all of them were better than my most recent shot. Robb muttered something to Theon, but the older boy didn¡¯t react. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was Robb¡¯s choice or instructions from Ned, but he¡¯d been trying to get closer to Theon ever since we¡¯d arrived in Winterfell. Oh, he still made time to get to know me, and had enjoyed hearing ¨C before Catelyn cut me off ¨C about how I won Red Rain, but his focus was mainly on Theon. Yet no matter how much Robb, me or others tried, the Greyjoy boy barely responded. Now, I could understand that in Maester Luwin¡¯s lessons, just like with every Maester when I first met them, I was forced backwards in my learning as they didn¡¯t think I knew as much as I claimed. Thankfully, that had been rectified by holding a short conversation with Benjen in High Valyrian and proving I understood more advanced concepts. Robb hadn¡¯t liked being shown up like that, and Beron¡¯s hero worship was not helping, but the fuck was I wasting a year of learning to deal with my cousin¡¯s ego. Either he¡¯d grow out of it and see me as a challenge to meet and surpass or, following canon, he¡¯d become closer to Theon. The thump of another of Theon¡¯s arrows striking the target ¨C this time clipping the bullseye ¨C drew my thoughts back to the Ironborn. While he might, if the timeline still followed the canon path, turn on the Starks, the fact his sister was in Dorne ¨C and I admit that was something that continued to play on my mind ¨C and his father, the one who¡¯d turned him back to the Iron way, was dead, I was hesitant to see him following that path in this verse. A small smile came to Theon¡¯s face as he lowered his bow, though it vanished an instant later. That was the first sign that he was enjoying something, and possibly that the cockiness that he¡¯d had in canon was already in there just waiting to come out. ¡°Boo!¡± ¡°Beron!¡± I bit my tongue to not chuckle at the interaction of Beron and Robb; who was glaring up at his brother. Even though it¡¯d only been a few weeks, I was already enjoying Winterfell. As much as I missed Sunspear, growing up without many male friends ¨C as most gravitated to Quentyn who hadn¡¯t yet gotten over me accidentally striking him because of his dumbass friend ¨C wasn¡¯t something I¡¯d noticed until arriving in Winterfell. I might only be here for a year, but I was already enjoying the company. ¡°How are you so good at this?¡± I doubted he¡¯d answer, but even if nothing had so far worked, this was another moment when I had a chance to get him to open up. If this kept up past the new moon in a week¡¯s time, I¡¯d likely put the issue on the back burner and focus on improving my skills. ¡°Been doing this since I was five.¡± Theon''s mumbled answer caught me off guard. ¡°All Ironborn must know how to fight. When we turn twelve, we can join a crew and learn the Iron Way.¡± ¡°But why the bow and not the sword?¡± When we¡¯d trained in the yard under Rodrik Cassel, while he¡¯d been older than me, I¡¯d been able to take him in most of our spars. Hells, even Robb had won a few spars against him. His brow creased and I thought for a moment I¡¯d pushed too far. ¡°Just better with a bow, I guess. When I line up a shot, I feel,¡± there was a pause as he seemed to search for a word. A second later he shook his head and blinked. Almost as if surprised with himself for opening up. without finishing, he turned, pulled a new arrow from his quiver and then nocked it. I fought off a sigh. While I¡¯d found a chink in his mental armour, it wasn¡¯t quite enough for him to open up fully. Still, as I copied him by nocking a new arrow, I at least knew I could break through the armour. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°We are not supposed to be down here.¡± I rolled my eyes at Robb¡¯s words as I led him and Alysanne down into the lower levels of the Winterfell crypt. I¡¯d first come down here, though only to the second level, with Ned a few days after arriving in Winterfell so he could show me the statue of my father, Brandon Stark. While seeing that, the statues of my ancestors, and the crypts waiting for Ned, his children and those that followed made me feel part of something far larger than just the family I knew, what caught my attention had been the fact there were multiple levels to the crypts. Which was why I was down here, with my cousins in tow. ¡°Aye, you may have said that before, but that is half the fun of it,¡± I replied as I held the torch above my head to illuminate the steps that would lead us down to the fourth level. Now, to be clear, my intention wasn¡¯t to get them in trouble, but about a moon after coming to Winterfell, I¡¯d started having dreams of the crypts. Since I didn¡¯t have Prophetic Dreams, I knew there was something else going on here, and since the dreams started a few days after first entering Winterfell¡¯s Godswood, I had a fair idea of what, or should I say who was behind my dreams. Though not why I was getting them. The Godswood was impressive, massive and had an almost primordial presence to it, and apart from that granted a 5% boost to Greensight along with a smaller 2% boost to Skinchanging provided both I and the animal I was trying to enter the mind of were in the Godswood. Otherwise, it was 1% if one of us was there. However, my reason for going there the first time had been to speak to the heart tree and the person behind it. After seeing a raven caw down at me and then making sure the area was clear, I¡¯d spoken to the tree, making it clear that I understood that something had changed within me (my magic awakening) but that I didn¡¯t know what it fully meant. I¡¯d also added that while I knew this was somehow linked to my First Men blood, the only magic I¡¯d unlocked was fire magic and proved it by making the flame on the candle I¡¯d brought dance. Revealing all this to the Three-Eyed-Raven might be a risk, but I felt it made more sense to make it clear that I wasn¡¯t a threat, and that I knew the dangers in the Far North. I¡¯d hoped that would, at the very least, get him to leave me alone and not try and make me his replacement. Given the dreams, I suspected I had. Which, when combined with what I¡¯d sensed coming from below Winterfell during my magical awakening, was why I was down here. So far, I¡¯d come down to the crypts five previous times, however, I¡¯d been caught by Robb and Alysanne after my third time. After convincing them that I simply wanted to explore and learn more about our heritage, Alysanne persuaded Robb to come with me. While that had made these into bonding sessions with the pair, it meant I¡¯d had to waste my last two trips exploring areas I¡¯d already wandered. Well, almost wasted. When we¡¯d first stopped at the most recent statues, Alysanne had been drawn to Lyanna¡¯s statue. That was the only one with bones within as Aerys had ordered my father¡¯s and grandfather¡¯s bones be thrown into Blackwater Bay but hearing that Alysanne felt a kinship with her ¡®aunt¡¯ had me debating revealing the truth to her. In the end, I¡¯d decided against it as I didn¡¯t have any proof and doing so felt like it¡¯d do more harm than good. The more I explored the crypts though, the more I realised that with the thousands upon thousands of bodies potentially buried down here ¨C and likely in other places across the North and Westeros ¨C the Others had a ready-made force already inside the walls of the castle. The show had (in another very badly set up part of the last season) hinted at this, but seeing it poorly conceived on screen was nothing compared to walking among these potential enemies, though maybe the magical protection would stop that. ¡°Father will not be pleased if we get lost down here, or worse.¡± Again I rolled my eyes, though this time at Alysanne. The girl was a mess of contradictions. Whenever she could she spent time around Obara, all but taking Oberyn¡¯s bastard daughter as a role model to such a degree that I¡¯d heard Obara complaining to Benjen about not getting a moment to themselves because of her shadow. Yet at other times, she acted like a quiet and demure girl of noble (or in her case, semi-noble) standing that obeyed Catelyn¡¯s instructions almost religiously. It made sense since Alysanne wasn¡¯t the threat to Robb that Jon had been ¨C or that I was ¨C but it was still concerning to see her show interest in being a ¡®good little maiden¡¯ and following the Seven. I shook my head a touch in annoyance. Having Alysanne play the good noble bastard girl helped hide her heritage, which was why I assumed Ned allowed it, but for some reason, it irritated me. I did admit that my thoughts might be comparing her to Jon Snow too much, but she was a daughter of a dragon and a direwolf, not a timid fucking trout! That was why I¡¯d been fine with her joining me and Robb in these explorations. ¡°Then we get lost.¡± My retort was shot back as I peered into the darkness of the third level. Seeing nothing, I moved forward, curious as to which lords we¡¯d find down here. The second level had held the crypts of most of the Lords of Winterfell since the Targaryen conquest, and while seeing the tomb of my namesake, Cregan Stark, had been interesting, it wasn¡¯t what I was looking for. Though I hoped when I found it, I¡¯d know what it was, as apart from these trips turning into bonding sessions with my cousins this felt like a wild goose chase. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. The first few statues were worn, with the names hard to make out so I kept walking until I found one with a readable description. ¡°Alaric Stark, son of Beron, I think,¡± the engraved words were worn from age and dampness,¡± King of Winter. Succeeded by his son, Torrhen.¡± A sharp inhale had me turn to see the pair looking at each other. I raised an eyebrow, wondering what the issue was. ¡°Th-that¡­ Alaric was the last King of Winter before the dragons came.¡± As Robb explained I glanced at Alysanne. Every time the Targaryens came up I had to fight the urge to see her reaction, but with it just being the three of us down here I wasn¡¯t concerned about Ned catching me. Still, finding the last King of Winter was a good sign. Whatever I¡¯d felt in my magical awakening, and I was sure it wasn¡¯t just the fact Winterfell granted a magical boost, had to predate the conquest by millennia. The odds of what I was looking for being on this level were slim as fuck, but at least I felt like I was on the right path. ¡°His son Torrhen¡­¡± ¡°Bent the knee after the Field of Fire,¡± I cut in, making it clear I knew what he was on about. ¡°A smart choice, even if I imagine many Northern lords hated him for it.¡± As much as I wanted to head lower, I knew that would have to wait. ¡°Come on then.¡± I walked past Alaric¡¯s statue, wanting to explore as much as we could of this level today. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°And what in the names of the Gods were you doing that deep in the crypt?¡± While Ned¡¯s tone was quiet as he spoke, there was no mistaking the anger developing behind it. Sitting behind the large ironwood in his solar as he glared over at me, I saw just why the nickname of ¡®The Quiet Wolf¡¯ wasn¡¯t an insult. Ned was reserved and calm, and while the fire of a wolf boiled under the surface, he kept it in check. Most of the time, I suspected. Beside him, Catelyn wasn¡¯t even trying to hide her fury and if looks could kill, I¡¯d be a pile of ash on the floor. ¡°After you showed me my father¡¯s statue, I was curious about who and what else was down there,¡± I replied, drawing on my experience of facing down superior officers when any operation had hit the fan. ¡°Robb and Alysanne discovered I was doing this and, to make sure I would not get lost or hurt, as he knew I was not going to stop, he and Alysanne came with me.¡± Catelyn flinched in her chair and moved as if to stand only to stop as, I assumed, Ned placed a hand on her leg. While I doubted that she¡¯d attack me, I wondered if she felt I¡¯d taken Robb into the crypts so he could suffer an ¡®accident¡¯ and make myself more likely to inherit Winterfell. That logic failed as Benjen was still around, but Catelyn had always been very protective of her children and their legacy. ¡°And yet, the three of you did find trouble.¡± Ned¡¯s gaze bore into me, though I didn¡¯t wilt, before turning to his son. From the corner of my eye, I could see Robb sink in upon himself as his father levelled a look of immense disappointment at him. ¡°What if something had happened you had been trapped down there?¡± ¡°If we failed to return by dinner, Erac would have found you.¡± I wasn¡¯t stupid enough to go searching in the crypts without someone knowing and Erac was the only person in Winterfell I trusted to not instantly tell on me. Well maybe Obara, but if I¡¯d told her she¡¯d have likely wanted to come with, and as she wasn¡¯t a Stark by blood or marriage, that might well have made things worse. ¡°So you told your guard that you were going down, but not that my eldest was with you?¡± Catelyn¡¯s question was all but spat at me as her anger slowly turned her face the same colour as her hair. The urge to retort that Alysanne was also there slipped onto my tongue, but I stopped it from sliding out. No need to further antagonise the woman or draw Alysanne into her wrath. ¡°Cat.¡± The single word from Ned as he moved his hand to her arm settled much of Catelyn¡¯s anger. Or at least drew it away from the surface as she kept trying to kill me with her glare. ¡°Now, there is nothing wrong with any of you wanting to explore the crypts. I did the same with my brothers and Lyanna,¡± his eyes darted to Alysanne and away so quickly that if one didn¡¯t know the truth, you¡¯d think nothing of it, ¡°when I was your age. It could be seen as almost a rite of passage for any Stark, be they true or baseborn. However, most never go down to the third level, let alone the fourth.¡± If I guessed right, I felt he was curious as to why we¡¯d gone so low. ¡°I, uh, wanted to learn more about my ancestors. I explored a lot in Sunspear.¡± That was only partly true as while I did want to explore Sunspear, and Oberyn would likely not have an issue with it, due to my age and my mother¡¯s protective nature, I¡¯d never managed to explore anywhere outside of the more common areas of the keep. And I¡¯d certainly never found the hidden passages Oberyn had hinted at. ¡°Winterfell is not Sunspear, and while I am¡­ willing to let you explore further,¡± Catelyn¡¯s head twitched to look at her husband, ¡°I have to insist that not only are either myself, my wife or Maester Luwin made aware, but that you never head down alone. Am I clear?¡± ¡°Yes, father.¡± ¡°Yes, uncle.¡± My reaction came out a split second after my cousin¡¯s, but that didn¡¯t seem to matter to Ned. Considering the matter closed, he nodded and then gestured for us to leave, which we quickly did. While I didn¡¯t rush out of his solar like my cousins, I was glad to get out of his line of sight. Seeing the icy anger in his eyes was a reminder that while he might¡¯ve been raised by Jon Arryn, and thus had a strong sense of honour, he was a wolf at heart. ¡°When are we going down again?¡± I chuckled at Alysanne¡¯s question. We¡¯d been caught on our sixth trip together down, and while it¡¯d only been a few months since they¡¯d started joining me, her more assertive side was creeping out. As Robb stopped to look at his sister, I saw a twinkle in her eye that had been there since we¡¯d discovered Alaric¡¯s statue. The wolf inside was slowly creeping out, and I for one was glad to see it. ¡°What? Father said we were forbidden from going down again.¡± I shook my head at Robb¡¯s response. Had he missed the hint Ned had dropped at the end? ¡°No. He said not to go alone. That just means we need a guard to go with us. Right?¡± She looked at me as she finished. I nodded. ¡°Aye. And I am certain I can get Erac to come with us.¡± I smirked at knowing the guard who¡¯d come north with me would come even if he didn¡¯t want to. The instructions from my mother and Oberyn had been clear that if anything happened to me he¡¯d pay for it. ¡°Though mayhaps we wait a few days at least before going down again. I would rather not have to worry about Lady Catelyn killing me.¡± Alysanne chuckled at that while Robb looked pensive. ¡°Can we take Theon with us next time?¡± I blinked. ¡°I, uh, I guess we could. If he wants to.¡± I felt it was unlikely he would as, while he¡¯d begun opening up to Robb and me, I¡¯d rather not have him learn how expansive the crypts are just in case his path still ran along canon lines. Still, at least inviting him might help bring him closer to the Starks, or Robb and Alysanne at least. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I slid back, or I tried to. The ground was muddy and gave me less grip than I wanted. Thankfully, I moved enough that the blunted blade that came at me only caught air. That left my opponent overextended, but I didn¡¯t counterattack. Instead, I took the time to steady myself and my stance. Robb brought his training blade back in line, stepped forward with small feints, and then thrust the blade towards me again. Instead of sliding away this time, I raised my shield around and braced. While the blade didn¡¯t get past the shield, the force behind it, and the angle it stuck at, were enough to make me stumble back. I felt my right foot slip in the mud and unable to stay upright, dropped to a knee. ¡°Stop.¡± The shouted order from Rodrick Cassel was enough to prevent Robb from taking advantage of my slip. As I stood, he moved closer. ¡°Robb, your early attacks were reckless. You over-extended each time, not only leaving yourself open to a counter, if Cregan was skilled enough to do so, but gave him time to reset before your next attack. Your last attack was not nearly as bad, though that might be because Cregan was unable to set himself up properly.¡± Robb¡¯s shoulders slumped, but I didn¡¯t worry about it. He was a fast learner and with me here to train beside him, it might help him aim a bit higher in an attempt to match my skill. This was due to not just my age, but the fact I seemed to learn things quicker, and that I had previous combat experiences to call upon. ¡°Cregan, when you blocked Robb¡¯s last attack, you took the strike head-on. While that does protect most of your body, it meant all the strength in his attack was sent into your shield, which is why you lost your footing.¡± Rodrik took a step closer and placed his hands on the rim of my shield. As he continued talking, he slowly moved it around. ¡°If you angle the shield like this then the attack will be diverted. This¡¯ll allow you to displace his centerline and leave him open for a counter while conserving energy. Though that¡¯s for a later lesson.`` His tone left no room for argument so I nodded. ¡°Yes, ser.¡± A grunt escaped Rodrik before he took a step back. ¡°Good. Return to your positions.¡± I walked forward a dozen or so steps then readied myself. Robb was only a few metres away and the moment he could, he¡¯d attack. I lifted my shield to cover my chest but left it low enough so I could see over the rim. While we were both still learning how to fight with a sword or shield, I knew from my past life how important reading someone¡¯s footwork was; provided you had time to do so. While this exercise was a simple attack/defend setup, we¡¯d trained individually to get the basics down to avoid injuring ourselves and each other when we did these exercises. There were moments where I felt this was boring, and I¡¯d heard Robb comment as much on more than one occasion, but I knew it was needed. After all, train hard, fight hard, and win. I knew Alysanne was off to one side with Obara and while Catelyn had forbidden Alysanne from joining our training ¨C and I was far from impressed with Ned for allowing that as Alysanne was a wolf, not a trout and the North had warrior women of its own ¨C that hadn¡¯t stopped Obara from teaching my cousin when she could. Catelyn wasn¡¯t impressed about that, but since it was clear Benjen wanted Obara to take to wife, Ned was allowing it; though I did wonder how far he was willing to let things go. I knew from Obara¡¯s rants that several offers had come in, including at least three Northern houses, for Benjen including one from House Mormont, but it seemed as If Benjen had made his choice. The problem, and not just with Catelyn, was that Obara was a bastard while Benjen was from a Great House. ¡°Begin!¡± Rodrik¡¯s call brought my mind back into focus as Robb rushed toward me. The blade came in, aiming for my thigh. I tilted my shield as Rodrik had instructed and felt Robb¡¯s attack glance off the wood. Seeing he¡¯d again over-extended, I twisted and smashed my shield into his chest. ¡°OOF!¡± his breath knocked out as he was knocked onto his back. ¡°Cregan!¡± As Rodrik shouted at me I mentally cursed myself. I knew I shouldn''t have done that, but a decade of combat training had, once again, slipped in and I¡¯d reacted on instinct. Great if I was in combat, but something that kept getting me in trouble with Rodrik in the yard and Catelyn once she found out. ¡°What did I say about counterattacks?¡± ¡°Not to, ser Rodrik.¡± I didn¡¯t bother explaining myself as, after doing this several dozen times since arriving in Winterfell, it was rather pointless. I glanced towards the Great Keep and while it was hard to see, from where I knew the Stark private quarters were, I swore I saw a swish of red from one of the windows. Well, she already disliked me, so another round of glares and less-than-subtle warnings weren¡¯t going to change anything. Not when Ned, Benjen, Obara and Robb had no issues with my mistakes. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°To Eddard Stark! Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North!¡± ¡°Lord Stark!¡± The call from Galbart Glover was met by everyone in the main hall of Winterfell¡¯s Great Keep; me included. We were a few weeks from the end of 290AC, and the houses had gathered to celebrate Ned¡¯s nameday, and offer gifts to Robb ¨C and to a lesser extent Alysanne ¨C for missing his nameday a moon or so ago while also holding a festival celebrating a successful harvest. Apparently, these feasts were held every few years when it was summer, and the weird seasons were something I was still getting used to. Still, it was hard to believe Ned was only six and twenty (in Westerosi numbering terms) as he looked far older, though what he has gone through would have aged any man prematurely. As for the feast, while not up to the standards I¡¯d grown used to in Sunspear ¨C to say nothing of those laid on by Tywin Lannister while Robert had been in Casterly Rock ¨C it was enjoyable, reminding me of Christmas and Burn¡¯s Nights in my old life in Scotland. Even down to underage drinking. And at that, I took another sip of the Dark Northern ale I had. While it was enjoyable, it lacked the spicy aftertaste of Dornish wines but had more of a kick to it. Something proved by the fact the room was beginning to move. I looked around the room, seeing everyone I could see enjoying themselves as Galbart Glover sat down. Well, almost everyone. Theon looked like he was rather uncomfortable, and since he wasn¡¯t seated beside Robb ¨C or me though we were at the same table ¨C that was understandable. The other person who didn¡¯t look to be revelling in the feast was Roose Bolton. Which wasn¡¯t a surprise. There was something off about that man, particularly around his eyes. Yet his son, Domeric, seemed far more jovial and trustworthy. Domeric, while being a fraction shorter than me, was older as, going by what he¡¯d said, he was about to become a squire to Lord Redfort in the Vale. He was sitting at the table with several of the children of the various lords along with me. Catelyn hadn¡¯t been happy about me sharing a table with the young nobles, but seeing as I was a representative of Dorne, Ned felt it was fine. Because of that, I¡¯d argued for, and gotten permission for Alysanne to sit at the tables of the daughters of the lords. That had brought an amusing issue - though not for me - in the arrival of Alys Karstark as Robb liked to call his sister Alys at times. Both girls had found it amusing, and they¡¯d enjoyed spending time together. ¡°Thank you for your words, Lord Galbert.¡± Ned speaking drew my attention back to the head table where he sat with his family and Obara; which had earned a few glares from various lords. Whether that was because she was a Southern girl, a bastard, or both, I couldn¡¯t say, but my step-sister didn¡¯t react to any of it. ¡°And thank you all for coming. This year may have started with another war, but it has been a boon for my house.¡± He looked down at Catelyn, and in all likelihood, the crib beside her chair. Not that I could see it given my lack of height. ¡°I returned home to find I had a second daughter, and I end the year with another son.¡± A cheer went around the room. While I¡¯d not met Bran yet ¨C he was only a few moons old ¨C I¡¯d met Arya and while she was still a bairn, she¡¯d seemed to like me; or at least my eyes. ¡°And for the first time since King Robert¡¯s War for the Throne, House Stark stands united.¡± Ned turned and looked to his right. ¡°My brother Benjen, has returned home.¡± ¡°Benjen Stark!¡± ¡°The Wolf who beds snakes!¡± I didn¡¯t know who called out the addon, but I and most people including Benjen and Obara laughed at it. Ned simply smiled. ¡°And with him came someone I hadn¡¯t seen since he was a babe in his mother¡¯s arms. My brother Brandon¡¯s only son, Cregan Sand!¡± ¡°The Bloody Wolf!¡± I knew that voice and turned to look over at the Greatjon, and we raised our mugs to each other even as throughout the hall, people enjoyed another drink. Gods, I suspect they were so drunk by now that if Ned said he and Catelyn were going to move to Essos so he could become a sellsword they¡¯d have cheered. ¡°However. HOWEVER, that is not all.¡± Ned had to shout to bring the volume down enough he could be heard. He pulled a parchment from his clothes and looked at Benjen once more. ¡°Benjen, we¡¯ve had several offers come in, but it was clear to me before we left the south that your heart was set on one maid.¡± Benjen glanced at Obara fondly as she smiled. ¡°However, the issue has always been that Obara is a bastard; even if her father is from a Great House, marrying her couldn¡¯t happen.¡± He lifted the parchment above his head. ¡°That is why, in consultation with Prince Doran and the Hand of the King, Jon Arryn, I asked for a boon from King Robert.¡± He handed the parchment to his brother. ¡°In the name of his grace, Robert Baratheon, first of his name, Obara Sand is lifted to be a daughter of House Martell,¡± the hall had gone so quiet I could hear the staff moving around in the corridors outside the hall, ¡°on the promise that neither she nor any children she bears, will attempt to claim the holdings of House Nymeros Martell.¡± Obara sat there stunned for a moment before she pulled Benjen into a rather passionate kiss. I was one of the first to stand and cheer, and while it took a moment longer than I was happy about, the rest of the hall soon joined in. There were a few that didn¡¯t put much effort into cheering with Howar Stane being the most obvious. Though given he¡¯d made the mistake of suggesting to Obara her place was on her knees and not the yard and thus almost lost to her in the yard was not a surprise. When Obara slid onto Benjen¡¯s lap, laughter erupted from the hall. That grew as Ned looked around with a look of fond amusement plastered on his face. It took a few moments, but Benjen was able to get Obara back into her chair. He then stood and pulled his brother into a deep hug, which set off another cheer. ¡°With Obara Sand now being raised as a noble, provided you both consent, Prince Doran and I have agreed on a union between our houses.¡± For a second, I was worried Benjen¡¯s head would fall off with how hard he nodded. ¡°Excellent!¡± He looked over to the side of the hall and nodded at Luwin before turning back to the happy couple. ¡°Maester Luwin will send a raven to your uncle and father, and while I don¡¯t know when your union will take place, I believe your father will wish to be here for it.¡± He glanced my way and smirked. ¡°And since we know a date when he will come, I think that would make a good time for the marriage to take place.¡± Ned raised his mug and spread his arms wide, ¡°and of course, you are all invited to the ceremony.¡± As even a blind mute could¡¯ve predicted, that set off another cheer followed by many downing their mugs. Around me, the various sons of the Northern houses broke into conversations about what just occurred, though I tuned most of it out as I considered what this meant. I¡¯d known for a long while that Benjen and Obara were in love, but I hadn¡¯t expected this to be the outcome. Benjen not going to the Wall was a major ripple, but with the massive influx of fresh recruits from the Ironborn, it shouldn¡¯t be a fatal one for the Watch. The union between two of Westeros¡¯ great houses was sure to raise eyebrows; especially as Ned and Catelyn¡¯s marriage was another of those. I¡¯m sure some would wonder if this was a move to bring Dorne back into the Seven Kingdoms, though I knew that wouldn¡¯t happen from this. Hells, I doubted there would be anything that could be done to end the animosity between House Martell and Robert and House Lannister unless Tywin gave over Amory Lorch and Gregor Clegane to face Dornish justice. A nudge from Asher Forrester drew me from my thoughts and I returned my attention to the feast. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I watched patiently with my cousins in Ned¡¯s solar as he turned the object we¡¯d found over in his hands. ¡°It¡¯s heavier than I¡¯d expect, but not by much.¡± Slowly, carefully, he placed it on his table before leaning forward, a twinkle in his eye. ¡°You¡¯re telling me you found this in the crypts?¡± Even as he spoke, his fingers idly traced over the markings on the bronze round shield ¨C which reminded me of a Viking round shield ¨C we¡¯d brought to him. ¡°Yes, father. We found it on the fifth level, inside a stone chest that had been damaged by one of the statues falling over.¡± I mentally cringed at Robb¡¯s answer as he¡¯d just revealed how deep we¡¯d gone and that the area we¡¯d been in this morning was unstable. From the way Catelyn¡¯s eyes tried to burn a hole through my head, it was clear she¡¯d picked up on that. ¡°And why pray tell, were you down that deep?¡± She may have directed the question at her son, but her glare made it clear she was already blaming me. ¡°Exploring,¡± I answered when neither Robb nor Alysanne did. ¡°We¡¯ve already cleared the upper three levels,¡± or at least as much as needed before my cousins were prepared to go lower with me, ¡°so went down further. We never strayed too far from the central stairs.¡± Discovering there was more than one set of stairs while making sense in hindsight, had been unexpected, ¡°plus Erac was always nearby.¡± Said guard was waiting outside the solar and would likely be questioned about why he¡¯d allowed us to go so deep into the crypts later. Generally, it was just us four, but sometimes Theon had come with us. On one of those explorations, he¡¯d been shocked when we¡¯d discovered a former King of Winter shared his name. ¡°Hmm.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure Ned was fully listening as his eyes had already returned to the shield and his fingers were tracing the engravings upon it. ¡°These markings¡­¡± ¡°I think they¡¯re runes. Like is meant to be on the bronze armour of House Royce.¡± I offered quickly, seeing him developing the same thought process I¡¯d had. From what I¡¯d learnt, House Royce, apart from being proud descendants of First Men, had bronze armour that they claimed dated back to the Age of Heroes and were covered, supposedly, in First Men runes. If these markings were similar ¨C and I felt it was likely given the shield was made of bronze ¨C then I wanted to learn more about the runes. Especially as when I¡¯d picked it up, I¡¯d felt a tingle from what I suspected was residual magic within the runes. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I saw Yohn Royce in his armour, but they look close to what I remember.¡± I felt my hope rise that we¡¯d discovered something important, even if I didn¡¯t feel it was what was hinted at in the dreams given to me by the Three-Eyed-Raven. ¡°Still, while this is an unexpected find, and one I will send a raven to Lord Royce about, I would¡­ we would prefer it if you didn¡¯t head so deep in the crypts.¡± Catelyn nodded even as I heard Alysanne inhale sharply. ¡°But you said we could explore with an adult, and Erac is always with us.¡± I fought to keep a smile from my face at seeing her being more defiant in front of her father and Catelyn. When I¡¯d arrived in Winterfell, I¡¯d found her being moulded into a perfect southern lady by Catelyn, but ever since we¡¯d been caught going into the crypts, a more adventurous and outspoken side of Alysanne was creeping out. It was slow going, but the change was happening and Obara had been more than happy to help with that, all but taking Alysanne as her squire ¨C so to speak ¨C in the moons since her betrothal to Benjen had been announced. While I didn¡¯t know what the future held for Alysanne, as the daughter of Rhaegar and Lyanna, I knew she still had a role to play in what was to come. Having her be able to fight and be assertive was better than having her be a Sansa clone. A smile slid onto Ned¡¯s face as he looked at his daughter, though it never reached his eyes. ¡°Aye, I suppose I did, and this is an impressive find.¡± His fingers continued to slide over the shield, and something told me that even once I left after my nameday ¨C in a little over two moons from now ¨C he¡¯d keep studying the shield. ¡°That said, you are not to go down beyond the fifth level. There was a collapse on the sixth level about a hundred years ago, while the seventh was unstable long before that.¡± I wanted to groan as right as I was getting close, and he gave me that hint about where to search, I was banned from going there. ¡°Yes, father.¡± Robb¡¯s response was quick and while not unexpected, and something I¡¯d have done if the roles were reversed, the fact he wasn¡¯t prepared to let Alysanne and me argue against this irritated me further. Though if the regular expeditions into the crypts were now off the table, that¡¯d give me more time to practice skinchanging. Even though there was a small boost from the Godswood, I still refused to attempt it while there. Not just because of the Three-Eyed-Raven, who¡¯d not bothered to speak with me making me reluctant to speak with him, but because I didn¡¯t want anyone stumbling onto me while I was in the mind of an animal. Thus, I did it mainly while in my room with the door latched. While I¡¯d tried skinchanging with a few animals, most of the time I used my sand steed, Rowan, and even after doing it hundreds of times ¨C for limited growth due to whatever the fuck was penalising magic ¨C it was always a trippy experience. I was still getting used to how strange it was to see everything being blurred beyond a few dozen feet and with everything being green or blue. I never knew until I first managed to see through Rowan¡¯s eyes that horses couldn¡¯t see red. Or any of the other ways their senses were different to mine. Having two blind spots ¨C front and rear ¨C was awkward to get used to. I¡¯d experienced Rowan getting spooked by a stable boy while sharing his mind, but that explained why horses could be alarmed by something coming from where their blind spots were. Though seeing through the eyes of a horse was confusing, the biggest issues had been the improved sense of smell and the sense of being prey. I knew stables could stink, but when I¡¯d first smelt through his nose, I¡¯d instantly ended the connection and struggled to not reacquaint myself with the pork I had for lunch. After that, I¡¯d never attempted to skinchange on a full stomach. Though if I¡¯d be able to use all the free time for skinchanging was another matter. Obara¡¯s wedding was approaching and as her only family if only through marriage, she¡¯d started dragging me into helping plan things. I¡¯d have never expected it from her, but the closer her marriage came, the more she turned into an excitable bundle of nerves. ¡°Cregan?¡± I blinked at hearing my name and saw Ned staring at me. Quickly I replayed the last few seconds of the conversation over in my head to make sure I hadn¡¯t missed something while thinking about how to use the newly freed time. ¡°Yes, Uncle. I understand.¡± Thankfully I hadn¡¯t missed a thing, just let the silence draw out as I turned my thoughts inward. ¡°Good. Now, all three of you go and clean up. Dinner is approaching and you all smell like you spent the day swimming in the moat.¡± All of us bar Catelyn grinned as Ned waved us out, his eyes already drifting back to the shield. We walked through the corridors in Winterfell, making our way towards the residential quarters. Robb broke off at a set of stairs, one guarded by a pair of Stark guards, which was only for direct members of the family. I figured Alysanne would follow and kept walking towards where my quarters were in the guest wing. ¡°Are we not going into the crypts again?¡± Her words were barely above a whisper, but I pivoted back to face her instantly. Her face was a confusing mix of emotions. ¡°Not for me. I¡¯ve got to help my sister prepare for her wedding, and after that, I shall be heading back to Sunspear.¡± Her face dropped at my words. ¡°But your family is here.¡± It wasn¡¯t a whine, but it was close. I¡¯d wanted to build a friendship with her and Robb, then when I¡¯d discovered how compliant she was, get her to be more independent. However, it seemed that some of that independence came from me, which was both odd and flattering. ¡°Some of it is. But my mother is in Sunspear. I¡­ I miss her. And the family she married into.¡± I stepped closer to her and, not wanting things to get awkward, placed a hand on her upper arm. ¡°I, I will miss you too.¡± The words came out so quietly, that I was barely able to process what she¡¯d said before she launched herself at me. Her arms gripped tightly around my neck while her head buried itself in my chest. I took a step back to avoid falling over, though that brought me up against the wall, and then slid an arm around her waist. I¡¯d hoped my cousins would miss me, but I hadn¡¯t expected a reaction like this; certainly not when there were still roughly two moons before I left. ¡°Miss you too,¡± I whispered into her ear. ¡°And as I said, we can keep in contact via raven. I doubt either of my uncles will be against that.¡± They might not be against it, but I wasn¡¯t sure if direct messaging via raven between Winterfell and Sunspear was possible, and it was the only thing I could say that might calm her down. Slowly she slid back. Her eyes were wet and after rubbing away some of the water I smiled at her. ¡°And just because I might not be here doesn¡¯t mean you and Robb can¡¯t keep going into the crypts. There has to be more down there. But just promise me you never go alone and never deeper than you feel comfortable with.¡± ¡°I promise.¡± Even though she said that the way her eyes avoided mine and her lips twitched upward suggested she would. I wanted her to be safe but confronting her on this might force her back into her shell, which wasn¡¯t something I wanted. Still, I¡¯d talk with Obara about keeping an eye on Alysanne. She might not have a major role to play in what was to come but she was family, and I would protect my family as best I could. ¡°Good, now get going,¡± I gave her a gentle push away, ¡°and wash yourself. Uncle Ned was not kidding when he said you smelt like shit.¡± Before she could smack me ¨C which she did try to do ¨C I¡¯d already moved away, chuckling. After all, what fun was having a large family if I didn¡¯t tease them from time to time? ¡­ ¡­ East Then South East then South ... (Circa 291AC)?
At the beginning of the fourth month of 291AC ¨C and about half a month until my ninth nameday, ¨C I found myself standing in front of my stepsister and the rest of the Starks near the entrance to the Great Keep of Winterfell as we awaited the arrival of Oberyn and the party that he was bringing to the marriage of Benjen and Obara. The only three family members I knew wouldn¡¯t be coming were Prince Doran, Arianne, and my mother. While I was disappointed to have read that in the raven she¡¯d sent, it had been quickly countered by the fact I now had a baby sister: Aliandra Martell. As much as she¡¯d annoyed me, I¡¯d loved my sister in my former life ¨C even if I no longer felt the emotional attachment to the memories, it was blatantly clear that I had ¨C and was excited to have a younger sibling to teach and protect. I loved my family; however, I shared no blood connection to the Sand Snakes, which could possibly become a point of contention between us in the future. My Wolf''s Blood had flared several times already in irritation at the thought of the dangers Aliandra would face in the coming years. From suitors to even the thrice damned-Others. Each time, I¡¯d taken a deep breath, focused myself, and pushed my fears and anger of the future down, even as the warning from Ned on the night of the reveal of Benjen and Obara¡¯s wedding played in my head. ¡°While anger gives you strength, it blinds you of the danger that surrounds you.¡± Ned had begun, amidst the cheers of the feast. Clenching his fists, he looked me dead in the eye and said, ¡°I have heard the rumours of what happened on that ship. Like your father before you, you allow your emotions to guide your actions in a time of need, granting you great feats of power. But that power can strip you of your senses, blind your sanity, like it did when Brandon rode to the Red Keep to demand the return of my sister and fight Prince Rhaegar¡±. The cheers grew in a crescendo as we watched Benjen and Obara kiss once more. Ned spoke again, softer, in a meeker tone, ¡°The only thing his blind rage granted him, in the end, was a rope around his neck, watching the screams of his dying father smothered by the smoke of a burning pyre and the laughter of a mad king.¡± The anger in his eyes lessened before they turned warm once again. ¡°Don¡¯t make the same mistakes your father made, lad or that will be all you will ever have if you live long enough to regret it.¡± Clenching my hands once more to push down another bout of worry and anger about the future, I looked upon Ned, Catelyn and the rest of the household as they stood in formation, waiting for the arrival of the Martel bannermen. My time with the Starks had been enjoyable, and despite the lack of close bonds that were lost due to Robert¡¯s Rebellion, they¡¯d still treated me like one of their own, well, except Catelyn who¡¯d grown colder toward me as time had passed. A single blow of the trumpet from the main guardhouse brought me out of my thoughts. That blast announced approaching riders and that, provided there wasn¡¯t a second blow, they appeared friendly. Of course, since there was never a guarantee that said riders were friendly, the Stark guards were out in force, A moment after the trumpet, eight riders trotted into the courtyard. Four of the six wore a light chainmail shirt with a tabard over it emblazoned with the heraldry of House Stark, a mail coif and a nasal helm sitting over it, shining spaulders sitting upon their shoulders and an arming sword hanging from their hips. The other four wore burnished copper scale armour and open-face bronzed helms with a copper sun pierced by a red spear sitting over their heart, curved scimitars sitting on one side of the hip and small burnished bucklers shining on the other, amusingly they wore thick woollen cloaks against the Stark guards much lighter ones. They¡¯d likely purchased those in White Harbour when the small Martell fleet had arrived about ten days prior. Even as they brought their horses to a stop, I saw one of the Martell guards shivering which almost made me laugh. In my year in Winterfell, it¡¯d been quite nice and there¡¯d only been snowfall on the mountain tops far to the north of the castle. Behind the four riders emerged the main Martell party. Behind Oberyn I picked out Daemon Sand, Nymeria, Tyene and Sarella were riding with Oberyn along with banners for about a dozen houses from Dorne including House Fowler. I didn¡¯t, however, spot the Lords or Ladies of those houses, though since I only knew a handful and the ladies would likely be in one of the carriages, that wasn¡¯t a surprise. Unlike his guards and what looked like everyone else in the Dornish party, Oberyn wasn¡¯t wearing a thick woollen cloak, instead choosing a thin flowing silk cloak emblazoned with the sigil of House Martell. Behind me, I could feel Obara¡¯s anticipation at seeing her father and sisters for the first time in over a year ¨C and possibly for the last time as well ¨C but she stayed still. I knew that Maester Luwin was giving her lessons with Benjen on taking up at least some noble traditions as Obara complained to me regularly about it, and it seemed they were starting to take effect. Oberyn slid from his horse with serpentine grace before the stablemaster could come forward to take his mount¡¯s reins and took a long look around the courtyard. ¡°All this for little old me?¡± he remarked even as he passed the reins to the stablemaster. The smile on his face made clear he was being jovial, as did the lack of tension in his eyes. ¡°Prince Oberyn, it is a pleasure to see you once again.¡± Ned stepped forward though he didn¡¯t move off the landing outside the Great Keep¡¯s entrance. ¡°On behalf of my family and the North, I welcome you and your party to Winterfell.¡± Ned¡¯s tone was, perhaps, a touch tense. That might just be because he was meeting with someone whose family had fought on the other side during the Rebellion, but a part of me wondered if it was also over concern regarding Alysanne¡¯s parentage. ¡°Bread and salt have been prepared for all of you within the hall.¡± Oberyn stalked up the stairs, entirely unconcerned by the way some of the Stark guards watched him. ¡°Lord Eddard,¡± he stopped about halfway up the steps and inclined his head, ¡°on behalf of my family, and Dorne, I thank you for the welcome and graciously accept your offer of bread and salt.¡± He stood and clapped his hands together. ¡°First though, where are my children?¡± I took a step forward and then to the side to allow Obara to greet her father first. She didn¡¯t rush down the steps, but the last one was missed as she leapt into her father¡¯s arms. She might¡¯ve been an adult and about to become a lady of a great house of Westeros, but it¡¯d been over a year since she¡¯d seen her father and missed him. As Oberyn held her tight and whispered something in her ear, I moved closer. ¡°Father.¡± Oberyn eased his grip on Obara but not enough that they broke the hug, and even though I was several steps higher than him, when he did, he looked down at me. He reached forward and, drawing a growl of annoyance from me, ruffled my hair. ¡°Been enjoying your time amongst the wolves?¡± His smile threatened to break his face as his eyes danced with mirth. Behind me, I heard someone giggle followed by an admonishment from Catelyn. ¡°Aye, father.¡± I kept my reply short as while it was understandable Oberyn was happy to see me and Obara, he was technically breaking the rules of etiquette when arriving in the keep of a lord of equal or greater standing. Though since House Martell and Stark would soon be joined together through marriage, it was likely a breach that most wouldn¡¯t be disturbed by. Even Catelyn was likely fine with it, as her house placed great importance on family and given to all the stories around Oberyn, seeing him so caring for his children ¨C even if they were baseborn ¨C should assuage her. Oberyn held my gaze as if searching for something that I wasn¡¯t saying. After a gentle laugh and a pat on my shoulder, he looked back at Ned. ¡°Forgive me for the discourtesy but it¡¯s been nearly two years since I last saw my children.¡± ¡°There is nothing to forgive, Prince Oberyn.¡± Ned¡¯s tone was soft and when I turned to look up at him and his family, I saw a small smile on his face. ¡°I felt much the same when I returned after the Greyjoy Rebellion.¡± And probably Robert''s Rebellion, but he was smart enough to not mention that. He turned slightly and with his right hand pointed to his family. ¡°My wife, Lady Catelyn and the young one in her arms is our youngest girl, Arya.¡± Oberyn slid from Obara¡¯s side and moved closer, after kissing Catelyn¡¯s hand, he gently touched Arya¡¯s face. ¡°She looks very much like a Stark, Lord Eddard, though I see your other daughter has taken after her mother¡¯s beauty.¡± Sansa, while not old enough to understand the compliment, still blushed as Oberyn knelt in front of her. ¡°Hello,¡± she murmured shyly. ¡°Sansa, our eldest daughter.¡± Catelyn offered a tight smile as she watched Oberyn interact with her children. Sansa gave a very simple curtsey, which made Oberyn laugh. ¡°I suspect you¡¯ll have many suitors for her hand if she gains her mother¡¯s beauty.¡± His comment to Catelyn didn¡¯t draw an expected blush, but the beginnings of a scowl. That Oberyn was flirting with her wasn¡¯t a surprise, as he did it with everyone, but it seemed Catelyn had already made her mind up about him based on stories she¡¯d heard. ¡°And who are these strapping young lads?¡± I didn¡¯t catch much of Oberyn being introduced to Robb and Beron as a set of arms slid under mine and lifted me. As I was pulled into a backward hug, I felt a warm breath on my ear. ¡°Hello, my little wolf.¡± That let me know it was Nymeria who¡¯d, embarrassingly, scooped me up, and as she turned me, I saw Tyene, Obara and Sarella laughing at the action. A little further back Daemon¡¯s lips twitched into a mocking smile for a moment while the various lords and ladies watched with various expressions of amusement. ¡°Nym,¡± I replied once she¡¯d put me down and I could turn to look at her. Even with her cloak pulled tight around her frame, it was clear she¡¯d matured well in our time apart. A fact I¡¯d already picked up on when her chest had pushed into my back. The same could be said for Tyene and Sarella, but both were younger and neither had the almost royal grace that Nymeria possessed. Though given her mother was from the Old Blood of Volantis ¨C a group that traced their ancestry back to the Valyrian Freehold ¨C that wasn¡¯t a surprise, though it did have me relieved once more that I hadn¡¯t yet hit puberty. I was not looking forward to the endless teasing she, her sisters, and Arianne were going to send my way when my body started reacting to their presence. ¡°Can¡¯t say I¡¯ve missed you that much.¡± Before she could respond to my jape, I slipped past her and hugged Tyene. ¡°I did miss you though.¡± Tyene laughed softly as we hugged and I knew Nym was pouting at me giving Tyene the attention. ¡°Missed you too, my magic wolf.¡± Tyene¡¯s words brushed against my ear in a whisper. Before she pulled back, her lips brushed against my cheek. ¡°How are you surviving in this cold?¡± ¡°¡­ the one trying to squeeze the life out of your nephew is Tyene. Over there is Sarella, whom I sure will bother your Maester no end. Which means you¡¯ve now met four of my eight daughters..¡± I wasn¡¯t able to reply as Oberyn¡¯s voice caught my ear and I saw he was standing with Ned looking down at us. I felt a frown come to my face. ¡°Ah yes,¡± Oberyn snapped his fingers as I looked at him, ¡°Ellaria gave birth a few weeks before Aliandra was born. You have another sister, Dorea Sand.¡± As I processed having another step-sister ¨C and wondering if something was going on with Oberyn only having daughters ¨C he smiled warmly at Ned. ¡°Both a blessing and a curse, are they not?¡± Ned laughed as he looked at me. ¡°Aye, they are. Cregan here has much of my brother in him, something my beloved wife doesn¡¯t entirely enjoy.¡± Ned¡¯s tone was much lighter than earlier, and he appeared comfortable around Oberyn. That made some sense as they¡¯d fought together in the Greyjoy Rebellion so probably come to an understanding. As I considered that, Ned turned slightly and lifted one arm toward the Great Keep. ¡°Mayhaps we continue discussing the joys of children inside? Most of your party appears uncomfortable with the Northern chill and the kitchen has been working tirelessly for two days in preparation for your arrival.¡± Oberyn clapped his hands together. ¡°Now that is a most excellent idea. And while we enjoy some Northern fare, I¡¯ve brought several casks of Dornish wine for the wedding. I see no reason we cannot crack one early.¡± Ned shook his head as he laughed. ¡°I¡¯m sure many of my fellow Northmen will thank you for that.¡± With that, the two men head inside. Catelyn followed behind with her children. Alysanne was a part of the group as Sansa had, much to my amusement, started wanting to hang out with her older ¡®sister¡¯. Benjen waited at the entrance as I walked up with the Sand Snakes before offering his arm to Obara. Nymeria and Tyene both giggled about that, which only grew louder when Obara glared at them. As I stepped into the Great Keep I heard Daemon came up beside me. We exchanged greetings and I promised to take him to the training yard tomorrow as we moved to our seats. Yet even as we talked and his face stayed friendly, there was something in his eyes that while not a concern, made me wonder if something had happened to sour him toward me. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°To Benjen and Obara Stark!¡± This shout, the thirtieth since the wedding feast had begun, rang around the hall and was picked up by almost everyone present. One of the few to not shout out in agreement was Roose Bolton, but he did raise his mug. Another was Barbery Dustin, though that was because she was deep in conversation with Jayne Ladybright, the head of her house and one of the few Lords and Ladies of Dorne to come with Oberyn. Most of the party had been siblings, children, or other family members of the houses. That might¡¯ve been an insult to some, but to me, it made sense as Obara, while newly recognised by the crown, was a baseborn daughter of Oberyn. I put my mug down on the table, though not before enjoying a sip of the Dornish red in it. I found myself enjoying it as it reminded me of home. At the head table, Benjen and Obara were the centres of attention, having taken the main seats from Ned and Catelyn, who sat to Benjen¡¯s right while Oberyn sat to his daughter¡¯s left. The newlyweds looked slightly inebriated, but not enough that they¡¯d be unable to perform the bedding ceremony when the time came for that. Something that was made even clearer by the fact they couldn¡¯t stop touching each other. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe she¡¯s getting married! And to a bloody Stark!¡± I looked at Tyene who was sitting to my left. Her eyes were slightly bloodshot, meaning she¡¯d had a little too much to drink, but otherwise, she seemed happy. ¡°I mean, I¡¯m happy for her but I never¡­¡± she shook her head and took another sip from her glass. ¡°None of us did.¡± That came from Nym who was sitting across from Tyene with Sarella at her side. ¡°Father said we¡¯re free to be with who we wish, and marry if we wanted, but I never thought Obara would be the one to get married. And none of us foresaw it to be with a noble.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t think you ever thought of getting married?¡± Nymeria shrugged at Tyene¡¯s jest as she cut a slice off her roasted duck. ¡°Don¡¯t think I will. There''s not many men I feel are worth the effort.¡± She gave me a wink as she stuffed the slice of meat into her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m still surprised the king granted his blessing.¡± ¡°He probably did it at the suggestion of Jon Arryn.¡± Sarella looked at me, for once not having a book or parchment to read, as I responded to her off-hand remark. ¡°Looking at it from Arryn¡¯s perspective, he saw a way to mend the fences further between Dorne and the rest of the Seven Kingdoms while also creating a weak alliance between the two most isolated parts of Westeros.¡± I shrugged as Nym scowled at me bringing up Jon Arryn, and by extension Robert Baratheon. ¡°I¡¯m not saying it¡¯ll work, but I can see the logic.¡± Nym glared at me for a few more seconds before returning to killing her already-cooked duck. ¡°Why would that matter?¡± I turned to my right to face Alysanne. While we were all bastards, we were members of the Stark and Martell families and both Oberyn and Ned wanted us close. Hence why our table mixed in with the ones used by the highborn nobles. Though we were off to one side, which I suspected was Catelyn¡¯s doing. In the weeks since the Dornish party had been here, Alysanne could mainly be found at the side of Tyene or Nymeria. Sarella was too bookish ¨C my word, not Alysanne¡¯s ¨C for Alysanne to enjoy spending a lot of time around. Since Sansa had started following Alysanne around, that meant the redhead had spent time with more of Oberyn¡¯s bastards and while I¡¯d have thought Catelyn wouldn¡¯t have been happy, she hadn¡¯t raised a fuss, at least publicly. Some of that might be because Tyene spent time talking with Catelyn and Septa Mordane ¨C who I fucking despised ¨C but I couldn¡¯t say for sure. ¡°That¡¯s, mayhaps, something to talk about at another time.¡± Purposely skipping the topic to avoid bringing up Robert''s Rebellion in this volatile environment. Alysanne gave me an odd look, probably because she was surprised that I¡¯m choosing to not explain something for once. ¡°We can talk about it later. For now, let¡¯s enjoy the wedding.¡± Alysanne nodded at that and returned to her plate. As I returned to mine, Nymeria smirked my way, amused about something, but staying silent. I let it slide as getting a straight answer from her was like trying to tie a knot with water ¨C something I¡¯d tried to do with my magic for kicks ¨C and returned my attention to the chuck of roast boar smothered in dark gravy and savoury beef stew slow roasted with carrots, leeks and other assorted vegetables and herbs on my plate. The stew had quickly become a favourite of mine in Winterfell as it reminded me of my former childhood in Scotland. ¡°Ah, there you are.¡± A large hand clamped down on my shoulder and when I looked up I saw the massive frame of the Greatjon standing over me. ¡°Lord Umber.¡± The giant man snorted and shook his head with a laugh. ¡°Nae need to be so formal lad. This is a celebration and unlike those Southern pansies, we don¡¯t stand on ceremony that much.¡± He looked around the table, his eyes lingering on Nym. ¡°Though maybe when a man finds himself surrounded by such lovely lassies.¡± He gave them a nod before his grip gently pulled me back. ¡°Anyway, Ned told me to fetch ye. Said you¡¯ve got something for the happy couple.¡± ¡°Right.¡± I looked at my sisters and cousin. ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me.¡± I followed the large man down the aisles between tables. Everywhere people were talking loudly, eating and drinking in celebration though soon we slipped past one table and I found myself in a large space in front of the main table. On the way here I¡¯d seen Septa Mordane and remembered the look on her face when Obara stated clearly that she¡¯d be wed in the Godswood and not the Sept. That was one memory I¡¯d savour for the rest of my days. That woman was a downright bitch to me once she learnt I followed the Old Gods and not the Seven; though she never acted that way in front of Ned or Benjen. The Greatjon gave Ned a nod and flicked a finger toward me. ¡°Got him.¡± That drew a laugh from Oberyn and a rueful roll of his eyes from Ned. ¡°Nuncles, sister, father.¡± I lowered my head as I greeted the various family members at the head table. ¡°Cregan,¡± Ned stole a glance at his brother and my sister as a small smile came to his lips. ¡°Are you sure you still wish to go through with this?¡± I gave him a nod in confirmation. I¡¯d spent a few weeks practising this with the bard, so there was no way I was going to not do this now. Plus, if I didn¡¯t then he¡¯d likely claim credit for what I¡¯d planned. Ned shook his head in mock annoyance and then stood. ¡°Quiet! QUIET!¡± he had to bang his goblet on the table rather violently to get the attention of the hall, which made Catelyn grimace at the volume. I hid a chuckle behind my hands as quickly the noise level fell to a point where he could be heard without shouting. ¡°Lords, ladies and everyone else, my nephew, Cregan, has a rather unusual gift to offer the new couple.¡± As I felt the eyes of almost everyone in the hall fall upon me, Ned glanced to one side and nodded. A lute player, breaking off from the band that had been providing music for the hall, stepped into the area to join me. I glanced around and gulped at seeing the sheer number of eyeballs on me, but I¡¯d chosen this so no backing down now. It¡¯d taken some time for me to think of a suitable gift for Benjen and Obara, then longer to search my memory for something suitable for Westeros. However, I felt I¡¯d settled on a suitable choice; though I knew I¡¯d have to answer some questions about how a child of nine came up with this. I gave the lute player a look and he began to play. Rather unexpectedly, the rest of his band soon joined, meaning he¡¯d revealed my plans to them without my permission. Not a major thing, but still an irritation. The melody that filled the room took me back to my childhood and listening to my mother sing a particular song to my sister and me. After taking a deep breath, I focused on the happy couple and began to sing. ¡°Oh, the summertime is coming, And the trees are sweetly blooming. And the wild mountain thyme, Grows around the blooming heather. Will ye go, lassie go?¡± ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ As I emerged onto the deck of the Relia¡¯s Joy after breaking my fast on a savoury clam and fish stew with a glass of dornish red I hummed an old tune to myself as the crew moved about their business. Daemon was shadow duelling on the fore deck with the crew giving him a wide berth while Oberyn was still below decks enjoying his morning meal. We¡¯d left the North via White Harbour a few days ago in a small fleet of eight ships. My stepsisters and the lords and ladies that had accompanied Oberyn were on other ships as Oberyn had only wanted his squire and page (Daemon and me) with him, which was a bit odd. As the waves gently caressed the hull of the ship, my mind turned back to Winterfell. We¡¯d left two days after the wedding with Obara barely able to keep from crying as she said goodbye to her family. Tyene though did more than enough crying for her and Obara while Nymeria and Sarella were both misty-eyed. Oberyn had kept a smile on his face and a jest on his lips, but it was easy to see how conflicted he was: happy that Obara had married for love ¨C and a noble of a Great House no less ¨C but sad to be saying goodbye for what was likely to be such a long time. Oh, there¡¯d been promises to visit but it was unlikely most of them could be kept. I knew I was coming back as I still had things to do, but for the rest of my family, the chances they¡¯d come were slim. Well, until I came back as I was sure I would. Much to my annoyance, Ned hadn¡¯t allowed me to travel to the Wall, claiming I was too young. That meant when I returned, I¡¯d have to head north of the Wall to complete the objective linked to that. Then there were my cousins. Beron had asked Oberyn to allow me to raven him. Oberyn had agreed with amusement while I chuckled at having the unexpected Stark boy develop a little bit of hero worship toward me. Sansa hadn¡¯t really cared about me leaving, while Robb and I had shared a quick hug and words about staying in touch. Alysanne had been far less restrained, almost not wanting to release me from her hug and making me promise to send her a raven or letter about my time in Dorne. I¡¯d agreed on the condition she kept up her training in the yard, be that under the tutelage of Obara or Rodrik Cassel. The sound of Daemon¡¯s sword clipping something, and then the ship¡¯s first mate rather bluntly asking him to not chip the wood drew me back to the present. As I looked toward the front deck I frowned. It was early in the morning which meant the sun should¡¯ve been off the port side, yet it was sitting almost directly ahead of us. With that thought in mind, I moved to the top deck. It gave the clearest view of our surroundings. My eyes narrowed as I only saw one ship behind and to our right and I scanned the horizon yet the other six Martell ships were missing. Since there¡¯s been no storm or attack during the night, that meant their separation from us was planned. ¡°We¡¯re not heading to Sunspear.¡± Hearing the voice close behind, I spun, one hand drifting to my waist. Yet as a hand gripped my shoulder to stop my momentum, I realised I wasn¡¯t armed, having left my dagger in my cabin. ¡°Or at least not directly,¡± Oberyn finished as he looked down at me, a smile dancing on his face. ¡°Nice reaction by the way.¡± I pulled my hand away from my belt as he released me. Like Daemon, Oberyn was armed though his sword was still in its scabbard. As I wondered why we weren¡¯t going directly to Sunspear, he moved over to a small table, sat done on the only chair at it and rested his feet on a stool. ¡°So where are we going?¡± Instead of answering immediately, he glanced at another stool. I took the hint and sat down. The stool was far from comfortable and made me irritated that he had the only chair. I waited for his answer as he picked up a flagon from the middle of the table and poured himself a mug of strong dark ale. ¡°You tell me.¡± As that familiar smirk of ¡®I know something you don¡¯t¡¯ danced on his face, I fought down the urge to smack it off. Not because I didn¡¯t want to, but because the few times I¡¯d tried he¡¯d countered me with embarrassing ease. I was at least a decade away from being able to land such a blow, so until then I just had to grin and bear them. With that urge buried, for now, I pondered what little I knew. ¡°Based on the sun¡¯s location, we¡¯re now heading east to Essos. Since we¡¯re still north of the Vale, there¡¯s only one option that makes any sense. Braavos.¡± ¡°Why not Lorath or Pentos?¡± I shook my head at his question. ¡°As I said, we¡¯ve still north of the Vale. There¡¯s no point separating from the rest of the ships before we¡¯re closer to Pentos on the Westerosi coast. As for Lorath, I can¡¯t think of why we¡¯d head there for trade as anything they might have would be easier to get in Braavos.¡± Oberyn took a large sip from his mug and when he lowered it the smile had spread to his eyes. ¡°Well done.¡± His feet slid from the stool they¡¯d been resting on and then he leaned forward. His weight was taken up by his elbows as they rested on the table. ¡°Yes, we¡¯re heading to Braavos. I have business for House Martell to handle,¡± that explained why the other lords and ladies weren¡¯t with us, ¡°and while there¡¯s no need for you to come, I thought you¡¯d enjoy the voyage. Plus, there may be a surprise or two waiting for you there.¡± The sunlight caught his eyes as he spoke, giving them a strange, almost demonic, look. There was something he wasn¡¯t telling me about, at least not directly. While not knowing was going to annoy me, I knew he wouldn¡¯t reveal more even if I prodded him for days. Still, it¡¯d give me something to think about while we sailed. ¡°Did I ever tell you about my time in Essos?¡± As I shook my head, he refilled his mug before turning over another, filling that and sliding it over to me. ¡°Well, I had to travel due to some minor issues with another house in Dorne,¡± he waved his free hand dismissively. ¡°This was before I married your mother or the usurper''s war, mind you. Which was why I didn¡¯t fight on the Trident.¡± I took a sip from my mug. The drink inside wasn¡¯t up to the standard of a Dornish red, but it was tolerable. At least compared to the stuff the crew drank. One sip of that had me puking my guts out for an hour. ¡°While there I fought many a battle, bedded many women, gained a daughter,¡± I assumed he meant Nymeria since her mother was Old Blood from Volantis, ¡°and even founded a sellsword company.¡± Now that was interesting. ¡°Which one?¡± Oberyn chuckled at the question that slipped out almost as soon as the thought came to me. He leaned back and took another long sip from his mug. ¡°I could just tell you, but I think we¡¯d both enjoy it more if I told the story of what drove me to create it.¡± I nodded in agreement. With little to do until we reached Braavos ¨C bar subtly working on my wind and water magic ¨C hearing a war story or two was a good way to pass the time. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ Braavos was an impressive city, easily rivalling Oldtown in size. Now, like most places, I¡¯d seen it during my magical awakening, but seeing it up close ¨C and sailing under the legs of the city¡¯s titan ¨C was something else entirely. I already had read about how the city was a collection of islands in the lagoon that were all joined together by bridges, but seeing it was something else - something more, especially the Titan, sailing under its legs felt like a god was peering down at me and then the Titan gave a mighty roar. The sound was as huge as he was, a terrible groaning and grinding, so loud it drowned out even the captain¡¯s voice and the crash of the waves against those pine-clad ridges. A thousand seabirds took to the air at once, and Oberyn laughed as I flinched in surprise "that''s how they warn the Arsenal of incoming ships". The Titan was massive, easily over a hundred metres tall, with openings running up and down the legs. Those, from what Oberyn told me, were slits for archers to use if the city was ever attacked with larger gaps for other defensive measures. It didn¡¯t take much to see just how hard, almost impossible, it would be to attack the city from the sea as the only way into the lagoon was through the Titan¡¯s legs. A little distance past the Titan rose another sea mont, a knob of rock that pushed up from the water like a spiked fist, its stony battlements bristling with scorpions, spitfires, and trebuchets. That, according to Oberyn, was the Arsenal. A shipyard so impressive that it was claimed that it could churn out a new ship every day. I¡¯d have loved to see the Arsenal close-up, and how it managed to produce ships so quickly. However, outsiders were not allowed inside. Since Oberyn had pointed the Arsenal out, I wondered if we were here to pick up ships for a Dornish fleet, but the man had stayed tight-lipped on our purpose. Something that had remained after we¡¯d docked ¨C at the docks for non-city traffic ¨C and rode through the city, with an escort. It took some time to reach a large palace that had an island all to itself. The building, the Sealord¡¯s Palace, was impressive, with multiple domes and towers of gleaming burnished metal. On the tallest tower, which looked to be ten metres higher than any other, was a golden lightning bolt that reminded me of Zeus¡¯ bolt. I looked down the corridor, taking in the various groups of important people waiting for their chance to speak to the Sealord; of which Oberyn, Daemon and I were included. Most appeared to be, based on their fashion sense, locals, though I did see three other groups from Westeros, which was again based on their clothing which bore sigils of houses I recognized. Yet despite all my curiosity about the various people that were waiting around, my mind was busy with one issue. Arianne Martell was serving as the cupbearer of the Sealord. Seeing her greet us when we¡¯d arrived had caught me completely off-guard. So much so that I¡¯d barely been able to get out ¡®it¡¯s good to see you again¡¯ before she left. As the cupbearer to the Sealord, she had many duties to attend to and couldn¡¯t spend the day sitting around with us catching up. Which had meant she¡¯d left us no more than five minutes ago, heading quickly into the room where the Sealord met with dignitaries. ¡°Why is Arianne here?¡± My head snapped around at Daemon¡¯s question. With Oberyn between us, I couldn¡¯t make out Daemon¡¯s face even as Oberyn chuckled softly. ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware the location and duties of my niece, and the future ruler of Dorne was a concern of yours.¡± Oberyn¡¯s tone was light, yet even as he smirked, I saw something in his eye. If I understood the glint correctly, he wasn¡¯t impressed with Daemon: either for the outburst, or the apparent invasion of House Martell¡¯s business. Daemon must¡¯ve seen it too as he tensed even as he replied. ¡°I was told that she was to foster somewhere important for several years, but no one mentioned it was to be in Braavos.¡± Daemon¡¯s voice had an edge to it as if he was upset at being left out of the loop. I knew he was interested in Arianne, but I¡¯d not seen any hint she was returning that interest, so his tone irritated me. Much as I suspected it did Oberyn. ¡°Again, I wonder why the location of my niece is a concern of yours.¡± Oberyn¡¯s voice had shifted. Gone was any jovial nature, being replaced by a dangerous hint of what might come. ¡°Unless, of course, there¡¯s something regarding you and her that you wish to tell me about.¡± Daemon glanced at me, and his eyes narrowed before he shook his head. ¡°No, my Prince. I am simply¡­ concerned for the future ruler of Dorne.¡± His shoulders slumped as he spoke, but I caught him sending me another withering glance as he spoke. Silence reigned over the small seating area where we were waiting. Oberyn¡¯s focus was on his squire, so I couldn¡¯t make out his face, yet the way he was standing, as if a serpent about to strike, spoke volumes. Daemon held that gaze for a moment as my mind replayed how he¡¯d behaved around and looked at my cousin and step-sisters over the years before he looked away; finding a spot on the floor more interesting than Oberyn. I frowned at the man¡¯s behaviour. I knew he had feelings for Arianne, and not just because she was going to rule Dorne. In the years since I¡¯d last seen her, she¡¯d matured into a very attractive young lady. The same was true for all my older step-sisters with Sarella well on her way to being a beauty as well. Yet whereas before I¡¯d not had any issue with Daemon lusting after them, ever since Winterfell, I found it aggravating. And given the glances and looks he¡¯d been sending my way, he was also growing to dislike my presence. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°And what of you, Cregan?¡± I blinked as I was caught off-guard for the second time in a minute. Gathering myself, I looked up at my stepfather and replied. ¡°Like Daemon I am curious as to why Arianne is here. Especially after the Ironborn,¡± Oberyn¡¯s brow creased at the reminder as I kept going, ¡°yet I know that, if you or she want me to know, you¡¯ll tell me, though likely by making me figure it out myself.¡± Oberyn laughed and after messing up my hair ¨C which would always annoy me ¨C turned to Daemon. ¡°That, my squire, is how you should handle such a situation.¡± Daemon tensed as if angered about being shown up by me, but in my opinion, he had it coming. It was odd he¡¯d show such a lack of manners but since he made the mistake, he should be taught how to fix it. Oberyn turned and looked over my shoulder. ¡°Now, with that settled, it appears it¡¯s our turn.¡± I turned around to see someone approaching. We¡¯d been waiting for at least an hour and in that time this servant only approached a group to lead them to the Sealord. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ... ¡°So why did you bring me here?¡± I looked at Arianne as we both sat on the edge of one of the various pools in the Sealord¡¯s gardens. It¡¯d been two days since I¡¯d arrived here with Oberyn, and in a sign that he wasn¡¯t an uncaring man, he¡¯d given Arianne a few days off to catch up with her uncle and cousin. What made it even easier to do that was that he¡¯d set Oberyn, Daemon and myself up in one of the more opulent guest areas of the palace, which made sense given Obeyn''s station and the deal''s importance. Over dinner on our first night here, the Sealord had commented on how Arianne seemed to prefer talking to me over Oberyn. That had resulted in her revealing to the Sealord, his first sword ¨C who was Syrio fucking Forel! ¨C and the other guests that I was the one who saved her from the Ironborn. The Sealord had been surprised by this as not only had news of the Greyjoy Rebellion reached Braavos but so had the legend of the Bloody Wolf who¡¯d fought off an entire company of Ironborn to protect his princess. He¡¯d remarked that he thought Daemon was the Bloody Wolf, which had drawn a laugh from Oberyn, a soft chuckle and an explanation that it was me not Daemon from Arianne and further worsened Daemon¡¯s mood. And of course, that meant I had to once again tell the story of how I¡¯d saved her, my mother, and my stepsisters from the Ironborn. I looked around, making sure once more that we were alone. If I was a few years older, then I suspected being here alone with Arianne would lead to some comments and rumours, but thankfully I doubted that would happen from this. Being as sure as I could that we were alone ¨C there was no way to be one hundred per cent sure that someone wasn¡¯t watching us from the bushes that separated this pond from the rest of the garden ¨C I smiled at Arianne. ¡°Do you trust me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I blinked, somewhat taken aback at how quickly the reply came, and how sure Arianne sounded. Grinning, I flicked my feet, sending small amounts of water splashing around the pool. My eyes closed as I reached out with my magic, feeling the water as it moved around my feet from the ripples I¡¯d created. I hadn¡¯t gotten that far in Water Magic or Wind Magic ¨C with the latter being easier to improve as the former was penalised by Fire Compatibility ¨C both had passed level 10. That would allow me to do what I wanted today ¨C something I¡¯d checked yesterday while alone in my quarters. I felt the water move around me, tracing one ripple as it bounced off my right foot then gently stroked Arianne¡¯s. It took a moment before my magic was able to weave itself through the water, but I soon felt my mind gain control of a small amount of the liquid. Enough to alter the flow of it around her feet. She jerked back, breaking my concentration. ¡°What was that!¡± I ignored her cry, as my hand closed, taking control once more of a small amount of water. ¡°Cregan did you¡­¡± her words died off as, with my hand closed and then lifted upward. ¡°By the Gods!¡± Arianne¡¯s exclamation suggested that I¡¯d succeeded and, opening my eyes, I let a smile spread over my face. In front of me, I saw the water moving upwards as if in that small space, gravity had reversed itself and the water was now flowing up instead of down. A twist of my wrist cut the funnel off from the pool, and the floating water condensed into an unstable blob no larger than a tennis ball. I pulled my hand inward, and the globule floated unsteadily toward me, bringing it to a stop over the spot Arianne had been sitting in. Said girl had slid back, her feet having left the water, though she was still sitting within easy reach. Seeing a way to tease her, a smirk spread over my face as I pushed the globule of water toward her, and then, once it was over her legs, released my control. She gasped in shock as the water splashed against her leg, soaking her dress. I barely avoided laughing at her reaction and then failed when her eyes ¨C wide as saucers ¨C bounced between the water on her leg to me. ¡°You!¡± She slapped my arm though there was no venom in the move, which only made me laugh harder as I fell onto my side. Once I¡¯d gotten my laughter under control and righted myself, I saw her eyes were locked on the water, only to shift to me as she realised that I was sitting once again. Her mouth opened, as if to say something, only no sound came out, leaving her looking like a fish; albeit a very attractive one. ¡°That was¡­¡± the words slipped from her mouth tentatively in a voice barely loud enough to carry over the gentle noises of the garden. ¡°Magic?¡± I cut her off. ¡°Aye.¡± To prove my point, I repeated my trick of creating a second, slightly smaller, globule of floating water, but this time I let it float between us for as long as I could. Her eyes followed the movement of the blob of water as if her mind was struggling to process what she was seeing. Once my MP was drained, l let it fall, splashing the ground between us. She blinked once, twice, taking time to seemingly remember what she¡¯d just seen. Then, once her eyes returned to me, a large smile spread across her face, threatening to split it in half. ¡°Cregan!¡± ¡°Oof!¡± Before I knew it, I was lying on my back with Arianne on top, hugging me intently. That was not the reaction I¡¯d expected when I¡¯d come up with this idea. At least, not one that¡¯d happen this early in the day. When she lifted her face from my chest, her breath drifted over my face and her eyes found mine, which wasn¡¯t hard as they were mere inches apart. ¡°Thank you.¡± Her voice was low and slightly husky, and I could feel her heart racing as her bosom pressed against my chest. ¡°For what?¡± I had an idea, but I wanted to hear her say it. Surprising me, she leaned forward and kissed the tip of my nose. ¡°For trusting me.¡± She replied as her lips pulled back, making the air from her lungs drift into my mouth. ¡°Ah. Well you see, that wasn¡¯t why I showed this to you.¡± She pulled back, her arms letting me go and my head bounced off the hard ground. Thankfully it wasn¡¯t a long fall. ¡°What?¡± Some of her joy had gone in an instant. ¡°Ow,¡± I muttered before pushing myself up onto my elbows and looking up at her as she sat there. ¡°Well first off, I do trust you, but that wasn¡¯t my intention for today.¡± As I spoke, I pushed myself upward until I was once more sitting with my feet in the water. ¡°Then what was?¡± She¡¯d gone slightly defensive with her arms pulled closer to her body and the forward tilt in her stance gone. ¡°To see if I could help you unlock your magic, or at least start the process.¡± The longer she blinked at me, trying desperately to process what I¡¯d said, the wider my smile became. ¡°Wh-what?¡± I couldn¡¯t hold in a chuckle at the disbelief in her tone, which earned me a gentle slap once she realised why I was laughing. ¡°I¡¯m serious, what do you mean by unlock my magic?¡± I rolled my eyes, not even trying to hide my mock irritation at her not seeing the link. ¡°You are Arianne of House Nymeros Martell,¡± I stressed the full name of her house, ¡°Princess of Dorne and descendant of Queen Nymeria of the Rhoynish.¡± Her eyes lit up as if someone had lit a candle behind them. ¡°Y, you mean I can do that?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I replied while chuckling, ¡°or at least, I think you have the potential to be able to.¡± My caution did nothing to dampen her enthusiasm as I continued. ¡°Within you flows the blood of the Rhoynar. A people, who you¡¯ll be well aware, were said to command the rivers to do their bidding. Seven hells, they fought the Valyrian Freehold for hundreds of years and only fell to a mass attack from a hundred or more dragons.¡± As she started to fidget, I leaned forward and placed a hand on her knee. ¡°Now, it¡¯s taken me years to figure out not just how to unlock water magic much less get to the point I could do what I did,¡± now, I could do a touch more, but no reason for her to know that. ¡°That said, I think you should have a greater chance to learn water-based magic due to your family history.¡± ¡°Oof!¡± For the second time in minutes, the air was driven from my lungs as Arianne hugged me. Thankfully, this time I didn¡¯t fall back and land with her on top of me. ¡°A-air.¡± I manage to get out from beneath her vice-like grip. ¡°Oh.¡± Arianne pulled back and I gasped in fresh air even as her eyes, shining brighter than the sun, locked onto mine. ¡°Ca-can you teach me?¡± I smiled and brought my hands up to take hers. ¡°I can at least set you on the path to unlocking your magic, I think.¡± My hands guided hers from my body as, while I enjoyed the contact, if anyone came along right now, they¡¯d get entirely the wrong idea about what we¡¯d been doing. ¡°How did you do it?¡± I gestured at the pool. ¡°I sat at the bottom of one of the pools in the Water Gar¡­ Arianne!¡± I changed tack-mid sentence as Arianne, understanding where I was going, slipped from my grip and fell into the pool. Her clothing, while thicker than what she¡¯d wear in Dorne, was instantly soaked through, and left very little to my imagination. ¡°I-I didn¡¯t mean¡­¡± My words trailed off as she stood, water cascading down her body, then flicked her hair to one side to try and get some of it out. ¡°Just because that worked for me, doesn¡¯t mean you have to try the same thing.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Her shoulders slumped, which made me chuckle before she smirked. ¡°Oh! That was why you kept sitting in the pools in the Gardens?¡± I nodded, which made her start to laugh, nothing on par with how I¡¯d laughed earlier, but enough to remove any bad mood that might¡¯ve set in from realising she didn¡¯t need to dive into the pool. ¡°Wait, you knew?¡± I asked once her short burst of laughter was over. She nodded. ¡°Yes!¡± Her voice struggled to keep down more laughter. ¡°Ty, Nym and I all wondered what you were doing. So did others. We even had a betting pool about it.¡± That drew a chuckle from me. ¡°Anyone bet on magic?¡± She shook her head as she joined me in laughing gently. ¡°No, but Ty thought you were trying to turn into a merman.¡± I gawked at her, which turned her gentle laughter into loud chortles. One I soon joined in with as we both laughed at my stepsister¡¯s expense even as I made plans to tease her about that once back in Sunspear. ¡°So why did you think I did that?¡± Once my laughing was under control. While this was a slight distraction from what I wanted to teach her, spending some time just being young with my cousin was enjoyable. At least for now. I all but knew that once my body hit puberty, dealing with her and my step-sisters would involve far less harmless fun and far more teasing about my reactions to their bodies. ¡°I thought you just liked the peace and quiet.¡± She replied with a wide smile that enhanced her beauty. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°I thought I heard some familiar laughter.¡± My head spun so fast I swore I heard something jump out of position as the voice of Oberyn Martell drifted toward us from the path leading to this pool. A smile was dancing on his face and I knew a jape was just waiting to be fired, yet my attention was on Daemon. The squire¡¯s eyes were wide as he looked at Arianne only to then narrow as he saw me. Something about that look angered me and I could feel my temper rising rapidly. ¡°Uncle!¡± Arianne¡¯s pained shriek did little to calm my emotions, though the barked laugh that escaped Oberyn¡¯s lips did ease it a bit. ¡°Um, w-we were just¡­¡± ¡°Catching up,¡± I supplied as Arianne seemed to struggle with an answer. If it was just Oberyn, I might be willing to reveal the truth, but Daemon was becoming less and less trustworthy with the growing jealousy toward me, and lust toward Arianne and my stepsisters. ¡°Though Arianne slipped as I told her about a story from Winterfell and fell into the pool.¡± Oberyn walked closer, leaving Daemon behind thankfully. His smile grew and as he knelt near me, I suddenly felt like a rat cornered by a snake. ¡°Of course. It¡¯s been many a moon since you¡¯ve last seen each other.¡± He glanced toward his niece. ¡°Still, it is good that this isn¡¯t Westeros. Rumours would spread if the Princess of Dorne was found soaked to the bone with the bastard who¡¯d saved her life.¡± I held his gaze and fought off an urge to gulp even as heat built up in my cheeks. I might be too young physically to react to her in certain ways, but I knew exactly what he was implying. Still, the teasing was better than him questioning us further as I could tell he didn¡¯t entirely buy my reason. Perhaps he¡¯d bring it up later, and if he did, so long as Daemon wasn¡¯t present, I¡¯d likely reveal the truth. While he wasn¡¯t someone I was considering to help learn magic, Oberyn should have just as much chance to unlock magic as Arianne or my stepsisters, with Nymeria being, in my opinion, the one with the most chance since she had Valyrian blood in her as well. Still, the idea of giving the Red Viper, even if he was my stepfather, access to magic was, in all honesty, a terrifying thought. After all, most poisons were just other liquids which should, in theory, be able to be controlled by water mages. As for Daemon, who was still glaring at me even as Arianne spotted his reaction and turned her glare onto him, it was becoming clear he was a problem. The young man wanted Arianne, though since his eye had, as far as I knew, only turned toward her after the Greyjoy Rebellion, his interest was less in her for her title and simply for the beautiful young lady she was maturing into. Yet with Arianne not being interested in him, it seemed he determined ¨C possibly correctly ¨C that I was the reason for her lack of interest. If this kept up, he was going to be a major fucking problem. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ A few days later after lunch, I found myself once more wandering the Sealord¡¯s gardens. I¡¯d spent the morning (and most of the previous day) watching as Arianne tried in vain to unlock her magic by duplicating what I¡¯d done. While I¡¯d laughed at her continual attempts to duplicate my method of unlocking water magic, I knew the images of her soaked to the bone in thin clothing ¨C which she¡¯d worn claiming it was easier to dry than what she¡¯d worn the day before ¨C would haunt my dreams in a few years. The reason I¡¯d been wandering the gardens was that since yesterday I¡¯d had this nagging feeling at the back of my mind as I¡¯d sat out here. Since Arianne was once more occupied with her duties as cupbearer for the Sealord ¨C and Oberyn and Daemon had left the palace to examine one of the vessels being constructed for House Martell ¨C I¡¯d decided to investigate what was going on. For most of that time, I¡¯d wandered, trying to get whatever was buzzing around my mind to guide me. Now, however, I found myself standing at the Sealord¡¯s menagerie. The place was impressive, probably a few football pitches in overall size, and was full of animals from all over Planetos. Most of the animals were closely related to those from Earth ¨C such as the Aurochs and freaking velociraptor or the tattooed lizards, which were now extinct on Earth ¨C or resembled what their mythological comparison looked like ¨Cwith basilisks looking like the non-snake suggestion of their form. A few didn¡¯t match anything I¡¯d ever seen before with the firewyrm ¨C which was housed in a special cage that prevented the flames the beast breathed from reaching an observer ¨C being one that stood out. Yet, I¡¯d wandered past all those creatures until I found myself in a section of the menagerie that reminded me of a zoo¡¯s reptile house. Specifically, the section housing snakes from all over Planetos. On the other side of the glass that I was looking through were perhaps a dozen baby snakes. Their marking varied, but all had bright colours that suggested they were either from a crossbreeding of two types of snakes or just a collection of younglings for closely related species that were being raised together for ease. As I watched the young snakes slither around, my focus was drawn to one in particular. This little guy, and I wasn¡¯t sure why I referred to it as a male, was mainly red with black stripes running down its body. It was hard to tell his age, but at a guess, I¡¯d say he was no more than a month old and given his shorter length than the others, the youngest one in the tank. ¡°I did not expect to find someone down here at this time.¡± I turned and when I saw that it was the Sealord, I dropped to a knee. ¡°My Lord.¡± While Oberyn hadn¡¯t knelt when he¡¯d met the Sealord, I¡¯d seen many other people of various standing do so, and the few times I¡¯d been around him and not seated I¡¯d done the same. ¡°Please rise.¡± I did as he asked and saw that just behind him, a hand on the hilt of his slim sword, stood Syrio Forel. While it was odd to see the Sealord moving around without a larger escort, I suspected the palace guard had secured the entrances to the menagerie but had missed me as I¡¯d slipped inside without anyone noticing. ¡°Now, if I may ask, what exactly is the son of Oberyn Martell doing in my menagerie?¡± ¡°Forgive me, my Lord, if I¡¯m intruding, I just felt,¡± I paused to collect my thoughts on how to phrase things, ¡°off, I guess. While walking I ended up here, watching these young snakes.¡± The Sealord waved his hand. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to forgive. As my guest, you are free to come and go from the menagerie as you please. Well, bar the sections marked as off limits.¡± He added that with a chuckle and a glance to one such area nearby that I suspected was used by the handlers for getting to and feeding the snakes. ¡°That said, it is amusing that the son of the so-called Red Viper would find himself at a display for newborn bloodflower vipers.¡± I chuckled at that, and looked at the snakes, my eyes easily finding the one I¡¯d been watching before. ¡°Aye, my Lord. Though I didn¡¯t know the breed¡¯s name before stopping here.¡± As I watched, the young fellow slithered up a branch, likely heading for a patch of shade for an afternoon snooze. Yet as he moved, the nagging sensation in my mind grew stronger, almost as if there was something about the snake that called to me. I moved closer to the glass, wanting a better look at the snake only for it to pause and stare back at me. In that moment I felt something shift inside me. My magic was calling out to the snake, and it was responding, which was downright odd. Oberyn had given me a lecture on the various types of snakes he knew of and the danger they posed with the bloodflower viper being considered an especially dangerous and venomous snake whose poison had many uses beyond the obvious. Yet nothing in that lecture had hinted there was any legend around the breed having a magical connection. All that drifted from my mind as my world slowly became nothing but myself and the snake as we stared into each other¡¯s souls. The nagging in my mind had grown into a strong, pounding beat that was overpowering everything. I thought I heard someone call out even as something appeared in my mind. A vision of something large and long moving toward me. It radiated heat and I flicked out my tongue to smell it. The end of the giant strange thing separated into many smaller things. I had a sense they were like the tongues of my siblings, yet they weren¡¯t. the whole thing smelt strange, yet, as I tasted what my tongue had sensed, it also felt familiar, important. I moved forward, leaning into the gap between me and the object that was blocking the massive, strange creature I¡¯d sensed watching me. I¡¯d seen several of those odd, tall things moving around, but never given them any thought. The long many-tipped thing came closer. Those below hissed in annoyance and fear and some scurried off to hide. Yet I felt no fear as I reached out toward the thing. An urge within had me rear back, expose my hunting weapons and then surge forward. They dug into the thing and I tasted the familiar scent of food. Yet I knew this wasn¡¯t something to eat. No this was¡­ I blinked hard, trying to regain my bearings. ¡°Lad?¡± the voice calling out to me drew my attention and I saw Syrio was pulling me back. His face was a mixture of shock and concern. A strange sensation from my hand made me look down and I saw blood sliding from two small puncture wounds. Blinking some more, I looked back into the enclosure to see the snake was still watching me, a faint rim of scarlet red covering its lips. ¡°Quick! Get the anti-venom!¡± the call came for the Sealord and I saw one of the servants scurry away toward the private corridor next to the snake¡¯s enclosure. Yet as I returned my attention to my hand, I somehow knew I was safe. Which was bloody odd. A young snake was known, according to Oberyn, to inject all its venom in a single shot as it lacked the control to limit how much to use for each target. By all rights I should be feeling the effects of that venom ¨C breaking out into a cold sweat and feeling my extremities going numb ¨C yet there was nothing. Or at least no hint of being in dire straits. ¡°I-I¡¯m fine.¡± I got out after licking my lips and rediscovering my voice. ¡°I-it didn¡¯t poison me.¡± Syrio looked at me as if I¡¯d grown another head. ¡°Boy, the snake bit you. You need anti-venom.¡± ¡°I know how dangerous that snake is,¡± I replied, finding my backbone. ¡°Yet I don¡¯t feel any of the effects that I would if I¡¯d been poisoned.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Regardless, as my guest, I insist you take the anti-venom.¡± The Sealord cut off Syrio, making both of us look at him. ¡°I¡¯ve sent a runner to collect your father, and Princess Arianne as well.¡± That made me cringe as I knew she¡¯d be more upset with my actions than Oberyn. While he¡¯d be angry, if he followed the script, he¡¯d fob off the lecture on how stupid I¡¯d been to my mother. And that was not something I enjoyed at all. ¡°Yes, my Lord.¡± My reply was almost robotic as I¡¯d spotted a small blinking-blue notice from my strange Interface in the bottom right of my vision. As Syrio sat me on a nearby bench I opened it and struggled to hide my shock at what it stated.
Skinchanging Instinctual Bond Formed! Bonded animal: ??? [bloodflower viper] Level 1 bond Bonds remaining: 0 ... Congratulations, you¡¯ve formed an instinctual bond with your first animal. While the bond is weak and new, meaning there is little you can learn from your new bond-mate, with time and training you¡¯ll be able to meld your mind with his and gain bleed-over abilities based on the animal. This is true of any animal you form a bond with however bleed-over abilities will only come from those you form an instinctual bond with. ¡­ Objective Achieved! A Friend For Life Completing this bond makes it easier to control the mind of an animal you don¡¯t have any bond with. ¡­ Well, that was just fucking wonderful. I¡¯d managed to bond with my first creature, yet it was one that I¡¯d not be able to take as it belonged to a far more powerful person. And of course, it¡¯d be a bloody fucking viper. Still, since that was the only notice from the Interface, I knew I wasn¡¯t poisoned. When I¡¯d been six, I¡¯d gotten a notice about having developed Redspots. A few days later, after not initially believing me when I said I was sick, Maester Caleotte had given me an ointment ¨C that smelt shite ¨C to treat the disease. From that, and a notice when I¡¯d gotten drunk at my mother¡¯s wedding, I knew I¡¯d get some sort of warning if I¡¯d been dangerously impaired. It was odd but very useful. As for completing the objective, that felt like a weak reward, but given I¡¯d taken Skingchanging as a magical ability, it was only natural I¡¯d eventually form a true bond. Thus a small reward made sense. For the more impressive Objectives though, I suspected the rewards would be greater. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen someone willingly place their hand in a viper pit before; at least not without a large sum wagered on them surviving and them being twice your age.¡± Syrio¡¯s jest made me refocus on him to see the First Sword of Braavos smirking as he checked the wound. ¡°Indeed.¡± The servant returned just as the Sealord agreed with his protector. ¡°Now, once you¡¯ve drunk the anti-venom, and the wound¡¯s been cleaned and dressed, provided you are still not showing signs of poisoning, we¡¯ll wait for your father to arrive.¡± He turned to Syrio. ¡°Also, arrange for that snake to be disposed of.¡± ¡°No!¡± I called out. That had everyone looking at me incredulously; though the servant was more because my outburst had almost made him spill the anti-venom. ¡°I mean, it didn¡¯t do anything wrong. It just reacted as any snake would when threatened.¡± The Sealord scratched his chin for a moment, while I tried not to vomit back up the anti-venom, before nodding. ¡°Yes, that is true. Very well, since you don¡¯t wish the beast killed for its actions, I shall allow it to live. Though if your father decides otherwise, then so be it.¡± I nodded in thanks as my throat felt as if it was trying to swallow raw petrol. I didn¡¯t expect Oberyn to want the snake killed, but I¡¯d have to be ready to defend it if he did. Though if it was killed, would I regain a skinchanging bond slot (which I never knew I had to begin with)? ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ As the wind blew through my hair ¨C which forced me to retie it back once more ¨C I smiled as the twin towers of Sunspear came into view. While I was glad to finally be home, I¡¯d miss the ship I was currently standing on. This vessel, which Oberyn hadn¡¯t given a name claiming with a cheeky smile that would be handled once we were home, was different from anything I¡¯d seen in Westeros. From what I¡¯d learnt from Oberyn and the Sealord, this vessel had been made on a personal order from Doran as something separate from the small fleet being constructed for House Martell. That fleet of twenty ships, along with the two we¡¯d travelled to Braavos on, was sailing along behind us, struggling to keep up. Even without a name, I¡¯d fallen in love with this ship mere days out of Braavos. Reminding me of a Middle Eastern sailing ship from Earth, she was nimble on the turn, fast with oars and insanely so when the winds caught her sails. Four times on the voyage south we¡¯d had to trim sails and wait hours for the rest of the fleet to catch up to us. Oberyn and the ship¡¯s captain, a jolly Essosi by the name of Dono Orlatis, kept commenting that at the rate I was learning how the ship worked and jested that I¡¯d become its captain before we reached Sunspear. The only downside of the ship, and it was a minor one, in my opinion, was her size. She was smaller than a cog needing only a crew of twenty compared to the fifty of the cogs. That also transferred into a smaller cargo hold and passenger number, though that¡¯d worked out well for me as Daemon was left on our previous ship while it was just Oberyn and me on this one. Plus, since this was a new ship with a new crew that was still learning her, Oberyn had let me help out. For the first time in years, I felt as if I was back where I belonged. Now, while I¡¯d not deployed from any sailing ship while in the SBS, just being on the ocean and being part of a crew felt right. Gods, it even had me contemplating, knowing what was coming, becoming an adventurer, and sailing the oceans of Planetos. ¡°Looking forward to being home, I take it?¡± I turned from where I was kneeling on the beak of the figurehead ¨C a coiled snake ready to strike ¨C to see Oberyn approaching, a flagon in one hand. ¡°Aye, and while I¡¯m enjoying the view I¡¯m still hoping you won¡¯t tell mother about what happened in the Sealord¡¯s palace.¡± Oberyn laughed, and mirroring me from earlier, had to pull his hair out of his face. He stepped closer, running his fingers along the railing of the foredeck. ¡°I suspect that once she sees your new pet, she¡¯ll want the full story behind it.¡± The smile on his face grew as my shoulders slumped at realising he was right. The day before we¡¯d left Braavos, in a surprising turn of events, the Sealord had gifted me the young snake that had bitten me. Oberyn had laughed hard at me gaining the snake as a pet while Arianne had been more restrained in her amusement. Still, it was a relief I¡¯d gained the snake as it meant I didn¡¯t lose an animal I was bonded with ¨C though there was a nagging thought that he¡¯d only done it because magic or the gods had wanted it ¨C and I¡¯d spent any time not helping the captain around the ship with the snake working on our bond. Hells, I¡¯d even told Oberyn once we were underway and alone that I¡¯d felt a connection to the snake ¨C I needed to give him a name ¨C which was why I¡¯d put my hand in the enclosure. He¡¯d asked subtly if it was related to my gifts, and after a nod of confirmation, he¡¯d accepted things. I¡¯d have told Arianne as well if she¡¯d come back with us, maybe even revealed my hopes to skinchange into the snake, but she was staying in Braavos until she was sixteen. Thus, she¡¯d be gone for another year. When I¡¯d be lying in bed each night, I¡¯d given thought to why she¡¯d been sent to Braavos and after discounting the wilder ideas ¨C ranging from Doran planning to marry her to the Sealord to wanting her gone so Quentyn could inherit ¨C I¡¯d settled on the most plausible reason. From my memories, I knew the Targaryens had spent time in Braavos early on, if Doran and Oberyn learnt this, then I could see them arranging a marriage between Arianne and Viserys for when the boy returned to claim the Iron Throne. Therefore, Arianne was sent to Braavos to meet her betrothed only for him and Dany to have left the city before Arianne arrived. Now, I had no proof of this being the plan, but it was the only logical reason I could come up with as to why Arianne had been sent away from Sunspear. Particularly when one considered what¡¯d happened with the Ironborn. ¡°Though if you are that worried about your mother, might I suggest shifting the conversation to your new sister.¡± Oberyn continued. ¡°Or that the First Sword of Braavos has agreed to teach you while he¡¯s in Sunspear.¡± That Syrio Forel was travelling with us ¨C he was with Daemon on another ship ¨C was another little conundrum. One I hadn¡¯t yet worked out as, with the fleet for Dorne travelling behind us, and Viserys and Daenyers long gone from Braavos, why would the Syrio Forel travel to Dorne? Yet that was a riddle I was willing to ignore because, as Oberyn had stated, the man was going to start training me in the Braavosi style of fighting while he spent several moons in Sunspear. ¡°Even if mother doesn¡¯t like the snake, she can¡¯t reject it. At least not while Syrio is here.¡± Oberyn nodded in agreement, though he didn¡¯t say anything, choosing instead to enjoy the view. Seeing the conversation was finished, I decided to do the same and returned to watching the towers of Sunspear grow larger as we approached. My mind drifted to my new sister, wondering if she took after my mother or Oberyn more, or if she had a good mix of their features. ¡­ ¡­ Time Flies Time Flies ¡­ (Circa 291AC)
It was about two hours after arriving back in Sunspear. It¡¯d taken time to handle the rituals of arriving back with a Prince of Dorne, but I now found myself walking inside the Tower of the Sun on my way to the throne room. In my arms, my young sister, Aliandra, cooed sweetly as she played with a loose strand of my hair. Oberyn had already teased me about that but fuck him. Alia was the cutest little thing I¡¯d ever seen. Soft, slightly olive skin from her father but with my mother¡¯s face and eyes. Already I was worrying about how I¡¯d keep dumb fucks unworthy of her away. I couldn¡¯t just go around cutting down trueborn men who sought her hand, but the idea was tempting as fuck. I knew I¡¯d do anything to protect any of my family from harm, but with Alia, that urge was far stronger. Something I¡¯d have to watch as she grew, and my Wolfs-blood reared its head. Around me walked Ashara and Oberyn ¨C who were trying very hard to keep their hands to themselves while also watching me bond with my sister ¨C and Ellaria, who was carrying her latest daughter, Dorea. Syrio was walking a few steps behind us, seemingly unconcerned about being behind a paramour and behind him, Nymeria was speaking in a quiet tone with Daemon. The creaking of the large doors that led into the throne room drew my eyes away from my baby sister, though not her hand from my hair. Since I¡¯d have to speak with Doran, I handed Alia back to my mother, though Alia whined about that, much to my mother¡¯s amusement. I¡¯d entered this room multiple times over the years, but this was the first time I¡¯d done so after returning from somewhere outside Dorne and as a member of the returning ruling family. OK, I wasn¡¯t of Martell blood, but that mattered little to Oberyn, and Doran himself also tended to treat me as family. The first thing that jumped out was that there was no chair next to Doran for his wife. It was odd that Lady Mellario wasn¡¯t present, and oddly still the chair was gone as even when she¡¯d not been in the hall when Doran was, I¡¯d seen the chair. Perhaps, since I saw Quentyn was also missing, Lady Mellario was away with him. Yet Trystane was present, being watched over by one of the Septas in Sunspear. And it was odder still when I saw that the rest of the court was here, including Castellan Manfrey Martell and treasurer Alyse Ladybright. ¡°Brother, I once again grace Dorne with my presence.¡± Oberyn¡¯s loud proclamation drew laughter from around the room and made me shake my head. My stepfather enjoyed being the centre of attention at times like this, though I felt he often did it more to control the narrative than a simple need for attention. Doran rolled his eyes and waved a hand absently toward one side of the room. ¡°Apart from being able to see that, Manfrey informed me of your fleet¡¯s arrival several hours ago.¡± While to an outsider the retort might feel like a challenge, the smile on Doran¡¯s face ¨C along with the fact I¡¯d grown up around the pair ¨C meant I knew it wasn¡¯t. ¡°Though both failed to mention you had brought a guest.¡± Syrio slipped past me, his long cloak ¨C embroidered with fine gold stitching and extravagant patterns ¨C flicking up into my face. I heard Daemon chuckle at that, but I ignored it as I felt Syrio hadn¡¯t done it intentionally. Unless he meant to anger me before he started training me. Oberyn had mentioned that while Syrio was staying in Sunspear he¡¯d agreed to tutor me in Water Dancing which had me wondering if I¡¯d have to chase cats as Arya had done or if he¡¯d have some other seemingly random but likely useful things for me to do. I¡¯d been wondering ever since the First Sword had wished to spar with me to take the measure of me. It seemed in that short spar - where I¡¯d been spanked so soundly I felt like I was five again - I must¡¯ve done enough to at least earn the chance for further instruction in the Bravossi style of fighting. Once Syrio was in the centre of the room, having taken the attention away from Oberyn, he bowed deeply. His cloak fluttered behind him, giving the First Sword a larger-than-life appearance. ¡°Prince Doran, I am Syrio Forel, First Sword of the Sealord of Braavos. I¡¯ve been instructed by the Sealord to come here to ensure that the first order of ships was to your liking and, if you so wish, continue negotiations for the second order.¡± Doran nodded and gestured to one side. A servant stepped forward with a tray. ¡°I welcome you to my hall, Ser Syrio, with bread and salt.¡± Syrio nodded and took the offered food. ¡°I grant you safety under my roof while you have business to attend to.¡± ¡°I thank you for the hospitality, Prince Doran. And while I look forward to speaking with you further on behalf of my lord, your time now belongs to your family.¡± As Syrio responded, a servant came over. The smell of blood oranges and lemons ¨C the first time in years I¡¯d smelt them outside of the single lemon tree in the Sealord¡¯s Garden ¨C made my stomach rumble. Doran nodded. ¡°I thank you for your understanding, Ser Syrio. My Castellan, Manfrey Martell, will escort you to a room befitting one of your standing.¡± Syrio bowed deeply once more then moved over to where Manfrey was. ¡°Ah, young Cregan. It has been some time since we''ve seen you within our court.¡± I paused just before biting into a tantalising blood-orange as Doran addressed me. ¡°I see you have missed the food of Dorne,¡± that drew some laughter from the hall, ¡°but I hope you enjoyed your time in the North.¡± I stepped forward while sliding the orange back onto the servant¡¯s tray. My mother gave me a short glare, annoyed at me breaking decorum for a bite but I couldn¡¯t resist. It¡¯d been years since I¡¯d had one. ¡°Yes, my Prince.¡± I bowed deeply as I greeted him, then continued once I straightened. ¡°Winterfell, while not Sunspear, is an impressive castle. One befitting a family that has ruled the North for millennia. That said, for all the North¡¯s wondrous beauty, it¡¯s sadly lacking in delights such as blood oranges.¡± That set off another round of laughter in the room, one louder than before, and from the corner of my eye, I saw Oberyn smirk. ¡°Understandable.¡± Doran¡¯s smile had grown before he replied. ¡°Though I am curious to hear your thoughts on the ship you returned from Braavos upon?¡± I frowned. That was an odd shift of topic, and it took me a moment to compose my thoughts. ¡°It¡¯s an impressive ship, my prince. Different from any I¡¯ve seen in Westeros. Smaller than most, but with a speed and manoeuvrability that few outside a swan ship could hope to match.¡± Movement in the corner of my eye meant I saw Asha Greyjoy, a few years older and looking uncomfortable in a dress, shuffle closer. Which, when you considered where she came from, made sense. Doran¡¯s smile shifted, taking on a look of him knowing something I didn¡¯t. ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it. Has a name been chosen for the registry?¡± My brow creased. ¡°My prince?¡± Being asked about its name was an odd question. Unless¡­ ¡°It appears my brother has chosen to not inform you of the ship¡¯s owner.¡± Just before Doran spoke, my head whipped around to look at my stepfather. His face looked like the proverbial cat who¡¯d caught the canary. He shrugged and took a few steps forward to stand beside me. ¡°I felt it would be worth more if the reveal came from you, dear brother. This was, after all, your decision.¡± Doran laughed at that, though he cut it off as it slowly turned into a cough. While gout hadn¡¯t yet limited his ability to walk, it appeared it had grown worse in the years I¡¯d been gone. If I ever figured out how to use magic for healing ¨C which, oddly, wasn''t even showing up as a locked branch of magic ¨C then learning how to heal Doran¡¯s sickness would be a high priority. ¡°Cregan Sand, step forward.¡± Doran''s voice boomed through the great Hall with me authority than I had ever witnessed from him personally and I instinctively found myself moving to the centre of the room ¡°Two years hence, while travelling with my daughter, goodsister and nieces, you were attacked by Ironborn raiders,¡± a murmur of anger began to swell in the room and I wondered how Asha was feeling about that, ¡°but through an act of unparalleled bravery, you didn¡¯t just survive, but saved my, our, family.¡± Doran stood, though it took him longer than it would for most. ¡°For that action, no amount of gold can convey just how grateful I, House Martell and all of Dorne are for what you did. Yet, to not reward you, even if it feels insufficient, would insult the deeds of the Bloody Wolf.¡± Well, it seemed that the moniker had reached Dorne. And probably spawned dozens of variant stories. ¡°For this day forth, for all of Dorne, Westeros and the known world to hear, I Doran Nymeros Martell, Prince of Dorne, grant you the deed to the ship you travelled from Braavos. Upkeep and docking fees will be handled by House Martell while you are in Dorne, though once you are of age any journey you take outside the principality shall be on your head.¡± A round of applause broke out around the room. Some of it was likely only done to keep up appearances as this was a ruling by Prince Doran, but a lot of it, and the accompanying shouts of congratulations, sounded genuine. As the clapping died down, Doran sunk back into his seat, a look of relief coming over him. ¡°As such, I think it would be advisable to consider a name suitable for your new vessel.¡± ¡°Ah-uh-, Yes, my prince.¡± I barely managed to get the reply out and then bowed deeply as my mind processed what¡¯d just happened. As good-natured laughter echoed around the hall, an arm came around my shoulder and I allowed Oberyn to guide me to my mother and extended family. It would be years until I¡¯d be allowed to sail the vessel as captain, never mind outside of Dorne, but now I had a way to travel where I wanted in Westeros and into Essos and beyond. That, and the possibility that it might allow me to meet Dany when she took Slaver''s Bay, meant I¡¯d have to develop a new set of plans. ¡°I hope you can forgive an old man for trying to find some enjoyment in the rewards of others.¡± I barely processed Oberyn¡¯s words, my mind being on the options that having a ship opened up for me. ¡°However, I felt it wiser to wait until we¡¯d returned so our family could enjoy seeing your moment of glory in court.¡± He leaned closer and lowered his voice as he continued. ¡°And mayhaps this might help to ease your mother¡¯s concerns about your new pet.¡± I nodded at that as there was some truth in the matter. Still, that was a minor thing for now as I had to focus on my family¡¯s happy reactions at my being rewarded. Yet underneath, I could see none were happy about being reminded of that night in the Sunset Sea. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I moved slowly, being as careful as I could as I crept up on my target. The bird I was watching and hoping to catch continued to peck happily at the seed I¡¯d placed on the tiles. Yes, laying a trap didn¡¯t quite fit with Syrio¡¯s instructions but if he expected me to somehow catch a bird from a tree, he either had insanely high expectations or had given me a task that was nigh-on impossible to complete. I paused mid-step as the bird¡¯s head popped up. The blue feathered skull jerked around as if trying to make sure I wasn¡¯t a threat. I stayed perfectly still until it dropped its head back to the seeds. Relieved, I lowered the foot that¡¯d been caught in mid-air to the ground, making sure to step quietly. To further help with that, I¡¯d removed my sandals. The tiles were hot, but not unbearable. Three more times the bird stopped and popped its head up, and three more times I managed to stay still enough to not disturb it and watch it fly away. Now, after nearly ten minutes, I was almost within arm¡¯s reach. That didn¡¯t mean I¡¯d be able to catch it ¨C a fact proven by the previous nine birds that had escaped my grasp when I¡¯d been this close ¨C but at least now I had a chance. My hand moved out slowly, covering barely twenty centimetres in a minute. The bird paused, though it didn¡¯t lift its head, and my arm stopped. As the bird lifted its head and looked around, I felt the muscles in my arm start to strain. The bird¡¯s head tilted as it stared at my fingers as if confused as to what they were. My arm started to hurt as the bird continued to gawk at my fingers. I almost flinched as it suddenly hopped toward them. I¡¯d rather it didn¡¯t try and peck them, but if it kept coming closer, it¡¯d give me a better chance to grab the little shit. Another hop and now it was less than a hand¡¯s-length from me. Another took it close enough that if I flicked my fingers, I¡¯d likely hit its beak. I almost ha¡­ ¡°What you doing?¡± As the bird¡¯s wings flapped I snatched at it desperately, not wanting to lose it. My fingertips brushed against the wings of the bird, but before I could close my hand, I saw it flutter upward past my skull. ¡°Gods dammit!¡± I spat out then sighed. Turning I saw Elia Sand, one of Oberyn¡¯s younger bastard daughters, watching me, a confused look on her face. ¡°Elia,¡± I sighed and took a breath. While she¡¯d ruined this attempt, she didn¡¯t know any better and was only five. Then again, I suspect her older sisters would¡¯ve interrupted me as well, though they¡¯d make fun of me for what I¡¯d been doing. ¡°What you doing, brother?¡± ¡°It¡¯s ¡®what are you doing¡¯, Elia,¡± I began as I stood up fully, dwarfing my young stepsister. ¡°And I was trying to catch the bird.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because Master Syrio tasked me with doing that.¡± ¡°But why?¡± I looked skyward and rolled my eyes. Elia was curious, though not as book curious as Sarella. However, she loved asking why when she was told anything. For now, it was just a generally amusing trait, but if she was still doing it in five years, I¡¯d likely be at wit¡¯s end about how to handle her. ¡°He said it was part of my training in Water Dancing.¡± ¡°Why?¡± I pulled my hand down my face. Perhaps I was underestimating the girl, as the smile she gave me hinted she knew how annoying she was being. But Gods was it hard to stay angry at a little girl. ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know. Why don¡¯t you go ask him?¡± ¡°Hmm, okay.¡± With that, she turned and skipped away. My eyes followed her, and I saw Nymeria and Tyene enjoying the shade of a covered walkway. Elia was heading toward them, and as the pair smiled at me, I felt the urge to bend them over my knee for this. I pushed that aside, though as I moved over to the bag of seeds to replace what the last bird had eaten, I promised that I¡¯d find a way to repay them for this. Perhaps swapping their soap with those used for horses would work? Or adding something to their drinks at a future meal? ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°Well, you¡¯ve got us all here, what do you want to say?¡± Nymeria asked as she, Tyene and Sarella sat around a table in my quarters. ¡°Going to confess your undying love for all of us?¡± I rolled my eyes at my elder stepsister. ¡°Maybe in your dreams.¡± I looked around the room, giving it one last look over to ensure it was just us four before returning my attention to the table. Or more specifically, the small candle that was burning in the middle of it. I reached out my hand and focused on the flame, finding the gentle pull of my magic as it touched the fire. Then, as I twisted my fingers the flame rose higher, pulling away from the candle and condensing into a small ball. ¡°Gods,¡± Tyene muttered as I made the ball float over the table, and all three gasped as, shifting my fingers around, the ball changed. In its place, a small dragon of fire appeared. After flapping its wings, it suddenly soared toward Nymeria. ¡°Ah!¡± Nymeria all but screamed as she pushed herself back, almost toppling over as she unbalanced her chair. The other two laughed at her ordeal, and that grew louder as the flame dragon tilted its head and looked at Nymeria. ¡°Not fucking funny!¡± ¡°Yes, it was,¡± Sarella countered, earning a glare from her sister even as my smile grew. I twirled my fingers and the flame dragon turned. With flaps of its wings it didn¡¯t need, it flew toward the youngest present sand snake, though, unlike her sister, Sarella didn¡¯t jerk back in shock. Instead, she leaned closer, examining the creature I¡¯d created with the fire. ¡°It looks so alive.¡± As her focus turned to me, Nymeria got over her shock and joined her sisters in leaning closer. ¡°How can you do this?¡± ¡°Time, effort, and a steady supply of candles which I¡¯m sure my mother wonders about.¡± That earned an enlarged smile and a nod from the girl, and as her focus turned back to the flame dragon, my mind turned to my mother. While I¡¯d considered revealing this to her and Oberyn, in the end, I¡¯d decided not to. Not because I didn¡¯t trust them, but simply so they had plausible deniability should the worst happen and someone with strong anti-magic convictions ¨C the most obvious being the Septons and Septas in Sunspear ¨C learnt of my abilities. Hells, even revealing this to my stepsisters before Arianne returned felt like a risk, but since I¡¯d shown Arianne that she might be able to use water magic, I felt it only fair I do so with the others. I was drawn from my thoughts by the quiet mutterings of Tyene. It took me a moment to realise she was offering prayers to the Seven, which made me frown. ¡°Tyene?¡± She stopped her mutterings and looked up at me, and for the first time, I saw fear in her eyes. it wasn¡¯t strong, but it was there. ¡°Are you ok with this?¡± I didn¡¯t need to indicate the flame dragon for her to know what I was meaning. Tyene looked at her sisters and then at the dragon slowly. ¡°Yes, I think. I mean, we¡¯d all suspected that you¡¯d done something with the candle from what Arianne had told us, but¡­ I, I don¡¯t know.¡± I dispelled the dragon, earning me a whine from Nymeria and pulled my seat closer to Tyene. She didn¡¯t back away as I approached, which I took as a good sign. ¡°I know you place faith in the Seven, and in their scriptures, magic is seen as consorting with demons, but remember when those scriptures would¡¯ve been written. The Andals came to Westeros, found it full of First Men worshipping heart trees, and possibly had seen or heard the Children of the Forest had shattered the Arm of Dorne; or at least believed they did it. Given all that, it¡¯s not a surprise they¡¯d consider magic evil.¡± I reached down and took her hands into mine, ignoring how mine were already larger. ¡°Am I evil?¡± It took her a moment before she shook her head, though I did smile at her doing that. ¡°And when I used magic to save Arianne and then moved to help you and Nymeria, was I evil?¡± The shake came faster this time, and her eyes came up to meet mine. ¡°No. Those¡­ men that attacked, were followers of a dark and twisted god. You saved us, like the warrior reborn.¡± Tyene spoke with a conviction that¡¯d been missing a few moments ago. ¡°Or the First Hero.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say I was on their level,¡± she smiled sweetly, ¡°but can you see? Magic, like any skill or ability, isn''t evil. It¡¯s how, when, and why it¡¯s used that defines if something, or someone, is evil. Not the ability itself.¡± ¡°I, I guess.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Nymeria cut in, drawing our attention from each other, ¡°enough of this religious bullshit. Do you have something else to tell us, or can we go? I¡¯m meant to meet Asha and head into the Shadow City.¡± I chuckled at the image of those two shopping, even if I made sure to stay away from any curiosity about what they might be shopping for and opened my mouth to respond. ¡°He wishes to teach us magic.¡± That came from Sarella, and while the heads of her sisters snapped to her, I tilted mine. That earned me a shrug. ¡°Confirming what we suspected about you having magic while needing privacy, wouldn¡¯t need the level of it you¡¯ve ensured for today.¡± I nodded. ¡°Aye, that¡¯s true.¡± Before we¡¯d begun, I¡¯d made sure the corridor outside was empty, that there was no one below the balcony and that the servant¡¯s doors and access tunnels ¨C which I¡¯d found inside the first moon back in Sunspear thanks to Kaa ¨C were deserted. ¡°Wait, you think we can use magic?¡± Any desire to leave had left Nymeria as she leaned forward on the table, making the loose gown she wore drop down enough that when I turned her way, I was given an eyeful. ¡°Our father is Oberyn Nymeros Martell, direct descendent of your namesake, sister. If we can use any magic, it would be that of the Rhoynar.¡± Sarella deadpanned so brilliantly that I was surprised she didn¡¯t roll her eyes. ¡°Aye, which is why I tried to help Arianne unlock her magic while in Braavos. Though she¡¯d not succeeded by the time I left.¡± I added on quickly as all three looked at me. ¡°Hmm. In that case, how do we begin?¡± Nymeria asked. I frowned at her sudden shift, which drew a laugh from her. ¡°What? There¡¯s no way I¡¯m letting her learn magic and not me.¡± I shook my head and chuckled at her reasoning. With all three now watching me intently, though I did still have doubts about Tyene, I leaned back in my chair, planning to explain the thinking I¡¯d shared with Arianne. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ My tongue flicked out of my mouth, tasting the air. When combined with the new source of heat entering my area, I knew food was nearby. My bond-brother had given me another meal. I sensed it scurrying away, trying to hide, to escape. Yet, within my hunting grounds, nothing ever escaped. Since the first warm food had been dropped in this area, I had been the master of it. I slithered forward, moving cautiously to one of my higher resting places. From here I could see almost everywhere on my hunting grounds. Some places hid the heat of a meal, but even then, I could taste their scent, their fear as they cowered and hid from me. That scent of fear, of helplessness, was delicious and made the meal even more satisfying. I moved along the branches, making sure to avoid the leaves. As much as I wanted to draw out the hunt, to bask in the prey¡¯s terror, I hated having them run to a new hiding spot once I¡¯d begun my hunt. The prey went silent, then shot off, leaving its spot in the very corner of the hunting area for a new place of false hope. Angered that I¡¯d made a mistake, I went still. The only movement was my tongue as it flicked out, tracking where the prey was heading. Oh Yes. That was even better. The spot it had chosen was one of my favourites to attack. I could move right above the prey, hidden by branches, then drop down on them before they knew what was happening. The anticipation was invigorating as I slid. I could almost taste ¡­ ¡°Cregan!¡± ¡­ I blinked hard as someone shook my shoulder. It took my mind a few seconds to realise that I was no longer in Kaa¡¯s mind as he hunted. After regaining a sense of where I was, I turned to see it was Tyene who was shaking me. Her face held some concern mixed with confusion. ¡°Damnit, Ty!¡± I growled out, which made her jerk her hand back as if it was on fire. I sighed and shook my head. ¡°Sorry.¡± Tyene blinked as if clearing her thoughts. Her eyes drifted from me to Kaa ¨C yes, I¡¯d named him after the snake in the Jungle Book simply because it was the first and only snake name that came to mind ¨C in his large cage that he couldn¡¯t escape from, which was a concern my mother had held about me keeping a venomous snake in my room. ¡°Wh-what were you doing?¡± She sounded as if she was curious about the truth but likely didn¡¯t want to hear it. As I looked at the cage, I saw Kaa had reached the mouse. I¡¯d dropped in it just before skinchanging into his mind as I wanted to see how he hunted. Yet, due to Tyene¡¯s interruption, I¡¯d now have to wait at least four more days before trying again as that was, according to Oberyn, how often Kaa needed to feed to avoid him over- or under-eating. With my chance to feel his mind as he pounced, which he did right then and there, I shifted my attention to Tyene. Since I¡¯d come back to Sunspear she¡¯d spent at least an hour each day speaking with me about the Old Gods. I couldn¡¯t answer most of her questions, but I enjoyed talking with her and, I hoped, helped her change her beliefs. Yes, she still went to the Sept to pray, but I¡¯d seen her doing the same thing in the Godswood of Sunspear at the base of an old oak that served as the heart-tree. While Tyene was the most uncomfortable about learning magic, she¡¯d still sought me out for help with unlocking her abilities like Nymeria and Sarella. I¡¯d seen Oberyn give me smirks and glances every time one of his daughters had dragged me away, but even if he felt something was going on, the exacts were, as far as I knew, hidden from him. ¡°Skinchanging.¡± Tyene pulled but slightly and blinked rapidly, but I took it as a sign of her evolving stance on magic that she didn¡¯t gasp or call me a demon worshipper. Still, it was clear that a decade-plus of the Seven¡¯s teachings were still running strong within her. ¡°S-sorry. I-I, I just wasn¡¯t expecting you to say that.¡± Her eyes drifted back to Kaa, who was watching the mouse move around erratically. That meant he¡¯d delivered the kill and was now just waiting/enjoying watching his prey die. ¡°H-how does it work?¡± I shrugged as the mouse moved one final time before keeling over. ¡°When I¡¯m in his mind, his senses, his thoughts ¨C such as they are ¨C are mine. I think, feel, and move as a snake.¡± I shook my head as I tried to collect my thoughts on the matter. ¡°It¡¯s, well, strange doesn¡¯t do it justice, but it might be the best word I can think of. And interesting. At least in how he sees the world.¡± Ty leaned closer as I spoke, her attention on Kaa as he dislocated his jaw to begin swallowing the mouse whole. ¡°Their world, or at least Kaa¡¯s, is mainly blues and greens. And I¡¯m not just saying that as his cage has a large bush in it. I¡¯ve looked through his eyes at the decor of my room, and it all looks green or blue. Plus, they track by heat and smell the air with their tongue.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ different.¡± I laughed softly at her words. ¡°Aye, that¡¯s one way to put it. Plus, it takes time to get comfortable sharing his mind.¡± Kaa closed his mouth with the mouse now bulging out from inside him. ¡°I was planning to be there when he ate that mouse, but then someone pulled me out.¡± I smiled and patted her hand to make it clear I wasn¡¯t angry, even if I was. Her cheeks reddened at my action, but I didn¡¯t comment on that. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°It''s fine. So why are you here?¡± Tyene¡¯s demeanour shifted. Her eyes widened and she glanced at the door. ¡°Oh! Right! Maester Caleotte was looking for you. Something about having found a book that might help with what you were looking into.¡± There was clear curiosity in her voice, which was understandable. While what I¡¯d had Caleotte look up for me wasn¡¯t a secret, the reason for it was. ¡°Ah.¡± I stood, though not before checking I¡¯d locked the small cage door to ensure Kaa couldn¡¯t wander while I was out. I didn¡¯t offer Tyene any further information on what Caleotte had found. Since she¡¯d pulled me out of Kaa¡¯s mind at a bad time, I felt I could pay her back a little here by keeping her in the dark. As for Caleotte, hopefully, the book he was claiming to find held records about family lineages. It wasn¡¯t the same book Ned had read while Hand of the King, as that ponderous tome wasn¡¯t kept in Sunspear, but Caleotte felt he¡¯d have something else that could be used. If the fact Baratheon children were generally dark of hair and blue of eyes, then I could bring the point up with Doran and Oberyn. They might hide it, but I knew both were still working on removing Robert from the throne. After all, there was still no other more logical reason why Arianne had been sent to Braavos than to meet her future husband, Viserys Targaryen. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ The following year, a few moons after my tenth nameday, I, along with my family, were waiting on the docks of Sunspear. A small fleet of twenty ships ¨C composed mainly of the same ships that had come back from Braavos with Oberyn and me ¨C were dotted around the entrance to the docks. However, everyone¡¯s attention was on the lead ship. It was a large galley, measuring around two hundred feet long and had a crew of, going by the oars, of around two hundred. Scorpions dotted the deck and small trebuchets were mounted at each end. Her sails flapped proudly in the breeze coloured the Martell orange and on its main sail, the Martell sigil simmered like liquid bronze. A short while later the Martell flagship had docked, been secured and the ramp lowered. Down that ramp walked Oberyn, though my attention, on that of most people on the docks, was on the person he was accompanying. It¡¯d been just over a year since I¡¯d last seen Arianne, but she¡¯d grown even more stunning in the time apart. At ten and six, she was a woman grown, though that growth hadn¡¯t come in the way of new height. She looked to be only around the five- and half-foot mark. No, the growth had come in other, more feminine ways. Her clothing wasn¡¯t ideal for Dornish weather, but it did little to hide the outward growth her body had encountered over the last year. Nor the sheer joy she conveyed as she stepped down onto the docks. Nor did it, much to my embarrassment, help the fact I¡¯d just entered puberty. Because as she started walking toward us with my stepfather, I felt a certain part of me react and rise. Fucking bloody wonderful. As she and Oberyn walked toward us, I closed my eyes and took deep, slow breaths. There was no way I was going to meet Arianne for the first time in over a year with that sort of issue. The embarrassment it would cause, especially if she or anyone else spotted anything ¨C which, I¡¯ll admit was unlikely since I was still young ¨C was something I¡¯d never live down. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it ¡°Father.¡± Her greeting to Prince Doran forced me to open my eyes. I kept my focus on her face, her eyes, and my mind off the track it¡¯d just embarked upon. How she looked was immaterial when compared to maintaining my dignity and composure. ¡°Daughter.¡± Doran embraced his daughter. While his gout was slowly getting worse, it wasn¡¯t yet at the point he couldn¡¯t stand from his chair. Still, he had Aero around to help him move about if he was required to move greater distances. Such as coming down to the city docks. As the hug broke, Arianne¡¯s eyes shot to me, and her lips twitched. I ignored it, but a less-than-gentle elbow from Nymeria at my side meant she¡¯d seen the gesture as well. ¡°How was your time in Braavos?¡± Doran¡¯s question took Arianne¡¯s attention away from me. Thank the Gods. ¡°Enlightening.¡± Her eyes shot my way once more, though only for a moment this time. ¡°While I¡¯ve learnt much from you father, seeing how another ruler conducts themselves was a learning experience. As was understanding how the reins of power are transferred when a ruler is replaced.¡± Hmm, so that meant the former Sealord was no longer in power. That might cost Dorne some of their support in Braavos, but since the last of the fleet ¨C now totalling around sixty ships, though about half doubled as merchant''s vessels ¨C had arrived, it shouldn¡¯t be too big an issue. ¡°One day, long from now I hope, when I have to assume the throne of Dorne, that will serve me well.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯ve learnt from your time away, and I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find a way to apply those lessons long before I pass on.¡± Doran¡¯s words would, to many, have sounded a little strange and Arianne¡¯s brow knotted, showing her confusion. However, when looked at through the lens of why I felt he¡¯d sent Arianne to Braavos, they made a lot more sense. Doran didn¡¯t say anything to his daughter before turning to Oberyn. ¡°Brother.¡± Oberyn strode toward his brother even as Arianne stepped back, her confusion at her father¡¯s words still evident on her face. The split-second glare she sent her father had me worried that Doran¡¯s words had caused a rift between them, and I wondered if I should talk with her. I wasn¡¯t keen on revealing my theory to her, mainly as there was no proof, so I¡¯d have to find another way to, if not neuter, then refocus her distaste with her father¡¯s words. As I considered how to talk with Arianne about this, at least without being too direct, I ignored a lot of what was going on around me. With Emotionless Recall I¡¯d be able to review things later to see if I missed anything else important, though that was unlikely. Before long I felt people around me start to move and came out of my thoughts. The whole party was turning, meaning we¡¯d be heading back to the Tower of the Sun and my stepsisters had all moved, going over to speak with Arianne. My mother was walking beside Oberyn with only Ellaria missing as she was with her latest daughter, Loreza, back in the palace. Before turning I saw Arianne¡¯s face fall as Tyene spoke with her. Possibly that was from the learning that her mother, Lady Mellario, had left Sunspear. From what I¡¯d learnt after Arianne was sent to Braavos, then Quentyn to Yronwood, Doran¡¯s wife had boarded a ship and left the city. All that had happened before I¡¯d returned. Quentyn had been sent to Yronwood to squire for the current lord. Plus, it was a way to retie the houses after Oberyn killed the former lord during a duel over a paramour. That was where Oberyn earned his title of The Red Viper, the fact that they couldn''t prove poison was irrelevant. While having Lady Mellario gone was going to be hard on Arianne, on a personal level, I was glad Quentyn was gone. We¡¯d never gotten along, and with him gone, the noble and common boys who fostered in Sunspear and the Water Gardens had started being more accepting of me. Some more quickly than others. Though that did prove which were looser with their loyalty and friendship than others. A gentle nudge as I started to walk with the procession caused me to stumble. As I regained my balance, I glared up at Nymeria, making sure to keep my focus on her face. ¡°It seems our cousin is very happy to see you.¡± The smirk on her face turned into a smile. ¡°Makes one wonder what exactly you and she got up to in Braavos.¡± Annoyed at her implication, and at the nudge, I considered responding, only to close my mouth, shake my head and then just walk off. It wouldn''t take long for her to learn the truth about what Arianne and I had done in Braavos. And while that wouldn''t stop her teasing, it would close the circle I''d created regarding my magic. At least so long as Arianne didn''t spill the beans to her father before I could speak with her. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ Later that day, after a large feast held in honour of her return, I was dragged down the corridors of the Tower of the Sun by Arianne. Several guards and household staff saw us, but beyond a few smirks and amused glances, none said anything as she led me into the private Martell quarters of the tower. Even if I was still too young to do anything, rumours would fly around the palace about her dragging me here during the hour of the bat. I just knew it. When we reached one particular door, the guard outside simply opened the door for us, and then once I¡¯d been dragged inside, shut it firmly. The room was large, decorated with paintings, and fine statues that looked centuries old, and had three doors leading to other areas. Arianne dragged me through one of those doors, and then before I could process where I was, she pushed me onto her bed. The incredibly soft sheets ¨C likely being made of some of the finest silk in Dorne ¨C carried her scent even after her being gone for two years. As I tried to drag myself to a seated position and protest about her bringing me here ¨C mainly for how it would look to others ¨C I heard and then saw her moving a jug onto a table near the bed. However, what had my mind focusing instantly was the way that, with just a simple-looking gesture, two balls of water rose from within the jug. Each was around the size of my palm and, as she brought her other hand, they began to fly between her palms. Almost as if she was juggling them and both were moving faster than any water ball I¡¯d managed to create. Though to be fair, most of my attention since getting back to Sunspear had been on Skinchanging and Fire Magic. ¡°Someone¡¯s been practising,¡± I commented with a smile, which only fuelled the smile on her face. And the look of someone high on drugs. Or in this case, magic. She giggled and thrust her arms toward me. Before I could react, the two balls smashed into me, soaking my face, hair, and the front of my tunic. ¡°How mature,¡± I muttered as I flicked a wet bang of hair off my eye. Arianne giggled again as she moved closer. ¡°You did that to me. It was only fair I pay you back for it. With interest.¡± I laughed at that, and at the way she was bouncing with each step she took. Knowing this now explained why during the feast she¡¯d looked uncomfortable and always been fidgeting. She¡¯d been waiting to show me what she learnt. ¡°So, you unlocked your magic?¡± Arianne¡¯s head bounced so fast as she nodded that I worried she¡¯d hurt herself. Then, instead of replying verbally, she rushed toward me. I barely had time to move my arms away from my body before I was sent crashing back into the bed and she slammed into me. Her hair fell around my head, forcing me to look into her eyes. they danced with delirious joy, and I could smell the wine on her breath. A Dornish red from the Red Mountains if I had to guess. Her warm, intoxicated breath tickled my nose as her face shone with the light of a thousand suns. Knowing how precarious this position was, and how much I didn¡¯t want to react ¨C at least not until I was older and was sure this wasn¡¯t just her excitement talking ¨C I kept my hands to the side. Even placing them on her sides to get her to move could, if I wasn¡¯t careful, result in the wrong message being sent and me spending a week to two in the cells. ¡°Yo-you¡¯re, uh, welcome.¡± My words came out weakly, barely above a whisper. I didn¡¯t want to make any false moves. Nor have my body react as she lay upon me. Her smile somehow grew, splitting her face in two and making her ecstatic state seem almost maniacal. She leaned forward, and my hands moved. I couldn¡¯t let her kiss me. Not because I didn¡¯t want to, but because I was too young to truly enjoy where it would lead. And because of our relative stations. Yeah, that was the main reason. Before my hands could move much beyond touching the edges of her thin, silk dress, her head moved, and her lips touched my forehead. Of course, by doing that it meant another part of her body rubbed against my chest and my eyes drifted downward, only to widen in shock. Due to how loose her dress was with her position, it had caught against my tunic, leaving me with an unobstructed view of her chest. ¡°Um, ah, you¡¯re, uh.¡± The words fell from my mouth without any order. Her brow rose in confusion, and I tilted my head as best I could and gestured down with my eyes. Her eyes followed mine, though instead of any shock or embarrassment, her lips twitched, and she kept smiling at me. And I had the sudden urge to go for a very long, very cold shower. After seeming to enjoy my discomfort with her state of undress, she pushed herself up off the bed. As she fixed her clothing, I pushed myself to my elbows and kept my eyes on anything but her. At the same time, I silently prayed to the Gods that no one knocked on her door. Even with the plans her father and mine had for her future, I doubted I¡¯d escape with anything less than a month-long stay in the palace¡¯s cells. ¡°I see someone enjoyed the view.¡± My eyes snapped back to her as she spoke, confusion clear for her to see on my face. She laughed once then glanced down at my body with her eyes. Fear came over me, and as I followed her gaze, that fear came true as I saw a small, but prominent tenting in my breeches. ¡°I, uh, that is, ah, you see.¡± She laughed hard and stumbled back to the table as I rambled out an attempted apology. ¡°Cregan, there is nothing to be sorry for.¡± She cut me off before letting her hands slide down her body, letting them pull her dress tight against her chest and stomach. ¡°When we were younger, others were close to me because of who I am, and will be, but not you. You never cared about how I looked, only caring about me. Now that I¡¯ve grown,¡± at that, her hands slid under her breasts and my eyes followed their movements in a trance, ¡°why would I dislike that you now enjoy the changes in me as much as I do?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ just¡­¡± I sighed as any response I tried to come up with died on my lips. Arianne was, simply put, gorgeous. ¡°Yeah, ok.¡± Her hands slid from her dress as I conceded I was enjoying the view even as I pushed myself to a fully seated position. ¡°Just, can you, you know, never mention this to anyone? Like ever.¡± I added as I stood, regaining the high ground as I¡¯d passed her in height over the last year. She laughed hard and stepped toward me, shaking her head. ¡°Sorry my bloody wolf, but there¡¯s no way I¡¯m not telling Ty and Nym about this.¡± I jumped as her hands drifted over my groin. After laughing once more, she lifted her hands to my cheeks and stroked them gently. "Cregan, I owe you¡­ so, so much. You saved me from¡­ then last year opened my mind to something so wonderful, so amazing that I can¡¯t even explain it to others.¡± She leaned closer and, standing on her tiptoes, kissed the tip of my nose. ¡°For either, I doubt I could ever repay you, no matter what I offered you.¡± The look in her eyes sent shivers throughout my body. ¡°For doing both¡­ All I can say is thank you, my bloody wolf.¡± As she pulled back, I felt the heat in my cheeks reach an uncomfortable level. I really, really needed that cold shower. ¡°Now, I think it is time we return to the main hall. While our absence won¡¯t be questioned too much, if we delay too long then rumours will start. Ones I don¡¯t think you are ready to handle just yet. To say nothing of my father.¡± I nodded even as I gulped. Yeah, Doran¡¯s reaction to this¡­ meeting wouldn¡¯t be great if people got the wrong impression. Hells, even the rumours might be bad enough that he¡¯d find a way to send me away from Sunspear, no matter how energetically my mother or Arianne protested. Then there was the thought I held that Doran had betrothed Arianne to Viserys. While he¡¯d not lived long enough in the book or show for that to be an issue, I couldn¡¯t assume that would be the case here. Even minor changes here, like Aliandra¡¯s existence, so completely changed things that I could no longer assume things would follow canon. With that thought amongst others dominating my mind, I followed my princess from her room. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°Cregan, come here!¡± I opened my eyes, a little annoyed at having my concentration broken while focusing on Wind Magic and turned to see where Tyene was. It took a second to see her, but I soon located her kneeling near a boulder not far from me. Beside her was Jelissa Fowler since, at the request of Lord Franklyn Fowler, Oberyn, me, and members of our family had travelled to Skyreach. I¡¯d been a little surprised that he¡¯d asked for me by name. Yet, upon arriving with my family ¨C which included my mother and Aliandra as we planned to stop by in Starfall before returning to Sunspear ¨C I¡¯d discovered why the Old Hawk wanted me specifically to come. While I hadn¡¯t been able to save Jennelyn Fowler, his second child, from being taken by the Ironborn, by making it to shore with Princess Arianne, I¡¯d given him a chance to save her. A chance he¡¯d taken with gusto and while Jennelyn was far from healed ¨C she was nervous around every male, including her younger brother and father ¨C the Old Hawk was simply glad to have her back. As was her twin sister, and the heir to Skyreach, Jeyne Fowler. I didn¡¯t feel as if he owed me anything as if not for my existence, then the Dornish fleet wouldn¡¯t have been in the position to be attacked by the Ironborn. However, I couldn¡¯t say that to him, so I was forced to simply underplay my actions. Or at least try to. That hadn¡¯t worked as Lord Franklyn had arranged a gift for me. A castle-forged steel buckler that was engraved with a wolf''s head under a falling star. It was the first time I¡¯d gotten anything with what could be called a personal sigil upon it, and I liked the blending of my birth parent¡¯s houses in the engraving. While I doubted I''d ever use it in battle, it was simply too much of a risk to lose it when it was such a personal gift by a Lord, I was grateful for it. All that had happened four days ago when we¡¯d arrived in Skyreach, and we¡¯d depart in a few days hence. Coming with us would be Lord Frankyns¡¯ two younger children, Barrian and Jelissa. Barrian, who was about half a year younger than me, would foster in Sunspear to improve relationships between the Fowlers and Martells, while Jelissa, who was Tyene¡¯s age, and would serve as one of Arianne¡¯s handmaidens to make up for the fact Jeyne and Jennelyn had left her side. As such, the pair had been spending time saying goodbye to their families and getting to know us. Which was why Jelissa was out in the hills near Skyreach with Tyene and me. ¡°What is it?¡± I asked as I moved toward them. As I came closer Jelissa shuffled to the side, letting me see that on the ground, with a broken wing, was a small bird. From the markings, it looked like a Sunfyre Eagle. The breed was semi-common in the Red Mountains and while not the biggest bird of prey in Westeros, it was a well-regarded one for its plumage. Or at least the adult bird was. Whereas an adult had black plumage over its body along with bright orange or red streaks down its back and body ¨C from where the breed got its name ¨C with dirty grey upper feathers on the wings, the chicks had none of the black feathers. Since this bird had a mixture of black and dirty-grey feathers on its body, I¡¯d say it was maturing from a chick into an adult, though that was the best guess I could offer about its age. What was easy to tell was why it was on the ground, as one wing was bent back in such an odd way that it had to be broken. The bird was clearly in pain as it squawked at Tyene and Jelissa. Yet, as I moved closer, its squawking died down as its eyes saw me. I slipped past Jelissa and knelt near Tyene, my eyes watching the bird as it watched me. For a moment I felt a pressure on my mind, and then the world became clearer even as it shifted. ¡­ I was looking up at Tyene, every slight imperfection in her face clear as day. The slightly darker colouring of one cheek over the other, the scattering of sapphire in her azure eyes, the way the muscles in her lips twitched as she looked down upon me. The beginnings of a dimple under her right eye, the way her hair parted to show the white of the skin underneath. All of it was crystal clear to me. I also saw marks on my face I¡¯d only ever seen when I¡¯d all but kissed a mirror. The faint ripples of my scar where the various layers of tissue were severed by the blade. The way the grey in my eyes melted into the vibrant purple. A screech from high above broke my focus and my mind knew who was calling. Mother. Looking up, I saw her high above us, her beautiful plumage shining in the sun. Her screech wailed through me, and I tried to call back, but my song was weak. Like my body, it was off, and she couldn¡¯t hear me. I watched in terror as she angled away, giving up on me. Leaving me with the dirt-walkers. The tallest dirt-walker, the one with strange crests as dark as my feathers, leaned ever closer as one of the sun-kissed dirt-walkers, the one closest, place a strange, featherless wing on the tall dirt-walker. Her eyes reminded me of my prey as they realised that I was diving toward them. For most, that look was the last I saw from them before I feasted on their flesh once back in the safety of the dwelling. A strange, mewing spilt from her flat beak, yet the tall dirt-walker ignored her. His eyes were locked on me as one of his featherless wings moved toward me. I cried at him, dared him to stay back. But the dirt-walker kept approaching. I tried to scramble away, only to caw out in pain as my broken wing sent tremors of pain through me. I snapped at the dirt-walker as his featherless wing approached, and then the tips spread apart. Yet without feathers, what point did they serve? Though the tips came closer still. On one wingtip, I saw two small marks. Something had sliced him before, but what, I couldn¡¯t say. The wingtips came ever closer. A strange sensation passed over me and I reacted. ¡­ ¡°Cregan!¡± I flinched at hearing my name, then did so again as the wounded bird pulled its beak back from my fingers. On the tip of one, a speck of blood leaked from a fresh cut. However, that was minor compared to the blinking blue dot in the corner of my vision. I had a good idea what that was about, but with Tyene pulling my hand into hers, and Jelissa floating around nearby, it would have to wait a while. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I just¡­ wanted to touch it.¡± That sounded weak as fuck, but I had to hope Tyene understood what I was implying. After she¡¯d gotten over her initial reluctance about it, we¡¯d spoken a lot about how skinchanging worked so I hoped she¡¯d get what I was suggesting. Sadly, given the glare she gave me, it seemed that in the moment, she hadn¡¯t. that was confirmed as she gave me a none-too-gentle slap on the shoulder. ¡°You stupid idiot! You could¡¯ve scared him!¡± as she stared at me in fury over that, I fought and failed to keep down a chuckle. That earned me another, harder slap on the arm. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± ¡°Ty,¡± I managed to get out as she kept slapping me because I wouldn¡¯t stop laughing, ¡°I felt something from him. Like with Kaa.¡± The last part was whispered and stopped Tyene mid-swing. She blinked a few times, and then looked between the young bird and me. ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡± She asked just as quietly as I¡¯d whispered. At least she understood that Jelissa didn¡¯t or couldn¡¯t know. Seeing this as a chance to confirm the notification, I looked away and stared up into the sky. Skinchanging Instinctual Bond Formed! Bonded animal: ??? [Sunfyre Eagle] Level 1 bond Bonds remaining: 0 ... Congratulations, you¡¯ve formed your second instinctual bond. ¡­ I¡¯d gotten the second regular bond slot when I¡¯d reached level twenty with Skinchanging and it changed to an instinctual bond at level twenty-five. I was at level twenty-seven now as levelling Skinchanging up was easier than even Fire Magic for some reason, though it was still behind Fire Magic, which was at level forty-seven. Still, even with the new bond slot, I hadn¡¯t expected to find another animal to instinctually bond with. And certainly not when we¡¯d left Sunspear for Skyreach. That said, an eagle, provided it could be nursed back to health, was an excellent choice. I could already see so many advantages of having a bird of prey as a bond animal; and not just for scouting an enemy force before a battle. Now certain of the bond, I returned my focus to Tyene and smiled. ¡°Yeah.¡± A large smile spread quickly across her face. ¡°Well, now we have to nurse him back to health.¡± Before I could say anything, like comment on how easily she believed me about my bond with the eagle, her hands moved to the hem of her dress. My eyes bulged as she ripped a long strip from it, exposing her leg to her upper thigh. My eyes travelled up the leg before I realised what I was doing, and I whipped my head away. A soft chuckle made it clear she¡¯d seen me though, meaning it would join the growing things for which she, Nym and Arianne could tease me about. Since that day in Arianne¡¯s quarters, the three of them ¨C along with a few friends ¨C had enjoyed tempting me with subtle ¨C or in Nym¡¯s case, less-than-subtle ¨C actions. Every time I reacted; they¡¯d use it as new teasing material. When I did turn back, she¡¯d knelt next to the young eagle and was very carefully using the strip of dress to wrap up the bird. Jelissa had joined her but was far more apprehensive about it. While they worked on that, I let my mind return to having another bonded animal. I mean, one day I hoped I¡¯d be able to bond with a direwolf or dragon, but that felt like a pipedream at best. At least until I met Dany and she, for some reason, trusted me enough to let me try and bond with one of her dragons. Or that when the Starks got their direwolf puppies there was an extra one. Though that would go to Beron now that I thought about it. Still, when combined with Kaa, an eagle was a very useful bonded animal to have. I was already training with Kaa to sneak around my room in Sunspear ¨C something I was doing even while in Skyreach as I could enter his mind with relative ease even from so far away, though it did take more effort than normal ¨C learning the best ways to move and hide as a snake. I¡¯d even let him once wander a few private corridors on Sunspear, with Tyene nearby in case a servant or guard came upon him. From that, I¡¯d found the entrances to three secret passageways and while I hadn¡¯t entered any of them, Tyene had confirmed that one of them led to the Martell quarters and near Prince Doran¡¯s solar. Arianne had shown it to her when they were young so Tyene and Nymeria could sneak into Arianne¡¯s quarters without dealing with most of the palace guards. There was also the likelihood that this eagle, like Kaa, would grow to a larger-than-normal size. Kaa was close to fully grown and both Oberyn and Maester Caleotte had commented on how he seemed to be about half as big again as his breed was known to be. Both were confused as to why this was, though Oberyn for one was fine with it. Kaa¡¯s larger size meant he produced more venom than a regular bloodflower viper, something he harvested at least once a week. Plus, there was the fact a Sunfyre eagle was a rare bird for a noble to keep. Most nobles had falcons, hawks and the like for prestige and hunting. Few that I knew of had an eagle; certainly not a Sunfyre eagle as they were notorious for being bad-tempered; something proven by the way the young one was snapping at Tyene and Jelissa as they tried to slide the cloth under its broken wing. Provided it recovered and had a similar growth spurt to Kaa, this bird was going to draw a ton of attention from other nobles. Still, as the bird squawked at the girls another time, I realised that first I¡¯d have to get the bird back to Skyreach. Thus, I knelt nearby and, using skinchanging, did my best to calm him while the girls secured my newest companion. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I woke one morning a few moons after my one and tenth nameday ¨C or eleventh if I didn¡¯t want to use the weird Westerosi way of tracking numbers in the teens ¨C and upon seeing the hoped-for blinking blue dot in my vision, let out a quiet, ¡°YES!! I¡¯d reached ten-thousand skill levels the day before, and when there hadn¡¯t been an instant message from the Interface regarding new trait options, I¡¯d been downtrodden. When I¡¯d gone to bed, I¡¯d hoped that it would appear this morning, which was confirmed as I opened the notice. Standard Trait Point Gained! Special Trait Point Gained! You have reached 10000 skill levels. This means you now have 1 StTP and 1 SpTP to spend. Good work! ¡­ Available Traits Current skill level total: 10001 This grants you 1 StandardTrait Point (StTP) and 1 Special Trait Point (SpTP). You have spent 1 StTP and 1 SpTP. StTPs are listed normally. SpTPs are underlined. ¡­ Traits available for purchase: Bestial Bonds Blood of the Dragon¡¯s Flames Boosted Book Learning Boosted Martial Learning Boosted Mana Boosted Stamina Earth Compatibility Greensight Gift of Tongues Hints of the Lost (Free Cities) Hints of the Lost (Planetos) Hints of the Lost (Westeros) Hints of the Lost (Valyria) Magical Sonar Necromancy Compatibility Over-boost Mana Over-boost Stamina Prophetic Dreams Shadow Compatibility Water Compatibility Wind Compatibility ... WARNING! Be aware that when selecting a trait, your body will go through some form of alteration on both a physical and mental level. Because of this, a time delay can be set for how long it takes for a change to initiate. For Standard Traits, this results in a loss of consciousness for a period ranging from three to ten hours. For Special Traits, this results in a loss of consciousness for hours to days, along with a varying but constant level of pain as your body undergoes some changes. NOTE: If two traits are chosen to activate at the same time, the timeframe for both is doubled and added together. If three traits are taken at the same time, then the timeframe is tripled and added together. ... Well, that was a lot to take in. Starting at the end, the fact I¡¯d lose consciousness for a time regardless of what traits were taken and would endure some pain for Special Traits was discomforting. At least I could time when this would happen so that I could, I hoped, pass it off as nothing more than taking a very long sleep, though if it took days for a special trait that could cause major problems. As for the traits themselves, the first thing that jumped out at me was that there were twenty-one in all. Seven Special and fourteen Standard. Which was an interesting choice since the Seven was, as far as I knew, the most anti-magic religion on Planetos. I then discovered that unlike with the initial trait choice, I could click on their names and learn something about them. Which was fucking wonderful as blind picking was not my idea of fun. The Standard Traits were aside from a few holdovers from when I¡¯d unlocked magic, and the other three elemental magic compatibilities, new. Yet all of them made sense. Shadow and Necromancy Compatibility were for two branches of magic I¡¯d discovered but not unlocked. Or at least two of the four as oddly, Internal and Blood Magic weren¡¯t listed. Which did make some sense. Fiddling with my body internally while I was still growing and lacked an excellent understanding of magic and biology made it feel like a risky proposition. As did using blood to manipulate things, to say nothing about how close that felt to me to be crossing a line I wasn¡¯t sure I wanted to cross. The Boosted traits were holdovers, bar the one for Magic, and from what I could tell, would improve things by between ten ¨C for skills ¨C and fifteen ¨C for Stamina and MP ¨C per cent. The Over-boosts were more extreme temporary versions of those traits, but with penalties to other facets. While potentially useful in battle, the fact both drained my health if ran for too long made them a dangerous proposition; at least until I gain control of my Wolfs-blood. Gift of Tongues was an interesting one. If my ability to speak a language was high enough, though it didn¡¯t indicate how high the relevant skill would need to be, then I could apply that skill when reading something written in that tongue. For the Common Tongue, that was useless, but the idea that I could read rare and obscure texts in High Valyrian, or possibly even the language of the First Men if I could learn to speak that, sounded very, very useful. Yet however useful any Standard Trait was, the Special Traits were something else entirely. Bestial Bonds would improve not only the depth of my connection to my instinctually bonded animals but the benefits that I¡¯d get from them. Since I¡¯d yet to see any benefit from my bond with Kaa, even though the bond was listed as a level 3 bond, that suggested I still had some way to go before that could apply. Still, this trait would give me more instinctual ease when bonding and skinchanging with an animal. Since I had two such bonds with Kaa and Rian, which is what I¡¯d named the eagle after Tyene and I had nursed him back to health, then that¡¯d be two big boosts to me. Eventually. Blood of the Dragon¡¯s Flames was, as the name implied, linked to dragons, though it also covered Fire and Blood Magic. In essence, this trait would lift my connection to those three abilities to that of a pure-born Valyrian from the Freehold. Perhaps not on the level of the highest of the forty dragon lord families, but certainly on par with the Targaryens. While I doubted that I¡¯d ever get the chance to bond with a dragon ¨C or at least the odds were small enough that I wasn¡¯t giving it much consideration ¨C and Blood Magic wasn¡¯t something I¡¯d unlocked, the boost to Fire Magic alone made this tempting. Fire Magic was my primary magic choice and would remain that even after the Others were dealt with (provided that happened) so having it improved felt like a logical choice. Plus, there was the fact that with this trait I¡¯d likely not die of a disease or infection that would otherwise kill me. Hints of the Lost would reveal on a mental map the location of lost, and likely magical, knowledge within the scope of the covered area. That, again, was highly tempting; to say nothing of the fact these traits should be the ones that caused the least amount of pain in choosing. The options for Essos and Planetos felt too widespread to be of much use for decades to come, but those for Westeros and the Freehold had great appeal, particularly the latter. The idea of discovering a lost cache of Valyrian magic, even if I didn¡¯t know about the threat posed by the Others ¨C or further afield ¨C wasn¡¯t something to ignore. Magical Sonar was an odd one. On one hand, being able to sense magic nearby sounded super useful. Yet the limit of being able to only use it, at most, three times a day and only over three miles removed a lot of its potential. I did hope to one day go to Valyria but compared to Hints of the Lost (Valyria) the trait felt lacking. Plus, as I thought about it, I wondered if I could replicate the ability, or something close to it, using Wind and Earth Magic. Still, since I had to wait until I was about to sleep to make a choice, there was no rush to pick new traits. Taking any before and sleeping through the day would do nothing but worry my family, which was something I¡¯d rather not do. Mainly as it could lead to questions I¡¯d rather avoid if possible. Plus, there was the fact that all magic on Planetos seemed to come with a price. For elemental magic, that price was determined by my mana, but for other magic, the price would be higher. And that was an ongoing issue I had to deal with. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I braced my body as the blade sailed toward me. I had my shield ready to deflect the strike and did so by rotating my wrist. That not only guided the attack away from me but left my opponent open to a counterstrike. I slid my back foot forward in a passing step and thrust, however, my opponent, being older and better trained, was ready. Using his size and strength advantages, he used his shield to first push my blade up, and then once it was removed as a threat, altered the angle of his shield. As the edge surged toward me, I was forced to step back and brace my shield in a desperate defence. I managed to knock his shield away, but by over-committing to the defence, I¡¯d twisted around enough that my shield side was exposed. ¡°That¡¯s three,¡± Daemon called with enjoyment a second after his training sword clanged against the armour on my shoulder. That had me growling in annoyance. I knew he was going to win, I¡¯d yet to even land a strike against him in the moons we¡¯d been sparing, but did he have to be so fucking proud about beating a twelve-year-old when he was a knight at nine and ten? I could feel my Wolfs-blood and Blood of the Dragon¡¯s Flames sparking to life as he stepped back, gave me a smile that I wanted to rip from his face and wipe my arse with, and then waved to those watching off to one side. On the other side of the gallery, I heard Oberyn chuckle, but I didn¡¯t glance his way. I knew he¡¯d have pointers for me once the spar was over ¨C he always had pointers ¨C but seeing him find amusement in my struggles wouldn¡¯t do anything for the growing fury I felt inside. These spars ¨C though I was beginning to think they were as much about controlling my anger as about learning how to fight ¨C had started a few days after my nameday and occurred almost every day. The only time they hadn¡¯t had been when Oberyn and Daemon had headed out for a half-moon to deal with bandits. That had been what earned Daemon his knighthood, a fact he kept throwing in my face ¨C and that of others ¨C whenever the chance presented itself. So far Daemon hadn¡¯t taken a squire of his own, but I knew there were options. Edric Dayne, who was currently serving as Doran¡¯s page, was one Daemon wanted to take, but I know that wouldn¡¯t happen. The heir to Starfall was too politically important to be allowed to squire with a bastard; even one as well regarded as a swordsman as Daemon. (Gods, did admitting that stick in my pride.) Barrian Fowler, who¡¯d over the last year become my closest friend ¨C or at least, closest non-female friend ¨C was another that might take the role. He was of age and needed to become someone¡¯s squire and as a third child, he wasn¡¯t due to inherit Skyreach, meaning there was less issue with him squiring for a bastard knight. Well, at least in Dorne. By the time I¡¯d returned to my starting position and reset my stance, Daemon was already moving. While he wasn¡¯t massively tall, he did have about a head over me in height (I was around five foot seven or eight) and slight edges in strength and agility. Yet it was the gulf in skill that was causing me the most problems. According to the Interface, I was in the Average tier (the third of nine tiers) for using a sword and fighting with a sword and shield. That was well beyond where the boys my age were but left me a long way behind the newly minted knight. His blade thrust forward, though this time, instead of blocking with my shield, I shifted my feet around. His blade found nothing but air, though he was able to adapt and brought his shield around in another attempt. That I did need to block, and I took it flush with my shield. The hit rattled me, but I was able to take it and then jab my blade down low below my shield, angling toward his thigh. He shifted his shield to block, which is what I¡¯d been counting on as I didn¡¯t have the arm length to fully reach his feet or lower legs. I rolled my wrist, hoping to guide the tip of my blade around his shield, however, he saw the move coming and my blade clattered uselessly against his shield. Even as he defended my attack, he launched one of his own. His blade lashed against my shield, which I¡¯d managed to move to block the attack, and then moved around to deflect another slash. All the while I was moving around, not presenting a static frame for him to target. A third slash came in and was blocked, making me wonder what his plan was as these hits had no chance to strike me. The plan became obvious on the fourth slash as his blade moved higher, aiming for my head. On instinct, I lifted my shield, only for it to be pulled to one side as the guard of his sword caught the rim of my shield. That forced my arm to twist outward, leaving me exposed. Yet that was when I tried something new. My sword was still low to the ground, not in any position to directly attack Daemon. However, it was closer enough that it could flick up some dust. With some subtle application of Wind Magic, I made sure it rose higher than it usually would, heading toward his helmet. Some of it must¡¯ve gotten through the visor as he took an unexpected step back and shifted his shield around into a desperate frontal block. As I saw him blinking, trying furiously to clear his eyes, I made my move. I lunged forward, keeping low to use his shield to keep me hidden, and then side-stepped to the shield-arm side of his body. Seeing his sword arm up near his helmet, I knew he couldn¡¯t block. My sword flashed around to ring out on his gauntlet. I smiled as cheering went up from elsewhere in the yard, though the movement of his shield prevented me from enjoying the moment. I stumbled away, being hit by the flat of the shield as I was mid-step and off-balance. That only made things worse as to keep myself from falling over, I had to lower my shield. His shield then slammed into the elbow of that arm, driving my shield into the ground, and forcing me to a knee. As my sword hand touched the ground to stop me from falling over, something slammed into my lower back hard. Yes, there was armour there, but the way I was bent over meant it was exposed and the blow hurt. I went face-first into the dirt, and as I lifted my head to cough out the dirt from my mouth another hit landed hard on the back of my shoulder. ¡°Hold!¡± Oberyn¡¯s voice rang around my head as my helmet was rattled. A second strike smashed my face into the ground hard. My eyes scrunched closed as dirt flooded in through the visor. ¡°Dameon!¡± Oberyn sounded furious as a third strike smashed into the back of my helmet. I began seeing multiple visor slits along with up to a dozen blue blinking dots. As there was a furious scuffle of feet behind me, I groggily pushed myself to my knees then, eventually after failing to grasp the cord, got my fingers to the cord holding my helmet in place. Just then I felt arms slide under mine and I was forced back to the ground, though this time I was staring up at three slits of sky as three small blue dots appeared from the Interface in the bottom corner of my vision. ¡°Cregan?¡± I knew that voice and turned my head even as I felt fingers slide to the cord of my helmet. Nymeria was there, or two of her were, looking down at me; concern marring her beautiful face. I ignored the idea of two Nymerias, or two Tyenes as I saw her through the pair of visor slots, as those fingers at the strap for my helmet rubbed against my throat. ¡°Cregan? Are you in there?¡± ¡°I,¡± I was cut off as my helmet cord was undone and someone, who I realised was Jelissa a moment later, pulled my helmet off slowly. ¡°I think so. What the fuck hit me?¡± I remembered scoring a hit against¡­ something, and then getting hit in return. After that, things were blurry. Which suggested I had a concussion of some form. Fucking wonderful. Nymeria¡¯s eyes darted away from me before they returned, and she spoke. ¡°Dameon.¡± The scowl on Tyenes¡¯ faces looked like they could murder with a glance. ¡°Fucker got angry you landed a hit on him¡­¡± ¡°Good going.¡± ¡°¡­ and then didn¡¯t listen to father¡¯s or the master-at-arms¡¯ commands to stop.¡± Nymeria finished, ignoring the soft words spoken by Jelissa. A shadow appeared over me, mercifully blocking out the twin suns I saw overhead. ¡°While Daemon is a knight, he serves House Martell.¡± Oberyn¡¯s words were soft as if he was speaking to a child, yet there was an undercurrent of fury within them. ¡°You may both be bastards, but you¡¯re my son. Going after you like that was¡­ undignified.¡± I couldn¡¯t make out Oberyn¡¯s expressions as the twin suns covered both his faces in shadow. ¡°He still won,¡± I muttered, still annoyed that my strike, in the end, counted for nothing. ¡°That was expected.¡± Oberyn moved and the light from the twin sons blinded me for a second. ¡°The fact you managed to land a single hit on a knight, even one as new as Daemon, is something few squires can do. And at your age, I can think of none that might¡¯ve been able to do so. Baring, mayhaps, your uncle Arthur Dayne or Ser Barristan Selmy.¡± That was a high bar to be compared to, and while it was flattering, I didn¡¯t enjoy the continual comparisons. Even if, in Dorne at least, they made perfect sense. ¡°Aye, he¡¯ll be smarting about that for a while.¡± I looked at the twin Nyms to see them smiling broadly at me. I also saw the two Jelissa¡¯s turning my helmets over in their hands, letting me see the array of dents on the back of it from where I¡¯d been hit. ¡°Just be careful next time you spar with him, alright?¡± She gave me a gentle, for her, punch on the shoulder. ¡°If you get badly hurt who will Ty, Ari and I tease?¡± ¡°I suspect it will be some time before Cregan spars with Daemon again.¡± I returned my gaze to the twin Oberyns. ¡°Ignoring my considerable anger at his behaviour, Lady Ashara will likely be on the warpath for several days. Even after I soothe and redirect that fury,¡± his smirk at that was not something I needed to see, ¡°for his safety, I think it would do Daemon good to head to the Water Gardens and work with the guard there.¡± At the sound of something slamming into the ground elsewhere, I turned my head ¨C slowly to avoid making the world spin ¨C and saw Daemon at the far side of the yard. As if he knew I was watching, he turned back and I suspected glared at me, though I couldn¡¯t be sure as his face was all over the place. ¡°Mayhaps that assignment should be for a moon.¡± I ignored Oberyn¡¯s comment as I considered Daemon and what, if anything, remained of our friendship. For the first few years in Sunspear, he¡¯d acted like a big brother to me, but ever since I¡¯d returned from Winterfell, he¡¯d grown distant. With the worst coming after Arianne returned from Braavos. After discovering that I¡¯d sung at Obara¡¯s wedding, she and Tyene had roped me into regular musical sessions. While Tyene sang with an innocence most Septas could never manage - even if it was an act ¨C Arianne¡¯s voice was far more tempting. There were subtle inflexions and movements that while not provocative, certainly stirred my blood. Considering that time, plus those with Nymeria, Sarella and the other young ladies in Sunspear, it was easy to see he was jealous. While understandable as he was, as far as I could tell, a good-looking bloke, it was also very petty. There was no way many, never mind all, of those girls would continue to look at me as it took me a few more years to mature enough to consider doing something with them. Still, after today, I wouldn¡¯t mind losing his friendship. Yes, it would make future spars a lot more dangerous, but that would only push me to get better faster, with the help of Boosted Martial Learning so I could show him how utterly outclassed he was; in both looks and combat skill. ¡­ ¡­ Northern Return Northern Return ... (Circa 295AC)?
I leaned back in the chair, and carefully turned the page of my book. Fire and Blood by Archmaester Gyldayn had been a nameday gift from my mother and stepfather. It had been near a moon''s turn since then and I had read the book from cover to cover nearly a dozen times but still found the tome a fascinating read. It was a subject that I knew nothing about before being reborn in Starfall and hearing how Daemon Targaryen had conquered the Stepstones with Caraxes. The idea of taking the Stepstones, or at least part of them, to earn more fame for myself had some appeal, but it¡¯d taken Daemon years to do so with the support of House Velaryon ¨C at the time, possibly the most powerful house in Westeros ¨C and Caraxes. Since I had neither of those nor the extra time to take the Stepstones with the threat of the Others, it was nothing but a pipedream. Fire and Blood was a book that had been mentioned in various other texts, and I¡¯d wanted to read it almost as soon as I learnt about it. I¡¯d done so once before my nameday by reading the copy in the Martell¡¯s library, but I¡¯d not been allowed to take it. This copy was mine to read and enjoy to my heart¡¯s content. Which was what I was doing as I lazed away on the quarterdeck of the Windchaser. That was the name I¡¯d finally decided upon for my ship, the suggestion coming from Asha Greyjoy of all people after she and others had taken a short voyage on it. While Arianne and Tyene had suggested more fanciful names ¨C Wolfsblood and Cregan¡¯s Crest respectfully ¨C Asha¡¯s felt more suitable. Plus, it¡¯d earned me some brownie points with the Ironborn girl. While she wasn¡¯t entirely comfortable in Sunspear as she understood she was a hostage and could well be forced into a marriage by Doran, she¡¯d become part of Nymeria¡¯s circle of friends and, unless I was well off base, had joined my stepsister in bed at least once. ¡°Are you reading that again?¡± I lifted my head from the book, and a page talking about how Daemon had gathered a band of sworn swords in support of his brother Viserys before the great council that would name him King, to see Tyene walking up the short flight of stairs to the quarterdeck. We¡¯d passed Dragonstone a few days ago ¨C and that was a place I¡¯d love to explore to see if there were any hidden or forgotten Targaryen treasures there, and not just because I¡¯d taken the Blood of the Dragon¡¯s Flames special perk and held out a small flicker of hope that I¡¯d one day have a dragon of my own ¨C so she wasn¡¯t wearing the thinner clothing of Dorne. Still, the way the wool blanket hung from her shoulders naturally drew my eyes to her chest. The faint smile that came to her lips as she saw that, made it clear that¡¯d been her intention. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a fascinating read,¡± I replied once my eyes returned to hers. Then sighed dramatically as she walked closer even as her eyes scanned me. Since I wasn¡¯t as concerned by the cold as her, I was wearing a loose crimson silk vest open down to my chest. While I still had a good few years of growing to go, I¡¯d already passed my stepsisters and Arianne with ease. Official measurements weren¡¯t done in Westeros, but I already stood as tall and broad as many men. Something that was first brought up openly by my aunt Allyria who¡¯d come to Dorne along with my cousin Edric Dayne about a year and a half ago to serve as one of Arianne¡¯s handmaidens. While I¡¯d quickly bonded with Edric, Allyria had been very standoffish. According to Ty and Arianne, that was because my aunt was distracted by my looks. However, knowing that only made things more awkward between us as Allyria looked so much like a younger version of my mother that she¡¯d started joining some of my more intense dreams ¨Cthough thankfully she¡¯d replaced my mother ¨C over the last year. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you preparing? We are but a few days away.¡± Tyene¡¯s question changed the topic as she sat at the table opposite me. I rolled my eyes even as I slowly, regretfully, closed my book. Tyene had been uncomfortable about this ever since we¡¯d passed Storm¡¯s End ¨C not that we stopped there ¨C and had daily bugged me about getting further prepared. Currently, along with Oberyn onboard the Windchaser and five escort ships carrying other Dornish nobles, we were sailing to Gulltown. The Lord was holding a tourney to celebrate the close dates of his marriage and his son¡¯s eighteenth nameday. Oberyn had decided to enter, and as his squire, I was required to come with and ensure his armour was ready. And my own as, once we¡¯d left and I¡¯d discovered it in my quarters, Oberyn had explained that there should be a squire¡¯s tourney of some form in Gulltown. That explained the cold look my mother had given him as we left, and the concerned one she¡¯d sent me, as she likely wasn¡¯t happy about me taking part, even if it was normal for squires to do so while accompanying their knight. What it didn¡¯t do though was explain why Tyene had decided to join us. Something she was remarkably coy about answering the several times I¡¯d brought it up. ¡°The armour¡¯s as clean as it''s going to get while we¡¯re at sea,¡± I replied to Tyene even as she poured herself a mug of wine, pausing only to give me a look. ¡°As for why I¡¯m not practising, our father lets me have the mornings free to do as I wish. Today that was reading this book one more time.¡± After lunch, I always lightly sparred with Oberyn and in the evening checked and cleaned our equipment. While I enjoyed reading Fire and Blood, it wasn¡¯t the only thing for me to do on the Windchaser. Most mornings, when Tyene normally lounged in her quarters, I helped around the ship. Most of that involved following the captain, a man named Larazar, around. Larazar had been born in Myr but had settled in Sunspear and married the daughter of a local merchant some time ago. Since then, he''d slowly worked his way into Doran¡¯s favour which was why he¡¯d earned the trust to captain my ship until I was old enough to do so for myself. While I knew bits and pieces about sailing and had read up on the topic from a few books in Sunspear, an experienced fountain of knowledge like Larazar was a godsend. ¡°So you prefer the company of a book, or sweaty sailors, to your goodsister?¡± I blinked at her question as she took a sip of her wine, trying to hide the growth of her smile with the cup. I knew she didn¡¯t have anyone but me and Oberyn to speak to on the trip, but I was still in the dark about why she was here. ¡°Captain Larazar is helping me learn about my ship, and as for the book,¡± I placed a hand on the front cover, enjoying the feel of the title under my fingers. ¡°A mind is like a sword, though it needs books not a whetstone to stay sharp.¡± That was the fourth time I¡¯d used that rough line in this world ¨C I still chuckled at the irony that the first was to Tyrion Lannister ¨C and it never failed to ring true. Tyene rolled her eyes as she lowered her mug. ¡°Well, at least now I know where Sarella got that from.¡± I laughed at that as Sarella had been the second to hear it from me, with Oberyn being the third. It didn¡¯t surprise me in the least that my clever stepsister would use that. Though having her join in the flirting of her older sisters and cousin had. Not that I entirely minded. Sarella was a year older than me, but her intelligence was something I found enjoyable to be around, to say nothing of her rapidly maturing body. ¡°Still, I hope you¡¯re not planning on copying Daemon Targaryen.¡± I laughed loudly and shook my head. ¡°No, my darling sister, I don¡¯t plan for that. Not least as I don¡¯t have a dragon as ferocious as the Blood Wyrm at my side. While I won¡¯t deny that pacifying those islands would bring traders peace, I don¡¯t see myself attempting such an undertaking.¡± Even with the ripples that my existence had caused, I doubted I¡¯d have the spare decade to pull off something that audacious. Hells, the Others invasion might, Gods help me, come sooner because of me. And that was a thought that often plagued my dreams. Tyene took another sip from her mug and then gave a small nod. ¡°Good. I¡¯d hate for you to die on some nameless rock to some nobody.¡± She put the mug down and leaned forward, her cloak slipping to expose more of her chest. While she wasn¡¯t as well endowed, and likely never would be, as Nymeria or Arianne, she¡¯d still developed a very tempting pair. She licked the edge of her lips. ¡°It would be such a waste.¡± I felt an eyebrow rise. ¡°Oh? And why, if I might ask, would my darling sister feel me dying there be such a waste?¡± I smirked as I finished, enjoying the sudden shift in the tone of our conversation. It¡¯d taken me a few years to get comfortable with the flirting that came from Arianne, Nymeria and Tyene ¨C mainly as I¡¯d had to overcome my Earth-based mentality on the matter ¨C but once I had, I¡¯d found myself enjoying it. Not because I expected anything to happen ¨C though if it did, I wasn¡¯t going to complain as they were all fucking gorgeous ¨C but because it¡¯d be helpful for the future. I wasn¡¯t sure if or when I¡¯d marry as there were more important things to deal with, but I¡¯d worship the Seven openly before I¡¯d go through life celibate. Tyene held my gaze as she slowly, tantalisingly, dragged her tongue over her lips. ¡°Beyond the obvious?¡± She waved a hand in my general direction. To most, it might not mean anything, or just that she was concerned for my well-being. But with Rian choosing that moment to land on the railing near us, a fish in his beak, and the specific way she moved her hand, it was obvious she was referring to my magic. And hers as well. Not long after taking Blood of the Dragon¡¯s Flames, and then enduring constant nannying from my mother, sisters, and cousin when I¡¯d awoken a few days later, I¡¯d spoken with Arianne. After she¡¯d gotten over the fact my eyes were now a vibrant purple ¨C the special trait having seemingly removed the faint wisps of grey I¡¯d once had and left me with eyes that reminded my mother of Prince Rhaegar ¨C we¡¯d increased the training with my stepsisters to awaken their magic. It had taken some work, but the girls had awakened their magic. Tyene and Sarella had shown an ability to control water, with Tyene quickly reaching the same point as me with Water Magic. Nymeria had struggled with using water magic, which had me thinking she might have more of an inclination for fire magic given her mother was from the Old Blood of Volantis; people that traced their roots directly back to the Valyrian Freehold. So far, she hadn¡¯t managed to do anything with it, but she¡¯d been trying even when I¡¯d left Sunspear. She¡¯d also enjoyed teasing me and the others that if she could use fire, then she¡¯d be closer to me than them. ¡°Yes, besides all this.¡± My reply was accompanied by a knowing smirk. Again, to outsiders, it¡¯d just look like we were flirting again. Which I was, but I was also enjoying holding it over Tyene that it was because of me she, her sisters and her cousin realised they could wield magic. That said, if Tyene was hinting at something more, then I wasn¡¯t going to complain. She leaned back, her blanket sliding further down to expose the dress she was wearing. Said dress was only loosely tied, exposing the skin to a point just below her breasts. She smirked, making it clear that while she was a beauty, she was also a daughter of the Red Viper. That look and the cold venomous look in their eyes when angered were the most explicit hints that all the Sand Snakes were daughters of Oberyn Martell. Hells, even Elia and Obella used it, but since both were under ten it didn¡¯t affect me. ¡°Mayhaps I¡¯ll show you if you do well in the tourney.¡± I leaned forward, any thought of returning to my book lost. I brought a hand to my chin and scratched it idlily even as my eyes enjoyed the sight in front of me. ¡°I have a sudden urge to practice with my sword.¡± She laughed softly as I stood, her eyes travelling down my frame. I slid Fire and Blood under my arm and started to walk away only to stop when she placed a hand on the arm supporting the book. I looked at her and her eyes went from the book to me. I placed the book down near her, trusting her to return it to my quarters later. As I moved away, her hand brushed lightly over my exposed forearm, sending a pleasant shiver up my arm. I had no idea what the reward would be, but I now had a strong desire to not just do well but win the whole damn thing. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I bit back a hiss of pain as the Septa helped the healer lift my armour from my chest. At the end of the melee, once it¡¯d come down to the final two, I¡¯d found myself up against Harrold Hardyng; though I only realised that after the fight was over and I was on my way to the healer¡¯s tent. The boy was a year older than me, very skilled and unlike me at that point, still had his shield. Mine had been smashed to pieces early on in the melee. Once the fighting had begun, a desire to prove myself against the biggest in the melee had sparked. That wasn¡¯t how Wolfsblood usually worked, so I suspected it was caused by Blood of the Dragon¡¯s Flames. Or the two perks mixing oddly. Anyway, I¡¯d bested that squire ¨C a boy who was half a head taller and about the same wider than I was ¨C but lost my shield in the process. I¡¯d found another in the muck during the melee, but by the time I¡¯d faced off with Hardyng, I¡¯d lost that as well. As the faceoff against Hardyng had begun, even from the beginning of the match, the fact he had his shield and was nearly as skilled as me meant I¡¯d been struggling to land a clean strike. Even with me having him outclassed physically and likely in skill ¨C a benefit of having taken Boosted Martial Learning as my standard trait ¨C the sudden duel had begun to drag on with neither of us having a clear advantage. With a growing fire burning in my veins as the battle continued, I knew I couldn¡¯t permit myself to lose and during one flurry where I¡¯d driven him back with sheer strength and speed, I¡¯d seen an opening. Shifting to my side to dodge a blow that may well have dented my helm, I unleashed a quick flurry of blows to push him back, his shield moved to meet them every time though and his sword flickered out like a striking hawk. As I deflected his blade away from me I purposely left an opening to my side and went in for a wrath strike, as his blade struck my armour, I felt a burst of pain but ignored it and brought my sword down like a falling star to crash against his helm. Stumbling back disoriented, Hardyng left himself completely open as I locked one leg behind his leg and threw him to the ground before my blade swung around to rest at his throat. Shaking his head ruefully he raised his hand in surrender and dropped his blade. The muted silence that followed was short-lived as the crowd roared with approval as I raised my sword with a roar. As I turned to walk away I stumbled a bit as the searing pain in my side grew worse but Oberyn was already there to catch me and lead me to the healer''s tent while congratulating me and explaining who Hardyng was. As the Maester probed at my cut with his fingers I flinched. A glance down showed the wound was swelling. ¡°The cut doesn¡¯t appear too deep. Though the bone may have been cracked.¡± As I was forced to undergo his examination, I grunted when his fingers lightly touched the swollen flesh before his palms came to rest around the cut. ¡°Take a deep breath.¡± I did as he asked. It sent a minor stab of pain through my side. ¡°Bruised certainly, cracked probably but not broken. Good.¡± He turned and looked over at Oberyn who¡¯d been by my side. ¡°Your squire¡­¡± ¡°My son.¡± Oberyn¡¯s words were calm, yet the cold edge still served to unnerve the paling maester. The old man coughed and sputtered. ¡°V-very well, your son. He¡¯ll be fine with time, Prince Oberyn. Just make sure he doesn¡¯t do too much work for a moon¡¯s turn or so,¡± as the Maester spoke, the Septa moved over to a table and picked up an oily glass jar. ¡°He¡¯ll need to apply a balm to the wound after each meal for ten days, then every morning and night for the rest of the moon. After that, if there is still swelling speak with another Maester, though I doubt that will be needed.¡± A hiss escaped my lips as the Septa applied the contents from the jar to my wound. It smelt barely better than an outhouse and was cold as fuck. ¡°Hmm, then it appears I¡¯ll need a new squire for the tourney and to clean my armour.¡± I turned my head to glare at Oberyn, but the Septa stopped me by gripping my arm. ¡°Still, I hope this will teach you Cregan that while trapping an opponent¡¯s weapon against your armour is a sound strategy, even with blunted weapons it carries some risk.¡± ¡°Next time I¡¯ll ask my opponent to fight fair and drop his shield,¡± I shot back, which drew a chuckle from my stepfather as no one with even half a brain would do that. If anyone ever did that, then they were fucking fools who deserved to die and save the world from the pain of dealing with them. Before I could ask the Maester if the wound would scar ¨C purely for personal reasons ¨C I sensed heat sources approaching the tent. Ever since my bonds with Kaa and Rian had reached level 5, I¡¯d started gaining very weak feedback abilities linked to them. An innate ability to sense heat around me ¨C though it only had a short range and mainly worked for sensing people ¨C and cleaner, sharper vision. I wasn¡¯t sure how many levels a skinchanging bond could go to ¨C Kaa was at level 6 and had been for over half a year ¨C I didn¡¯t know how much stronger these feedback abilities would get. And while I was happy with Blood of the Dragon¡¯s Flames as my special perk, I did wonder how strong these new abilities would¡¯ve been if I¡¯d taken Bestial Bonds. The Maester turned as the flap of the tent was pulled back, and I felt my brow rise as a boy walked in. He wasn¡¯t wounded, at least not visibly, and while his sandy blonde hair and deep blue eyes would draw a lot of attention, what caught mine was the herald on his surcoat. Unless there were two boys that height for the same house, this was Harrold Hardyng, the squire I¡¯d beaten in the melee, and the one who¡¯d given me this wound. Even if it was unintentional. ¡°Ah,¡± the boy stopped just after he entered as he saw me with my chest exposed and the Septa applying whatever foul paste it was to my wound. His eyes shifted from me to Oberyn, and he bowed deeply. ¡°Prince Oberyn, I wish to inquire on how your squire is doing. It wasn¡¯t my intent to injure him, and I wanted to make sure he wasn¡¯t badly hurt from my blow.¡± ¡°How very noble of you, young¡­ Hardyng, was it not?¡± I couldn¡¯t see Oberyn¡¯s face, but I knew he¡¯d waved off the comment and was now smiling. ¡°Harrold Hardyng, Prince Oberyn.¡± Harrold lowered his head once more though didn¡¯t bow fully this time. ¡°It¡¯s an honour to meet one of such renown as yourself.¡± Oberyn chuckled and I could almost see the gears in his head turning even as he would be dismissing the compliment with a wave of his hand. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure my name is known throughout the Seven Kingdoms and beyond. Though not all would be as impressed by it.¡± I sensed a shift behind me. ¡°Still, you are here to talk to my squire and son and not impress me with flowery words.¡± ¡°By marriage, not blood,¡± I explained quickly, taking away some of my stepfather¡¯s fun. Though I¡¯d be surprised if Harrold wasn¡¯t aware of my parentage already. ¡°My mother, Lady Ashara Dayne married the prince here several years after my birth.¡± My thoughts turned for a moment to my mother. Oberyn had received a raven from her when we¡¯d arrived in Gulltown and we¡¯d discovered that, all things being equal, I had another sibling on the way. It was odd that my mother had only had Aliandra in her time married to Oberyn, as Elliara had birthed three girls in that time, but that was neither here nor there. ¡°Ah, yes.¡± I could see Harrold connecting the dots in his mind as the second person I¡¯d sensed entered the tent. This man was likely the knight Harrold was squiring for and judging by the sigil on his surcoat, was in some way linked to House Waynwood. ¡°I-I hope my blow has not badly wounded you.¡± I laughed it off, only to regret that as a dagger of pain came from the wound and the Septa admonished me with some tutting. ¡°According to the Maester I¡¯ll live, and I¡¯ll have a scar to entice some fair maiden with when I tell them how I beat you.¡± Even as I smiled to make it clear I was jesting, my thoughts turned to a certain blonde-haired maiden who¡¯d promised me a reward for doing well in the melee. Harrold smiled at my comment and moved closer. ¡°Aye, I suspect you will have as much attention as I, even if you¡¯re not trueborn.¡± I didn¡¯t think Harrold was taking a shot at me, but since I didn¡¯t know him well, I couldn¡¯t be sure. Still, I¡¯d file that comment away in case I met him again after this tourney. ¡°Not many of our fellow squires would willingly take a blow to gain victory. Certainly not when they were the better fighter.¡± ¡°You flatter me, my lord,¡± I patted my chest and batted my eyes like some easily impressed young lady. He laughed loudly at my teasing and shook his head. ¡°I only meant I don¡¯t know why you didn¡¯t wait for a clean opening. Well, cleaner.¡± He paused and glanced back at the knight from house Waynwood. ¡°I¡¯m man enough to admit you were the better fighter today. If you¡¯d waited, I feel you would still have won.¡± A touch of humility was a nice thing to see, especially in one who¡¯d possibly been raised with the idea he might one day be the ruler of the Vale. Even in Gulltown, I¡¯d seen far too many arrogant bastards ¨C squires and knights ¨C who looked down on me for being from Dorne and a bastard. ¡°Perhaps, but the longer a fight goes, the more likely you¡¯ll lose.¡± I jerked my thumb ¨C from my good side ¨C toward Oberyn. ¡°Something my father has beaten into me over the last few years.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to see the lesson has taken, though I suspect your sisters and cousin won¡¯t be happy about this once we return to Sunspear.¡± Oberyn¡¯s words made me wince. I¡¯d seen Tyene¡¯s concerned face when Oberyn had escorted me to this tent. With time, that would turn to anger at me for taking a risk. Which would be mirrored by her sisters and Arianne, meaning I¡¯d be in for a tongue-lashing when we returned. Fucking wonderful. ¡°I¡¯m surprised your knight hasn¡¯t taught you that yet. From the look in his eyes, he¡¯s no summer knight.¡± Oberyn¡¯s words made the Waynwood knight step up beside Harrold, placing a hand on his squire¡¯s shoulder as he did. ¡°You are correct Prince Oberyn. I fought in the Rebellion, and saw the King slay Prince Rhaegar on the Trident.¡± I sure hope the knight wasn¡¯t trying to anger Oberyn into doing something rash. ¡°Ser Morten Waynwood, Prince Oberyn.¡± Morton lowered his head and I assume Oberyn did likewise. ¡°And I have taught that to young Harrold here, but until today he¡¯s felt comfortable in outlasting his opponent with skill. Mayhaps this will help the idea sink better than my words.¡± Morton¡¯s gaze shifted to me even as I heard Oberyn laugh a little. ¡°And unless I miss my guess, as the bastard son of Prince Oberyn Martell, you would be the one known as the Bloody Wolf.¡± ¡°I am, Ser Morton.¡± As I replied, Harrold¡¯s eyes widened, almost as if he hadn¡¯t linked the fact that I was Oberyn¡¯s squire with the man having a bastard son through marriage. ¡°Much as I¡¯d prefer a title earned under more honourable circumstances.¡± Morton laughed loudly. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t complain, my boy. There¡¯s a knight in these parts who''s known as the Knight of the Salt Hills.¡± Gods, that was a bad moniker. My reaction made Morton¡¯s smile grow. ¡°Aye, he hates it. Bloody Wolf is a good title, particularly if the stories I¡¯ve heard about how you killed those Ironborn bastards are true.¡± ¡°How many do the bards in the Vale say he killed?¡± ¡°Ten. While carrying a princess on his back.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure who laughed louder at that, me or Oberyn. ¡°Aye, I figured it wasn¡¯t that many. Still, you killed those cunts and gained a Valyrian steel blade.¡± Harrold¡¯s eyes once more widened and I suspected Morton was doing this to toy with his squire. ¡°Glad you couldn¡¯t use that or there¡¯d be a lot of knights looking for new squires.¡± ¡°Um¡­ yes.¡± Morton laughed at my reaction. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Death does happen on occasion in squire melees. It¡¯s the nature of them. But only those unworthy of being called a knight would seek revenge for that.¡± He paused and glanced toward the tent flap as the Septa finally finished covering my side in the foul-smelling gunk. ¡°That said, I think there¡¯ll be a fair few people who dislike you after today. Harrold here, and the Royce boy you knocked out before him were the favourites of the melee. You¡¯ve likely cost many a fair few coin.¡± He tightened his grip on Harrold. ¡°Not us though. Harrold needs to learn that skill and patience don¡¯t always carry the day.¡± While that might come across as jape at my expense, I didn¡¯t feel it was. Ser Morton seemed, at least from this first meeting, to be a generally friendly person who wasn¡¯t going to take cheap shots. At least not intentionally. ¡°Is it true you saved a princess?¡± Harrold asked, abruptly cutting in and changing the conversation. Morton looked amused and annoyed about the question ¨C possibly because of the timing ¨C and while I¡¯d expected Harrold to ask about that battle, I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d do so now. ¡°Apologies.¡± Well, at least he understood he¡¯d made a faux pas. ¡°It¡¯s fine. And while I think the story can wait for another time,¡± boy did I hope he got the message, but if not I knew Ser Morton did. ¡°I did protect my cousin, Princess Arianne, and my mother from¡­ trouble.¡± I closed my eyes as the fire in my blood, the thing that had driven me to rush for victory in the melee, began to reignite. Which proved I¡¯d have to work even harder to keep my trait-empowered rage under control. ¡°And I got very, very lucky that day.¡± Oberyn¡¯s hand came to rest on my shoulder, offering me some comfort for having to relive the day again. ¡°Aye, you may well have been. But you killed those bastards, earned a name and a blade. Something not many can say they¡¯ve done. Even at three times your age.¡± Morton offered before he used the hand on Harrold¡¯s shoulder to gently pull him back. ¡°Though I think any further questions my squire has for yours Prince Oberyn can wait for later.¡± ¡°Certainly, Ser Morton. And good luck to you in the tourney.¡± Oberyn offered, though I caught the very slight edge in his voice. While I was willing to let the possible slights from Morton go, Oberyn sounded as if he was going to remember them. As Ser Morton and Harrold exited the tent, I hoped the Vale knight avoided Oberyn in the lists. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ The tourney ended a few days later with a large feast to celebrate the reason for it. Oberyn hadn¡¯t won, falling in what I regarded as the semi-finals of the joust to Lord Yohn Royce, but my stepfather didn¡¯t seem to mind. Since I¡¯d been a rank outsider in the squire melee, he¡¯d won big by backing me. Combined with what Oberyn had gotten from reaching the penultimate round of the joust ¨C after he¡¯d paid the ceremonial price to buy back his armour and horse from Yohn Royce ¨Cwe¡¯d be leaving the Vale with more coin in our pockets than we¡¯d left Sunspear with. The need to buy back armour when one lost a joust was, even after having seen it before, an odd thing to see up close. Yes, it was commonplace, but the prices that were set for repurchasing were, at least from what I¡¯d seen from Oberyn when he¡¯d bought back his and sold back to those he¡¯d bested, stags on the dragons for what the armours were usually worth. Currently, Oberyn was sitting at a place of honour near Lord Gerold Grafton and was talking amicably with Yohn Royce while making eyes at a nearby lady that appeared unattached. Since I was just a squire, I was sitting near the end of the hall with the other squires. At first, after the melee, most had been reluctant to talk with me. That had changed once Harrold explained who I was, which had everyone wanting to hear about how I¡¯d earned Red Rain. Things had taken a further turn with me being the centre of attention when Tyene had started sitting with me and provided more details on my noble actions to protect her dignity. Just like that first meal after the melee, she was sitting next to me while enjoying the attention the other squires gave her. And, it seemed, enjoying the way I wasn¡¯t happy about her focus being on them. I¡¯d tried to keep my anger at them flirting with her under wraps, but I¡¯d failed as Tyene had been teasing me about it ever since that first meal. Though she¡¯d not made any mention of her promise on the Windchaser, so I was beginning to think she enjoyed leading boys on for fun. Further evidence was provided with how flirtatious she was with the squires without promising anything in her words. I¡¯d become a little colder because of that first night, though that had seemed to spur something in Tyene. Every meal since that shift, she¡¯d kept most of her attention on me. Plus, she¡¯d started wearing more and more enticing clothing, with her dress tonight being a lovely dress coloured like the sigil of House Dayne with grey, or possibly, silver, lace edging that traced over several places on her body that naturally drew the eye. When she¡¯d walked into the hall this evening, the upper button on her dress undone to allow some hints of her cleavage ¨C something even more obvious to me since she¡¯d sat close enough to me that our legs were touching ¨C to be seen. Several of the ladies in the hall had given her glares, and I¡¯d felt my fury rise at the muttered words and glances they sent Tyene¡¯s way. I might not be happy with Tyene flirting with the other squires, but those arrogant bitches had no right to judge her for how she dressed. Even if it was far more revealing than how she normally dressed, preferring an almost Septa-like lack of reveal when not in Sunspear or the Water Gardens. I almost jumped from the bench as, even as she spoke with Donovar Royce, she placed her hand on my thigh, just above my knee and on the inside. Donovar, who was the person I¡¯d defeated before facing off with Harrold ¨C and in an odd twist of irony one of Harrold¡¯s better friends ¨C had been trying and failing each meal to convince Tyene to leave with him. She¡¯d rejected him; always having me escort her back to the large quarters we shared with Oberyn. While I wasn¡¯t happy about her flirting, even if there was little that I could do about it beyond not engaging in it with her, I¡¯d enjoyed how the first night had ended. A loud, older squire had asked how we knew each other. The mood of the squires had risen sharply when she¡¯d said we were siblings, though it fell spectacularly once she¡¯d revealed we were only stepsiblings. That had embarrassed the fool so much that he¡¯d not joined us for supper the following evening. Yet, for all the effort the others put into seducing her, she left meals with me if I was there, or with Oberyn or another girl from the Dornish party. As the servant brought over refills for our mugs, Tyene¡¯s hand crept northward. I looked at her wondering what she was up to as this was a new approach for her flirtations. Yet she only smiled and moved her hand higher still. Though not before using her other hand to lift her dress and allow me to see her leg. After some hesitation, I¡¯d played along with whatever game she was engaged in and placed my hand on her leg. Yet unlike her, I refused to move it higher, no matter how much she tried to get me to do so. Not even when her fingers brushed over my groin. At that, I¡¯d removed my hand from her leg and hissed, ¡°What are you doing!¡± She¡¯d replied with a smile that, if not for her flirtatious behaviour over the last week or so, would¡¯ve caused a reaction she¡¯d have felt. I¡¯d glanced toward Oberyn several times after that, but in the few moments when he¡¯d looked our way, he¡¯d just smiled or laughed then turned back to whomever he was speaking to at that moment. Now, after enjoying the closing feast, I was letting Tyene guide me back to our quarters. While that was what happened after most meals, something about tonight felt different. Tyene kept glancing at me, a light in her eyes, and was almost pulling me along. As if she was in a race to our quarters. Part of me hoped this might mean she wanted to take things further, to reward me for the melee, but that was tempered by my still-present irritation at her need to flirt while around me. We entered our quarters, coming into the common area which contained a table big enough for all of us to eat at it, a sofa and a balcony that had a nice view of the sea. That was when Tyene let go of my hand and raced toward her bedroom. As the door swung shut, I growled in annoyance and turned to head to my room. I was sick of this shit. I was done flirting back and forth with her. ¡°Cregan.¡± The half-whispered use of my name from Tyene, and the sensual tone she used stopped me mid-step as I reached my door. I turned around to see her in her room, only her head sticking out from behind her door. Her hair was no longer held up as it¡¯d been at dinner, falling like a golden waterfall against the door. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°To my¡­¡± the words died in my throat as Tyene smirked and then a leg appeared from behind the door. It was only her lower leg at first, though that soon climbed to her mid-thigh, and it was clear that she wasn¡¯t wearing her dress anymore as the hem of her undergarment came into view. ¡°But I want to speak with you.¡± Her tone struck me like I¡¯d put my hand into a power socket. The leg moved around the door, her foot coming to rest on the outside. I walked forward, a need, a desire growing inside me to take what I wanted. Once I was about a metre from the door, she pulled her leg back and then opened the door fully. She stayed behind it, with only her head sticking out, but I could see her dress was haphazardly thrown over a chair near her bed. I paused in the doorframe, fighting the urges blossoming within me. A finger and a grin that would haunt my dreams for moons to come convinced me to enter fully. Once I was inside, she pushed the door closed slowly, enjoying the slow nature of the reveal that she was standing near me in nothing but a simple undergarment. ¡°Gods be good.¡± The words slipped from my lips as my eyes devoured what they saw. The undergarment was short, stopping barely a hand¡¯s length below her waist and the pale colouration of it did nothing to hide the shape of her nipples as they caught against the fabric. My eyes wandered all over the garment, and I realised that she wasn¡¯t wearing anything underneath, not unless her panties were the same colour as the garment. I¡¯d seen women wear less clothing in front of me in my former life, but something about the mixture of longing in Tyene¡¯s eyes, mixed with the faint hints of uncertainty and innocence in her stance made this one of the most intoxicating moments in my combined life. She sauntered toward me, the sweet smile on her face undermined by her state of undress. ¡°So,¡± her voice was low enough that anyone on the other side of the now-closed door would struggle to hear it. ¡°Do you remember what I said on the Windchaser?¡± Her hands came up next to her face and then rested on my chest as she idly played with the buttons of my tunic. Her breath smelt of wine and her skin was beginning to glow. My eyes stayed locked on hers even as I nodded. ¡°Y-yeah. You promised me a reward for doing well in the melee.¡± I could feel my need rising, a drive to grab her, take her. Yet I kept it at bay, her behaviour over the last few days still fresh in my mind. She smiled. ¡°That I did.¡± Her hands drifted into my now opened tunic, sliding toward my collar. A gentle pull had me lowering my head to hers as her hands took advantage and slipped around my neck. The kiss she placed on my lips was soft, almost hesitant, a total contrast to how she was behaving. I felt myself sinking into her, only for her to pull back as my tongue brushed against her lips. ¡°Congratulations.¡± Her whispered words sent ripples of desire flooding through me even as she unclasped her hands and her breasts slid down my chest. ¡°Oh my!¡± Her eyes widened in shock as her stomach brushed against my groin. She pulled back enough to look down, no doubt seeing the reaction she¡¯d caused. ¡°It seems you enjoyed my kiss more than I expected.¡± One of her hands slid out from my tunic, and then slowly drifted lower. ¡°Perhaps you want my help with that? After all, you did far more than just ¡®well¡¯ in the melee.¡± ¡°Tyene.¡± My voice was quiet yet filled with a growl as her hands reached my belt. My hands came to her hips, confirming there was nothing under the garment she was in. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± She sounded so innocent even as her fingers reached inside my pants. ¡°Don¡¯t you want me to helahgh¡­¡± Her words were cut off as my lips found her. My hands gripped her waist tightly and pulled her up as my tongue smashed into her mouth. Her legs wrapped around my waist, giving my hands access to her taut rear, which they happily took. I turned, her tongue flicking against mine, and walked slowly toward the bed. ¡°Oof! Oh!¡± The sounds fell from her lips as I fell onto the bed, trapping her beneath me. I pulled back, taking in the redness of her cheeks, the desire I felt inside being mirrored in her eyes. ¡°Cregan¡­¡± Her tone was husky, wanting. My lips found her neck even as my hands shot under her garment. ¡°Gods.¡± Her fingers dug into my back as her legs held me close. She wanted this, I could feel her heat, her need. And I was more than happy to make her mine. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I woke the following morning to find the sun shining in brightly through the drawn curtains. It took me a moment to adjust to both the odd weight that was trapping my arm and pressing against me and the fact I wasn¡¯t in my room. Once I realised last night hadn¡¯t been a dream, Thank the Gods, and I¡¯d taken time to enjoy the sight of the still sleeping, and likely still worn out, Tyene as she lay on my arm, I smiled happily. That slipped as I remembered that, like many quiet girls, Tyene was very, very loud when aroused. While I doubted that we¡¯d kept the rest of the castle up ¨C though if we had I wouldn¡¯t be too upset about it ¨C we shared quarters with Oberyn, and that could be an issue. While he spoke of allowing his daughters and me to sleep with whoever we wanted, I¡¯d fucked one of his daughters in the room next to his for most of the night. Hoping that he¡¯d managed to bed the lady he¡¯d been flirting with last night and taken her to her room ¨C I¡¯d not mention it to my mother if he had ¨C I slipped from Tyene¡¯s bed. That hadn¡¯t been as easy as I¡¯d hoped as the moment I¡¯d pulled away, Tyene had reached for me even while sleeping. ¡°I trust you had an enjoyable evening?¡± Oberyn¡¯s question almost made me slam Tyene¡¯s door as I slipped into the common area of our quarters. ¡°From the sounds I heard when I returned last night, I certainly believe Tyene did.¡± The blood in my veins seemed to freeze as he confirmed he¡¯d heard us and very, very slowly, I turned to face my stepfather. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. His face was calm, giving nothing away while his eyes were cold, detached while in one hand he idly played with a goblet. All in all, he reminded me of Kaa the moment before he struck at his prey. ¡°Sit down.¡± He tapped his foot on a chair and I moved toward it, even as I realised my tunic was open enough that he¡¯d be able to see the scratches Tyene had left on my chest during one of our more energetic moments. Though once I was near the table, I took another chair, the one furthest from him. While the extra distance wouldn¡¯t save me from his wrath if he decided to strike, it might give me just enough time to avoid the first attack. Oberyn¡¯s eyes followed me as I sat. We then stayed in silence, the only break coming when Rian screeched from his perch upon waking and seeing me. He would be hungry but that would have to wait until I survived this meeting with the Red Viper. ¡°I believe I asked you a question.¡± My mouth opened to reply, but nothing came out. I gulped and licked my lips as I tried to settle my nerves. The fire I¡¯d felt last night was gone, replaced by an understanding that I now sat in front of a more dangerous predator. ¡°Yes, my prince¡­¡± ¡°Prince now, is it?¡± ¡°¡­ we did enjoy ourselves.¡± I continued, ignoring Oberyn¡¯s remark. Since I¡¯d fucked his daughter for most of the night, calling him father or stepfather just felt wrong. ¡°I cannot say for certain if Tyene enjoyed herself, as she¡¯s still sleeping from our exertions, I believe you are right that, based on the sounds she made, she enjoyed herself last night.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure where the courage to semi-boast about leaving his daughter in a heap on the bed came from, but I wasn¡¯t ashamed of what we¡¯d done. ¡°And this morning.¡± Oberyn¡¯s tone was clipped, almost as if he was trying to keep control of his emotions. Silence once more fell over the room, and I felt fear slowly building inside, though it eased as he clicked his tongue. ¡°Truthfully, I¡¯m surprised it took this long for you to give in. I mean, I and your mother have known that either Tyene or Arianne would be your first. I¡¯m just impressed you held out until this long with the way they and Nymeria torment you.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± I closed my mouth as I considered his words. The fact he wasn¡¯t bothered that I¡¯d bedded his daughter, or that it might¡¯ve been his niece, and the heir to Dorne, was both expected and not so. ¡°Unlike my brother, I have always been clear to my children, by blood and marriage, that you are free to bed whom you want. Doran, however, whilst understanding of the needs of being young, would prefer if any relationship you entered into with Arianne was done with the understanding that there is little chance you would become her consort when she ascends to the Spear Throne.¡± Not trusting my words to keep me from saying the wrong thing, I chose to simply nod. Given how much Westeros values the purity of a woman in a marriage, I was always caught a little off-guard about how liberal Dorne was in that regard. I really shouldn¡¯t be, I know, but I was. ¡°That said,¡± Oberyn leaned forward as he continued, ¡°if you so much as think of purposely hurting Tyene or any of them, there is no place in the world, known or unknown, where I will not find you.¡± I gulped hard and nodded rapidly. I¡¯d faced down insurgent ambushes, insane suicide bombers and furious COs after the odd op in a hundred was FUBARed, yet none of that compared to the danger I saw in Oberyn¡¯s eyes as he tried to burn a hole through my skull. ¡°Father, what exactly are you doing with Cregan?¡± My head snapped round to see Tyene standing in the doorframe of her room; a bed sheet protecting her modesty while at the same time doing nothing to hide the temptations that had drawn me to her bed last night. I felt my blood pulse as the urge to start round¡­ sixteen burned within me. ¡°Merely talking as any father would with their daughter¡¯s suitor.¡± Oberyn¡¯s reply was much more jovial than how he¡¯d spoken moments earlier. I heard something move on the table and turned back to him to see he¡¯d pushed a goblet toward me. ¡°Now drink up, Cregan. I¡¯m sure after your activities last night, you are feeling a little parched.¡± I eyed the goblet cautiously, wondering if Oberyn had done something to it. I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d have done anything dangerous, but the smirk he wore did nothing to ease that concern. Therefore, I picked up the goblet and swapped it with the one he¡¯d drunk from. Oberyn¡¯s lips twitched upward in amusement as I took a small sip, and then my eyes widened as two small blue blinking dots appeared from the Interface in the corner of my vision. ¡°While the goblet I passed you was untampered, mine was not,¡± Oberyn said slowly as I lowered the goblet to the table, wondering what the hell the notice was about. ¡°Since I was¡­ around your age, I have placed a small amount of the more common poisons in my cups daily. It is said that over time a body can build up a resistance to poison, though this doesn¡¯t work with the rarer ones. Nor those that kill with the smallest of drops.¡± That¡­ actually made perfect sense for Oberyn, and not just because of his moniker. And if, as I now suspected, one of those notices was about poison resistance, then it would be something that I¡¯d consider doing myself. While I hoped no one would ever try to poison me, it was better to have some preparation for it if they did. ¡°If you have finished trying to kill him, father, I think this little talk is over.¡± I looked around at Tyene who smiled at me in such a way that I felt the need to claim her rising once more. ¡°As you said we are free to bed who we wish, and I¡¯ve already done so.¡± She grinned at me before turning toward her bed. ¡°That said, I don¡¯t feel like leaving my room this morning and hope I can have some company.¡± Oberyn laughed, something that only grew louder as I pushed myself from the chair. ¡°I believe that is my cue to leave.¡± I heard movement at the table behind me, but my focus was on Tyene as she reached her bed and crawled onto it. ¡°If the young falcon or his friends come looking, I¡¯ll tell them you are indisposed.¡± He laughed again even as I closed Tyene¡¯s door with a kick. The sheet was slowly sliding off her, and once she reached the top of her bed, she turned and smiled back at me as the sheet fell away leaving her beauty fully exposed to me. I didn¡¯t know how long this thing with Tyene would last, or how it would change things once we got back to Dorne, but at this moment, I didn¡¯t care. Hells, if the Gods wished to kill me today, then so long as they waited a few hours I¡¯d die with a smile on my lips. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ The wind slid over my feathers as I scanned all that I could see. Far below, I saw the strange objects the dirt-walkers placed on the water. That they were made of the resting frames was odd, but at least it felt familiar in an unusual way. Much like the frame that the dirt-walker who served me had made for me inside his stone nest. My dirt-walker¡¯s ship was below, moving toward the colder weather. While up here, that didn¡¯t bother me, the lack of heat while I rested would¡¯ve if not for my dirt-walker servant ensuring my frame was inside the heat of his nest during the night. To the right, smaller dirt-walker boats were moving around in groups. Those were tossing into and then lifting strange things from the water. Still, while strange they brought out the food hidden in the water. I considered swooping down and taking a meal from them, but always decided against it. The food was caught in the strange thing and there was a risk my talons or wings could also get trapped there. Plus, the meal was more satisfying when I made the kill myself, which is why the water-food was, while difficult to catch, worth every wet feather. With the idea of an easy water-food meal, my vision moved to the dirt piles beyond the small dirt-walker objects. There I saw the odd stone nests used by the dirt-walkers, but these were nothing like the one where my dirt-walker kept me before we¡¯d moved slowly toward the cold. Even the loud, annoying place with lots of shiny dirt-walkers had better resting places than those sad stone nests. A wave of cold slipped over my feathers, but up this high that was fine. The winds over the wet hunting grounds had grown colder the longer we¡¯d been away from the main nest. My vision focused on land close, but not too close, to the stone huts. Over three dozen small hopping prey was grazing there. I angled my wings, letting the currents of the sky carry me toward the dirt and my next meal. As I soared closer, a group broke from the main pack. Their backs were to me, but from the height that I would strike, that didn¡¯t matter. I could almost taste their flesh as I ripped it from their freshly killed hide. Cool, calm focus mixed with the thrill of a hunt as I pulled back one wing slightly; angling to avoid a low white-water bubble to not lose sight of my meal. Closer and closer I came, the hopping prey having no idea of the terror I was about to unleash. My wings were pulled in close, and my head angled down. I dropped through the air currents as they rushed over my feathers. Faster and faster, I dropped but my sight never left my meal. Tighter and tighter I pulled my wings against my body, limiting the feathers that the winds could touch. The anticipation started to trick my mind into tasting the food before the kill. Unexpected movement caught my gaze. The green dirt near the food was moving. Not much, less than a wing length, but it was strange. Wrong. Sensing danger, I spread my wings, the winds catching them and aborting my dive in an instant. I was high enough that the prey never knew, and once the oddness was gone, I could dive once more. As I rose back into the currents, the dirt shifted, and four dirt-walkers emerged from under various ground-wrappings. A screech of anger slipped from my beak. They were hunting my food! A need to swoop down, to claw their weak view-orbs from their flat crests, flowed through me. However, it was tempered as I saw two carrying strange bent sticks. My dirt-walker had shown me those back before my wing had recovered. The smaller sticks that came from them were fast, too fast for me to avoid for long. I knew my dirt-walker was warning me of the danger of the bent sticks, and I¡¯d understood even if the odd squawks that came from his non-beak irritated my ears. One dirt-walker with such a stick could be a threat, though I could handle them. Two though¡­ that was too great a risk for food. Not when other sources existed. My anger settled as I rose back into the currents. The pathetic attempts of the dirt-walkers, as the four of them only managed to get one hopping food, helped to calm and amuse me. As I climbed, I turned my gaze back to my dirt-walker¡¯s object. He was not on the top, meaning he was likely still in his nest with his mate. She made the strangest sounds while they moved in that nest, but my dirt-walker liked them. I could somehow sense that, which confused me. Still, my dirt-walker hadn¡¯t left his nest, though the older dirt-walker with him had. While that bigger dirt-walker was trusted by my dirt-walker and sometimes tossed me food, I didn¡¯t want to return yet. There was still time for me to hunt, to earn my food myself. ¡­ ¡­ I blinked several times as my vision shifted from the clouds above to the wooden planks of my cabin and sighed softly. While entering and leaving Kaa¡¯s mind was strange, there was still a familiarity to it as he moved on the ground. With Rian, the urge to stay within him, to savour the indescribable freedom of soaring through the clouds was hard to resist. That was why I tried to limit how long I spent in the bond with Rian. I feared I¡¯d lose myself to the clouds and never come back to my body. Yet with us heading North instead of back to Dorne, the urge to enter Rian¡¯s mind was a nice distraction from time on the Windchaser. When we¡¯d left Gulltown and broken from all but one of our escorts ¨C the others taking the various knights and squires who¡¯d come to Gulltown for the tourney back home ¨C I¡¯d been surprised. Which only grew as four ships flying Manderly colours joined us. While I didn¡¯t know who was on those ships, Oberyn apparently did and had expected our new escort. Now no one from House Manderly had taken part in the tourney, but about a dozen knights in their employ had, though since that many knights would only need at best two ships, I had to assume the others were trade ships returning home to create a bigger fleet and ward off most threats. ¡°Back with me, I see.¡± I turned my head and saw the sight that¡¯d greeted me every morning since we¡¯d left Gulltown. That of Ty as she shared my bed. Like most mornings she had the sheets pulled over her, not at all enjoying the colder air. Though it did little to hide the pleasing curves of her body, nor stop her from rubbing her legs against mine. Either to stay warm or to entice me into another morning romp. She was used to finding me sitting unnaturally still while I skinchanged so wasn¡¯t disturbed now to see me like that. She still found it creepy, a fact she¡¯d made clear to Arianne, Nymeria and Sarella when they¡¯d been brought in on that facet of my magic, but since we¡¯d started sleeping together, she¡¯d not complained about it once. Though she had, at least for this morning, not tried to draw me from the connection with her feminine wiles. ¡°Aye. While being in Rian¡¯s mind, soaring among the clouds is¡­ without definition, it cannot compare to the wonder before my eyes.¡± Ty laughed softly. ¡°Such flowery words.¡± Her hand came closer with a single finger touching my chest and then running over the hints of the muscles I had. ¡°Yet instead of ravishing this wonder, you left for the mind of a bird.¡± Her finger moved upward and tilted my chin toward her once it reached there. ¡°Your words betray you.¡± I smirked even as she flicked my chin and removed the finger. Leaning closer I inhaled deeply, enjoying the scent that radiated from her in the morning. ¡°Then let me prove my words with action,¡± I whispered before my lips caught against hers, one hand moved to remove the sheet from her body while the other helped guide us over until I was on top of her. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°I hate the fucking cold.¡± I chuckled as Ty muttered those words even while standing wrapped in a thick woollen cloak and leaning against me as if she was trying to steal my body heat. Yes, there was a breeze blowing across the harbour as the Windchaser was guided into the inner harbour of White Harbour, but it wasn¡¯t that cold. Though it seemed even less an issue than when I¡¯d spent a year plus in Winterfell. That had me wondering if Blood of the Dragon¡¯s Flames also granted me some protection from the cold. Ty had commented a lot on how warm I was, something she was currently trying to take advantage of. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Once we¡¯ve met with Lord Manderly and had something to eat, I¡¯ll find a way to warm you up.¡± As I spoke, I warped my arm around her shoulders. While I was also wearing a cloak, mine wasn¡¯t that thick though Ty didn¡¯t seem to mind as she pushed against my side. ¡°Promises, promises.¡± She whispered into my neck as one hand started trying to pull my tunic out of my breeches. ¡°Perhaps you might wait until after we¡¯ve spoken to Lord Manderly,¡± Oberyn suggested from my other side. Like me, he was wearing a thinner cloak, and a smirk danced on his face as he listened to my interaction with Ty. ¡°And mayhaps keep the noise down. Captain Larazar has complained that the crew have grown restless due to some rather¡­ vocal comments during the night. I¡¯d hate for you to traumatise our hosts.¡± ¡°I accept that challenge.¡± Oberyn laughed and I smiled at Ty¡¯s response. Ever since our first night in Gulltown, Ty had been insatiable. Or at least until I wore her out enough that she¡¯d be so tired she had to sleep. While I wasn¡¯t complaining about that, Gods no, I could understand the crew¡¯s issues. Ty was loud during sex and unlike a keep, the walls on a ship weren¡¯t thick enough to mute most of the sounds. From the glares I got every morning I think the crew of the Windchaser was furious that I kept denying them a good sleep, impressed I could go for so long every night and jealous that I had someone as beautiful as Ty to warm my bed. Still, if I wanted things to continue apace, I¡¯d have to convince her to quieten down. Or find a way to do so. The few times I¡¯d placed my hand over her mouth, she¡¯d either bit my palm or moaned as she sucked on my fingers. Neither was particularly effective at limiting her voice, and I¡¯d rather not have Catelyn throw us out of Winterfell for the sounds Ty made. That had my mind turn back to a few nights ago when I¡¯d jokingly suggested I might need to gag and tie her up and she¡¯d responded with a wanton moan. Of course, that had my mind drift to something she¡¯d brought up the following morning, and a few others as well. It seemed that Arianne and Nymeria had both made clear to Ty that they wanted all the details once we returned to Dorne. Ty believed both girls, plus likely Sarella and maybe a few others as well, would want a turn. That idea scared and excited me in ways that made it hard to think about anything beyond fucking Ty again. Which, given what¡¯d happened after each time she brought this up, might¡¯ve been her intent. Dornish girls might be the end of me, but Gods, what a fucking way to go. ¡°As much as I¡¯d enjoy the faces of Northerners hearing such things, I¡¯m being serious. Ignoring that the Manderlys are much like the Fowlers, Daynes and Yronwoods in their status within a kingdom, White Harbour is their only city. Given the slowly growing trade between the North and Dorne, my brother and I don¡¯t wish to risk that trade, and the growing bonds of trust, while it is still young and fragile. And angering the Manderlys would not reflect well upon us when I speak to Lord Stark about opportunities that I wish to discuss with him.¡± Ty pouted adorably at her father¡¯s words, but it only drew another round of laughter from him. As for me, my mind was pulled to the things she could do with her mouth and talented tongue. I shook my head, trying to get my mind out of the gutter as the harbourmaster, who¡¯d come onboard to ensure we docked safely, guided my ship toward a pier close to the shore. My hand that wasn¡¯t around Ty¡¯s shoulders tapped at my waist, reassuring me that Red Rain was still there. Over breakfast this morning, Oberyn had slid the holstered sword to me and stated that since I¡¯d won the squires¡¯ tourney, he felt I¡¯d earned the right to wear it. He¡¯d added, and I agreed, that I still had years to go to be comfortable with it, but he felt comfortable that I wouldn¡¯t slice off a limb the first time I unsheathed the blade. Having it on my waist just felt right. As if a part of me that I hadn¡¯t known was missing, was now with me. Much as how I felt with Kaa and Rian at times. Ty too, though that was a more physical connection than magical. At least in some ways. It took the harbourmaster about ten minutes to guide the Windchaser into its berth, for the mooring lines to be tied and the landing ramp to be deployed before we finally stepped off my ship. Oberyn took point with me and Ty just behind and Captain Larazar and the dozen Martell guards with us behind. The rest of the party was on the other ship which was in the process of being led to the pier next to ours. At the end of the dock, standing on solid ground, was a man that looked almost as wide as he was tall, which was saying something as he looked to be around Oberyn¡¯s height. Even without the colouring of his surcoat or the sigil on it, I¡¯d have wagered a few dragons that this was Ser Wylis Manderly, heir to White Harbour. Though the two girls at his side, one with hair Manderly green, I couldn¡¯t name, though I suspected they were his daughters. Their ages were hard to judge for certain, but the taller one looked about Sarella¡¯s height with the other shorter by about a head. ¡°Prince Oberyn, it has been some time since we¡¯ve seen you in White Harbour,¡± Wylis stated as he moved, well, waddled forward, with an arm outstretched. Oberyn grasped the arm. ¡°That it has, Ser Wylis.¡± Oberyn shifted so he wasn¡¯t blocking Wylis¡¯ view of me. ¡°My son has missed his northern roots.¡± Wylis and the girls looked my way. Wylis¡¯ smile grew as he saw Ty leaning against me. The older girl¡¯s brow creased while the younger looked as if she wanted to say something. ¡°After he won the squire tourney in Gulltown, I felt rewarding him with a trip to Winterfell was worthwhile. I do hope our visit isn¡¯t an inconvenience.¡± Wylis returned his focus to Oberyn while the girls continued to watch me as I moved up to my stepfather¡¯s side. ¡°Certainly not, Prince Oberyn. While the bonds between Dorne and the North are still weak, they grow stronger each moon. As does the bastard of Brandon Stark you raise in Sunspear.¡± Wylis¡¯ response had seemingly suggested Obara had settled well into her role as a noble lady ¨C or as much of one as she¡¯d ever be ¨C but I couldn¡¯t focus on that as Wylis slipped his arm from Oberyn and extended it to me. ¡°Congratulations on your victory, Bloody Wolf.¡± ¡°Thank you, Ser Wylis.¡± I clasped his arm. ¡°The fight was exhilarating, though I didn¡¯t emerge unscathed.¡± Wylis chuckled. ¡°As it should be for any good fight.¡± His eyes roamed over my frame, thankfully not lingering on Ty or Red Rain. ¡°You¡¯ve certainly got your father¡¯s build. What are you five and ten?¡± ¡°Three and ten, Ser Wylis.¡± Wylis¡¯ eyes widened, as did the eyes of the two girls before he chuckled. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t have any Umber blood?¡± I laughed and shook my head as he unclasped his arms. ¡°Still, before we continue, I imagine you, your family and crew are hungry after your journey.¡± At that, a few servants came closer bringing the bread, salt and drink that placed us under Guest Rights. While I didn¡¯t doubt our safety with the Manderlys, the custom was important in Westeros, doubly so in The North. Which reminded me to find a way to kill Walder Frey, and possibly most of his house, if the chance presented itself. ¡°We thank you for your generosity. We shan¡¯t press it for more than a night, perhaps two before we travel onto Winterfell.¡± Oberyn replied after taking the first bite. I took some bread as he continued. ¡°Cregan here is anxious to meet his cousins, and I long to see how my eldest daughter is doing.¡± ¡°I understand completely. And I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be happy to hear she and Benjen Stark are doing well.¡± Wylis¡¯ smile grew. He shifted his weight and indicated for us to follow, only for him to stop as a gentle cough came from the older girl. ¡°Ah, yes. I hope they can forgive my manners, but may I present my daughters, Wynafryd and Willa.¡± Wynafryd, the eldest, stepped forward and curtsied perfectly. ¡°Prince Oberyn.¡± Oberyn smiled as he took her hand and gently kissed her knuckles. ¡°Lady Wynafryd. Soon you¡¯ll have offers from all over the Seven kingdoms for the hand of such a beautiful young lady.¡± Wynafryd¡¯s cheeks reddened at the praise as Wylla stepped forward. She didn¡¯t curtsey though, instead, her focus was on me. Or more specifically the sword at my waist. ¡°Is that Red Rain?¡± She asked pointedly. Wylis looked only slightly irritated by the behaviour of his youngest daughter. As Oberyn chuckled at the behaviour, Tyene slipped between me and Wylla. ¡°It is, Lady Wylla. I¡¯m Tyene Sand, daughter of Prince Oberyn,¡± she said offering a small curtsey which Wylla returned though her eyes kept drifting back to Red Rain. Wynafryd was watching too, though her eyes were on Tyene¡¯s other hand which was wrapped around my waist. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of House Sand?¡± Wylla asked with a smirk. ¡°We¡¯re the biggest house in Dorne, my lady. I have over ten thousand brothers and sisters.¡± I chuckled at hearing Tyene use that line, which also drew laughter from Wylis. ¡°An interesting way to phrase things, Lady Tyene.¡± Wylis offered, showing her more respect than her status required. Either because of who her father was or because of how she¡¯d deflected his daughter¡¯s teasing question. Or possibly both. ¡°Still, I think it would be best if we save questions for once we¡¯re in the New Castle. If we dally much longer, I fear my father may wonder what trouble we¡¯ve gotten into.¡± ¡°Of course, of course. Please, lead on.¡± Wylis indicated for Oberyn to walk beside him. I doubted the fat knight would walk to the keep as that was, from what I¡¯d seen through Rian¡¯s eyes, on the top of a small hill about half a mile from the harbour. More than likely, he¡¯d escort us to the two carriages that were waiting about a hundred paces away and we¡¯d ride in those. The two Manderly girls fell into step behind Oberyn and their father, and I pulled Ty along with me behind them. ¡°Is it true you¡¯re the son of Brandon Stark?¡± ¡°Wylla!¡± Wynafryd¡¯s head snapped from her sister to me. ¡°Forgive my sister. She¡¯s¡­ still learning how to be a proper lady.¡± I laughed at the little interaction. ¡°It¡¯s quite alright, Lady Wynafryd,¡± I replied with a smile. ¡°And, aye, I am, Lady Wylla. Though I never met him.¡± ¡°That is sad to hear,¡± Wylis spoke as we reached the carriages. ¡°If you¡¯d like, I do recall a few stories about him. You might not have his eyes, something of your mother those are, but I think you shared similar interests.¡± His smile grew as he glanced at Ty. ¡°I would enjoy hearing stories of my father, Ser Wylis. While I don¡¯t regret any of my time being raised by Prince Oberyn, I do wonder what my birth father was like.¡± Oberyn¡¯s lips twitched, though the humour in his eyes made it clear he wasn¡¯t angry about any apparent put-down. Wylis laughed heartily. ¡°Well then. Provided your friend can untangle herself from you, perhaps you might ride with me and Prince Oberyn, and while we travel, I will regale you with the few stories I have regarding the Wild Wolf.¡± ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ More than half a moon later, the caravan of people that had left White Harbour finally reached Winterfell. Upon hearing we were travelling to Winterfell, Lord Wyman Manderly decided his granddaughters would travel with us. While he claimed it was to see if one or both might serve as a handmaiden for Sansa, I felt he was hoping to secure a betrothal with either Robb or Beron. Thus, Wylis and his wife decided to travel with us. And since Wylis wanted to ride with Oberyn, myself and the three knights of Dorne who¡¯d travelled on the other Martell ship and their squires, that meant Ty had to share a carriage with his wife and daughters. Still, I was glad that none of the knights were Daemon as the less I saw the young knight the better things were. The three knights who¡¯d come with us were from houses Vein, Casgar and Woods. The first two were minor houses sworn to House Martell and the last sworn to House Dayne. Somewhere in the party was Erac, who while not a knight had been serving as my guard ever since my time in Winterfell. While I¡¯d enjoyed riding with Oberyn, Wylis and the various knights and squires accompanying us, I missed Ty. She was riding and sleeping with the Manderly girls and their mother, Leona Woolfield, a daughter of a semi-minor house from the North near White Harbour. After having Ty in my bed every night for several weeks, suddenly going cold turkey from her was making me irritable. Something both Oberyn and Wylis had enjoyed commenting on. The only thing that made it tolerable was the rare moments when we stopped, and I could steal away Ty from the camp. We hadn¡¯t managed to get up to anything, mainly as Ty wasn¡¯t willing to fuck in the cold snow. Still, her promise that she wanted me to spend a day and night straight in her quarters once we reached Winterfell made me happier than I¡¯d expected to see the first hints of the great keep of the North as we came over the crest of a hill. Wintertown was all but deserted, which wasn¡¯t a surprise. Nor, as my horse walked through the gate of the outer wall of Winterfell, the small notice the Interface gave me. Magical Area Entered! Winterfell As the blood of the Starks is strong within your veins, while you are within the walls of Winterfell, all magic relating to the Starks gains a 5% boost in power, duration, and magic level growth. ¡­? I sent it away with a thought even as I realised that I could use the Godswood to further boost improvements with my skinchanging. I was currently at level 46 with Skinchanging and hoped to use the boosts in Winterfell to get that to 50 before we left. Those thoughts were pushed to the side as I passed through the inner wall and entered the main courtyard of Winterfell. The first thing that stood out was that the old tower, the same one Bran fell from in the canon timelines, was gone. I¡¯d have to ask about that as taking it down was an unexpected ripple, and I needed to understand why. On the steps of the Great Keep, I saw Ned, Catelyn, Benjen and Obara all standing. Ned¡¯s kids were there as well, including Alysanne though she was standing behind the trueborn children with Theon. I was looking forward to speaking with my cousins, and for the older ones, giving them gifts that Oberyn had arranged. Since he¡¯d not told me we were coming to the North until after Gulltown, I hadn¡¯t prepared anything for them, but Oberyn had. That explained why he¡¯d asked about Ned¡¯s children after the last round of letters I¡¯d gotten via merchants from Alysanne and Beron about a moon before we¡¯d left for the tourney in Gulltown. Those two wrote to me more than Robb who was, according to Alysanne¡¯s letters, spending more time with Ned to learn how to one day be Lord of Winterfell. Yet for all my joy at seeing my cousins again, my focus was on Obara. Not only was her belly enlarged, suggesting she was with child, but she was holding a small bundle close to her chest and trying desperately to not keep looking at it. I frowned as I realised the babe was both my cousin and my step-niece or nephew due to my relationship with the parents. That was confusing, much like the fact my aunt, Allyria Dayne was the same age as Ty and, from the comments that Ty had dropped, always got flustered when Ty, Arianne and Nymeria joked about me around her. Movement drew me from my thoughts, and I looked down to see a stable boy taking the reins of my horse. I slid off the horse, and after asking the boy to find a carrot for the horse, walked toward the Starks. Wylis and Oberyn were already there, a servant walking from them with a tray suggesting Guest Rights had been invoked. Instead of heading directly there, I moved toward the carriage carrying the ladies as it came to a stop. At the back of the carriage, inside a sealed chest, were the gifts Oberyn had arranged for my cousins, though those for Arya and Bran were as close to generic as you could get in Westeros as I knew next to nothing about them in this timeline. Leona emerged first and I offered her a hand. ¡°I see your time in Dorne hasn¡¯t removed your Northern manners.¡± ¡°Dorne isn¡¯t as relaxed about etiquette as many believe, Lady Leona,¡± I replied with a smile as I helped her from the carriage. Leona smiled back, and I repeated my actions with her daughters. As Ty came out, her eyes lit up as she saw me waiting. ¡°Gods, I want you,¡± she whispered as she pulled me close, slipping her arm around my waist. ¡°Later. For now, try to behave yourself.¡± I replied quietly before kissing her gently near her ear. When we pulled apart, I saw the Manderly ladies watching. Wynafryd¡¯s cheeks had reddened though she wasn¡¯t looking away, Wylla looked bored by everything while Leona was harder to read. Almost as if she wasn¡¯t happy about us being together while still accepting of it. ¡°Ladies,¡± I lowered my head and escorted them toward Ned, Oberyn and Wylis. ¡°I¡¯m sure you remember your nephew.¡± I didn¡¯t know how Oberyn knew I was approaching as his back was to me, but his timing was impeccable. As I¡¯d just taken a bite of the bread brought to invoke Guest Rights. Ned¡¯s eyes widened as I walked up the steps to where he and his family were gathered. ¡°Aye, it¡¯s good to see you again Cregan.¡± Catelyn had a smile on her face though her eyes had narrowed considerably when she¡¯d seen me approach with Ty on my arm. ¡°Lord Stark, Lady Stark.¡± I bowed as I greeted them. ¡°It is good to be back in Winterfell with my father¡¯s family.¡± I glanced over at Benjen and Obara, who seemed to glow as she gently rocked the bundle in her arms. ¡°Though I see it has grown in my absence.¡± At that, I looked over to Ned¡¯s children, seeing Bran and Arya there ¡°Aye, that it has.¡± Ned stepped forward and clasped his hands on my forearms. ¡°As have you it seems.¡± He said without having to look down on me like he had the last time I¡¯d been in Winterfell. ¡°Though if you keep growing like this, people will think your father was an Umber.¡± I chuckled at that even as he kept speaking. ¡°You look more and more like Brandon with each passing moon, though those eyes are clearly from your mother.¡± I lowered my head slightly. ¡°It gladdens me to hear that, uncle. I hope while we¡¯re here, I might hear more stories about my birth father.¡± I avoided making any comment about my eyes as I¡¯d rather not relive the changes brought on by Blood of the Dragon¡¯s Flames once more. At least not the physical ones that had resulted in me being bedridden for two days as my body underwent changes brought on by the perk. The more magical changes were impressive though. I¡¯d gained a 50% boost to levelling up my Fire Magic and the same drop in mana cost for what I could do with the magic, though it had made it far harder for me to use and improve Water Magic. Taking advantage of the silence between me and Ned, Wylis cut in. ¡°Lord Eddard, Lady Catelyn, may I introduce my wife, Leona, and our daughters, Wynafryd and Wylla.¡± It was a touch rude but, at the same time, Oberyn reintroducing me to my uncle had been out of order since, even though Oberyn was from a Great House, I was a bastard. Still, as the Starks moved to speak with the Manderlys, I shuffled over to my cousins. ¡°Cregan!¡± Beron called out excitedly as I came closer, then broke ranks to hug me. ¡°Hello, Beron.¡± I laughed as I returned the hug, though I could only pat his upper back due to the height difference. It¡¯d been hinted in the letters from him that he still held me in high regard, but this behaviour helped prove that was still the case. Though I did hope the slight case of hero-worship he¡¯d been developing had been tempered by time and distance. I looked at my other cousins. ¡°Robb, it¡¯s been some time since I¡¯ve seen you.¡± ¡°Aye, that it has,¡± Robb replied as I broke from Beron to hug the heir to Winterfell. ¡°Gods, you¡¯ve grown.¡± He added as we pulled apart. He didn¡¯t appear short, but with me having taken the Large trait at character creation, and having hit puberty early, I¡¯d shot up and now stood as tall as many men at barely thirteen and a half. ¡°Alysanne.¡± The hidden Targaryen hugged me back but stayed quiet. As we broke the hug her face had reddened slightly, and she avoided eye contact. While that was a little odd, I put it aside and looked at the younger Starks. ¡°Sansa, I see you¡¯re growing more and more like your mother each day.¡± She smiled but stayed quiet, behaving as a proper young Southron lady should. I repressed a sigh of annoyance at Catelyn filling her head with such stupid nonsense. I faced the two youngest and knelt, though I was still taller than both. ¡°And are you the little terrors I hear about in letters?¡± ¡°That¡¯s Arya and Bran.¡± Robb supplied after laughing. ¡°They¡¯ve been¡­¡± ¡°Is it true you killed a dozen Ironborn with your fists?¡± ¡°Arya!¡± I couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the behaviour of the Stark girls. Arya, while still young, already had that spark of rebelliousness. And Sansa, damn her mother, needed to tell her off instead of bonding with her. ¡°¡­ dying to meet you.¡± Robb finished with a rueful shake of his head as Alysanne covered her mouth and Theon rolled his eyes. ¡°Aye, I can see that,¡± I said to Robb before looking at Arya. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a dozen, and certainly not my bare fists. I was barely older than you at the time and, as you¡¯re likely aware, punching someone fully grown only hurts your hand.¡± I ruffled her hair, enjoying getting to do it to someone else that disliked it, and then looked up at Robb, Beron and Alysanne. ¡°Where have they been getting these wild stories from?¡± Alysanne, Robb and Theon ¨C rather surprisingly ¨C pointed at Beron, who had the sense to look away sheepishly. ¡°The truth isn¡¯t much milder,¡± Ty added as I felt her hand come to rest on my shoulder. With a gentle squeeze that is both loving and demanding of attention. ¡°After all, he did kill four of those scum and won the sword now at his waist.¡± As I stood, everyone¡¯s eyes were drawn to the sheath. I glared at Ty, promising her I¡¯d collect payment for her words later. Her smile made it clear she was looking forward to it, and so much more. I had to look away, lest I¡¯d try and take her here and now and cause a scene. To help me stay in control, I unsheathed Red Rain slightly, letting the sunlight catch the distinctive ripples that marked it as a Valyrian steel blade. ¡°While I¡¯m sure they¡¯d enjoy the story, perhaps it would be best if we continued inside.¡± I turned at Benjen¡¯s words to see he¡¯d come over. The others had all disappeared, likely heading into the Great Keep for a meal and warmth. ¡°While we¡¯re all fine with the weather, I do believe Lady Tyene isn¡¯t.¡± Ty smiled gratefully at Benjen as she slid her arm through mine. ¡°Unlike you wolves, I prefer the warmth of the Dornish sun on my skin.¡± The way she looked at me as she finished, and the smirk on her lips, had my mind wandering. If I wasn¡¯t careful, we¡¯d not even make it to the Great Hall before one of us pulled the other into a hidden alcove. Not that either of us would complain. ¡­ ¡­ Northern Bound Northward Bound ... (circa 295AC)
¡°Good morning,¡± I said, trying not to sound too cheerful as I walked into the Great Hall of Winterfell with Ty on my arm, having enjoyed my morning so far. It was the morning after we¡¯d arrived, and given the amount of drinking last night, very few people were up, with the main ones being the older Stark and Manderly children. All of them were grouped around one table closest to the head table. ¡°Not so loud,¡± Robb groaned as he barely lifted his head from the table even as Wynafryd gently patted his back. I chuckled at his reaction as I helped Ty onto the bench next to Alysanne. Though my amusement fell as I saw Theon eying Ty. Last night, Theon had tried to get us all drunk, but Ty had already promised me fun once we retired so there was no way I played along. As he and Robb got progressively drunker ¨C with Robb struggling more since it seemed Ned, or more likely Catelyn, didn¡¯t allow him to drink regularly ¨C Theon began to boast to Ty. Ty had batted it off while keeping a hand on my leg to prevent me from beating the older, but smaller and less imposing boy into a bloody mess. Once Ty had gotten me back to our room, she¡¯d proved remarkably skilled at finding ways to soothe the wolf within. ¡°You¡¯re complaining about being loud now?¡± Theon smirked as he kept staring at Ty even as I placed a hand on her shoulder. ¡°When I passed last night, it sounded like a ghost was haunting the halls.¡± His eyes drifted over Ty¡¯s chest which angered me. I leaned down and kissed her on the cheek before glaring at the dumb shit. That made his attention shift elsewhere, which made me smirk. ¡°Huh?¡± Robb mumbled and as I looked at him it was clear he was badly hungover and likely didn¡¯t remember much of last night. Though Alysanne was blushing up a storm and doing her best to not look me in the eyes, possibly as she was perturbed by Theon¡¯s remark. Wynafryd kept her focus on Robb, confirming to me my thoughts about why Lord Wyman sent his granddaughters to Winterfell. Wylla was seated next to Beron with the pair struggling not to laugh at his brother¡¯s predicament. ¡°Never mind, Robb,¡± Theon said as he returned his attention to his friend. And away from my girl. Ty patted my hand, and I looked down at her. ¡°Aren¡¯t you forgetting something?¡± It took me a few seconds to process what she meant. ¡°Right.¡± I looked over at the others. ¡°Back in a tick.¡± The Starks and Manderlys all looked at me in confusion though none managed to say anything before I¡¯d slipped away. The wing of the Great Keep where Ned had placed us wasn¡¯t too far from the Great Hall, and I reached it after a few minutes of jogging. I slowed as I approached, not wanting to wake those who were still sleeping, nor risk the guards causing a ruckus as I entered the area housing the Dornish party. After nodding at the two guards outside the door, I slipped into Oberyn¡¯s room and moved quickly over to the chest he¡¯d placed the gifts for the older Stark children in. ¡°Have you grown tired of my daughter already?¡± I turned at the question to see Oberyn stepping out of what I assumed was his bedroom, a cloth in his hands as he dried his face. ¡°Or have you perhaps considered sharing my bed?¡± He¡¯d jested about this with me several times since I¡¯d started sleeping with Ty, and while it was flattering, I simply didn¡¯t swing that way. ¡°Gifts,¡± I replied, ignoring the fact he was naked from the waist up. ¡°Ah. Well, carry on then, though perhaps tonight you may want to find a way to quiet Tyene. While the walls of Winterfell are thick, any walking past your room had an earful last night.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± I replied weakly. Having the father of the girl I was fucking joke about how loud she was in bed was, well, odd. And how relaxed Oberyn was with the fact I was fucking Ty was still something I was growing used to. I lifted the chest, finding it nowhere near as heavy as I¡¯d feared, and left the room quickly. The trip back to the Great Hall took about three times as long, mainly as it seemed the Keep was slowly waking, and people were moving around in the corridors. By the time I returned to the Great Hall, I discovered that Ned and Sansa had arrived with my uncle looking a little under the weather. Wylis was seated next to him, looking so hungover a gentle breeze might knock him over, and he, along with everyone else, watched me intently as I moved to the table with those my own age carrying the chest. Ty smiled up at me before I unlocked the chest. ¡°So, while I¡¯m glad to be back here, I honestly didn¡¯t know we¡¯d be here until after we left Gulltown, less than a moon ago. Thankfully, my father knew we were coming, and asked me before we left Sunspear about what you all like.¡± I paused as I lifted the lid of the chest. ¡°Well, not you Theon,¡± I added, which drew some laughter with Beron being the loudest. Theon threw a lazy swing at the younger Stark boy, missing badly as Beron ducked it with ease. ¡°However, if you¡¯d like, I can hand-deliver a letter to your sister.¡± If Theon had been feeling resentful about not getting a gift, my offer ended that. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯d like that, thank you.¡± I gave him a nod and left it there. He¡¯d have time to decide what he¡¯d want to say, but I knew it wasn¡¯t going to be easy. From what I knew from Nymeria, who¡¯d grown close to Asha, the Greyjoy girl hadn¡¯t spoken to any member of her family since being made a hostage by King Robert. On top of the gifts was a small note from Oberyn detailing what was for whom, which was a relief as I¡¯d hate to give the wrong gift to someone. Yet as I quickly read the note, I realised that wouldn¡¯t have happened as each gift was personalised. I could see Alysanne leaning forward, wanting to see what was inside, and while I¡¯d have liked to give her the first gift, custom dictated that honour went to Robb. I pulled a cloth-covered gift from the chest and placed it on the table near his plate. Though far enough that he¡¯d not vomit on it if he failed in getting a hold of his hangover. Robb leaned forward and pulled back the covering to reveal a sheathed dagger. The hilt was much like mine, being carved from ebony with a bronzed wolf pommel. ¡°Gods, thank you.¡± I smiled and pulled my blade from my waist, placing it on the table near his. ¡°You should thank my father. He had mine made when I was five, though now it means every time we use the blade, we¡¯ll remember our cousin.¡± He smiled and picked up his dagger, looking at the intricate detail of the wolf¡¯s head. ¡°Still, I¡¯m grateful.¡± Behind him, at the head table, I saw Ned smile at us even as Catelyn walked in, young Arya and Bran with her. ¡°Beron, you¡¯ve spoken of how much you¡¯d love to see the Windchaser, and enjoy tales of adventure, so this should keep you happy,¡± I said to the ripple-caused Stark as I pulled a book from the chest. As I did, I noticed the younger Starks had spotted our gathering and were speaking with their mother. ¡°Oh,¡± Beron sounded disappointed when he saw it was a book, only to brighten up as he read the title. ¡°OH! It¡¯s about the Sea Snake!¡± I chuckled at his reaction, and so did others as he reached for The Nine Voyages; a book written by Maester Mathis detailing Corlys Velaryon¡¯s voyages before he became Lord of Driftmark and the role he played as a central figure in the Dance of Dragons. Beron reached for the book, only for Alysanne to slap his hand. ¡°You¡¯re not touching that until after you¡¯ve finished your meal and washed. I don¡¯t think Cregan or Prince Oberyn would appreciate you getting stains all over their gift the first time you touch it.¡± Beron pulled his hand back sheepishly. ¡°Aye, you¡¯re right.¡± I laughed along with everyone even as Arya and Bran got a nod from Ned and moved toward our table. I saw Catelyn watching us intently, but her focus seemed to be more on Alysanne than me, meaning she probably wasn¡¯t happy about the girl slapping her son¡¯s hand. Hopefully, her behaviour toward Alysanne hadn¡¯t worsened in my time away, though there was little I could do about it, Alysanne was no threat to Robb¡¯s position as heir. Unlike, say, myself. Not that I wanted the title as even if it¡¯d give me more power than I had now, I¡¯d be forced to stay in one place and deal with more political bullshit than I¡¯d like as I slowly prepped for what was to come. Alysanne returned her focus to me, staring pointedly at my hands as I reached into the chest once more. She did not make eye contact, though. She was clearly interested in what I¡¯d gotten for her, but it seemed her unease about what Ty and I had been up to last night was overriding her curiosity. Of course, it could be just because of what Ty had mentioned this morn. Alysanne was at that age when boys started to look attractive, so she might be getting lost in my eyes, which Ty often claimed to do. Or like Arianne, might be distracted by the scar over my left eye. While I wasn¡¯t sure what was the reason for Alysanne¡¯s reluctance to look at me, events in Gulltown gave strength to Ty¡¯s words. Once any dislike for me winning the squire¡¯s tourney had passed ¨C and even before then ¨C more than a few maidens had looked me over and given Ty an evil eye for getting to me first. ¡°Sansa,¡± I began as I pulled out her gift and shifted my thoughts away from my secret Targaryen cousin. ¡°From what Alysanne and Beron have told me, you have a lovely singing voice and have started learning, alongside Alysanne, an instrument. Thus, I hope this is to your liking.¡± Her gift wasn¡¯t the biggest by length ¨C that honour went to Alysanne¡¯s ¨C but it was the heaviest. As I pulled back the cloth to reveal the small, but highly detailed harp, the red-haired girl gasped sharply. The wood had a reddish hue while the gentle smell of roses drifted over the table. At the crown, a very detailed wolf¡¯s head had been carved, while down the pillar there were soft carvings of roses. All of which looked to have been inlaid with silver. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± Sansa said in a breathless whisper. She reached for it, only to stop and wipe her hand on a cloth. While she¡¯d not eaten yet, it was amusing to see her show more sense than Beron. Theon, witnessing this, gently elbowed the younger Stark boy in the ribs. Sansa¡¯s fingers drifted slowly over the inlaid wolf¡¯s head before she looked at me and smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡± While still young, it was clear she was taking after her mother, which was a good thing. I might not like Catelyn much, a feeling I suspected was mutual, but there was no denying she was beautiful. One day, Sansa would rival her mother in looks. I leaned over my lover and gently kissed the crown of her head. She looked up at me as I pulled back, and while there was some confusion in her eyes about why I¡¯d kissed her, her smile showed none of that and instead stirred my blood. I looked back at the rest of the table. Sansa¡¯s cheeks had reddened slightly as she stared at me, while Beron was staring intently at his book. Theon was avoiding looking toward me, showing a touch of class while Robb was fighting to keep his head from falling into his bowl. The Manderly girls were smiling slightly while the youngest Starks were making faces. Yet for all that, my attention easily slid back to Alysanne. The girl was looking away, and her face had turned redder still. That did add some weight to Ty¡¯s thoughts on the matter, though I hoped it wouldn¡¯t affect my friendship with Alysanne. Even if she wasn¡¯t going to join the Night¡¯s Watch, I knew she had an important role to play in events to come. ¡°Alysanne,¡± I spoke softly, as I pulled the last gift from the chest, ¡°I know a harp for you would¡¯ve worked just as well as it did for Sansa. However, my good-father feels, and I agree, that a woman should have the choice to be more than just a lady.¡± A gasp escaped Alysanne¡¯s mouth as I pulled back the cover from her gift to reveal a very intricately-crafted short bow. It was made of a pale, almost white, wood that reminded me of a weirwood with each tip, similar to the crown of Sansa¡¯s harp, having a stylised wolf¡¯s head carved into it. There was, however, no silver inlay and to me that made sense. A harp was an object for a court, a bow for a hunt. Trembling fingers slowly reached for the gift, making the string vibrate as they touched it. A smile erupted on Alysanne¡¯s face as her fingers reached the first wolf¡¯s head. Later I¡¯d have to thank my father and ask to meet the carvers who made the engravings to reward them for their work. Alysanne looked up at me, tears gathering at the corner of her eyes. ¡°Thank you.¡± Her voice was even softer than Sansa¡¯s had been. I smiled at her even as she stood, and then moved around the table. Once she was close enough, she wrapped her arms around my waist and pressed her head against my lower chest. ¡°Thank you.¡± She whispered once more as I gently patted her back. Up at the head table, I saw Ned and Catelyn both watching me intently. Ned seemed happy, though his smile didn¡¯t reach his eyes, and there was a slight crease on Catelyn¡¯s brow. Almost as if she wasn¡¯t happy to see two Stark bastards sharing a moment. ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± I said to Alysanne as she pulled back and looked up at me. Her cheeks now matched Sansa¡¯s hair, which made my smile grow further. She looked up at me and leaned forward only to stop. Before I could wonder why she hesitated, she turned back to the bow. With care that verged almost on reverence, she picked it up and moved back to her seat. As I sat down, Ty placed a hand on my leg. Not high enough to suggest anything, but enough to get my attention. As I turned to the blonde, she smiled widely before glancing towards Alysanne. I followed her gaze which only made her smile grow, making it clear she found something in our little interaction that amused her. And I was sure she¡¯d use it to tease me. I looked over at the youngest Starks: Arya, and Bran. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say my father failed to arrange any gifts for you,¡± their faces dropped even as I kept going, ¡°however, I¡¯ll make it up to you. Not now, but perhaps later I could read you a story, or even let you pet Rian?¡± Both seemed pleased with the offer, though the way Arya had eyed Red Rain last night, I suspected she¡¯d want a chance to at least hold it. I¡¯d allow that, provided Ned signed off on it. If Catelyn didn¡¯t like it, she could get angry at her husband or stew in anger for all I cared. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°Come on.¡± Alysanne moved down the steps in the crypt with such ease that it was clear she¡¯d still been coming down here regularly in my time away. While it made sense, I hoped Ty didn¡¯t tease me too badly about heading down here with my cousin. It¡¯d been a few days since we¡¯d arrived in Winterfell, and ever since the gift-giving, Ty had enjoyed teasing me about Alysanne¡¯s obvious infatuation towards me. Though while I¡¯d had to endure the teasing, Ty hadn''t once teased Alysanne as far as I knew. Instead, the pair had spent lots of time together when I was busy either training, speaking with Ned or Oberyn or seeing what new books I could find in Maester Luwin¡¯s library. The initial bonding between Ty and Alysanne had occurred while cooing over Torrhen Stark, though Benjen and Obara had left a day ago to return to Moat Cailin. While that was the seat I¡¯d expected Ned would give to his brother, learning that he¡¯d pulled down the Broken Tower and had the stones and bricks carted away, to help with the reconstruction, had been a shock. It might seem a minor thing, but that tower was where so much of the animosity between the Starks and Lannisters was birthed that it could have major implications for the future. Then again, the same was true of Moat Cailin being rebuilt. According to Benjen, they¡¯d already cleaned and repaired the surviving three towers and rebuilt a small keep inside the inner walls. Those walls, along with two other towers, were currently being worked on and if I understood the timeframe Benjen was hinting at, would be completed before Jon Arryn died, which was a massive shift. Ignoring how it would help if the Ironborn still invaded the North, having the Moat as a fallback, should Winterfell fall to the Others, could be critically important. Still, thoughts about the future left my mind quickly as Alysanne headed down past the second level. I took a glance around that level, wondering if my namesake would approve of what I was doing to prepare, or if he¡¯d feel I was moving too cautiously. When I¡¯d first read about Cregan Stark, I¡¯d felt he¡¯d been a cruel man, yet the more I learnt about him and Northmen not raised in the Vale, the more I felt he¡¯d acted as I would¡¯ve if I was raised in the North, even sending men south to fight in the Dance, simply to save having to feed them during winter. ¡°Where are we going?¡± The words slipped from my mouth as we passed the third level. everything below here was in ruins, and I remembered the warning from Ned back when I¡¯d fostered in Winterfell to not go any lower than the third level nor come into the crypts without an escort. It seemed Alysanne had long since decided to ignore those words, as had I. Erac, my ever-present watcher, had been diverted with an errand by Ty who was waiting near the entrance of the crypts acting as a lookout and diversion while Alysanne took me to wherever we were going. Of course, Ty couldn¡¯t ignore the chance to tease me about heading into the crypts with my cousin. A warning to not make the girl¡¯s first time happen in a cold and damp cave was passed with a smirk which evolved into a soft laugh as I tried to protest. Ty had teased me like that since the gift-giving, though things between me and Alysanne had recovered to what I¡¯d expected quickly enough. Mainly as Alysanne dragged me to the archery range at least twice a day to practise with her new bow. Each time, Theon had either already been there or joined in soon after. When it came to accuracy with a bow I was better than Robb and Beron, though Alysanne was as far beyond me as I was Robb, yet she was still miles behind Theon. Theon had eyed Alysanne a lot that first session, and I¡¯d come close to feeling my Wolf¡¯s Blood flare ¨C though it was also being further fuelled by Blood of the Dragon¡¯s Flames as well ¨C at his behaviour. However, by the end of that first session, it¡¯d become clear his interest was her bow and not her personally, at least not massively. Theon had teased me about how bad I was with a bow, at least compared to him, but that ended in the yard. He might be a few years older than me, but I still spanked him in nine spars out of ten. And then there was his face as I trained with Red Rain. However, while I loved having a Valyrian steel blade, the style of Red Rain just didn¡¯t suit me. Oh, I could use it easily enough, but it was a short blade, more suited for hack and slash and being paired with a shield. My preference blade-wise was a longer blade with a hand and a half hilt, it was more versatile, allowing for both one-handed and two-handed techniques. It also allowed for adding in certain moves I had learned from Syrio, or, once I reached the point I could do so, use magic with my free hand. Thus, either I was going to have to adapt my style, or, if possible, find someone to reforge the blade for me. ¡°Almost there,¡± Alysanne said as we moved off the stairs to the fifth level. Though since the stairs to the sixth level were blocked by rubble, I wondered if she¡¯d found another way down to the lowest levels. That idea was dismissed as she slipped off the main tunnel on the fifth level and then slid between two fallen statues. I paused as she did as the gap that she¡¯d taken looked tight as fuck for me. ¡°Slow down. I¡¯m not as small and agile as you.¡± I grunted as I squeezed through the gap, feeling part of my tunic rip on some stone. In the light of her torch, Alysanne laughed, making the sound echo eerily down the otherwise empty tunnels. ¡°Right. I¡¯d forgotten you¡¯d grown big, strong, and slow.¡± I managed to slip through the gap and stood, frowning at seeing the tear on my shirt near my waist. ¡°Keep it up and I¡¯ll put you over my knee and show you how big and strong I am.¡± The words slipped from me as I wondered about the tear and how to hide it, though once they had I stopped. I¡¯d grown so used to dealing with Arianne and the Sand Snakes (and others) teasing me that, without thinking, I¡¯d responded to Alysanne¡¯s tease with something more mature than I should¡¯ve. I kept my torch low, making sure it didn¡¯t show my face and the heat I felt building in my cheeks as I remembered Ty¡¯s teasing just before we¡¯d entered the crypts. Alysanne¡¯s torch was higher up, meaning I saw the way her eyes first widened, and then wandered over my frame. However, before I could apologise, she turned and moved off. Not wanting to get lost down here, I followed along quickly, trying to ignore the awkward air that¡¯d settled over us. ¡°This way.¡± Her tone was short, all the amusement from a few moments ago now gone. As I followed her torch-lit path down the tunnel, I cursed myself internally for not being more careful with my words. Eventually, we headed down another side tunnel and stopped at another statue of a former King of the North. Or at least another King of Winter as, given how deep we were in, it was possible that these lords of Winterfell hadn¡¯t managed to rule the entire North. Alysanne placed her torch in the empty hand of the statue, the iron sword he¡¯d likely have been buried with having long since rusted away. She knelt and then started pulling something out from the side of the statue. For a moment I was worried she was removing the lid of the tomb behind the statue, but those fears were allayed when a small crate, no longer than my arm, slipped into the light. Given its condition, and that of the blanket over the top, Alysanne likely brought it down here herself to store whatever was inside. ¡°You remember how I said in my letters that we kept exploring,¡± Alysanne suddenly asked, drawing my attention from the crate. I nodded as I remembered her saying Robb had stopped due to needing to spend time with his father to learn the ropes of ruling, though Beron had stepped in to help Alysanne. ¡°We found more as we explored. Most of it wasn¡¯t worth the effort, and Beron stopped coming down.¡± Her hand drifted to the cloth as she spoke. ¡°Beron stopped coming after that, but I didn¡¯t. I felt¡­ there was something down here. Something important. And, well, I found some things. Things I¡¯ve kept hidden from everyone else.¡± It was clear whatever was inside the crate was important to Alysanne; important enough she¡¯d brought me down here to see it. As she pulled the covering back, a few ideas popped into my mind about what could be inside, however as the light from the torches glinted off something in the crate, I gasped. ¡°Fuck me!¡± There were a few objects inside near the bottom, most looking to be made of bronze and if the light from the torches was hitting them clearly, they were covered in runes. However, it was the largest object in the crate and the one that seemed to glow under the fire from the torches that¡¯d drawn the curse from me. ¡°Is that a¡­¡± Alysanne nodded as the words caught on my tongue, and with incredible care, she placed her hands into the crate and lifted out an honest to Gods dragon egg. ¡°At least I think it is,¡± she muttered as the light caught more of the shell. As I¡¯d have expected, it was covered in what looked like scales, which were a brilliantly polished silver in colour. The tips of each scale were blue, like sapphires that sparkled under the light of the torches. ¡°Here.¡± She held it out toward me. My hand moved for the egg, then stopped. It took me a moment to find somewhere to rest my torch, but once it was secure, I picked up the egg carefully with both hands. Even though the scales looked sharp, they didn¡¯t cut my skin. ¡°It¡¯s warm,¡± I muttered as I struggled to keep my eyes from the scales as they glistened in the light. A split-second later I remembered that only Dany had felt warmth from her eggs before she¡¯d hatched them. Like many fans, I¡¯d suspected that was because she was a Targaryen and with me having taken Blood of the Dragon¡¯s Flames, it made sense that I¡¯d be able to feel that as well. Maybe Alys... ¡°You can feel it too?¡± my eyes rushed to my cousin as she cut off the thoughts developing in my mind. ¡°I thought¡­¡± She stopped and looked down at the egg. ¡°What?¡± I asked slowly, trying to draw things out to allow me time to think. I¡¯d thought about whether I should reveal the truth of her parentage, or at least hint at it, but at no point had I considered her thinking that way herself. Or having a dragon egg enter the picture. She¡¯d never once hinted in her letters that she was questioning her origins, but that didn¡¯t mean she hadn¡¯t grown curious, particularly after discovering this egg. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°I, uh,¡± Alysanne kept looking at the egg as she spoke. ¡°I read somewhere that only those with the blood of the dragon could feel the heat from a dragon¡¯s egg.¡± I was glad she wasn¡¯t looking at me as my mind was going a mile a minute sorting out which way to head with this conversation. ¡°I,¡± she licked her lips, ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering about my mother. May¡­ maybe she was a Targaryen.¡± As one hand idly ran over the scaled egg, feeling a slight connection to what may be within, I took a moment to consider my thoughts. ¡°I¡¯d say that¡¯s unlikely.¡± Alysanne¡¯s gaze returned to me as I spoke. ¡°The only female Targaryen at the time we were born was Queen Rhaella. Now, she did give birth to a daughter, Daenerys, on Dragonstone at the end of Robert¡¯s Rebellion, but I¡¯m certain she was born after you.¡± ¡°How can you be sure?¡± The fear and confusion were easy to hear in her voice, doubly so as there was little to distract me from watching her in the depths of the crypt. ¡°Because I remember meeting you in Starfall.¡± Her eyes widened with disbelief, which made sense since we¡¯d both been babes at the time. ¡°Or I mean, I asked my mother about you, and she mentioned that your father brought you to Starfall when he returned Dawn.¡± Alysanne leaned forward, making clear she wanted to hear more, which made me glad I had spoken to my mother and wasn¡¯t just bullshitting. ¡°She told me that you were brought by Howland Reed when they arrived and that we spent some time in the same crib. Not that I remember it.¡± Now, while my mother had told me all this, I knew what she was holding back, though if not for Emotionless Recall, I wouldn¡¯t have realised. That had me suspecting that she¡¯d kept that secret even from Oberyn. ¡°Oh. I, I thought that¡­ because I could,¡± her words trailed off as one hand came to rest beside mine on the egg. Feeling a need to help reassure her, my hand slid over the egg. ¡°Hey,¡± she flinched slightly as our fingers touched, but didn¡¯t pull back as my hand moved on top of hers. ¡°I understand why you¡¯d want to know. Until my mother told me who my father was, I was unsure of who I was.¡± Her eyes drifted up from the egg to meet mine, and I offered her a soft smile. There was an urge to, if not reveal the truth, then push her in that direction. However, I curtailed that as I felt she had to make that step without a push from me. Plus, a single misplaced word and Robert might order her execution for being Rhaegar¡¯s bastard. ¡°Per-perhaps you¡¯re special in another way.¡± The words slipped from my mouth before I could stop them and if it wouldn¡¯t have worried her, I¡¯d have slapped myself for the mistake. ¡°Huh?¡± I¡¯d hoped she¡¯d not catch my words, but it seemed my luck wasn¡¯t holding today. My mind raced for a way to cover my slip. An idea sprung to the front of my mind, and while it wasn¡¯t a great idea, it was better than the truth. And all I could think of in such a short time. My hand lifted from hers and turned so my palm was topside. ¡°Ah!¡± the cry of fear slipped from her lips, and she scurried back as a small ball of flame sparked to life about five centimetres above my palm. For a second, seeing the terror in her eyes, I feared she¡¯d turn and run, which might risk the reveal of my magic. However, before I could think about how to fix this mistake, she regained control of herself and leaned closer. One hand came forward cautiously, moving toward the fireball above my palm. ¡°How?¡± Seeing that she wasn¡¯t going to run and place me in a shitstorm of my own making, I concentrated and the ball turned into a dragon. ¡°Magic,¡± I smirked at saying that, as it never got old revealing that. So far, I¡¯d only done it with Arianne, Nymeria, Ty and Sarella, but their faces had all mirrored Alysanne¡¯s in a mix of confusion, disbelief, and curiosity. ¡°I think this is why I feel the heat from your egg,¡± calling it hers should help her feel better as I had no plans to take it. While birthing a dragon would be fucking awesome, this was her egg. ¡°Perhaps the reason you can feel the heat is the same.¡± So far no one had managed to manipulate fire beyond me, but given the four others I¡¯d helped were daughters, both true and natural born, of House Martell, that made sense. Even for Nymeria, whose mother was of Valyrian descent. I only had a very small sample to use, but the fact that all ¨C bar Nymeria who still hadn¡¯t unlocked any magic ¨C could use the magic of the Rhoynish had me wondering if a father¡¯s magic was inherently stronger than a mother''s. If that was true, then Alysanne should be able to manipulate the flames. Hopefully, if she could, she¡¯d be less worried about her parentage. Though the opposite could also be true. She would one day learn the truth ¨C I¡¯d already promised myself to tell her if Ned died before she knew ¨C but I didn¡¯t want that to happen anytime soon. As Alysanne continued to watch the fire dragon, with a small squeal of delight escaping her lips as I made it take off and fly around us, my mind started sorting out the mess I¡¯d just made of things. Now I had to, somehow, help Alysanne at least begin the journey of unlocking her magic. I¡¯d also have to explain things to Ty, who was going to be pissed that I¡¯d let slip what I could do. Even if I trusted Alysanne, Ty would be freaking out that I¡¯d take an unnecessary risk, which was true. That said, there was no way I was revealing the dragon egg to Ty. That was Alysanne¡¯s secret, not mine. And of course, with a little more time to consider things, I saw a dozen better options for redirecting Alysanne¡¯s confusion over heritage that didn¡¯t involve revealing my magic. Hindsight, it seemed, was just as big a bitch on Planetos as it was on Earth. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ About a week after arriving in Winterfell, Oberyn had informed me that we¡¯d soon be heading out. Though, as I¡¯d hoped ¨C and I¡¯m not afraid to say, begged for ¨C we¡¯d be heading north first. While clearing the objective The Far North felt important, I wanted to see the Wall at least once before the chaos of what was to come took away the time to enjoy the sight of one of the wonders of the world as defined by Lomas Longstrider. Or another one as I¡¯d already seen the Titan of Braavos. While I was excited to see The Wall, Ty wouldn¡¯t be coming with me. Apart from me not wanting her anywhere near the scum that made up most of the Watch now, she wasn¡¯t a fan of the cold. Winterfell was fine, as it was heated by natural hot springs, but even when lying with me under the covers, she kept wishing we were back in the warmth of Dorne. Which might also be because of her hints of what she wanted to do with me and Arianne. And possibly her sisters. Regarding Ty, to say she¡¯d been less than happy about my reveal to Alysanne, would be an understatement. Neither Alysanne nor I had mentioned the dragon¡¯s egg, having come up with a story as to why I¡¯d revealed my magic to her in the crypts, one we¡¯d backed up by bringing out a bronze dagger covered in First Men runes. Ned had learnt of the dagger, and after some concern about Alysanne still going into the crypts, he¡¯d allowed her to keep it and she wore it as much as she could; only taking it off when having lessons with Septa Mordane ¨C which she hated ¨C or with Catelyn around, which Alysanne seemed to enjoy. Ty had been angry with me publicly about my reveal, though she¡¯d never mentioned what I¡¯d done to anyone else. Thankfully, I was skilled at easing and redirecting that anger privately, and after a day of ¡®persuasion¡¯, Ty had agreed to help Alysanne. While she couldn¡¯t manipulate fire, she was the only person my cousin could talk to about the subject. Ty had brought up with Alysanne that I felt Nymeria might be able to control flames given to her mother being from Volantis. While that was a logical thing to mention, even if Nymeria hadn¡¯t managed to unlock any magic, I was concerned it would draw Alysanne¡¯s thoughts back to her mother. Or, Gods forbid, to question if Ned was truly her father. However, without letting on to Ty that I knew the truth ¨C which I wasn¡¯t doing as if she knew, it was only a matter of time before the rest of our family did ¨C there was little I could do to stop those wheels from turning. Hopefully, while I was at the Wall, Ty could help Alysanne keep her secret and keep my cousin from doing anything stupid like revealing I could use magic. While I felt Ned would accept things reluctantly, I could already see the shitstorm his Seven-loving wife would kick up. Thankfully, any further thoughts about the red trout left my mind as my father walked into my room; where he¡¯d asked me to meet him about an hour ago. While I wasn¡¯t happy about having to wait so long, Rian didn¡¯t mind as I¡¯d been idly tossing him scraps of meat as he cleaned himself while resting on a chair. Ty and Alysanne were currently off with Sansa and the Manderly girls in a lesson on how a noble lady should behave, which always made me chuckle. While she might come off like an innocent little flower, or even a Septa, she was far from it. Out of all Oberyn¡¯s daughters, Ty might be the most dangerous as she looked the least threatening but had inherited the love of poisons from Oberyn and a knack for making people like her. As she¡¯d done with Sansa, much to Catelyn¡¯s ire. ¡°Forgive me, but my talks with your uncle took longer than we expected.¡± He walked toward the table I was at and offered a goblet of wine. ¡°There¡¯s something I wished to speak with you about before we left for the Wall.¡± The friendly smile on his face fell after taking a mouthful of the wine. ¡°Ugh. Remind me to send your uncle a casket or two of Dornish red. This Arbor piss isn¡¯t much better than water.¡± I laughed softly at that before sipping at my cup. While Arbor gold didn¡¯t have the same kick to it, nor the slight burning as it slipped down my throat. ¡°What is it you wish to speak of, father?¡± Oberyn sat opposite me, gave his goblet another look of disgust before setting it down and then glanced at Rian. The bird ignored him, its eyes closed as it enjoyed the sunlight coming in through the open window. Through the bond I shared, I could tell he¡¯d soon be heading out to hunt. Hopefully this time he didn¡¯t drop a rat on my table during a meal. ¡°I¡¯m curious if you know why we came to Winterfell. Beyond as a reward for the squire¡¯s tourney.¡± I coughed back a laugh. ¡°If that was your intent, then you¡¯d have mentioned it before the tourney, not after.¡± I leaned back in my chair, and after swirling it around, took another drink of the wine, making sure to overly savour the taste to piss off my father. ¡°That said, beyond letting me see my cousins, and letting you meet your first grandchild, that can¡¯t be the only reason.¡± ¡°Pray tell what you think.¡± ¡°When we were in White Harbour, you spoke with Lord Wyman and Ser Wylis about trade between our kingdoms, and ways to increase it. From that, I infer that you planned to head there at least. Likely under orders from Prince Doran.¡± I picked up a strip of dried meat and tossed it toward Rian. The bird came alive as it soared toward him and happily caught it. ¡°Both Dorne and the North are ignored, politely speaking, by the rest of Westeros. And that was even before Robert¡¯s war,¡± I chose the neutral term for it on the off chance that someone overheard us. ¡°Yet even with the distance between us, and the increased pirate issues in the Stepstones, the opportunities for trade with each other are there. For them, the rudimentary glass-making that exists in Dorne is cheaper than anything Myr would offer and more suited for their glass gardens. For us, I¡¯d say the ample supplies of wood, particularly Ironwood if a trade could be managed.¡± Oberyn chuckled as Rian gulped down the meat and then spread his wings, giving me a soft piping sound which I took as thanks for the treat. ¡°I hadn¡¯t realised you¡¯d started studying the trade in the Shadow City and beyond.¡± I shrugged. ¡°I haven¡¯t really, those two are just the obvious. Though I admit I¡¯m wondering how to invest my savings.¡± Currently, they stood near two thousand dragons, with the most recent part of that coming from a cut of Oberyn¡¯s winnings when he bet on me ¨C at insanely long odds I might add ¨C in the Gulltown squire¡¯s tourney. While that would be enough to live a semi-comfortable life, that wasn¡¯t what I planned to do. And not just because I knew what was coming. The simple life had never felt right with me, even before I¡¯d died and been reborn. I¡¯d considered inventing something new, but I¡¯d never learnt how things like the printing press were made. Oh, I remembered the details from my secondary school history books, but not how the devices worked. Plus, things like that and, say gunpower, would destroy the power structure in the world, and frankly since I wasn¡¯t at the bottom of society, I had little interest in breaking the wheel. Still, even things that might make sense, like crop rotation, were already used. While this world was less advanced than Earth, it wasn¡¯t backward. ¡°Somehow I don¡¯t see you settling down and having a quiet life.¡± We both laughed at that idea before Oberyn tapped his chin. ¡°Have you considered being a sellsword, or even founding a company? Not to brag, but I did do that.¡± ¡°Yes, you might¡¯ve mentioned that once or twice,¡± I retorted with a roll of my eyes. ¡°Oh yes,¡± he chuckled before continuing. ¡°Or perhaps, like Daemon, you swear your sword to someone.¡± I gripped my goblet tighter at the mention of Daemon. While him being Arianne¡¯s sworn shield was a good thing in the sense that I couldn¡¯t deny he was a good fighter, having him around her¡­ infuriated me. To the point that I was glad I was away from Sunspear for a while. I was still trying to get a handle on my increased anger and aggression since taking Blood of the Dragon and seeing that prick around Arianne, always being at her beck and call, just enraged me. I¡¯d come close on more than one occasion from trying to burn him alive as a primal anger raged within. Thankfully, Ty had given me an outlet for that fire, one we were both happy about. ¡°Those are certainly viable options, but they just don¡¯t feel right to me,¡± I replied to my father with a shake of my head. ¡°That, however, is a matter for another time. Returning to the topic, I¡¯ve just been thinking about how stronger links can be made between the two kingdoms and trade is the obvious answer. Though perhaps not the only one.¡± I paused and ran my finger around the rim of my goblet, drawing out the moment as if thinking it over. ¡°If not for Obara¡¯s marriage, I¡¯d suggest a wedding. Arranging another one between our houses seems unlikely, particularly due to the few options, so perhaps an offer to foster a Stark in Sunspear, much as I did with the Starks here in Winterfell.¡± Oberyn was silent for a while as if considering my words before he laughed and shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to guess a fostering.¡± I shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s just a guess,¡± I commented as I lifted my goblet. ¡°Aye, but it¡¯s right.¡± Oberyn¡¯s words came just as I took a sip, making me cough. That drew laughter from him, which grew louder when I glared at him after getting the cough under control. ¡°You did that on purpose,¡± I growled softly as I picked up a handkerchief and started wiping my mouth. ¡°But of course.¡± He laughed once more and then leaned forward. ¡°However you arrived at that idea, you struck the anvil cleanly. My brother asked me to speak with Lord Stark about the idea of fostering one of his children, preferably the heir but that was always unlikely.¡± He leaned back, his eyes narrowing. ¡°I suspect Doran will be interested in how you came upon that idea. Have your cyvasse sessions given you that great of an insight into my brother¡¯s logic?¡± I shrugged, and then once it was clear he was waiting for me to reply, I took another mouthful of wine. Though not before making sure he didn¡¯t say anything else as I did. After I had swallowed that, I replied. ¡°I don¡¯t feel it did. While Prince Doran is a very patient player,¡± Oberyn smirked at that, probably enjoying a private joke, ¡°and that may carry across into how he rules Dorne, I wouldn¡¯t say I know how his mind works. Only that, the idea I had makes sense, when considering Dorne¡¯s standing with the rest of the Seven Kingdoms.¡± The cyvasse sessions with Doran had begun a few moons after returning to Sunspear. The game was complicated, with a strategic element like chess, and while I enjoyed learning and playing it, I felt teaching me was only the overt motive of the prince. Since I was close to his daughter, whom he had plans for, and the fact I had links to the North and Dorne, he probably wanted to feel me out. Maybe even see how he could fit me into his plans. And he likely had a good read on me by now, but I was fine with that as I¡¯d not been entirely honest with him about my thoughts on things. Mainly as my main focus was always on the Others and the threat they posed. Still, given I¡¯d suspected his plan for me early on, it¡¯d allowed me to learn how to play the Great Game from one of the more powerful men in Westeros. It¡¯d become clear that one reason, aside from sounding me out, for teaching me was a sense of loneliness. With his wife having left because Quentyn was fostering with the Yronwoods, he only had his brother to spend time with. While I knew Oberyn could play cyvasse, he played recklessly and seemingly became bored with the game quickly. That, however, I felt was another ruse to hide how sharp my father¡¯s mind was. ¡°If your time with my brother didn¡¯t influence your suggestion, might I ask what did?¡± That question, and the calm way he asked it, was further proof that under the fire and passion he often showed, Oberyn was just as sharp mentally as his brother. They played the roles of the patient, almost lazy older brother, and reactive, temperamental younger brother so well, that if one didn¡¯t spend time around them daily you¡¯d struggle to spot the slight tells that there was more to them than just those personas. ¡°Nothing really,¡± I answered with a shrug. ¡°While I did wonder about why we were here, I hadn¡¯t given any thought to Prince Doran wanting to further the bonds between Dorne and the North. While a betrothal would be a strong bond, there already exists one through Obara. Creating another, probably with Sansa or Arya, would be a waste, politically speaking.¡± While a part of me felt odd to be discussing my cousins as objects, it was the way the world worked. Though females had less control in the matter than males. ¡°That left a fostering, and, while not a true Martell, I¡¯m still your son and fostered here, that would make sending Trystane here unlikely. Thus, the options are Beron and Bran as Robb is the heir, and possibly, too old to foster.¡± A short silence fell over the room before Oberyn laughed and shook his head. He considered taking a drink, only to remember what was in his cup. ¡°I¡¯ll be speaking with my brother about this, you understand?¡± I nodded. ¡°Good. Now, while you dismissed a betrothal, my brother did permit me to discuss the matter. Lord Eddard rejected it, probably for the very reasons you provided, as he isn¡¯t willing to discuss such matters for any of his children.¡± I smirked at that, knowing such information wouldn¡¯t go over well with Ser Wylis, or the other lords of the North once they learnt the Manderly girls were in Winterfell. ¡°With that put aside and increased trade agreements reached with the Starks and Manderlys, the idea of fostering was discussed.¡± Oberyn leaned back and smiled like the proverbial cat that caught the canary. ¡°Thus, until he is ten and five, Beron Stark will foster in Sunspear; leaving with us when we return.¡± ¡°Huh,¡± I muttered. I already knew someone was fostering, having hit the nail on the head a few minutes ago, but I didn¡¯t expect it to be Beron. Bran or even Arya felt more likely as it gave Ned time to convince Catelyn on the matter. That Ned was willing to allow his second son to foster in Sunspear, and for almost four years since my cousin was only eleven, so suddenly was a surprise. Perhaps Ned knew more about the Great Game than he let on. Though Catelyn was going to be apocalyptic for a long while, which made it a good thing Oberyn and I were leaving for the Wall tomorrow. ¡°Do you not approve?¡± As he asked that, Oberyn¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°I, uh, no. I mean,¡± I paused and took another sip of my wine, buying myself time to order my thoughts. ¡°It makes sense, I¡¯m just surprised at how easily my uncle agreed to the fostering, and that it¡¯s Beron and not, say, Bran or Arya.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Oberyn leaned forward as he continued. ¡°I admit I was the same, though my brother had hoped that Beron would be the choice. While a second son, he is close to the future Lord Stark and already looks up to his brother and cousin.¡± ¡°Aye, there¡¯s that.¡± I laughed once and shook my head. ¡°Though I suspect Ser Wylis won¡¯t be happy. His youngest has been spending a lot of time around Beron since we arrived.¡± Even as Oberyn laughed at my comment, my thoughts turned once more to Beron. Ever since learning of his birth, I wondered how his existence, like mine and Alysanne¡¯s, altered the timeline. He was a logical choice for Robb to name as his heir as King in the North, if the War of the Five Kings still happened, and was a replacement for Jon in that regard, and others. However, he was a wildcard, which meant having him foster for nearly four years in Sunspear was a great opportunity for me to, if not mould him, then learn what makes him tick and gain his loyalty for the chaos to come. ¡°Aye, that she has. Still, he could match either girl with young Robb.¡± Oberyn scoffed at his words. ¡°Though that would need the young wolf to remove his head from his arse and learn how the fuck to talk to a girl. I swear if not for his sisters and mother, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen him talk to any girl.¡± ¡°Wylla would eat him alive,¡± I offered with a smirk. That drew more laughter from Oberyn. ¡°Oh, she would. She¡¯s a feisty little thing. Reminds me of Nymeria, though thank the Gods my daughter never dyed her hair, even if Martell colours would work better than those of House Manderly.¡± I joined his laughter. Wylla¡¯s hair, probably intentionally, drew your attention to the girl, who was a Gods-damn firecracker. I almost wished she was younger to see the chaos she and Arya could get up together. Still, Wynafryd would be the better match for Robb. She was well-behaved, though not from what I¡¯d seen to the point of passivity, and there was a fire in her eyes that hinted at an intelligence she kept hidden. ¡°Gods, those girls would be good matches for the Stark boys, though I doubt Lord Eddard will allow both to marry his sons.¡± I nodded at that. The girls did seem a good fit for my cousins, but marrying both to the Starks would alienate the other houses of the North; at least if Ned then didn¡¯t betroth his other children to those houses. Which, if done, would be a massive change in the timeline and while I wasn¡¯t a fan of Sansa at the beginning of canon ¨C with most of that being her mother¡¯s fault ¨C no one deserved the shit she¡¯d gone through. My thoughts once more returned to Beron, or more specifically what Doran was up to, manoeuvring to foster the Stark boy in Sunspear. Obara being recognized as a Martell and then marrying Benjen, while seemingly approved of by King Robert and Jon Arryn, was something Doran had to allow. That would¡¯ve raised a lot of eyebrows in Westeros, with Beron¡¯s fostering even more so. If I was right about Doran wanting to marry Arianne to Viserys, then in the context of pulling the Starks from Robert¡¯s camp, or at the very least, making them less likely to jump to the king¡¯s aid, these moves made sense. But since I¡¯d never read the later books, and the show had fucking butchered Dorne, I had no external knowledge to work from. Only ideas that may not be true. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I looked forward from my horse and once more marvelled at the Wall. The massive structure, which had shifted from a glowing soft purple at sunrise to a dull grey now the Sun was overhead, didn¡¯t just dominate the view, but blocked out anything in front of us, as it had been doing since before we¡¯d even reached Mole¡¯s Town last night. Gods, we¡¯d been able to see it even from the towers of the Last Hearth when our party had stopped there for a few days. Back then, it¡¯d just looked like a thin line of white that stretched above the trees. But up close, with us fast approaching Castle Black, there was nothing you could do to avoid looking at the thing. Only marvel at the insane feat of magical engineering that¡¯d gone into making this. While the Titan of Braavos was impressive and something I¡¯d never forget seeing ¨C Emotionless Recall aside ¨C the Wall was on another level. At least in my mind. And that was before even considering the tingling I¡¯d been feeling for the last few days, which had been growing stronger the closer we got to the Wall. Hell, in Mole¡¯s Town last night it¡¯d been hard to sleep as I¡¯d felt a pull from both deep inside and somewhere north ¨C obviously the Wall ¨C to reach my destination. Mole¡¯s Town was one of the oddest places I¡¯d seen in either life. The place looked to be a small village when you approached with only a handful of large buildings. Yet once inside a building, you entered a series of tunnels that seemed to stretch down and outward in a way that reminded me of what a Dwarven city would feel like. Minus everything being covered in stone of course. ¡°Gods, it¡¯s just¡­¡± ¡°Aye, it¡¯s something, isn¡¯t it?¡± The words drew my attention, however reluctantly, from the Wall to the three people riding beside me. Robb was on my right and to his right were first Smalljon Umber, who¡¯d been the one to respond to Robb¡¯s comment, and his younger brother Howar. Behind Robb rode Rodrik Cassel, the Master-of-Arms at Winterfell, who was acting as Robb¡¯s guard since Ned had chosen not to accompany us on the journey. Every one of them, plus myself and the rest of the party, were wearing thick furs as it was bitterly cold this close to the Wall, which had me wondering just how harsh it was north of it, especially during winter. Behind Rodrik was a mix of Stark, Martell, and Umber guards with my father riding at the front of the procession with Greatjon Umber. I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at how the Martell guards looked to be frozen into their saddles, especially the three knights who¡¯d come with us from Winterfell. Yet for all the cold around me, I still felt warm. Not enough to forego furs, but enough that if we rode harder I¡¯d likely end up sweating some. At a guess, this was due to the mixing of Blood of the First Men with Blood of the Dragon¡¯s Flames to create a natural resistance to the cold while keeping myself warm internally. A few horse lengths in front of me, leading the procession, were Oberyn and Greatjon Umber. The pair had it seemed developed a good friendship during the Greyjoy Rebellion and were enjoying trying to outdo each other with stories of battle. Both on the field and in a bed. While I¡¯d rather not hear some of Oberyn¡¯s boasts about my mother, I let it slide as he was enjoying himself. Plus, I¡¯d already bedded one of his daughters with possibly two more as well as his niece interested in joining me between the sheets. ¡°When¡¯d you first come here?¡± Robb asked the two Umbers, drawing my attention to the pair. Smalljon ¨C which was the most inaccurate moniker I could think of ¨C was the Greatjon¡¯s heir, and though he still had a few more years to go, he was almost the size of his massive father. Meaning he dwarfed me, and I was the height of a fully grown man at thirteen! Howar was the same age as me though he was taller, but not to the degree of his brother and father as I didn¡¯t have to crank my neck to look up at him. And thankfully, unlike his brother, he wasn¡¯t a demon to fight. When we¡¯d stayed at Last Hearth, Robb and I had ended up sparring with the Greatjon¡¯s three sons. While Robb had held his own against the youngest, who was younger than us, he¡¯d been trounced by Howar and Smalljon. I¡¯d done better, managing to land more strikes than I took against Howar, which pleased the Umbers immensely, much to my surprise. Against Smalljon however, I¡¯d been out of my depth. While I had an apparent skill advantage ¨C something Oberyn was proud to boast of since I was a good three years younger than Smalljon ¨C he made up for that in size, power and surprising speed. I was faster, but Smalljon moved far better than one would expect from someone his size and build. And when he hit, even a glancing blow against my shield drove me back several paces. I had managed to land a few good strikes on Smalljon, but he¡¯d laughed them all off. Well, except for the blow that¡¯d caught his groin. Thankfully we were using training swords ¨C while the Greatjon wanted to see me fight his sons he didn¡¯t want to lose them to an inadvertent swing of Red Rain ¨C I¡¯d not been pulling my strikes and hit him hard enough that he jumped back in pain. That only lasted for a moment before his rage flared and he came at me. Those blows were somehow even stronger than anything before and after he¡¯d ended the spar by tossing me clean across the yard, during which I smashed through a rack of training swords, I¡¯d wondered since then if the legends about the Umbers having Giants blood was true. Even the Greatjon¡¯s daughters, the oldest of whom had shown an interest in Robb, were tall with the eldest being barely a half-a-head shorter than me. The Umbers had decided to accompany us to the Wall with the Greatjon mentioning there¡¯d be rumours of Wildlings in the New Gift. While he doubted that was the case, he¡¯d stated he didn¡¯t want to be the one to explain to the Stark that he¡¯d been the one to let Robb die. We¡¯d not encountered any Wildlings, or anyone for that matter, on the road bar those in Mole¡¯s To¡­ I was jolted from my thoughts as something hit my shoulder. I looked but saw nothing there, though it seemed my companions were all looking at me. ¡°There you are. Got your head in the clouds again, eh?¡± Smalljon asked with a chuckle even as Rian flew low, whistling as he did, buzzing us like a plane might buzz a tower. ¡°Sorry, I was just thinking,¡± I replied quickly, not wanting to let on that I could do as he¡¯d joked about. ¡°It¡¯s fine, the Wall is¡­ impressive,¡± even as he spoke it was clear Robb understood his words were inadequate for what he was describing. ¡°How does it compare to places in the south?¡± ¡°Casterly Rock is impressive, as is the Hightower, but this is something else entirely.¡± I¡¯d considered mentioning the Titan, but since I felt the trip there had more to do than just checking up on Arianne and collecting the ships that formed the backbone of the Dornish fleet, I felt safer not mentioning it. ¡°Must be nice to get away.¡± Robb¡¯s words were quiet, but I caught them in the breeze. Ever since I¡¯d returned to Winterfell, I¡¯d caught a few muttered comments or glances from Robb, which when put together, suggested he might be a touch jealous that while he was handled with kid gloves as the heir to Winterfell, I was able to travel and see the world. And he¡¯d likely feel worse when Beron left. Still, that concern of being trapped in a single location, even one as advantageous as Winterfell, as a trueborn, was why I¡¯d gone the bastard route. Though to help counter that, I¡¯d chosen to be the bastard of two nobles. And once I was knighted, though I wouldn¡¯t swear an oath to the Seven to become one, I¡¯d be free to travel as I wished and had a ship to do so upon. Now while I couldn¡¯t be sure of how things would play out when I¡¯d chosen the bastard route, nor how the next few years would go before the shit hit the fan, as I sat on the horse next to Robb and the Umbers and approached the Wall, Rian flying high above us, I¡¯d say things had worked out well enough. ¡°It does have its moments,¡± I replied softly to Robb. His eyes widened as he realised that I¡¯d heard his words. ¡°though I wonder what my future holds and where I¡¯ll end up.¡± Any reply from Robb was cut off by the loud single blast from a horn. Remembering the books, I knew that it meant that riders ¨C obviously our party ¨C were approaching Castle Black and were friendly. A second blast would mean wildlings while a third, which I knew would come at some point, but no one would believe me if I warned of it, meant the Others were back. As we reached the edge of Castle Black, it was once more clear that this universe was closer to the books than the show. There were no walls around Castle Black, which even without the walls couldn¡¯t really be called a castle, with various towers dotted around a large central area. None of the towers looked ruined, but thanks to the improvement in my vision from my bond with Rian, I could see easily that all needed repair. As my horse passed the towers that marked the outer edge of Castle Black, my skin felt as if I¡¯d been hit by lightning and a shiver ran throughout my body. Once I¡¯d recovered from the unusual, yet oddly reassuring experience, I opened a pair of notices. Magical Area Entered! The Wall! The blood of the First Men and Starks runs strong here. Since that blood runs freely within you, all magic relating to either gains a 25% boost in power, duration, and level growth. All other magics gain a 5% boost. ... WARNING! Due to the magic within the Wall failing, all boosts are decreased 75%. ... Objective Generated! A Wall Empowered ... I¡¯d expected something to happen when I reached the Wall, and it was similar to what happened every time I entered Winterfell. Learning that it should¡¯ve been much stronger, and gaining a new objective because of it, was a surprise. After reading the description of A Wall Empowered I doubted I¡¯d have the time to be successful at it, even if doing so could be incredibly useful. The objective wanted me to find a way to find and then restore the weakened magic within the Wall. From the way the objective was described, I felt there was more than one magical¡­ power source within the Wall, though how in hell I was meant to even find one was something that was beyond me. Since I¡¯d planned to speak with Maester Aemon while here, I¡¯d have to ask if he knew anything about legends regarding Castle Black¡¯s construction. Though since, from what I knew, Aemon being a Targaryen wasn¡¯t, at best, a widely known thing, I¡¯d have to dance around the topic before challenging him about his family. While I doubted that he knew anything about dragon eggs, I still wanted to pick his brain about a great many things. And then, when the day came that Alysanne learnt the truth, provided he was still around, I¡¯d be able to point her towards the only other remaining Targaryen in Westeros. ¡­ ¡­ The Wall 1 The Wall 1 ... (circa 295AC)
As I looked around the yard of Castle Black, I suppressed a shudder at just how shabby the place was. While that¡¯d been hinted at in the books, the show had given it more life. Yet to see it for real was, in all honesty, a disappointment. Men were moving around, with a group of black brothers coming over to help our party with their horses and the carriage that the Greatjon had brought along, but the overall feel of the place was a dilapidated mess. ¡°Jon! Good to see you again,¡± I turned my head toward the voice after sliding off my horse to see a large man with greying hair watching us from a ledge on one of the larger towers in the castle. ¡°What in the hells did you bring this time?¡± The Greatjon laughed loudly and waved his arm at our party. ¡°Visitors to the Wall, Jeor. All the way from Dorne.¡± Even as Jeor ¨C likely Mormont, the Lord Commander ¨C looked at us more carefully, I saw the heads of a few in the yard snap our way. One set of eyes in particular narrowed as they focused on me. ¡°It isn¡¯t often we get visitors from south of the Neck. Hells, I can¡¯t remember if I¡¯ve ever seen Dornishmen here that hadn¡¯t taken the Black.¡± Jeor said slowly as he moved toward the stairs leading down to the yard. Oberyn chuckled and spread his arms wide. ¡°I enjoy seeing new places,¡± he said with a laugh before slapping the Greatjon on the arm. Though given the height disparity, it was closer to the Greatjon¡¯s elbow than his shoulder. ¡°This great lump of a man insisted on joining my party when we stopped at Last Hearth.¡± Jeor smiled at the dig at Lord Umber but stayed silent as he descended the stairs. When he stepped into the yard, a large raven, one that looked larger than normal, came and landed on his shoulder. ¡°Jon,¡± Jeor greeted the larger man by clasping arms and then pulled the Greatjon into a brief hug. ¡°Been what? A year?¡± ¡°Aye.¡± The Greatjon indicated the wagon, where a few Umber guards were helping the black brothers unload chests. ¡°Got some fresh supplies for you and your men. Though if not for this cunt, I¡¯d likely have waited a few more moons before coming.¡± He slapped Oberyn hard on the back of his shoulder, though my father was used to Jon¡¯s behaviour and had already braced his feet to avoid stumbling from the massive slap. ¡°May I introduce Prince Oberyn Nymeros Martell of Sunspear. Prince Oberyn, Lord Commander Jeor Mormont of the Night¡¯s Watch.¡± ¡°Lord Commander,¡± Oberyn began as they clasped arms, ¡°a pleasure to meet you, though I do hope we¡¯re not too big an inconvenience.¡± Jeor chuckled as they broke the clasp. ¡°Nay. While more mouths to feed might be an issue, Jon¡¯s come prepared. For once.¡± Jon¡¯s booming laugh filled the yard. ¡°That wasn¡¯t my fault! And we got to kill some Wildling fuckers afterwards.¡± ¡°I sense a story there, one that, mayhaps, we could hear over some ale?¡± Oberyn suggested. Jeor nodded and waved toward a small group of black brothers even as the Martell guards moved closer. ¡°Perhaps somewhere my guards don¡¯t look like they¡¯re about to fall over from the cold?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll have bread and salt brought to you now while the cooks get to work preparing a meal.¡± Jeor¡¯s eyes drifted from Oberyn to where I was standing. He smiled at the Umber boys, though they widened at seeing Robb and me. ¡°Have you been hiding more sons I didn¡¯t know about Jon?¡± The Greatjon¡¯s booming laugh once more filled the yard, managing to beat out the wind as it whistled around us. ¡°Nah. While you know Jon and Howar, the other two ain¡¯t mine.¡± He waved at us to approach, one hand coming to rest on my and Robb¡¯s shoulders. ¡°This here¡¯s Ned¡¯s boy, Robb, the Heir to Winterfell.¡± Jeor grasped Robb¡¯s arm, though my cousin seemed a little unsure of himself. That was understandable as he wasn¡¯t used to being placed in a position of having to represent House Stark. Which, the more I thought about it, might be why Ned had allowed Robb to come with us as he trusted Jeor Mormont and the Greatjon to not harm his firstborn and heir and it helped Robb meet a few people of importance in the North for when he¡¯d one day become Lord Stark. ¡°Lord Robb,¡± Jeor said with a smile. ¡°Nice to see a trueborn Stark at the Wall. Had a few bastard uncles of yours somewhere, though none since Egdar passed a decade ago.¡± I wondered who Egdar was, and given the confused look that flashed over Robb¡¯s face, he didn¡¯t know the name either. Meaning it was likely a distant grand-uncle at best. ¡°Thank you, Lord Commander. My father sends his regards and asked me to give you this.¡± Robb pulled a sealed note from within his furs and passed it to Mormont. Jeor took the note and slid it into his furs before turning his gaze to me. ¡°And who might you be?¡± Jon squeezed my shoulder, though I held my ground, not wanting to appear weak. ¡°This here¡¯s the bastard son of Brandon Stark.¡± He flicked his head toward Oberyn. ¡°This fucker¡¯s been raising him and done a good job it seems, and while he¡¯s got his mother¡¯s eyes, this one¡¯s got Stark blood for sure.¡± ¡°Aye, I can see that in the face,¡± Jeor grasped my forearm and squeezed, which I returned in equal measure. ¡°There¡¯s a few brothers of the Watch who might not like having the Bloody Wolf with us, but I¡¯ll keep them in line.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure my son can more than handle himself,¡± Oberyn offered, drawing laughter from the other two men. ¡°Aye, if the stories I¡¯ve heard about him are true, then I¡¯m sure he can.¡± Jeor offered as his eyes searched my face. ¡°I only knew your father in passing, boy. A good man, if hot-tempered.¡± ¡°Something I inherited, Lord Commander.¡± I glanced at Oberyn. ¡°Though that might just be the Dornish blood playing up as well.¡± That drew laughter from all three men, along with Robb though he looked less sure of if he should laugh. ¡°Now there¡¯s something¡­¡± Jeor was cut off as the Raven on his shoulder cawed irritably. It then took off and flew back toward the room the Lord Commander had come from. Jeor followed it with a confused expression. ¡°Odd.¡± He muttered; however, my attention was taken from him as a faint whistle came from the skies above us. I slid from the grasp of the two men, turned and looked up into the cloudy sky as another whistle came upon the wind. A moment later Rian swooped low, breaking through a cloud. Several people tensed as he dropped low, though even as I raised my arm for my companion, I heard Oberyn saying Rian was with us. Even though the thick furs I was wearing, I could feel the pressure of Rian¡¯s claws as he landed, which made me thankful I was wearing those furs as the gauntlet I¡¯d normally wear to hold Rian was stored on a bag on my horse. Rian tilted his head and spread his wings as he looked at me. Almost as if I¡¯d done something to annoy him. He then looked past me, first at the Lord Commander and then toward where the raven had flown. ¡°My apologies, Lord Commander. It seems Rian has grown tired of flying.¡± I explained as I turned back to the group. Rian whistled at my words, and then spread his wings again, almost as a statement that we should acknowledge him. The Old Bear laughed heartily even as his eyes stayed on Rian. ¡°It¡¯s fine, lad. A bird like that likely enjoys the attention, though I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen one with such markings.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a Sunfyre eagle from the Red Mountains,¡± I explained as Rian folded his wings, seemingly happy to be acknowledged. ¡°I found him injured and nursed him back to health myself. Since then, he''s been my constant companion.¡± Rian leaned closer and tapped the top of his beak against my skull. ¡°Even if he¡¯s a needy little bitch at times,¡± I added, drawing some amusement as I lifted my other hand and gently stroked him under his neck. When I looked back at the Lord Commander, I saw more people in the yard looking our way, though the one who¡¯d glared menacingly at me earlier was gone. ¡°I feel there¡¯s more to the story than that,¡± Jeor offered as a black brother raced out of a nearby building with some bread. ¡°Perhaps you might tell me the full story over a warm meal?¡± I agreed with a nod as my mouth was full of bread. Rian leaned close and nipped a piece off for himself as well, which drew another chuckle from Jeor. ¡°And explain how he knows of guest rights.¡± Jeor turned, the Greatjon and my father falling in step beside him, and started moving towards the common hall. I started to follow along with Robb only for a hand to clamp down on the shoulder of my free arm. Rian snarked at the sudden change in my movement even as the Smalljon leaned close. ¡°Trying to one-up the Lord Commander, eh?¡± He asked with a large smirk, even as I frowned. ¡°Your bird landing like that and making the Commander¡¯s raven scarper sure was a statement.¡± My frown deepened as my eyes drifted back to the Old Bear. He was chuckling with the Greatjon and Oberyn about something as they reached the door to the building. ¡°I, uh, I didn¡¯t mean for it to look like that.¡± Smalljon clapped my shoulder. ¡°Aye, sure you didn¡¯t.¡± he walked forward, moving to catch up with his brother and Robb as they followed behind the men, guards from three houses forming a loose escort on either side. Before I followed, I looked up at Rian. I hadn¡¯t commanded him to land when he did, yet playing it back in my head it was easy to see how, to others, it would look like I¡¯d arranged that to show him off. While not intended this time, I wondered if doing that in future might be an interesting thing to do. Making impressions mattered, and having a bird that was already large for its breed ¨C something I felt came from our bond ¨C land like Rian did certainly would make a mark. Doubly so as most lords, according to Doran, struggled to raise eagles as they were notoriously prickly birds of prey. A none-too-subtle cackle from Rian, along with a gesture toward the others, had me moving again. I¡¯d have to think more about using Rian like this later on. For now though, with my stomach grumbling as the faint smell of a warm meal reached my nose, food was the top priority. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ About an hour later I emerged from the hall, my stomach feeling better after a warm meal. The Lord Commander had been a pleasure to speak with, same for the few members of the Watch that¡¯d joined us, but I¡¯d been trying to get out as quickly as I could ¨C without it looking like I wanted to go ¨C for about half the time. While speaking with the members of the Watch was interesting, I was more focused on meeting one particular member of their order: Maester Aemon. As the door closed behind me, Rian flapped his wings and took off. I watched as he climbed rapidly into the clouds before resuming my walk. The Lord Commander had told me which tower housed the Maester and after picking it out easily ¨C mainly as the faint cawing of ravens came from the top ¨C I headed toward it. ¡°Well, look what we¡¯ve got here boys,¡± a voice streaked with malice remarked when I was about three-quarters of the way across the quiet yard. ¡°A Dornish bastard who thinks he¡¯s something special.¡± Four black brothers emerged in a rough arc in front of me with the one who¡¯d spoken directly blocking my path. I shifted my stance at once, feeling this situation could easily turn sideways, and one hand drifted to the hilt of Red Rain. ¡°And who might you be?¡± The leader snarled, making the scar that marred his face right across the nose darken. ¡°Roryn Drumm.¡± I snarled back at hearing the name even though I remembered that Oberyn had said while House Drumm was gone, some had taken the Black. This fucking prick in front of me was one of those lucky enough to escape House Martell¡¯s vengeance that day. Now I wanted him to attack so I could correct that error. ¡°That blade you¡¯ve got belongs to my family. To me!¡± ¡°It did. Right up until I killed that prick of a lord who¡¯d held it before and his dumb fuck of a son,¡± I shot back as my fingers closed around Red Rain¡¯s hilt. While the blade was too wide, too broad and too short for my liking, it was Valyrian steel, and I trusted myself to take these four fuckers with it with little difficulty. Hells, the one to my far left still hadn¡¯t adopted a fighting stance. ¡°I paid the Iron Price for it,¡± I added, making sure to rub his culture in his face. I wouldn¡¯t be the one to start this, not when under Guest Rights, but the moment any of them attacked I planned to end them all. ¡°King Robert named it as mine.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t give a fuck what that Lion-loving cunt thinks! That blade is mine!¡± Roryn was all but shaking with rage, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the hilt of his sword. ¡°If you think that, come and join your former lord in the seven hells.¡± As Roryn¡¯s blade rushed from its sheath, the other three also drew theirs, though the blade on my far left emerged last. I enjoyed the way Roryn¡¯s eyes narrowed as I drew Red Rain, taking pleasure in the fury that made his blade shake slightly. I slid back slightly, wanting to keep all four in front of me. While I¡¯d never sparred with more than two ¨C and those had been fellow squires ¨C I¡¯d seen Oberyn and Daemon do so. The trick, he claimed, was to never lose sight of any for more than a moment, to stay mobile and to make sure they weren''t able to bring the weight of their numbers to bear. There was also the fact I was wielding Valyrian steel, which was a massive advantage against any weapon not also made of the steel of the dragon lords. Or from a fallen meteor. The four moved slowly, trying to see what I¡¯d do when challenged, yet I stood my ground, keeping the distance between us. As much as my blood screamed for vengeance for my lost sibling, I knew I needed them to strike first; needed them to break Guest Rights instead of me. ¡°What the fuck is going on here?!¡± The shout had come from somewhere behind and to my right and seemed to make the three with Roryn tremble. All three quickly sheathed their blades though the Drumm fucker chose that moment to advance. ¡°Roryn! Sheath your bloody steel or I¡¯ll fucking remove it myself!¡± Someone in the furs of the Night¡¯s Watch stepped between us, making me almost lash out at his sudden appearance near my blade. ¡°Do it now before the fucking Lord Commander hears us or Gods help me, I¡¯ll send you on a solo ranging for a moon!¡± ¡°That little prick stole my family¡¯s sword¡± Roryn shouted, his sword jabbing toward me as he raged like a moron. Which was true as I was at least a quarter-head taller than him already. ¡°I don¡¯t give a fuck! Nor does it fucking matter! You swore an oath to the Watch and he¡¯s under Guest Rights from the Lord Commander himself!¡± The black brother between us moved toward Roryn, a hand drifting toward his blade. ¡°Now sheath your fucking blade before I remove your fucking head!¡± I snarled in anger. This prick was my kill, and this newcomer was threatening to steal it? ¡°Arrgh!¡± Roryn growled though it was hard to see what he was doing as the newcomer was blocking my view. Though I did hear him, much to my disappointment, sheath his blade and then watched as he began to pace from side to side, his eyes burning with a fire I longed to put out. ¡°Get the fuck out of here before I make it a two-moon''s ranging!¡± Roryn kept his glare on me as he paced. Quickly, the three who¡¯d threatened me with him reached his side and all but dragged him away. My eyes tracked him until he disappeared around a corner, his gaze remaining locked on me as well. Once he was gone, fighting to not charge after him as my soul sang for his blood to grace my blade, I slowly relaxed my stance. ¡°And you! Sheath that thing before you fucking hurt yourself!¡± The snapped order came from the newcomer as he turned to face me. My blade lowered even as my slowly ebbing anger returned in full force, not liking this dumb cunt for giving me orders. The man, who looked worn with age, though that might just be what years serving on the Wall did to someone, rolled his eyes. ¡°Ah, the bastard. Can¡¯t say I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re the reason for this bullshit!¡± An urge to attack, to teach this fool some manners raged with a need to respect customs within me. ¡°You¡­ have me at a disadvantage, Ser,¡± I slowly said as the latter desire won out, yet the anger was still there, still demanding blood even as I reluctantly sheathed Red Rain. Giving me more proof that mixing Wolfs-blood and Blood of the Dragon¡¯s Flames might¡¯ve been a mistake. ¡°Alliser Thorne, Master-of-Arms here at Castle Black. Though I know damn well who you are.¡± He all but spat as his black eyes tried to burn a hole in my face. ¡°The bastard son of the prick who started the whole damned war.¡± As he spoke, the name clicked with memories of the book and show. Of course, I¡¯d get saved by a prick who hated my father. ¡°I¡¯m not the son of Rhaegar Targaryen,¡± I shot back, my anger returning in spades as I wanted to make clear who I blamed for the war. Yes, Lyanna deserved some blame for running off as she had, but to me, most of the blame lay with Rhaegar for acting as he did and not speaking with my father and grandfather before running away with my aunt. Thorne snorted. ¡°Prince Rhaegar did what he was allowed as Crown Prince. Your dumb fuck of a father, Brandon Stark, started the war by riding to the Red Keep and demanding Rhaegar¡¯s head.¡± My vision narrowed as Alliser insulted my birth father. I knew I shouldn¡¯t feel so angry about it, but the residual anger of discovering a Drumm still lived was clouding my thoughts just enough to cause an issue. ¡°And of course, he defiled your dumb cunt of a mother. Shame she didn¡¯t have the good graces to drink some tea instead of birthing you.¡± The flames in my blood demanded vengeance for that insult. I rushed forward, one arm sailing through the air to smash Thorne¡¯s face in. Yet, as the punch sailed toward its target, the man moved, and it sailed wide. As it passed his head, he grabbed the arm and twisted. I was sent flying onto my back, staring up at the Wall. I snarled as I rolled around in the muck, trying to get back to my feet. As I reached my knees, something silver flashed into my sight and then everything went dark. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I groaned in pain as light slowly seeped into my vision. A hand moved for my blade, only to find it wasn¡¯t there. A second later, I realised I wasn¡¯t lying in the muck. I tried and failed to sit up when a firm hand pushed down on my chest. ¡°Calm yourself, Cregan. Let the Maester check you over.¡± Oberyn¡¯s words confused me, and I blinked trying to settle my head. ¡°What?¡± I muttered as my eyes adjusted to the light to discover I was lying on a bed of some form in a building. Oberyn was sitting next to me, his hand on my chest and a slightly concerned smile on his face. The anger that¡¯d been almost overwhelming me around Alliser Thorne was all but gone, replaced by irritation at a blinking blue notice that revealed I¡¯d gotten another mild concussion. While Westeros had anti-concussion protocols, they weren¡¯t as advanced as those from Earth - which was hardly a surprise - and other than rest, relaxation and some pain-numbing medicine, there was little they could offer. Hells, I¡¯d already had a handful since my training had started using blunted steel. I still had to pay Daemon back for the one he¡¯d given me a year ago, but I felt it wouldn¡¯t be long until I¡¯d be able to beat the prick in a duel. Oberyn chuckled in response to my groggy question even as an old man shuffled over ¨C the jangle of his chain letting me know he was a Maester, which tickled something in my memory that felt important. ¡°That should be my question for you. You leave the meal and not long after a runner comes to say you have been taken to Maester Aemon after having been knocked unconscious. What happened?¡± My eyes shot to the Maester at the confirmation it was indeed Aemon. Any annoyance at the mild concussion, for making me forget who he was, vanished as I looked at him. He was undoubtedly old and the milky-white of his eyes confirmed this version of the person was blind like I¡¯d expected. Yet, even without his sight, his touch was gentle and careful as he wiped a warm cloth on my forehead before his fingers started running over my skull. ¡°I cannot feel any swelling, my prince. However, I¡¯d suggest he rests for a few days to ensure there¡¯s no damage that I can¡¯t find.¡± ¡°Thank you, Maester. And again, there is no need for you of all people to call me Prince.¡± Aemon chuckled at what I assumed was a private joke; one based around him being a former Targaryen prince. After the moment passed, Oberyn turned back to me, the humour falling from his face. ¡°Cregan, what happened?¡± I stared up at the thatched roof, noting the thick planks with some looking far newer than others. In one corner of the room, there was a gap as stairs rose to the next level, which given the faint cawing emanating from there, lead to the rookery. After taking a few slow, calming breaths to ensure any residual anger toward Roryn Drumm and Thorne was gone, I detailed what had happened. I made sure to explain about there being a Drumm at the wall, something Aemon commented on as it seemed Roryn was a problem among the Ironborn recruits and if not for most of them being sent to Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, Aemon felt Roryn would be a larger problem for Commander Mormont and Ser Alliser than he currently was. When I¡¯d gone over my reaction to Ser Alliser''s comments on my birth father and mother, Oberyn¡¯s face had hardened. While he wouldn¡¯t care about the comments about Brandon Stark, Ashara was his wife and thus Ser Alliser¡¯s words were an insult to his house. ¡°I know I acted rashly, father. But his words about mother¡­¡± I filtered off after finishing my recounting of events, still annoyed at myself. Both for losing control of my anger ¨C a result of my Wolf and Dragon perks mixing, even if up until today I¡¯d felt I had a handle on them ¨C and for how easily I¡¯d gone down. ¡°Yes, that would anger all but the most craven of men.¡± Oberyn stood suddenly. ¡°Maester Aemon, I¡¯ll be leaving my son with you for a while longer. It appears there are a few matters of importance that I need to speak with the Lord Commander about.¡± ¡°Of course, my prince. Though I would advise that you avoid seeking revenge. Enough blood has been shed over the actions of the dragons that it would serve us all best if any anger around them stayed in the past.¡± As Aemon spoke, Oberyn moved for the door, and while he walked quietly, the blind Maester was still able to track the movements. ¡°We shall see.¡± I couldn¡¯t see my father¡¯s face, but I knew he was quietly stewing. It was a semi-running joke that while I wasn¡¯t born of his loins, I was Oberyn¡¯s son due to our shared anger and how easily ¨C and in Oberyn¡¯s case, dangerously - it could be invoked. While he¡¯d likely not make a huge scene regarding Ser Alliser¡¯s words about my mother, he wouldn¡¯t let the matter rest. As much as I¡¯d enjoy seeing my father beat the ever-loving piss out of the man, I knew in the long run, that¡¯d only cause issues for the Night¡¯s Watch. Ones compounded by Jon Snow and Benjen Stark not joining their ranks. Aemon sighed as the door closed and shook his head. ¡°Young and foolish. Like so many men I¡¯ve known.¡± His eyes drifted to me, which was a touch disconcerting given the empty glassiness of them. ¡°And boys.¡± ¡°He insulted my mother.¡± ¡°Yes, he did. But did you ever consider why he might do that to one under Guest Rights from the Lord Commander?¡± Aemon waved a hand in the air, dismissing my reply before I could make it. ¡°Bah. I suspect that even if you knew, you would not care. Thinking more about protecting the honour of your mother and the glory defeating a brother of the Night¡¯s Watch would bring you. Another flaw of the young.¡± I opened my mouth, wanting to reply, only to close it as I pushed aside the growing anger at Aemon for not caring about my mother¡¯s honour. As I did, I knew he was right. I¡¯d rushed into things, and not just because my traits made me aggressive. I¡¯d enjoyed combat in my former life, and while the emotional connection to my memories of working inside the wire was gone, I found myself reviewing those more than any others from my life back then. Instead of thinking about why Alliser was angry, my mind turned back to what I knew of him from the book and show. Quickly, I found my answer. ¡°He fought for House Targaryen in the Rebellion, did he not?¡± I asked, though I already knew the answer. ¡°Yes, he was in King¡¯s Landing when it fell to Lannister forces.¡± Aemon sighed as he spoke, and as he shuffled around using a cane made of a dark wood, he shook his head as if remembering more of the event than I felt he¡¯d tell me. ¡°Lord Tywin Lannister gave him and others that surrendered a choice. Their head on a spike or to take the black. Ser Alliser and about a dozen others took the black.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± I couldn¡¯t think of any way to continue the conversation on its current track, and seeing how I was in the Maester¡¯s room, I figured to change tracks. ¡°I, um, was on my way to see you when everything happened.¡± Aemon looked back at me, his eyes finding mine even if they shouldn¡¯t have been able to. ¡°Oh?¡± Even though he couldn¡¯t see it, I smiled at the faint spark of curiosity his voice contained. ¡°Aye. While I enjoy training in the yard as much as the next man, I like to read and learn when I can. I¡¯d hoped you might have some books on the history of the Wall and the castles along it. Mainly ones detailing how old they are, or when they were built.¡± It was a specific request, but one that shouldn¡¯t arouse too much suspicion as no one would know I was actively looking for a way to strengthen the Wall for when the Others came. Aemon looked as if he was staring off into the distance. ¡°Hmm. I am not sure such books exist or are in any condition to be read. The Great Book of the Watch details records of each Lord Commander,¡± he glanced my way, once more showing more understanding of where I was than I¡¯d expect of someone without their sight. ¡°However it has been some time since I looked at it,¡± he chuckled at his joke about his lack of sight, ¡°or any other book going back to the building of the Wall.¡± I shifted in my cot, moving the fur cover from over my body. I was still dressed in my lower garments though I¡¯d been stripped to nothing more than a tunic on my upper body. With how thick the furs had been, I¡¯d not noticed the gentle chill in the air until I¡¯d pulled back the covers. ¡°I may be blind boy, but this is my domain. I know every inch of it, and the sound it makes.¡± He waved his free hand in my general direction. ¡°Now, pull those furs back over your body and let me have a search for some of the older books I have. ¡°Sorry, I just wanted to help,¡± I said rather meekly as I did as he instructed and pulled the furs back over my chest. Aemon chuckled as he moved over to a chest in the far corner of the room, his chain chinking as he walked. ¡°It is kind of you to offer, lad, but I would rather focus on this interest you have in the history of the Wall and the Watch. It is something that sadly, many of my brothers care little for.¡± As he knelt, leaning his cane against the wall and then fumbling with the latch on the chest, I pulled myself up, making sure the cloth stayed on my head. The bed I was in, well a cot really, was a simple thing which made sense. As gruesome as it might sound, anything more than a minor wound at such a remote and cold location carried the risk of amputation or death unless the Maester was particularly skilled. Now, it would be wrong to say Westeros was primitive, as some of the remedies I¡¯d seen in various Maester¡¯s quarters appeared to be ¨C from descriptions given of them by the Maesters ¨C basic versions of medicines I¡¯d not expect a world akin to Earth¡¯s Dark Ages to have. Oh, they had some odd notions about how the body worked and the functions of a few organs, but generally, their understanding was closer to, in my opinion, the Renaissance than the time of the Vikings. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. However, the issue was the Watch was so underfunded that I doubted Aemon had even a third of the supplies a Maester in a minor keep south of the Neck would have. Nor a chance to get supplies as easily. ¡°If I might ask,¡± I said as Aemon managed to work the latch and lift back the chest¡¯s top, ¡°why did my father say you of all people don¡¯t need to call him Prince?¡± Aemon chuckled. ¡°A private joke between us, though one I might explain if you understand why it exists.¡± I stayed quiet for a few moments, making it seem as if I was collecting my thoughts as he searched in the chest. I already knew the answer, but to just blurt it out would seem odd, so I did what I often did in such situations and laid out my ¡®thinking¡¯ on the matter. ¡°The only clue I might have is your name, which, if I may be so bold, is an unusual one. I¡¯ve not encountered any with the name Aemon in Westeros. Though I admit I am not the most well-travelled.¡± Aemon laughed softly though made no move to interrupt, so I kept going. ¡°Hmm, now that I think about it, I can only think of one place I may have read the name before. In works detailing the history of House Targaryen.¡± I watched Aemon tense, though if I¡¯d not been waiting for it, I¡¯d have likely missed it. ¡°There were three if I recall, though the youngest was born a hundred years ago.¡± ¡°It is an unusual name, one not many would not comment on,¡± Aemon offered, making me hope I¡¯d done enough for him to reveal the truth. ¡°Ah, yes. This is the book I spoke of. And those under it feel just as old.¡± He pulled three books from the chest, and while I was disappointed he hadn¡¯t confirmed he was Aemon Targaryen, my interest shifted for the moment to what I might learn from the books. While it was unlikely there¡¯d be much if anything, there to help with the A Wall Empowered objective, learning more about the Wall, and details of the forts along it might be of some use in the years to come. Both the Wildlings and the Others would have to get past the massive slab of ice that split the Far North from the rest of Westeros. And while I read and talked with Aemon, I could gently probe further about his name. While I knew I didn¡¯t have much time here, learning the truth might be of some use when it came time for Alysanne to discover the truth of her heritage. After all, a Targaryen alone in the world is a terrible thing. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ The winds whistled around me as I stood on the top of the Wall looking north. Near the Wall trees dominated; their green tips breaking up the white of everything else. Be it the ground, the hills and mountains or the skies above. A glance over the edge had brought on the familiar sense of vertigo that always existed when one looked down from high above, yet it didn¡¯t bother me. While I¡¯d served in the SBS, we¡¯d trained in HALO drops and jumping over the side from large container ships. There was always this moment of concern when you looked down, but you learnt to both ignore it and refocus it toward a determination to do what was needed. That said, standing on the Wall, which was wide enough that at least four, possibly more, fully armoured knights could ride along the top side by side, was something else entirely. The tingle of magic made me glad I was wearing thick furs over everything bar my face, which was covered by a thick cloth with only my eyes exposed. It felt as if every hair on my body, from my head to my shins, was standing to attention at the power that coursed around and through me. The Wall was a masterpiece of engineering, yes, but its true beauty lay in the magic embedded in it. Magic that reacted to me with a sense of something akin to joy. Whether that was because I had Stark blood, could use magic or a combination of the two, I couldn¡¯t say, but it was a rush that made everything else pale in comparison. ¡°Over there, far in the distance, is Hardhome.¡± The words came from Ser Mallador Locke who was acting as the guide and escort for Oberyn and me as we stood upon the Wall. ¡°The Wildlings once tried to make a settlement, but it failed. While some of my brothers think it failed because of infighting, we honestly really cannot say for sure.¡± His arm was pointing to the northeast, and at the mention of Hardhome, my mind drifted back to the episode of the same name, causing a shiver to run up my spine. I knew I¡¯d have to fight the Others and their minions at some point ¨C likely in the next decade or so ¨C but knowing it was coming and dealing with it were two entirely different things. I just hoped when the time came, I and the Kingdoms were ready. Otherwise¡­ ¡°And up there, you shall find the Frostfang mountains. Those mark the line between the Haunted Forest and the Lands of Always Winter.¡± Mallador continued, pointing out the lands where the Others slumbered, unintentionally playing into my concerns. ¡°Truly an incredible sight,¡± Oberyn offered, though this was semi-ruined by the fact he¡¯d decided to ¨C unintentionally ¨C mimic Tyrion and piss off the end of the world. ¡°Aye, though I think Ty might kill me if I tried to show it to her.¡± Oberyn laughed, though it was hard to hear it as the wind whistled around us. ¡°Yes, she likely would. As would almost any lady, save perhaps, one born for adventure or in the North. While I doubt I shall ever forget the view, I don¡¯t believe my women or daughters would be happy if we suffered frostbite.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not the one who pissed off the Wall,¡± I shot back, making him and Ser Mallador chuckle. ¡°We are standing at the end of the world, Cregan! We must make the most of it.¡± Oberyn turned as he spoke, moving back to the central channel that ran along the Wall. As we walked along the wide path, the lack of manpower was evident. Near us were four watch points, yet only one was manned. At their peak, I suspected the Night¡¯s Watch would¡¯ve rivalled any southern army for size. Yet now it was nothing but a collection of the dregs of Westeros and a few who, like Jeor Mormont, saw honour in the posting. ¡°While it is not a story I feel your mother will enjoy, it is one few can say they have done.¡± Ser Mallador seemed to nod his head as he walked a few paces in front of us, though it was hard to tell with the thick furs we all wore. I stayed quiet as we walked toward the massive lift ¨C which was another marvel of engineering, and also downright terrifying to travel in ¨C that would take us from the top of the Wall down to Castle Black. The faint cawing of a crow drew my eyes to the Haunted Forest, where somewhere in its depths the Three-Eyed-Raven and any remaining Children of the Forest were hidden. My eyes then drifted back to the Lands of Always Winter, wondering if the Others had started to stir, or if they¡¯d stayed silent due to my presence. While that latter was unlikely, one could always hope. However, the more immediate problem was that with no Jon or Benjen in the Watch, then things would likely get far worse long before the Others came. Now I could, if I wanted, join the Watch, and try and make a difference here. However, that felt like the wrong path to take. Even ignoring how my joining the Watch wouldn¡¯t return events to their canon occurrences, wasting my life away on the Wall, and likely dying in either a Wildling attack or when the Others came, would be a waste. Better to be further back, take time to earn a name for myself and gather some forces for when shit did hit the fan. Yes, it might look like I was holding back so I could ride to the rescue, but with the sheer number of Wildlings, to say nothing of the size of the Others force, it was simply the practical choice to make. And that was without considering that if I joined, I¡¯d have to go celibate. Well, bar the whores in Mole town. And frankly, having Ty waiting for me in Winterfell, and likely her sisters and friends in Sunspear, was all the reason I needed to toss the idea of joining the Watch off the damn Wall. No, it was better to let the Gods and chance decide how the story would play out here and be ready to move from further back, where I had time to prepare and train, once chaos had descended. ¡°Cregan!¡± I stopped in my stride and turned to see Oberyn and Ser Mallador standing at the lift. I¡¯d been so lost in my thoughts I¡¯d walked right past them. ¡°Sorry, was just thinking about things.¡± I moved over to them, even as Oberyn looked me over. ¡°Good. For a moment I feared I may have to tell Tyene that you decided to forsake her for a career in the Watch.¡± He shook his head as we stepped into the deceptively solid ¨C even if it didn¡¯t look like it ¨C lift. ¡°Or Gods forgive, your mother or my niece. I feel both would demand I return with a host to drag you back to Dorne kicking and screaming.¡± I laughed as the lift jerked, letting us know it was about to descend. ¡°While I would love to see that, it is probably for the best if you not do so. I¡¯m unsure how Lord Eddard would react to a Dornish host landing near White Harbour.¡± The sounds of Oberyn laughing at the image were lost as the lift creaked downward, letting the wind¡¯s volume rise and drown out everything else. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I struggled to stay on my horse as it rode through the tunnel in the Wall. While standing on the top of the Wall had felt incredible as the magic in it reacted to my presence, currently, I was within the thing, making the experience a thousand times stronger. What I¡¯d felt earlier today up on the Wall had made the general tingle in Castle Black feel like a gentle stoking of my arm, but going through it blew even that sensation out of the water. Right now, my entire body felt alive as the magic in the Wall seemed to use me as a conductor to move through the massive ice barrier. Since Robb who was riding in front of me seemed unaffected, it all but confirmed that the Wall knew I was a magically active Stark and was reacting to me and giving me a boost in ways the Interface was failing to process. Thankfully no one tried to speak to me as we rode, or at least I don¡¯t think any did, as I¡¯d never be able to respond. I blinked hard as sunlight suddenly flooded my sight and it took a moment for me to realise the sensation from the Wall was fading and see that we¡¯d arrived in the Far North. The sensation of magic returned to the gentle tingle I¡¯d felt in and near Castle Black, though it was different. As if something was heating the magic as it warmed my skin. Before anyone could speak to me, I opened a notice that had appeared. Magical Area Entered! The Far North! Ancient magics permeate the land, granting boons to all magic. Those magics linked to the First Men and Children of the Forest gain 150% boosts. All other magics, bar fire and its subcategories gain 100% boosts. Fire magic and any magic evolved from it, gain 50% boosts. ... Note! These boons only last until the ********* event occurs. After which, all boons will decrease by a factor of 5. ... Warning! Several strong magical presences exist in the Far North. Depending on the magic you use, they may be able to sense your presence. And may, perhaps, investigate the source of the magic. ... Huh. That explained why magic felt different here. Unlike, as far as I knew, in the rest of the planet ¨C I was assuming that since there¡¯d not been any change in magical restrictions or boosts when I¡¯d been in Braavos ¨C here magic was still strong. That made sense since the Others and the Children lived here. That fire magic was penalised also made some sense and might be why the Valyrians had never bothered with Westeros. I suspected that either the Others or the Children had ways to interfere with magics harmful to them, though without further proof or unlikely confirmation, that would remain a theory for a long arse time. The warning was expected, though knowing that other magical users in the Far North might sense me was a concern. I¡¯d eat Red Rain if the Three-Eyed-Raven wasn¡¯t watching me, or soon to be, but learning that the Others, Children or ¨C Gods help me ¨C something else might also be watching was slightly terrifying. So long as I stayed close to the Wall though, I doubted I¡¯d have to worry about those other threats, which they¡¯d be until I could be sure of who was watching and their intentions. Hells, even the Three-Eyed-Raven was in the threat category barring a bloody miracle. A faint pipping from above had me looking up. Due to his markings, Rian was easy to spot against the clouds, even given how high above he was soaring. Some of that likely came from the strengthening bond I had with him, as thanks to the boosts to First Men magic in Winterfell and at the Wall, I¡¯d managed to push the bond up to level 7, which was a two-level jump from what¡¯d been when we¡¯d arrived in White Harbour. The boosts offered by being in the Far North weren¡¯t enough to entirely overcome the penalty that, unless I missed my guess, would be lifted by the Red Comet, but it certainly helped. Though when the comet came, it would likely remove the penalty from not just me but anyone else with the potential to use magic. Now, I suspected most wouldn¡¯t realise this, or dismiss it as something wrong with them, but for people like Arianne, my sisters ¨C step and half ¨C and the Stark children, it would be a massive boon for them as well. As it would be for any Wildling that could skinchange, as the odds that none could, was, in my mind, slim. I looked at my party to see everyone gathering around. Oberyn was talking with the Greatjon, Robb and the dozen brothers of the Night¡¯s Watch who were escorting us. There were also a dozen Stark men led by Ser Rodrick Cassel, though only one knight from Dorne had been brave/foolish enough to escort his prince through the Wall, and that poor fool looked more likely to die of the cold than offer any help if we were attacked. Now, I knew we were going to head to the weirwood grove, and since the objective The Far North hadn¡¯t yet been completed, I wondered if that was where I had to head for it to do so. Honestly, when I¡¯d first brought the matter about heading through the Wall to Oberyn after we¡¯d left Winterfell, I¡¯d half-expected him to deny me. Instead, he¡¯d agreed and promised to come with, provided the Lord Commander allowed it. Robb had also wanted to come, and once the Umbers knew, they¡¯d declared they were coming and made it clear they¡¯d fight any who tried to stop them. Slowly the large group started moving, headed for the weirwood grove that was supposed to be half a league north of the Wall. Seeing everyone, even the members of the Watch, pull their furs tightly around them, I knew I wouldn¡¯t be bothered for a while. As such, I closed my eyes and reached out with my mind. Normally there was a brief moment of confusion when sliding into the minds of my companions, yet there was none this time. The shift was so sudden, that I felt my body shift suddenly on my horse before I found myself high in the skies above. Rian¡¯s/my eyes looked down, making sure my/Cregan¡¯s body hadn¡¯t fallen from my/his horse. Seeing it hadn¡¯t, Rian/I looked around as the cold wind pushed against me/him. While he/Rian would rather be back in the warmer airs of my/his nest, I could manage this. My brother/Cregan down below was somehow shielding me/him from the worst of the cold. A gentle tickle from inside made Rian¡¯s/my eyes scan the trees below, looking for something to eat. While I/Cregan often gave him/me parts of his/my meal, Rian/I savoured the hunt. Enjoying it almost as soaring through the clouds. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ Standing in the weirwood grove of nine trees was an odd feeling. Magic was clearly at play here, as the tingle I¡¯d felt near the Wall had grown stronger as we¡¯d approached. Yet, once we¡¯d entered the grove, magic had felt different. That was probably due to this being a place of worship for the Children and the old Gods first whereas the Wall was built by man, however, I couldn¡¯t be sure of that. Though the odd sensation of something alien and ancient at the edges of my mind watching me certainly added credence to my theory. I¡¯d gotten a notice from the Interface when I¡¯d entered the grove, just before I¡¯d knelt alongside Robb and the Umbers within the grove in front of the largest of the tree, which I¡¯d unexpected. Plus, from the way the eyes on the faces of each weirwood seemed to follow me as I entered the grove, I knew we weren¡¯t alone. The cawing of ravens from the branches all but assured me the Three-Eyed-Raven was watching us, but that odd alien sensation had me wondering if the Children, or perhaps even the Old Gods, were also watching us. Watching me. I couldn¡¯t be sure though, even if this place felt both like returning to some long-forgotten home while standing in the sight of a predator of unimaginable power. Unlike the others, my eyes hadn¡¯t stayed closed for long as I¡¯d been trying to work out just what the fuck I was sensing. Plus, my mind was constantly distracted by the notice that¡¯d popped up once I¡¯d stepped foot inside the grove. Objective Achieved! The Far North! Completion of this objective grants you the favour of the Old Gods, something that will be known to all. You also gain a small boost to all magic linked to the Old Gods. ... While I¡¯d not expected much for completing the objective as the last one ¨C A Friend for Life ¨C had only granted a small help to skinchanging, the reward for this one felt weak. Though that might be because whatever the favour of the Old Gods was, I hadn¡¯t yet received it. Plus, there was the issue that if the gods of Planetos were anything like some of the older pantheons on Earth ¨C with the Greek one especially coming to mind ¨C then their favour might very well be fickle. Of course, the other issue was that completing The Far North had resulted in two new objectives being generated. The first was Old Gods Re-established which wanted me to somehow spread the worship of the Old Gods across all of Westeros to the degree that it wasn¡¯t limited to the North and a handful of houses south of the Neck. Possibly even supplanting the Faith of the Seven as the dominant religion of the continent. Yet, to me, there were two large issues with this objective. The first was that while I suspected that I¡¯d have to plant weirwood trees around Westeros, the issue was that I knew nothing about the trees. I assumed they generated seeds, but I¡¯d never seen, read or heard of such things. Nor was there anything in this grove, at least that I could see, that would help with the objective. The second issue was linked to the first in that if I was somehow able to find and plant weirwoods, then the Three-Eyed-Raven would, in theory, be able to use those to watch the goings on over all of Westeros. Now, in the show, it appeared that he could already do that, but I wondered if that was true as I¡¯d had little interaction with the man, save the odd feeling of being watched while in the North. Together it felt like an objective that I¡¯d likely never complete, even if it might, given the apparent difficulty of it, have an impressive reward. The second new objective, A Lost Child was more doable, and at the same even more troubling. Somehow meeting a Child of the Forest should, in theory, be easier to manage, yet why the Interface would suggest for me to do that, I couldn¡¯t say. Nor if I wanted to meet them myself. They were linked to the Three-Eyed-Raven, and bar the threat of the Others, I was feeling that he wasn¡¯t going to be an ally. Though if, by some measure, I did meet a Child, then I¡¯d be asking them about their magic. If the stories of them flooding the Neck and shattering the Arm of Dorne were indeed true, then there was much they could teach me. Plus, their runes were all over the bronze shield and dagger found in the Winterfell crypts, and Lord Royce¡¯s bronze armour was said to be able to withstand even castle-forged steel. A grunt from my side brought my thoughts back to the grove. A glance from the corner of my eyes showed the Umber boys were still currently kneeling with their eyes closed. Looking the other way, I saw Robb and the Greatjon were doing the same. The group seemed deep in thought or prayer, so as I stood to leave the grove, I stood slowly, making sure to watch my step until I¡¯d exited the grove to where Oberyn, Ser Rodrik and the black brothers were waiting around. ¡°Finished your communion?¡± Oberyn asked in a softer voice than usual, showing some deference to how Northerners and myself ¨C though to a far lesser degree ¨C regarded the Old Gods. While he¡¯d gone to the Septs in various locations, he never behaved nor acted like a devout follower of the Seven. ¡°If the Gods, be they old or new, ever deigned to speak to us, I doubt any would understand their message without going mad.¡± My reply drew a chuckle and as I came closer, he placed a hand on my shoulder and guided me away from the others. ¡°Wise words for any, never mind one so young nor one overcome with blind belief in a faith.¡± He shook his head as he continued. ¡°If only many Lords, Ladies, Septons and Septas could hear and understand your words, surely the world would be a better place.¡± ¡°Best not let Ty hear you say that,¡± I countered with a chuckle even as just mentioning her name had my thoughts drifting back to the beautiful young lady waiting for me in Winterfell. ¡°I doubt she would mind,¡± Oberyn replied, stopping me from getting lost in my memories. ¡°Since we entered the North, I cannot recall having seen her step foot inside a Sept. Hells, any moment of hers not spent with you, or around the Stark girls, has been spent in Winterfell¡¯s Godswood. If I was not aware she still visited the Septs in Sunspear and Gulltown, I would swear she worshipped the Old Gods.¡± I blinked at Oberyn¡¯s words. While I knew Ty had grown more open to the Old Gods ¨C mainly because of me and my magic ¨C I hadn¡¯t realised the effect had become so pronounced that her father had seen the changes. ¡°Really?¡± Oberyn nodded. ¡°Yes. Ever since the Greyjoy Rebellion,¡± he paused for a moment which allowed me to see I wasn¡¯t the only one with an aggressive reaction to what¡¯d happened back then, ¡°I have seen her questioning her faith. Since Gulltown,¡± he gave me a wry smile, ¡°Well, let us just say she found something else to believe in.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± I walked to my horse slowly, processing that I¡¯d already managed to convert someone away from the Faith of the Seven. Yes, there were extenuating circumstances, and it was just one person, but it proved it could be done. As Ty had been, for the longest time, very devout in her worship. While it was unlikely I¡¯d ever be in a position to convert the masses, the fact I could just be doing what I felt was right¡­ Well, that was something to be proud of I guessed. For a moment, I wondered if converting enough people to the Old Gods would grant them some sort of boost in power. They were real, or at least the Interface and everything I¡¯d just experienced in the grove hinted they were but was restoring their power truly something I wanted to do? I certainly held no love for the Seven, elements of it reminding me of the worst parts of many modern Earth-based religions, but did I want to empower Gods in a world where magic existed? Yet any further thoughts on the matter, or on taking the reins of my horse, were pushed from my mind as I felt the presence of another mind entering it. An insistent sensation that I somehow immediately knew was Rian. I¡¯d felt something like this before when he¡¯d wanted to draw my attention, yet it¡¯d never been this strong nor as potent as it felt now. That was likely an effect of being north of the Wall and the boosts to the magic of the First Men that it brought. My mind drifted through the link, and I found myself a mile above the forest, yet I chose not to take control. Rian had reached out through the link, so I felt it was better to let him guide me. We drifted high on the winds, gliding just under a large white cloud that blocked out the sun. I saw myself far below, standing still with one hand close to my horse. Oberyn was a few steps behind, returning to a conversation with Ser Rodrick while the rest were waiting on the Umbers and Robb to exit from the grove. Rian¡¯s focus shifted from that scene to somewhere northeast; a fact I¡¯d not have picked up on easily if I¡¯d taken control of his mind. There, on the ground, was something that I¡¯d have failed to spot without Rian¡¯s eyes to guide me. in a spot where the tree broke just enough to reveal the snow-covered ground, a faint trail of red led away from the grove. At first, I thought Rian was indicating a deer we could eat, which would¡¯ve been a weak reason for his insistence I slide along our bond. Yet as his eyes followed the blood trail, I saw it was no deer he¡¯d spotted and a new tingle, one reminiscent but stronger than those I¡¯d felt from Rian and Kaa before I bonded with them buzzed within my head. My mind slid from Rian¡¯s as my hand brushed up against the side of my horse. ¡°It cannot be,¡± I muttered to myself as I processed what Rian had discovered. My hand moved along the horse¡¯s neck, toward the saddle as I wondered if what I¡¯d seen was what would mark me as favoured by the Old Gods. The blood trail was perhaps half a league away, and I knew I could reach it easily with the map provided through Rian¡¯s eyes. Yet, I doubted Oberyn or the others would let me ride further north once the others had finished in the grove. As I moved next to the saddle, my eyes wandered around. No one was on horseback, with the Night¡¯s Watch members and Stark guards'' gazes turned away from the grove, watching for threats from the forest. Oberyn was speaking with Ser Rodrick and Ser William Sand, the lone knight brave/foolhardy enough to escort Oberyn through the Wall. None were looking my way. Movement from inside the grove meant the Umbers and Robb were beginning to move, which meant if I wanted to find the blood trail, and what it led to, I needed to go now. With ease coming from years of riding, I slid onto the horse quickly and quietly, my feet finding the stirrups even as I pulled the reins and turned my mount away from the grove. The direwolf at the end of the blood trail hadn¡¯t been moving when Rian had shown it to me, but I had to be sure. Yes, there was always the chance other direwolves were around, but Rian had dropped lower when I¡¯d slid into my saddle, and I trusted him to warn me of any threat as I chased the blood trail. ¡°Cregan!¡± Oberyn called out as my horse took off quickly, though I didn¡¯t bother to respond. The tingle in my skull was drawing me toward the blood, toward the direwolf. I knew where I needed to go, and for this, it was better to beg forgiveness afterwards than seek permission. Only a few seconds after the horse had moved off, the wind was rushing past us; draining the heat from my face. As we vaulted over a fallen tree, the presence from within the weirwood grove seemed to spike, as if pushing me on, then fell back. Though I could still feel it around me as I raced past a large tree. Even without the map in my head from Rian, the itch in my mind was drawing me toward it, guiding me to the downed wolf. Above the trees, I heard a faint whistle, and I knew Rian had dropped lower still, moving into an overwatch position above. My hands were tight on the reins, willing the horse on as we slid between and around the trees of the Haunted Forest. As we raced, I felt the sheath of Red Rain banging against my thigh, granting me some comfort if there was anything around that could or would attack as we neared the direwolf. Thrice as we surged toward the direwolf, the horse tried to pull to one side. Either because it smelt the predator, the blood or possibly both. Each time I kept it on track, yet it was growing harder to do so. My mind slid into the horse¡¯s, finding it easier to do than when I¡¯d trained with Rowan years earlier - the horse having gone with Obara to Moat Calin ¨C and eased the beast¡¯s fears, pushing it onward toward my goal. As we slipped past another tree ¨C one was starting to merge into the next as the forest grew denser ¨C we emerged into a small clearing and I spotted the blood trail. The horse reared up, the smell likely overwhelming any control I¡¯d have to push it on further. After getting it under control, I slid from its back, which was a good choice as the trail led into the underbrush that the horse couldn¡¯t follow through without giving itself away. After tying the reins to a branch nearby, I knelt next to the blood. One hand, after removing my glove, touched the blood, even as the other settled on the hilt of Red Rain. I frowned when I didn¡¯t feel any heat rising from it. That wasn¡¯t encouraging yet the tingle was still strong and pulling me toward the north. I stood, and then after re-gloving my hand, started following the blood trail deeper into the forest. I moved slowly, watching my step, and avoiding making as much sound as I could. While the direwolf may be badly wounded, it was an alpha predator and not something to be trifled with. The direwolf had made no effort to hide its trail, meaning the wound was bad, but I already knew that from what I¡¯d seen through Rian¡¯s eyes. Even without the blood, I¡¯d have been able to follow the trail, and as I slipped through a large hole in one bush, my heart raced as I found my target. The thing was lying on the ground, making a true comparison hard to make, but just by its length, it looked close to my horse''s size. As I watched its massive, muscular chest fail to rise, my heart sank, fearing the great beast the tingle was coming from was dead before I could bond with it. I circled slowly, wanting to see its snout, and my heart sunk further as I saw no steam rising from the mouth or nostrils. Bar wounds along its torso, the beast was as black as a moonless night as its eyes failed to track me as I came into view. Even though I felt the great beast was dead, I pulled Red Rain from its sheath. There was a chance the giant hunter still had enough strength for one last, desperate attack. I moved closer, being careful of my steps as I approached the symbol of House Stark, yet no movement came even when I was within arm¡¯s length of its nose. Part of me wanted to fall into the snow, feeling I¡¯d missed the chance to bond with such a powerful and impressive beast, yet I didn¡¯t. The tingle still pulsed in my head, pulling me closer. I reached out one hand cautiously, placing it on the beast¡¯s snout, only to slump as it made no move. A look at the largest wound near its back legs showed no steam rising, and a gentle starching of the nose drew no reaction from its lifeless eyes. I stepped closer, sure the magnificent predator was dead. ¡°May the Gods watch over you,¡± I whispered into its ear as I closed its eyes. ¡°By the Gods!¡± The shout drew my attention and I stood, Red Rain at the ready. ¡°A direwolf!¡± From the way that I¡¯d come, emerged men. ¡°Cregan!¡± Oberyn called out as he entered the small clearing. Yet even as I saw his relief at finding me alive, the tingle returned, pulling my attention away from my father. Toward the north. The tingle was stronger than anything I¡¯d felt before, yet at the same time, pitifully weak. As if whatever was drawing me to it was slowly feeling its life slip away. Turning, I peered into the trees, trying to find where exactly the tingle was coming from. In the shadows, I felt it, a darker place than anything around. I hurried toward it, the sounds of shouting behind me failing to matter. Quickly I found myself at a cave entrance, though it took all my strength to not fall to my knees at the sight that greeted me. Just inside the entrance, five small creatures lay motionless on the ground. Pups that had joined their mother with the Gods. Yet before my hopes were extinguished, I felt the tingle one last, pathetically weak time. And it was coming from deeper within the cave. I rushed forward, making sure to avoid the dead pups, and stepped into the darkness of the cave. I pulled one of my gloves off and called forth a flame. The light danced around the cave, generating odd shadows on the wall as my footsteps echoed around me. Behind me, I heard others approaching. Snow crunched underfoot and voices called out even as I moved deeper into the cave. Once I was deep enough that no light reached me from outside, I heard a faint, pained, vulnerable, whine. The flame in my hand dimmed as I fell to my knees and scurried around a large boulder. There, cuddled together for any faint hint of warmth, were two small, barely moving direwolves. One had fur that seemed to shine under the light of my flame, while the other had fur as black as its mother, and as our eyes met, the tingle pulled my thoughts from my skull. Pain. Hunger. Cold. Mother. Why. Red Rain fell to the ground as I returned to my mind. They were incredibly weak, barely hanging on to life after their brothers and sisters had died after their mother hadn¡¯t returned. The flame in my hand died as I reached for both. Faint, pathetic squeals came from them as I picked them up as if picking up my sisters, and then pulled them into my furs. Once they were secure, I gripped Red Rain carefully and slid it back into its sheath, though that took a touch longer in the dark of the cave. As I turned, I opened the notice from the Interface, confirming that I had bonded with the pup. However, my heart sank at the warning it gave. Skinchanging Instinctual Bond Formed! Bonded animal: ??? [Direwolf] Level 1 bond Bonds remaining: 0 ... Congratulations, you¡¯ve formed your third instinctual bond. ¡­ WARNING! Your new bonded companion is very weak. If they die, the bond-slot will be lost. ... I stood carefully even if I wanted to rush to the cave entrance and get help. I feared too much sudden, jarring movement might be what killed the pair. I moved as quickly as I dared in the now pitch-black cave, my pace increasing as light from outside began to seep in. My eyes drifted between the pups, who¡¯d gone silent against my furs, and the ground beneath my feet. ¡°Cregan!¡± looking forward, I saw Oberyn. He¡¯d entered the cave, though not particularly far, and had drawn his sword. ¡°What in the name of the¡­¡± the words died in his throat as the black pup which I now saw had bright blue eyes, the one I¡¯d bonded with, moved around and whined. ¡°By the¡­ are those¡­?¡± ¡°Direwolves,¡± I finished with a nod. From behind Oberyn, another figure came forward, cutting off some of the light entering the cave. Robb moved forward, the sword in his hand drooping as his focus was on the pups. His free hand came closer, as he moved as if in a trance, and his gloved fingers gently touched the other pup ¨C who I now saw had silver-grey fur that seemed to catch the light. Robb tensed as the pup lifted its head and nudged his finger, and for a moment, I saw a light glimmer in his eyes. That had me wondering if he¡¯d just formed a bond with this pup as I had with the other. ¡°They are so weak,¡± he muttered as he pulled his fingers back. I opened my mouth to reply, only for nothing to come out. My fear that the pair would soon die prevented me from voicing confirmation. ¡°Come on.¡± Robb pushed past Oberyn, who looked confused at what was going on. I followed in my cousin¡¯s steps, ignoring the way those at the cave entrance watched us. He led me to his horse and for a second, I thought he was going to go for dried meat. I opened my mouth to say they were too young, too weak, for solid food, however, his hand reached for his waterskin. He turned back to me as he pulled the top off it. After taking a mouthful, he moved closer. ¡°it may not be that warm, but it shall do.¡± I shifted my arms, lifting the pups so it¡¯d be easier for him to let them drink. He poured some water onto his glove and then held it close. We both watched with bated breath for either of the pups to drink. Slowly, weakly, first my pup, and then his, moved their heads toward the water. Their tiny tongues licked feebly at the glove. Robb, likely fearing the water was already growing cold, poured more over his glove. Seeing the pair drink the water, even if it wasn¡¯t as fast as I¡¯d have liked, filled my heart with some hope that they¡¯d survive. However, the big issue was going to be the fact they were likely too young for anything but water and milk; and I doubted the former would do much beyond keeping them alive for a short time. ¡°That shall not be enough.¡± I looked over my shoulder to see Oberyn had moved closer, though not close enough that he was invading our space. ¡°Judging their size to their mother, they need milk, which may be an issue.¡± ¡°Are there hounds at Castle Black?¡± ¡°No.¡± The answer came from Ser Mallador who was commanding the black brothers escorting us as he came to stand next to Oberyn. Just behind them, I saw the Greatjon talking with his sons while the others stayed further back. ¡°We should kill them.¡± ¡°No!¡± The shout came from Robb and me together even as Oberyn turned to glare at the member of the Night¡¯s Watch. ¡°You seek to kill a direwolf, the symbol of House Stark, in the presence of the heir and nephew of Lord Eddard?¡± My father¡¯s tone was calm, but I heard the challenge within it. ¡°They are weak and small.¡± Mallador shot back, his body tensing as Oberyn turned to face him. ¡°If allowed to become fully grown they are a threat to my brothers north of the Wall.¡± My eyes narrowed at the man¡¯s words. While I knew he was speaking the truth, I¡¯d kill every member of the Watch before letting them take my pup. Thus, it was probably a good thing my arms were focused on hiding the pups so I couldn¡¯t draw Red Rain. ¡°We will be taking them with us,¡± Robb called out, his words carrying an unexpected amount of finality to them for a boy of ten and four. ¡°Why should we listen to you?¡± That challenge came from the group beyond Oberyn and Mallador, and before any response could be called, the Greatjon grabbed the offending brother and hoisted them into the air. ¡°You dare threaten a Stark?¡± He growled as his sons drew their blades. Further back, I saw Ser Rodrik and the Stark guards do the same. The other members of the Night¡¯s Watch didn¡¯t draw their blades, though many had their hands on their hilts. The stupid fool who¡¯d opened his mouth looked around, and seeing he lacked support from his brothers, shook his head. ¡°N-no, my lord. I-I was just thinking to spare the beasts a slow death.¡± The Greatjon dropped the man and I smirked as he hit the ground arse-first and hard. As two other members of the Night¡¯s Watch came over to drag him away ¨C and I hoped, to beat some common fucking sense into the prick ¨C Robb moved between me and everyone else. ¡°These pups are the symbol of my house. Of the North. They will be coming with us to Winterfell and any who dare stop us will be considered an enemy of House Stark.¡± Robb called out, his voice breaking even as I saw one of his hands shaking. That made sense as this was likely the first time he¡¯d ever been forced to act as a lord, and certainly outside the walls of Winterfell. Ser Mallador lowered his head. ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± He turned and walked away, making a beeline for the dumb fool who¡¯d spoken up moments ago. Oberyn approached and clasped Robb on the shoulder. ¡°At last, there¡¯s the Northern spirit.¡± He said with a smile. ¡°I was beginning to wonder if you were more trout than wolf.¡± I couldn¡¯t see Robb¡¯s face though whatever expression he made, had my father laughing. ¡°Speaking of your parents, I am unsure how they will react to this decision, nor that you went north of the Wall with your cousin,¡± he glanced my way, letting me know I was going to get a bollocking for my actions today, if not some form of physical punishment. Yet, as the pups in my arms moved around, I¡¯d consider even sparring in a handicap against the Kingsguard worth it for what I gained today. ¡°All that remains now is what to do with their mother.¡± Oberyn turned, leaving me and Robb to consider that even as my eyes drifted past my father toward where I knew the adult direwolf lay. The body would have to be burned, as I didn¡¯t want the Others raising it as an ice zombie (was it even called that if it wasn¡¯t human?), though that felt like a waste. However, skinning the symbol of House Stark felt wrong. As much as I hated the idea, I knew that Robb would have to be the one to make the call. He was the heir to Winterfell and the North. As he looked back at me, colour draining from his face, I suspected he¡¯d realised that as well and was already dreading the decision he¡¯d have to make. Oh, I¡¯d offer ideas and opinions, but in the end, the call was his alone. ¡­ ¡­ The Wall 2 The Wall 2 ¡­ ¡­ (circa 295AC)
¡°Did we¡­ did I do the right thing?¡± I lifted my head slowly, not wanting to disturb my pup. After feeding him some milk from a soaked cloth, he¡¯d finally settled down to sleep in my lap. While that left me trapped where I was, the sight of him drinking the milk and moving around before sleeping made up for my current predicament. Before I saw Robb, who¡¯d been the one to speak, I saw Rian. He was perched on a stand, preening his feathers as Robb and I sat on our cots. While Rian didn¡¯t enjoy being cooped up inside, it was better than him spending the night outside in the cold, or Maester Aemon¡¯s rookery. Though thinking on the Maester had me wondering why Rian had warmed to the blind Targaryen so soon as to let him pet him, he was highly selective about who could do so with even Ty being rejected on occasion and she¡¯d been with me when we¡¯d found him as a wounded chick. Robb was still feeding his pup, squeezing the milk-soaked cloth tightly to allow the milk to drip down into the pup¡¯s waiting mouth. This milk was coming from the glands of the mother as Oberyn had managed to locate and remove them from the dead direwolf. We had enough for another few days, which should help us get to Last Hearth, but after that, we¡¯d need to wean milk from bitches belonging to the Umbers. The milk had been heated before being soaked in the cloth, and when Robb was finished, he placed his with mine in the pan. There¡¯d still be some left for late as the pups would likely wake during the night, calling out for more milk, though in the morning we¡¯d have to wash and resoak them before we left to ensure the pups were well-fed for the journey. ¡°I would say we did,¡± I replied, one of my fingers gently stroking my pup¡¯s back, enjoying the way he reacted to the contact. A faint sound from his pup had Robb looking down at it before he spoke again. ¡°No. I mean¡­ about their mother.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± I looked up at the roof of our room to collect my thoughts. ¡°Honestly, I cannot say. I mean, burning the whole body with the dead pups might have been the right choice, at least in the eyes of the Gods, but then we would have wasted the fur. I think what you chose was the best choice based on the time we had, and I think your father will agree.¡± There had been no way we could bring the carcass back to Winterfell, the thing would¡¯ve rotted before we could reach Last Hearth. Nor was I going to allow the Night¡¯s Watch to strip the mother to her bones for meat. Thus we, and by that, I meant Robb since he was the heir to Winterfell, and with me offering some strong-worded advice to the black brother who suggested harvesting the meat, had made the call on what to do with the body, and that of the dead pups. Apart from the horrible suggestion about harvesting the direwolf¡¯s meat, there¡¯d been a few other suggestions put forward. Most would¡¯ve seen the Night¡¯s Watch keeping all, or almost all, the harvested parts. Both Oberyn and I argued strongly against that since it was my actions that discovered the body, and not that of any member of the Watch. In the end, Robb had chosen to burn the body, though not before it was skinned, de-clawed and we removed its head. Those parts would be taken back to Winterfell with the final action on them being left up to Ned. The rest of the carcass, and that of the pups, was burnt. The Night¡¯s Watch wanted to just leave the remains for other animals to eat, but I had argued passionately against that. While I¡¯d used the point of allowing the sigil of House Stark to be butchered by animals as my public reason, I was concerned an Other might appear and raise a zombie-direwolf and pups; and that was an image that needed to stay in the deepest parts of my nightmares. ¡°I hope you are correct,¡± Robb began before the pup in his lap coughed slightly before pulling back for the dripping milk-soaked cloth. ¡°Though I am more worried he will not let me keep this guy.¡± He added as he moved slowly, making sure not to disturb the pup as it started to settle on his furs, and dropped the cloth in the pan with mine. I moved carefully, not wanting to disturb the black mass sleeping in my lap, and placed a hand on his shoulder. When he looked at me, I spoke. ¡°I doubt he will refuse you, though your mother might argue against it.¡± He inhaled sharply at that, though I smiled to reassure him as I continued. ¡°But she will not succeed. Oberyn has already said I can keep mine, so you can use that to persuade Uncle Ned. All that needs to be said is why can a bastard keep a direwolf pup if the heir to Winterfell cannot?¡± I expected Catelyn to argue that I shouldn¡¯t, but Oberyn would delight in shooting down how he raised me, and what gifts I was allowed, not being her concern. Robb laughed softly. ¡°Aye, that is true.¡± A gentle knock at the door stopped any further conversation. It opened slowly, trying to avoid making the wood or hinges groan, which meant whoever it was, knew that we had the pups. A second later Oberyn¡¯s head slid round the edge of the door. ¡°Are you and the pups well?¡± ¡°We are, and you have my thanks for your help today, Prince Oberyn,¡± Robb replied, showing he understood the rules of the game. Though Oberyn waved him off even as a smile came across his face. ¡°There is no need to call me prince, young lordling. Your cousin is my son in all but blood, while my eldest daughter is your goodaunt. To me, that makes us family.¡± He laughed softly, his eyes wandering down as the black mass in my lap moved. ¡°Besides, the sight of seeing how your family and mine react to those little fellows is reward enough.¡± I laughed gently, in return, being careful to not disturb the pup. ¡°Aye, I do wonder how my mother will react to seeing this guy bounding off the Windchaser.¡± Oberyn¡¯s smile grew. ¡°I doubt she will complain about him too much. More likely she will try to skin your hide for going north of the Wall.¡± ¡°True. I believe I have to be sure and remind her that you allowed it, father.¡± Oberyn clutched his chest as if suffering a heart attack. ¡°You wound me, son.¡± I hear Robb chuckle once then stop, probably as he was worried about disturbing his pup as it settled in for the night. Oberyn looked over at my cousin. ¡°Still, as it seems the little ones have had their fill, I suggest getting some rest. No doubt they will wish to be fed during the night, and you will need your rest if we are to leave after the first meal tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yes, father.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince Oberyn.¡± As the door closed, I gently slid my hands under the furs my pup was snoozing on. With that done, I slid down into the furs, then settled him down near me. Though I made sure to not place him too close in case either of us rolled while we slept. I¡¯d never forgive myself if I killed the pup by rolling onto him during the night. Once we were on our way, I¡¯d probably spend the time not fretting about the pup but considering a name for him. So far, Akela and Shadow were floating around my head, and while continuing the naming tradition from the Jungle Book held some appeal, I wasn¡¯t sure Akela fit the black mass that was now bonded to me. I was curious what Robb would name his wolf. Its markings were close to Grey Wind¡¯s so, it was possible he¡¯d just use the name again, but I was hoping he wouldn¡¯t. it felt odd to call anyone but Grey Wind by that name, however, the choice was up to Robb. As Robb doused the lamp providing light in the room, I wondered when I¡¯d next return to the Wall. Apart from the quest linked to it, and the one for the Old Gods, I wanted to speak with Maester Aemon more as I hadn¡¯t managed to get him to reveal his heritage. Still, with the pup at my side, I considered the trip more than worth it. That said, I did hope to delay returning to the Wall until it was absolutely necessary, either because of the Wildlings or the Others. It was an incredible place, but the constant cold was irritating and it lacked the warmth of Ty as she rested beneath the sheets. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I was woken sometime later by a gentle pressure in my mind. I opened my eyes slowly, and then feeling the small bundle of warmth lying against me, shifted around to see what had forced me awake. It didn¡¯t take long to work it out as Rian was staring at me intently. He tilted his head and then flicked it toward the door. ¡°Give me a minute,¡± I said quietly to not wake Robb or the pups. I had to bend in ways my sleep-addled body didn¡¯t enjoy to avoid disturbing my pup, though I couldn¡¯t help but smile warmly as he shifted toward where I¡¯d been when he felt me move. I pulled the sheets over him, wanting to ensure he stayed warm and slid on my socks before standing. The floor wasn¡¯t heated, and I¡¯d rather not repeat my mistake of the first night here of waking and stepping onto the floor without something between it and my feet. I had little idea what time it was, though the faint sounds coming from beyond the door suggested the guards were, at least, still there. Not wanting to step out into the cold unprepared, I slid on my garb, though not my armour as I planned to simply let Rian go and then return to my room. For a moment I considered not bothering to take my dagger ¨C the same one Oberyn had given me for my nameday nearly a decade ago ¨C and Red Rain, but dismissed the thought with a quiet snort of derision and attached them to my waist. The only piece of armour I did add was my vambraces as even with my furs on my arm, I could still feel Rian¡¯s claws through them, along with padded trousers. I completed the lazy look with some gloves that, while thick, didn¡¯t stop me from opening doors or gripping my sword¡¯s hilt. Rian hopped over onto my forearm when I offered it to him, and as I started walking toward the door, he tapped his beak against my skull. I¡¯d learnt the gesture was his way of saying thanks though I didn¡¯t enjoy it when he tried to preen my hair as his beak tended to pull hairs from my head. Outside the door, two Stark guards stood, one glanced at me, though once he realised I wasn¡¯t Robb, he turned back to stare down the corridor. While they were there to protect Robb, I knew that they would also offer some safety to the pups if any black brother tried to kill them. Though there was only one I felt would try it and, if he did, I¡¯d enjoy splitting Roryn Drumm from neck to balls. A little further down the corridor were two Martell guards standing outside Oberyn¡¯s room. One moved to come with me, but I waved him off. ¡°I¡¯m just going to let Rian out for a flight then come back. No need for protection.¡± The guard thought about protesting, but an elbow from the other stayed his tongue, and they let me pass without incident. It took about a minute to reach the outer door, and even if I¡¯d been unsure of the way, the whistling of the wind as it rocketed past the thick wooden door would¡¯ve guided me there was ease. I braced myself as I pushed it open only to then grunt as the cold air slammed into my face. It wasn¡¯t that windy, but the temperature was barely above freezing. The first rays of sunlight were just reaching Castle Black as I stepped outside, making the Wall glow an ethereal lilac that only enhanced its magical nature. My gaze was pulled from the mesmerising sight as Rian flapped his wings, the tip just catching my head due to his size before he took off into the air. The wind in the castle helped him climb quickly, though he still moved toward a nearby building to catch an updraft. I considered drifting into his mind but decided against it. Maybe once I was back inside I might, but I wasn¡¯t going to do it while I was outside and not dressed to survive the weather for more than a short time. I turned back to the door, reaching out for it with one hand when Rian called out loudly, both in the air and inside my mind. I stopped mid-step and turned my head, wondering what was wrong only to blink as something shot past me. it missed my flesh, but caught the edge of my furs, trapping my hand against the door. Even as I braced a foot to rip the arm free, my head snapped around to where the arrow had come from. There, in the shadow of a building was a black brother. His face was covered by a hood though it was clear he was the one attacking me as he was quickly nocking another arrow. My free right hand grabbed the arrow shaft before snapping it as I snarled at the unprovoked attack. I ripped the sleeve of my arm free, turned and dropped, as I pulled my dagger in the same motion. The next arrow was coming soon and at this distance, my only hope was to move erratically enough that it missed anything vital. I watched the figure pull back the drawstring, yet just as the arrow was loose, a large shape fell from the clouds. Rian made a high-pitched whistle as his claws came round, catching the bow at the perfect moment. The arrow came loose though it flew away harmlessly as his claws gripped the top of the bow and drawstring. The figure flung an arm up, forcing Rian to pull back, but in the process, it caused his hood to fall away revealing my attacker to be Roryn Drumm. As Rian pulled back into the air, Roryn turned his bow toward him and I felt an inferno of rage surge through my veins. I roared and moved toward him, my left hand ripping Red Rain from its sheath. That brought Roryn¡¯s focus back to me before he could launch an arrow at the rapidly retreating Rian. I saw claw marks on the bow as he turned, and the drawstring dropping loosely, giving a sign of the strength of Rian¡¯s claws. Roryn tossed the bow to one side, and then as one arm pulled a shield from his back the other yanked an axe from his belt. While the cloak was still on him, the movements let the sun¡¯s morning light glint off his armour. I tightened the grips on my weapons, trusting in the fact Red Rain could cut through leather and chainmail ¨C which appeared to be what he was wearing ¨C with ease to bring the fight back in my favour, though I¡¯d not yet tried it against plate steel. Roryn braced his shield, hiding like a coward behind the wooden circular frame. Reflections came from the edge and centre of the shield as I closed in. Something clicked in my mind that the metal and wood of the shield might be able to catch Red Rain if it bit in. Through my need to make him taste his own blood, I wondered if he had a plan for countering Valyrian steel. ¡°That blade is mine!¡± Roryn roared from behind his shield as he started moving forward; slowly like the coward he was. ¡°And after I pay the Iron Price for it, I will be leaving this shithole and reclaiming my home!¡± My first reply came via Red Rain as I swung the blade in a wide arc. The tip slashed the front of his shield, leaving a large scratch in the surface, enough to drive him back slightly. ¡°Your home is gone!¡± I called as I brought the blade around again in an arc. ¡°Your family is gone!¡± he tilted his shield, trying to get my blade to catch the edge, though I shifted my stance so it left another gash in the wood. ¡°And soon you shall join them!¡± Roryn¡¯s axe lashed out from below the shield, looking to catch my left arm. I was forced to hop back, growling at the issues I was having with Red Rain. I¡¯d trained with a multitude of weapons over the years but Red Rain was a short blade with most of its weight concentrated in the tip, perfect for devastating cuts amidst the close tight in-fighting of ship combat or great paired with a shield, but I had no shield and this blade was not my preferred style, though the Valyrian steel helped to counter that for now. As he came forward I took a quick backward step and leaned back as my sword flashed in from the side. His shield shifted, the edge of my blade catching the edge yet before it could bite in, I pulled back. That left a deep cut in the frame, bringing a vicious smirk to my lips. The smirk fell when he pushed forward with the shield, catching me near my elbow. I stumbled back, barely avoiding the axe as he shifted, exposing his body to extend his reach. The edge of the weapon caught my furs, ripping them as his axe flashed past. I snarled as I stepped back before bringing my blade around in a brutal backhand that caught the bottom of his shield, I felt him try to push down and twist, but instead of trapping my blade a large chunk ripped away from his shield. Stepping in as he lost his footing on the slippery ground I brought Red Rain around in a quick downwards cut. Roryn managed to bring his shield back in line though my blade still took another chunk off it. Roryn saw this and pushed forward, bracing Red Rain with my other arm on the flat of the blade. I stopped it, though as his axe flashed around a second later I had to hastily jerk back. I reacted in time to avoid it but as the axe briefly caught on my furs it left his arm extended for a brief moment, and as he pulled the weapon back, I brought my unused dagger up to try to ram it through his elbow. He hissed in pain as the dagger¡¯s edge caught him on the inside of the elbow, though the arm was back behind the shield before I could see if I¡¯d drawn blood. I stepped forward, Red Rain coming around to cut into his stomach. Unfortunately, the shield took the strike instead of his guts. Though the blow did take a chunk out of the shield¡¯s metal rim. As his axe flashed towards my shoulder I retreated again, he came after me thrusting his ragged shield at my face. A quick side step allowed the shield to swing past my face and I plunged my dagger into his upper arm as a smile split my face, Roryn twisted his shield, turning my next strike with Red Rain aside as he stumbled back, though his shield now looked decidedly ramshackle. And I felt my blood roar as victory closed in even as I barely registered movement in the background. Roryn desperately brought his axe around trying to drive me back but as I leaned back my arm flashed around, Red Rain a blood-red streak across the world, I felt brief resistance, and then hot blood showered my face and I felt copper in my mouth as his arm sailed away from his body. As Roryn stumbled back, I seized the moment and grabbed the bottom of his shield, flinging it away from his body. Red Rain came down again, entering his collarbone with a crunch of chainmail and driving through to the other side of his chest. Stepping back, my blade slid free easily. He fell forward, landing on the back of his shield, and I stepped back, watching as his blood soaked into the wood. Wanting to be sure, I lifted Red Rain up and then drove the tip of the blade down into Roryn¡¯s back, near his neck. Blood squirted from the wound as I pulled my weapon free, raining down red droplets on his black furs. I took a moment to savour the victory, the taste of blood on my lips, the fire racing through my veins, the glory of a dead enemy at my feet¡­. ¡°What in the Seven Hells is going on here?!¡± I turned at the voice, my blood singing for more blood, more carnage, more mayhem, to see Ser Alliser Thorne rushing toward me. his blade was drawn, as were the blades of a half-dozen with him. I shifted my stance, my right hand gripping the pommel of Red Rain. ¡°Ending a challenge and that pox-ridden whore¡¯s line for good!¡± I shot back with a snarl. The fire in my blood remembered how easily Alliser had put me down before and wanted vengeance. Thorne, much to my annoyance, pulled up short. While he kept a grip on his sword, he used that and his arms to stop the other members of the Night¡¯s Watch from rushing me. He looked down at the body, and as the flames inside cooled slightly, I realised what he wanted. With a grunt, I pushed the body over, showing the blood-soaked carcass to him and the others. ¡°For fuck¡¯s sake,¡± he muttered with a shake of his head. He glared at two brothers to his left. ¡°Get the traitor¡¯s weapons,¡± he then turned to his right.¡± And you! Get the Lord Commander!¡± As the two on Thorne¡¯s left inched closer, I had to fight myself. I knew they weren¡¯t here to attack, could see it in their faces, but the inferno inside wanted them to taste Red Rain¡¯s steel as Roryn had done. ¡°What in the Seven Hells?¡± I spun at that voice and saw Oberyn exiting the door I¡¯d come from. At his side were the two Martell guards and behind them was one of the Dornish knights and Ser Rodrick a step further back. ¡°Cregan?¡± Oberyn asked slowly, though when his eyes spotted the figure on the ground, a fire came into his eyes. A sound from above had me looking skyward, seeing Rian circling the yard. As the inferno inside waned, I realised I¡¯d be dead if not for him, and he knew it. Which meant lots of rewards starting with some meat from the kitchen once the chaos in the yard was handled. Then a rabbit or anything else I could hunt on the way back to Winterfell. There, once the story of what¡¯d happened reached Ty¡¯s ears, she¡¯d smother him with more treats, of that I was sure. ¡°Cregan?¡± I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked down to see Oberyn had closed the distance while I¡¯d been watching Rian. ¡°Just the correction of a mistake, father,¡± I began, earning a smirk from him. ¡°And making sure others know that I don¡¯t just have this blade just because of that story.¡± That drew a snort of amusement from my father. His gaze returned to the body, which from the sounds of things was being dragged away. If looks could kill, the body would¡¯ve combusted on the spot with the fury Oberyn was directing at it. ¡°I owe you for my misplaced leniency,¡± he said slowly. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, father. Roryn had clearly gone mad in his time here if he thought he could kill me.¡± That drew another snort of laughter from him, along with chuckles from Ser Rodrick and the others nearby. ¡°Aye, he likely had.¡± He clapped my shoulder and gave me a gentle push toward the door we¡¯d come from. ¡°Now, while I deal with this mess, you go and warm up. I would hate for you to catch even a cold because of that piss stains stupidity.¡± I nodded and then moved toward the door. As I reached it, one of the Martell guards opened it and as I stepped inside my lips twisted into a smile, that was the first true kill I¡¯d made in this life, the ones before having been down more to luck and magic. That had been exhilarating and I suddenly couldn''t wait to hear the song of steel once more. But first what I wanted now was a quick wash, to make sure my pup was ok, and then a good meal and drink. I¡¯d also go for a fuck, but Ty wasn¡¯t here and unlike my father, I had no interest in playing for both sides. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°There is no one to confirm your words of how the incident occurred,¡± Jeor Mormont said after I¡¯d come to the hall to hear his judgement on Roryn¡¯s attack. ¡°However, based on the earlier incident, the state of both yourself and¡­ Roryn Drumm, it¡¯s clear to us that he attacked you.¡± The Old Bear sighed, looking every one of his years. ¡°I¡­ words fail me for saying how furious I am at the behaviour of one of my brothers, to say nothing of this breach of Guest Rights.¡± He shook his head and none of those with him looked pleased about events, though Thorne¡¯s glare made it hard to tell if he still felt I deserved a share of the blame. ¡°The failings of Drumm are not yours, Lord Commander. Nor that of any other member of the Night¡¯s Watch,¡± I added as I glanced at the others sitting with him at the head table. to his right were Ser Alliser and Maester Aemon while to the left were Othell Yarwyck and Bowen Marsh; the First Builder and Lord Steward respectively. ¡°What he did is an insult to everything the Watch and the North stand for but the insult was given by him alone. He has no house to share it with, nor blood to be held accountable.¡± While my words were true, they likely didn¡¯t do much to calm Jeor Mormont¡¯s fury. Nor that of the Umbers. It¡¯d taken some work to convince the Greatjon that the actions of one Ironborn didn¡¯t condemn all those that had come with Roryn to the Wall. Oberyn hadn¡¯t been much help, his blood wanted revenge as much as the Greatjon wanted it for the insult to the North. Which might be why all but the eldest or senior members of the Watch had been avoiding him like he had Greyscale all morning. Robb had been torn between agreeing with the Greatjon and wanting to send a raven to his father. I¡¯d managed to convince him not to do the latter ¨C mainly as I¡¯d rather not face an irate Ty the moment I set foot in Winterfell ¨C but I was grateful for his support. It was also another little moment of him coming out of his shell and being proactive. Still, in the end, I¡¯d managed to get all of them to back off and wait to see how the Night¡¯s Watch responded. Which was why I was in the hall with their leadership later that day, not long after lunch. ¡°They might not to you, but he was under my command, which makes his actions, no matter how fucking heinous they are, my responsibility,¡± Jeor shot back, his face hardening as he spoke about Roryn. ¡°He made a fool of me and disparaged the honour of the Night¡¯s Watch.¡± He paused, took a deep breath, and shook his head. ¡°Words fail to express how dreadfully his actions have reflected on the Watch, and while you do not hold us to account, I do. As such, and after conferring with the others, Maester Aemon came up with a solution that may, at least in the eyes of the Gods, settle the matter.¡± I wanted to say I didn¡¯t need a gift, that it wasn¡¯t required, but I didn¡¯t. The way the Northerners were up in arms about this showed just how important Guest Rights were to them. Not least because, as the Lord Commander had just mentioned, it was a matter for the Old Gods. Thus, I stayed quiet as Othell stood and moved over to a side door. A tap on that had two black brothers enter. Between them, they carried what looked like a branch, which given its colouring could only have come from a weirwood. ¡°The Night¡¯s Watch never cuts down weirwoods, however on rangings, weirwood branches can sometimes be found,¡± Bower Marsh explained as the branch was placed on the table in front of me. ¡°The wood from them produces some of the finest bows possible, though we¡¯ve lacked a bowyer for some time now with the skill to craft such a thing. Instead, we are storing the wood here with plans to, if the need ever arose, sell them for supplies.¡± "This¡­¡± words failed me as I ran my fingers down the branch, taking in the faint ripples in the bark. Weirwood trees held massive importance to any follower of the Old Gods. Giving a branch half this size would likely be considered an impressive gift, so this was¡­ it was too much. But I knew I couldn¡¯t reject it, even if it was large enough that it took two grown men to carry it in. To do so would imply that their honour was not worth being repaired. ¡°It¡¯s too much,¡± I said quietly, I couldn''t believe that there wasn''t a lesser gift that could restore their honour, struggling to take my eyes from the branch as my fingers continued to glide over the bark. I could already see a fine longbow being made from this, perhaps even a short bow as well, and with enough left over smaller items might be carved from it. ¡°You may feel that way, but the size of the gift is determined by the party in the wrong. With your. . . . status,¡± I could imagine Alliser snarling at that comment, ¡°it is the least I feel we can offer.¡± The counter came from Jeor reminding me once more how heavily the North, and those who followed the Old Gods, believed in the principles of Guest Rights. I looked up at the head table, every one of them, even Ser Alliser ¨C though he still looked as if he¡¯d swallowed a rotten lemon ¨C wore hard faces, making clear they agreed with the Lord Commander¡¯s decision. I nodded and placed my hand down fully on the weirwood branch. ¡°I accept the apology on behalf of you and the entire Night¡¯s Watch, Lord Commander Mormont. Also, I wish to be clear that I hold no ill will toward any other member of the Watch over the actions of the traitor.¡± Jeor smiled, and the weight of this lifted from his shoulders making him seem a few decades younger. ¡°Good. I shall have my men place the branch on your wagon before you leave.¡± He stood and walked down to me, the others coming along behind. ¡°I hope today¡¯s events will not sour you on the work the Watch performs.¡± He added as he clasped my forearm. ¡°Of course not, and even if the events of this morning were unfortunate, I still consider this a worthwhile trip.¡± My thoughts turned to my pup, who was staying with Robb and his pup while I handled this meeting. Jeor nodded once more and broke the grip, though he was replaced by Ser Alliser. It was obvious he didn¡¯t want to, but he still clasped my arm as honour dictated. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. As Othell Yarwyck and Bowen Marsh clasped my arm in turn, my thoughts turned to Robb. I was sure that when he¡¯d first seen his pup, he¡¯d warged into him. I¡¯d have to talk with Robb on the ride back south to confirm it, but if he had, or he felt he had, I¡¯d probably see about trying to teach him how to warg consciously. I didn¡¯t want him, and his siblings left as confused and alone regarding warging as they¡¯d been in the main timeline. ¡°If you have the time,¡± Aemon said as he clasped my arm; Bowen Marsh having helped guide him subtly to me, ¡°before you leave, perhaps you might come to my quarters. I found some tomes that might be of use to your earlier enquiries.¡± I nodded on instinct, then felt silly for doing so since he couldn¡¯t see. ¡°Of course. Perhaps after dinner?¡± he nodded his agreement, which was a relief. While we could¡¯ve left tonight, the road wasn¡¯t a wise one to travel in the dark, so we¡¯d pushed back our departure until tomorrow. If Aemon hadn¡¯t agreed to meet this evening, I¡¯d have struggled to find time for him, which would¡¯ve been a massive disservice if he¡¯d, as he implied, gone out of his way to find more books on the history of the Wall and the forts along it. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ Thankfully, the rest of the day passed quietly, and after dinner, I made my way across the yard of Castle Back to Maester Aemon¡¯s tower. Once there, I rapped on the door with one hand while the other cradled my pup. While I was concerned the cold might upset him, when I¡¯d returned to my room after killing Roryn, I¡¯d discovered him scratching at the door, yapping away in fear. It seemed that the little guy had known I¡¯d been in trouble and was worried about me. Hell, when I¡¯d met with Jeor Mormont and the Night¡¯s Watch leadership, he¡¯d been unable to settle in the room, though thankfully Robb and his pup had managed to keep him occupied just enough that he didn¡¯t start whining again. Apart from that one meeting, the pup had never left my side. That was why I was carrying him in the crook of my arm as I knocked on the Maester''s door. ¡°Enter.¡± I stepped inside quickly, wanting to get the pup out of the cold. Maester Aemon was sitting at the desk I¡¯d been at before. A pile of books rested at one side, though I couldn¡¯t see their spine to know what they were about, while another sat open in front of him. I frowned wondering why that was since Westeros had never invented something like Braille. A faint sound of contentment came from the crook of my arm as the pup enjoyed being back somewhere warm. That brought a smile to Aemon¡¯s face, and he looked over at me. ¡°Ah, young Cregan. Good, good. Come here.¡± He waved me over as I noticed a spare chair to his left, on the side of the table away from the pile of books. ¡°I would ask how you knew it was me, Maester, but I think we both know the answer,¡± I said as I sat, making him chuckle. ¡°Yes, yes. Your new companion has certainly been the talk of the castle, and his sounds are distinctive enough that even these old ears can tell where he is.¡± He paused, his glassy eyes drifting down to my lap. ¡°May I?¡± He asked softly, a hand moving toward me. Realising what he wanted I lifted the pup from my lap. He whined slightly, which made Aemon¡¯s smile grow; though it grew further as his fingers touched the pup¡¯s fur. The whining died down as the pup enjoyed Armon¡¯s gentle stroking. Aemon¡¯s face softened as if the years were melting away, and his eyes, lifeless as they were, seemed to sparkle with amazement. He pulled his hand back after about half a minute, the pup pushing back to maintain the contact, though before it could whine again, I placed my hand against it. ¡°When I first joined the Watch, I¡¯d hoped one day to see a direwolf,¡± Aemon began as the pup moved around in my lap, seeking a new position to snooze in. ¡°Alas my sight failed me long before now, but at least I can now say I have stroked the fur of one; something few can claim. At least for now.¡± I chuckled at that as he was right. Once back in Winterfell, my cousins and Ty would be fighting for a chance to pet the pups; as would Arianne and Ty¡¯s sisters in Sunspear. Still, that was something for the future. ¡°Is this the book you wished for me to see?¡± I asked, having already glanced at it while Aemon was petting the pup to see it spoke of the construction of the Nightfort. Aemon¡¯s hand came down to rest on the open page, pointing directly at the passage I¡¯d just browsed. ¡°Yes, at least partly. This book, and these beside it, are the ones the Stewards were able to locate yesterday that speak of the founding of the various forts and are still legible enough to maybe be of use.¡± I leaned forward, wanting to read more. My chair creaked which drew a chuckle from Aemon. ¡°I will leave you to them, though if you wish to speak about what you read, or have finished and wish to leave, I will be nearby.¡± ¡°Of course, and thank you.¡± Aemon stood, patting my shoulder as he did. He might not have his sight, but he was aware of what was around him and, at least within the confines of Castle Black, knew his way around. As he moved away, I shifted over to his now-empty chair, eager to read through the books he¡¯d gathered for me. ¡­ ¡°Still at it, I see.¡± I almost leapt from my chair at the soft voice from behind my shoulder. As I turned to look at Aemon, my heart racing in my chest, I was glad the pup had decided it wanted to do something other than snooze in my lap. Currently, the little bugger was on the floor, stalking the edge of my furs as they hung over the chair. Thankfully Aemon had come for the side that avoided the pup, and as my heart rate dropped, I wondered if he¡¯d heard it planning around and changed his approach. ¡°I did not realise those books were that captivating,¡± Aemon added, having heard my reaction to his appearance. ¡°They may not be,¡± I replied slowly. ¡°Not really. It¡¯s just, well, I was curious about how the wall and the forts were built, and since this may be the only time I can read these books, I wanted to read as much as I could.¡± Aemon chuckled as he came closer, my pup moving around under my chair to stay safe. ¡°It has been a long time since any, within the Watch or not, has shown interest in our history. Certainly not in my time have I come across many Northern youngsters who wished to journey here to learn of the Wall; never mind those from further south.¡± I smirked, forgetting once more that he¡¯d not see it. ¡°History has always had an appeal for me. From the Long Night to the Valyrian Freehold. I find myself enjoying reading their tales.¡± I kept my eyes on him when I mentioned the Freehold, spotting the slightest tension on his face that others would ignore. ¡°If one does not learn from what has come before, they are doomed to repeat the mistakes of old.¡± While the books had been useful, they¡¯d also driven me mad. Often there¡¯d be a hint of something more, a throw-away line, a reference to an event never again mentioned there, that suggested so much lore, so much magic had been lost. And not just regarding the Wall and the Long Night. ¡°This is not a phrase I can say I have heard before, but there is wisdom in the meaning.¡± Aemon shuffled closer, his chain chinking with each step no matter how slowly and carefully he moved. That had me realising just how engrossed in the books I¡¯d been. The chain was hard to miss in the smallish room that served as Aemon¡¯s office, yet I¡¯d drowned them out with the books. ¡°Though I wonder if perhaps your interest is less in the mundane, and more in the legends around Brandon the Builder?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you may be suggesting,¡± I said slowly, wondering if the last dragon prince knew more about me than I¡¯d realised. I watched as he sat in the spare seat, the one I¡¯d first sat in before I¡¯d started reading. His hand went down to the floor and I watched as my pup cautiously moved closer until it was able to sniff and then lick the old man¡¯s fingers. That brought a smile to his face as he pulled his hand up, making no move to bring the pup with him. ¡°Tales of how you found your new companion have spread rapidly around the castle. While I harboured some scepticism at first, given the same story is being told by all, there may be some truth to it.¡± As he spoke, I reached down and scooped up the pup, who quickly settled down in my lap. ¡°What exactly drove you to race into the Haunted Forest without an escort?¡± ¡°I,¡± I stopped and licked my lips, collecting my thoughts on how to approach this, wondering if this might be the in that I needed to get Aemon to open up to me. ¡°Rian called out above us, and I have learnt to trust his calls. He was circling somewhere a little north of the grove.¡± I shrugged once more forgetting I was talking with a blind man. ¡°I thought he may have found a downed deer or something. He has done so before you see.¡± That was true though it hadn¡¯t been deer he¡¯d spotted since there weren¡¯t many in Dorne. That was the story I¡¯d fed to Oberyn, and he seemed to accept it, though the way Aemon was looking at me made me wonder if he had his doubts. ¡°So, I took off. It was foolish, and when I saw the downed direwolf I like should have stopped and stayed back, but I thought I saw something in the cave behind it, and well, I did.¡± As I spoke, my fingers gently stroked down the pup¡¯s spine, making me smile as it leaned up into my touch. ¡°Hmm, that is certainly plausible. Yet I do wonder if there was more to things than simply hearing your eagle call out.¡± He looked down at my lap as if trying to take the measure of the pup. ¡°I wonder, did you, perhaps, sense the young one in the cave? Perhaps even feel the urge to find him?¡± ¡°I,¡± Aemon raised a finger, cutting off my reply. ¡°You may have been raised in the Dornish sands, but the blood of the First Men flows in you. This close to the Wall it¡¯s hard to avoid the stories, the legends, of those who can command the beasts of the world,¡± he smiled as he mentioned that part and I was glad he couldn¡¯t see me as I gulped. ¡°I wonder if perhaps, there may be more to those stories than most suspect.¡± I stayed quiet for a moment, gathering my thoughts. I had considered revealing my skinchanging to him just a few moments ago but decided to hedge my bets. Yet here he was all but accusing me of it, though without any hint of disgust or revulsion. Perhaps this was how I could get him to reveal his secret, by revealing mine first. ¡°I would ask that you not mention this theory of yours to others, Maester Aemon,¡± I replied softly, wanting to make clear that I wasn¡¯t threatening him. ¡°But yes, I felt¡­ a pull to this little guy. Just as I feel them to Rian and another animal back in Sunspear. Though the pulls are far stronger when we were north of the Wall; almost as if it was somehow blocking the connection in Westeros. Aemon nodded, and then a content sigh escaped his lips. ¡°I must admit to feeling jealous. To feel the wind beneath you as you soar through the clouds.¡± He paused and looked away, seemingly getting lost in a memory. ¡°Aye, there is nearly nothing like it,¡± I said, figuring that explaining the sensations as best I could somehow make up for his dreams of flying on a dragon never coming to fruition. ¡°To be so high above everything, that nothing else matters. So free to go where you want. To see how small the Seven Kingdoms are, how inconsequential they are to the world as you dive through a cloud, the wind swirling around your wings. Or racing around feeling the air rage as a storm brews¡­¡± my words trailed off and I laughed gently even as I shook my head. ¡°There are times when I am with Rian that I feel an urge to never return; to live free high above the world of mortal men.¡± Aemon laughed with me, though there was little joy in his face or tone. ¡°I always wished to ride in the skies, to feel the wind race past my face. Alas, I was born too late for that.¡± I frowned for a moment, wondering what that would¡¯ve been like. Knowing your ancestors had flown on the back of apex predators, to be so far above the world on the wings that brought death at a single command. To see yourself as so far beyond others as men were above a rabbit or deer. I wondered what sort of bond could be formed with such a beast, and my mind shifted to Alysanne. To her egg. Yet even as I did, I knew I never would. That egg, and any dragon that might come from it, was hers, not mine. Not that she knew how to; or that I did, though I had a few theories on the matter. Once she figured out the truth, if I could, I¡¯d share those theories with her, and help her hatch her egg, but I knew I¡¯d never ride upon it; never bond with it like I had Kaa, Rian and the pup. ¡°You have told me your secret, so now, I shall tell you mine.¡± My head snapped back to Maester Aemon, shocked at what I hoped would happen in this meeting might happen. ¡°You asked when we first met why it was that Prince Oberyn said I didn¡¯t need to call him a prince?¡± I nodded, which even though he couldn¡¯t see it, somehow drew a smile from the old Maester. ¡°It is because, just like him, I was born a prince.¡± I took a moment, making it seem as if I was pondering what he was saying. ¡°But the only Prince Aemon I know of came from¡­¡± my words trailed off, trying to sell my apparent shock. The way Aemon¡¯s smile grew told me it¡¯d worked. ¡°I was born as Aemon Targaryen, my father was Maekar, the First of His Name, and my brother Aegon reigned after him in my stead. My grandfather named me for Prince Aemon the Dragonknight, who was his uncle, or his father, depending on which tale you believe.¡± As he spoke those words I pushed my chair back, lifted a confused pup into one hand and dropped to a knee. He might not have taken the throne and may have actively chosen to reject it, but to me, that was a sign of true nobility. He was the last dragon prince in Westeros, one who¡¯d had the coin land on the side that rejected madness, and that deserved respect. ¡°No!¡± He called as he heard my chair scrape the floor. ¡°There is no need for that. I gave up my inheritance twice. First to become a Maester and then again when I swore my oath to the Watch.¡± ¡°That may be true, but you are a prince of dragons,¡± I said as I stayed on one knee. ¡°The scion of House Targaryen; at least in Westeros. I¡­ I have heard rumours that the last threads of the house live somewhere in Essos, but I never thought to meet one.¡± ¡°It is not something many outside the watch know, and something I will ask you to keep hidden.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± He knew my secret, or one of them anyway, so holding his in return was the right thing to do. ¡°As for the rest of my family¡­ similar rumours that some escaped across the Narrow Sea after Robert¡¯s Rebellion have reached me,¡± he paused and somehow locked his eyes on mine. ¡°Many nights have passed where I wish I could see them, help them.¡± For a moment, as his face falls, I considered hinting about Alysanne; to offer him some hope. But I didn¡¯t; I knew it would sound false as I had no proof. ¡°Yet I never felt I would meet a direwolf of a Skinchanger, so perhaps I might one day learn of the fate of my distant family.¡± ¡°I know it may not be much, but if I ever hear from any Targaryen, I shall find a way to let you know.¡± That will, in all likelihood, be when Alysanne worked out the truth of her parentage, whenever that would be. However, if I ever discovered facts about Viserys and Daenerys I¡¯d try to find a way to pass that information on to Aemon. At least so long as it didn¡¯t place me in danger. ¡°You are kind to offer, but I fear nothing will come of it.¡± I glanced at the desk, weighing up whether to prod more about Aemon¡¯s past or return to the books in hope of finding more about the A Wall Empowered objective. While the latter appeared the more obvious issue, I knew the odds of me speaking with Aemon again were slim at best. ¡°You wish to ask something?¡± Aemon asked as if somehow reading my thoughts. I laughed and shook my head, which made the pup whine in annoyance. ¡°Aye, so many things.¡± My hand gently stroked the pup, helping it resettle in my lap. ¡°So many I cannot know where to start.¡± Aemon¡¯s smile grew. ¡°Understandable, and when you are ready to ask, I will answer. Though, know that for each you ask, I will ask one in return.¡± ¡°A fair exchange,¡± I said slowly, as I tried to work out where to start. There were the stories of Summerhall that I could ask about, of the skull of Balerion that was said to now rest in the bowels of the Red Keep. Even Robert, for all his hatred of the Targaryens, couldn¡¯t bring himself to destroy the skull of the Black Dread, or any other dragon bones kept by the former kings. ¡°There is so much I want to ask. About dragons, King¡¯s Landing, Balerion,¡± Aemon chuckled as I spoke, seeming to expect and enjoy my enthusiasm. ¡°However, I know our time is short, so perhaps I might ask about Aegon the Fifth, and if you know any stories, not in the books. Particularly of his time as a squire to Ser Duncan the Tall.¡± The way Aemon¡¯s face brightened as I mentioned Aegon I knew I¡¯d hit on the right topic. ¡°Ah yes, young Egg.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the nickname Aegon had used as a squire to hide his true identity. As Aemon leaned back in his chair, collecting his thoughts, I idlily closed the book. I might only have this evening to speak with Aemon, and much of what he¡¯d say would likely have no bearing on helping me prepare, but to hear history from someone who lived through it; from someone with a deep, loving connection to that history¡­ That was something I¡¯d savour for the rest of my days. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°You going to be good down in all that sand?¡± Howar Umber asked with a smirk as I slid into my saddle. Then gave a shiver and grunted. ¡°And all that heat.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle as I looked at him and his older brother, Smalljon, while we were in the yard of the Last Hearth. The keep wasn¡¯t a grand palace like some places I¡¯d been, but there was a warmth and comfort to it that I felt I¡¯d miss. We¡¯d been here two nights now at the insistence of the Greatjon. The first night, at the feast to celebrate our return, the Greatjon had regaled his family and staff with tales of how I¡¯d found a dead direwolf north of the Wall and how I¡¯d ended the last of the treacherous Drumms. I knew both stories were going to spread around the North, and Dorne once we were back in Sunspear, but the way the Greatjon told the stories the direwolf had still been alive when I found it, and Drumm had fought with two others at his side while I¡¯d had no armour and only my blades. I¡¯d tried to argue against this, to make sure the truth got out, but by the time the Greatjon recounted the story for the second night, they¡¯d grown more outlandish. In these versions I¡¯d killed the direwolf to save Robb¡¯s life while I¡¯d fought Roryn and his band of five with nothing ¨C and the Greatjon meant nothing ¨C bar my sword and Rian. Said bird took great enjoyment in devouring every strip of meat tossed his way as the night went on; at least before I took him back to my room. The biggest downside to the stories being told, beyond how quickly they turned ridiculous, was the fact that the Greatjon¡¯s eldest daughter, Jessalyn, kept looking at me. It was clear she wanted more than to just talk whenever we were together, and while she was attractive, with a wicked sense of humour that came from her father, I wasn¡¯t risking it. At worst the Greatjon would want me to marry his daughter ¨C which I¡¯d wondered on this third morning if that hadn¡¯t been his hope, so to keep a Stark bastard in the North ¨C and at worst he or Ty might geld me. Though for the latter, from the stories she loved telling me to get my engine going, she¡¯d have more likely joined me and Jessalyn under the furs. While I¡¯d avoided Jessalyn without making it clear I was doing so and spent the nights with just my pup in my room, it hadn¡¯t stopped her, nor her sister, Allanai, from spending time around me. Though that might have been that Robb was with me most of the time, and it was clear the girls were interested in him more than me. That made perfect sense, he was the heir to Winterfell after all, but it still meant I had to deal with Jessalyn¡¯s attention more than I¡¯d liked. Now that we were leaving, I was a little surprised that the Umbers, or at least the Greatjon and his daughters, were coming to Winterfell. He had to know that the Manderly girls were there. So, unless he had matches sorted out for his girls ¨C and boys, since neither the Smalljon nor Howar were married ¨C I¡¯d have expected them to come to Winterfell with us. Still, baring some disaster, I doubted I¡¯d be back here before the Wildlings invaded, and I¡¯d grown to enjoy the company of the two Jons. ¡°I have survived them for ten and three years, I think I shall be fine. This guy too, once he discovers the Water Gardens,¡± I added, patting a specially made bag in which my pup was, thankfully, currently resting. The Greatjon had this bag, and the one Robb was carrying, made as gifts for us. There was no chance we would leave the pups in the wagon that was coming with us, the one carrying the weirwood branch and the remains of the direwolf mother, nor did we wish to ride in the wagon. Thus these pouches had been made, with them being lined with wool to keep the pups warm. The wagon had several jars of milk harvested from a few of the kennel master¡¯s bitches who were with pups, for which I¡¯d compensated the kennel master. Since we¡¯d left the Wall the Greatjon had been saying it was right that those with the blood of the Starks should have direwolves at their sides. He also jokingly said he¡¯d have to head north of the Wall to get himself a giant. At least, I think he was joking. ¡°Aye, you have, but still be careful those lady vipers don¡¯t bite something important,¡± Smalljon shot back as he extended his arm. I grasped it even as I chuckled. While Ty was loud in bed, she wasn¡¯t aggressive, though I suspected one of her sisters might be. ¡°And next time you get into a scrap, fucking send us a raven first. Or I may hunt you down and skin you myself.¡± The large smile made it clear he was teasing, but he¡¯d given me an opening I wasn¡¯t going to pass up. ¡°Since when did you become a Bolton?¡± The way his brow rose in shock as Howar laughed behind him, meant the shot had landed. ¡°Gods, never compare me to that lot again,¡± He muttered as we break our grip. For a second, I thought I pushed the shot too far, but he chuckled even as he shook his head. ¡°Crazy fuckers all of them.¡± ¡°Eh, Domeric seems normal,¡± Howar offered in defence as he clasped my arm, which reminded me of two things. One, from all I¡¯ve heard about Roose Bolton¡¯s trueborn son, he¡¯s a decent person, and two, there¡¯s a certain bastard in the North I must remove before the shit hits the fan. ¡°Not met him, and sorry if that hurt your delicate sensibilities, Jon.¡± Smalljon waved his hand. ¡°Delicate! Why don''t you say that when you can beat me in the yard!¡± He smirked as Howar broke our clasp and stepped back. ¡°Take care of yourself.¡± ¡°You, too.¡± With that and a nod of goodbye, I guided my horse over to the wagon. There, Oberyn and Robb, who were also on horseback, are talking with the Greatjon, who once again shows his height by not having to tilt his back much to look up at the two riders. Oberyn turned his head as I approached. ¡°Ready to leave?¡± I nodded, which drew a chuckle from the Greatjon. ¡°What? Do you dislike my hospitality that you want to leave without saying goodbye?¡± ¡°No, but he has a girl waiting for him in Winterfell,¡± Oberyn replied, a wide smirk coming to his face as I realised what he was about to say. ¡°One of my daughters, truth be told.¡± The Greatjon¡¯s head snapped to me even as a smile came to Robb¡¯s face. ¡°We¡¯re not related by blood,¡± I explained even as I shot a glare at my father. While I was glad that he was ok with my relationship with Ty ¨C and seemed fine with the suggestions Ty had that I¡¯d soon be with more of his daughters and his niece ¨C I¡¯d prefer if he didn¡¯t try to scandalize everyone we met by suggesting I was fucking my sister. The booming laugh of the Greatjon fills my ears. ¡°Thank fuck for that! For a moment, I thought you had some dragon blood in you. Dumb fuckers bedding their sisters!¡± Oberyn¡¯s shoulders tensed just slightly; something no one else would pick up on, even as I chuckled at how close to the truth he¡¯d come. I did have the blood of the dragon, just not any from the Targaryen. The Greatjon came closer and clapped me on my lower back, hard enough that I had to clench my jaw to avoid wincing. ¡°Right, you¡¯d better get going. Never good to keep a lass waiting; or at least waiting too long. Do that and likely they leave ya.¡± ¡°Speaking from experience?¡± The Greatjon¡¯s laugh once more rattled my ears. ¡°If so, I can offer some suggestions.¡± The Greatjon waved his hand toward Oberyn after my father¡¯s comments. ¡°Oh, I have no issues keeping the wife happy, though I have heard of others who heard tales of those who do.¡± He looked back at me. ¡°Though if your boy has problems keeping this daughter happy, I believe my sons would be willing to lend a hand.¡± I felt my knuckles tighten around the reigns. A deep rumbling growl slipped past my bared teeth, I paused and blinked. After a shake of my head, I sighed. ¡°Forgive me. I¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine lad,¡± the Greatjon cut me off as he waved away my words. ¡°Just shows you love this one. Though I suspect she will only be the first of many if you take after this viper.¡± Oberyn shrugged and even though I couldn¡¯t see his face, I knew he was smirking. ¡°What can I say, I have a way of getting anyone into my bed if I so desire it.¡± He fixed the Greatjon with a look and I shivered at the suggestion my father was making. Thinking about him and my mother was bad enough, but I¡¯d have to burn my eyes out if I ever saw him with the Greatjon. ¡°Well, then let me be the first to tell you to fuck off!¡± The Greatjon shot back, making both men laugh. ¡°Right, enough of this. Off with ya! I got better things to do than stand around in this yard looking at a bunch of Dornish pricks.¡± Oberyn chuckled and then turned to Robb, who¡¯d been oddly quiet ¨C even for him ¨C during the interaction. ¡°After you, Lord Robb.¡± Robb inhaled deeply as if trying to centre himself, and then squeezed the reins of his horse. As the horse moved, Oberyn and I gave our horses gentle taps to follow. Soon the rest of the party was moving with the wagon in the middle of the party. Only a few, like Ser Rodrick and the knights from Dorne, were on horseback, the rest were walking, meaning it¡¯d take up to a moon, weather depending, to reach Winterfell. As we passed through the walls of the keep, I looked back at the Umbers. Would I get a chance to see them again before the Wildlings attacked? or would they, because of the changes in the timeline, all die before I was able to return to help with the Wildlings? Or Gods forbid, an earlier-than-wanted attack from the Others? ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ In the end, it took us about three-quarters of a moon to reach Winterfell, though the closer we got, the more fidgety Robb became. It wasn¡¯t hard to work out why as his arm stayed close around the pouch at his waist and whenever we stopped, he spent most of his time with Quicksilver. Robb had given it that name as it loved to race around every time we stopped, though I wondered if he realised the name was the same as the dragon Aenys Targaryen had ridden. Regardless, the name was a good fit for the pup as Quicksilver was always in motion if given the chance, finding the energy to barrel around our campsites like a possessed ball of silver. I¡¯d ended up naming my pup Ymir. I¡¯d considered Akela, simply to continue the pattern with Kaa, and Fenrir, after the wolf that killed Odin during Ragnar?k. However, I¡¯d decided on Ymir as, in Norse mythology, he was the founder of the entire pantheon; the first of the Jotnar and to me, my Ymir was the first bonded direwolf with someone of Stark blood in possibly millennia. It might¡¯ve sounded a little pretentious, but the pup had yapped happily at that, and not Akela and Fenrir when I¡¯d suggested them to him. Both pups were very energetic on the way to Winterfell, already revealing differing parts of themselves, while Quicksilver darted around without a care in the world Ymir seemed much more cautious about the world, or as cautious as a pup with boundless energy could be, when feeling playful Ymir would make sure to hop on Quicksilver from behind to start their fights, darting from the shadows like a wraith, whereas Quicksilver just barrelled into Ymir like an out of control truck. One thing that had stood out once Winterfell came into sight, which had been when we were still a few days from the massive keep, was Robb¡¯s growing nervousness. He pulled into himself, spending all his time with Quicksilver. When I could, I¡¯d spoken with him, reassuring him that Ned would allow him to keep Quicksilver as had Oberyn, though with his preferred sarcastic tilt, however, it¡¯d done little to ease my cousin¡¯s anxiety. That made sense since taking the pups, and the parts of the mother was his first major decision as a Stark, so of course, he¡¯d be nervous to see how his father reacted to his choices. Ymir shifted around in his pouch, which was quickly growing too small for the pup that was now, less than a moon since I¡¯d found him, about the size of a small dog; something like a poodle. That had me wondering if, like Kaa and Rian, he¡¯d grow bigger than other direwolves. I was both curious about seeing that and a little nervous as his mother, even lying dead on the ground, had put my horse to shame. With magic boosting Ymir¡¯s growth ¨C and he was already about ten to twenty per cent bigger than Quicksilver ¨C I wondered just how large he was going to get. The tingle of the magic as we passed through the walls of Winterfell shifted my attention to what was awaiting us. The notice regarding the magic area appeared in the corner of my vision, but I dismissed it without bothering to read it. My eyes scanned the courtyard of the great keep of the North, looking for golden locks that stood out amongst the browns and reds of the Starks. As our eyes met, a wide smile came to her face, and I shivered at the desire in her eyes; one I knew was reflected in mine. Nearly two moons apart was far too long for me, and as soon as I could, I planned to start making up for lost time. Still, as much as I wanted to rush to her, I knew other things must be handled first. After I slid from my horse and hand the reins to a stable hand, I make a bee-line for Robb. He¡¯d slid from his horse but was using that to hide himself and the pouch carrying Quicksilver, from his family. ¡°Just take your time and explain everything in order. Hell, drop me in the shit for rushing off like I did if you need, and you will be fine.¡± Robb looked at me. For a moment, I thought he might once more start to voice the worries running around his head. He didn¡¯t though, instead taking a deep breath and then started to walk toward his family. I fell into step slightly behind and to his right, close enough he could sense me but not so close that I was suggesting I was his equal. Unsurprisingly, that still didn¡¯t matter to Catelyn who sent a glare my way before focusing on her son. ¡°Robb,¡± Ned began with a smile as we approached the stair to the Great Keep where he was gathered with the rest of his family. ¡°It¡¯s good to see yo¡­¡± his words were cut off as Robb¡¯s pouch moved and Quicksilver poked his head out, likely wondering what was going on. Robb placed a hand on the pouch, trying to push his pup down. ¡°F-father it is good to be home,¡± he got out before Quicksilver started being a handful and Robb was forced to grip the pup, though in doing so, the cover of the pouch shifted, revealing Quicksilver to the Starks. Ned¡¯s brow rose, wondering what was going on. Robb¡¯s siblings all leaned forward, wondering what was in the pouch while Catelyn¡¯s brow creased before she fixed me with a glare that made me glad she didn¡¯t know magic. Otherwise, I¡¯d have been a pile of ash, blown away by the gentle breeze sweeping through the yard. ¡°I, we, that is,¡± hearing Robb¡¯s panic, I stepped forward and placed a hand on his shoulder. He seemed to draw some comfort from the gesture, which made Ned more curious. And Catelyn was furious, which only got worse as I stepped past my cousin. ¡°You shall have to forgive Robb, uncle. He is just, unsettled by events that occurred at the Wall,¡± I began, taking over the conversation. Convention said I shouldn¡¯t, but if there was going to be any blowback for how we¡¯d gotten the pups, I planned to take it all. Not only would that save Robb from most of his parent¡¯s wrath, but it would help solidify the bond we had; one made stronger due to the pups. Plus, since I planned to be gone from Winterfell within a moon, I could stomach Catelyn sending me death glares; after all, it wasn¡¯t her that ruled Winterfell, but Ned. ¡°I assume Robb¡¯s new¡­ friend is one such event?¡± Ned asked slowly, his expression making it clear he wanted answers, and that his wife was close to having me burnt at the stake. ¡°Yes, my Lord,¡± I replied, using his title to make things more official. To the right I could see Ty and Alysanne shifting around, wanting to come closer and see Quicksilver. A feeling shared by most of the Stark children. ¡°After taking in the view from the top of the Wall, I persuaded my father to let me journey through it; not far, though, just to the weirwood grove half-a-league beyond. I wished to pay my respects to the true Gods.¡± Catelyn opened her mouth to say something, but gentle pressure on her arm from Ned stopped her. I bit off the smirk I wanted to show at calling her Gods false. While angering her ¨C and the Septa Mordane ¨C further would¡¯ve been fun, it wouldn¡¯t help the retelling. ¡°Robb felt that, as my cousin and guide in the North, he should accompany me. As did Lord Umber who came with us to Castle Black with his eldest two sons.¡± I wasn¡¯t trying to get the Greatjon into trouble here, simply making it clear that we¡¯d had ample protection. ¡°After I exited the grove, where Jon, well, Smalljon Umber and Robb were still showing respect to the Gods, I¡­ well, I acted rashly.¡± ¡°A call from Rian drew my attention north, and I raced after him.¡± ¡°What did you do?!¡± ¡°Cat! Let him finish!¡± Ned gripped his wife¡¯s arm tightly as she took a step toward me. I stayed still, not wanting to enflame the situation anymore, no matter how much I¡¯d liked to. Though as Ned held back his wife, Robb shifted to stand between me and her; something I¡¯d have to thank him for later. ¡°Continue.¡± I nodded to Ned, thanking him for the protection from his wife¡¯s wrath ¨C at least for now. ¡°Rian only calls out like that when he¡¯s found something interesting. I thought perhaps he¡¯s seen a downed stag we could harvest. However, I was wrong.¡± I glanced to my right to see Ty had moved slightly as Oberyn had shifted near her. Unless I missed my guess, she wanted him to tell her what was happening, but he wasn¡¯t explaining. Instead, fixing me with a smirk that made clear he was enjoying watching me be the centre of attention. ¡°Rian had not spotted a stag. No, he spotted a dead direwolf.¡± Catelyn and a few others, including both her daughters, inhaled sharply. Though I suspected Arya had inhaled for a different reason from her sister and mother. ¡°It was massive, father. As big as our horses, but as Cregan said, it was long dead; cold to the touch,¡± Robb cut in, finding his voice. ¡°When Prince Oberyn, Lord Umber and I reached the direwolf, Cregan was already moving past it, heading for a cave behind.¡± He paused and looked back at me, stealing a glance at the pouch carrying Ymir, before he turned back to his parents. ¡°I went after him. I... The direwolf, even dead, was a shock, and I was worried for my cousin. But, also, I, um, felt a need to enter the cave.¡± My brow rose slightly at hearing him unintentionally suggesting he¡¯d been drawn to his pup. While it would fly over the heads of everyone here, it was another hint that he had warged into Quicksilver. That meant I¡¯d need to speak with him about it before I left. ¡°Before I could enter though, Cregan returned, and, well, he had two gifts from the Gods with him.¡± At that, Robb pulled back the cover of his pouch and lifted Quicksilver out. The pup blinked at the sudden shift in light, even as his siblings, and most of the yard reacted to the animal he was holding. ¡°Is that¡­¡± Robb nodded at Ned¡¯s question before it could be finished. ¡°Aye, father, a direwolf pup,¡± he answered slowly even as he pulled Quicksilver against his chest. Before anything else could be said, his siblings, including Alysanne, rushed forward. Though Sansa was a step behind, having stolen a look at her mother and needing to slip from Septa Mordane¡¯s grip. An urge to backhand Catelyn for filling the girl¡¯s head with pointless bullshit about knights, ladies and lords rushed through my head. I didn¡¯t act on it, but I hoped things in this timeline went better than canon. Catelyn, in my mind, was a primary driver of the devastation suffered by House Stark. Her reasons made sense for a simple mother, but not for a daughter of a Great House ¨C if you could call the Tullys that ¨C who should understand the Great Game. Any interest in the dumb redhead was lost as a flash of gold to my right had me turning just in time to catch Ty as she rushed me. I shifted my stance, keeping the pouch with Ymir away from her as she wrapped her arms around my waist. Behind her, I saw Oberyn¡¯s smirk had grown as he enjoyed the chaos the reveal of Quicksilver had unleashed, and the closeness I shared with his daughter. Looking into Ty¡¯s eyes sparked a fire in my loins, one I desperately wanted to unleash: and given the way her fingers were tugging none-to-subtly at my waist, one she also felt. I leaned forward, wanting to taste her lips for the first time in moons, to savour her scent and the little sounds she made as I took control. ¡°Cregan¡¯s got one too!¡± Robb¡¯s call made my head jerk away from Ty, much to her disappointment. Though that vanished as she processed Robb¡¯s words and looked at the pouch I was protecting. ¡°Can we see it?¡± The question came from Alysanne as she, Arya and Beron reached my side seconds after Robb¡¯s declaration. I felt my knees buckle a little at the pleading look in her eyes and cursed myself for being so weak to the whims of a female. ¡°Him,¡± I said as the hand holding the pouch slipped inside, ¡°and his name is Ymir.¡± All of them, Ty included, cooed as I brought Ymir out. Unlike Quicksilver, he didn¡¯t try to slip from my grasp, instead looking at each person in turn. Almost as if trying to get some measure of them. I knelt, so they could all get a better look at my newest companion. ¡°I want one,¡± Arya proclaimed. Her hand came up to pet Ymir, but he pulled back and bared his small fangs. That had her stopping, though I knew at his current size the fangs wouldn¡¯t be able to do much damage. ¡°Ymir!¡± I said, turning him around in the air. ¡°Arya¡¯s family. They all are. Play nice.¡± While I¡¯d not had much chance to warg into him, I¡¯d seemingly done enough that he understood the tone of my words, if not their exact meaning. Ymir seemed to almost tsk at that, before settling down. I brought him forward, letting him settle into the crook of my arm. Arya brought her hand forward again, slower this time. A smile that threatened to break her face appeared as her fingers touched Ymir¡¯s fur. Fingers that were soon joined by those of her siblings and Ty. ¡°Adorable,¡± Alysanne whispered a wide smile on her face as well. ¡°Aye, he is. And Arya,¡± the girl looked up at me, ¡°one day, if lucky, and the Gods favour you, you may get a direwolf of your own.¡± That had her bouncing from foot to foot, which made me chuckle. Apart from hoping the other direwolves would still appear ¨C with Grey Wind going to Beron ¨C I hoped I¡¯d given her just enough of a push to despise Septa Mordane. Or at least more than she already did. I might not be seeking to complete Old Gods Re-established, but anything I did to help Arya break from the insanity of the Seven was worth pursuing. A gentle squeeze of my other wrist drew my eyes to Ty. She leaned forward and kissed me just beside my lips. I heard someone, possibly Arya, make a retching sound, but I ignored it. ¡°Another one?¡± She whispered and I gave a faint nod. ¡°Well, at least the lonely nights brought you something; however, my furs have grown cold without you.¡± It took all my control not to throw her over my shoulder and take her to my room. Beyond scandalising Catelyn, I doubted Ned would like me doing such a thing in front of his children. Later though, after the feast that was beginning to assault my sense of smell, and making my stomach rumble, I planned to spend all my time until at least sunrise tomorrow showing Ty how much I missed her. ¡­ ¡­ Northern Withdrawal Northern Withdrawal ... ... (Circa 295AC)
¡°Aww.¡± The sound came from Ty and Alysanne as they sat on either side of me on the floor watching Arya engage in a tug-of-war with Ymir in her room. I wasn¡¯t sure if Catelyn would approve of Arya using a doll for this, but I also didn¡¯t care. Though given Arya¡¯s public dislike, even at seven, I think Arya preferred the doll this way and at least she had a use for it now. Ty was leaning into my side, her hand lazily drawing nothing on my thigh, making it clear that even though she was enjoying the show, her thoughts weren¡¯t far from last night. This was impressive as by the time I¡¯d finally stopped and slept, Ty had been an unconscious mess beside me. Though when she¡¯d woken earlier this morn, she¡¯d all but pounced on me and we had gone three rounds. Still, while the walls in Winterfell were thick, it was obvious to all why we¡¯d only emerged from my room just before lunch. Sansa had struggled to look my way without blushing and had left the room about twenty minutes ago as Ty¡¯s fingers wandered. Alysanne had stayed, but every time she slouched enough that she brushed against me, she snapped to attention and moved away again. When I¡¯d glanced her way, her eyes had generally been locked on Ymir, though the few times our eyes had met, she¡¯d blushed so hard her cheeks looked like Sansa¡¯s hair. That always brought back Ty¡¯s words that Alysanne might be developing feelings for me. I wasn¡¯t sure how I felt about that as she was about a year younger than me, and someone with a role to play in what was to come; even if I didn¡¯t know entirely what that role would be. However, while young, she was slowly blossoming into a woman that many had compared to Lyanna ¨C Ned never enjoyed that though if I wasn¡¯t looking for it, I¡¯d have missed the subtle reactions he had ¨C and I did wonder if the Targaryen blood would enhance her growing beauty. ¡°Ah!¡± Arya called out, and I looked to see her falling back, the doll in her hand sailing into the air. Ymir tilted his head, seeming amused as Arya landed with a thump as her arse impacted the floor. He turned and walked back to me, his head held high in victory, which made me laugh. He was a proud little fucker, it seemed. I leaned forward, expecting him to hop into my arms, only to blink in surprise when he leapt onto Alysanne¡¯s lap instead. She looked at me, confused by the development and possibly worried I¡¯d take offence. I smiled. ¡°It is fine,¡± I said softly as the pup started circling, trying to find a place he was happy to snooze in. Alysanne smiled back and began stroking Ymir¡¯s fur as he settled down, which was when Ty slid into my lap. ¡°I want to hold him.¡± Arya moaned as she knelt forward; the doll forgotten on the floor beside her. She moved closer, but Alysanne placed her arms protectively over Ymir. ¡°No fair!¡± I laughed gently at the interaction, which drew Arya¡¯s gaze. ¡°You can feed him later,¡± I said, which, as I¡¯d hoped, removed her sullen mood. She settled down near Alysanne and reached forward again. This time, her sister let her touch Ymir, who was leaning into the pats he was getting from the pair. ¡°I never thought I would see a direwolf looking so cute,¡± Ty said softly as she rested her head against my chest. She turned and looked up at me, a smirk coming to her lips. ¡°Then again, I guess he takes after his master.¡± As she spoke, one hand, the one farthest from the other girls, slid down my thigh and started rubbing my groin. ¡°Call me cute all you want but remember that just like Ymir, I am not domesticated,¡± I shot back before playfully snapping my teeth in her hair. She laughed at that only to jump slightly in my lap as my hand found and pinched her arse. ¡°And give him a few years and I doubt anyone will call him cute.¡± Ty pushed her back into my chest. ¡°I do not know, I might say you have gotten cuter with age,¡± She smirked, and her eyes wandered down my body. ¡°Bigger too.¡± The look in her eyes made it clear what she wanted, and if not for the others in the room, I¡¯d be happy to push her down, pull back her clothes and¡­ ¡°Why do you call him Ymir? I never heard that name before.¡± I bit off a snarl at the interruption of my thoughts, and after taking a second to push down the growing desire I felt, turned to look at my cousin. ¡°After thinking on it for a while, the name just came to me, I likely heard it from a sailor years ago¡± I replied with a slightly forced smile as Ty wiggled around in my lap, doing nothing to help me concentrate. ¡°He has got a habit for picking odd names,¡± Ty added as her fingers teased my groin out of sight of the younger girls. ¡°Rian and Kaa, which is a snake he has back in Sunspear, are not names I had heard before either.¡± ¡°Unlike Quicksilver,¡± Alysanne added with a chuckle. She kept it soft though to not disturb Ymir as he rested contently in her lap, only reacting to the petting of the two girls. ¡°I think Lady Stark may have been angrier about Robb naming his wolf after a Targaryen dragon than it being a direwolf.¡± ¡°Aye.¡± Arya laughed at that, though she stopped when Ymir lifted his head and fixed her with a glare. Once she¡¯d stopped and Ymir lowered his head, she continued. ¡°Did you see her face when Robb said that? I thought Father was going to have to pull her away.¡± Alysanne¡¯s smile grew at that, yet there was something in her eyes that caught my attention, almost as if something about Ned and Catelyn was bothering her. A comfortable silence settled over the room as the two Northern girls petted Ymir while Ty stroked my thigh. Eventually, I had to push her hand away as I was reaching a point where it¡¯d be awkward if I had to move; not that I felt Ty would mind as she was gently rocking herself in my lap. ¡°Father said something else happened at the Wall but wouldn¡¯t tell me what,¡± Ty said after pouting at me for moving her hand. ¡°Oh! Does this have something to do with the weirwood branch?¡± Alysanne asked, turning her head my way. Her cheeks reddened as she saw how Ty was resting. ¡°Wait? What?¡± Arya snapped, making Ymir grunt in annoyance, though given he was still a pup ¨C though one already the size of a small hunting dog ¨C it sounded little better than a baby¡¯s whine. ¡°How?¡± "F-father mentioned a branch at breakfast, before you came,¡± Alysanne explained slightly, her gaze having turned away from me. The hand that had pushed Ty away from my groin came around and settled on her waist. ¡°Yeah, something happened at the Wall,¡± I began giving her waist a gentle squeeze as I knew this would upset her. ¡°Involving an Ironborn from house Drumm.¡± As I¡¯d expected, Ty tensed at that. Arya frowned, likely not understanding why. Alysanne clearly did though as she placed a hand on Ty¡¯s leg. Ty turned to her, and I assumed smiled, but I couldn¡¯t see since I was looking at the back of her head. My lover then turned my way and kissed me gently on the chin, letting me know she was ready for me to continue. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°Why are we here?¡± I opened a door to a room high in the Great Keep of Winterfell, and after ensuring it was empty like I thought, let Robb inside. It was two days since we¡¯d arrived back in Winterfell, and with Oberyn planning for us to leave soon, I wanted to start Robb on the path to bonding properly with Quicksilver, which was why I¡¯d picked a room high in the keep: away from prying eyes and ears. Last night after supper, I¡¯d spoken with him to confirm he¡¯d felt some sort of connection to Quicksilver when they¡¯d first met. He¡¯d been hesitant to confirm that, but upon my suggestion that it might have been a natural, primal instinct ¨C hinting at the bonds I shared with Ymir, Rian and Kaa ¨C he seemed to lose some of his hesitancy and confirmed things with a nod. Plus, he¡¯d mentioned dreaming of seeing the world through the eyes of a wolf, though he didn¡¯t sound as if he believed it was real. Still, that was why, after breakfast, I¡¯d pulled him aside and brought him up here. Once we were both in, I closed the door and dropped the latch, ensuring no one could accidentally walk in on us. With that done, I lowered Ymir to the floor, though he leapt the last foot or so himself. Quicksilver quickly joined him and the pair scampered around, sniffing the new environment. While they did that, I moved to open the largest window in the room and then led Robb over to a table in the middle of the room, one that while clean, likely hadn¡¯t been used much. ¡°Do you trust me?¡± I asked once we were both sitting. It was a little blunt for starting this, but Robb seemed to respond better to straight talking. He nodded slowly which made me smile. ¡°Good, because what I am about to explain¡­ I doubt your mother or Septa Mordane would be happy to learn of it.¡± Robb frowned, and I suppressed a chuckle at how confused he was, but it was a good sign he wasn¡¯t trying to leave. ¡°To be clear, I trust you. We are blood after all. Otherwise, I would not be bringing you here today, or asking you what I did last night.¡± He nodded again, slower this time, as the creases on his forehead increased. That was a good sign as he wasn¡¯t just going along with what I was doing based on our familial bond or friendship. ¡°Now, to begin with, I want you to repeat after me.¡± I tapped on the table, marking out the prime numbers up to eleven, making sure to stop after each set for just long enough that it became clear that each set was a new number. A very confused Robb copied me, though the way he was looking at me, I wondered if he thought I¡¯d grown a second head. ¡°Good, now no matter how still or quiet I go, just sit there and wait.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I leaned back, ignoring how utterly lost Robb sounded and closed my eyes. A moment later, I was lifted high above the castle, my vision clearing as I soared effortlessly through a cloud that drifted aimlessly overhead. As an eagle, I had a newfound perspective, my head swivelling to take in the breath-taking view from above. Within the depths of the Wolfswood, I could discern movement, but I could not determine whether it was the work of man or beast. Further south, the lake near Torrhen''s Square came into view, and although the buildings were beyond my visual acuity, I could still appreciate their presence. The wind caressed my feathers, and I glided effortlessly on the currents, relishing my return to the sky. Descending from my aerial vantage point, I spiralled gracefully in a circular motion until I caught a glimmer of light emanating from the massive Godswood of Winterfell. My attention was instantly drawn to the area, and upon focusing, I spotted Ned tending to his sword, Ice, under the watchful eyes of the weirwood tree that presided over the woods. Although Ice did not require regular sharpening, it appeared that Ned still took pleasure in caring for it, a sentiment I could relate to. Each morning, I engaged in a similar routine with my weapon, Red Rain, finding solace in the repetitive motion of polishing the blade. As I drew nearer to Ned, my keen eagle eyesight detected a family of rabbits foraging nearby, and a fleeting thought of swooping down to capture one for sustenance crossed my mind. However, I quickly pushed it aside, reminding Rian that we had a task at hand to complete and that food would be available to him once we had done so. It only took two circles of the Great Keep to determine my target. I angled my wings and dove for the open window. After pulling them tight to slide into the room, they spread out rapidly as I flapped to slow my speed. Robb almost fell from his seat as I appeared, and the two pups looked up at the sudden intrusion. Though once they realised it was me, they returned to their wrestling, with Ymir pinning Quicksilver down on his back. I landed on the table, right next to my body. Seeing it like this as I skinchanged was always a strange sensation, but one I¡¯d grown used to over the years. Though oddly, the few times I¡¯d done so with Ymir it had felt more natural; instead feeling as if I was looking up at my pack leader and brother, which was something that brought me a sense of warmth. Turning to Robb, I extended one talon and began tapping ¨C well, scratching ¨C out the same pattern I¡¯d tapped before slipping into Rian¡¯s mind. Robb¡¯s face was priceless during this, making me wish I had a camera. Confusion gave way to shock and disbelief as he slowly put together what he was seeing, though it was clear his mind was struggling to understand any of it. When I finished the pattern, I whistled and tilted my head toward my body. Robb¡¯s eyes followed and when I blinked, settling back into my skin, I saw he was staring at me as if I was somehow no longer human. Seeing his face with my weaker, less detailed eyes after slipping out of Rian was always a little unsettling, but I¡¯d grown used to it over the years. As Robb continued to stare, I reached into my pocket and pulled out several pieces of dried beef. As I tossed one to Rian ¨C as there was no way I was willing to feed him directly as his beak could easily slice my fingers ¨C I heard scuffling on the floor. Looking over, I saw Ymir scampering toward me. Quicksilver followed a second later, once he¡¯d worked out why his brother had suddenly stopped playing with him. Rian hopped over to the windowsill, happily gulping down his beef even as I tore a second strip into shreds and then tossed them onto the floor. The pups rushed the shreds, and to ensure Rian didn¡¯t try to fight them for it, I tossed him my third and last strip. He caught it in his beak, and then, with a powerful beat of his wings, took off; leaving me to deal with Robb. ¡°You,¡± he started weakly, one finger shakingly pointing at me while his face had turned a ghostly white. ¡°Him... how¡­ but¡­ what?¡± I knew I shouldn¡¯t laugh at his reaction, as it was just as Ty, Nymeria and Arianne had reacted, but it was funny as fuck to see the reaction every time. I held up a hand as I laughed, making him stay quiet, and then once I had the chuckles under control, I spoke. ¡°Sorry, but your reaction was without equal.¡± He glared though it didn¡¯t work given the confusion dominating his face and posture. ¡°So, what just happened?¡± I asked as I leaned forward in my seat, resting my arms on the table. Revealing this ability to those I trusted would never get old, and already I was imagining who of the Stark children would react best to this. ¡°Y¡­you¡­ warged. Into Rian.¡± I shook my head even as I continued to smile. ¡°No, I skinchanged.¡± That only made his confusion worse. ¡°To warg, it needs to be into a wolf or direwolf.¡± I leaned farther forward and tapped his brow. ¡°Or did Old Nan not explain that to you in her stories?¡± ¡°Yes, right,¡± he said as if just agreeing with me to end the matter. His mouth opened again as if he planned to say something else. However, nothing came out, though I swore I saw the spark in his eyes as he put together what I¡¯d just said. ¡°Wait!¡± I winced at him shouting in my face. ¡°Quicksilver! I warged into him!¡± I nodded and then looked down at my feet where the pups had just finished the beef. Ymir was looking at me, hopeful for more but Quicksilver was looking around, almost as if wondering who said his name. ¡°Aye, I think you did,¡± I said as I turned back to Robb. ¡°And you¡¯re saying you have been getting wolf dreams. Which is why I brought you here to show you this. The question now is if you want to learn more.¡± I left things open, as he had to choose for himself, though as he knelt and picked up Quicksilver, who¡¯d run under the table while I¡¯d talked, I had little doubt he would. ¡°Yes.¡± The word was spoken with conviction, and I smiled even as I picked up Ymir; his nose burying into the hand that¡¯d held the beef. ¡°Good. If this goes well, then like our ancestors, you will one day be able not only to control the dreams, but enter Quicksilver¡¯s mind when you wish, share it with him, and experience the world as the sigil of your family does.¡± I knew I had him as the smile that came to his face threatened to split it, and the way he looked down at his pup made it clear how much he already cared for Quicksilver. ¡°However, this is not something you can talk to others about. In time, perhaps, you can tell your family, though I may be careful with your mother.¡± He frowned at that, clearly too distracted by what he could learn to understand the danger. ¡°She follows the New Gods,¡± I made clear my distaste with the Faith in how I spoke, ¡°who consider skinchanging and its ilk something done by those who consort with demons.¡± He opened his mouth to protest, only to stop and nod very slowly. ¡°Now, before I leave, you should know that Ty knows I can do this, and I plan to tell Alysanne, but outside of them and us, it must remain a secret.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± There was a seriousness to his words, one matched by his expression, though the youthful wonder of what he was about to learn still dominated his face and body. ¡°So, how do I do what you did?¡± I leaned back, letting Ymir jump down into my lap. ¡°Time and meditation,¡± I replied with a smirk. ¡°Lots and lots of time and meditation.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure if meditation would work for this, not entirely as my Interface gave me a cheat code to make skinchanging easier. However, having Arianne meditate in and around water unlocked her inherent magic so the base theory should work here as well. Plus, I did meditate about how shifting into each animal felt. It granted me a better understanding of how their mind worked, or so I thought and made future moments where we shared a mind easier to process. Plus, since I wouldn¡¯t be here for much longer, it was fine if Robb took time to learn how to control his new-found ability. The war was still four years away, provided it still happened, as the changes to the timeline were growing more pronounced as I aged. However, that was a problem for another day, for now, I would enjoy helping Robb take his first steps to form a true bond with Quicksilver, and further develop the bond we shared. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°Are you sure you cannot delay leaving?¡± I finished making sure the saddle bag was secure before I turned to face Alysanne. She was standing about a meter away, Ymir in her arms. ¡°We can¡¯t. It has been over half a year since we left Dorne and we need to be getting back,¡± I replied softly. While I was looking forward to returning to Dorne ¨C and not just because of what Ty had said about her sisters and cousin ¨C I understood why Alysanne wanted us to stay. Apart from her knowing about my special abilities, I was so far the only person she¡¯d trusted to know about her egg. While I was close with Robb and Beron, who was coming with us to Dorne for the next few years, Alysanne was the one whom I and Ty were closest with. Even Ty¡¯s constant teasing about her liking me hadn¡¯t stopped us from spending time together, though Ty was smart enough to never tease my cousin when I was present. Though she might do so when the pair spent time alone. Their developing friendship was a touch unexpected, but both were bastards and close enough in age that it did make some sense. Ty might carry herself like a good faithful girl, but in private, with those that she trusted, she had a cheeky side that Alysanne seemed to enjoy being around. As did Arya, but she was following her older sister more than developing her own opinions currently. Give her a few years, and I could see Arya pushing to ward with Obara and Benjen to get out from under Catelyn¡¯s yoke and learn how to fight, though whether Catelyn would allow this was anyone''s guess. Still, even though I wanted to go home, I was sad to leave Winterfell again. As before, I¡¯d enjoyed my time here, though Catelyn did try to stop me from spending time with Robb. Not that Ned let that happen. I might be a Sand, but to him, and his children, I was family. The blood of House Stark ran through my veins as it did for Ned¡¯s children. Still, while I was going to miss my northern family, with Beron coming to Dorne, at least one part of it would remain close. The only downside, though I knew it was coming, was that I¡¯d not be here to help Robb warg into Quicksilver. At least not on a conscious level. He¡¯d spoken with me yesterday saying the dreams were coming easier and lasting longer since he¡¯d begun the meditation, so I doubted it¡¯d be far off before he managed to warg into his wolf. Thus, provided events hadn¡¯t changed too much, when the others gained their pups, he¡¯d be able to teach them how to do so as well. ¡°Cregan, I¡­¡± Alysanne¡¯s voice trailed off and she looked down at the ground. A deep sigh slipped from her lips, and I moved toward her, wondering what was wrong. However, before I could say anything, she pushed Ymir into my arms and walked off. I watched her go, wondering what was wrong with her; if perhaps it was more than just Beron, Ty and me leaving. Ymir struggled in my arms, seemingly wanting to go after Alysanne and while I shared that desire, I knew it was better to give her space. Since I¡¯d come back from the Wall and she¡¯d revealed the dragon egg to me, Alysanne had seemed off. At least whenever Ymir or Ty wasn¡¯t around. Ty knew something, but she wasn¡¯t revealing what. I¡¯d pushed about it, but Ty had claimed Alysanne had sworn her to secrecy, so I¡¯d let it rest yet now I wondered if that had been a mistake. Still, perhaps Ty might tell me what the matter was once we were gone from the North, though if she didn¡¯t, I¡¯d prod Alysanne in our letters to see if she was at least willing to hint at the matter. My cousin quickly slipped from sight as the yard was busy with not just the usual morning business of the castle, but everyone gathering to say their goodbyes. That included the Manderlys as while Lady Leona and Wynafryd were staying in Winterfell, Ser Wylis and Wylla were returning to White Harbour with our party. Since the next northern harvest festival was due to begin in about half a moon, I had to assume Ser Wylis was returning to White Harbour to allow his father, Lord Wyman, to come to the festival. I remembered the festival I¡¯d been present for, and how crowded the castle had become. The children of the various lords had come down and mingled with the Starks, which I assumed would happen again this year, though things may well be different. Robb was approaching the age where he could be betrothed, and with Quicksilver at his side, he¡¯d have a lot of attention. Hells, that was why the Manderly girls had come to Winterfell when we¡¯d passed through White Harbour, though it seemed with Beron leaving, Ser Wylis was placing his bets on his eldest to snag Robb. While to people in my former life, the practice of marrying off children for alliances would seem cruel and sadistic, in Westeros it was standard practice. And with how little loyalties could shift from one generation to the next, it made perfect sense. Plus, I hoped Ned did betroth Robb and Sansa early as it would remove them from the board and, I hoped, make it harder for things to go wrong if Ned still became Robert¡¯s Hand. I¡¯d love to stop that from happening, but currently, I couldn¡¯t see a way to pull it off. Ned would be needed in the North for what was to happen at the Wall, not distracted by ¨C for him at least ¨C pointless Southern politics. ¡°Do not tell me you wish to forsake my delicate southern daughter for a hardy northern beauty?¡± I rolled my eyes as I turned to see Oberyn approaching, a smirk dancing on his face. ¡°Or perhaps you¡¯re lamenting not giving into her bedroom eyes and bedding her and Tyene together? A man shouldn¡¯t turn down such an event.¡± I almost dropped Ymir as I tried and failed to not picture him, my mother and Ellaria together. ¡°S-she is ten and two!¡± I spluttered out as I pushed those images from my head, which only made him laugh. ¡°Not fucking funny!¡± I snapped, Ymir growling in agreement. I pulled the reins for my mount and moved away from Oberyn, not wanting to deal with his teasing. For a moment I considered approaching Ty as she waited near the carriage on Wylla, however, I saw Alysanne had appeared there. Since I didn¡¯t want to give Oberyn any more ammo, I headed instead for Beron, who was surrounded by his parents and siblings. I shook my head as I approached the Starks, wanting everything about that little conversation gone as soon as possible. Yes, Alysanne was slowly growing into a beauty, but she was still a girl. One who¡¯d not yet had her first moonblood! I passed by the Manderlys as they spoke. While they were sad to part, since it was only for a short time, they were far less concerned than Catelyn was for Beron leaving. A gentle yap from Quicksilver, whom Robb was holding for the same reasons I was holding Ymir, alerted my cousin I was approaching. ¡°Cregan,¡± he said gently, letting his family know I was there. Quicksilver tried to leap from his arms, and only Robb¡¯s quick reaction of grabbing the pup by the scruff of its neck stopped Quicksilver from racing to see his brother. I had to tighten my grip on Ymir as he¡¯d grown excited to see his brother, and I wondered how the pair would be in the coming moons as they¡¯d be separated for the first time since the death of their mother. Quicksilver was excited as he tried to understand all the new smells from everyone gathering in the yard. Beron mirrored that as he tried to escape his mother¡¯s clutches, desiring to head off and have an adventure like the Sea Snake. The rest of the Starks were sad, which made sense as Dorne was a long way from Winterfell. Hells, six of the nine Free Cities were closer to the North! Robb¡¯s calling of my name had drawn the attention of the adults, and while Ned gave me a soft smile, Catelyn glared daggers at me. ¡°Lord, Lady Stark,¡± I began once I was close enough, lowering my head as I spoke, ¡°rest assured, for as long as I draw breath, I will make it my duty to ensure that Beron remains safe and unharmed.¡± When I lifted my head after that statement, Ned¡¯s smile had grown slightly, and he gave me a nod of thanks. Catelyn however, looked as if she was trying to turn me to ash with a thought, once more proving why she was the only thing about Winterfell ¨C if you excluded the Sept that had no business inside the walls of Winterfell ¨C I wouldn¡¯t miss. For a moment it looked as though she was going to say something ¨C undoubtedly a venomous remark ¨C but instead, she turned her attention to Ned. It was then I saw they were holding hands and I assumed he¡¯d squeezed her hand to ensure her silence. A silent moment passed between them before Catelyn sighed and returned her attention to me. ¡°We are grateful he shall have some family with him while he fosters with Prince Doran.¡± She spoke slowly, as if unwilling to say those words and hide her distaste for me. ¡°It¡¯s not fair!¡± Arya snapped out. I turned to see her stalking away from Beron, Robb, and Sansa toward me, Bran a half-step behind. Each step was accompanied by a stamp that sent mud flying around her feet and splattering all over Bran¡¯s legs as he trailed behind. ¡°How come Beron gets to go and I have to stay!¡± Bran¡¯s nodding made clear he agreed. Ned sighed and I couldn¡¯t help but smile slightly at how resigned he sounded, and how I¡¯d heard her complain a dozen times in the last two days alone. ¡°Arya, we have been over this. Perhaps when you are older, we can see about you fostering, but not for now.¡± One of my eyebrows rose and for a moment I wondered if Arya knew that Ned fostered at the Eyrie when he¡¯d been eight, meaning Arya only had another year before she could use that against him, though given how unusual it was for girls to foster it was possible it wouldn''t happen until later. However, it wasn¡¯t my place to bring that up, at least not in front of him. Nor was what he¡¯d decided to do with the remains of Ymir and Quicksilver¡¯s mother. The pelt was the only item Ned had made a call upon, with it being made into two cloaks, one for Ned and one for Robb. Ned was unsure about the rest of the items - the claws, teeth and skull - though a few ideas, such as encasing the skull in steel, were being mulled. ¡°Did you not foster at the Eyrie, father?¡± Robb asked as if reading my mind and I bit my tongue to avoid snickering. Ned turned his gaze on his eldest, and I thought Robb might wilt under it. However, he didn¡¯t, instead matching his father¡¯s gaze with a smile. That was a change from how he¡¯d been before we¡¯d headed to the Wall. Events there had forced him to grow up quicker and I hoped that would continue once we were gone so he could escape Catelyn¡¯s yoke sooner than in canon. ¡°I did,¡± Ned said slowly, ¡°however any discussion on fostering is for another day.¡± That caught me off-guard as it sounded like Ned was open to sending his children to foster. There were no hints of that happening in the canon timeline, so that could have major implications for the future. ¡°Today, we are saying goodbye, for now, to Beron. And Cregan.¡± I smiled at being included with Beron. Even if I wasn¡¯t raised in Winterfell, it was always reassuring to hear Ned considered me family. ¡°Have all your chests been placed on the wagon?¡± Catelyn asked as Beron came closer with Sansa and Robb in tow. ¡°Yes, Mother,¡± Beron replied grumpily, which made me smile. It was oddly reassuring to see that, even though she was smothering her children, she loved them dearly. Thinking of a mother and child turned my thoughts to my mother, Aliandra and the younger sibling that was due within a few moons. ¡°I do hope I am not intruding,¡± that came from my father as he approached from behind me, ¡°but I fear if we delay much longer we shall be unable to depart until tomorrow morning.¡± I saw an easy smile on his face, possibly from the family scene he saw, and I wondered how desperately he wished to return to Sunspear and his other daughters. He¡¯d also be thinking about other people like my mother and Ellaria. ¡°Aye, that is true,¡± Ned agreed. He stepped forward and pulled Beron into a hug. ¡°Be safe.¡± He added before saying something else, too quiet for me to hear. Catelyn joined him in hugging their son, and she was followed soon after by the rest of the family. A family that, based on her stomach, would soon expand once more with, unless I had my ages wrong, Rickon. I frowned when Alysanne failed to come over. Looking around the yard, the frown deepened when I failed to spot her; only seeing Ty as she walked toward the carriage. She was carrying a small chest with her, which was odd, but it was likely just personal effects she wanted to take on the carriage instead of placing it in the wagon. Since Wylla wasn¡¯t around, and Ser Wylis was now mounted on his horse, I assumed Wylla was already inside the carriage. While Ty travelling with Wylla might offend some people, Ty had done a wonderful job impressing the Manderlys on the way to Winterfell to such a degree that Lady Leona was comfortable with Wylla spending time with Ty. ¡°Where is Alysanne?¡± Arya asked, getting that out into the open. ¡°She said goodbye earlier,¡± Beron offered, which drew my attention back to him. ¡°Something about not wanting to cause a scene as she¡¯s not a Stark.¡± I frowned at that, annoyed that Catelyn was treating Alysanne like that. She may have been a bastard, but Alysanne was no threat to Robb. Plus, in the time I¡¯d been in Winterfell over the years, I¡¯d not seen Catelyn direct anywhere near the dislike toward her that the woman held for me. Ned seemed put off by it too as he tensed, and took a step away, possibly to find his daughter. Catelyn stopped him by not letting go of his shoulder. ¡°While she is not my daughter, she still has the blood of House Stark. When next I see her, I will speak with her and determine why she may think that.¡± Catelyn¡¯s words were a surprise but based on what I¡¯d seen of her interaction with Alysanne, they made sense. Alysanne vanishing like this didn¡¯t, however, there was little I could do about it. Ned seemed calmed by his wife¡¯s words and leaned over to kiss her forehead. Oberyn stepped between me and the Stark parents and extended his arm. Ned grasped it near the elbow and the pair shook arms. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Though I am sure Cregan has already assured you, I would like to also reiterate, that we will spare no effort in safeguarding your son under the banner of House Nymeros Martell.,¡± Oberyn stated as the men broke their arm clasp. ¡°I will see his training is to the same standards I hold Cregan to, he will be treated with respect and shown the full hospitality of Dorne.¡± For a moment I wondered if that would include their more liberal attitude toward sex, but given the way the Umbers spoke, I didn¡¯t think it was just Dorne that was more relaxed about sex. ¡°Thank you, Prince Oberyn.¡± Oberyn chuckled and clapped me on the shoulder, probably enjoying that I was still shorter than him. ¡°Please, you raised and protected Cregan for a year, and now on his second visit to your home he shall leave with a direwolf; an animal not seen in Dorne since before the Andals crossed into Westeros.¡± Oberyn looked at Ymir, who had decided he didn¡¯t like the commotion around him and settled down for a short nap in my arms. ¡°Hells, the faces of my brother and niece when they see him would be more than fair compensation for fostering your son in Sunspear.¡± ¡°Aye, I doubt there has been a direwolf seen by any outside the North since at least the Conquest,¡± Ned added with a laugh. Oberyn nodded at that and then kissed the back of Catelyn¡¯s hand. Beside her, Sansa blushed up a storm when Oberyn promised to tell tales of her beauty to the princes. As he turned to say goodbye to the other Starks, I slipped away, making my way to my horse that I¡¯d left a few metres away when I¡¯d approached the Starks. It was going to be an awkward little ride until we were clear of Wintertown with Ymir, but I wasn¡¯t going to risk him running around the place until our party was clear of others. Though if he chose to keep snoozing, I¡¯d pass him over to Ty and Wylla. Honestly, I think Ymir would prefer their pampering and petting instead of being stuck in my lap while I was on horseback, and frankly, I¡¯d feel the same. Well, for Ty at least though it wouldn¡¯t be called petting. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°Cregan,¡± I looked at Ty as she sat quietly in my lap, ¡°how long until we reach White Harbour?¡± I watched the fire crackle away as I sat near it enjoying the evening meal on the third day of our trek to White Harbour and trying to not react as Ty wriggled around on my lap, settling in and feeding me while doing her best to subtly tease me. ¡°Another day, perhaps two if we get delayed,¡± I replied though the only way we¡¯d be delayed would be a bandit attack. Though given our party was over seventy strong, that was highly unlikely to happen. We¡¯d made better time getting back to White Harbour, even with Ser Wylis accompanying us. Mainly as for most of today, he¡¯d ridden in the carriage at the request of Wylla who wanted to spend some time with him. Ty had graciously agreed to ride on the wagon for the day, which meant I¡¯d spent most of the trek near her, chatting away. That said, she seemed oddly insistent I didn¡¯t get too close to the wagon, but that might just be because she was concerned that I¡¯d try to drag her inside to relieve some tension. ¡°Ah.¡± She turned her head and looked in the general direction of the carriage and wagon. Just as she¡¯d done on each of the last two nights. I¡¯d thought on the first night she wanted me to take her there for a tumble, but she¡¯d refused both nights, which was odd. However, I could understand why she¡¯d not want to fuck out in the cold air of the North, even if I would admit that three days of teasing without release was slowly wearing away my restraint, which might just be her intent. After giving me a chaste kiss the last two nights, she¡¯d turned in early. I assumed she disliked sleeping in the carriage as she had done the same on the way to Winterfell, however, there was this feeling in the back of my mind that perhaps there was more going on than I knew. I trusted Ty though, so if there was a problem, I knew she¡¯d bring whatever was the matter to me before it became a problem. Still, I felt I should ask to be sure. ¡°Something the matter?¡± After having dipped it into my stew, I took a bite out of my bread and waited for her answer. Ty sighed. ¡°No.¡± She didn¡¯t sound confident, but I wasn¡¯t going to push. ¡°Well, yes, but it is not what you think?¡± ¡°So, you are not a horny little thing trying to drive me to distraction?¡± I whispered before nibbling her earlobe. A soft moan slipped from her lips, making me smirk as I licked a small amount of stew I¡¯d accidentally left on her ear. ¡°I¡­ not the problem,¡± she replied, her voice off as if she was unsure about something. My eyes darted down to her stomach, wondering if the moon tea had failed to work and she was with child. I wasn¡¯t looking to be a father yet and was careful when and where I came, but accidents did still happen. And if I was to be a father, I¡¯d do my level best to raise them safe and loved. ¡°I¡­¡± She all but leapt from my lap and I almost spilt my stew over myself. ¡°Come on,¡± she said, pulling me to my feet and sending the bowl of food to the ground. There were murmurs of amusement, and some grumbling as well, as she dragged me to the carriage. Oberyn gave me a knowing smirk, though, on this occasion, I felt he was way off-base. I caught Wylla¡¯s eyes as she sat with her father, and the young girl blushed, clearly thinking the same thing as Oberyn; though without the details to know what Ty and I might be about to do. The carriage was just far enough from the fires that the light died off against its side. Once Ty had pulled me around the corner, taking us out of sight, she pushed me up against the carriage, rushed forward and all but leapt into my arms. Her lips slammed into mine, her desire seeping from every pore as my hands slid under her arse, kneading the flesh as I lifted her up. Yet, for all the passion I could feel from her, it was clear something was off, which was proven a moment later when she pulled back, an odd look just visible on her face in the faint light of the moon. ¡°You know I care for you?¡± She asked after she slid down and pulled back slightly. That was an odd phrase to use, almost as if she was ending what we had. However, that didn¡¯t feel like what she was trying to do. ¡°Aye, and I care for you.¡± The smile that brought out made it clear she wasn¡¯t ending this, yet it faded a moment later and she frowned and bit her lip. ¡°I¡­ I need to show you something, but yo¡­ you must promise not to get angry.¡± Now it was my turn to frown. The fact she said show and not tell pushed away any lingering worries about her being with child, but it created new ones with hundreds of unknowns. ¡°I promise to try,¡± I said slowly as there was no way I could promise to not get angry about something I didn¡¯t know about; especially if she was worried I would. She took my hand and led me away from the carriage, further into the light of the moon. There would be guards out here somewhere, but their focus would be on what would come toward the party, be it bandits or wild animals, and not someone in the party coming toward them. Once we were about ten metres from the carriage, she turned and pulled to the side, toward the wagon. My frown deepened as we approached, particularly when I thought I heard something moving around inside the wagon. ¡°Hello,¡± Ty whispered after tapping a pattern on the side of the wagon. I opened my mouth to ask what the fuck was going on, only for something to move around inside the wagon. ¡°Thank the gods,¡± My mouth hung open as I recognised the voice, and it was confirmed as a head popped out of the wagon. ¡°I was¡­ CREGAN!¡± My eyes threatened to explode as I looked at Alysanne who¡¯d already slammed a hand over her mouth. That would¡¯ve reached those around the fires. I almost shouted back at seeing her here, with only the shock on her face and a feeling of dread rapidly rising inside stopping me. Instead, I turned to Ty, gripped her arm, and pushed her against the wagon. ¡°What the fuck?!¡± I hissed out, my voice barely above a whisper. Ty whimpered under my grip and hissed, but she had this coming. Somehow, not only was Alysanne fucking Snow inside the wagon, but Ty knew about it! For some insane, incomprehensible reason, Ty had all but kidnapped the daughter of Eddard fucking Stark! ¡°What the fuck did you do?!¡± I spat out; my voice so harsh that if there¡¯d been any noise nearby, I¡¯d have struggled to hear it. Ty winced again. ¡°I, I can explain,¡± she whispered in a pained voice. ¡°Please!¡± I blinked as her tone reached my brain and relaxed the grip I had on her arm. The wagon was all that prevented her from falling to the ground. I released my grip entirely and stepped back. ¡°Fuck!¡± I spat out as I shook my head. ¡°Cregan,¡± Ty began, only to stop when my head snapped back to her. I could feel my teeth grinding against each other as I struggled to contain the rage that was rushing through my veins. ¡°You¡­¡± I shook my head, trying to figure out what the fuck was going on here. ¡°Her¡­ When¡­ What?!¡± I snapped out, anger clouding my thoughts and demanding answers. ¡°What the fucking hells have you done?!¡± I snarled, stalking toward the blonde. Ty winced as I approached and sunk in on herself. She was shaking so badly I didn¡¯t think she could think clearly, but I didn¡¯t fucking care! The dumb bitch had, the gods knew why, brought Alysanne Snow with her when we¡¯d left Winterfell!!! I didn¡¯t care why Alysanne was here, or what fucking insanity made Ty help her, at least not enough to settle the rage burning inside me like a firestorm. No, all I cared about was that they¡¯d fucked me over and now Ned Stark was going to call for my fucking head; ruining everything I¡¯d been working on with him and the North!! ¡°Fuck!¡± the girls both pulled back as I snapped. I turned and walked away. ¡°Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!¡± the words spilt from me as I struggled to keep any form of control over my scorching anger. These two had undone years of work getting Ned, the North, to trust me. All the years of slowly building up friendships and possible alliances had turned to ash over whatever fucking insanity had overtaken these two dumb cunts! I heard something smash into wood, and a moment later grunted in annoyance as pain flared in my hand. I looked at it, not understanding how, but I¡¯d come back to the wagon and slammed my hand so hard into it the wood had splintered as my fist embedded into it. ¡°Cregan,¡± Ty whispered as her fingers brushed against my fist. I yanked my hand back, not wanting to be touched by her! She whimpered, pulled her hand back and stumbled away. ¡°Please, I¡­ I can explain.¡± My head snapped around and she fell to the ground. ¡°How? How the fuck can you explain this?¡± I snarled as I stood over her, struggling to keep my voice down. The last thing I needed right now was Beron, Ser Wylis, Oberyn or any of their various guards discovering what was going on here. ¡°You have kidnapped the daughter of Ned fucking Stark!¡± I snarled, my arm jerking out to point at the offending girl. ¡°H-he is not my father.¡± Those four words spoken in barely above a whisper had my gaze snap around to Alysanne. I could feel the anger flooding through my veins settle slightly at what she¡¯d said, and it receded further by the scared but determined way she held my glare. ¡°A-at least, I d-do n-not think he is.¡± ¡°What?¡± I spat out, the rage surging inside clouding my thoughts enough that I couldn¡¯t figure out why she¡¯d think that. I blinked a second later as the thoughts started linking together. When had she¡­ How¡­ I blinked again and took a step away from the girls, wanting, needing to regain some sense of rational thought. As the anger receded enough that I could work out what had happened, or at least enough to see how this insanity had happened, I spat out a chuckle. ¡°Of fucking course!¡± I growled out under my breath as I facepalmed. ¡°Of course, it had be fucking now! ¡°Cregan?¡± The faint, fearful whisper of my name from my cousin pierced through my remaining anger enough that I was able to regain control of my senses. At least enough that I wasn¡¯t scared of losing control and doing something unbelievably stupid. I turned back to the wagon, taking in the pained, fearful expression both girls wore. ¡°Why?¡± I asked as I moved back toward them, trying to keep my voice calm. ¡°Why are you here?¡± I asked Alysanne before looking at Ty. ¡°And why in the name of the fucking Gods did you help her with¡­whatever this shitshow is?¡± I asked, some of the still-bubbling anger seeping into my tone. They looked at each other as if drawing strength collectively. As they did, I had a moment of panic. In my anger, I might¡¯ve revealed I knew Alysanne wasn¡¯t Ned¡¯s daughter. Hopefully, with my hand over my face, the pair hadn¡¯t heard it enough to make out my exact words or this could turn into an even bigger shitshow. ¡°I¡­ I do not think fa-Lord Stark is my father.¡± Alysanne spoke slowly, her words barely reaching my ears. It was clear she was still confused and conflicted about what she¡¯d learnt. Or thought she¡¯d learnt. I sighed and shook my head, trying to smother the rage with an ice-cold focus. First, I needed to hear her reasoning for this leap of logic. Then I¡¯d work through what made her think sneaking away with us, and Ty helping her was anything but the most insanely fucking stupid idea in the world. ¡°And what makes you think that?¡± My voice was as calm as it could make it and I spoke softly, trying to make clear that most of my anger wasn¡¯t directed at her, but at the woman who¡¯d betrayed my trust. ¡°I¡­¡± Alysanne gulped and looked away, making it clear just how confused, scared, and off-balance she was. Especially after three days in the wagon with, barring yesterday, only herself for company. Ty stepped toward her and placed a hand on hers. That, rather unexpectedly, seemed to reassure my cousin, and made me wonder just how close the pair had become in my time travelling to and from the Wall. ¡°I have wondered about my mother for years. I asked Fa¡­ Lord Stark about it often, but he only says that I am of his blood, and he will tell me everything once I am older.¡± She didn¡¯t sound happy about that, which given the revelation she¡¯d had, made perfect sense. For my part, it was oddly reassuring that Ned had used the same approach with Alysanne as he¡¯d used for Jon. It also meant that once I figured out how to fix this clusterfuck without losing my head, I had a way to fully gain Alysanne¡¯s trust. However, prodding her for her reasoning might lead her to that thinking wasn¡¯t something to deal with now. At least not with me directly prodding her for more information. It was better she provided what she wanted now and work from there. Or so I hoped. ¡°I¡­ I always thought he was hiding something from me. As I said in the crypts when I showed you the egg.¡± My brow rose at that, especially how little that revelation didn¡¯t faze Ty. Alysanne must¡¯ve told her about it, but now I was wondering where the egg was, which meant another variable to handle for this shitshow. Absolutely fucking wonderful. I looked at Ty, wondering if she¡¯d reveal anything, but my lover ¨C or possibly former lover ¨C refused to look me in the eyes. That made the sea of rage inside begin to boil again, threatening to break my icy focus. Alysanne was young, still a child, but Ty was a woman. She had to know how fucking dangerous and insane this plan was, yet she¡¯d gone along with it because¡­ I honestly couldn¡¯t see why. Alysanne turned and slid back into the wagon, leaving Ty to squirm under my glare. ¡°When she is done, you will tell me what drove you to this insanity,¡± I snarled. She nodded weakly, though wisely chose not to speak. A moment later, Alysanne returned and lifted a small chest into view. It was hard to make out details on it in the pale moonlight, but I suspected it was the same one I¡¯d seen Ty carry into the carriage back in Winterfell just before we¡¯d left. As it opened, the moonlight glistened off something inside. I sighed loudly and shook my head. ¡°Well, at least I know you are not dumb enough to leave that behind,¡± I muttered with a chuckle that lacked all humour or warmth. Alysanne smiled, seemingly finding it encouraging that I could joke at this moment in time. "When I found this and felt its warmth, I wondered if I was different.¡± Alysanne smiled shyly as her fingers traced the edges of the egg¡¯s scales. ¡°When you felt the warmth too, I knew I was.¡± I barely resisted the urge to scream. I¡¯d known only a minute after doing so that revealing my magic to her had been a mistake, but that it had led to the pile of stinking, swirling shit I now found myself in just made things a million times worse. ¡°You felt the heat, you can use magic. I think I can too, like your sisters as well.¡± ¡°None of them can control fire,¡± I shot back, making clear that the situations weren¡¯t the same. ¡°I know, but you said that maybe I could control fire like you,¡± Alysanne glanced at Ty, and the woman smiled at her. ¡°I thought that, maybe, I was your sister,¡± an odd smile flashed over her face there, ¡°but that isn¡¯t right. While you were at the Wall, I talked with Ty. I told her th¡­ I have memories, and dreams, of red mountains. At least I think they¡¯re red. Ty told me such places existed in Dorne.¡± Alysanne looked at the egg again, possibly drawing strength from it. ¡°I¡­ I think I was¡­ born in Dorne.¡± ¡°I do not recall ever seeing a Stark in Dorne,¡± I said slowly, wanting to shut this line of reasoning down quickly. ¡°At least outside Ned returning Dawn to Starfall or Uncle Benjen watching over me.¡± Now wasn¡¯t the fucking time to have her learn who her parents were, not when we were near Oberyn. I doubted he¡¯d do anything to Alysanne, but the girl was a reminder that Rhaegar had, as far Oberyn knew, dishonoured his sister, Elia. If¡­ When Oberyn learnt Alysanne was here, she couldn¡¯t bring up too much of this or he¡¯d put together the pieces before we reached Sunspear. Hells, he¡¯d probably work it out before we reached White Harbour tomorrow or the day after; a place where there¡¯d likely be guards waiting to arrest us for kidnapping. ¡°Why was he there?¡± Ty asked, suddenly finding her voice. ¡°What reason was there for Lord Stark to ride south from King¡¯s Landing instead of North back to his wife and new son?¡± ¡°Ned doesn¡¯t have another bastard,¡± I spat out, not liking where this was going. ¡°And she¡¯s clearly a Stark!¡± I added, hoping to dissuade this line of thought. ¡°If he is not your father, who is?¡± I asked Alysanne bluntly, hoping against hope she wasn¡¯t about to say what I feared she would. Having Ty believe this was bad enough, but if Alysanne felt the same way then¡­ well, we¡¯d go from jumping the rails to tumbling down the mountain of whatever remained of the canon timeline. ¡°The only other Stark is Benjen. So, are you telling me he somehow, at my age, snuck out of Winterfell, got past Gods-knows what was between here and Dorne, met a girl and had a daughter?! That¡¯s just insane!¡± I turned and paced away, needing to rein in my anger as it threatened to overwhelm me once more. Gods, there was no way this didn¡¯t mean Alysanne didn¡¯t suspect the truth and that¡­ ¡°Aargh!¡± I grunted out as I punched the carriage feeling a sharp pain as my knuckle spilt on the heavy wood. ¡°There is one more Stark.¡± My head snapped around as Ty started speaking. I dreaded the conversation going there now, but I also knew, however much I hated it, I couldn¡¯t stop them from thinking this since they¡¯d been talking about this for over a moon, almost two. ¡°Though this one would not be her father,¡± Ty glanced at Alysanne as she stopped. My attention shifted to my cousin, praying to the Gods, and whatever powers had brought me here, that she didn¡¯t say what I feared she was about to. ¡°No!¡± I snapped out, cutting Alysanne off before she could say what I feared. ¡°We are not doing this! Not here, not now!¡± I grunted and shook my head, trying desperately to regain some control over this narrative. ¡°What I care about is fixing this fucking shitstorm so it will not cause a fucking war between Dorne and the Crown!¡± I paced around, trying to bleed my anger into the ground. ¡°When Ned hears of this, he could call the banners, and gods help us, Robert will join him! The fucking king will bring the might of the demon-cursed crown down on Dorne and I for one will not be remembered as the fucking fool that let that happen!¡± My voice was barely above normal as I fought to not shout to the heavens to make my point, yet the growl within it made the two girls close ranks. ¡°I am not going back!¡± My head snapped to Alysanne, not believing what she was saying even as I laid out how the future would go if she didn¡¯t fucking wake up. My cousin almost leapt back into the wagon as my fury landed on her for the first time. ¡°I¡­ uh, I mean, um, n-not yet,¡± she mumbled out, wilting in the face of my rage. ¡°I-I ne-need to¡­ I want¡­ I can¡¯t go back!¡± the last words came out with more anger than I¡¯d ever heard from her. I blinked, caught off-guard by seeing the wolf rise in her, and even though it was entirely out of place, I laughed at hearing her develop a backbone. ¡°Who ca..eep!¡± The new voice had me pivoting, Red Rain flying from its sheath to greet the invader. It was only thanks to years of training that I was able to still my blade as I caught sight of garish green hair. Wylla Manderly¡¯s eyes threatened to explode as the edge of my blade rested against her throat. My eyes were locked on how close I¡¯d come to striking down an innocent while enraged and starting a fucking blood feud with the Manderlys. An inch closer, a few milliseconds slower, and Wylla Manderly would be dead at my feet. I pulled back my blade. ¡°Did no one ever tell you not to sneak up on people?¡± I asked as casually as I could, trying to play off how close I¡¯d come to killing her. Wylla stayed still for a few moments before she blinked, and her hand shot to her throat. I couldn¡¯t be sure, but I¡¯d guess her face had gone white as she processed how close she¡¯d come to dying. For a second, I considered stepping closer, offering to help, but after what I¡¯d almost done, I decided not to. The last thing I needed was for her to scream before I could figure out what the fuck to do with Alysanne being here. And now Wylla too. This night was somehow managing to get worse the longer it went on. At this rate, I almost expected the Others to appear and attack, with how bad my luck currently was. ¡°Wylla, are you ok?¡± Wylla¡¯s eyes snapped to Alysanne after my cousin¡¯s question. I saw the light reflect in the Manderly girl¡¯s eyes as she processed what she was seeing. ¡°Alyssf.¡± My hand clasped over her mouth before she could shout out in surprise. Wylla panicked and tried to slip away only for my other arm to grip her tightly. I twisted her around, pulled her back against my chest trapped her arms and replaced my hand on her mouth before she understood what was going on. I¡¯d get in trouble for this, but I didn¡¯t want her screaming about what was going on here, not before I came up with some way to save my neck. ¡°I¡­ I can explain,¡± Alysanne blurted out as she and Ty looked at the frantically struggling Wylla in my arms. Holding her like this would get me in trouble, but it was better than having Ser Wylis, Oberyn and the others rushing over and discovering Alysanne before I had any sort of plan for fixing this clusterfuck. ¡°Wylla, listen,¡± I said slowly, not wanting to panic the girl any further. ¡°I only came here a few minutes before you and I still do not know what is going on. But unless you want your father coming over here and risking a war between the North and Dorne, I need you to stay quiet until I work out what the fuck we can do to fix this mess.¡± I could feel the heat in her cheeks as I held her tight, and I worried she was going to keep struggling. Thankfully, she stopped and then slowly nodded. Or at least nodded as well as she could with me holding a hand tightly over her mouth. I looked at Ty and Alysanne, making sure they were ready, before sliding my hand from Wylla¡¯s mouth. When she didn¡¯t instantly scream, I stepped back, releasing her from my grip, though I shifted so that, to get back to the main campfires, she¡¯d have to rush past me. Trust wasn¡¯t something I had a lot of this night. Wylla lifted a hand to her face, and I assumed rubbed her cheeks. ¡°S-so why are you here?¡± She asked slowly, confusion clear in her voice. Alysanne began to explain her story to the other girl, though I was pleased she had enough wherewithal to not mention the dragon egg. The chest was gone, likely pushed back into the wagon by Alysanne when I¡¯d struggled with Wylla. With Wylla absorbed by the story Alysanne was telling her, I had time to start thinking. I wasn¡¯t mad at Alysanne, at least not for anything but her having the crazy idea that sneaking out of Winterfell was a smart decision. The confusion and doubt she¡¯d be feeling, and the need to get away from somewhere that, now, might feel like a giant lie made sense, as did moving to come with me and Ty. She was still in deep shit for this, but that was a matter for Ned. As for Ty¡­ Mad didn¡¯t even come close to how I felt. Not only had she gone along with this insane plan, and helped make it work, but she¡¯d fucking hidden it from me. And her father. I shook my head to push back another rising tide of rage. After tonight, I didn¡¯t know if I could ever trust her again. No matter her motives and reasons, this was a massive clusterfuck that I wasn¡¯t sure I could ever forgive. However, as enraged as she¡¯d made me, the bigger issue was how the fuck I was going to handle this. I needed to take this to Oberyn at the very least. Ser Wylis as well. Better to let them sort it out and, likely, have a group escort Alysanne back to Winterfell. Of course, if they discovered the egg, or heard her story, then questions that were better kept buried would bubble to the surface, placing Ned in a very precarious position with the King. There was also the fact, no matter how this played out, I was likely to lose a friendship. With Ned and the other Starks, that would be a huge problem for when the Wildlings and Others came, and with Alysanne it might cost me the chance to help her hatch that egg if I ever felt I could replicate what Daenerys had done. And there was always the chance this moment, and breaking Alysanne¡¯s trust, might be what cost her the coin flip every Targaryen was said to experience when they were born. Ned, I knew, would be beside himself. Three days without being able to find his niece, the only link he had to Lyanna, would feel like hell. He¡¯d be trying to remain calm as nothing came back about where she was, even as he panicked that Robert or others might¡¯ve learnt the truth. Ravens would¡¯ve been sent to every nearby keep, and as I thought about it, I wondered why riders from Winterfell hadn¡¯t arrived to check our party. Though perhaps he was waiting for a reply from Lord Wyman who¡¯d be waiting for us in White Harbour. For a moment I also considered how fucked I¡¯d be if Alysanne did come south. Taking the last daughter of Rhaegar Targaryen, even if she wasn¡¯t a Martell, to Dorne was akin to dancing in a snake pit. I knew Doran was planning something with the remaining Targaryens in Essos, so handing him another to use, to even possibly marry her to Quentyn and place them on the Iron Throne, would unleash chaos that even Baelish might struggle to exploit. I sighed, shook my head, and looked down at the ground. No matter how this played out, the timeline was utterly fucked. Provided I made it out of this shitshow, I¡¯d have to stop relying on future knowledge and begin working out how I wanted to enter the Great Game because, after this, there was no way I could avoid it. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­. ¡°After that, I felt everyone should get some rest, with Alysanne joining Tyene and Lady Wylla in the carriage,¡± I finished slowly, looking at Oberyn and Ser Wylis as I explained the events of last night. Behind me, both Ty and Alysanne were standing while Ser Jory Cassel was behind my father. Beron was aware that his sister was with us now, as he¡¯d been with Ser Jory when I¡¯d gathered the men for this reveal. However, after things had calmed down at the discovery of Ned Stark¡¯s bastard daughter, it¡¯d been decided he was kept away from this inquest into how this had happened and currently he was off with Wylla looking after Ymir. ¡°My first question is, why did you wait until to bring this to us?¡± Oberyn asked, which drew a nod of agreement from Ser Wylis. ¡°Yes, a matter such as this should be handled immediately.¡± ¡°Normally I would agree, but last night when I learnt of this¡­ I was rather upset about the actions these two had taken. I needed time to cool off, and with both of you having enjoyed some wine during dinner, I was¡­ concerned any actions made in the heat of the night might be the wrong ones to take.¡± I looked at Ser Wylis as I continued. ¡°Actions such as grabbing your daughter.¡± Still, I wasn¡¯t going to hide that I¡¯d grabbed her, but there was no way I was mentioning drawing my blade on her to her father. That would result in, at the very least, a demand for a duel from Ser Wylis. Which was how I¡¯d managed to convince Wylla to keep quiet on that minor detail as well. ¡°Yes, an unfortunate act, but one I can, with my daughter¡¯s insistence, forgive,¡± Ser Wylis replied slowly, his eyes narrowing as he spoke. ¡°However, lay your hands on my daughter again and we will resolve the matter with more than words.¡± ¡°Yes, My lord.¡± I lowered my head, accepting the warning. Thanks to The Wolfs-blood and Blood of the Dragon¡¯s Flames I¡¯d developed a hair trigger on my anger. I was able to control it most of the time, but last night I¡¯d come very close to losing all control. Hells, I was shocked I¡¯d managed to contain the inferno inside. While Ty and Alysanne knew about my magic, losing control of it would¡¯ve alerted everyone that something was going on. ¡°Hmm, I can see why you waited until this morn, when we were refreshed and clear-headed to reveal her presence to us,¡± Oberyn began, getting the meeting back on track. ¡°However, the fact you two waited until we were so close to White Harbour to reveal this to Cregan is a matter I cannot ignore.¡± He leaned forward, his eyes showing his anger while he maintained an outer calm. ¡°You ladies do understand the situation you have placed us, me, in?¡± His tone was almost emotionless, yet the rage burning in his gaze showed the difference between him and me. His anger, his fire, burnt as hot as mine, but it was more controlled. More focused. Oh, it still came out at times, but Oberyn had learnt over the years to contain and control it, only allowing it to be released when he allowed it. That was something I was still a fair bit away from managing. ¡°Yes, Father.¡± Alysanne didn¡¯t respond verbally, but given Oberyn leaned back, I had to assume she¡¯d at least nodded her understanding. ¡°Then what in the name of the Gods, old and new, made you think that sneaking away from Winterfell was the right idea? What possible reason could be so important, so ground-breaking, that you felt a need to hide it from your families?¡± Some of Oberyn¡¯s anger with them slid into his voice and the ground behind me rustled as at least one of them flinched under his fury. Yet, no reply came from either and Oberyn turned his head away and muttered something I couldn¡¯t quite catch. ¡°While you are a bastard, you are the daughter of Lord Eddard Sta¡­¡± ¡°He is not my father!¡± Alysanne¡¯s outburst cut off Wylis and brought an unexpected silence to proceedings. From how the three adults reacted, none had even suspected Alysanne¡¯s parentage was in doubt. ¡°Lord Stark brought you back with him after the war,¡± Ser Jory said slowly, taking advantage of the stunned silence from the senior nobles. ¡°He told all that you were his daughter, and it is clear to see you are. All can see Stark blood runs through your veins.¡± ¡°No, he is not!¡± Alysanne shot back, an odd amount of fire and conviction in her voice. ¡°He cannot be!¡± Silence once again fell on proceedings, and I stayed still. When faced with an inquest, I¡¯d learnt the best option was to only speak when asked, lest a larger share of the blame than deserved often fell upon me. Eventually, Oberyn chuckled, though it wasn¡¯t a joyous thing. ¡°If that is true, and it appears you believe it to be so, then it would, at least, explain why you wished to leave Winterfell,¡± he said slowly, offering a slight smile to Alysanne, though if fell as his eyes flicked to me. ¡°Were you aware of this?¡± ¡°Yes, Father,¡± I answered with a nod, ¡°however, her doubts about her parentage were not something I felt was my right to reveal to others.¡± Oberyn frowned, a hand coming up to stroke his chin. ¡°How can you say Lord Eddard is not your father, girl? What proof do you have for this statement?¡± Ser Wylis asked, confusion and concern marring his face. There was no way he knew the truth, but it seemed having to even consider questioning Ned¡¯s word was something that made him uncomfortable. That showed the loyalty the Manderlys had for the Starks. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°With respect Ser Wylis, perhaps this topic should not be broached in such a public place,¡± I cut in, saving Alysanne from having to either reveal the truth regarding her egg or concoct a story that might be semi-believable. ¡°If her suspicions reached the wrong ears, it would be dangerous for Lord Eddard.¡± I was playing on the loyalty Ser Wylis held for Ned, yes, but I had to. If even a sniff of the reason got to certain people, Alysanne¡¯s life would be forfeit, as might Ned¡¯s. That would risk a war between the North and the Crown. ¡°I am as curious about this tale as you, Ser Wylis, but Cregan is correct. Mayhaps we can return to this reason once we have reached the safety of White Harbour?¡± Ser Wylis considered my father¡¯s words for a moment before nodding. ¡°Yes, that would be best. My father will wish to hear this tale, and it will be easier for all the less it was repeated.¡± He didn¡¯t believe her, which made perfect sense based on what he knew and believed, but I wondered how well that might hold up once Ned was brought into the mix. Could my uncle deny the truth when confronted with it by his niece? ¡°Tyene, what in the names of every God I can think of made you think that, after you heard Alysanne¡¯s tale, made you think that the best choice was to sneak her out of Winterfell? Why, may your mother forgive me, in the Seven Hells, did you not bring this to Cregan or me while we were under the protection of House Stark?¡± I heard Ty shuffle around behind me, but, for the first time since her father had married my mother, I found myself unwilling to even remotely care. She¡¯d caused this fucking shitstorm by demonstrating a complete and utter lack of common fucking sense, so any punishment Oberyn gave her, any fury he aimed at her, was well deserved. Though I hoped she¡¯d regained just a smidgen of rational thought because, Gods help me, if she revealed to Oberyn, Wylis and Jory that I had magic and that Alysanne might as well, as a reason for going through with this insane plan, then I¡¯d kill her. That said, the truth that Alysanne was the daughter of Rhaegar and Lyanna would possibly, be considered even more outlandish to those determining the fate of this fucking disaster. As Ty stayed silent for whatever reason, I could feel my rage at her actions, at how much shit she¡¯d dropped me in, flare up like dragonfire I closed my eyes and clenched my fists. I fought to contain a desire to punish Ty, to teach her why she should think things through and bring them to me before carrying out plans that would threaten me. ¡°I-I can pay to stay in Dorne,¡± Alysanne got out, and I turned to look at her. She couldn¡¯t be considering selling the dragon egg, could she? Yet, from what she¡¯d know about dragons, it would make sense. Yes, she felt some connection to it, but beyond that, it was just something pretty that others would pay well for. Oberyn laughed, and as I turned back to face him, I thought he was making fun of Alysanne, which added fuel to my anger. ¡°Well at least you are not stupid enough to run away without some coin,¡± he said, making clear he wasn¡¯t making fun of her offer, just oddly finding it amusing while this inquisition was going on. ¡°Still, you did run away, something my daughter helped you do.¡± He paused and looked down at my hands. He then stood and came forward until he was right in front of me. He leaned close and whispered. ¡°Unless you want the others to know, I suggest you control your¡­ fire.¡± I frowned in confusion as he pulled back. As he glanced down at my hands, I did the same and my mind stalled in shock as ice raced down my spine. While my fists were still clenched, the faintest wisps of smoke were rising from them. I put my hands behind my back and shook them even as I felt the fury inside recede. ¡°I, uh, ah¡­¡± Oberyn winked, a smirk dancing on his face. ¡°We will talk later.¡± He said so quietly I had to lip-read to get the message. Once I had, the smirk fell from his face, and he stepped back. ¡°Tyene, Alysanne, you are to stay in the carriage until we have decided how we are to handle this mess you have caused. Probably longer as currently, I wish to see neither of your faces. Tyene, if you are lucky, Lord Stark will not demand you join the Silent Sisters, but if he does, I am unsure if I will complain.¡± I turned to face the girls, seeing they were holding hands for reassurance. Ty looked at me, her eyes begging for help, but I wasn¡¯t going to give her any. Yes, she was a fucking terror between the sheets, but that wasn¡¯t enough to save her from the punishment coming her way. ¡°I believe heading to White Harbour is the best course of action,¡± Ser Wylis remarked, drawing my attention from the girls. ¡°No doubt Lord Eddard has sent a raven to my father, among others, regarding his daughter¡¯s disappearance. Once there we can speak with him, and both Ser Jory and I will ensure no blame is attached to you or Cregan, Prince Oberyn.¡± ¡°We thank you for that, Ser Wylis. And yes, heading to your father is the best course for now. However, I think sending riders to Lord Eddard would also be wise. While a raven may be quicker, there is a limit to what their messages can carry.¡± Oberyn turned and looked at the girls. ¡°And I believe a letter from Alysanne explaining her reasoning should be handled with care. While I doubt the veracity of your story girl, if it is true, then Cregan is right in saying it must be handled with the utmost care.¡± I could see the wheels in Oberyn¡¯s head turning and I wondered if he¡¯s already done the numbers to determine who might be Alysanne¡¯s father if it wasn¡¯t Ned. That was a major problem, however, compared to the possible accusation of kidnapping, it was the lesser issue at this moment in time. ¡°I shall have riders made ready,¡± Ser Jory stated, speaking for the first time since this inquisition had begun. ¡°Ones I trust implicitly.¡± ¡°I will add some Manderly riders to that group.¡± ¡°Keep the group small, no more than six. Any more would draw additional attention and possibly delay their return. And make clear to them that they must reach Winterfell with all haste.¡± Oberyn added. Ser Jory nodded and moved off to start that process and Oberyn turned back to the girls. ¡°Tyene, you will carry Alysanne¡¯s belongings, however modest or heavy they may be, by yourself to the carriage. The pair of you will then remain there with Lady Wylla. You will not speak with her about your reasons for leaving Winterfell, nor why you helped her,¡± he pointed at each girl as he gave them individual instructions. ¡°While she will soon learn of why this insanity happened, the less she knows now, the safer we will all be until we are under the protection of Lord Wyman.¡± The pair nodded. ¡°That goes for Beron and anyone else who learns Alysanne is here.¡± Again, they nodded, at which point he turned to me. ¡°Cregan, I trust you can escort them and ensure they follow my orders?¡± ¡°Yes, my prince.¡± I made sure to use his title and clasped a hand over my heart, making it clear I understood this was directed at me as his squire and not his stepson. After a final nod, he moved over to Wylis, who¡¯d managed to stand in the time Oberyn had been giving out instructions. I turned to the girls and raised an eyebrow. I didn¡¯t want to be near either of them currently, but I¡¯d complete the task assigned to me. ¡°Cregan,¡± Ty began as she took a step toward me, ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Save it!¡± I snapped, making both scamper back. Seeing that, I sighed and ran a hand down my face. ¡°Look, I am as angry as I have ever been at both of you, and that is going to be the case for a while. However, I¡­ understand why you did this Alysanne, and even why you felt helping her was the right thing to do, Ty. But, by the Gods, what made you think in the time you had to plan this that not bringing it to me or our father was the fucking right choice?!¡± Before either could say anything, I growled and waved my arm. ¡°Argh! Forget it. I do not wish to hear it now. Just¡­ get going.¡± The pair nodded and turned to head to the wagon, though not before Ty offered me a small, uncertain smile. I fell into step about three metres behind. Close enough that I could hear what they¡¯d say, but far enough back to make clear I had little interest in joining any conversation they might have. As we walked, I laid out what I¡¯d want to say, either by raven or letter, to Ned about this clusterfuck. While that was easy enough to prep for, coming to terms with the fact that Oberyn not only knew about my magic but was accepting of it would take longer. I didn¡¯t know when he¡¯d worked it out, or who else knew. Because of that, I¡¯d have to rewrite even more of my plans for how I wanted to approach the next few years. As if this trip couldn¡¯t jump the rails any further. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°I must say that when you arrived back in White Harbour ten days ago, I would not have expected your visit to last this long. Nor for it to bring with it such an unusual chain of events,¡± Lord Wyman Manderly began as he sat in his chair within the Merman¡¯s Court ¨C the main hall of the New Castle ¨C looking down at myself and Oberyn. Ty and Alysanne were standing further back with Wylla, letting us handle the aftermath of their actions, which might be why I¡¯d barely talked to either of them in our time in White Harbour. ¡°When Lord Eddard¡¯s raven arrived, I had expected to face a battle to determine what you had done with his bastard daughter. Instead, I find my son riding ahead to explain some of what had happened.¡± He paused and glanced at his son who was standing a few steps below and in front of him and shook his head. ¡°This¡­ story the girl has concocted sounds improbable, however, she believes it.¡± He held up a note for us to see. ¡°And it appears that Lord Eddard is willing to indulge her madness.¡± I released a breath I¡¯d found myself holding. After ten days in White Harbour as ¡®guests¡¯ of Lord Wyman while this issue was settled, I was beginning to wonder if we¡¯d ever be allowed to leave. Or when Ned was going to ride into the city with men at his back. ¡°In his wisdom, Lord Eddard of House Stark has granted permission for his daughter, Alysanne Snow, to travel and foster in Sunspear along with her brother Beron until he is ten and five.¡± My brow threatened to shoot off my forehead. I¡¯d expected him to demand she is returned to Winterfell and Ty at least to stand trial for her actions. Instead, he wasn¡¯t just letting Alysanne and Ty off the hook, but letting his daughter go to Sunspear for almost four years! That was¡­ a Gods damned disaster as I felt Oberyn already suspected ¨C and Ty believed ¨C the truth about Alysanne¡¯s parentage. What the fuck was Ned thinking with this move? And what had been said via raven between him and Alysanne that had made him allow her passage south with us? ¡°However, he is insistent that she does not travel without companions. Given the growing friendship between them, I propose that my granddaughter, Wylla, be allowed to foster beside Beron and Alysanne. Now, I have yet to propose this to Lord Eddard yet, but I wish to hear your thoughts on the proposal, Prince Oberyn.¡± ¡°I must admit this was not the outcome I expected,¡± Oberyn began, mirroring my thoughts on the matter. ¡°However, I am grateful for Lord Eddard¡¯s, and your own, acceptance of the situation. Dorne would be more than willing to foster your daughter alongside Lord Eddard¡¯s children. And of course, I will speak with my brother about reciprocation with Dornish children fostering in the North. Not only will this further improve relations between our kingdoms and houses, but with time, help us all to grow more prosperous; free of the interests of other houses in the Seven Kingdoms.¡± Wyman smiled. ¡°Yes, Dornish children fostering in the North would help further the bonds between our houses and kingdoms. I am quite sure Lord Eddard will approve of this as well.¡± He paused and looked beyond us. ¡°There is also a message for Alysanne Snow. However, I admit I remain unsure of what Lord Eddard is referring to.¡± I turned and looked at my cousin. She took a step forward, sliding her hand from Ty¡¯s to hear the message. ¡°He says, no matter what, you are a Stark in blood. Might I ask what this means?¡± ¡°I¡­ it is a personal matter, Lord Wyman,¡± Alysanne replied, increasing the size of Wyman¡¯s smile. I had to assume he was pleased, like I was, that she wasn¡¯t bringing up the meaning in public as I was aware he knew the reason for Alysanne¡¯s reasons for running. Like his son, he failed to believe them, but he had heard them from her in the privacy of his solar. Outside of him and Ser Wylis, only Maester Corbus had heard of why Alysanne was here. Though I knew rumours were spreading the longer we dallied in the city. However, now that she was going to Dorne, it was only a matter of time before Oberyn confirmed the truth of her parentage, and possibly even the fact she wasn¡¯t a bastard. My mother knew that, and while I was reasonably sure she¡¯d never mentioned it to anyone, certainly not Oberyn, Oberyn would push for details when the inevitable happened and my mother reacted to Alysanne¡¯s presence. Unless a letter could somehow outrace the Windchaser ¨C there was no raven to carry a message from White Harbour to Sunspear ¨C then she¡¯d have no chance to prepare for what was about to drop into her lap. Hells, even if she was prepared, I could tell Oberyn was curious about Alysanne¡¯s history, and I doubted it would take him long to extract it from my mother. All in all, that meant things were going to be very interesting in Sunspear with Alysanne¡¯s heritage being something of an open secret among the Martells and the Sand Snakes. Now, I didn¡¯t fear for Alysanne¡¯s safety, as neither Doran nor Oberyn had shown an inclination to use or threaten a child, but it was still something I¡¯d have to keep an eye on over the next few years. Once we were underway, I had to talk with Oberyn about this, and about his apparent knowledge of my magic. I needed to see exactly where I stood before I returned to the viper¡¯s nest. ¡°Hmm, very well. Wylla, speak with your father and make arrangements for what possessions you wish to take with you.¡± While I knew Wylla wanted to go, as I¡¯d often seen her asking Ty questions about Dorne, this was another ripple I had to account for. Though I didn¡¯t think Beron would mind. While he was too young to look at girls that way, he and Wylla got along so well that if they weren¡¯t one day betrothed it would be a travesty. ¡°Very well. It will take a few days to secure additional escorts and guards for your voyage. Until then, I hope you will all continue to enjoy the hospitality of White Harbour.¡± Oberyn stepped forward, wanting to speak with Lord Wyman privately about something. I had nothing to do, so I turned and in doing so, caught Ty¡¯s eyes. As had the case ever since that night on the road, I looked away quickly, not wanting my rage to resurface. I didn¡¯t deny I still cared deeply for her, but what she¡¯d done was something I was far from ready to forgive. Thankfully, she seemed to understand this, and beyond a pained smile from a distance, she¡¯d made little effort to interact with me. Still, it was another situation that was going to make the return to Sunspear an interesting journey. Particularly if every one of importance was cowed aboard the Windchaser. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ A Voyage Home A Voyage Home ... (Circa 295-296AC)
¡°What be so special about this brat?¡± ¡°That is personal,¡± I replied dryly as I leaned back on the cheap chair I was in, using the wall as a better backrest than the creaky chair. I kept my head angled so my hood still covered my face, while a thin cloth I wore over my eyes hid their vibrant colour. The group I was with was at a table on one corner of a shithole somewhere near the docks of White Harbour. ¡°And none of your business,¡± I added, allowing more of the accent I knew from the Earth memories to come through. I needed to hide the hints of Dorne in my voice to further disguise my identity because of why I was in this pile of piss that somehow passed for a tavern. The group of eight on the other side of the table, some sitting, some not, shifted. Their agitation at my vagueness was easy to sense. I reached into my cloak, noting which of these gutter-trash made moves for a weapon. ¡°This is all that need concern you.¡± I tossed a small purse onto the table, the coin inside jiggling around as it hit the wood. Two of the three who were seated leaned forward to grab the purse. Before they knew it, or any of them could draw their weapons, I leaned forward, driving my dagger into the table between them and the purse. The dagger wasn¡¯t the one Oberyn had given me, but one I¡¯d acquired about a week ago from a drunk in an alley near the docks when I¡¯d been wandering the city, getting the lay of the land before I put this plan into motion. ¡°You only get that if you take the job.¡± [Just kill him now and take his coin.] One of those standing said in Trade-Talk, the bastardised language used by sailors around the Narrow Sea. I could speak it a little, but Comprehension translated everything said in any tongue I wasn¡¯t fluent in; even going so far as to translate High Valyrian words that I¡¯d not learnt when I was taught them by a Maester or other learned figure. I made no reaction to the threat, though since this man was also one of those to have a hand near his weapon, he¡¯d be the one killed as an example if this group got uppity. ¡°How much is the pay?¡± One of the seated thugs, the one who¡¯d not reached for the purse, asked. His eyes danced between the purse and my face, showing a grain of intelligence; something most of the thugs I¡¯d been dealing with lacked. ¡°Fifteen Dragons here and now,¡± I replied slowly, enjoying the way any thoughts of attacking me disappeared when I revealed the purse contained a small fortune; at least for this rabble. Like each of the previous groups I¡¯d hired for this job, this lot was motivated by coin. Which was precisely why I was in this fucking place, damaging my sense of smell with the stench. Several of the group glanced nervously, suspiciously around. Their eyes danced over their brethren. That was never a great sign, but I¡¯d take some of them doing it to none. If that happened, I¡¯d be concerned they might have the balls and coordination to try and take me on. So long as their looks stayed on each other or the purse, I could work with them. ¡°If you bring the head to Sunspear, I shall give you another thirty-five. Make that eighty-five if the target is alive and mostly intact.¡± As had happened with each of the last four groups, all eyes shot to me as I added that. If fifteen Dragons was a small fortune to these men, then a hundred was enough for them, and their children, to live decent lives. Yet to me, paying a hundred and sixty Dragons to have Ramsay fucking Bolton removed from the board before anyone realised he was a piece was worth it. The fucker was a loose cannon in the show, and undoubtedly worse in the books. The sooner he was gone, the better things would be for me and everyone else. Now, I only knew passing information about Domeric Bolton, but nothing I¡¯d heard painted him as a second coming of his father. Which was both a relief and a shame. For all the issues I had with Roose, he was a good commander from what I understood, and the North would require that intelligence for the battles and wars to come. I still wouldn¡¯t trust the Leech lord half as far as I could throw him, but it was better to have him on the side of the Starks than that of others. After the Wildlings and Others were dealt with, provided we both survived, I¡¯d see about removing him from the board as well if needed. ¡°That be a lot for a bastard,¡± the self-imposed leader said slowly, his eyes searching the shadows covering my face. ¡°What he do to ya?¡± I smirked as that was almost word-for-word the same thing each of the previous four groups had asked. ¡°So far, nothing. And I would like it to stay that way.¡± My reply was slow as I kept my tone as emotionless as I could. Along with keeping my accent and features hidden, I wanted there to be no hint about who I was or where I came from for these morons to remember. On the off chance any of them had enough brain cells to think two steps ahead, I didn¡¯t want them to link me to Roose¡¯s bastard. Not when they might decide to inform the Leech lord and get a better chance at a payday than dragging a boy to Dorne. At the insistence of the seeming leader, the group pulled back, whispering amongst themselves. They, like the other groups, used Trade Talk to discuss things. I only caught bits and pieces of their slowly heating conversation, but as with the others, there was a split forming. Some of the group wanted to attack me, to take whatever I had and run, while the rest were pushing for the full one hundred Dragons that would come with fulfilling the contract. Hopefully, this group would be more useful than the one from three nights ago. That group had been almost a lost cause when five of the group of nine had jumped the others and me in an attempt to gain all the coin. I¡¯d killed three of them personally and as fun as that had been I''d rather finish this business, while the other two had taken out an equal number of those wanting to try for the contract. I didn¡¯t think the pair that was left would be able to manage the contract, but at least, unlike the other groups, they didn¡¯t walk away arguing about running off with my money. ¡°Fine. You have got a deal,¡± the leader said once the group broke from their huddle after less than a minute. That wasn¡¯t the fastest a group had agreed to the contract, but not the slowest either. ¡°How will we find you in Sunspear?¡± I smiled, glad this group, unlike the first, had the common sense to ask that before they¡¯d started to leave. ¡°Head to the Sunset Rose and inform the matron that you wish to speak to the Red Eagle. If I do not hear from you within half a year, I shall consider that rejection of our agreement and return to White Harbour looking for reimbursement.¡± The leader and a few others nodded in understanding, while some, mainly those who seemed quick to choose violence, scowled. I doubted I¡¯d return, but the threat I might encourage them to complete the contract. The whole Red Eagle concept was something I¡¯d worked on while I¡¯d been a forced guest of Lord Wyman. It was vague enough that I could use the alias again without it having any obvious links to me; well beyond this contract being given in White Harbour while Prince Oberyn¡¯s group was here. Still, few would suspect Oberyn or me of arranging this hit, so it should be fine. The Sunset Rose was another problem though. It was a whorehouse near the docks in Sunspear that I¡¯d seen often enough while going to and from the Windchaser. While I didn¡¯t know the matron ¨C mainly as I wasn¡¯t sure who would¡¯ve skinned me alive first from my mother, Arianne or Ty ¨C it was popular with sailors. All I had to do when I returned to Sunspear was reach an agreement with the owner to ensure that I was made aware of someone coming to meet the Red Eagle. That would probably require me to purchase an interest in the business, at the very least, for which I planned to talk with Oberyn once we were away from the North. Hopefully, I didn¡¯t have to replace the lady-in-charge of the brothel, but if I did, then so be it. I¡¯d dismissed the idea of having any of these fools, or the others I¡¯d hired, come to the palace itself almost as soon as I¡¯d set this plan in motion. Apart from not wanting them to know they¡¯d been hired by someone connected to the Martells, they¡¯d never get through any of the gates that led inside. ¡°Seems simple enough. Anything else ya want ta tell us?¡± ¡°No. Though I will remind you that even though your target is a bastard, his father will not look kindly on an attempt on the boy. I am sure if he discovers you, he will have¡­ methods to force you to regret your capture.¡± I doubted Roose would skin any of them, though he might. While the Boltons were meant to have given up that practice after being brought to heel by the Starks millennia ago, if they didn¡¯t still have the resources to do so, I¡¯d eat Red Rain. Still, the fear that Roose might engage in the historical customs of his house did make a few of the group pale; just as I¡¯d intended. ¡°Aye, want ta avoid that.¡± Giving the leader a nod, I pulled my dagger from the table, though not before using the tip to catch the purse and flick it toward him. He scooped it up before one of the men behind him could, which earned him scowls from the others. With their attention on the purse, I stood, enjoying the way they all tensed. Each of them looked like they knew how to scrap, but I was taller than all. Broader than most as well. My cloak slid back enough to expose a sword on my hip; one made of castle-forged steel to make clear I wasn¡¯t some run-of-the-mill felon. ¡°Then our business is concluded.¡± I stepped to one side of the table, fixing the two thugs there with a glance, the pair scrambled back, feeling less secure now I was close and properly armed. After giving them a nod of thanks, I stepped passed, turning back to face the group once I¡¯d cleared them all. ¡°Oh, before I forget,¡± I said, clicking my fingers as if just remembering. ¡°You are not the first group I have hired, nor will you be the last, so I would get moving. However, if you turn up with the wrong head or boy,¡± I grinned, exposing my teeth even as I caused the wind to brush the backs of their necks and fingered the steel sword at my hip, ¡°let¡¯s just say your trip to Dorne will last you a lifetime.¡± With that threat dropped, I walked away. The sooner I was out of this shithole, and able to wash the stench off, the better. I tossed a stag to the bartender as I passed, indicating the table I¡¯d come from. He nodded in understanding I was paying for another round or two for the group, hopefully showing them I wasn¡¯t bluffing about there being more coin on offer. Now all that remained was convincing my father of the investment, returning to Sunspear, and gaining control of the sunset Rose. And, of course, ensuring my mother never learnt of this. Well, I also had to hope the description I¡¯d given based on the show, matched Ramsay in this world. I suspected his backstory was the same though since that was such a minor thing there¡¯d be no reason to change it. If the show had, then so be it. Spending a few hundred Dragons to potentially remove Ramsay from the board was a risk worth taking. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I waited patiently as Oberyn stared at me from across the table in my cabin onboard the Windchaser. We¡¯d left White Harbour the day before with three escorts, one being the Martell ship that had come with us from Dorne while the other two bore the sigil of House Manderly, and I¡¯d decided it was time we talked about several things. The only reason I¡¯d waited this long was to ensure we passed the Three Sisters without incident. While nominally under the control of the Vale, the lords of the Sisters were known to turn a blind eye to pirates that attacked ships bound to and from White Harbour. Hells, the North and the Vale had gone to war over the islands perhaps a hundred times before Aegon¡¯s Conquest. Now that we were in clear waters, the talk I''d been putting off since Oberyn had revealed he knew of my magic could take place, though first I¡¯d brought up another matter. ¡°When you said we needed to talk, I didn¡¯t expect this would be the topic you¡¯d start with,¡± Oberyn remarked as he picked up his mug of ale. I summoned a small ball of fire in the palm of my hand. ¡°We shall get to this,¡± I began as the balls shifted into a viper, ¡°soon enough. I just wanted my proposal out of the way first.¡± As I continued to speak, the fire-viper curled lazily through the air over the table, taking a sedate path toward my father. As the viper moved, Oberyn lowered his mug, watching the way the flames mimicked a snake. I knew instinctively how a snake moved because of Kaa, it didn¡¯t just imitate how he moved, but accurately depicted it. Once the fire-viper was close enough, he lifted his hand, letting the flames move around his fingers though I made sure they never touched his skin. While he¡¯d likely not be bothered by the heat, I wanted to show the level of control I had over the fire. ¡°Impressive. I have seen fire mages in Essos who spent decades learning their art never manage to create something so beautiful and defined with their flames.¡± He moved his hand, cutting through the fire-viper and I let it dispel. While I could reform it, there was little need to do so. ¡°As you say though, that is a matter for later. For now, you wish me to consider helping you purchase a brothel in the Shadow City. Have my daughter''s actions so turned you against her, her sisters and cousin that you wish to fuck a whore? If so, there are easier and cheaper, ways to accomplish that.¡± ¡°This had nothing to do with Ty, father, or the rest of our family,¡± which was an odd as fuck thing now I¡¯d bedded one stepsister and planned to do the same for at least two more and her cousin. ¡°I just feel a brothel is a reliable source of income. Among other things.¡± Oberyn chuckled and shook his head. ¡°I am unsure if I should be amused or concerned that the first investment you wish to make is in such a place, no doubt your mother will blame me.¡± He leaned forward and I understood he wanted me to explain my reasoning. ¡°Aye, it does seem like an odd choice, but I have been thinking long about how to use my coin. While I have several ideas I wish to discuss with you and Prince Doran, the idea of purchasing a brothel is a more¡­ delicate matter.¡± He smirked at my word choice. ¡°Apart from them being a reliable source of income, at least so long as trade is flowing, there is something else they are dependable for.¡± I leaned forward, letting a sinister smile grow on my face. ¡°Information.¡± Oberyn nodded, completely understanding. ¡°Something I have learnt over the last few months is that when in bed with a beautiful young lady, a man often reveals more than he perhaps should. Hells, even just being around them can make a man¡¯s tongue loosen.¡± While I¡¯d not told Ty anything that might affect the future, some of what I¡¯d hinted at may well have influenced her insane decision to help Alysanne sneak out of Winterfell. Now, I hadn¡¯t talked with Ty to see if that was the truth, or anything really as I was still struggling to come to terms with my anger at what she¡¯d done. However, replaying everything I¡¯d said to her since the tourney in Gulltown, I¡¯d realised that I¡¯d hinted I was more interested in meeting up with Alysanne than my other cousins. Working from that, and the reveal of the dragon egg and Alysanne maybe being able to wield fire magic, I could see the path Ty had taken that led her to do what she did. Now, that didn¡¯t mean I was ready to forgive her, and instead of sharing my bed, she was cabin-sharing with Alysanne and Wylla while Beron and Oberyn shared another cabin. The last two cabins on the Windchaser, at least the ones under the top deck, were being used by Ser Jory Cassel, Ser Karsan Brightlight, a knight loyal to House Manderly and two knights from Dorne. The rest of the guard for the various houses were spread out among the escort ships, along with five of the Windchaser¡¯s twenty-man crew. Before we¡¯d left White Harbour, I¡¯d pushed for Oberyn to take the main cabin, as he¡¯d done on the voyage up from Dorne. However, he¡¯d insisted that since I was almost at the age of taking command of the vessel, and with Ymir needing room to run around without being a nuisance on the exposed decks, I should take the main cabin. Still, the room was limited as several chests of personal items, including the one containing Alysanne¡¯s egg and bow, were stored in here to create more room in the other cabins and keep their contents away from the crew. Though since those had all been hand-selected by Oberyn and Larazar over the years, they were rather trustworthy. ¡°Aye, women seem to know instinctively how to loosen the tongue of a man. That said, how would the rumours and stories of sailors be of interest to our family or you?¡± I smirked and as I leaned back in my chair, took a sip from my mug. While the ale we had onboard wasn¡¯t great, it was better than the rum; at least for a talk such as this. Still, I hoped that when we stopped in Gulltown for resupply before the long sail to Sunspear we picked up some ale there. What I¡¯d had at the tourney and the short sail to White Harbour afterwards was a gentle, slightly sweet ale that I¡¯d enjoyed sharing with Ty. I shook my head a single time, once more banishing memories of her from my immediate thoughts. ¡°Likely the rumours would never affect us. However, apart from learning tales from the Narrow and Summer Seas and beyond, brothels and taverns are places where the common folk speak of a great many things. Things that might be of some use to us regarding events further afield, or even to grant a general understanding of how they feel about their overlords. At a guess, there is what? A hundred-plus places in the Shadow City that are rife with rumour and innuendo. Where whispered words from a servant in the palace, or another keep in Westeros, might filter through. I would be shocked if the owners of such places did not have ways to sell the more interesting rumours to those in positions of power; people not always friendly toward Dornish interests.¡± After saying my piece, I went quiet, waiting for Oberyn¡¯s response. He took a long sip from his mug and then rubbed at his beard. Eventually, after what felt like a few minutes, he laughed and shook his head. ¡°And again, you show your time spent in books was not for nought.¡± He leaned forward, a smile coming easily to his face. ¡°Regarding the selling of rumours and whispers, there is little to stop the owners of such establishments from selling what they learn to others. Nor the owners of various stalls and shops dotted around Sunspear. Which is why, for centuries now, House Martell has provided some of these proprietors a small stipend. While we can¡¯t control what they hear, we can ensure that enough of them understand that we should be their first source for selling that information.¡± I¡¯d expected the Martells to have some way to control the flow of information in Sunspear, but I was a touch disappointed at how limited it was. All it took was bribing a member of the city watch or passing on only some of the rumours one heard, for the system to fail. ¡°And what is to stop someone else from doing the same? Or offering a larger stipend to those places with greater footfall, if not controlling them outright?¡± I asked, figuring I could use how Baelish grew his powerbase as my reasoning here. ¡°Every city, every town has at least a dozen brothels and taverns. A smart person could, quietly, arrange for a controlling interest in such places. Thus, across all of say, Dorne, or even further, they develop a network of people who pass them the juiciest rumours and whispers. Such a person, with such information, could, in theory, guide a kingdom in the direction they wish. What is to stop them?¡± ¡°Me,¡± Oberyn replied with deadly certainty, a razor smile on his face and his eyes flashing coldly in the light of the lamps. The idea of murdering a random person who wasn¡¯t entirely loyal to his family was such a casual thought that he didn¡¯t even need to think about it. I was fine with that, though I was surprised at how open and quick he¡¯d been with the response. ¡°That and the proprietors of such places change with a rather disturbing regularity. Often this is the work of various criminal elements or smugglers wishing to control fronts to move their ill-gotten goods.¡± ¡°Then bring those groups under control. Or at least ensure that the leaders of the larger groups understand that they operate only because House Martell allows it,¡± I shot back which seemed to catch Oberyn off-guard. While I¡¯d rather there not be any such groups in a city, I wasn¡¯t naive enough to believe that could be achieved. No, it was better that the major players, whoever they were, were brought in on the operation. Their loyalty ensured with coin and threat. Now, I had fuck-all interest in being some sort of shadowy Kingpin of the underworld of Sunspear ¨C or any city for that matter ¨C but I understood they needed to be brought to heel. At least those that I was willing to allow to exist. If there was a slaving operation in Sunspear, or one peddling drugs that caused death, I¡¯d personally enjoy leading the watch to hunt them down and string them up for their crimes. Oberyn reclined on his seat, his fingers stroking the coarse hairs of his beard as he contemplated the words of his interlocutor. "Hmm," he murmured, "I must concede that your grasp of the complexities of the Shadow City is impressive. My great-grandfather, too, endeavoured to tame the criminal element that festers within its dark alleys and twisted lanes. Alas, his efforts led to a reckoning that thrust my mother onto the Sun Throne far sooner than anticipated." The Prince of Dorne paused a glint in his eye betraying his interest. "Yet I cannot say I would not relish the challenge of bringing them to heel." I nodded in acceptance. He hadn¡¯t shut down my idea of purchasing the Sunset Rose or taking control of crime in Sunspear, which I¡¯d feared he¡¯d do. It wasn¡¯t an instant agreement, but I never expected to get one now anyway. Still, regardless of how the talks with Doran and Oberyn went, I¡¯d approach the owner of the Sunset Rose and ensure that I would be made aware of any that arrived in the next year wishing to speak to the Red Eagle. The name was, I admitted, a little silly, but it wasn¡¯t one that could instantly be linked to me. Or at least I hoped it couldn¡¯t. ¡°Now, with that out of the way, perhaps we should talk about your skills. Particularly those you have tried to keep hidden from me for several years.¡± ¡°How long have you known?¡± I asked after taking a sip of my ale. I needed to work out the timeline of when he learnt, and then determine who else knew. Doran was highly likely, and while I¡¯d hinted to my mother many years ago that I had magic, I¡¯d never confirmed it. If she knew the truth she¡¯d have already questioned me about it, or at the very least, after pressure from Oberyn and Doran, given me concerned looks that would¡¯ve hinted at something being wrong. Since I couldn¡¯t see any such looks in my memory, I felt reasonably certain she wasn¡¯t in on the secret. ¡°I first suspected you were keeping something from me in Braavos,¡± He began as a wide smile split his face. ¡°All that time spent frolicking around with my niece, often in or near a pool, was hard to ignore. I thought perhaps you and she were closer than I believed likely due to your age, however, I discounted that. Arianne has never been shy about her feelings, no matter how she tries, and while it is clear she cares deeply for you, I know nothing happened like that in Braavos. Though the concern you both had about me discovering why you were sneaking off to the pools held my interest even after our return to Sunspear.¡± ¡°When Arianne returned a year later, and her eyes sought you out over everyone else in our family, that interest returned. It grew stronger when, after the feast to celebrate her return, she took you to her room. The guard outside told me that you had both sounded happy, though not of the kind caused by fucking like rabbits like you and Tyene were prone to do until recently.¡± My head fell back as he mentioned Arianne¡¯s return to Dorne, and a groan slipped from my lips. ¡°And she thought she was being careful sneaking me into her room,¡± I muttered before laughing. I¡¯d been worried about someone having seen her taking me from the feast, but since no one had brought it up, I¡¯d dismissed concerns that people might think we were up to something. Or at least something that wasn¡¯t magic-related. ¡°I do admit that until Tyene bedded you, I wondered if I may have missed the signs of you bedding my niece. I can see that now that was not the case, though once we return to Sunspear, that situation is unlikely to last.¡± My brow rose at how casually he was implying he expected me to bed Arianne. Fucking his daughters, and my stepsisters, was one thing, but Arianne was the future ruler of Dorne. His complete lack of concern, verging almost on encouraging me to bed her, was unexpected. ¡°How are you so calm about that happening?¡± I wasn¡¯t going to lie about wanting to bed her. Arianne, like Ty, Nymeria and Sarella ¨C though she had several years of growth still to go ¨C was a beauty who could turn heads with ease. Yet Arianne was also the Princess of Dorne and the one girl who I feared could make me spill all my secrets after I¡¯d bedded her. Though that concern wasn¡¯t going to stop me from bedding her if the chance arose to do so. ¡°Cregan, we are Dornish, as you well know, though maybe the time spent with Lady Catelyn has dulled the knowledge,¡± Oberyn said with a chuckle as my eye twitched. ¡°Like my daughters, Arianne is free to bed whomever she wishes. Be they man or woman. However, she and you must understand that in the future she will be expected to marry a trueborn noble and assume the throne of Dorne. She is destined to rule, so what you may share with her cannot be more than what I share with Ellaria.¡± He leaned forward, a smile full of love developing on his face. ¡°I love her deeply; perhaps more so than your mother, but even for me who is not due to inherit anything, marrying a bastard is difficult. More so because Arianne and I are from House Martell and must set a standard as a Great House of Westeros.¡± I blinked, caught off-guard by the revelation regarding his feelings and the situation he was in. I knew he loved both women but had always suspected he cared more for Ellaria. While others would be angered to hear their father loved his paramour more than their mother, I wasn¡¯t. Ellaria was someone he was with for love from the beginning, while love had taken time with my mother. Still, to hear him admit that, and that he couldn¡¯t have married Ellaria when he might¡¯ve wanted to, was unexpected. ¡°I am surprised you are so relaxed about me having magic,¡± I said, moving the topic back to magic, and away from matters of the heart. I knew the topic of me and Arianne would be revisited at some point in the next year or so, but for now, I¡¯d rather not focus on that. Nor wade into his love life. Oberyn shrugged and a small smile came to his face as he tried to push aside feelings linked to his reveal. ¡°To many in Westeros magic is a mark of something demonic, but I have travelled enough of the world to know that is not the case. It is simply another ability for those able to use it to learn, though there is certainly quite a lot of danger inherent in doing so.¡± He chuckled and looked toward one of the windows of the cabin that was currently open. ¡°As I said there are few who I have seen who can do what you do, and they had decades to learn. The only ones who come close are the Red Priests of R¡¯hllor who have studied the flames for longer than even I have been alive. Though I am thankful you do not seem inclined toward their more¡­ questionable practices. And you have gained that level of control in, what, five or six years?¡± ¡°About that, yes,¡± I responded calmly. No need to let him know I¡¯d started toying with magic when I¡¯d been five. ¡°You are ok with Arianne knowing magic?¡± Oberyn leaned forward once more, his smile growing. ¡°Why would I not be?" He purred "She is of my blood, and will one day be the ruler of Dorne. I wish for her to be as safe as possible, and with magic that only increases. As it does for my daughters, though I will not deny the risk.¡± A glint sparked in his eyes, his lips twisting into a savage grin. Were it not for the fact that he held me dear as kin, I would have trembled in fear for my very existence. Hells, a chill coursed down my back all the same. ¡°And now that you know I know, you shall teach me as well.¡± I let out a faint, uneasy chuckle. The notion of instructing Oberyn Martell in the art of Water Magic was one I had long anticipated, ever since I became aware of his knowledge. Still, the prospect of a man so adept in the ways of poisons mastering such arcane sorcery was nothing short of chilling. Though I had faith he would not turn it against me, I could not deny the surge of trepidation at the thought of his newfound power. My father had taught me about poisons, and I knew well that most were liquid in form and thus subject to manipulation by Water Magic. Oberyn had already drilled this into me, insisting I imbibe poisoned beverages to develop immunity. Arianne''s displays of controlling wine had only reinforced this truth, as did the unsettling possibility that blood itself might fall under the purview of Water Magic, though I could not say for certain. "Expected as much," I said, my tone measured and guarded. I strove to conceal any anxiety in my demeanour, though it was a difficult feat. "Not that I mind, of course. I shall be glad to impart what knowledge I possess." "Excellent," Oberyn chuckled, his fingers tapping absently against his mug as he took a long draught. His gaze drifted away from me to the spot where Rian would roost when inside the cabin. The eagle was currently airborne, basking in the joys of a morning flight. I sensed a hint of contentment emanating from him, which likely meant he had caught his prey. "As much as I am intrigued by the concept of skinchanging and its inner workings, I doubt it is an ability linked to my blood." ¡°How did you work that out?¡± There was no need to keep my skinchanging hidden from him, not when he¡¯d already gotten confirmation about my Fire Magic. "Since Braavos, you have taken three animals as companions, not pets. Both Kaa and Rian are larger than their breeds are known to be. They are smarter too, almost as if they understand what we say around them. From that, and taking into account your father''s ancestry from House Stark and your ability to manipulate fire, it was a simple leap to realize your other gift." As if he knew he had been called, Rian chose that moment to fly into the cabin. His wings extended half a second after passing through the window, and he flapped them rapidly and landed on his perch. In one set of talons, he held a fish, one still wriggling to escape his clutches. After looking at us, as if wondering why we were watching him, he reached down and ripped the head from the fish with contemptuous ease. "Further proof, as if any was needed," Oberyn added with a chuckle as he took a sip of his drink. I groaned as fish guts fell onto the floor under the perch. While I¡¯d placed a large sheet there, and washed it this morning, it already stank of dead fish. More than likely, I¡¯d have to scrub the deck under the perch and change the cloth before we reached Gulltown, never mind Sunspear. The smell, and Rian¡¯s tendency to arrive unannounced, was the only thing Ty had disliked about sharing my bed; or at least it had been until we¡¯d moved his perch to her room. Sadly, I¡¯d not had that option on this voyage. "Aye, I owe him for what happened at the Wall," I said, one of Oberyn¡¯s eyebrows rising with curiosity. "He warned me before Roryn Drumm loosed his first arrow. Without that, I would have likely died before anyone knew what was happening." Rian lifted the remains of the fish to his beak as I continued. "And it was him that guided me to Ymir." "I had my suspicions about the latter, but the former caught me unawares." Oberyn inclined his head in gratitude towards Rian, who paid him no heed and continued to ravage the fish. Oberyn then turned his piercing gaze back towards me. "I have yet to divulge this to you, but there''s no better time than now. Before we departed from Sunspear, Doran had received multiple offers from lords of Dorne, the Stormlands, and the Reach, proposing a union between Rian and an eagle of a different breed." My eyebrow arched in astonishment, eliciting a hearty laugh from my father. "Eagles are not known for their amiable nature, and a Sunfyre eagle, of all things, has never been raised by any lord. This alone piqued the curiosity of many, and with the rumours of his formidable size, interest spread across three kingdoms like wildfire." My reaction was a mere grunt, but inwardly, I comprehended the reasoning behind those offers, despite being ignorant of their existence. After I had saved Rian from peril along with Ty and Jelissa Fowler, Oberyn and Lord Franklyn Fowler informed me that many lords and nobles kept birds of prey such as hawks and falcons, with only a select few raising eagles. Learning of the desire of other lords to attempt to mate one with Rian was intriguing. While I couldn''t guarantee that any of the potential mates would be a suitable match for him, it presented an opportunity to forge alliances with influential lords across the three southern kingdoms of Westeros. ¡°Rian and those offers aside, I suspect that Ymir will draw the most attention when we return to Sunspear,¡± Oberyn commented. ¡°Even with Beron Stark and Wylla Manderly in our party, seeing a direwolf in the North is almost unheard of. One in Dorne¡­¡± He smirked. ¡°That will be the stuff of legends. Especially if he grows as Rian and Kaa have.¡± I laughed in agreement with that. Ymir¡¯s mother had been about the size of my horse, and from what I knew, male wolves generally were larger than females. Throw in the boost to size and intelligence that both Kaa and Rian had gained from me, and Ymir would rival a warhorse when he reached his peak. I took another sip of my ale, wondering how many in Sunspear would wish to play with him now and possibly ride him when he was older. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°Hey, you doing any¡­¡± ¡°Urgh.¡± Beron groaned as his head sagged over a bucket, its odour assaulting my senses as soon as I opened the door to his cabin, answering my query before I could finish it. It was difficult to stifle my mirth upon witnessing his condition, especially when The Nine Voyages lay open on the bunk. It was amusing to think that Beron could idolize a man who had gained fame by sailing across Essos, only to succumb to seasickness shortly after departing from White Harbour. Alas, the nauseating stench within the cabin quashed any potential humour. Oberyn had taken up residence in my quarters on the second night, as Beron''s ailment worsened, and we were nearing Gulltown, with no sign of improvement in Beron''s condition. Another groan from him forced a chuckle to escape my lips. He turned and glared at me from behind half-lidded eyes. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "I apologize, but your countenance resembling the hues of House Velaryon is funny as fuck," I remarked, unable to contain my amusement. His scowl deepened, but another cough erupted, and I had to suppress my laughter. "I wonder what the Sea Snake would make of this," I added, my voice trembling with restrained mirth. ¡°F -fuck you,¡± Beron mumbled before his face shifted and his head returned to the bucket. ¡°Sorry, I prefer to thrust not swallow,¡± I shot back, the snarky response coming easily after years of growing up around Oberyn, his daughters and niece. "Although, given how often Wylla has been in here, I suspect she may be amenable," Beron grumbled something, but his words were drowned out by a retch and another bout of sickness. Even without him saying anything, I knew he did not appreciate the teasing. Nonetheless, I anticipated that once we reached Sunspear, the teasing would escalate to new heights, and Wylla did not appear to be the sort to take offence. On the contrary, she was more likely to join in the banter. While I was not implying that they should pursue a romantic relationship in Dorne, if I could encourage their pairing, I would do so as they seemed well-matched. ¡°W-why are y-ou he-ere?¡± Beron¡¯s staggered question brought me out of my matchmaking thoughts. ¡°Right, just wanted to let you know we spotted Gulltown and should make harbour before nightfall. Figured the thought of dry land would make you feel better.¡± He nodded in what I assumed was thanks, then one shaky arm moved toward his table. Gguessing he didn¡¯t want his book, I picked up the mug there and passed it to him. Unlike myself and most onboard, he wasn¡¯t taking ale or rum, instead making use of the small supply of fresh water kept on board. That along with bread and a simple stew was all he was allowed to have with Wylla being the one to take him his meals after ensuring they weren¡¯t anything else. Once we were in Gulltown, we¡¯d probably head to the keep. If so, I planned to ask the Maester for something for Beron. This was hard to deal with after twelve days at sea. Another month of it as we made for Sunspear was something I¡¯d like to avoid. ¡°Th-anks,¡± Beron mumbled after taking several small, slow gulps of water. ¡°H-ate th-is,¡± he added as he passed the mug back to me. "Aye, being confined to your cabin and sick can¡¯t be fun," I concurred, placing the mug back on the table. ¡°No. Wy-lla, Ty-ene, Aly-sa-nne. Eve-ry-thi-ng wr-ong.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± I leaned back against the door, not wanting to step closer as the cabin stunk. I closed my eyes and listened, wanting to make sure the girls weren¡¯t outside. There were faint sounds of them talking, but it was indistinct, meaning they were in their cabin on the other side of the corridor. Once I was sure they couldn¡¯t hear us, I spoke. ¡°I suspect you were looking forward to this voyage to a foreign land, without your family present. And now Alysanne is here, along with Wylla.¡± ¡°S-ays no-t sis-ter.¡± ¡°Ah, that.¡± I looked away, glancing out at the sea through the open window in the cabin to gather my thoughts. I¡¯d not spoken with Beron much about this since White Harbour; mainly as he¡¯d been sick to his stomach, and I¡¯d been busy learning more about the ship from Captain Larazar. We¡¯d spoken a little on the matter in White Harbour and at the time he¡¯d been adamant Alysanne was his sister and Ned would order her back to Winterfell. Now that we¡¯d been at sea for almost half a moon, and with little else to do but sit here, he¡¯d seemingly done some thinking on the matter. There still wasn¡¯t any proof of the matter, but once in Sunspear, I doubted it would take Oberyn long to extract that from my mother. ¡°Is it tr-ue?¡± I heaved a deep sigh and directed my attention back to him. "To be truthful, only your father can confirm whether it is true or not," I said, my tone measured. "Alysanne might believe it, but does that make a difference? If she were not your sibling but instead your cousin, like me, would that alter your relationship at all?" I wanted to provoke a response from him and gauge his stance on the matter. ¡°No!¡± He might¡¯ve been sick, but that reply was confident. That was a relief as it meant he¡¯d accept the truth when faced with it, though any reveal about Alysanne¡¯s true parentage was going to be a shock to the system. Still, his firm tone was enough for now. I pushed off the wall and walked over to him, resting a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Then when you next see her, tell her that. I have not spoken to her as much as I would prefer,¡± mainly as she spent her time around Ty who I was still a long way from forgiving. If I ever would. ¡°But I know she is struggling with everything. Any support she could get from you would help immensely.¡± He nodded and I moved toward the door, pausing to look back once my hand had gripped the latch. ¡°Also, I suggest you let Wylla know how you feel. You never know what dashing Dornishman she might meet in Sunspear that shall steal her heart.¡± He growled at me but before he could try and attempt any reply, a low, pained moan slipped from his lips. I chose that moment to leave and slipped from his cabin with a smirk on my face. While he and Wylla were young, they were on the cusp of adulthood ¨C at least how it was defined in Westeros ¨C and would be a good match; politically and personally. If I could convince them of that, it might go some way to soothing whatever animosity had developed between me and Ned over Alysanne¡¯s actions. Though even if it didn¡¯t, I was going to enjoy teasing the fuck out of them over the next few years. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I walked down the deck plank of the Windchaser a few steps behind Oberyn. While I was in far better shape than Beron, or Wylla or Alysanne for that matter who¡¯d started to get a little scatter-brained while we¡¯d been at sea, it was nice to be back on solid ground. Now, we wouldn¡¯t be staying in Gulltown long, perhaps a few days at most mainly to restock and resupply ¨C and allow the Manderly trade ship to sell some of their wares ¨C but I still had a few plans to enact. Those were to determine, if I could, where Petyr Baelish was as I knew he wasn¡¯t the current Master of Coin in King¡¯s Landing, and send letters to Harrold Hardyng and Donovar Royce. On the sail from White Harbour, Oberyn had mentioned there¡¯d be a tourney in a few moons in Storm¡¯s End to celebrate Renly Baratheon¡¯s seventeenth nameday. Oberyn planned to compete in it, and it also had a squire¡¯s tourney. I didn¡¯t know if the two Vale squires would be competing there, but this gave me a reason to initiate contact with them and let them know they could, if they so wished, respond to my letter by sending one to Sunspear. I was eager for them to attend the tourney, as it would be interesting to see how my progress compared to theirs. But even if they didn''t show up, it was of no concern to me. Harrold may not have been the heir to the Vale, but if something were to happen to Robin Arryn ¨C and given his frailty in the canon, it was a possibility ¨C then Harrold would take his place. Donovar, on the other hand, may have been the second son of a second son, but his family was both old and influential. The Royce¡¯s might have knowledge of First Men runes, or at the very least, possessed bronze armour that functioned better than steel forged in a castle due to the runes inscribed upon it. As such, Donovar had the potential to be a valuable ally. I was drawn from my thoughts as a short and slender man strode confidently onto the pier clad in garments that spoke of wealth and status. He wore a doublet of shimmering green silk, embroidered with intricate patterns of gold thread that caught the light and glimmered like sunlight on water. His breeches were of a deep, dark hue, possibly velvet or some other sumptuous fabric, and tucked into fine leather boots that gleamed as if freshly polished, two members of the city watch behind him. I recalled seeing him around Gulltown during the tourney last year, but I¡¯d never caught his name. ¡°Prince Oberyn,¡± the man began as he reached us and bowed. ¡°I am Petyr Baelish, head of customs at Gulltown port. When I saw Martell and Manderly vessels, entering the port from the north, I felt I should handle the matter personally. It seems I was wise to do so.¡± My muscles coiled like a snake preparing to strike, as soon as the man uttered his name. My hand instinctively reached for the hilt of Red Rain. I¡¯d planned to learn where he was while here if I could, and instead, he¡¯d walked right up to me ¨C well my father ¨C and introduced himself. Along with Ramsay Snow, Baelish was top of my hit list of figures to remove before Robert died. Now, there was a chance that my actions between now and 299Ac would alter events to alter when Robert dies, but the sooner Ramsay and Baelish were off the board, the better I would feel about the future Westerosi events. ¡°Yes, it seems it was,¡± Oberyn replied, A wry smile playing at the corners of his lips as he listened to the head of customs speak. But he made no move to offer the man an arm clasp, his hands remaining firmly at his sides. ¡°However, if I recall, the man who met us when we arrived for last year¡¯s tourney was a rather portly fellow. An Arryn if I remember correctly.¡± ¡°Your memory is impressively sharp, Prince Oberyn. That was Gilbar Arryn, until a recent tragic accident he was my assistant for customs.¡± Baelish''s reply came out in a cloyingly sweet voice. The hint that this Gilbar had suffered an accident was interesting, making me wonder if the man had cottoned on to Baelish skimming money from the customs ¨C which I was already certain he did ¨C and taken out before he could report the matter to Lord Gerold Grafton. ¡°I must apologise profusely for not meeting you personally when the Dornish contingent arrived for the tourney. The docks were extremely crowded, and I was distracted by a great many things, however, that¡¯s no excuse for missing the arrival of a Prince of Dorne.¡± He lowered his head as he finished speaking, further selling the kiss-arsing he was engaged in. ¡°Tis no concern. With the number of lords and knights from other kingdoms, it is hardly a surprise Dorne was overlooked,¡± Oberyn¡¯s reply sounded polite, but his words carried the implication Baelish had ignored him because he was Dornish. Before the little prat could counter that, Oberyn shifted his stance, one arm sliding back toward me. ¡°May I introduce my son and squire, the winner of the squire¡¯s tourney last year, Cregan Sand.¡± Baelish''s gaze pierced mine, and in that instant, I wondered if he caught a whiff of my yearning to tear out his throat. "Aye, the lad who bested young Harrold Hardyng. A costly wager that proved to be," he spoke, his lips curling into a grin that failed to reach his eyes, and as I glared back, it fell. "My apologies, Prince Oberyn, but I fail to perceive much similarity between you two." ¡°Cregan is my son through marriage to his mother, Lady Ashara Dayne,¡± Oberyn explained with a smile. I didn¡¯t think he understood why I was glaring at the customs official, but he seemed to be enjoying it. ¡°Brandon Stark was my sire,¡± I added with an animalistic grin. Some colour faded from Baelish¡¯s cheeks. While I¡¯d have liked to remain semi-anonymous, on the chance I could take this prick out, he¡¯d brought up that my name carried some history in Gulltown. Thus, I figured I¡¯d take my enjoyment from seeing him squirm under my glare as I revealed my lineage. ¡°Ah, yes. I can see Your father in the face, though those eyes must surely come from your mother,¡± Baelish turned back to Oberyn. ¡°I have heard tales of her beauty even here in Gulltown.¡± ¡°Yes, her beauty puts even the Queen to shame, at least in my eyes,¡± Oberyn replied though his gaze was on me as I burnt a hole in the back of Baelish¡¯s skull. ¡°I feel I may be missing something here?¡± ¡°Mister Baelish here,¡± I began not calling him a lord as he¡¯d not revealed himself as one, ¡°may hail from the Vale, but he was reared in Riverrun alongside Lady Catelyn Stark. As per a tale Lord Eddard recounted to me at Winterfell when Lady Catelyn was pledged to my father, this man," I gestured towards Baelish, "dared to challenge Brandon Stark for her hand." Oberyn''s brow arched, and his gaze roved over Baelish, no doubt wondering how the slight man managed to survive facing Brandon Stark in a duel. "It was only Lady Catelyn¡¯s begging that stayed his hand from ending this impudent fool." ¡°I, ugh, I remember that!¡± I turned as Beron walked closer, Wylla and Alysanne on either side of him. Ty was a step behind with Ymir whose tail was wagging so rapidly, I was surprised he didn¡¯t fly away and join Rian. Beron was still pale, but the colour had started to return to his face since we¡¯d entered the port and standing on the dock was helping more. Behind them came the four knights that travelled with us on the Windchaser, with Jory leading the way, and Captain Larazar. ¡°Ah yes, where are my manners,¡± Oberyn remarked. ¡°This is Beron Stark, and his sister Alysanne, Wylla Manderly and my daughter, Tyene.¡± Baelish slid past me, though I continued to glare at the back of his head. Oberyn caught my eye, and with a gesture toward Baelish, made it clear he knew there was more going on than had been said. I nodded, letting him know I¡¯d gotten the message and would explain further later; though the knowledge of what Baelish would do in the future wouldn¡¯t be revealed. ¡°I see the sea is not to your liking Lord Beron,¡± Baelish said as he grasped Beron¡¯s arm. Neither I nor Oberyn had greeted him as such, but we weren¡¯t the children of Catelyn Stark, nee Tully. Baelish gave Wylla and Alysanne nods though his ignoring Ty ignited a spark of rage within me. Even though it wasn¡¯t unexpected as she, like I, was a bastard, and I was angry with her for breaking my trust, I still cared for her. Ymir''s growl rumbled, perhaps sensing my rising emotions, and Baelish stepped away warily. "I do pray your hound is well-behaved," he muttered, swivelling his attention back to Oberyn. ¡°My son¡¯s direwolf is anything but tamed, like every Stark, trueborn or not,¡± I smirked at my father¡¯s words. I know that was meant mainly for me, but it brought a hint of a smile to Alysanne¡¯s face as well. Though that might just have been because of the way Baelish seemed to shuffle away from Ymir. As Baelish recovered and began talking docking fees and the like to Oberyn, Larazar stepped forward and I knelt. Ymir ran over, happily licking my face. While I laughed at his actions and enjoyed the reactions of the others, I made sure to at least partially listen to everything Baelish said or did. While I doubted there¡¯d be anything there that could be of use when I reviewed today with Emotionless Recall, it was still better than not doing so. I¡¯d also have to see if there was any way I could take advantage of being here with him in Gulltown to remove him from the board before he became a major player. I doubted there was, but I¡¯d been handed the chance to at least see. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I sighed as I opened my eyes, taking in the candle that sat on the table in front of me. the candle on the table continued to burn, failing once more to offer me any insight into understanding my magic. The reason I was doing this was that Fire Magic had reached level 91 just before we¡¯d arrived in Gulltown and level 92 since then. It¡¯d been rising with steady speed ever since I¡¯d taken Blood of the Dragon¡¯s Flames, which I¡¯d known was coming. Yet as level 100 approached, I¡¯d begun thinking there might be a limit I was about to hit. I¡¯d only unlocked Fire Magic with a trait while the other elemental forms, including Earth Magic which I¡¯d unlocked in the crypts of Winterfell but barely used since, had been unlocked after meditating in a place strong in that element. While a candle was unlikely to be enough to unlock levels beyond 100 it was all I had to work with on the Windchaser. Now it was possible that I didn¡¯t need to do anything to unlock levels beyond 100, but with what I could do with Fire Magic being limited to animals made of fire, igniting flames along Red Rain¡¯s blade and a thin whip that should, in theory, burn someone ¨C though I¡¯d yet to try it on a living target ¨C I knew there was a lot more that I should be able to do with my magic. Plus, after unlocking Earth Magic, there¡¯d been a notice from the Interface that advanced elemental magic would now be available once I met the requisite levels with base elemental magics. However, it wasn¡¯t clear what the required levels were. That had me considering taking either Wind Compatibility or Earth Compatibility once I was able to take another standard trait as both those should grant synergies with Fire Magic. The sounds of the crew moving around, and Larazar shouting out something drifted in through the open window, pulling my mind from thoughts about magic and traits. I stood and blew out the candle, which drew Ymir¡¯s attention, though he didn¡¯t move from where he¡¯d settled on my bunk. For some odd reason, he seemed to avoid Oberyn¡¯s bunk, which meant I always had to push him off if I wanted to lay down. I moved over to a different table and poured myself a mug of deep black ale from the Vale. Thinking on the Vale turned my thoughts to Baelish. Other than hiring two groups of thugs to kill him for ten Dragons a group, I¡¯d not been able to move against him. Hells, I¡¯d been reluctant to offer a further reward if the thugs brought him to Sunspear. If he captured any, which I had to consider likely as he wasn¡¯t a simple bastard boy in the countryside like Ramsay, he¡¯d draw that information from them via interrogation. Still, I had promised the groups a further twenty Dragons if they brought his head, and a signet ring I¡¯d seen on his finger that bore a small bird, to the Gates of the Moon. That would confuse Baelish and misdirect his attention long enough that he¡¯d hopefully never discover that I¡¯d hired thugs to go after him. Ymir lifted his head as if hearing something and I turned to him. My bond with him was now level 2 ¨C Rian¡¯s was the highest at level 7 ¨C while Skinchanging was at level 82. Once it reached level 95, if the pattern held, I¡¯d gain another bond slot with that turning into an Instinctual bond at level 100. Like with Fire Magic, I wondered if that ability would grow beyond level 100, though if it didn¡¯t and no boost was offered as a trait, I was at a loss for how to raise it further. Or even if I wanted to. Training and maintaining bonds with two animal companions were already time-consuming, and once I returned to Sunspear, I would have to deal with a third. On top of that, I still needed to train with Oberyn, settle my score with Daemon, and devote time to advancing my magic skills. Moreover, I had to assist my stepsisters, Alysanne, and Arianne with their magic. Plus, there was the time I¡¯d have to spend with Beron, Wylla and others near my age in Sunspear to begin building friendships and alliances with them. Not to mention dealing with the attention of at least four women, and possibly others, like Jelissa Fowler and my aunt Allyria, as well. All in all, I wouldn¡¯t have the time to grow a fourth bond properly for a while, never mind discovering if more were possible. I was drawn from those thoughts by a knock at the door. ¡°Enter,¡± I called as Ymir lifted his head. As Alysanne slipped into my room, a weak smile on her face, he leapt from the bed and rushed toward her, his tail wagging behind him. Alysanne''s smile only grew wider as she knelt to greet Ymir. "Hey there," she said, extending a hand to pet him. But Ymir, ever playful, pushed past her and began licking her face with his massive tongue. "No! Bad Ymir!" Alysanne protested, trying to push him away. But with Ymir''s size, she struggled to do much more than keep his head away from her face. Despite her struggles, it was clear that Alysanne was enjoying the encounter, and I couldn''t help but chuckle at the sight. ¡°Ymir.¡± He turned at the sound of my firm tone. ¡°Let her get in the room before you attack her.¡± His ears drooped slightly but he backed away, allowing my cousin to stand. ¡°Thank you.¡± She moved over to the table I¡¯d returned to, Ymir at her heels, her eyes seeing the extinguished candle in the centre as she sat down. Since it was the only thing on the table bar my mug, and the sun was up, it was an odd thing to see. At least if she didn¡¯t know I had magic and was, on my orders, meditating around a candle to see if she had any connection to fire. So far, there¡¯d been no reaction though she had spoken of having dreams of fire shooting from a silver mouth that had me intrigued. Plus, since we¡¯d left Gulltown, she¡¯d spoken of feeling a heat inside whenever we finished meditating, though given the way her eyes often wandered over my frame, I did wonder if magic was the source of that heat. As I finished my sip, I turned to face Alysanne and flashed her a charming smile. "What can I do for you, fair maiden, on this lovely day?" I asked, feeling the weight of the day lift a little as I bantered with her. ¡°I wanted to talk,¡± she replied, her cheeks reddening as they always did when I teased or complimented her. ¡°About Tyene.¡± I lowered my mug to the table and stood. I took my time collecting the jug and another mug before returning to the table and pouring her drink. That gave me time to think about Ty. Since White Harbour, I¡¯d barely spoken a hundred words to her, though she¡¯d tried almost daily until we¡¯d left Gulltown to speak to me. While I still cared deeply for her and was struggling to not drag her to my bed, I wasn¡¯t anywhere near ready to forgive her. What she¡¯d done with Alysanne had broken my trust in her and every time I saw her, the residual anger about that bubbled away inside. Thus, I chose to avoid her as best I could. To be clear, with time to think about what she¡¯d done, and why, I could understand her choices. I might even, in her position, have considered doing what she¡¯d done, though I wouldn¡¯t have acted on it. Ty¡¯s actions had risked causing a cold war between the North and Dorne, or me being forced to run to Essos to avoid Ned¡¯s rage, and that of the crown as Robert would¡¯ve instantly sided with Ned. Only, I assumed, Alysanne¡¯s pleading with Ned and me taking the matter to Oberyn and Ser Wylis had diffused that. Despite my attempts to maintain distance, I couldn''t help but miss her presence in my life. It wasn''t just the physical intimacy that I craved, but the sound of her laughter, the fleeting scent of her, and even the mere mention of her name. I found myself drawn to the cabin she shared with Alysanne and Wylla, just to catch a glimpse of her hair shining in the sun. As much as I tried to deny it, I was undeniably addicted to her, and the pain of keeping her at arm''s length was starting to take its toll. "A moon has passed since White Harbour, Cregan," Alysanne spoke, as she accepted the mug of ale that I had offered her. "And yet, you have scarcely exchanged a word with her, going out of your way to avoid her at every turn. And yet, when it comes to helping me unravel the mysteries of the flames, you spare no effort. Pray tell, why do you aid me while shunning her, when it was my misjudgement that led to the trouble?" I took another sip from my mug, letting it slide down my throat slowly. ¡°You have doubted what Ned has told you for years, or at least wondered why he never told you who your mother was. With the egg and everything you¡¯ve learnt since then, that doubt grew to the point where you question if he is your father.¡± I smiled at her. ¡°For what it may be worth, I am inclined to believe you, though I would still like proof that Lyanna is your mother.¡± She smiled back at me, seemingly glad to hear that I supported her belief now when I¡¯d acted sceptical ever since White Harbour. Of course, I knew it was true, but until my mother, grandmother, Ned, or Howland Reed spilt the beans, she wouldn¡¯t. The Three-Eyed-Raven might know the truth as well, but he wasn¡¯t a viable way to reveal things; not while I trusted him less than I did Catelyn Stark. I¡¯d wondered why Ned hadn¡¯t come to White Harbour to confront Alysanne, or at least confirm the truth to her. Yet with some time to think on it, I could see why he hadn¡¯t. Doing so would¡¯ve caused a major problem for everyone. Still, I was struggling to figure out why he¡¯d allowed her to come to Sunspear. Ned had to know my mother was there, and there was a high chance she¡¯d tell Alysanne the truth. So why would he allow her to travel to a land that was, at best, ambivalent to Northern interests, and risk losing her and breaking a promise he likely made to his sister? I blinked to clear that line of thought from dominating my mind again. Now wasn¡¯t the time to ponder it, nor hope for an answer that hadn¡¯t come even after a moon of trying to find one. ¡°What Ty did was different. She betrayed my trust, Alysanne. She betrayed her father and her family as well. She placed me in a position where if I did not take everything to Oberyn and Ser Wylis I may have been branded a kidnapper. At best, if I was not killed outright in White Harbour, I could have been exiled from Westeros. Ty had to know that could happen, yet she still chose to help you. Meaning she either did not care about the implications and broke my trust, or failed to think them through and honestly, I fail to know which option is worse.¡± Alysanne leaned forward, her mouth opening to counter, but I raised a hand to stop her. ¡°Now, I understand why she felt she had to help you. With what you know about me, and what you suspected about your heritage, I can see her reasoning. And I will not deny that, even after this, I still care for her deeply. She was the first woman in my bed and I the first in hers," I said chuckling as Alysanne¡¯s cheeks reddened at that, which wasn¡¯t entirely true as while I was the first man she¡¯d fucked, I knew she and Arianne had experimented together for several years. Which, when Ty had told me, had filled my dreams with some rather colourful imagery. ¡°I want her back; I shall not deny that. But how can I do that if I do not trust her? If there is a risk that, sometime in the future, she decides to do something as reckless as what she did again?¡± I leaned back, my piece said, and waited to see how Alysanne would reply. During our almost daily meetings to try and unlock her magic, Ty had often been just on the edge of our conversation. However, this was the first time Alysanne had brought Ty up directly. I knew Ty would hear what I¡¯d said, which is why I¡¯d been as honest as I had, but I was curious to hear Alysanne¡¯s response. "I understand, I truly do. And I take responsibility for the chaos that I have wrought," Alysanne began, her mug pushed aside as she leaned forward. "But Cregan, you must understand that Tyene is suffering because of my mistake. She weeps every night, and whenever she sees you turn away from her, it seems like a part of her dies." Alysanne''s eyes were beginning to glisten with tears, a clear indication that she was hurting because of Tyene''s pain. "Yes, we should have come to you, to Prince Oberyn, to my bro... my cousins in Winterfell. But if you must place blame, place it upon me and not upon her. She was only trying to assist me." Alysanne''s hands glided across the table, finding their way to rest upon mine. "Please, for my sake, could you try to speak to her?" she implored, tears beginning to trickle down her cheeks. I groaned and looked up at the ceiling. How was it fair that Alysanne could pull off the hurt puppy-dog eyes so fucking well a moon shy of her thirteenth nameday? ¡°Fine,¡± I said slowly as my eyes returned to my cousin. I had to push down an urge to comfort her as it was clear she was hurting because her friend and I were. ¡°I can try and talk with her, but I am not making any promises.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Alysanne said as a weak smile came to her face. I stood, feeling the urge to hug and comfort her. ¡°I know,¡± she repeated as she slid into my arms. ¡°Thank you,¡± she added as she looked up at me. before I realised it, her lips had brushed against my cheek, catching the corner of my mouth. ¡°Eep.¡± The faint sound slipped from her lips as I blinked. As I released the hug and she stumbled back, confusion mixing with her darkening cheeks, I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. I couldn''t help but smile as I watched her flounder, her words failing to materialize. It was clear that the kiss was meant as a gesture of gratitude, yet it seemed as though she felt she had done something wrong. "Th-thank you," she squeaked out before stumbling backwards, her hand groping for the door. Ymir followed her, though she made no move to pet him, and slipped from my cabin without opening the door fully; her eyes never meeting mine. As Ymir turned back from the closed door and whined, I barked out a laugh. ¡°Hey, stop blaming me, she never asked if you wanted to go,¡± Ymir whined again and looked back at the door, which only made me laugh again, which grew stronger as he slumped down at the door. Given his size, it was easy to forget he was only a few moons old and had the maturity of a child. Still, I did hope he kept this behaviour even when fully grown. The idea of a direwolf the size, or more, of a horse whining pathetically when ignored, was something I just had to see. Still, I knew that was unlikely to happen, as it was that Alysanne would keep that youthful innocence she had. There was nothing in that kiss, just a simple thanks. The fact she¡¯d caught the corner of my mouth didn¡¯t change that, but Alysanne was too young to realise that; at least for now. However, the fact she already could make me shift my position, granted one I was already unhappy with, with a few words and a sad face was concerning. Not because I felt caring about my family was a bad thing, but because of how Arianne and Nymeria would teach her to use that ability. Which when used along with watching her grow into a young lady, and trained in how to use her wiles by my stepsisters, Arianne, and others, was downright terrifying. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°You wished to speak to us, Captain?¡± Larazar looked up from the small table he was standing at behind the wheel as I followed Oberyn onto the quarterdeck. The wheel was being manned by Garreo; like Larazar, a man of Myrish birth who¡¯d moved to Sunspear over a decade ago. Garreo was the most experienced member of our crew, regaling us with outlandish tales from his life before the Windchaser. Yet, like all the crew, he was more than happy to impart his knowledge of the vessel to me. I once asked him why he was so at ease with the prospect of being commanded by a man nearly two decades his junior. His response was simple yet profound: Unlike other nobles that he had sailed for, I showed a genuine interest in understanding how the vessel worked and was willing to put in the hard labour to do so. Hearing Garreo''s words, and the agreement of many other crew members was a great relief. I had feared that once I formally assumed command of the Windchaser, the crew would simply follow Larazar to whatever command Doran had in store for him. However, with a few years still left until I expected to take full command, at least twelve of our standard crew of twenty had committed to staying on board under my leadership. ¡°Yes, I did,¡± Larazar replied as he turned to face us. He then turned back to the table and as we approached I saw it was a reasonably detailed map of the Broken Arm of Dorne and the Stepstones. I say reasonably as the rough locations of various ports in the Stepstones were marked but there was no indication of who ruled there. The reason for that was that the Stepstones were a mecca for pirates. From there they could terrorise the Narrow and Summer Seas with ease. Everywhere from Pentos to Volantis on Essos and from Starfall to Dragonstone in Westeros was within reach of the Stepstones. While there had been moves over the centuries by various powers on both sides of the Narrow Sea to pacify them, it always resulted in others supporting the pirates or risk having trade controlled by potentially hostile parties. Thus, even though a small fleet of four ships bearing the colours of House Martell and Manderly should be safe from all but the most powerful pirate lords, which was why we¡¯d sailed close to the Arm. ¡°We are, perhaps, three days sail from Sunspear and only have Dustspear left to pass,¡± Larazar said, pointing at the southernmost island of the Stepstones that pointed at Sunspear like a dagger aimed at a heart. As I examined the map, Oberyn offered his input. "We seem to be making good time," he remarked. There were several small islands scattered between Dustspear and Dorne, but none were large enough to sustain a population of more than a hundred men. Moreover, they would need to rely heavily on supplies from other regions. Dustspear, on the other hand, was a real threat, especially with its current pirate lord, the Grim Walker. Rumoured to be as tall as a tree with a bow capable of shooting ships from over a mile away, some of the tales about him were undoubtedly exaggerated. Nevertheless, as a pirate lord with five years of experience under his belt, he was to be both feared and respected. ¡°Aye, we are. However, the issue lies in what is on our path.¡± At that, he handed Oberyn a Myrish eye and pointed south. ¡°Storms are common in the Summer Sea this time of the year, but from what the lookout¡¯s saying, this one is going to be a bad one.¡± Even without the telescope, I could see a darkening on the horizon. Once we were finished speaking, I planned to slip into Rian and see just how large this storm front was. From my classes with the Maesters in Sunspear and the Water Gardens, I knew that between the eleventh and second moons of a year ¨C we were about three-quarters through the first moon of 296AC ¨C storms in the Summer Sea generally veered toward Dorne. Most petered out or turned away before making landfall, but I remembered a large one striking Sunspear a few years ago. We¡¯d spent three days inside the palace with the windows barred shut. Rian had hated it the most, but the storm had passed with only minimal damage and loss of life in the Shadow City. Still, it¡¯d taken a week to fully clear the damage caused and move on. Between the fourth and seventh moons, the storms veered toward Essos with Lys often at risk of storms, though their location at the northern tip of the island the city was on helped protect them from the worst. For the other months, the storms stayed in the south never doing anything more than threatening southern Westeros and Essos. ¡°Can we outrun it?¡± I asked as Oberyn lowered the Myrish eye and handed it back to Larazar. ¡°Or at least find a safe harbour in the Arm?¡± The Windchaser was fast, even when tacking into the wind as we¡¯d soon be doing, so it should be doable for us. The issue was the other ships with us. ¡°From the way it seems to be moving, I doubt we can skirt its edge without being driven onto the Arm,¡± Larazar replied as he turned back to the map, placing the Myrish eye in a container at his waist. He then pointed at a point on the map about a quarter of the way to Sunspear from our rough position. ¡°We might be able to reach this cove here. It is large enough to protect maybe a dozen ships. The problem is that while we should make it, the other vessels cannot keep pace. Not unless they drop all their cargo, and the Gods grant them aid.¡± ¡°I take it turning around and trying to sail back is out of the question?¡± Oberyn said, a frown coming to his face. ¡°We could try, but any of the fingers of the Arm are often crawling with pirates. The moment the storm is over, I would wager good coin that they will sail out pretending to help only to attempt to seize our vessels.¡± Oberyn¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°I know Dornish parties regularly clear those coves, my prince, however, the pirates and smugglers always return.¡± ¡°So, we are damned no matter what we do,¡± I muttered as I looked over the map again, trying to find a way out of this. If this was Earth, we¡¯d be able to power through the edge of the storm, riding out the waves with relative ease. However, we lacked the engine and metal hull to even consider that. ¡°Better to face a challenge head-on.¡± I looked at Oberyn, his lips turning up on his face as he stared at the storm as if daring it to do its worst. He then turned to Larazar. ¡°What do you need us to do?¡± A faint smile came to Larazar¡¯s face, and he gave my father a nod. ¡°For now, I shall need every able body, even the girls, to help. We need to clear everything not nailed down from the top deck into the hold. They shall then need to be secured, as will almost everything else while the hull and bilge will have to be inspected. Even the smallest damage may condemn us all to a watery grave. After that, I will stay topside with a portion of the crew. We will be tied down and, if allowed, rotate with others. Beyond all that, our fates are in the hands of the Gods.¡± Oberyn turned and left the quarterdeck, with me a step behind. The storm still looked distant, barely a dark line on the horizon, but there was an ominous threat in the air now. Before we started clearing the deck, I¡¯d let Oberyn know and slip into Rian. Perhaps from the clouds above, I could see a way through this that we were missing as we sailed toward the raging storm. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°Gods,¡± I muttered as I followed Oberyn onto the deck. Even if sleep ¨C a proper sleep not one interrupted by the Windchaser being treated as a ragdoll by a storm ¨C called to me, I knew it had to wait. My ship was damaged and seeing how bad it was, I knew sleep would be hours away still. ¡°Aye. We were lucky we saw the storm coming and could secure the ship,¡± Oberyn agreed as we looked around the deck. The whole thing was soaked with water pooling in a few places where it hadn¡¯t been swept back into the sea during the previous two days; though that was just an estimate as it was impossible to tell how much time had passed officially. The main and mizenmasts were still standing though the foremast was ruined. It looked like it¡¯d snapped about halfway up, taking the sails attached with it into the sea. Sounds from above drew my attention upward. There, the crew unfurled the mainsail and I groaned again at seeing two large rips through it. Those would render it all but useless and had probably come when the foremast broke. The topsail then unfurled, and I was relieved to see it was relatively undamaged, with just a small rip on one edge. We¡¯d have to patch the mainsail, but it should be enough to carry us to Sunspear when combined with the mizenmast. That seemed to have come through the storm relatively unscathed, though the sails on it hadn¡¯t yet been unfurled. Any crew that wasn¡¯t working to access and clean the damage of the masts were working to clear the deck of loose pieces of damage. Clearing the water wasn¡¯t going to be an issue as the storm clouds had broken and the sun was beating down on us. Judging from its height, I suspected it was a few hours until midday on whichever day this was. Still, all things considered, the Windchaser had come through the storm relatively intact. Something I couldn¡¯t confirm from the other ships in our small fleet as I failed to spot any of them as I looked northward, toward the storm racing away for the north tip of the Broken Arm. ¡°Prince Oberyn, good to see you and young Master Cregan in one piece.¡± We turned at the voice to see Larazar approach. His right arm was tied tightly against his chest with what remained of his shirt soaked with blood. The arm had to be broken, but he wasn¡¯t stopping that from him commanding the clean-up. ¡°We¡¯ve been battered and bruised,¡± at that, he indicated his arm, ¡°but all in all, the ship and crew are in decent shape.¡± ¡°Are you well?¡± I asked, earning a small smile from the captain. ¡°I shall live,¡± he replied with a broad grin. ¡°I was thrown against the wheel during the storm and my arm caught in the spokes. Broken somewhere below the elbow but the dislocation helps numb the pain.¡± He looked past us, toward the passage that led to the cabins. ¡°How are the others?¡± ¡°Young Beron still looks more Manderly than Stark,¡± Oberyn began, drawing a chuckle from Larazar, ¡°Ser Jory banged his head badly enough he had to be tied down to a bed and Ser Karsan had his leg shatter when a chest came loose. Tyene is tending to them as best she can with the other girls. Other than that, everyone is fine.¡± A screech from above drew my gaze for a moment and I saw Rian circling the ship, overjoyed to finally be back in the air. Neither he nor Ymir had enjoyed being trapped in my cabin during the storm, and the moment the sun had poked through what remained of my cabin¡¯s windows and I confirmed the skies weren¡¯t clear on all sides ¨C meaning we¡¯d entered the eye of the storm ¨C I¡¯d let him out. Ymir was with the girls, enjoying seeing them for the first time in days. He¡¯d probably go onto the deck soon, but for now, it was better if he stayed out of the way. ¡°Seems you fared better than the crew. We have three missing, likely swept overboard, and four more down with injuries.¡± Larazar¡¯s comment concerned me. We were already running light on crew due to the extra passengers, but now we only had eight including him left. ¡°How can we help?¡± I offered, earning smiles from both men. ¡°Good lad.¡± Larazar clapped me on my shoulder with his good hand. ¡°I need you to take the wheel. Garreo is in the hold with a broken leg while Jasim is one of those who went overboard.¡± I nodded and moved to the quarterdeck. Garreo and Jasim were the two helmsmen of the Windchaser which meant I¡¯d have to fill the role until we reached Sunspear. Reaching the wheel, I saw it was secured to a railing in front of it, one that overlooked the passage to the cabins. Behind and to starboard I could see land and the storm as it headed into the Stepstones and Arm to die. However, even with the small boost to my sight from my bond with Rian, I failed to spot any of the other vessels. ¡°Cregan,¡± I looked up from untying the first rope holding the wheel in place to see Oberyn stepping onto the quarterdeck. ¡°Larazar has said the crow¡¯s nest has gone and his Myrish eye is broken.¡± I winced at that as a good telescope could cost a few Dragons. ¡°Perhaps you could help scout our surroundings?¡± He glanced upward, to where Rian was still circling the ship. I felt a grin spread as I nodded. It was nice not having to hide this from him anymore, and as he moved to untie the other ropes, I closed my eyes. A moment later, I felt my view change to one far above the concerns of a group of humans on a ship after a storm. The wind raced over my feathers, surging faster from the trailing winds of the storm. To be back among the clouds, free of the confines of the ship was amazing. While I hated the turning of the winds, and the driving rain it brought, I¡¯d have preferred to weather it out in a crook instead of being trapped in that floating tree on the water below. The water around that was waking, the vicious winds having broken and beneath the waves, I saw movement; meals just waiting for me to swoop down and claim. While the food given to me by my dirt-walker was edible, I missed the feel of the hunt. The rush of blood as I dove, the anticipation as my talons extended and the surge of delight as I rose again, prey squirming helplessly in my grasp. I shook my head, clearing Rian¡¯s desires from my head. He could hunt happily after we¡¯d seen what I needed. To the north, I could see that bearing down on the sections of the Broken Arm that jutted toward the Steps, and there, at the very edge of the storm¡¯s rage, I saw two ships. While it was hard to be sure if those were from our fleet as their sails were tied up, from what I could see ¨C which was far more than even a man with Myrish eyes could ¨C was that one ship had sails of green while the other had orange. That meant they were likely ours, however, the second Manderly ship was nowhere to be seen. It could be further into the storm as the waves behind those two ships were raging and merging with the dangerously dark cloud, but if they¡¯d been pushed away from the others, I worried they¡¯d been lost to the storm. The two remaining ships were miles away, still to fully emerge from the storm. If we stayed still, letting the currents carry us or dropped anchor, the pair should reach us before nightfall. However, that would depend on their condition. I turned back, planning to slip from Rian¡¯s mind only to pause as movement near the coast drew my attention. A ship was emerging into the sea. I angled my wings, gliding through the air toward it and where it¡¯d come from. While the coast here was under Dornish control, Larazar had mentioned pirates inhabited many of the coves. The ship might be coming to offer aid, but it could just as well be moving to attack while we were recovering from the storm¡¯s fury. The ship was smaller than the Windchaser, and on her deck, eight men were visible. In the crow¡¯s nest, one was looking intently toward my vessel. A glint of light let me know he held a Myrish eye. The sails were unfurled while a dozen oars extended from her hull. There were more crew below deck, and for all the world she looked like a traded ship coming to offer help. Yet something felt off. I pushed on, wanting to see where they¡¯d come from. The sea slipped by as I passed over the cragged rock that protected a cove. Another boat was harboured in the cove, a longboat from the look of it. A dozen buildings stood on the shore, some in better condition than others. People moved around below, each carrying a sword on their hip. That put me on edge, and any doubt about who they were was removed a second later. The door to one building burst open and a girl rushed out. Her face was dirty and her hair chaotic. The rags she had on were torn open, though she tried to hold them closed with one hand. She¡¯d barely gotten a half-dozen steps before one of the men outside grabbed her hair, pulled her back and tossed her against the wall. As her screams reached my ears, the man, a wide smile on his face, yanked down his trousers. I banked away, not wanting to watch her fate. This was a pirate cove, meaning the ship bearing down on the Windchaser wasn¡¯t there to help. As I angled toward the ship, wanting a closer look at it, I saw a man on the cragged rock that protected the cove. He was lying down, facing the sea. I angled around him, the glint of light confirming he had a Myrish eye as well and was acting as a lookout/monitor for the ship at sea. That would alter slightly any plan for dealing with the inbound pirates, I suspected. I raced back toward the Windchaser, and as I neared the pirate vessel, I pulled my wings in and swooped down. I wasn¡¯t going to go low enough to let them snipe Rian with a bow, but I wanted a closer look. The men on deck appeared to be dressed as simply sailors, yet as one turned I saw something under his clothing. It was hard to make out what it was, but at a guess, it was armour of some form; likely nothing more than hardened leather or gambeson as even chainmail might be seen from a lookout on the Windchaser. While the group on deck were lightly armoured, there was a chance the ones below weren¡¯t. Thankfully, the ship didn¡¯t appear to have any defences, though neither did the Windchaser as the small ballista Oberyn had insisted on mounting on the forecastle had been washed away in the storm. Still, they had us outnumbered for certain, though I doubted they had any knights onboard, nor any who might have full armour. Even with Ser Karsan down, that left us four knights and me ¨C had armour after all ¨C along with the crew against however many were onboard the pirate vessel. I raced forward, needing to return to the Windchaser but wanting Rian clear of those people before I slipped from his mind. Once I was, after leaving him with an impression to avoid the other vessel, I slid from his mind. I staggered slightly, the motion of the ship catching me off-guard as my thoughts returned to my body. A hand gripped my arm and I looked to see Oberyn watching me carefully. ¡°It will take some time to grow used to that,¡± Oberyn commented as he released his grip on me, returning it to the wheel which was now unsecured from the railing. ¡°How are we?¡± ¡°Two of our escorts are emerging from the storm, though I was not able to tell how damaged they are, they might be able to reach us by nightfall. The third, however, I could not see.¡± ¡°Concerning but to lose just one ship to a storm such as that is good.¡± That was a touch cold, but he wasn¡¯t wrong. All it would¡¯ve taken was a few more unexpected gusts of wind and all the ships could¡¯ve been driven onto the rocks of the Broken Arm. ¡°Aye, but there is another issue. A ship¡¯s inbound from the coast. It looks like a smaller trading vessel, but the crew above deck are wearing some armour under their clothes and the cove they sailed from has pirates within.¡± Oberyn frowned even as I continued. ¡°There is a lookout on the ship and near the cove as well.¡± ¡°Hmm. First, we must determine how we explain this to Captain Larazar. After that, well it would be rude of us not to prepare a welcome for our guests.¡± The smile Oberyn had left little doubt he already had several ideas that the pirates would undoubtedly hate, and I could feel my blood beginning to boil with a fierce and bloody hunger for battle as a smile split my face. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ Broken Knight Broken Knight ... ... (Circa 296AC)
I pulled firmly on each of my pauldrons, making sure they were secure over my shoulders. Like the rest of my armour, they were generally plain, since I was just a squire and still growing, paying for elaborately decorated or engraved armour wasn¡¯t an expense I wanted to deal with. I ducked down, letting Ty slide my surcoat over my head. Since I was just a squire, it was only a standard Martell one, with a small sigil of House Dayne on my right shoulder marking me out as something more than a base soldier. Once that was on, Ty moved to secure the surcoat around my waist, so it didn¡¯t catch on any edge of my armour, I held out my arms. Alysanne and Beron approached, sliding my gauntlets onto my hands and bar my helm, completing my armour. As they tightened the straps, and Ty finished securing the surcoat, I went over why I needed to wear full armour at sea. Captain Larazar hadn¡¯t taken much convincing to accept the approaching vessel, which had been a surprise. When I¡¯d asked why he was taking our word so readily, he¡¯d explained that while he was captain of the Windchaser the vessel was mine, and the Martells were his employers. In retrospect, that made perfect sense, but it had still caught me off-guard. After he¡¯d accepted things, we¡¯d started spit-balling ideas. In the end, the option taken was for one knight, Ser Garhar Summerwell ¨C a knight from a small house loyal to the Martells ¨C to move around on deck in full armour. When that hadn¡¯t worked, Ser Harrol Hood had joined him. Then Ser Jory Cassel and then finally Prince Oberyn. Jory had withdrawn from the deck, standing with Ser Karsan Brightlight outside my cabin to act as a final line of defence in the unlikely case the pirates managed to take out three knights, one squire, and the crew on deck and moved toward the cabins. Inside my cabin, which was where I currently was, Beron, Wylla, Ty and Alysanne were gathered. Ymir was also present, pacing around the room. He didn¡¯t understand what was going on, but sensed the nerves of everyone and was on edge because of it. The ship rocked gently as we rested at sea. No anchor had been dropped as the water was too deep, and the sails, which had been assessed for damage after the storm, were furled and securely fastened against the rigging. That left us at the mercy of the sea, but with the storm having receded enough that our escorts could be seen approaching, it wasn¡¯t a major issue. On the way to Gulltown for the tourney, Oberyn had insisted I wear my armour around on deck to get used to moving in it at sea. At the time, he¡¯d mentioned it would be unlikely I¡¯d need to wear full armour for a sea battle, but it was better to have the training than not. Now, less than a year later, I¡¯d be putting that training to the test. So far, standing as the ship rocked with the waves wasn¡¯t too difficult, I just had to account for my greater mass caused by the armour. Plus, while it would be my first sea battle on Planetos, I¡¯d trained for seaborne combat in my former life. Yes, the training didn¡¯t entirely line up, but there was enough there that I could draw on. Alysanne and Beron stepped back, and I tested the gauntlets, rotating my hands and fingers to ensure the gauntlets were tightly fastened. Feeling they were, I nodded and smiled at the pair. Ty then stepped close, my helm in hand. Thankfully, it didn¡¯t have any dents from the tourney still in it. I¡¯d paid for it to be reshaped in Winterfell. ¡°Cregan¡­¡± Ty began as she struggled to meet my gaze. I lifted her chin with an armoured hand. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± I said once she looked at me. ¡°And once this is over, and we¡¯re back in Sunspear, we¡­ we can talk fully. About everything.¡± I¡¯d spoken to her once since Alysanne¡¯s request, though that had been a short thing as I¡¯d felt my anger at her betrayal still bouncing around my skull. Once we were back, I knew we¡¯d talk more; provided Prince Doran didn¡¯t punish her in some way that caused us to be forced apart. A smile twitched on her face, though it didn¡¯t last. She moved in close and stood on her tiptoes. Her lips brushed against my cheek. ¡°Be safe,¡± she said as she pulled back, the smile still struggling to stay on her face. I smiled back at her and then knelt slightly. While I could bend my neck while wearing the gorget, the height difference between us meant it would¡¯ve still been an awkward angle to slide my helm over my skull. I blinked as the helm slid on, getting used to the restricted vision. It didn¡¯t stop me from seeing her, or the others behind her, but it did limit things, which was fine. A stray blow or arrow to the skull would be instantly fatal. As I stood fully, her fingers moved under my chin, securing the helm in position. A tap on my helm let me know she was finished, and I rolled my head, ensuring the helm was secure. Once I was sure, I looked at the others. Worry danced on all their faces, though only Ty seemed able to hide it. Ymir moved closer, whining at me. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was because he couldn¡¯t see my face anymore, or he sensed the rising tension, but I tapped my cuisse. He stood against my leg, sniffing my gauntlet as Wylla came over. In her hands was a belt which held the sheath for Red Rain. As she secured that around my waist, Beron carried over my shield. I gripped it with my right hand and then waited as he secured the strap there, fastening it against my arm. In theory that would keep it around even if my grip failed, though the shield I¡¯d used in the tourney hadn¡¯t had this feature, which was why I¡¯d lost it so easily. The two moved back together, with Wylla sliding up close to Beron. I smirked at the action, wondering if they even realised they were doing it. ¡°This won¡¯t take long,¡± I said to allow them as Alysanne clicked her fingers to get Ymir¡¯s attention. ¡°None of the pirates are armoured,¡± well, at least not as well as me and the knights, ¡°and even if they outnumber us five to one, they¡¯ve not got the training to get past a half-dozen knights.¡± I made sure to look at each of them as I spoke. ¡°Still, unless it¡¯s me or Oberyn, don¡¯t open that door. And if somehow someone gets past Sers Jory and Karsan¡­¡± I paused, looking dead at Beron. He nodded and gripped the short blade at his hip. While he wasn¡¯t great with it, he knew enough to at least be able to defend the girls. As for them, Ty had a pouch on her belt that I knew contained a few vials of poison to say nothing of the dagger she had hidden somewhere on her clothing. Wylla and Alysanne both had daggers as well, while Ymir stayed at the latter¡¯s feet, and her bow rested on my bed. ¡°Give them hell,¡± I finished, making Beron smirk. With my piece said, I turned and moved to the door. However, just as my hand reached the latch, someone pulled on my arm. Turning I saw it was Alysanne. I waited for her to speak, which took longer than expected as she seemed unsure about what to say. That was made clear by the way her mouth opened and closed a few times without any sound escaping. Curious about what she wanted to say, I waited patiently. Instead of saying anything, her arm shot up and grabbed the front of my helm. I let her pull my head down as she laid a gentle kiss on the helm, roughly where my mouth was. ¡°Winter is coming for them,¡± she whispered as she pulled back. I chuckled as I stood and gave her a nod, promising to show these fools why they didn¡¯t mess with a child House Stark. As she moved back, I saw Wylla smirking at Alysanne¡¯s actions. Beron looked confused, which was understandable I guessed, but my focus was on Ty. She seemed conflicted, as if happy to see Alysanne make a move ¨C as she had joked about my cousin having an interest in me back in Winterfell ¨C but possibly also irritated that she might have competition. As I turned and opened the door, I put those thoughts aside. I could deal with how this might change things for me going forward after the battle was over. As I exited the room, I saw Sers Jory and Karsan. The latter was still sitting, keeping weight off his broken leg. Even though he was injured, he¡¯d sworn he¡¯d die defending Wylla from harm, though to make things easier for him a stool had been brought into the corridor. The man was risking permanent injury to fulfil his duty to House Manderly, but it was his duty to do so. I gave the pair a nod as I passed and moved down the short corridor to the deck. I half-stumbled with one step, not used to wearing the armour in the tight space, but I didn¡¯t need to use the wall to keep going. That would¡¯ve been embarrassing. I blinked as I stepped onto the deck, the bright sun hung high overhead. Most of the deck was empty, with Oberyn and the two Dornish knights gathered near the main mast. As I stepped out, I looked around and saw Larazar standing at the wheel, a blade at his hip. With him were seven crew, each armed with a sword and bow. The rest of the crew was down below, ready to rush forth if called upon, though most of them were either injured or untrained in battle. They would¡¯ve taken up position on the forecastle, but several of the bows carried onboard had fallen and broken in the storm. Plus, the small ballista there had been washed away by the waves, removing that as a defensive option. I moved toward Oberyn, seeing Ser Harrol and Ser Garhar with him. Their purple and white and green surcoats looked odd next to the burnt orange of Oberyn¡¯s surcoat. As did the edging of orange both the knights had, signalling their employ by the Martells. ¡°I see the girls let you leave,¡± Oberyn commented, drawing chuckles from the knights. ¡°I had half expected Ty and your cousin to tie you down and prevent you from fighting.¡± I bit my tongue, not wanting to deal with his teasing over Alysanne so soon after her good-luck kiss. ¡°Still, it¡¯s good you are here. While we should be able to counter any attack, they might be able to move around us. Initially, stay behind, and if needed, step in to close any gaps that develop.¡± I nodded, accepting the orders even if I wanted to be in the thick of the fighting. ¡°Also, by the Gods, don¡¯t fall overboard. If you do, I may be forced to go into exile again to avoid the wrath of your mother, my daughters and niece.¡± I nodded again, joining the knights in laughing at that jest. While it shouldn¡¯t happen, falling into water in full armour, especially one deep enough to sink into like the sea, was a death sentence. Even the strongest swimmers would struggle to stay afloat for long with their armour dragging them down. Well, unless it was made of Valyrian steel, but I¡¯d never heard of anyone with such a thing. I moved behind the three, my height letting me see over their shoulders enough to have a clear line of sight on the approaching pirate vessel. There were more men on deck than when I¡¯d flown over earlier, and now none wore shawls over their armour. They¡¯d have seen the gathering of knights on deck and known at least one more was below as Jory was in Stark colours, yet the captain was either brave or foolish enough to think his crew, which couldn¡¯t be more than three dozen, could take five knights in close quarters and with the crew nearby to assist. Apart from four that had steel breastplates and some other sections of armour, most were in chainmail, leather or worse. None were as fully covered as us, and already, thanks to my improved eyesight ¨C a gift from my bond with Rian, who was circling far above us out of the way ¨C I could already see easy ways to maim or kill most of the pirates. Time seemed to slow as the vessel approached. Oberyn and the knights braced, as did I, waiting in the calm before the storm. The fire in my blood, from my wolf and dragon traits, warmed, readying me for the carnage to come. Features of the scarred and dirty faces of the pirates became clear, snarls on many of them as hands drifted toward weapons. The pirate ship angled itself, aiming to strike us at about forty-five degrees to the hull. Shields rose as arrows from the quarterdeck rained down on the pirates, yet one body slumped to the deck. The oars were pulled in and rapidly, just as another volley struck, a dozen more men stepped onto the deck. Three of the new group fell to the arrows, caught out as they emerged from the hold below. I struggled to stay still, the urge to rush forward, to cut down these fools burned bright in me. my weight shifted from one foot to the other, even as I knew that even with three dozen men, and the advantage of regularly fighting at sea, these fuckers would struggle against the knights and me. ¡°Brace!¡± Oberyn called out, and just before the ships collided, I crouched. Yet, when the strike came, I still stumbled back, my free hand going to the deck as I fell to a knee. ¡°Fuck!¡± I spat out furiously as I stood, the hand moving to draw Red Rain. Through my rage at my mistake, I was glad I¡¯d not drawn my blade before the pirates had rammed us. As the blade came free, almost singing in delight at the thought of tasting fresh blood, I saw Oberyn and the others engaged. Four pirates lay at their feet, with a fifth joining them as Ser Garhar removed his blade from their stomach. A sixth stumbled back, Oberyn¡¯s blade sending blood gushing as it sliced open the man¡¯s chest. I snarled in delight as he fell to his knees, then chuckled darkly as he was pushed into the water by another pirate desperate to die at Oberyn¡¯s blade. While watching the pirates fall to wounds, and tumble into the sea or back to their ship, I felt a fury rising. I wanted in on the fighting, wanted the chance to rip them limb from limb. As perhaps the tenth pirate fell, three rushed forward, grabbing Ser Harrol Hood. His blade drove into the gut of one, but with them so close, he couldn¡¯t pull it free. As the others grabbed his shield and armour, I rushed forward, an urge to join the fray and help overwhelming my orders to stay. Yet, before I could reach the group, Ser Harrol was pulled forward. He landed on the pirate holding his shield, and then the rocking of the Windchaser carried them, and the wounded man over the side, a faint splash carrying over the chaos of battle. The remaining pirate turned, thinking his path was clear only for him to stutter to a stop. His eyes widened as I pulled Red Rain from his stomach, soaking more of the deck in blood. As he fell to his knees, I slammed my shield into his face, knocking him back. I snarled in delight as his movement caused another pirate to fall, and roared as Red Rain thrust down, severing the man¡¯s spine. Something pulled on my shield as I withdrew my blade, droplets of blood sliding down its edges. With a grunt, I pushed my shield forward, enjoying the sound of it slamming into and breaking whatever stopped its movement. The grip on my shield slipped and as I lifted it, a sickening thud delighted me as a man¡¯s head snapped back at an unseemly angle. My blade moved around, slicing clean through the mail of another pirate, another gush of crimson flying skyward. Yet, as this one stumbled back, another rushed at me. His axe gripped the edge of my shield and pulled. I brought my blade around, however, another stopped between me and this pirate. Red Rain bit deep, slashing through the pirate¡¯s side, though I still felt something slam into my arm. As the body fell, I saw an axe wedged into the back of the shield, having slid down my vambrace to slash the strap holding the shield to my arm. The body fell against my arm even as the first pirate continued to pull on the shield. I growled as l let it go, snarling as the man stumbled back, caught out by me releasing the shield. Even as it fell away, I pulled at the axe embedded in it, ripping it free. The pirate pushed my shield to the side, and I snapped forward, driving the blade of the taken axe into his gut. He grunted in pain, and I growled at realising the weapon hadn¡¯t drawn blood. Red Rain solved that, sending his head tumbling to the deck as blood spurted from his neck. Even as the body fell, I was moving, turning. My new axe moved, splintering a chuck of wood from a pirate¡¯s shield. As I pulled it back, a blade rushed in from the side, spearing the pirate in the gut. The shield drooped and Red Rain rushed forward, severing the man¡¯s throat. I grinned in delight at the look of shock from the pirate even as blood rushed from the wound. A kick sent the body tumbling back, striking another who was climbing from their ship. I stepped forward. The man knocked over and roared in pain as Red Rain removed his hands. The roar was cut off as he splashed into the sea below. A blade crashed against my pauldron. I pushed it away, turned and drove my axe into the man¡¯s arm. Red Rain came up and blood flew once more as another fell to my blade. I kept turning and whirling, revelling in the chaos. My weapons found their marks, grunts of pain accompanied by squirts of crimson their reward. One man, with a steel breastplate, rushed at me. My axe slapped his blade to one side even as Valyrian steel plunged through his armour. As I yanked on the blade, fighting to pull it from his chest, he fell to the ground, the life fading from his eyes. As Red Rain slid free, another, this one in chainmail, rushed at me. overhead, a large two-handed sword poised to strike. I stepped forward, sliding inside his attack before it could strike, and brought Red Rain up. Pressure built on the blade as once again it found its mark, burying itself deep in the chest of another threat. I pulled my blade clear even as the man stumbled forward, the weapon in his hands falling free, slicing down his back. As he fell, I used an elbow and knocked the body to the side. Any hope of him returning to the fight was ended as an arrow slammed into his chest, the chainmail doing little to stop the narrow arrowhead. I turned, re-focusing the rage from someone stealing my kill, seeking a new pile of flesh for Red Rain to taste, yet none came at me. I blinked, seeing only the red-stained surcoats of Oberyn and Ser Garhar near me. Wanting another to render limb from limb, I turned to the pirate ship and grunted in fury at what greeted me. Nothing but bodies lay from my feet onto their ship. Pained groans and twitches came from the deck, sounds of men not yet sent to their Gods for judgement. ¡°Larazar,¡± Oberyn called out as I used my blade to silence the closest groan of my defeated foes, ¡°take some men and Ser Garhar to secure their vessel.¡± The dying breath of another pirate punctuated the sentence as Red Rain claimed a new soul. Movement from behind had me spinning, ready to fight once again. Larazar tensed as he saw me face him, and only after I lowered my blade, did he come closer. ¡°Clear the decks!¡± I turned once more at the new sound, though as my battle lust faded, I kept my blade low, watching as the crew who¡¯d stayed in the hold emerged onto the deck. Each had a blade in hand, though when half of them stopped at seeing the carnage on the deck, and three moved to the far side of the ship, it made clear how unready for battle they were. A hand clamped onto my shoulder. ¡°Well done lad,¡± Oberyn¡¯s voice was the only thing that stopped me from attacking him with my axe. ¡°You fought well and did what was needed. Now go and let the others know we¡¯ve won.¡± I took several deep breaths, pushing back the bloodlust, bringing my mind out of a battle focus. After giving him a nod, I moved away, securing the axe in my belt even as I looked for a semi-clean body to clean Red Rain on. However, after a few steps, I stopped and turned back. ¡°What about the cove?¡± I couldn¡¯t see his face, but I knew he was smirking. ¡°We¡¯ll discuss that once the ships¡¯ secured and cleaned up some.¡± He sheathed his blade as he turned away, directing the clean-up with Larazar. I resumed the short walk to the cabins. When the time came to discuss the cove, my vote was simple. We enter it and take out every pirate there. Yes, I wanted to feel the rush of combat once more, but beyond that, they were a threat to shipping within a few days¡¯ sail of Sunspear and were operating from Dornish soil. That couldn¡¯t be allowed to continue. ¡­ ¡­ About fifteen minutes later I stepped back onto the deck, noting how much cleaner it appeared. While there was still blood over the deck, the crew were working to wipe it away with pails of water and mops. Near the entrance to the cabins were two piles. The first was a collection of weapons, likely salvaged from the killed pirates. The other, though it was more a few empty casks, seemed to be a collection of trinkets taken from the bodies, which given they weren¡¯t on the deck anymore, had likely been thrown overboard. ¡°Cregan,¡± I turned and saw Oberyn standing with Larazar and Ser Garhar on the quarterdeck. Both knights had their helms off, though were, like me, still in their armour, while Larazar retained the cutlass at his side. I moved quickly to the steps up to the quarterdeck, my helm in one hand while the axe I¡¯d acquired still rested inside the belt holding a sheathed Red Rain. ¡°How are they?¡± Oberyn asked once I was on the upper deck. ¡°Good, though I don¡¯t think they enjoyed the sight of me covered in blood,¡± I replied, making him laugh. Ty had been the only human willing to come close and even she had been careful to make sure the blood didn¡¯t get in her dress. Ymir hadn¡¯t cared a lick and bound up to me, excited to see me again. Ty and the others had all listened as I¡¯d detailed what had happened and they were relieved to hear the battle was over. I didn¡¯t mention the cove to them, but when I said I had to return to the deck, something in Ty¡¯s eyes made it clear she knew I was holding back. ¡°I hope you reminded them that it wasn¡¯t your blood?¡± Oberyn shot back after his chuckle, and after I nodded to confirm that, he waved me closer. ¡°We¡¯re discussing what to do with our new ship.¡± While taking it as a prize was likely, my mind was on another issue. ¡°What about the cove?¡± Larazar and Ser Garhar both looked at me as I remembered they didn¡¯t know what I did about the cove; or how I¡¯d learnt about it. ¡°I mean, they came from there, so I¡¯d bet good coin they¡¯ve got a base in it.¡± I shifted my gaze to Oberyn as I continued. ¡°Plus, I thought no pirates were tolerated on Dornish soil?¡± ¡°They aren¡¯t. However, we are but two knights and a squire,¡± Ser Garhar countered, a slight snarl on his face. ¡°Even one who handled himself as well as you did. We¡¯d likely need half the crew at least to come with us, and we¡¯d be sailing in blind. Yes, Prince Oberyn and I could handle a dozen men each with ease, but what if they¡¯ve got twice that number?¡± I glared at Garhar. While he¡¯d complimented me for my part in the battle, he¡¯d then dismissed the idea of me helping clear the cove. A retort died on my tongue as Larazar coughed. ¡°While I can¡¯t say for sure which cove this is, none of them alone the Arm are large. At best, they could dock our ship and our escorts, but it would be a tight and dangerous fit.¡± He looked past me, taking in the shore in the distance. ¡°Still, if this cove is one of the smaller ones, which it appears to be, then I doubt they have anything more than another vessel, and likely a smaller one at that.¡± ¡°Cregan is right in that we cannot allow this den of pirates to exist, however, we are undermanned.¡± Oberyn looked northward, to where the two remaining escorts were growing. I¡¯d yet to give them another look with Rian to see what sort of condition they were in, but they¡¯d certainly have the manpower we needed to take the cove. ¡°While I¡¯d like to wait for our escorts, I feel that doing that risks the pirates either prepping defences or more likely running inland and then, once we depart, returning to re-establish their base.¡± ¡°Can you describe the cove?¡± I asked Larazar. While it was unlikely that he could give anything accurate, even a rough description could be useful. I suspected I could make a few comments and suggestions that might make our map of the place more accurate. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Most of these coves are similar enough that I can give a rough guide to it,¡± Larazar replied, making me nod. Oberyn watched me carefully as his lips twitched. ¡°Perhaps you might do so then? If we have even a rough idea of what we might expect, then we can consider if we can take the cove without waiting for support.¡± That twitch turned into a full smile. It was a cold one, which promised pain and suffering for those who¡¯d dared threaten his family and wards. I matched his smile with one of my own, though I knew it lacked the cold fury. The fire in me burnt hotter, and brighter, due to my traits. Still, I looked forward to tasting battle again, to sating myself on the blood of more pirates. While they didn¡¯t appear a great threat, I¡¯d found myself enjoying the thrill of battle that had just passed far more than any from my former life, and I longed to experience that thrill once more. Plus, I needed experience of warfare in Westeros for what was to come in the years ahead. ¡­ ¡­ I felt the wind surge over my wings as I once more soared high above while sharing Rian¡¯s mind. The clouds had started to settle, the storm that had brought on the chaos of the last few days breaking as it struck the northern tip of the Broken Arm. I swooped lower, gliding on the breeze as I passed over the marker between sea and land. Below me, I saw the two pirate lookouts. The newcomer had brought a bow with him. While my body and those with me were still far from the cove, the pair were watching our approach. I couldn¡¯t tell from up here if they were aware something was amiss, but the pair were speaking animatedly as they lay on the outcrop, making sure to stay hidden from view of the sea. While the second lookout with a bow was going to complicate our approach, the second, smaller ship in the cove was still unmanned and unprepared to sail. While that was a relief, a group of eight pirates were ambling around near the short pier. Others, up to two dozen though it was hard to be sure, were moving to and from the six buildings that stood near the pier. The girl from earlier was gone, though my razor-sharp vision picked out the man who¡¯d assaulted her just before I¡¯d turned away on my last recon flight. His face was burned into my mind, and if he somehow survived the assault, I planned to find the girl he¡¯d abused and let her decide that fucker¡¯s fate. I circled, making sure to note the various entrances to each building and points where archers could rain down on us as we docked. Thankfully, the pirates had made no move to create defensive fortifications, so once we landed, Oberyn, Ser Garhar and I shouldn¡¯t have much issue clearing the pier and beach. Though the buildings might be problematic if the corridors inside were narrow or constricted in other ways. Once I felt I¡¯d seen enough, I angled Rian¡¯s wings, turning him around and back to the Windchaser, and with one final thought to return there, where I knew Ty was waiting to offer him some jerky, I slipped from the eagle¡¯s mind. I slumped forward, shaking my head as I got reacquainted one more with the far weaker, but still impressive, vision of my eyes. The oars on the ship continued to beat a pattern into the waves, driving us toward the cove even as I felt a hand grip my shoulder. ¡°Welcome back.¡± I turned toward the voice, seeing Oberyn sitting beside me. Like me, and Ser Garhar ¨C who was knelt near the bow with the Myrish eye we¡¯d acquired from the attack on the Windchaser ¨C he wore a large shawl over his armour. We¡¯d all also removed our surcoats, as their bright colours might be easier for the lookouts to spot. Oberyn had insisted Garhar take the first watch as we approached, which was what allowed me to skinchange into Rian. ¡°There¡¯s at least thirty in the cove. Eight are mulling near the pier, two are on lookout from the outcropping with the rest ambling around. I also saw a slave on my first flyover but didn¡¯t see her or another this time.¡± Oberyn nodded, taking in my words. ¡°There¡¯s a longboat docked to a short pier, but it¡¯s not manned or supplied to move, and even if those lookouts let the cove know we¡¯re attacking, they can¡¯t get it ready in time. Further inland there¡¯s some foliage that they could run to, but not enough that they¡¯d have some support hidden there.¡± Oberyn leaned back and stroked his chin. His helm, like mine and Ser Garhar''s, was covered by a sheet on the deck. We¡¯d only put them on once close to the outcropping as they¡¯d mark us out as not being pirates. While we might¡¯ve used the few helms worn by the pirates, none of them offered anything close to the protection ours did, so using them would¡¯ve left us all but exposed to blows to the skull. ¡°That¡¯s more than I expected, but not by enough that we can¡¯t still make this work.¡± He looked past me to the cove. ¡°Where exactly are the lookouts?¡± I kept my hand low, below the rim of the deck, and pointed. ¡°About a third of the way to the left inward for its northern edge.¡± My hand brushed the body of one of the few dead pirates that littered the deck. We¡¯d had to pull a few bodies, or what remained of them since sharks had circled the Windchaser after we¡¯d tossed the bodies overboard, from the sea, but it helped feed a ruse. With fewer oars working than when the ship had sailed out, and the three of us on deck not moving much and keeping ourselves covered, the hope was that we¡¯d look to any lookout as the remains of a failed attack. The only downside was the smell from the bodies, but it was a minor issue and one we¡¯d fix once the lookouts were taken care of and the battle was over. ¡°And what of the cove?¡± I pulled the axe from my belt and started using it to map out the cove¡¯s layout for him. While we¡¯d not be able to provide this map to others, when it came down to it, the only person I cared that made it through the coming battle ¨C bar myself ¨C was Oberyn. Still, when I took watch from Ser Garhar, the plan was for me to spot glints of light from the outcropping, thus revealing to the others the lookout¡¯s location. Once we were closer, the crew below deck would emerge, and all of us would pepper the outcropping with arrows, trying to strike the pair before they could get off a warning. Whether they did or didn¡¯t though, at that point we were committed to the attack, and already I could feel my blood warm at the thought of once more stepping into battle. ¡­ ¡­ As our new vessel rounded the outcropping, I braced myself on the foredeck, my helm already resecured by one of the crew along with my shield. On either side of me, were Oberyn and Ser Garhar. The two lookouts had fallen in a hail of arrows, but not before one had managed to get out a screamed warning. With our cover blown, the three of us had quickly secured our armour and taken up point at the front of the vessel. All six of the crew with us had, after helping us with our armour, returned below decks and as they guided us into the cove, arrows lanced towards the ship. The few that struck our shields lacked the power to do much more than scratch the markings on them. The incoming fire lessened as the pirates realised their arrows were being wasted, and time slowed. The pier and the moored pirate longboat were close, and already four of the eight I¡¯d seen on the beach during my recon had moved out, planning to engage us before we could dock. However, Oberyn had planned for this. He banged his foot on the deck three times. That let the crew below know to stop turning us around the outcropping and drive the vessel forward. Not toward the pier, but the shallow stone beach beside it. The pirates on the pier were the first to realise our plan and raced back toward the beach, shouting out as they went. As we passed near the longboat, but not close enough that anyone would be brave enough to risk leaping over, arrow fire resumed. Even as one embedded in the centre of my shield, my gaze snapped down to the strap. That had only been hastily repaired before we¡¯d left for this assault, and I was concerned it would rip if someone managed to give my shield a decent tug. Just before we ran aground, I shifted my stance and was glad I didn¡¯t stumble as we beached. Oberyn and Ser Garhar stepped to the bow and jumped down. However, I had another role. I moved back, keeping my shield up as I scanned for the pirate archers. Once I¡¯d moved back to the small hatch that led to the lower deck, I banged my foot on the ground. I heard movement behind me, but stayed still, blocking any arrows that came my way, though most went towards Oberyn and Ser Garhar. That allowed me to pick out the snipers easier. ¡°Two ahead on the main building. Three to the left, only one on a roof, and two to the right, both of roofs,¡± I called out as someone tapped my back. Arrows quickly flew from behind me, and as the first pirate archer fell, I moved forward slowly. The incoming fire toward me increased, though it was matched by outbound fire. As I neared the bow of the ship once more, I saw Oberyn and Ser Garhar were engaged by nearly a dozen pirates. The pair were working well together, almost back-to-back, and at their feet, five bodies lay. A sixth joined them as I reached the bow, and as I jumped onto the beach, another fell as well. The urge to rush forward and engage the pirates, to rend them limb from limb, reverberated through me. However, that wasn¡¯t what I needed to do. Still, as I stepped forward toward another section of the beach and watched one of the pirate archers on the main building fall, I felt my blood rush as two pirates rushed toward me. As the blade of the first clattered against my shield, being guided away by me angling the protection, I brought Red Rain round to counter a strike from an axe wielded by the second. That man cried out in shock as my blade sliced through the head of his axe, and then removed a good chunk of his hand. Blood soared in the air as Red Rain flew, with a second streak sent flying as I twisted the blade and slashed the one-handed pirate through his arm and across his chest. That was joined by an arrow a split second later. As he stumbled forward, falling to the ground as blood seeped onto the stones at my feet as I turned my full focus to the other pirate. That pirate brought his shield around, planning to block a low strike from Red Rain, but I was ready for it. A softening of my grip had the tip of the blade slicing deep into the wood of his shield, sending a large splinter flying. Behind the shield, his eyes widened in shock as he saw my blade, and I snarled in delight as he started backpedalling. I rushed forward, slamming my shield into his, knocking him off-balance even as I sensed new targets coming closer. Before they reached us, as the man¡¯s arms flailed and exposed his body, I thrust my blade forward, driving the point into his gut. ¡°Guh.¡± He fell back, dropping his sword and bringing the hand to his stomach as guts spewed from the wound. As he fell to a knee, I drove the edge of my shield into his throat, delighting in the terror in his eyes as I crushed his windpipe. As he took his last tortured gasps, I turned and moved to meet the next group rushing at me. I slid one foot and leaned away, letting a blade sweep harmlessly past me. my shield moved, gliding around to block another blade and the strike of an axe. Sweeping my shield high, and driving back the strikes, I thrust my blade forward, grunting in delight as the tip slid through the weak armour of the pirate and embedded in their thigh. With a flick of my wrist and the blade was free, blood showering another pirate as the wounded one fell. Red Rain moved up, cleaving an arm at the elbow, sending the forearm and axe it held clattering against the shield of the third pirate. Before I could finish off the one-armed pirate, an arrow flew in, slamming into his chest. He spun, caught out by the strike, and fell face-first into the stony beach. I snarled at someone stealing my kill and thrust my shield into the one carried by the third pirate. The strength of my thrust forced them back. I rolled my shoulder, dropped my shield low slightly and then flicked it up. The move caught the base of the pirate¡¯s smaller shield and lifted them both skyward. As terror sprung to life in his eyes, I drove Red Rain forward, enjoying the gargled terror that slipped from his lips as my blade punctured out the back of his mouth. A pull on the blade sliced it clear of the face, and his jaw hung limply as he fell as if someone had cut his strings. With that lot dealt with, I moved forward. Arrows flew around me, though most came from behind. The few that came at me either bounced harmlessly off my armour and shield or missed entirely. A pirate rushed from a hiding spot as I neared the main building. I turned to face him, my blood beating out the tone of war. His blade clattered against my shield. I pushed it to one side and slashed forward. A burst of red shot into the air as his hand was removed, though any realisation he might¡¯ve had was cut off when Red Rain slid through his throat, sending another fountain of crimson into the air. ¡°Cregan!¡± I turned at the shout, not giving the crashing body behind me another thought. Behind him and me only corpses lay and beyond I saw Ser Garhar moving away. ¡°Clear from the left!¡± I tilted my sword, letting him know I¡¯d heard him, and then moved down the beach. To the left of the largest building, which I assumed Oberyn was going to clear, were three buildings. Though the farthest from me was barely any better than a shack with a battered roof. As I came closer, I saw that part of the inward-facing wall was missing while the roof in that area had fallen in. While I doubted anyone was inside, I still approached the door ¨C which was hanging on one rusted hinge ¨C cautiously. I didn¡¯t have to deal with insurgents or terrorists with rifles behind the door, but neither did I have a flashbang or two to clear the room first. Still, an old, familiar rush surged through me as I kicked the door, sending it clattering into the room. I stepped forward, entering the building. My shield covered one side while I scanned the other, Red Rain at the ready and wanting to taste flesh once again. However, the room was empty, and I grunted as I realised it had likely been that way for some time. The walls were damp and water ¨C remains of the storm most likely ¨C dripped down through holes in the wooden roof. While he¡¯d hate the environment, I wished Kaa was here. Scouting out dark, hidden corners was the perfect activity to use him for. Well, aside from poisoning someone, but given it was known I owned a bloodborne viper it was probably best if I avoided using him for assassinations. I left the building a minute or so later, the other rooms in worse shape ¨C and just as empty ¨C than the first. Moving quickly and quietly was neigh-on impossible in full armour, but I didn¡¯t mind. If any pirate jumped me I was more than willing to send them to their grave. As I looked back at the ship, I saw four of the six who¡¯d come with us were standing guard, their bows in their hands but not drawn. I wondered about the other two, but I¡¯d find out their fates later, for now, the next building needed to be cleared. The door I approached was far sturdier than on the last building, and as I neared I heard movement behind. I readied myself, looking forward to the battle about to commence and kicked the door hard. It swung open and slammed into the wall as I rushed forward. However, the pained and scared groans that greeted me stilled my desire for blood and replaced it with revulsion. Around the room, secured against the wall with ropes that tied their hands together, were about ten men. None of them were anywhere close to fighting fit, and as my eyes adjusted to the dim light of the room, I saw many were thin enough their ribs were pressed up against their skin. All of them scampered back, trying to slide into the walls when they saw me while I tried to ignore the stench of the room and the piles of faeces that lay near each man. I stomped toward the nearest man, one whose hair was caked in dirt and sweat and grey. ¡°Hands!¡± I snarled out, my anger at their situation creeping into my tone. The man shot out his arms, fearing I¡¯d do something to him if he disobeyed. I took a moment, closed my eyes and counted to ten, reining in my rage at what these people had endured before I moved again. ¡°Stay still,¡± I said as gently as I could as Red Rain lifted slowly between his arms, and once it rested against the ropes binding him, I pulled up quickly as I dared. The rope held against my blade better than pirate flesh had, but it gave easily enough. The man looked at me in shock as his arms fell away. After recovering he started pulling at the rope still around his wrist, wanting it off. ¡°I¡¯m here to free you,¡± I said to the room as I moved toward the next man. He tried to stand, wanting to get his ropes cut as soon as possible, but I watched his knee shake before he fell, his other leg squelching into a pile of shit. ¡°Don¡¯t rush it. I¡¯ll get you all out,¡± I said, glad my helm hid the look of disgust at where the man was kneeling. I repeated the process two more times, yet as I sliced through the ropes of the fourth man, the others all started acting up. At the same time, something blocked out the light behind me. Turning as quickly as I could, but mindful of the Valyrian steel blade in my hand, I saw a pirate had entered behind me. My shield barely came up in time to deflect his axe as it moved toward my neck. I then kept it moving as I turned, pushing the weapon up and away. A screech echoed in the room as the metal of the axe scratched against the stone wall, and it was quickly followed by a pained howl as I drove Red Rain into his groin. I moved my blade back, planning to finish him off, however, two of the slaves that I¡¯d freed descended on him as he fell to the ground. Even with the painful, and likely fatal wound, he was able to push the men away, however, that left him exposed and I slammed my shield into his head. He crumbled to the floor, and before I could run him through to ensure he was dead, the men were back on top of him. Their strikes were weak and pitiful, but the fury in them was enough to have me step back. They needed this kill more than I did. The other six men were incensed as they watched their fellows wail on the pirate, and as I freed each of them, they joined in the cathartic beating. As the last joined the dogpile, I looked at the pirate as best I could. From the way his skull looked more like some fucked up work of art than a face, it was clear he was dead but that wasn¡¯t stopping the freed slaves. Nor did it make me interested in stopping them. I looked around the room and moved toward a door at the far side of it. One that led further into the small building. I could barely hear myself kick it open over the animalistic ritual going on behind me, and as I stepped through I grunted in annoyance. The room had no other exit and apart from what looked like a few sacks of grain, there was nothing of interest. Moving back to the first room, I saw the beating was still ongoing, though the intensity had lessened. ¡°Are there any more slaves?¡± I called out. As one the group turned, and I tensed. Their eyes were wild, and unhinged and for a moment I thought they might attack. Yet one, the first man I¡¯d freed seemed to see through the collective bloodlust and held out his arms to hold back the others. As they looked at him and slowly came out of their fury, he nodded. ¡°Where?¡± The man pointed out the door and then bent it around. ¡°Muphrg.¡± The sound that came from his mouth wasn¡¯t in any language I knew, nor did Comprehension translate it for me. I moved closer and frowned at what I saw. The man¡¯s tongue had been cut off, which explained why he couldn¡¯t tell me where to go, and why no one had spoken up when I¡¯d entered the room. I glared at what remained of the body on the ground, my anger spiking at what he and the rest of his fellows had done. If I found any alive, and if I could restrain myself, I¡¯d take them alive. The slaves could finish them off instead. ¡°The next building?¡± The man nodded at my words. ¡°Follow me out, and then make your way to the pier. We¡¯ve beached a ship there. Once we¡¯ve freed the others and cleared the buildings, if my knight, Prince Oberyn Martell, allows, we¡¯ll take you with us to Sunspear.¡± Many in the group reacted to hearing I was here with a Martell, and as many nodded a few fell to their knees. Tears began to flow as the group realised their terror was over. Though a few slaves looked at me hopefully, almost pleadingly, and as I remembered the girl I¡¯d seen before, I wondered how many of them had a family member in the other group. I moved forward, the group parting for me, and stepped back into the sun. After taking a moment to readjust to the bright light, I turned and marched to the next building. My blood boiled, desiring vengeance for what had been done to these people and wanting to free the rest of the slaves. The door to the third building was sturdier than the last, and a chain held it closed. That lasted only a few moments before I was able to slash through it with Red Rain, my anger leaving deep gouges in the stone wall where I¡¯d hacked at the makeshift lock. Before I could kick the door a groan drew my attention. I pivoted and marched toward the source, finding a wounded pirate crawling away from the beach, hoping to escape inland. With a snarl, I lifted Red Rain high and then drove it down, burying the top third into the ground as it pierced the man¡¯s skull like a hot knife through butter. Blood splattered into the air as I pulled my blade clear, and as I turned back to the third building, I slammed my armoured foot down on the man¡¯s back. The sound of bones breaking brought a smile to my face as I stormed toward the door, even as I tried to settle my rage. Those I expected to find inside didn¡¯t deserve my fury. Still, as I kicked the door open, the terror-filled screams that greeted my ears made it hard to stay calm. As did the sight that greeted me as I entered. Seven women, the youngest possibly younger than me, were, like the men before, tied to the walls. The difference here was that their ropes were secured to hooks above their heads. I grunted even as the women all crawled back at the empty rings in the room, and the dried pools of blood under them. Even though every fibre of my being wanted me to step back outside, to find any semi-breathing pirate and inflict untold pain upon them, I stayed where I was. Slowly, I lowered my blade and shield. While they couldn¡¯t see my face, I hoped the gesture might alleviate some of their fear. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not here to hurt you,¡± I said slowly, but loud enough that my voice carried over their panicked whimpers. I moved closer to the nearest girl, and she backed up, pulling hard enough on her bindings that I saw a trickle of blood slide down from her wrist. I stopped as I saw that, and took a moment to once more calm myself before I changed plans. While freeing these girls was important, I needed an outlet for my rage, and there was a door that led further into the building. I moved across the room quickly, keeping my blade and shield low to not scare the girls any further. Though I wasn¡¯t able to restrain my fury as I kicked the door hard enough that it broke from its hinges and clattered to the floor, drawing another round of frightened gasps from the girls. As I stepped onto the downed door, I growled in annoyance at finding the room beyond empty. That annoyance only grew as the next two rooms failed to provide an outlet for my rage. The third door, to what had to be the final room of the building, however, gave me an outlet. Unlike the other doors, this one was secured by two heavy chains, each sealed with a padlock. It took a few hacks with Red Rain ¨C due to the thickness of the chains ¨C to each before they lay at my feet. Kicking the door in, I stepped inside, curious at what needed to be kept locked away, and paused once bare inside. The room was small, perhaps five square metres, but it held three chests. The largest was about the length of my arm while the smallest could¡¯ve been hidden behind my shield simply by resting it on my arm. I knelt and flicked open the nearest chest and inhaled sharply. It was full of coin. A quick glance showed not all of it was Dragons and Stags. Some bore seals that I knew were coinage in the Free Cities while a few bore marks I didn¡¯t recognize. The other chests, once opened, revealed further treasure in the form of coin, trinkets, and other valuables. As I stood and moved out of the room, I wondered why a small base like this held such a pile of valuables. While they¡¯d likely targeted other passing ships, the haul here suggested they¡¯d hit more than just a few vessels. That had me wondering just how long this little base had been active, and if they might be linked to another, larger pirate operation somewhere on the Broken Arm or in the Stepstones. Those thoughts were pushed from my mind as I returned to the first room, and the girls present backed up again as I entered. I moved toward what looked like the oldest, though it was hard to tell as while they were better fed than the men, they weren¡¯t in great condition. ¡°Raise your hands,¡± I said softly but with enough weight that the woman knew she should obey. Her hands came up, shaking slightly as she watched me intently. There was fear and disgust in her eyes, which made sense even if I hated having it directed at me. I slid Red Rain between her wrists, letting it rest against her bindings and watched as a faint flicker of hope passed over her before she beat it down. That meant she¡¯d been here so long that she no longer expected to be rescued. That flicker returned as I pulled my blade through the rope. I took it slow, not wanting to hurt her any further, but the rope severed as the Valyrian steel dug in. Her hands fell to her side, and she blinked, not believing what had happened. ¡°I¡¯m the squire of Prince Oberyn Martell,¡± I said loudly as I looked around the room. ¡°The pirates that captured you are all dead or soon will be.¡± ¡°My lord?¡± The girl I¡¯d just freed from her bindings spoke, in a Valyrian dialect. ¡°Forgive me,¡± I replied in High Valyrian. While I didn¡¯t know where she came from, High Valyrian was understood by most in the Free Cities, so she and any other who didn¡¯t speak the Common Tongue of Westeros should understand me. ¡°I¡¯m the squire of Prince Oberyn Martell of Dorne. We¡¯re here, by chance, to free you.¡± The flicker of hope in her eyes exploded and she shuffled closer. I tensed as her hands came to rest against my cussies. As her head leaned against me, she started to whisper something. Even as she held onto me, as if scared I would somehow disappear, I saw the others were all leaning toward me, their arms outstretched as far as they could go, wanting their binds cut as well. ¡°I need to help the others.¡± The woman at my legs looked up, her eyes red and wet, and nodded. As she pulled back, I moved to the next girl. The moment her bonds were cut she scampered over to another. The pair held each other close and even through the dirt and abuse they¡¯d suffered; it was clear they were related. I moved to that girl and cut her bonds, allowing the pair to embrace properly. ¡°My lord,¡± I turned from cutting the ropes of the fourth girl to see the first had come close. She was standing near me, but her head was low, not willing to meet my eyes. A flash of rage burst through me at seeing the bruising on her face and body ¨C which like the others, was only covered by a simple dress that was torn enough to expose a good amount of skin ¨C but I pushed it aside. She and the others didn¡¯t deserve to be the focus of that rage. No, that would be reserved for the next pirate I met. Or barring that, the next fool I sparred with back in Sunspear. ¡°Th-there are other slaves¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already freed the men in the next building,¡± I cut in. Her expression brightened and I wondered who over there she was related to. ¡°While I know you want to see them again, it¡¯s better if we all exit together. The pirates should all be dead, but one or two might still be hidden.¡± ¡°Yes, my Lord.¡± She stepped away and I returned to freeing the slaves. Once that was done, and after I¡¯d escorted them to the pier, I prayed to the Old Gods there was still a living pirate in the cove. I wanted¡­ No, I needed to find a way to release the anger built up inside and pummelling the face of one of those responsible for this place felt like a good way to do that. ¡­ ¡­ I smiled back at Eirnela as she looked up at me. She was sitting on the pier beside her sister, Vorela, who was devouring some hard biscuits that had been unloaded from the Windchaser. Eirnela had been the girl who¡¯d scrambled over to another when I¡¯d cut her ropes, and the pair had stayed close to me ever since I¡¯d freed them. A few of the other slaves had been reunited with family members or friends, and all of them were sitting around the dock, or on the deck of the Windchaser enjoying their first meal as freed people. The crew was moving around, as were crewmembers from our two escort ships. While neither of them could enter the cove, as three ships was its limit, they¡¯d rowed in crew and supplies to help with the unexpected ¨C at least to most people ¨C discovery of slaves. The buildings had been looted of everything of value, and while I¡¯d have happily let the freed people burn them down, Oberyn and Larazar had been correct to say we couldn¡¯t. The cove offered refuge to those trying to ride out a storm, and taking away the buildings might mean life or death for the next ship that needed the cove¡¯s protection. Still, none of the freed people had shown any interest in the buildings once they¡¯d gathered on the docks. Well, save a few girls finding the bodies of particular pirates and pounding at them until they almost fainted from exhaustion. Movement on the Windchaser¡¯s deck drew my attention and I saw Ty and Alysanne moving among the group up there, handing out drinks. Nearby Beron, with Wylla at his side, was speaking with others. This might be the first time any of them, bar Ty, had needed to use Valyrian outside of their Maester¡¯s lessons. ¡°Cregan,¡± I turned at hearing my name called and saw Oberyn standing near where the pier met the beach with Ser Garhar and another knight from one of the escort vessels. He waved me over, and while like me, he and the other knights were still in armour, his helm was off and his shield back on the Windchaser. ¡°How are they doing?¡± ¡°About as well as they can.¡± I looked back at the slaves, catching Eirnela look away sharply. ¡°Though I doubt any will recover from their torment easily.¡± ¡°No, I doubt they will.¡± Oberyn paused and gave Ser Garhar and the other knight a nod. The pair returned it and moved away, heading to what remained of the loot pile that had formed near the pier. The chests I¡¯d discovered were already secured in my cabin, along with some other objects Oberyn had marked as valuable. The rest, which included some rugs and tableware that might have resale value, had been added to the general hold. ¡°Once they¡¯re fed, get them on board. We¡¯ll need some help to crew the captured ships, but the girls should be able to bunk on the Windchaser at least until we¡¯re out of the cove and can see about moving them around.¡± ¡°I¡¯d suggest making sure families and friends are kept together.¡± ¡°Yes, I already planned for that, which is why I¡¯ll leave distributing our new guests as you see fit,¡± he replied with a smirk. He looked at Ser Garhar as he and the other knight ¨C who I¡¯d yet to learn their name but was in the service of House Manderly ¨C helped carry the rest of the loot down the pier. ¡°Have you thought about what you¡¯ll do with your share?¡± I frowned, forgetting for a moment that the spoils of this battle, and the one at sea, would be shared out among us and the crew of the Windchaser. ¡°I¡­ I think I¡¯ll give it to the freed slaves. They¡¯ll need the help to start a new life, be that in Sunspear or elsewhere.¡± Oberyn looked past me, toward the ships. ¡°Aye, I think you¡¯re right.¡± He smiled as he looked back at me. ¡°Most wouldn¡¯t make such a choice. Only those with a good and noble heart would place the innocent before themselves.¡± He took a step toward me, his hand moving to his hilt. ¡°And your decision makes me more certain of mine. Kneel,¡± he commanded as he unsheathed his sword. I blinked, disbelieving what he was doing at first. Once I realised he was serious, I did as asked and knelt. Even as I looked down at the ground, my hand on my knee that wasn¡¯t on the ground, I hoped he wouldn¡¯t ask me to swear a vow to the Seven. ¡°Cregan Sand, do you swear, before the eyes of gods and men, to defend those who cannot defend themselves? To protect all women and children, to obey the commands of your captains, your liege lords, and your king. To fight bravely when needed and do such other tasks that are given, however hard, humble or dangerous they might be?¡± ¡°I do, my prince.¡± I tried to keep my voice calm, but a faint tremor of disbelief slipped into it. I felt his sword move over my head, coming close to my shoulders but not touching them. ¡°Then rise, Ser Cregan Sand, Knight of the Broken Arm.¡± As I rose, he gave me a wide smile and even as he re-sheathed his sword, clasped my arm. Behind us, as we hugged, I heard clapping. Once free of my father¡¯s grip, I turned to see several people, including most of the slaves, Ty and the others, had stopped what they were doing and were now cheering me. Eirnela took a step toward me, only to stop as Ymir barked. As he rushed down the deck plank, several of the slaves moved quickly to avoid the excited pup. I knelt again to greet him, laughing as he licked happily at my face. Above us, I heard a screech and looked up to see Rian swoop low, coming in to land on the bow of the Windchaser. Ty, Alysanne, Beron and Wylla all followed Ymir from the ship, and as I stood and moved toward them, I wondered how others would react to this. I was looking forward to rubbing it in Daemon¡¯s face that I¡¯d been knighted less than a moon before my fourteenth nameday. Daemon being knighted at nineteen was the more normal time someone was knighted, and while I didn¡¯t know of any who were knighted so young, I¡¯d earned the honour at a younger age than him. I suspected Arianne and Nymeria ¨C among others ¨C would have smiles to match Ty¡¯s and Alysanne¡¯s, while my mother would be happy, but want to know how I earned my title. Still, the barking at my leg made me suspect they¡¯d all be more interested in the story of how I¡¯d gained a direwolf than the details of a minor battle on the Dornish coast. I stepped toward Ty, smiling as I moved. While there was still a lot for us to sort through, seeing her smile so joyously again after several moons lifted a weight from my heart. She still had a ton of work to regain a place in my bed - and far more to regain my trust - but something told me she wouldn¡¯t be averse to trying. Nor I to her attempts. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ A Return Home A Return Home ... ... (Circa 296AC)
Standard Trait Point Gained! You have reached 15000 skill levels. This means you now have 1 StTP to spend. Good work! ¡­ Available Traits Current skill level total: 15001 This grants you 1 Standard Skill Point (StTP)). You have spent 1 StTP and 0 SpTP. StTPs are listed normally. SpTPs are underlined. ¡­ Traits available for purchase: Boosted Book Learning Boosted Craftsman Boosted Mana Boosted Stamina Earth Compatibility Greensight Gift of Tongues Necromancy Compatibility Over-boost Mana Over-boost Stamina Prophetic Dreams Shadow Compatibility Water Compatibility Wind Compatibility ... WARNING! Be aware that when selecting a trait, your body will go through some form of alteration on both a physical and mental level. Because of this, a time delay can be set for how long it takes for a change to initiate. For Standard Traits, this results in a loss of consciousness for a period ranging from three to ten hours. For Special Traits, this results in a loss of consciousness for hours to days, along with a varying but constant level of pain as your body undergoes some changes. NOTE: If two traits are chosen to activate at the same time, the timeframe for both is doubled and applied together. If three traits are taken at the same time, then the timeframe is tripled and applied together. ... As I read the notice, I couldn¡¯t help but smile. I¡¯d broken the fifteen thousand skill levels threshold during the attack on the cove. Yet, because of having to deal with searching the buildings, bringing the freed slaves onto our ships and then resuming our journey to Sunspear, I¡¯d held off on selecting one. Not least because even for a Standard Trait, I was looking at losing a minimum of three hours. Which was why I was only now re-opening the notice once I was in my cabin and ready to turn in for the night. Boosted Craftsman was the only change from the earlier list, replacing Boosted Martial Learning. The new choice granted improved learning of any non-combat skill that could be used in a trade. The wording was vague enough that many of my skills might well be covered by it, however, the majority of those weren¡¯t skills I was focusing on. That meant that of the remaining traits, I was back to the four that I¡¯d considered before taking Boosted Martial Learning. Those were Wind Compatibility, Earth Compatibility, Boosted Mana, and Gift of Tongues. Boosted Mana would be very useful even after whatever was restricting magic ended, but as I suspected that was the Red Comet - which was due in a few years - I wasn¡¯t in a major rush to grab it. Gift of Tongues had use for the long-term - as in after the war with the Others, if I survived - as it¡¯d allow me to learn any language quicker simply by hearing it, and was granted a further boost by Comprehension. The two that drew my attention the most were the magical compatibilities. Of those, the one for Earth Magic felt more esoteric in its use and thus far less combat oriented. Oh, I could see the benefits of being able to alter landmasses to create new areas or bring down walls, but based on how little I could do even with Fire Magic in the 90s, it would be years at best before that would be doable. That left Wind Compatibility as the obvious choice. Not only would it help with Wind Magic, but it had a natural synergy with Fire Magic. I had not heard much about it in Westeros; only hearing about it from stories of Oberyn''s time in Essos. The idea of generating firestorms large enough to take down cities - a power none short of a dragon rider could pull off - was not something to sneeze at. Yes, it would take time to get it to a point where that synergy would come into play, but being able to direct a gust of wind - one perhaps carrying dust - into the eyes of an opponent was a very useful concept for combat. Especially against those whose skill outmatched my own. Trait Selected! Wind Compatibility chosen. Are you certain? Yes/no ¡­ I rolled my eyes as I slid under the sheets of my bed. I understood why it had to ask, but it was annoying to have it confirm the choice when I¡¯d taken hours to consider it. Trait Confirmed! The user will be rendered unconscious for a minimum of four hours once Alignment is achieved. ... Alignment Commencing ... 5 ... 4 ... 3 ... 2 ... 1 ... ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ The sultry breath of the Dornish wind whispered through my long ebony locks, cascading down my frame, and caressed the silken fabric of my dark tunic. Standing atop the Windchaser''s deck, I observed as the seasoned harbour pilot skilfully gripped the wheel, expertly navigating us past a myriad of vessels moored within Sunspear''s bustling harbour. The maritime tapestry unfolded before my eyes, adorned with a symphony of bustling figures, diligently ferrying precious cargo back and forth the countless berthed ships. While the majority proudly hoisted sails enrobed in the vibrant hues of House Martell, a keen eye could discern a smattering of vessels bedecked in the vibrant sigils of Myr, Volantis, and even the shadow-laden banners of Braavos. In our wake, our duo of remaining escorts followed suit, steadfastly trailing behind, their looming forms signifying strength and vigilance. Accompanying them were the fruits of our triumphant endeavours, the spoils wrested from the clutches of the marauding pirates that had beset us amidst the tempest''s wrath. The larger of the two, having undergone a thorough cleansing, now cradled the emancipated souls once bound in chains, their lives forever transformed. As for the smaller vessel, it bore witness to the majority of the treasures pillaged from the forsaken cove, its concealed trove liberated from the clutches of those wretched pirates. I was standing near the pilot on the quarterdeck, though my attention was on the forecastle. There, Beron, Alysanne, and Wylla were looking around, arms out as they pointed at various parts of Sunspear and the Shadow City. With them were Ty, who was probably explaining details about the city and palace, and Ymir was hiding under some shade set up for him. At his side was a bowl with fresh water as, much like the northern children, he was struggling with the Dornish heat. While I planned to have his fur trimmed once we were in Sunspear, I wondered if he was staying there instead of with me more because of the attention the girls gave him rather than the shade. Then again, as Ty turned and looked back and our eyes met, I couldn¡¯t fault his logic. Once we were clear of the cove, and we were relatively certain we were safe from further attacks, Ty had shifted her clothing, adopting a clinging gown of pale blue samite with sleeves of Myrish lace that made her look as innocent as the Maid herself. Now, her clothing wasn¡¯t even close to being considered scandalous even based on general Westerosi standards, but it was far more revealing than what I¡¯d seen in the North. Part of that came down to climate, but even taking that into account, what Ty was wearing wasn¡¯t provocative. At least to me. Yet it seemed it was having an effect on Beron, which I found amusing, as did Alysanne and Wylla, though there was a hard look in Wylla¡¯s eyes whenever Beron looked at Ty. Far beyond that group, as we passed the last moored ship and came upon an empty pier, I saw a gathering waiting on land. Thanks to the boosted eyesight from Rian, I was able to make out those waiting there. Doran led the procession, with Arianne and Trystane at his side while Nymeria and Sarella stood behind their cousins. To Doran¡¯s right, I saw my mother, aunt, and Lady Ellaria, with the two oldest holding bundles and I had to assume that next to them would be Aliandra, my younger sister. Most likely she was holding Allyria¡¯s hand to keep her from running off. ¡°Happy to be home I take it?¡± Oberyn said as he stepped onto the quarterdeck. ¡°Or have you, even at this distance, managed to see a familiar face that you may have long missed after a year away?¡± ¡°Aye. Mother, my aunt, and Lady Ellaria. All seem to be holding something.¡± I chuckled at his smirk. ¡°Happy about your work I gather?¡± ¡°Yes. Though time seems to slow the closer we get before my wife, paramour and daughters are in my arms,¡± he replied as he came closer and clapped me on my shoulder. ¡°Perhaps you might check on those at the front. If their mouths stay open longer I fear my brother might die from the smell of whatever has crept inside those gaping maws.¡± I laughed at the image and then did as he asked. Time did feel as if it was slowing as the Windchaser moved alongside the empty pier and as I reached the forecastle, Beron turned to face me. His face was red as if he was out of breath. ¡°How much longer?¡± He all but whined, which made me laugh. ¡°Soon,¡± I replied with a chuckle. ¡°However, before you can escape the heat, we must greet Prince Doran, though formal introductions are not made on the docks. After that, and Guest Rights are invoked, we shall head to the palace. Once there, you will be out of the sun. I hope you grow accustomed to it soon, otherwise, you have several long, gruelling years ahead of you.¡± ¡°I shall likely be dead before we have to head home,¡± Wylla muttered, drawing a chuckle from Ty. My eyes moved to her, and she saw my glance and smiled. While I¡¯d yet to let her return to my bed, since leaving the cove, I¡¯d done as I¡¯d promised Alysanne and talked with my stepsister. She understood she wasn¡¯t getting back into my sheets instantly and was willing to pay the penance for her mistakes, which kept me smiling. The fact I¡¯d seemingly tamed her already was one hell of an ego boost, as were the doe eyes she affixed me with that promised her complete submission whenever I deemed her penance served and hauled her back to my side. The Windchaser shuddered and I turned to see we were now against the pier. Around the deck, members of the crew were moving to secure our moorings and preparing for the deck plank to be lowered. I moved down onto the main deck, quickly reaching Oberyn¡¯s side as he came down from the quarterdeck, and then once the plank was lowered, I followed a step behind him down onto the pier. As the crew started passing cargo over the railings, I followed him down the pier, the wood groaning as we walked, to the docks, where Doran Martell and his party awaited. I smiled at my mother and aunt, and if not for protocol would¡¯ve headed straight to them. I wanted to hug my mother, hold Aliandra, who was indeed next to Allyria, and meet my newest sister. Yet I couldn¡¯t, which was probably a good thing as Allyria¡¯s gaze, after taking in my changed appearance after a year away, reminded me far too much of Ty¡¯s ¨C at least when we¡¯d been together ¨C right before she decided it was time for bed. Yet, as my gaze landed upon the prince, I faltered. Beside Doran, Arianne fixed her gaze upon me, her eyes aflame with a passion that stirred the deepest recesses of my longing heart. By the gods, though her stature had not grown much during my year-long absence, the curves that had been blossoming when I departed were now fully formed. Her dress draped loosely upon her frame, yet clung sensuously to all the right contours. It was a garment that teased and tempted, promising forbidden delights. As she smirked in a manner that held the promise of divine ecstasy, I found myself swallowing hard. She might not bear the title of a true Sand Snake, but there was a perilous allure about her that surpassed any of Oberyn''s daughters. By the gods above, I was willing to risk it all for a mere taste of that tantalizing fruit. ¡°Brother, it is good to see you.¡± My eyes snapped from Arianne to see Oberyn greet Doran, the pair clasping arms and hands. ¡°Do my eyes deceive me, or have you grown livelier in my time away?¡± Doran chuckled as they held each other. ¡°Let us say that my daughter has taught me something that has¡­ reinvigorated me.¡± His gaze shifted to me for a moment before returning to Oberyn. ¡°However, we will speak on that later.¡± Oberyn nodded as they released each other. He stretched an arm back and gestured me forward. ¡°I¡¯m sure you remember my son, Ser Cregan Sand.¡± I lowered my head to Doran even as I heard murmurs from the group. "Ser now, is it?" Doran inquired, his voice laced with curiosity, as I lifted my gaze to meet his. "Could this newfound knighthood be somehow entwined with the fact that I despatched you northward, only to have you return not only with a wolf in tow but also a mermaid? And let us not forget the peculiar sight of two boats entering the docks, unfurling sails bereft of the colours that signify allegiance to either our noble House or the esteemed Manderlys of the North." Even if I couldn''t behold his countenance in its entirety, I could sense Oberyn''s lips curling with a mischievous delight. ¡°It is, dear brother, but I shall save the full details for the feast.¡± I turned as I heard someone step off the pier behind us, and smiled at the group that approached, which had Ty at the rear, one hand bunched in Ymir''s fur to keep him from racing forward. Oberyn did the same and then extended his arm toward the newcomers as he turned back to his brother. ¡°Brother, may I introduce, Beron of House Stark, Wylla of House Manderly and Alysanne Snow, the natural daughter of Lord Eddard Stark,¡± Oberyn stressed the word daughter as he stared at Alysanne, which I understood to be a reminder for her to not air her opinions on her parentage in such an open location. I looked back at Doran, wondering how he¡¯d react, but unlike the others ¨C who were looking over the newcomers with curious, and in some cases confused, eyes ¨C he seemed entirely unconcerned. Undoubtedly Oberyn had mentioned the trio in a raven he¡¯d sent from Gulltown, but it seemed Doran hadn¡¯t shared the information with anyone else. Not even his daughter and heir. I bit back a groan as Beron took a step away from his group. ¡°Prince Doran,¡± he began as he started though I stopped him from dropping to a knee by moving closer and gripping his shoulder. ¡°While I understand Northerners greet a lord or prince wherever they may be, in Dorne we prefer to keep such formalities to the court.¡± I turned back around, my grip on Beron loosening as he stopped descending. A faint smile was on Doran¡¯s face, so it seemed he wasn¡¯t upset by this, but I¡¯d still be having words with Beron. I literally just told him not to do that on the Windchaser. ¡°I¡­ my apologies, Prince Doran,¡± Beron began as I turned back to face Doran and his party. ¡°I meant no disrespe¡­¡± Beron¡¯s words trailed off but given Arianne had taken a step forward to be at Doran¡¯s side, and undoubtedly drew my cousin¡¯s gaze, I could understand why his tongue stopped working. Doran¡¯s smile grew as Beron fumbled his words, and he extended a hand toward Arianne. ¡°My daughter and heir, Princess Arianne.¡± The hand continued past Arianne though my eyes never left hers. ¡°and my youngest, Prince Trystane.¡± Even as Doran continued I found myself getting lost in Arianne¡¯s dark, mysterious eyes. However, before I could say or do anything, a whine came from behind me and her gaze shifted past me, with a smile following soon after. ¡°Aw, is someone hot?¡± She asked as she dropped to a knee, giving me a delightful view down her dress. Thankfully for me, her gaze stayed on Ymir as he walked forward. ¡°Aww.¡± He leaned into her hand, enjoying her touch and making me extremely jealous. ¡°What a delightful pup,¡± she looked up at Beron, ¡°though I don¡¯t think he enjoys the Dornish sun.¡± A weak laugh came from Beron. ¡°Is he yours?¡± ¡°No, he is Ser Cregan''s,¡± Beron replied, falling back into formality when faced with such beauty, behind us I heard a faint feminine grumble. However, my attention was taken by Arianne as her head whipped around to me. ¡°A gift from your uncle?¡± As I caught Doran and my mother, among others, also looking my way, I shared a look with Oberyn, then gave a slight nod to allow him the pleasure of revealing the truth. ¡°No, dear niece.¡± Arianne turned her head slightly but kept her eyes on me. ¡°Cregan found Ymir north of the Wall.¡± I saw my mother stiffen for a moment, making the bundle in her arms cry out. ¡°A wolf for a child of a Stark,¡± Doran commented as his eyes moved from Ymir to me. ¡°A suitable pairing.¡± I turned to Doran with a wide smile. ¡°Forgive me, My Prince,¡± I began, lowering my head. ¡°Ymir is no mere wolf. He, like his brother who is being raised by Rob Stark, is a direwolf.¡± I watched Doran and Arianne as they reacted to the news. While others, including my mother, took at least a half-step back, Doran¡¯s only reaction was the rising of his brow. Arianne, however, froze, and then with wide eyes, looked at Ymir as he pushed against her now still hand, seeking further attention.¡± He¡¯s mostly harmless. For now.¡± I added, which drew a faint ¡®eep¡¯ from someone in the crowd. After a few seconds of silence, in which my mother¡¯s expression turned from fear and shock to fury ¨C directed at both Oberyn and me ¨C Doran started to chuckle. He then fixed his brother with a gaze. ¡°I believe this should be the story you start with once the feast begins, brother.¡± His gaze passed over me and Ymir before reaching my mother. ¡°Though perhaps you might give us a brief accounting while we move to the palace. Otherwise, I fear neither you nor your son will arrive there safely.¡± I shared a laugh with Oberyn. ¡°As you say, dear brother, as you say.¡± With that, he moved forward, making a beeline for his wife and paramour. I glanced down at Arianne and offered my hand, which she took slowly, her eyes still wide as he looked down at Ymir. The direwolf whined at the loss of attention only to relax as Alysanne moved over and scratched his head. With Arianne¡¯s hand still in mine, I turned to face my mother. While she was greeting Oberyn warmly, there was cold fury in her eyes. A fury that, when they found me, promised a bollocking for going north of the Wall. Knowing I was reasonably safe from her rage for the moment, I moved closer to her, Ellaria, the bundles they carried, Allyria and Aliandra. While I¡¯d like to see Loreza, Ellaria¡¯s youngest, my attention was on my sisters. Aliandra was being held in place by my aunt, likely because at her age she didn¡¯t understand what a direwolf was, while her younger sister, whose name I still had to learn, was being gently rocked by my less-than-happy mother. With a princess in hand, and direwolf ¨C even a pup ¨C in tow, I doubted I¡¯d be subjected to that bollocking now, and even if I was, I¡¯d consider it a fair price to pay to see my sisters. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°The night is long, and the path is dark. Look to the sky, for one day soon, the dawn will come.¡± I moved around the hall, not letting my eyes linger as I sang. ¡°Bare your blade and raise it high. Stand your ground, the dawn will come.¡± The song was one I remembered from my old life, which ironically, worked very well for Dorne. Or at least for one House in particular. ¡°The night is long, and the path is dark. Look to the sky, for one day soon, the dawn will come. The night is long, and the path is dark. Look to the sky, for one day soon, the dawn will come.¡± I let my voice fade away, signalling the end of the song. Then, as applause erupted around the hall, I turned toward the head table and bowed deeply. When I lifted my head, my eyes weren¡¯t on Doran, but my mother. Since I¡¯d missed her nameday, and Allyria¡¯s as well, I¡¯d spent some time on the voyage south thinking on how to make that up to them. That was when I remembered that song from my former life, and after changing some of the lyrics, had chosen it as their present. Now, I hadn¡¯t planned to sing this at the welcome home feast, but Oberyn had given a brief overview of events that led to me gaining Ymir and getting knighted in the throne room, which well it had lessened her anger and worry had not dissipated it. When the feast had begun, he¡¯d retold both stories in full ¨C with embellishments ¨C for the hundred or so people gathered within. After that, and with my mother¡¯s eyes still glaring at me, I¡¯d stood and said I wished to speak. I¡¯d spoken directly to my mother and aunt, though I¡¯d not mentioned anything about my adventures, but how I was sorry for missing their namedays before launching into song. With that finished, I was relieved to see the fury in my mother¡¯s eyes was completely gone, replaced by delight which matched the radiant smile she granted me as I looked at her as she sat at the head table. I glanced toward where Allyria was, though my gaze didn¡¯t linger as the gaze she gave me sent all sorts of thoughts running through my head, ones that I knew I shouldn¡¯t be having about my aunt. However, the desire in her eyes were nothing compared to the inferno of need I saw in Arianne¡¯s eyes as my gaze. The way her hands gripped the table, and she bit her lip, I was sure that if we weren¡¯t in the hall with a hundred sets of eyes upon us ¨C including our parents ¨C she¡¯d have leapt at me like a snake striking at its prey. Gods, the fleeting moment when I¡¯d met her gaze had me gripping the side of my trousers to keep me from doing anything. ¡°Wonderful, truly wonderful,¡± Doran said as he, along with many others, stood and applauded. ¡°I see that while your voyage has been long, your ability to entertain has not diminished,¡± he added with a wide smile. ¡°Would you not agree goodsister?¡± He asked as he turned to my mother, who was sitting two places to his left, on the other side of Oberyn. With tears in her eyes, my mother nodded. ¡°Yes, My Prince.¡± Beside her, Aliandra looked up, confused at our mother¡¯s reaction and the clapping going on, though that didn¡¯t stop her from clapping along with everyone else. ¡°If it can be arranged, I would dearly like to take Cregan back to Starfall so he might sing that for the rest of our family.¡± ¡°Would you agree with that, Lady Allyria?¡± At Doran¡¯s words, my eyes moved toward the other side of the head table, passing by Arianne as quickly as I could for fear of becoming lost in her eyes. At the table closest to the head one on the left side sat Allyria. Her gaze though was less intense than Arianne¡¯s. With her sat many of Arianne¡¯s handmaidens and other young nobles fostering in Sunspear, including Jelissa and Barrian Forester. While most of the males were clapping, it was the way almost every lady, from those just hitting adulthood to those at and beyond my mother¡¯s age, was looking at me that made me pause. A thought that if I failed to lock my door tonight, I might have several guests enter for further entertainment. While the idea was appealing, I wasn¡¯t sure they would be willing to share, and I had little interest in being fought over like a prime steak. Yet, if the choice had to be made, there was little doubt in my mind that I¡¯d take my aunt before any other at the table. She had all my mother¡¯s beauty and none of the issues of being so closely linked to me as her. ¡°I would, My Prince,¡± Allyria responded before licking her lips as she held my sight. ¡°Though I would not mind hearing it again this very night.¡± I chuckled weakly at the comment even if I knew she didn¡¯t mean hearing it in this hall. To save myself from doing something I might regret ¨C at least in present company ¨C I offered my aunt a deep bow. ¡°I would gladly sing it again for my most radiant aunt. However, if she might permit, I would first like to have some drink and food. My throat is a touch dry, and I fear if I fail to eat soon, I might miss out on the resplendent feast the prince has arranged for us.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure others would gladly let you feast upon them!¡± Laughter filled the hall at Oberyn¡¯s words, and most of the ladies in my sight blushed at his implication. Though several men with or near them gave him dark glares. ¡°If time permits,¡± Doran began once the laughter died down, ¡°and if he is willing, I am sure Cregan will delight us with another song. For now, we shall let the arranged entertainment take over.¡± I bowed in thanks to Doran, who lifted his goblet in acknowledgement, and then made my way toward my table. Since I¡¯d been knighted, I had been offered a seat at the table with my aunt, or even the head table. However, to avoid issues that might arise of implied favouritism, I¡¯d chosen to stay at the table with the Sand Snakes and Alysanne. That was still an important table, being the one closest to the head table on the right, but it kept me out of reach of my aunt, and away from Arianne¡¯s gaze. As I sat, Ty smiled warmly at me and slid her hand onto mine. I could feel the fire inside her, one that had no doubt increased after my rendition. However, while I gave her a warm smile back, I pulled my hand from hers. I couldn¡¯t deny that I missed having her in my bed, but I wasn¡¯t ready or willing to accept her back into my arms; not least as my trust in her was still shattered. That said, I knew that at some point in the next moon, we were going to have a long talk about events when we left Winterfell. Both her choices and my over-reactions that stemmed from them. Though all that depended on how Doran reacted once he¡¯d had time to speak with and process Oberyn¡¯s report of our voyage. Her smile slipped for a moment as I pulled free of her grasp, and I turned my attention to the others at our table. As my eyes drifted over, I saw Nymeria and Asha sitting there. While the Ironborn girl was intent on not meeting my gaze, Nymeria held it as she lifted a slice of lamb and then sucked the juice from her fingers. I chuckled at the action even as, to Nymeria¡¯s other side, Alysanne¡¯s face matched Sansa¡¯s hair as she struggled to look at me. That had me wondering just what Nymeria and the others had said while I¡¯d been singing, or what thoughts were drifting through my cousin¡¯s mind. To her side sat Sarella, who while enjoying her food, was more interested in a sheet of parchment. While that was what I¡¯d expected, I was glad she hadn¡¯t brought the book I¡¯d had copied for her in Winterfell ¨C one detailing the history of House Stark from Brandon the Builder through to Torrhen Stark. The rest of the table was filled with other Sands or Orphans of the Greenblood who had a place of prominence in the Martell household such as Ambre who was a handmaiden to Arianne. Most smiled warmly at me, though as with other tables, a few males gave me a cold look when a female near them smiled my way. ¡°You know Daemon is burning a hole in your head, right?¡± I turned back to Nymeria as she spoke, seeing an amused smile dancing on her lips. She gestured over my shoulder with her goblet, and I turned. After tearing my gaze away from Arianne, who was staring at me even before I turned, I saw that behind her, Daemon looked infuriated with me. Or more likely the attention I was getting from Arianne and the other ladies in the hall. I picked up my goblet and raised it to Arianne while giving her a wide smile. The one she sent back made me glad I was sitting as I suspected my knees would¡¯ve buckled under the intensity of her desire. Still, the gesture had the desired effect as I saw Daemon¡¯s knuckles turn white as he gripped the hilt of his blade. I still owed him for that day in the yard several years ago, and while being knighted younger and for a better reason than him certainly helped soften my distaste for him, the fact Arianne had eyes only for me was something I¡¯d enjoy holding over him for a long time yet. ¡°Hey!¡± I turned back to my table at Alysanne¡¯s whispered shout. When I looked at her, I felt something land on my lap. Looking down, I saw Ymir had leapt up from under the table ¨C likely hitting Alysanne in the process ¨C and before he could lick my face, I pushed his head down and stroked him. As others laughed, I smiled at Alysanne, though this only made her cheeks redder, and she looked intently at her plate and the spiced duck upon it. ¡°Do you plan to break every heart you see?¡± Nymeria asked, giving me a semi-gentle kick to my shin. I smirked at her even as I pulled some meat from my plate and held it for Ymir to eat. ¡°I will if it includes yours,¡± I shot back with a smirk as my eyes drifted to the hem of her dress, and the bountiful treasure it barely held in reserve. She laughed and shook her head even as Asha gave me a confused look. ¡°Careful, little pup,¡± Nymeria began once she¡¯d stopped laughing. ¡°You are not ready to handle all this,¡± she ran a finger along the hem of her dress, drawing my eyes to her chest, ¡°just yet.¡± The fingers gently tugged on the hem, exposing more of the delights hidden within ¡°Walk before you can run.¡± I looked back at her face and smirked. ¡°First off, there is nothing little about me anymore. Just ask Ty.¡± Beside me, I heard Ty cough into her drink. ¡°And as you well know, I have always been a fast learner, but most importantly,¡± I shifted my gaze to Asha, ¡°what is life without a little danger?¡± Asha blinked, entirely caught out by my comment even as Nymeria laughed loudly and slapped the table. ¡°Down boy,¡± Nymeria remarked even as she smiled and let her eyes wander over my frame, spending time on the open section of my tunic and the developing chest underneath. ¡°Did you write a song for me?¡± Reluctantly I turned from Nymeria and looked past Ty. The question had come from their younger sister Elia. At her side was Obella while opposite on the table sat Ellaria and young Loreza in her arms with Dorea between her and Asha. ¡°I might have, but I need food and drink first.¡± I smiled warmly as the girl of nine tried to pass me her plate. She pouted and, along with Obella, gave me puppy dog eyes, wanting me to sing for her. While those eyes had some effect, since I¡¯d grown up around older and more skilled users of that move, it wasn¡¯t enough to do anything but make me laugh. ¡°Later, though perhaps not tonight. However, if you behave then I shall sing for you both tomorrow at the latest. Perhaps even ones designed specifically for you.¡± Their eyes widened and after sharing a look and giving me wide smiles, they returned their attention to their plates. Ellaria laughed at their behaviour and before lifting something for Loreza, offered me a smile of thanks. I nodded in reply and then turned my attention to my plate, chunks of roasted snake, prepared in a sauce of dragon peppers and snake venom with flatbread. While the food had cooled since I¡¯d picked it ¨C mainly because I¡¯d stood and sung ¨C it was still warm and spicy. Honestly, I¡¯d not been the biggest fan of such dishes in my former life, but with little choice but to develop a taste for them in Dorne, and after a year away, I realised I¡¯d developed a taste for them, along with other Dornish delicacies. ¡­ ¡­ This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. I looked around the hall several hours later and noted that not only had about half the guests left for the evening, but those who were left had moved around. Case in point being the extra dozen or so people who¡¯d come to my table as time had passed. Ellaria had long since left along with her daughters, though Elia and Obella had heavily complained about not getting to stay and hear more of my tales. As my eyes passed over the head table and saw that Oberyn and my mother had left as well, I fought back a yawn. Beron was worse off as his head was currently on the table while Wylla¡¯s face was redder than likely healthy as she tried and failed to rouse my cousin from his slumber. Even as I watched, I saw Doran wave over Jory Cassel and a knight of House Manderly and had to assume they¡¯d be tasked with getting the young pair to their beds. Just as I turned back to my table, I saw Arianne grant me a smile before leaning toward her father. As she stood, I looked at the two dozen faces around the table. ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me, I think I¡¯ll retire for the evening.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t regale us with another tale of the North?¡± That came from Audrey Dalt who was one of those who¡¯d come over to our table. The younger brother of Lord Dalt was sitting close to Jelissa Fowler, though given the way her blue eyes watched my every move, I doubted he¡¯d have much luck pursuing her this night. ¡°Tomorrow, perhaps.¡± I stood, and when Alysanne moved to follow I waved her off. While I knew Alysanne wasn¡¯t going to follow me to my room, I wanted her to stay at the table and mingle. Nymeria was still there and seemed quite happy to take my cousin under her wing, though hopefully not to her bed on her first night in Sunspear. ¡°The trip has been a long one, and I have longed to return to a proper bed and rest.¡± I felt a hand on mine and looked down to see it was Ty¡¯s. ¡°Wo-would you like some company?¡± I leaned down, ignoring the regret and small flash of anger in her eyes that just about drowned out her yearning. ¡°No, stay and enjoy yourself,¡± I whispered. ¡°I am far from ready to forgive you for your actions, and the breach of trust you brought forth.¡± Even with my harshly whispered words, I still kissed her cheek. ¡°Though, know that I do still care for you and hope you might one day regain my trust.¡± She shivered as I pulled back, and her hand came up and gripped my hair. ¡°Whatever it takes,¡± she said loud enough that I saw some turn our way even as I got lost in the desire burning in her eyes. ¡°I¡­ I, lo¡­¡± I brought a finger up and placed it on her lips. ¡°I know,¡± I said with a smirk before kissing her forehead, which drew coos of delight from a few at the table. ¡°Stay and enjoy yourself,¡± I repeated loud enough that others could hear. There was an urge to kiss her lips, to claim her publicly as mine, yet I knew that would only give her a false belief that I was ready to forgive her. Thus, I pushed aside the urge I felt for her. With a smile, I brushed a stray bang of hair from her face and then stood and turned. The look in her eyes as I did made me go weak in the knees, as for the first time I saw something more than just lust and desire, and if I gazed at it for a second longer, I might not be able to resist her much longer. I gave the table one last look, noting that Sarella had slipped away, and if not for her drawing her fingers over my shoulder when she¡¯d done so, I¡¯d have not known when. Of course, her doing that had drawn a knowing smirk from Nymeria and had my mind wandering to just how many Sand Snakes I might one day bed. Asha was still next to Nymeria, the pair leaning into each other, and their faces reddened from several dozen goblets of wine. My mind wandered for a moment, wondering just what that pair got up to together, and Nymeria, seeing my face, smiled before reaching over and pulling Asha closer. Around them were various others, such as Audrey Dalt, Jynessa Blackmont, my aunt Allyria, Barrian and Jelissa Fowler and two more ladies-in-waiting of Arianne¡¯s that were new since my return; Keynna Plunder and Helna Troter. As I gave each a farewell glance, many of the women, and several men, gave me knowing or blushing smiles. While I had little interest in the men, I wondered how many of the ladies would be willing to take things further than flirtatious glances and suggestive tones. The only two ladies whose gazes didn¡¯t hint at any potential for more came from Alysanne and Asha. After giving Doran a bow and being excused, I slipped away, moving past the guards at the entrances, heading toward my room and the first fresh, clean bed in months. However, no more than ten metres from the hall, a hand reached from the darkness and started pulling me. On instinct, I moved, twisting and pulling the hand toward me. Even as a feminine squeal slipped from my attacker¡¯s lips, I pulled my dagger from my belt and raised it to their throat as I pushed them against the far wall. Yet, before the blade could find flesh, I stopped as I remembered I was un Sunspear and not dealing with pirates; or a girl who¡¯d broken my trust. I gasped in shock as the tip of my blade rested mere centimetres from Arianne¡¯s cheek. In shock, I released my hold and stumbled back, lowering the dagger. ¡°P-princess, I¡­ I swear I did not know it was you,¡± I spat out as I fell to a knee, my eyes seeking the floor. I knew she¡¯d never attack me, but I¡¯d reacted without thinking and almost killed the heir to Sunspear and Dorne; an action that would¡¯ve cost me my head. And all because my mind was preoccupied with Ty and my body was still wired from battle. One dainty, gentle hand came under my chin and lifted my gaze. Arianne smiled down at me. ¡°It is already forgiven,¡± she said softly as she leaned down. ¡°It was my fault for shocking you so.¡± Her grip commanded me to stand, and I did, leaving me towering over her. ¡°I forgot you had seen battle less than a moon ago and would be on edge.¡± As I looked down at her, drinking in her gaze as her hand rested against my chest, catching on the tie of my tunic, I felt my heart skip a beat. I¡¯d grown while away, and now her head barely reached my chest and I felt that if I hugged her fully, she¡¯d disappear. She gazed up at me, the light of the torches dancing in her eyes, making them seem alight with flames that tempted me closer, daring me to tame it. Arianne smiled at me, her eyes drifting to where her hand rested, and then lower still, before returning to my face. ¡°Still, I now have your attention.¡± Her hand gripped my tunic and pulled me down. Before I knew it, my lips were pressed against hers, the faint hints of wine and spice from the meal mingling with whatever scent she¡¯d applied when last she¡¯d bathed. Before I could return the kiss, she pushed me back, and her hand moved to my wrist. With a smile that promised everything, she stepped into the dark from whence she¡¯d come, and I let her pull me along. The smile grew as she saw me follow, and we slipped behind a tapestry, entering a hidden passage. My eyes followed her frame even in darkness, watching with delight as her hips shifted with each step she took. As we passed some light, she turned and looked back, a grin that promised much coming to her lips as she caught me admiring her. I smiled as I recognized the next passage as the one that led to the royal chambers. While I¡¯d explored many of these passages with Kaa, most I¡¯d not moved down directly, so it was hard to place where we were until we entered the final leg. As we neared the light, she paused and slipped her head out. After glancing each way ¨C while my eyes tried and failed to not take in the delightful shape of her arse ¨C she pulled me into the light and then pushed me into her room. As I stumbled forward, I heard the door close and after regaining my balance and turning I saw her close the latch, trapping me within. When she turned to me, a seductress¡¯s grin on her face and then swayed forward, I fell back into a chair at the table in the centre of the room. I gulped as one hand went to a shoulder and slowly, teasingly, pulled the dress she wore down her arm. Once clear of her hair, I watched transfixed as she undid the clasp. The dress fell to the floor, leaving her in nothing but what the Gods gave her, and as she stepped out of the crumbled mess on the ground, my eyes wandered over every inch they could see. ¡°I wonder if you know how long I have waited for this,¡± she said as she swayed toward me, my eyes spoilt for choice. ¡°How long I have dreamt of this moment.¡± As she reached my chair, she leaned forward, her hands touching the armrests as her hair fell, blocking my sight to most of her, save her face. ¡°I wished to go north with you, to share your first time with Tyene, but I could not.¡± I almost jumped as her fingers slid over mine, reaching the cuffs of my tunic. ¡°Each night since you left, I have gone to sleep dreaming of what passion we may share once you returned.¡± She licked her lips as she slipped onto my lap, leaving nothing between me and her but my clothes. ¡°And woken each morn wondering, hoping that today would be the day my wolf would return to me.¡± Her lips pressed against mine as her fingers travelled up my arms. My hands moved to grip her arse as I inhaled her scent once more. Her lips spread, granting me entrance to her mouth as her fingers travelled up my tunic while my hands squeezed her delightfully firm backside. She broke the kiss just as my tongue slid into her mouth and then flicked my tongue with hers. ¡°My wild wolf,¡± she breathed huskily. ¡°OH!¡± She exclaimed as I stood, her frame no challenge to stop me from reaching my feet. Her legs slid around my waist as my arms supported her frame. ¡°My Princess,¡± I growled back before reclaiming her lips. Her fingers tugged desperately at the tie for my tunic as I walked forward, taking slow steps as I fought to keep any of my attention on anything but her. ¡°To the left,¡± she whispered into my ear with a nibble, as she broke the kiss for a moment before her lips once more crashed against mine. I turned and moved slowly, following her direction even as her fingers loosened the tie and slid over my chest. As the door to her bed chamber neared, I reluctantly lifted one hand from her rear and pushed it fully open. As I stepped inside, it returned, eliciting a faint squeak of delight from her. Once at her bed, I lowered her down. As our lips parted, she pulled at my tunic, dragging it over my head. As my vision returned, I saw her sliding up her bed toward the pillows. My eyes drank in everything she displayed with nothing hidden from my sight. ¡°Show me,¡± she dared with a wide, wanting smile, ¡°what a wolf can do.¡± I placed a knee on the bed, my hands already on her shins. If she wanted to wake the wolf, to see what I could do, I intended to show her until she begged for mercy. Mercy that, if I wasn¡¯t sated, I may not grant. ¡­ ¡­ I woke slowly, adjusting to the light that had leaked into the room. Feeling a weight on my chest, I lifted my head and smiled widely. Resting there, draped over one side of my body, was Ari. Her face was covered by dark locks that were matted together while one arm reached over my chest and rested on my shoulder furthest from her. Ari¡¯s head rose and fell in time with my breathing, and after brushing back enough hair, I saw a satisfied smile etched on her face. A smile spread over my face as I took in her sleeping form as memories of last night came flooding back. Whereas Ty was docile once I¡¯d shown interest, and happily submitted to my demands, Ari was more forceful. Or at least she was until after she came. After that, I held her down and ravaged her, taking control until I was sated. By the time we¡¯d passed out, she¡¯d become little more than a mewling, pliable kitten in my arms. I gasped as her leg shifted, causing blood to rush to my groin, though my reaction didn¡¯t seem to wake her. I smirked as an idea of how to rouse her came to mind. Slowly, carefully, I shifted, sliding free of her body and rolling her onto her back. A murmur of disapproval slipped from her lips, but I countered that by giving her my pillow to hold. Then, once she was lying free of me, I pulled the sheets lower, exposing all of her to the morning air. I shifted down the bed, moving slowly to not rouse her early. ¡°Morning.¡± I leapt and spun to face the voice, one arm cocking back ready to strike. Yet, as I saw the source of the voice, a groan slipped from my lips. ¡°Damnit Nymeria!¡± I growled out as I relaxed my fist and then ran the hand down my face. ¡°Are you trying to give me a heart attack?¡± I asked as I took several slow, deep breaths to lower my heart rate. Nymeria¡¯s smirk turned into a grin. ¡°No, though given where your blood is pooling, I can understand why that might happen. And from the sounds last night, I feared what you were doing to my dear cousin.¡± She took a sip from a goblet in one hand even as her eyes trailed down my frame. I groaned as I realised that because I¡¯d moved the sheets to wake Ari, I was lying there without a stitch of clothing. ¡°However, from what I am seeing, I can see why she was so vocal.¡± She licked her lips as her eyes focused on my groin. Chuckling, I flicked my hips, making her eyes widen a touch. ¡°See something you like?¡± I asked a little smugly. As her grin grew, so did more blood flow to my groin. ¡°Oh yes, I do,¡± she lowered her goblet and licked her lips before leaning forward. ¡°I admit I was curious if Tyene was being truthful last night about your¡­ abilities. I doubted her claims about your skill with a sword, but seeing you now, I am gladdened to learn she was not overplaying your abilities.¡± Even with Ari lying behind me, I couldn''t resist flirting. Yet, as my mouth opened to retort, I hissed as something slid over my leg and gripped my groin. ¡°I had not heard her stories,¡± Ari said slowly as her chin came to rest on my thigh, ¡°however he is certainly skilled with a blade.¡± I hissed again as her tongue flicked out and caught my skin. ¡°Among other things.¡± My arm near her moved, and my hand moved toward her, wanting to cup her cheek. Yet as my fingers neared, she turned and sucked deeply on my fingers. As her eyes met mine, and a wicked smile spread over her active lips, I felt more blood flow to my groin even as her hand started to move. She pushed my fingers from her mouth with her tongue, and after kissing the tips, turned to her cousin. ¡°Do you want to test him yourself?¡± She asked huskily. My eyes widened before snapping to Nymeria even as I choked on Ari¡¯s words. I knew she was close to her cousins and had even likely bedded Nymeria and Ty ¨C and possibly a few of her handmaidens ¨C but I was in shock at her inviting Nymeria to her bed the night after I¡¯d fucked her to sleep. Nymeria laughed loudly, some wine spilling from her goblet. ¡°Yes, sweet cousin, I do.¡± I felt my heart race and wondered just how she compared to Ty and Ari. ¡°But not today.¡± She stood, and my eyes took in her clothing or lack thereof. All she wore was a simple dress that was thin enough that I didn¡¯t have to strain to see anything underneath. ¡°I have a¡­ meeting,¡± she gave me a wicked look there, ¡°with Asha and Allyria that I¡¯d rather not be late for.¡± That had my mind wandering places, which might¡¯ve been why she flicked my forehead. ¡°Down boy. Not that sort of meeting.¡± She and Ari laughed even as she tapped her chin. ¡°Well, not unless things go well, I suppose.¡± She laughed again even as Ari¡¯s hand continued its ministrations. She turned and smiled at Ari. ¡°For today, I leave the not-so-little wolf in your capable hands.¡± I snorted at the slight compliment even as Ari¡¯s hand sped up. ¡°Careful now. I doubt you want to wear him out before breakfast.¡± Ari lifted her head and smiled. ¡°He wore me out.¡± I saw Nymeria¡¯s brow rise a fraction at that. ¡°And do not take too long to test him. He is a remarkably skilled and compassionate swordsman.¡± Her warm breath on my groin made me moan. ¡°See?¡± She said with a giggle as I reacted as expected. Nymeria laughed and when I looked at her again, she¡¯d moved closer to the bed. ¡°Yes, he certainly has potential.¡± Her fingers grazed over Ari¡¯s, making me shiver in delight. ¡°Still, for now, he is yours, though I feel my sister will wish to join you tonight.¡± With that, Nymeria turned and left the room. My eyes followed her, glued to the way she swayed and the thin robe she wore held her ample curves. As the door to the bedchamber closed, Ari shifted, and I returned my attention to her. For a moment I worried she¡¯d be angry at me for watching her cousin while she pleasured me, but the smile she gave was one full of care and desire. ¡°Later you can sample that with me,¡± she breathed as she pushed herself up my body. ¡°For now, you are mine.¡± Her lips pressed against mine as she draped herself over my chest. One hand played with my chest while the other continued its actions lower down. My hands slid to her waist, to her spine and then lower, toward her burning, fiery core. I pulled my head back, breaking the kiss and smirked. ¡°No, you are mine,¡± I growled out before diving to her neck. She moaned delightfully as I bit down gently, then gasped as I rolled her over, resuming my position as the dominant partner. It seemed I still had work to do in making her understand she was nothing but putty for me to mould as I desired. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I moved slowly as I stepped into Doran¡¯s solar. It was two days since our return to Sunspear, and bar some time spent showing Beron, Wylla and Alysanne around, and emerging for meals, this was the first thing I¡¯d done that hadn¡¯t taken place in Ari¡¯s chambers. I¡¯d been summoned not long after breakfast and as I saw Doran sitting on the other side of a large table with a polished marble surface, with Oberyn at his side, a goblet in hand, I gulped. The pair watched silently as I took a seat on the guest side of the table, and I waited patiently for one of them to begin. I doubted I was in trouble for bedding Ari, as it had been her who took the initiative, but if I was, I had an idea of what to expect. As I was but a bastard, I wouldn¡¯t be marrying Arianne. Hells, if not for the fact I suspected Doran planned to have her marry Viserys ¨C a match that would never work, even ignoring his hopefully unchanged fate ¨C I¡¯d have been surprised that she wasn¡¯t already wed. She was eighteen, and it must be causing questions that she¡¯d not been wed to a suitable trueborn male. Still, while I might be a bastard, I was one from two noble houses, both of which dated back to the Age of Heroes, and with Oberyn knowing of my magic, had better standing than someone like Daemon. ¡°Do you know why you were summoned?¡± I shook my head and Doran frowned. ¡°Not even a hint?¡± ¡°I have some My Prince, but I would prefer to not suggest one and be proven wrong.¡± Or get myself into trouble I could avoid. Doran nodded, though his expression stayed impassive, and he glanced at Oberyn. ¡°I see he has gained some humility and patience on your latest adventure.¡± Oberyn chuckled before taking a sip of his goblet. ¡°No, I suspect it may be more because he hopes to avoid any discussion of him being taken to bed by Arianne these last two nights.¡± My eyes widened as he took another sip. I suspected that was going to come up, but I hadn¡¯t realised it was semi-common knowledge that we were together. ¡°My niece is not as clever as she thinks,¡± Oberyn explained after his sip. ¡°The passages she uses to sneak you to her chambers are watched by family servants. Plus, the sounds coming from her room, and her rather vocal exclamations of your name left your mother in little doubt about what was going on.¡± My eyes threatened to explode as he mentioned my mother had overheard us. Since she stayed in that corridor with Oberyn ¨C as did Doran ¨C I knew they¡¯d have to pass by her room at times, but I hadn¡¯t realised Ari had been that vocal. ¡°Though I feel you have more to fear from Arianne¡¯s sworn shield than Ashara. Daemon has not quite come to terms that the princess chose you as her toy over him.¡± I smirked at hearing that, only to wipe it from my face. I was sitting in a room with Ari¡¯s father and uncle, so taking pleasure in besting Daemon over Ari wasn¡¯t a smart move. Still, provided I survived this meeting, I would enjoy holding that over Daemon, maybe even mentioning it to provoke an attack. While he was still a better fighter than I, Red Rain offered an advantage that he wouldn¡¯t be able to counter easily. The idea of mentioning to Oberyn that I¡¯d bedded his niece and one daughter ¨C with another likely as Nymeria was being quite clear that she wanted a taste ¨C did pass through my thoughts. However, I knew this wasn¡¯t the place to joke about that, or if there was truly a safe place to do so. His promise of what would happen if I broke Ty¡¯s heart still echoed around my head and I knew it covered Nymeria and Ari also. ¡°To put your mind at ease, I have no complaints about Arianne taking you as a paramour. However, you do understand that one day, perhaps soon, she will be wed to someone worthy of her station?¡± I nodded. ¡°Good, then I have no problem with the relationship continuing. However, it would be better if, once she is wed, you maintain some distance until an heir to Sunspear is secured.¡± ¡°Yes, My Prince.¡± I lowered my head as I spoke. Doran giving his blessing for what we had now was more than I¡¯d expected, so I wasn¡¯t going to ruin it. However, I gripped the armrests of the chair tighter, reining in my anger at the idea of another man touching Arianne. Never mind bedding her. She was mine, and I¡¯d do what it took to ensure she remained mine alone. Viserys was several years from Westeros, provided he lived at all, so I had time to improve my lot. Still, this was one of those rare occasions where my choice to not be born trueborn was a hindrance instead of a help. Yet, in the grand scheme, the ability to move around without being bound tightly to a house or location because of responsibilities still felt more useful than a trueborn status. ¡°I did not summon you due to my daughter''s interest, otherwise we would have spoken before your return to Winterfell.¡± I looked up and saw a faint smile on Doran¡¯s face, making clear he¡¯d known of the attraction between Ari and me for a while. ¡°No, I summoned you because of that voyage, and the events that transpired upon it.¡± He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the polished table. ¡°Beginning with how you deduced my intent to have a son of Lord Eddard Stark to foster in Sunspear.¡± A smile came to my face at hearing that and saw Oberyn was smirking. ¡°As I told my father in Winterfell, My Prince, it was not due to somehow learning how your thoughts unfold. I simply worked through reasons why my father was prepared for a voyage to the North before we left for the tourney at Gulltown. That we were expected in White Harbour added fuel to the idea that this part of our voyage was planned, thus I began to consider why he would head to Winterfell. Or more accurately, why would you send him.¡± ¡°And why did I send both of you?¡± Doran¡¯s tone made it impossible for me to know what he was thinking, and nothing in his expression helped. The man was highly skilled at keeping his feelings in check. ¡°To improve the standing of Dorne, at least within the Seven Kingdoms.¡± Doran stayed quiet, which I took to mean he wanted me to explain. ¡°Since the Rebellion, Dorne has been distant from the rest of the Kingdoms. More so than it has been historically. With the current king not being one that Dorne backed, it appears as if we have stayed away from the rest of Westeros. Except, possibly, because of me and my link to Lord Eddard Stark. Ironically, my uncle is close to the King, perhaps more so than his brother since they both fostered with Lord Jon Arryn. By allowing me to stay in Winterfell for a year, and then granting your blessing for Obara to marry Benjen Stark, you have aligned Dorne with the North without, perhaps, appearing to move closer to the throne and the houses that control it. By gaining Beron to foster, those links grow stronger, something the Lord Hand, Jon Arryn, no doubt approves of.¡± I knew there was more going on than just that, but revealing anything further would plus the bounds of credulity, and if Doran grew concerned, might mean a stay in the cells until I revealed how I knew what were meant to be private thoughts. I sat quietly, waiting for Doran¡¯s response. First, though, he seemed content to search my face, as if wondering how I¡¯d come to my conclusions, and possibly considering if there was more that I knew or suspected. ¡°That is true,¡± he said slowly after what felt like ages but was no doubt only a few minutes. ¡°Though I never expected to also be fostering Lord Stark¡¯s bastard daughter, nor a daughter of Lord Manderly.¡± A small smile came to his face. ¡°An unexpected boon I understand you are in some way responsible for.¡± ¡°My Prince?¡± I felt he was hinting at Alysanne¡¯s doubts, but I wasn¡¯t going to bring it up unless he or Oberyn did first. ¡°I¡¯ve spoken to my brother about your cousin¡¯s reasons for running, Cregan,¡± Oberyn offered. ¡°And we are curious as to your opinion on the matter.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± I licked my lips as they suddenly felt dry. ¡°Alysanne is¡­ uncertain about her place in the world. She was not, as far as I could see, mistreated in Winterfell. Well, outside of perhaps Lady Stark disliking the stain on her honour. However, she knows little about her mother, thanks to Lord Stark not speaking about her. It¡¯s hardly a surprise that, after years of such a situation, Alysanne grew¡­ restless with her lack of information.¡± I stopped there, as I didn¡¯t want to bring up the egg. While I knew Oberyn knew about it and had likely mentioned it to Doran, it was something only the three of us, Alysanne and Ty knew of. At least as far as I was aware. ¡°Do you believe the rumour that she may not be his daughter?¡± I held Doran¡¯s gaze as he leaned further forward. There was a hint of something in his eye that concerned me. ¡°No, My Prince,¡± I replied slowly. ¡°I believe she is Lord Stark¡¯s daughter, though I can understand why, with the lack of information he has given, she lashed out and ran away.¡± I hoped he believed me as the last thing I wanted was for Alysanne to become a pawn in the Game before she knew the truth about her parentage. ¡°And what of the idea she told Tyene, you and Oberyn? That she may be the daughter of Lyanna Stark?¡± ¡°A baseless idea, My Prince. Though I can see how she came to that conclusion. Regardless, her actions, and those of Tyene, risked hostilities between us and House Stark.¡± I moved the topic on as quickly as I could, not wanting to dwell on what I knew to be the truth. The longer we danced around Alysanne¡¯s parentage, the more likely Doran and Oberyn would learn I knew more than I was letting on. ¡°Your loyalty to this house does you great credit?¡± Doran said after a short silence. "Thank you, my Prince. While I consider myself as much Dornish as Northern, your brother is more of a father figure to me than Brandon Stark," Oberyn''s face shifted, his expression shifting as he offered a smile devoid of his typical sarcasm. "I do not deny my affinity for the North, but my heart and loyalty belong to Dorne." Doran turned and looked at Oberyn, yet nothing was said. It was clear to me that the pair could communicate without words, borne from being siblings. Eventually, Oberyn turned to face me. ¡°And what of your relationship with Tyene?¡± Oberyn asked as he leaned forward slightly. ¡°Are you intending to take her back into your bed?" ¡°I¡­¡± Once more, I paused and collected my thoughts. ¡°I care deeply for Ty, father, as you well know. However, her actions not only betrayed my trust in her, and heavily damaged what we share, but almost brought war upon Dorne. There may come a time when I feel I can once more trust her, but that day is, I suspect, far away from today.¡± Oberyn nodded. ¡°Yes, Tyene¡¯s actions risked much, and while I am angered still by them, from talking to her and Alysanne, I can see why she arrived at her plan. Not that I in any way agree with it. No, for that she must certainly be punished.¡± At that, Oberyn and I turned to Doran. ¡°Yes, she must,¡± Doran spoke slowly, his eyes lingering on me. ¡°While I know my niece has¡­ shifted her beliefs to those of the Old Gods, I feel that the most suitable punishment for her involves a group connected to the Faith of the Seven. Within three days, Tyene will depart to the Silent Sisters in the Reach. For now, it will be an assignment of a year, however, if I feel she has not shown sufficient remorse for her actions, I may well extend her time with the Sisters.¡± ¡°Yes, My Prince,¡± I replied with a bow. While part of me was angered to discover she was being sent away, the more rational part understood and accepted Doran¡¯s decision, especially as I knew telling me was mere courtesy. There was, however, one small issue I felt needed to be addressed. ¡°Will not her belief in the Old Gods cause her complications with the Sisters?¡± ¡°It may, however, be not a concern of yours. Neither I, nor your father, have any issue with you following the Old Gods, nor with Tyene or others converting to do so. I would though, warn you that others might not be as understanding of the matter.¡± I nodded at that, remembering the disgusted look the local Septon often sent my way when he felt I wasn¡¯t looking. Frankly, the old, portly man would not join his gods in heaven, as he was far from devout. Several times I¡¯d seen him heading toward a brothel in the Shadow City. ¡°Other kingdoms are much¡­ firmer in their apparent beliefs, as are certain figures like you goodaunt, Lady Joenne. Many would consider you a blasphemer for following the Old Gods, but their worship is allowed within Westeros no matter how some might wish otherwise.¡± ¡°Yes, My Prince.¡± I knew of this and did wonder how the Faith might view me as more time passed. No doubt some would consider me a threat and might even attempt to remove me for being a follower of the Old Gods, but I¡¯d make no effort to hide my beliefs. Even if I didn¡¯t entirely trust the Old Gods, I felt them a better choice over the Seven who are One, or Gods forgive, someone like R¡¯hllor. If any other faith sent a champion to challenge me because of my beliefs, I¡¯d happily meet them on the field of battle. ¡°Perhaps this might be a good place to discuss the other matter I mentioned brother?¡± Oberyn cut in, making me frown. ¡°I suspect that some of what Cregan needs to reveal may be linked to his worship of the Old Gods.¡± My brow rose as I realised what he was implying, and then the shit-eating grin he gave me confirmed it. I sighed as I returned my attention to Doran. I knew Oberyn would mention this to Doran, but I thought perhaps he¡¯d give his brother some warning. Yet from the way Oberyn was behaving, it seemed he wished to shock Doran. Still, the sooner this talk was out of the way, and the sooner I could explain that Ari also had magic, the quicker we could move and the more secure I¡¯d feel about training in Sunspear. I considered asking if Ari might join us, but the way Doran¡¯s gaze bore into me, it seemed he was unwilling to wait for her to be found. ¡°I would not say what I have to reveal is linked to the Old Gods, Father,¡± I said slowly as I caught sight of a candle on the table. it wasn¡¯t lit, but with Fire Magic at level 93, that wasn¡¯t an issue. I returned my attention to Doran even as I placed a hand on the table near the candle. ¡°On our return from the North, before we were attacked, I spoke with my father and revealed something that I had already told some of his daughters and Arianne.¡± The candle flickered to life, drawing Doran¡¯s attention. He frowned at the odd occurrence as I continued. ¡°When I was young, no older than five, I realised that I could, for lack of a better word, sense things that others couldn¡¯t. In private at first, I experimented with this sense until I learnt I could do what many might consider heretical.¡± The flame of the candle reached upward as if fuelled by oil, and Doran shifted back, likely worried that the flame might engulf the parchment and books on his desk. Even as Doran seemed to tense, the flame shifted, forming into the fire-snake I¡¯d used with Oberyn. It wriggled through the air, moving closer to the transfixed Prince of Dorne even as the grin on my father¡¯s face widened to maniacal proportions. Once the fire-snake was close enough, Doran reached out tentatively. Then once he was sure it wouldn¡¯t attack, swiped his hand through the snake, dissipating it similarly to how Oberyn had a little over a moon ago. That was the point Oberyn burst out laughing, which drew Doran¡¯s ire. ¡°Forgive me, brother,¡± Oberyn wheezed out, ¡°but that is the first time I have witnessed others react to Cregan¡¯s gift.¡± Doran glared at Oberyn for a moment later before turning back to me, the concern I¡¯d sensed earlier now gone. ¡°Thanks to Arianne, I already knew of this gift,¡± he began, making my eyes widen, ¡°however, knowing of it, and seeing it in action are two very different things.¡± ¡°Arianne spoke to you of this?¡± I asked, wondering why she¡¯d not mentioned that to me over the last two days. ¡°Yes, and once we knew you were returning, I made her promise to not tell you I knew.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Doran smirked at my reaction. ¡°Do not hold it against her, but she brought her ability with our ancestral magic to me not long after you sailed for Gulltown. While I cannot move water with her ease, I have recently managed to control it in a very rudimentary way.¡± My brow rose, wondering just how powerful Arianne had become. While I¡¯d almost gotten Fire Magic to what I expected to be a block of some form, I¡¯d spent most of my time away focusing on Skinchanging, first with Rian and recently with Ymir. The overall skill was at level 84 with Ymir¡¯s bond having already reached level 2. It was rising faster than either Rian¡¯s or Kaa¡¯s had, though I wasn¡¯t sure if that was due to the overall skill being much higher, or some benefit I was gaining due to my Blood of the First Men trait. Still, it would be interesting to test my flames against Arianne¡¯s waves, though for that we¡¯d need a quiet and restricted place to truly let loose. ¡°Am I to take it that I am the only adult member of our family to not have unlocked our magic?¡± Oberyn asked with an overly dramatic pout. I chuckled at his face, as did Doran before I replied. ¡°I cannot say if Obara has ever been told of this gift, but I am aware that both Nymeria and Sarella are more advanced than I with magic.¡± The pair turned to me, and I knew they were wondering about Ty. ¡°I do not know where Tyene stands with magic. We¡­ have not talked much over the last few moons.¡± ¡°Understandable,¡± Doran said with a slight nod. ¡°Now unless there remains anything else you wish to reveal¡­¡± ¡°Actually brother,¡± Oberyn began, the shit-eating grin returning to his face, ¡°there is one more trick Cregan has to reveal.¡± Doran leaned forward, his curiosity getting the better of him. ¡°Whatever happens, My Prince, I ask that you don¡¯t worry,¡± I said slowly before looking at Oberyn. He nodded and then stood, making his way toward a window in the solar; one large enough for a man to climb through. Though such an attempt would be foolish as the walls outside were smooth and we were easily a good thirty metres above the courtyard below. As my father opened the window, I closed my eyes and felt my mind slide away. When I opened my eyes again, I was soaring far above Sunspear, gliding through the low clouds and watching the movement of bodies far below. To the north, I saw movement in the sands and turning my head that way, I spotted rodents scurrying around, having emerged as the midday sun passed and the heat slowly fell. To the east, ships moved in the water, coming to and going from the docks in the Shadow City while further out shoals of dolphins moved through the water playfully. Yet, while I¡¯d enjoy nothing more than watching all that was happening below as the wind rushed over my feathers, that wasn¡¯t why I was up here. I angled my wings, and banked, swooping lower, toward the Tower of the Sun. I circled it twice, making sure of my target, and spotting Oberyn watching, a wide smile on his face. On the third circle, I pulled my wings in close and dove, and moments before reaching the window spread my wings, slowing myself in an instant. My wings beat, keeping me aloft as I entered the solar, and as Doran¡¯s wide eyes watched, I landed on the table and fixed my eyes upon him. With the boost of Rian¡¯s sight, I could see the signs of his gout had lessened since last I¡¯d viewed him like this. Either his latest medicine was helping, or unlocking water magic was being applied in a way I hadn¡¯t considered fully. Oberyn moved from the window, the smile on his face threatening to split it in two, and as Doran leaned closer, I tilted my head to one side. My eyes closed and when they opened again, I was sitting back in the chair. I blinked, adapting to the weaker vision of my human eyes, as Doran sat there quietly, I opened a notice that had appeared to discover my bond with Rian had risen to level 8. I waited patiently for Doran. While there was shock evident in his eyes at what he¡¯d just witnessed, almost none appeared on his face. ¡°That¡­ was unexpected.¡± He eventually said, which made me chuckle. ¡°Yes, My Prince. If it remained unclear, the gift of skinchanging seems to have been passed along through my Stark blood.¡± Doran nodded once, his eyes flicking between Rian ¨C who looked uneasy on the polished desk surface ¨C and me. I reached into my tunic and pulled out a small pouch. That drew Rian¡¯s attention, and as Doran watched, I pulled out a piece of dried meat and tossed it to my companion. ¡°Go on then,¡± I said after Rian had caught the meat. Doran watched as Rian skittered over the desk before hopping to the window edge. I was relieved to see there were no scratch marks on the desk surface, though as Doran¡¯s eyes narrowed as he gazed at me, I wondered if he would¡¯ve cared. ¡°You can do the same for Kaa and Ymir?¡± I nodded as Rian spread his wings and left us. ¡°This... has great potential.¡± ¡°Aye,¡± remarked Oberyn drawing his brother¡¯s attention. ¡°We have already made use of it,¡± Oberyn smiled at me before he continued. ¡°After the storm, Cregan went up in Rian. It was because of him that we knew that not only had we lost an escort but that the ship approaching us from the coast was a pirate vessel. After dispatching them, Cregan again used Rian to scout the cove. While only he and I could use what he saw, having a clear understanding of the enemy forces without having to risk sending in scouts was invaluable.¡± Doran turned back to me, leaned back in his chair and steepled his hands with his fingertips touching. ¡°Yes, I can see how it would. And not just for combat.¡± He fell silent, his chin resting against his fingertips as my mind turned to the freed slaves. Most had chosen to settle in the Shadow City, or book passage toward wherever it was they had come from before. Four, however, including the sisters Eirnela and Vorela, had asked to serve either myself or House Martell. Arianne had already approved this, with a few amused comments about me now having girls to wait on me hand and foot. I¡¯d brushed the jokes aside, not wanting the girls to think I might take advantage of them, yet after the pair had been cleaned, I couldn¡¯t deny they weren¡¯t attractive. Due to their pale, almost silver hair, it was clear the pair had some Valyrian blood, though their eyes were dark blue, reminding me of the sea. ¡°I will need some time to consider this, and how we might use it to our advantage. Until then, you are not to discuss your gifts with others. At least not those not already in the know.¡± ¡°Yes, My Prince. Though that will include Alysanne; at least regarding my magic.¡± His brow rose and I explained. ¡°During one morning in the Winterfell crypts, when she was unsure of her heritage, I revealed my magic. It was, I know, a mistake, but it is made. And I trust Alysanne as she has yet to speak to any bar Ty about this.¡± Doran looked at Oberyn, and my father gave a nod before Doran returned his focus to me. ¡°For now, I will accept this, and permit the girl to join my daughter and elder nieces in training beside you.¡± I blinked, caught off guard that I now had his approval to begin semi-proper magical training. I¡¯d have to work with Ari and my stepsisters to determine where and when we¡¯d carry out the training, but at least now there was less need to keep things hidden from Doran and Oberyn. ¡°I also wonder if the Snow girl and our young Stark might be skinchangers as well.¡± ¡°I explained the theory to Robb Stark before we left Winterfell, My Prince. Not only to help him develop a better bond with Quicksilver but with myself.¡± Doran nodded. ¡°Wise. Young Robb is in-line to be heir to Winterfell and the North, so making a friend of him is a worthwhile endeavour. One that should be nurtured with regular letters sent with our trade ships to White Harbour. And with Lord Eddard¡¯s spare in Sunspear, we have a chance to further strengthen the bonds between our houses. Though I suspect only in friendship.¡± I smiled, understanding that he knew Lord Wyman¡¯s intent of sending Wylla south and wasn¡¯t going to move to challenge that. Mainly because, outside of Sarella, Ella and Obella Sand, there were no females of Martell blood to use. ¡°You were right about your son,¡± Doran commented, which earned a pleased chuckle from Oberyn. ¡°But of course, dear brother. And he has more ideas that might interest you. Perhaps even one that might, if enacted carefully, ensure which rumours leave our city and which do not.¡± Doran¡¯s brow rose even as I glared at my father, though it did little to bar making him chuckle once again. ¡°My father is, perhaps, generous in his praise.¡± ¡°Oh, flattery will get you nowhere with me, Cregan. My daughters, niece, and others, yes, but not with me.¡± Oberyn leaned forward, a wicked grin on his face. ¡°Unless that is, you wish to join me, your mother and Lady Ellaria one night?¡± I blinked and instantly regretted the images that rushed through my head. My mother was beautiful, as was Ellaria, and I¡¯d endured some gentle teasing from Oberyn¡¯s paramour since returning to Sunspear. Though until this moment, I¡¯d not considered what she might be like in bed. ¡°Uh¡­ I prefer not to, Father. While the ladies are undoubtedly beautiful, I¡¯d rather not risk the scandal of bedding my mother.¡± Oberyn chuckled and leaned back. ¡°As you wish.¡± ¡°What exactly is this idea that my brother speaks of?¡± Doran asked, entirely unruffled by his brother¡¯s teasing. I¡¯d seen the Sunset Rose as we¡¯d moved from the docks to the palace two days ago and planned to speak to the landlady/madam either today or tomorrow about investing in her establishment and to ensure that if anyone came from the North looking for my alias, she directed them to me. Now, if I could get Doran to agree to my proposal ¨C and I felt Oberyn approved so that was a start ¨C then the meeting would be less about investing than assuming silent ownership. Though I had no plans to ever mention this to my mother, not unless I wanted to be chased from here to YiTi. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I took a single step back and watched as Beron¡¯s thrust claimed nothing but air. ¡°Good, but watch your footwork,¡± I commented as he growled in annoyance at once more failing to hit me. He pushed forward again, leaning forward to reach me. I swatted away his blade with mine and then stepped forward. My blade flicked back before he could react, and I slapped the edge of it against the inside of his exposed knee. Since he¡¯d overextended to reach me, while the blow wasn¡¯t hard, it was enough to make him stumble to one side, and then fall as he couldn¡¯t get his shield around in time to keep himself upright. ¡°Never extend so far unless you are sure of a kill and even then you leave yourself open to another foe. Otherwise, your opponent will have an easy time ending any fight.¡± I sheathed my blade and then reached down, gripping his sword arm. He might only be a few years younger than me, but the difference in skill was only enhanced by my size and mass, which was why I was able to easily lift him back to his feet without straining. Even the protective gear he wore for this training session didn¡¯t cause me any issues. While I was stronger than him, I wasn¡¯t that much stronger than an average man. I¡¯d turned fourteen a few days ago ¨C something Ari had been most eager to celebrate with me, even if her initial plan of having Ty join us was ruined by my stepsister being sent to the Silent Sisters - which lifted my Strength and Agility limits to 22 and 26 respectfully. Even if I understood the reasons for the age-defined limits on my stats, it was annoying having them restricted. I¡¯d be happy in three years when the restrictions were removed, and I could push for the true limits of 32 and 38, respectively. Limits that, if the Interface was genuine, were far beyond most men. Once Beron was upright, I stepped back and gave him room. His face was flushed, a sign he was still struggling with the Dornish heat. While Wylla, Alysanne, and Ymir were also struggling it wasn¡¯t a bad thing, the fact his face matched his mother¡¯s hair did make me smile. His chest was moving rapidly, and I tilted my head. ¡°Do you need to rest?¡± His eyes narrowed at my question, displaying some of his temper. While he might be Ned¡¯s son, Beron was much like me in taking after Brandon when it came to our wolfsblood. Thankfully, as I¡¯d found against the pirates, I was starting to get a handle on the boost my temper had gained from Blood of the Dragon¡¯s Flames. While I¡¯d wanted to hunt down and run through everyone in the cove for what they¡¯d done, I¡¯d not, which was a small step toward if not controlling, then focusing my rage. Still, Beron looked like he might collapse if we went again but was unwilling to stop. ¡°Suit yourself.¡± I turned and walked away, making a beeline for a pair of benches that rested at one side of the yard under the shade of some trees. There Ari was deep in conversation with her handmaidens Jelissa Fowler and Ambre though the two I wasn¡¯t bedding giggled to themselves. I gave the trio an amused glance as I picked up a jug and poured myself a mug of water and made one for Beron since I knew he¡¯d have no choice but to follow. As I drank the cool water down, I let my gaze wander over Ari¡¯s frame. Something the princess enjoyed and encouraged by placing Ambre¡¯s hand over her groin. The Orphan of the Greenblood girl smiled as my eyes met hers, and I wondered how long it would be before Ari brought her to my bed. Or Ari¡¯s since I¡¯d spent more time there than my own. ¡°Do I want to know?¡± I asked Ari and their friends as I heard Beron shuffle closer. ¡°I think you will like what I have planned,¡± Ari replied, a wide smile promising pleasure on her face. Ambre blushed when I looked her way, her skin tone matching nicely with Ari¡¯s. ¡°It seems part of you already does,¡± Ari commented as her eyes drifted to my legs, which were only covered by leather chausses. Since the training was taking place with dulled blades, I was only wearing light leather padding for the most part. That was in part because if by some miracle Beron did land a hit, it wouldn¡¯t hurt too much; just enough to remind me that anyone could kill me, even a young boy. Still, I made sure Beron wore something slightly heavier. Both because he was going to get hit more, and to help him grow accustomed to wearing heavier armour in the Dornish sun. My cousin reached my side and gratefully took the cup that I held for him, though he did his best to not look at the ladies. ¡°Try not t¡­¡± Beron¡¯s coughing cut off my warning. ¡°To choke,¡± I finished as I shook my head and patted his back. The foursome of girls all laughed at his expense, though my attention was called away by a cry of delight. I turned my head to see Alysanne with her hands held high ¨C a bow in one ¨C smiling madly into Wylla¡¯s face. The pair and Sarella were gathered near the archery range and from the looks of the target, Alysanne had come closer to the centre of the target than Wylla. I smirked as behind Alysanne, I saw Sarella step to the line. I watched as she carefully drew back the string on her bow. Even before the arrow was loose, I knew it would be closer to the centre than Alysanne¡¯s. The only person around our age that I¡¯d seen with better skill with a bow was Theon, but he has several years on her. To say nothing of height and mass. Still, Alysanne¡¯s shouts of joy ended when Wylla pointed at the target, and I chuckled as my cousin¡¯s shoulders slumped when she saw Sarella¡¯s arrow resting comfortably inside the bullseye. Sarella turned to face the northern girls but paused when she saw me. I raised my cup to her, and I swore I saw the faintest wisp of a smile grace her face before she turned to nock another arrow. ¡°Are you trying for another of my cousins?¡± I turned to see Ari watching me intently, her head resting on her chin as her arm rested on her leg. That left the thin dress she was wearing to fall slightly, granting me the sight of twin orbs of delight that I enjoyed greatly each night she shared my sheets. ¡°What will that be? Three?¡± I chuckled and stepped closer. ¡°I have been bedded by one of my stepsisters, Princess.¡± She shivered slightly as I growled out her title the same way I growled her name each night. ¡°And if I recall, it was you who offered space in your bed to Nymeria, not I.¡± Excited whispers shot among her handmaidens, with some looking intrigued by the idea I was working my way through the Sand Snakes. ¡°While she has yet to accept your offer, I¡¯m content with what I currently have. Even if Ty is not here to join us.¡± I heard Beron cough into his cup and chuckled. It wasn¡¯t his fault that neither Ned nor Catelyn were as openly flirtatious as the Dornish or even the Umbers. Though if I¡¯d had to endure Catelyn flirting in Winterfell, I¡¯d have likely ripped off my ears in protest. ¡°I believe Nymeria is waiting for you to make clear your intent,¡± Ari offered with a smirk that promised much. ¡°Or are you waiting to see if she will break and, after enduring the nightly sounds from our quarters, come begging for your touch?¡± I chuckled at the image, even if I knew Nymeria would never beg. It simply wasn¡¯t in her nature. ¡°While I may lov¡­¡± I was cut off by a bark. I turned and saw Ymir, his fur shorter after another trip to the kennels for a trim and wet from soaking in a bath, rushing toward me. ¡°No Ymir!¡± I called out, knowing full well what he intended. ¡°Ba.. oof!¡± I stumbled back as the young direwolf ¨C though he was already as large as some of the household hunting dogs ¨C leapt at me. I was forced to drop my mug to catch him, and then, with my armour getting wet, was forced to push him back. As much as I enjoyed his company, I¡¯d rather not have to clean slobber off my face. Again. ¡°And here I thought you enjoyed getting wet. Or is it too early for that?¡± After finally pushing Ymir down to the ground, and silently thanking Beron as he moved to pet the direwolf, I glared at Nymeria as she and Asha emerged from the direction Ymir had come running. The pair were grinning at what¡¯d happened, though Asha¡¯s smile slipped as she looked down at Ymir and Beron. Both had on simple dresses that did little to hide their frames, something made even harder to do by the water dripping from their hair and down their bodies. Asha seemed to stumble as my eyes wandered over her frame, possibly unsure how to react to me of all people savouring her beauty. Nymeria though stopped and placed a hand on her hip, granting me an even more appealing sight. ¡°I take it I have you two to thank for Ymir¡¯s latest bath. I do hope he did not get you dirty in any hard-to-reach places?¡± Nymeria chuckled and pulled Asha close by placing an arm around her shoulders. ¡°No, we made sure to clean everywhere once your mutt was done, since we were finished, and the mutt wanted his master, we figured we could laze here and dry in the sun while watching our wolves fight.¡± ¡°Then allow this Bloody Wolf to entertain such radiant beauties,¡± I replied with an extravagant bow. That had all the girls, including the two handmaidens, laughing, though when I looked at her, Asha seemed unsure for a moment. Almost as if she was struggling to figure out my scheme. ¡°Come on Beron.¡± I turned and walked back into the centre of the yard, a less-than-happy Beron at my heels. ¡°Oh, come now. We would not want young Wylla to see you so uninterested in training, would we?¡± I asked once we¡¯d reached the centre of the yard and were out of earshot of the others. I waved toward the girls at the archery even as Beron¡¯s head snapped that way. When Wylla saw him looking, she waved back more enthusiastically, which earned her a gentle shoulder nudge from Alysanne. As Beron waved back meekly, I gave him a gentle shove and moved back. Even as I unsheathed my training blade, I wondered how long it would be before Lord Wyman¡¯s plan for the pair started working. And how much more teasing it would take before Beron worked up the courage to ask Wylla for a private conversation. If he took too long, I suspected a few of the young Dornish boys in Sunspear would start to show interest, though that might work to force him out of his shell. While I wasn¡¯t trying to play matchmaker, they made a good pair with Wylla¡¯s more outspoken personality meshing well with Beron; even if he seemed unable to speak to her at times. Plus, if I could get them together, then it would remove the chance of Catelyn trying to tie him to some stupid Riverlands bint. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ The End of the Beginning The End of the Beginning ... ... (Circa 296AC)
I couldn¡¯t help but smile as Sarisa shifted in my arms, granting me a tired little gargle as one hand gripped my pinkie. My youngest sibling had inherited the vibrant purple eyes from our mother, and the straight dark hair from Oberyn, yet she was the first female blood relative through House Dayne that I knew of to not use a name starting with an ¡®A¡¯. My mother and sisters had that, as did Aliandra ¨C or Alia as I called her ¨C who was sitting nearby playing with my Aunt Allyria. Though, as Sarisa was a Martell and not a Dayne by birth, the name was a logical choice as it was the one Oberyn¡¯s mother, the former Princess of Dorne, had borne. While we all shared the purple eyes of House Dayne, mine were of a different shade, something my mother continued to find amusing and I knew was the result of Blood of the Dragon¡¯s Flames. That trait, and The Wolfs-blood, kindled forth an even fiercer desire to protect my sisters, mother, and aunts. They were my family, and I¡¯d burn and shred the world to protect them. Of course, I had extended family, such as my stepsisters and cousins, and I certainly felt a desire to protect them as well. Which was part of the reason why I¡¯d snapped so badly back on the road to White Harbour following Ty and Alysanne¡¯s decision. While Ty was paying for her choice with time with the Silent Sisters, Alysanne seemed to have escaped any punishment. Or at least it looked that way as Ned had allowed her to travel to Sunspear after some letters between the pair. I had little doubt he¡¯d punish her once she returned, but I was still at a loss as to why he allowed her to travel with Beron to Sunspear. Still, I doubted Lord Wyman was complaining as it gave him an excellent opportunity to have Wylla spend time around Beron without any Northern daughters present to fight for his attention. Though there was a chance Beron might fall for a Dornish girl, I felt he¡¯d eventually wed and bed ¨C though perhaps not in that order ¨C Wylla, securing a good match for himself and his house. Another soft gargle from Sarisa made my smile spread further as I gently rocked her as she slowly settled before sleeping. ¡°You seem remarkably at ease with your sister, nephew.¡± Without lifting my head, I looked over at Allyria. She was kneeling on the carpet with Alia next to her. While my other sister was playing with a doll, my eyes were locked on my aunt. The dress she wore was one popular in Sunspear and was so thin that it only hid the finer details of what lay beneath. Like Arianne and others, Allyria wore almost nothing underneath meaning my eyes had much to feast upon. Allyria¡¯s lips twitched as she saw what I was looking at. ¡°How long will it be before the babe you hold in your arms is one of your own?¡± As I felt Sarisa stop shifting around, I smirked at my aunt. ¡°Is that, perhaps, an offer to help with such a venture?¡± While I knew I shouldn¡¯t flirt with my aunt, not least as she was now betrothed to a March Lord from the Stormlands, Allyria had all my mother¡¯s beauty and was the same age as Ari. As for her betrothed, Beric Dondarrion was slightly older than her, but there wouldn¡¯t be a wedding until my cousin Arran, who was serving as a page ¨C and would later become squire ¨C for Beric Dondarrion, was knighted. The young knight had recently become lord of Blackhaven following the death of his father to sickness while I¡¯d been in the North. I¡¯d been surprised the wedding hadn¡¯t already taken place, but Beric had two younger brothers who could inherit if he died ¨C and Allyria would marry if that happened ¨C and as the kingdom was at peace, there was no push to have the wedding take place quickly. As Allyria looked away, her cheeks reddening, I once more considered Beric a lucky man and not for the first time considered if I might end up claiming my aunt¡¯s maidenhood before she was wed. Ari had made several comments about how many of her handmaidens and friends were attracted to me. Ari hadn¡¯t said anything concrete about Allyria being interested, but the way she reacted to my flirting made it clear she was conflicted. A part of me feared I only wished to bed my aunt as she reminded me of my mother, though I felt the larger part wanted her simply because outside of Ari, in my eyes, no other girl in Sunspear was as beautiful. Oh, Ty before she¡¯d left ¨C Nymeria and Asha certainly knew how to turn heads, as did others like Jynessa Blackmont and Jelissa Fowler, however whenever Ari mentioned bringing one of her handmaidens to bed with us, my thoughts normally turned to my aunt. Of course, based on Ari¡¯s comments, I suspected she¡¯d already bedded most of her handmaidens, which sent many enticing images racing around my head whenever I saw her with them. And while Jynessa and Jelissa had made remarks in my presence that hinted that they were interested, Allyria hadn¡¯t. Just as she didn¡¯t respond to my flirting now as she kept her gaze on Alia. Knowing full well that Allyria wouldn¡¯t respond to my flirting, and with Saria now snoozing, I stood slowly and made my way over to her cot. Once she was inside and not about to start bawling about the lack of contact with me, I turned. As I did, I saw Allyria watching, a faint smile on her face. I turned, planning to head back to my chair, only to find Alia at my feet, her doll forgotten as she reached up for me. Yet, before I could reach down for her, the door to the room swung open. ¡°Mummy!¡± Alia called out as my mother stepped inside. As she knelt to collect my sister, I saw Oberyn behind her, one of his typical ¡®I-know-something-you-don¡¯t-know¡¯ smirks on his face. ¡°Hello little one,¡± my mother said as she stood, Alia happily snuggling into her arms. ¡°Are you being good for your brother and aunt?¡± Alia nodded enthusiastically, which made me smile. Oberyn came around Ashara and tapped Alia on the nose. That got her attention, and she reached out for him. ¡°Carry!¡± she demanded. ¡°If I had but time my darling,¡± Oberyn replied as my mother moved over to Allyria. ¡°However, mummy and I need to speak with Cregan about a private matter.¡± He turned his gaze upon me. ¡°one he has avoided since we returned from the North.¡± I nodded, understanding what he meant even as my mother handed a reluctant, but thankfully quiet, Alia to Allyria. Once done, she turned to face me, and I knew that I couldn¡¯t avoid revealing my magic to her any longer. It¡¯d been about a week since Ty had left and I¡¯d been avoiding this talk with my mother. While revealing my magic to Doran was a relatively simple matter, every time I considered how to bring the matter to my mother, I backed away. While I doubted that she¡¯d reject me, the gnawing concern she might lingered in my thoughts. Though it seemed Oberyn had grown tired of my reluctance and was now forcing the matter. ¡°Right,¡± I muttered and moved toward the door. My mother and Oberyn fell into step behind me, and I could feel my mother¡¯s eyes bore into the back of my skull. Oberyn, I was certain, hadn¡¯t mentioned why I needed to speak with her, only that I had to. Thankfully, I¡¯d been preparing for this meeting ever since confirming my magic to Oberyn, so I was ¨C I hoped ¨C prepared for it. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ With a deft twist of my wrist, the firebird ¨C which I refused to call a phoenix even if Ari felt that was the proper name ¨C under my command, banked sharply to the right. It elegantly twisted past the oncoming water-serpent, which Ari controlled, and sped past it. The fiery talons of my creation extended hissing steam as they traced a path along the serpent''s sleek form. Across the room, Ari''s her furrowed brow made irritation was palpable. Though her power in Water Magic matched my prowess in Fire Magic, her mastery in crafting and manipulating magical beasts lagged. Her serpent''s tail flicked out in pursuit of my firebird as it zipped past though, a testament to her steady improvement. The firebird''s talons reached down, grazing the serpent''s head as it passed again, releasing another hiss of steam. Though the serpent remained unharmed, the gesture served to underscore that while Ari was making strides in her magical control, the finesse I possessed still eluded her. A restrained applause from my right reminded me of our audience. In the concealed chamber beneath the Tower of the Sun, we were joined by Doran, Oberyn, Ashara, Nymeria, Sarella, and Alysanne. Ari and I had reason to confer with Doran about the latter two''s magical potential. Although initially planned as a private demonstration, Doran''s inclinations had been swayed to permit Nymeria, Sarella, and Alysanne to bear witness. My stepsisters were privy to Ari''s and my magical talents, and Alysanne was aware of mine, making Doran''s calculated decision a less risky gamble, yet one he was prepared to undertake. Doran''s readiness to include Alysanne troubled me slightly. It led me to wonder whether he and Oberyn entertained the notion that Ned Stark may not be her true father. Should they have deduced Rhaegar''s connection to her, there was concern they might manipulate her for their purposes. Though I held no dread of them inflicting harm, such actions would align them with Tywin Lannister''s cruelty in permitting the Mountain''s atrocities against Elia Martell. Regardless of their motives, Oberyn promptly decreed upon our entry that we were to refrain from discussing today''s revelations and conversations without the presence of others. This oath was held unless we could ensure absolute privacy. Having already secured such commitments from my stepsisters and cousin, their concurrence was almost guaranteed. My mother''s gaze, however, fell upon me with a mixture of reproach and concern, a recurring pattern in the days since my magic had been unveiled. Since baring my magical abilities to her, her demeanour alternated between chilly detachment and intimate concern. Such oscillation was expected, given the world-shaking revelation. Just yesterday, we had revisited the topic, with her avowal that while uncertain about the implications of my magical potential, she was certain that I posed no danger to our kin or, as the Faith''s teachings might insinuate, a pact-bound consort of demons. Her affirmation provided solace, yet her ongoing internal struggle was obviously further stoked by witnessing Princess Arianne''s magical aptitude. The plan for this demonstration had been divulged by Doran days in advance, affording Ari and me the opportunity to choreograph our exhibition. Ari initially suggested a confrontation involving magical projectiles, an idea promptly quashed, given the potential lethality of hurling fireballs and the taxing nature of maintaining magical spheres as weapons. Consequently, we opted for the manifestation of elemental creatures as a showcase of our powers. Ari had only just begun training with her serpent in preparation, and although her progress was evident, fatigue crept into her movements as her body was drained of energy. The serpent''s markings began to blur as she grappled to maintain control. Time blurred as we engaged in this spectacle, though its duration was difficult to ascertain, engrossed as I was in guiding my firebird. While Ari appeared increasingly fatigued, my magical reserves remained at forty per cent, gradually diminishing. While this approach was simpler than hurling fireballs, it demanded exactitude and concentration to give form to the creatures shaped from elemental energy. This ritual served as an indispensable exercise to cultivate my Fire Magic. And I felt the transition to Water and Earth Magic was going to be simple, but Wind Magic would necessitate a more imaginative approach. Such explorations were reserved for another day, as a mere flick of my finger and a flexing of internal energy directed the firebird to bank sharply with one wing, eluding Ari''s serpent as its watery fangs flashed past. "Watch it!" Nymeria''s call disrupted my thoughts as the firebird skimmed over our observers, nearly within swatting range. A smirk curled my lips as I manipulated the firebird to veer away, dodging Nymeria''s half-hearted attempts to bat it down. The brief satisfaction was broken as Ari''s serpent lunged at the returning firebird. In response, I conjured a manoeuvre I had held in reserve. My fingers extended, and the firebird split into streams of fire, allowing the serpent to pass through unscathed, then seamlessly melded back together as the serpent''s tail trailed behind. Ari appeared caught off-guard by my tactic, neglecting to employ her serpent''s tail to swipe at either part of the firebird. As the firebird reunited, my gaze shifted to Ari. She was visibly winded, her gown clinging to her form in the aftermath of exertion and her legs trembling. My musings strayed momentarily, drifting to the night prior, and the exploration of her body. Recognizing the need to conclude this before her stubbornness actually harmed her, I flicked my wrist, propelling the firebird toward the princess. Ari''s eyes widened, arms instinctively crossing before her in a gesture of apprehension. The firebird swooped towards her, halting merely inches from her face. Her shock was palpable, her gaze locked onto the hovering creature. Simultaneously, her serpent surged toward me, its appearance changing as it thickened and lost its markings. Determined to evade a soaking, I lunged sideways, narrowly dodging the surge of water that collided with the wall behind me. As I regained my bearings, Ari''s gaze remained fixated on me. She struggled to stand, her eyes betraying both awe and fear induced by the firebird''s near approach. Though my firebird had momentarily lost shape due to my evasive manoeuvre, it persisted in emulating a hovering bird, two amorphous wing-like masses fluttering beside its central form. With the display over, I clenched my fist, the fire hovering near Ari imploding with a small pop as I stood. Outside of moving and controlling flames over Red Rain, maintaining the firebird ¨C including the finer details like hints of feathers, eyes, and talons ¨C was the most impressive usage of my magic. However, it was more of a party trick than something useful for combat. Though that was something that had grown increasingly irksome as I neared level 100. Though as I stood, I saw a blinking blue light in the corner of my vision. ¡°Here,¡± Oberyn said as he came over with a mug in hand. I happily took the mug and gulped down the Dornish wine inside. While I wasn¡¯t as tired as Ari was ¨C she was already looking for a second refill and had sat down to lean against the wall ¨C I knew using magic that long was an exertion. Plus, drinking gave me time to open and examine the notice from my Interface. Level Up! Fire Magic is now Level 100. ... WARNING! Fire Magic has reached a plateau. To increase it further, you must find a way to connect with the flames in a deeper, more instinctual way. ¡­ WARNING! Fire Magic cannot progress to its 2nd tier of abilities until the ********* event occurs. ¡­ I bit back a groan at what I read as it would be odd to do so in my current situation. Still, as I lowered the cup from my lips, I looked up at the ceiling, taking a moment to process what the Interface had stated. I suspected something like this would happen when I reached level 100, but I¡¯d have preferred it not to be the case. Nor, I felt, would I enjoy the method I¡¯d need to use to unlock the higher levels. Unlocking the other elements involved meditating in places was a strong resonance with them. For Fire Magic, that might well be dangerous. ¡°A most impressive display.¡± I turned, pushing aside thoughts on the next stage in my Fire Magic as Doran spoke. He was standing near Ari as she passed her cup to Nymeria. ¡°What you have shown today while lacking in worldly application, was a display of finesse and control I doubt many could manage. Certainly not,¡± he looked at his daughter, ¡°with only a few years of practice or,¡± he turned to me, ¡°while having to hide your gifts from everyone at a young age.¡± I nodded, accepting his praise. ¡°That said, from this day on, both of you and most of us here, and perhaps a select few others, will find time to practise. Most of us have unlocked our gifts,¡± as he spoke, he raised his hand, and I watched as the wine in Ari¡¯s cup floated upward. ¡°and those that haven¡¯t soon will. With you two to guide us, and the resources of House Martell fully behind you, I expect us to all improve at far greater rates.¡± ¡°Yes, Father.¡± Yes, my Prince.¡± Ari and I spoke together, which made Doran¡¯s smile grow before he turned his full attention to me. ¡°Now, Cregan. Beyond simply being able to manipulate fire and water, you have another gift to show us. One that, bar perhaps Lady Snow,¡± Alysanne blushed as everyone glanced her way, ¡°none of us can ever learn. Do you require time to recuperate, or might you be able to begin the second section of the day''s presentation?¡± I glanced at my MP and saw it was sitting at around thirty per cent. While that was low, it would be more than enough for a short demonstration of my Skinchanging. Not least as my bond with Kaa was at level 9 now, having climbed a few days after I¡¯d returned to Sunspear. ¡°I should be fine to continue now, my Prince. However, I am unsure of how long I will be able to hold the connection so perhaps we might keep the demonstration short?¡± ¡°I doubt anything more than a short demonstration will be needed, son,¡± Oberyn commented as he moved toward the door of this chamber. There, he picked up a basket and brought it toward me. Normally I¡¯d use Rian for this reveal, but being underground I felt Kaa was the better choice today. Plus, outside of Ty, none had seen me skinchange into the snake. As I stood, Alysanne came over, offering her help to move. I smiled at her and waved away the offer as even though slightly weak I was fine to walk on my own. As Oberyn moved the basket closer, I wondered how those who didn¡¯t know about my Skinchanging ¨C Doran, Alysanne, and my mother ¨C would react. And how long it would take for someone to point out the amusing fact that while I was a Stark by blood, the first animal I¡¯d bonded with bore a name linked with Oberyn. Even as Oberyn lifted the lid from the basket, I could feel my mind sliding into Kaa¡¯s, sensing once more the world in that odd thermal way he did. Of the three animals I¡¯d bonded to, Kaa¡¯s was the most foreign, and I was glad that I¡¯d never managed to eat anything while in his mind. From a story Old Nan had told in Winterfell, it seemed that was something that skinchangers were meant to avoid and it was only by luck and lack of time, that I¡¯d not done so in either Kaa or Rian. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°Here we are, my Lord.¡± Ignoring the Master Bowyer''s repeatedly calling me a lord, I accepted the recurve bow he offered. My hand fit snugly into the grip black snakeskin grip, and as I examined the weapon from every angle, I couldn''t help but be enraptured by its beauty. The flowing red streaks that ran through the white weirwood were mesmerising, like the lifeblood of ancient gods, giving it an almost ethereal appearance. My eyes were inevitably drawn to the intricately carved tips, fashioned into the shape of wolf''s heads with snarling mouths holding the strings, each detail of their fur had been painstakingly etched into the wood. The heads were dyed in the signature burnt orange of House Martell, with eyes that gleamed like black gems - perhaps obsidian. I was enamoured by the exquisite craftsmanship of the bow. As I lifted it and tested the string with a few draws, I could feel the impressive tension that set it apart from others of comparable size. The weight felt perfect in my hand, and I knew that it would be a joy to shoot. Lowering the bow, I turned back to the Master bowyer and addressed him with genuine admiration. "Master Chrestan, this is truly a work of art." Chrestan returned my smile and lowered his head. ¡°My thanks, my Lord. It is the first time I have worked with weirwood. While firmer than other, more common woods in Westeros, it was easy to see the lines the bow would be formed from in the grain. Still, there remains much of the wood. Not enough for another bow of this size, but possibly for a pair of single-handed crossbows, or maybe handles for an axe or similar weapon. Even after that is done, I suspect enough wood will remain that an artisan might be able to make something from it.¡± He gestured to a table just inside his shop and as I looked there, I saw the remaining wood. While I knew little about making such things, it was clear even to me that Chrestan was telling the truth. There existed two parts of the original branch that were perhaps an arm long, along with smaller pieces around them. I also noted that he¡¯d followed my instructions and bagged most, if not all, of the shavings from the branch. While I doubted that I¡¯d ever find a use for them, some of the tales I¡¯d heard and read in Winterfell spoke of Greenseers using a paste made of weirwood. I had no interest in becoming a Greenseer, I felt safer having the shavings stored than simply tossed away when Chrestan cleaned up his workshop. I moved toward the table, planning to collect the leftover wood and shavings only to stop when one of Chrestan¡¯s assistants came closer. I watched as he unrolled a blanket to reveal a collection of about a dozen weirwood arrows. Surprised by them, I picked one up in my free hand ¨C the other still holding my new bow ¨C and looked it over. The head was a thin tapering bodkin of darkened steel while the fletching was white like the shaft. ¡°As you can see, my Lord, from some of the longer, thinner shavings I was able to craft arrows of the same wood. I am unsure of if there will be any difference to woods normally used for arrows, but I considered it a worthwhile endeavour to create.¡± ¡°I am certain they will fly true,¡± I replied as I placed the arrow back with its brethren and then turned to him, my smile widening. ¡°You have done masterful work.¡± I pulled a small pouch from my belt and passed it to him. ¡°For your work,¡± I said as he took it. The pouch contained the rest of the payment for the bow, along with a bonus which I¡¯d already planned to pay if the bow was as I expected. With the delivery of the arrows, the bonus was now guaranteed. ¡°Thank you, my Lord.¡± He took the pouch and then turned to his assistant. After giving them a nod, he moved away, and I watched as the assistant carefully re-wrapped the arrows and then started placing the leftover wood into a second sack. ¡°If you could, have it all delivered to the palace.¡± ¡°Yes, mi¡¯lord,¡± the assistant replied with a nod. With that, I turned and moved toward the door, which as was normally the case, was wide open to let cooler air into the workshop. I smiled as I stepped outside and turned the bow over in my hand once more. ¡°I hope you are not thinking just because you got a fancy new bow that you will be able to outshoot me.¡± I turned and smiled at the speaker, and my company for my trip into the Shadow City today. ¡°And what, dear sister, are you willing to wager on that belief?¡± I asked Sarella who stood from a bench she¡¯d been sitting on to read the current tome she was focused on. This one was by Maester Franklyn and dealt with medicine. I¡¯d not spent much time with her since my return, what I had was spent either discussing something from a book she¡¯d read or on the archery range. Like Theon and Alysanne, Sarella was a more accurate archer than me, though for the two girls, on equal bows, I had a range advantage due to my gender and greater strength. Honestly, I¡¯d love to see Sarella take on Theon, especially if she used the goldenheart bow Oberyn had gifted her for her last nameday. That bow was easily superior to anything else in the palace, though I hoped my new weirwood bow would close that gap some, if not entirely. Sarella¡¯s eyes wandered from my face, taking in my frame and the loose, gold silks held closed by the snakeskin wrapped around my waist. Due to the heat ¨C and at Ari¡¯s insistence ¨C I wore it open to my chest and as my stepsister¡¯s eyes drifted over me, I caught a spark of desire flash in her eyes. ¡°Perhaps, if I were to emerge victorious, you might place yourself at my disposal for a night and day?¡± she suggested as her eyes returned to mine. ¡°And if, by some miracle of the Gods, I win? What would be my reward?¡± I asked as I moved closer to her, letting my eyes wander to her as her¡¯s had just done for me. While Sarella wasn¡¯t as interested in dressing to distract as Ty, Ari, and Nymeria did, she was still beautiful with an exotic beauty unmatched by any of Oberyn¡¯s other daughters. Sarella smirked. ¡°If you do somehow win, then the terms would be reversed. For a day and night, I would be at your disposal, for whatever you so desired.¡± As she finished, she placed her hand on my exposed chest. I chuckled as I placed my hand on hers. ¡°With an offer such as that, how could I refuse?¡± I said even as my mind wandered to what she might look like out of that dress. I stepped back, lifting her hand from my chest, and turned, though as I did, I let the tip of my new bow slap her on the arse. ¡°I do hope your thoughts remain on the archery, and not on any stories your sister or cousin might have said about my prowess.¡± ¡°And what stories might those be?¡± Sarella shot back as I let her hand rest on my forearm. There was no hint on her face that she understood my comments, but the spark that danced in her eyes made it clear she did. I smirked as I realised that Oberyn or any of his older daughters could well convince a Septon that the deserts of Dorne were tears of the Seven and get them to drink those tears. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Ones I have little doubt warm you each night when you retire to your chamber.¡± As I replied, I took a step, moving us away from Master Chrestan¡¯s workshop. ¡°However, let us place such thoughts, and what we might do when victorious to one side. The day is young and before we return to the palace, I would enjoy a walk with one of my beautiful sisters through the city. Perhaps, if the mood takes me, I might even purchase something from a passing merchant that catches your eye.¡± I felt her fingers lightly move on my arm. ¡°With an offer such as that, how could I refuse?¡± ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ As my steed trotted through the outer gates of Sunspear, I turned and looked back at my companions. Behind me, Beron, Trystane, and Edric Dayne followed, and at their tail were a dozen guards from Sunspear. While Oberyn had little issue with me taking Trystane out on this trip without any escort ¨C since it was only a half-day¡¯s ride from the city ¨C Doran was reluctant to let his youngest travel without escort. That went doubly for the heir to Starfall and the second son of Lord Eddard Stark. Still, the guards were under orders to keep their distance from the four of us unless the situation required it. Beron was closer to me than the other two, which made sense as he was both older and they were friends who¡¯d spent the last few years growing up together. Still, while that had been the case, with Quentyn off in Yronwood, Beron had slowly slotted into the group gathered around Prince Trystane. Though that didn¡¯t stop him from trying to follow me around the palace whenever he could. Especially if I was in the yard or playing with Ymir. Still, even though there were a dozen guards with us, as I saw someone watching us from the palace far above the dunes that surrounded the city, I wondered if assigning me to this trip wasn¡¯t some form of test from Doran. In the moon since we¡¯d returned to Sunspear, and ever since the magic display that I¡¯d put on with Ari, Doran had often brought me in on meetings he held with Oberyn, Ari, and the council that helped him rule Dorne. I was sure there were matters I was excluded from ¨C the status of the Targaryen children in Essos being an obvious example ¨C but a bastard child, even one with links to three old houses in Westeros, was a sign of Doran wanting to use me as a piece in how he played the Great Game. Part of that was handling magical training for the Martells and Sand Snakes over a certain age. Trystane, Elia, and Obella Sand hadn¡¯t yet been brought in on the training, but I had little doubt they would soon. As would, if I could wangle it, Beron. While I doubted that he could use elemental magic, I had little doubt he was a Skinchanger in waiting. Of course, if he did unlock that ability, then he ¨C along with Alysanne ¨C would first need to practice on random animals around the palace before gaining a companion of their own. I had concerns that because they would be here until 299AC they¡¯d miss the chance to gain a direwolf, or at least bond with them from the off. As such, I was putting some thought into which animals would work best for them. ¡°This way,¡± I called out as I looked over my charges. My call broke Trystane and Edric from their conversation. From the look on their faces, it seemed I interrupted something they¡¯d rather I not hear. Or it might just be them reacting again to seeing Kaa resting around my neck. With my bond with him being at level 9, and Skinchanging being at level 90, he¡¯d become calm around me. to the point I could handle him without the risk of him reacting and biting me with his fangs. Thus, on occasion ¨C such as this trip ¨C I¡¯d taken to letting him lounge on my shoulders or in a loose bag at my side, I enjoyed having him there, drawing amusement from the wary looks people shot me and revelling in the closeness, while Kaa seemed to enjoy the warmth. Many in Sunspear seemed uncertain about seeing such a venomous ¨C and large for his breed ¨C snake having such freedom, but Oberyn was fine with it so long I didn¡¯t have him too close to the younger children in the palace. Still, since we were heading to Shadystone, and he¡¯d have some free rein, I¡¯d have to keep an eye out and ensure the boys didn¡¯t explore and play too close to where Kaa was wandering. I went to ask what they¡¯d been discussing ¨C as their faces held that childlike conspiratorial expression kids often bore ¨C only to be cut off by a black blur that reached the upper legs of their horses and raced past them. Ymir pulled to a stop once alongside my steed as I slipped from the horse¡¯s mind, having calmed him after the sudden appearance of the young predator. The direwolf stayed in the shadow my mount created, hiding from the early morning sun. While it wasn¡¯t hot yet, Ymir disliked the heat here more than the Stark children and seemed to be in a state of permanent panting. At least when we weren¡¯t in the Water Gardens, and he could lounge in one of the shallower pools or inside the palace of Sunspear. Still, to ensure he¡¯d be ok on this trip, I¡¯d brought along extra flagons of water. Shadystone, which was our destination, was a half-day¡¯s ride from Sunspear so we should get there before midday when the sun would overhead. The holdfast had been abandoned about a century ago when the well supplying it had dried up, though most of the buildings still stood. Even if many were filled with sand. Still, it was a place Oberyn had taken me and my stepsisters and Arianne on several occasions when we grew up, regaling us with stories of his time in Essos. Hell, Shadystone had been where he¡¯s shown me how to extract venom from a snake or scorpion. I had no intention of teaching that to the boys on this trip, but suspected Oberyn had already taught Trystane how to do so. Once we arrived there, we¡¯d take shelter in the buildings that still had roofs and some cover from the winds. After a meal ¨C which was being carried by a pack mule back with the guards ¨C we¡¯d wait for the sun to lower and then explore the ruins. Or at least the boys would. I wanted to spend time practising my Wind Magic and Earth Magic. While the latter wasn¡¯t one that I would be focusing on long-term, moving sand around was a subtle way to train it up. However, my main focus would be doing something similar with Wind Magic. I¡¯d only trained it a little since gaining Wind Compatibility, but I wanted to push it harder, at least until I discovered how exactly to move Fire Magic beyond level 100. Later, once the sun began to set, we¡¯d return to Sunspear. When I¡¯d come here after visiting Braavos, I¡¯d wondered why Dorne didn¡¯t use camels and mentioned that to Oberyn since I¡¯d seen a pair in the Sealord¡¯s Menagerie. Oberyn had scoffed at my suggestion, proclaiming that a Sand Steed was a better mount than a camel for anything bar cargo. He did mention later that there had been attempts to bring them over as beasts of burden centuries ago, though only a third had survived the voyage from Essos. Then it had been quickly discovered that horses hated being anywhere near a camel, so the remaining experiment was ended and if any camels still lived in Dorne they were only used in places horses didn¡¯t venture. A whimper from Ymir refocused my thoughts and as I looked down at him, with his tongue hanging out of his mouth, I chuckled. ¡°I did try to get you to stay with the Princess in the palace.¡± Ymir shook his head, sending snot flying. ¡°Fine, but you had better not spend the entire trip whining about the heat and begging for water.¡± As I shifted my sight back to what was ahead of me, my eyes caught the glint of my spurs. While I wasn¡¯t wearing anything approaching full armour for this day trip, I did have on my boots. Attached to them were my spurs, which since I was now a knight, were gilded instead of silver ¨C which signified that I had been a squire. Oberyn had presented them to me in front of my mother, Ari, and Doran, giving a speech that was heartfelt and proud. The gaining of gilded spurs was one of the things that marked out a knight, the other being a sigil. I was uncertain about that, but Ari ¨C in conjunction with Alysanne ¨C had promised to create something that I¡¯d love. I was curious to see what they¡¯d come up with, even if a part of me feared some sort of abomination that used elements from Houses Dayne, Martell, and Stark and in the process butchered everything. The idea of something that drew equally on the symbols and colours of all three houses sounded deranged. Hopefully, the girls would create something usable that wouldn¡¯t be ridiculed. Ahead of me, there was a wide, paved track though sand blew across it. I knew that within an hour to travel, it would be harder to see the path, especially once we reached the fork for Shadystone. In the skies ahead I saw Rian circle around, no doubt on the lookout for prey. While he was well fed in the palace ¨C with Elia and Wylla especially enjoying throwing him strips of dried meat that he¡¯d catch out of the air ¨C I could always sense the desire to hunt living prey. Rian wouldn¡¯t be going with us today, as there wasn¡¯t much in the way of food there, at least not for him. Kaa moved around my neck, shifting to ensure more of the sun warmed his scales. No doubt once we reached our destination, he¡¯d slide away either to bathe in the warm sand or, if luck allowed, hunt a stray creature that called the ruins home. While I planned to shift into his mind while there and practise moving silently through the sand and creeping up on people, if he sensed a meal nearby, I¡¯d leave his thoughts. I had no desire to break one of the possible rules of skinchanging, even if I couldn¡¯t deny I was curious how it felt to hunt, kill and eat while in the minds of each of my companions. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I moved calmly but cautiously through the darkened streets of the Shadow City. It was early in the evening several moons since I¡¯d returned to Sunspear, and while I¡¯d normally not care who saw me, I needed my presence this evening to not be tracked back to the palace. That was why when I¡¯d first left, I¡¯d exited the city via the north gate and after disappearing from view and then returning via the south gate, my appearance changed via a quick clothing change ¨C for me and my horse ¨C and a long cloak. One thing that stood out as I made my way through the dimly light streets was how people seemed to ignore me. Whenever I came into the city, especially since my return, people smiled and greeted me jovially and merchants hawked their wares to me. Hells, some even offered me discounts due to who I was in the hope of securing my patronage. Some of this was due to my actions ¨C such as saving Arianne from the Iron Born many years ago or having Ymir at my side ¨C but a lot of it came from Oberyn. The people in Sunspear and the Shadow City liked Doran and Arianne and came out whenever they left the palace, however, they loved Oberyn. The times I¡¯d wandered around the city with my father, people had come out in droves to meet him, and he always found time to stop and speak with them. Merchants and shopkeepers always offered him free food and drink ¨C though he always paid for the food ¨C women made passes at him, even with Ellaria and my mother present, and merchants offered gifts to secure and retain his patronage. Hells, I¡¯d even seen a few of the smallfolk hand their children to him as if his touch could somehow bless them in ways a Septon couldn¡¯t. Every time I saw or thought of that, I wondered how the city had reacted after his canon death. I did not doubt that when Doran died the city would mourn him, but when Oberyn passed away, I could see much of the city being ablaze with rage and demanding revenge on whoever killed their beloved prince. And depending on when and how I could see the rest of Dorne joining them. Still, there was none of that adulation or interest in me this evening, which was ideal. I slid past two drunken sailors ¨C from Essos if their dialect of guttural Trade Talk was any indication ¨C happy to see them and others generally ignoring me. Oh, the odd tavern might try to entice me in with a comely wench outside, or small groups might eye me up as an easy mark, but none came close enough to bother me. As I rounded a building where the drunk sailors were collapsed, I saw my destination, or at least the alley it was in. The Sunset Rose was at the end of the alley, surrounded by other brothels and taverns, yet it drew everyone¡¯s eye. Now, that wasn¡¯t to say that the other services offered in this alley weren¡¯t appealing, and as I moved into the alley, a lovely lass with breasts I could hide my head in tried to tempt me into her establishment. However, the Sunset Rose had always been the premier brothel in Sunspear, a fact that had only grown more pronounced since my last visit. It seemed Lady Daenora had used the money Oberyn and I had invested into the establishment for partial silent ownership wisely. The outside of the building had been refurbished with new shutters for the windows and a coat of paint over the walls. And it seemed she¡¯d hired more girls and muscle. I ignored a promise of insane debauchery from one lady of the night as I approached. As tempting as the offer was, I felt I could pull it off with Ari if she convinced enough of her handmaidens to join us. Not that I¡¯d mention it to her as she¡¯d no doubt wonder where I¡¯d heard the idea from. No, my focus was drawn to the three ladies outside the Sunset Rose ¨C and the half dozen large men standing near them and the main entrance ¨C with a particular focus on the smallest, yet most exotic of them. She didn¡¯t have Sarella¡¯s skin tone ¨C which I¡¯d enjoyed exploring and devouring ever since I¡¯d lost the archery challenge with my new weirwood bow ¨C nor, I doubted her willingness to try anything Sarella had heard in whispered tones or discovered in her books, but this lady had my attention all the same. She wasn¡¯t the first person from the far east I¡¯d seen in Sunspear, but her sharp, well-defined features and Asian-styled dress ¨C which hugged her figure as if painted on ¨C caught my eye. She spoke Common, though with an accent that marked her, much as her looks did, as foreign. Something I¡¯d had in my former life was a passing interest in Asians, yet I¡¯d never managed to explore that interest. ¡°Welcome, one and all, to the Sunset Rose,¡± the girl ¨C who was likely from YiTi ¨C shouted, her voice carrying easily through the others nearby. ¡°The most exquisite and extravagant delights in all of Westeros await you inside. Any and every desire that you might have can be found within our walls. Be you from Westeros, Essos, or beyond, what you desire, we provide.¡± I frowned at her sales pitch, wondering just how true that was. While I wasn¡¯t against people making a living from whoring, I drew the line at anyone being forced into the living. My fists clenched as I fought the urge to challenge her if those offers extended to those not yet an adult. It was something I¡¯d have to speak with Lady Daenora about when I returned to the Rose during daylight hours. Instead of entering the main door, which was guarded by two men who looked taller than me and twice as wide, I moved past the gathered crowd taken in by the spiels given by the YiTi girl and her cohorts, and moved down a side alley. Entering through the front ran the risk of someone recognising me, and given my business here, it was better they didn¡¯t. Now, I could¡¯ve approached the Rose from the back, slipping through the darkened passages that filled the Shadow City, however doing that ran a heightened risk of trouble. While I had faith I could handle anything on the streets, I¡¯d rather avoid any situations that might draw the attention of the City Watch. I slipped past the Rose, and then angled away as if going to another building. After a few quick turns down narrow alleys barely wide enough for a man to enter, and after passing around a few other buildings, and avoiding one back-alley game of chance, I reached the back of the Rose. After making sure the street was clear as it could be, I moved toward that door and knocked in a set pattern that the guards inside would recognise. A moment later a shutter on the door pulled back and a pair of angry eyes glared out at me. ¡°An eagle in red requests a meeting with the lady of the house.¡± The silt closed after I finished, and I moved to the side, scoping out the alley to ensure none were close enough that they might try and storm the door when it opened. Daenora ¨C who was a knockout with Valyrian features ¨C had been surprised when, during an apparent visit to help me become a man, Oberyn had instead spoken with Daenora about my interest in investing in the Rose. At first, she¡¯d been against it, fearing a complete takeover, but I¡¯d explained what we desired ¨C in a business sense ¨C she¡¯d warmed to the idea. Hells, after our deal was concluded, she noted that we¡¯d purchased her time for another hour and was more than willing to prove how wise our investment was. Oberyn had laughed at that, then stepped outside telling her to teach me how to please a princess. Daenora had done that and more for the rest of the night, and Ari had certainly enjoyed what I¡¯d learnt since then. Less than a minute after the slit had closed, I heard the door open. Three large men stepped out, blades in hand. The leader, Irraro ¨C a large man from the Summer Isles who had almost a head in height on me ¨C turned my way, though once I pulled my hood back enough that he could see my face, he relaxed. A nod to the others had them step aside and he guided me through the door. The others followed on our heels, only sheathing their blades once the door was closed and bolted shut. ¡°Lady Daenora is otherwise occupied this evening,¡± Irraro said. ¡°However, she left instructions that the men you wish to speak with are waiting for you. Top floor, the door with the red bolt upon it.¡± When he finished, he passed me a small clay token. I nodded my thanks to him as we stepped out of the dimly lit room ¨C though the guards stayed ¨C into the kitchen. Servants were moving around, preparing food and drink for this evening¡¯s patrons, though none looked our way as Irraro guided me to a small staircase. As I moved up it, he left, returning ¨C I assumed ¨C to the main floor and the patrons there who¡¯d yet to pay for private service. As I passed the door to the first floor, I heard movement from the other side. The loud, happy voices of people left no doubt as to what was going on beyond. The second floor was quieter, which made sense as the rooms there were larger and better insulated to limit how much distraction a patron could have while resting, or whatever it was they were doing, in their room. I pushed open the door to the third floor, and four guards glanced my way. The closest two placed their hands on the hilt of their weapons but relaxed when I held up the token Irraro had given me. A token that marked me as someone allowed to use the private staircase. I stepped into the corridor on the third floor, looking at the half-dozen doors until I saw the one with the red bolt. As I moved toward it, I heard Daenora¡¯s voice from inside one room and it sounded like she was enjoying herself. Or at least was doing such an outstanding job of faking it that I couldn¡¯t tell the difference. Nor likely could whoever she was with. ¡°Took you long enough,¡± a voice said as I opened the door to the red bolt room. My hand was on the hilt of the sword I¡¯d brought with me. While it was nice to feel a weapon there, it wasn¡¯t Red Rain. Even if the blade was a bit short for my tastes, I felt better having the Valyrian Steel weapon with me. However, I couldn¡¯t bring it with me while moving incognito. ¡°Though since the drinks are on you, I can forgive it,¡± the man finished as I closed the door behind me. ¡°Not that I know who you are.¡± I stayed quiet as I moved toward the table the man was sitting at. His feet were up on the table, and he held a mug in one hand, yet the way his eyes followed me made it clear he was naturally wary of others. Hardly a surprise for someone in his line of work. Beside him was another, though their hands were tied, and they had a bag over their head and from the muffled sounds coming from within, were likely gagged. ¡°You¡¯re not one of those I hired,¡± I commented as I sat on the far side of the table from the man. ¡°Who are you? How did you learn of my request and who is under the hood?¡± ¡°Name¡¯s Bronn,¡± I was glad the room was barely lit, and my face obscured by my hood otherwise he¡¯d have seen my reaction to hearing his name. ¡°And this here,¡± his other hand came up holding a length of rope. He pulled it, making the bagged figure grunt. ¡°This is the one you want. Not sure why though.¡± My eyes examined his face. He was near a shadow, bone thin and bone hard, with black eyes and black hair and a stubble of beard. Exactly as described in the book ¡°How did you know to contact me?¡± I asked again since he¡¯d not bothered to answer that the first time. Bronn shrugged. ¡°There I was, enjoying the company of a lovely lass in Gulltown, wondering where my next payday would come from or what would happen, but a newcomer entered the tavern I was enjoying. He was in a good mood, speaking about an easy payday and buying drinks for all. From there, well he may not have been as discreet as he should be about why he had the influx of coin, or how he planned to earn more.¡± I chuckled, amused that by pure chance not only had I met Bronn, but he¡¯d removed those who¡¯d taken my target from the North. Something I¡¯d been of two minds about doing ever since I¡¯d left White Harbour. ¡°And before you¡­ educated this man about the dangers of loose lips, did he perhaps mention when the reward for delivery of the cargo was?¡± I¡¯d come with extra coin tonight, figuring I might be able to keep the men who completed the mission on retainer if those who completed the mission showed hints of being worth keeping around. If Bronn over-inflated the price, I¡¯d have to negotiate him down, but if he was honest, there was a chance I could get him on a sort of retainer for any odd jobs I couldn¡¯t publicly be seen to be handling. ¡°Eighty-five Dragons is what they claimed. Though I did have to convince them to first let me in on the deal before they revealed that.¡± Broon leaned forward, a wolfish smile on his face as he tugged the rope once more. ¡°Or were they lying?¡± I pulled the pouch from my belt, or at least the one I¡¯d kept hidden in case a pickpocket tried to get lucky on my way here. ¡°They told true,¡± I replied as I showed him the pouch. ¡°Provided the cargo is genuine.¡± Bronn smiled as he pulled the hood off. The face that was revealed was young, yet slightly worn. He looked to be close to my age, though without my build, and had pale eyes that Roose Bolton was said to possess. The boy¡¯s face was far from appealing though with pink blotchy skin and meaty worm-like lips. ¡°Wh-where am I?¡± the boy asked, only seconds after Bronn had removed his gag. That earned him a clout on the head. I leaned forward, snarling as I spoke. ¡°The better question would be who are you, and how might you earn the right to return home?¡± I had no intention of doing that, but this bastard didn¡¯t need to know that. The boy blinked, getting his bearings in the darkly lit room, before focusing and glaring at me. ¡°I¡¯m Ramsay Snow! Son of Roose Bolton! If you do not return me, then my father will find and kill you!¡± I chuckled at the unexpected backbone Ramsay was showing. ¡°Oh, I know exactly who your father is, though I doubt he would care about a mad dog such as you,¡± I said with a smile that only enraged him further. ¡°Though if he wants revenge, he is more than welcome to try. However, I doubt his willingness to travel this far to do so for a bastard son when he has Domeric as his son and heir.¡± Ramsay¡¯s eyes darted around the room, likely looking for an exit. There were only two, the door behind me and the window ¨C which was latched shut ¨C on my left; the other side of me from Ramsay. To reach either he¡¯d have to slip free of the rope Bronn was holding him with and then get past at least me. Even if he made the window, we were three floors up. He might survive a fall from that height, but the ground below was cobbled, and he¡¯d likely break an ankle on landing. ¡°Where is Reek?¡± I blinked at hearing Ramsay ask for him. As far as I knew, that was what he called Theon after torturing him. However, it seemed in this world ¨C and I assumed in the books ¨C Reek was an entirely different person. I glanced at Bronn who shrugged. ¡°No clue,¡± I said without any care. ¡°No doubt when you were collected this Reek was killed, so by now, his bones will have been picked clean by scavengers.¡± I turned to Bronn as I continued. ¡°I tire of his whining.¡± Bronn nodded and even as Ramsay struggled, the mercenary forced the gag back into the bastard¡¯s mouth. He then pulled the hood back over Ramsay¡¯s face. ¡°Figured you were as sick of looking at him as I am,¡± he offered once he was finished. ¡°Aye,¡± I placed the pouch on the table and held out my hand. Bronn placed the rope there with a smile and scooped up the pouch. ¡°How long will you stay in town?¡± I asked as he stood, giving the pouch a gentle toss to test its weight before then opening it enough to see the contents. Bronn shrugged. ¡°Not sure I can say. Never been this far south and before I go, I think I would like to taste a Dornish cunt,¡± I chuckled at the crude reply. If I planned for Ramsay to live much longer, I¡¯d be annoyed at him for giving away where we were, but since that wasn¡¯t the case, I didn¡¯t care. ¡°If you are still here when you run out of coin, ask for me again. I might have need of someone with your skills in the future. Though I cannot promise anything currently.¡± Bronn chuckled. ¡°If you pay this well, then aye, I may be willing to listen to your offer. First, though, I have got other plans.¡± He tossed the pouch up slightly and then caught it. ¡°Until we meet again, enjoy your gift.¡± I nodded in thanks but kept my eyes ¨C one hand on the hilt of a dagger under my cloak ¨C until the door closed behind him. Once it did, I stood and harshly yanked Ramsay from his chair. Having no warning, and not seeing where he was going, his face crashed into the frame of Bronn¡¯s now-vacated chair, and he groaned as he fell to the floor. ¡°Come on,¡± I growled as I pulled him to his feet, drawing another pained moan. Ramsay groaned and muttered into his gag as I reached for the door handle, which had me stop, turn and punch him in the gut. ¡°If you wish to live longer, be quiet!¡± Ramsay fell silent after recovering from my blow ¨C which by the sound of it had cracked a rib at least ¨C and let me guide him out onto the floor. The guards paid little mind to me as we moved toward the staff staircase. It took far longer to go down the stairs than up them as I had to ensure Ramsay didn¡¯t fall, or if he did, that he didn¡¯t land on me. While having him slip and break his neck would be a fitting end, I¡¯d paid for his delivery and had no intention of being denied my reward for putting this plan in motion. Eventually, we reached the ground floor, however, instead of going back the way I came, I went down a narrow corridor. The sounds of people enjoying themselves in the main hall echoed around the corridor, and I saw a few small slits that could be pulled back to allow spying on anyone in the hall. That wasn¡¯t my interest tonight though, and I led Ramsay through the corridor. At the end of it, Irraro was waiting, and he lifted a hatch in the floor. I bit off a chuckle when Ramsay slipped going down the ladder there and fell into the basement. It wasn¡¯t a big drop so he¡¯d not have broken anything, but the pained groan that came from behind the gag brought a smile to my face. I followed and, once down, pulled him to his feet. The basement was small, though that was all that was needed and with Ramsay¡¯s rope in one hand and a lit torch handed to me by Irraro before he closed the hatch behind us in the other, I dragged my prisoner down the tunnel that started at this basement. The tunnel was one Lady Daenora had revealed to Oberyn and me after we¡¯d purchased our silent investment and led to a small hut near the docks. It seemed that some customers paid for private entrance into the Shadow City that avoided the gates. Now, I could¡¯ve used the passage to enter the Rose initially, however, I¡¯d decided against it as that would show me coming and going from the hut if anyone was watching and have required me to shift clothing within the city limits. It took about thirty minutes to reach the hut and emerge onto the docks, with most of that taken up by ensuring Ramsay didn¡¯t fall as we moved. The dock was meant to be deserted at this time of night, with only the odd patrol for the watch going by. And as I looked around, guiding Ramsay with me, I was delighted to discover that was the case. After reaching an isolated section of the docks, I pulled off the hood. Ramsay¡¯s eyes widened as he took in where we were, and he started panicking. To counter that, I grabbed his hair, pulled him close, and glared at him. As my other hand pulled my dagger from inside my cloak, I leaned closer and growled. ¡°The Starks send their regards.¡± When I finished, I drove the dagger into his gut. As he stiffened, I pulled his head back with a hard yank and slashed his throat. As he collapsed to his knees, I cut his hands free and then jammed the dagger into his chest. I watched stoically as the light left his eyes, and then as he fell back into the waves, making only a gentle splash as he broke the water, I smiled with a vicious joy raving in my veins and turned away. As I walked away, I threw the rope and hood into the water, just far enough away that they¡¯d not be linked to the body whenever it would be found. The kill was anticlimactic, however, that was all a rabid dog like Ramsay deserved. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°What do we do with a drunken sailor, what do we do with a drunken sailor, what do we do with a drunken sailor, early in the morning?¡± The lyrics of one of a dozen shanties and songs I¡¯d taught since being reborn greeted me as I stepped onto the deck of the Windchaser, and a chuckle slipped from my lips. While it was nice to hear the crew singing one of my songs, the fact that the sun was slowly setting to the west meant the lyrics didn¡¯t fit the time. ¡°Oof,¡± I grunted out as Ymir, a year old and taller than any hunting dog in Sunspear rushed past. Though to be fair, there were few hunting dogs in the palace to compare him to since Sunspear was surrounded by desert and ocean. ¡°Ymir!¡± He stopped and looked back at me, his head hanging to one side as he did. ¡°Why so pushy?¡± He pushed his head higher and sniffed the ear and then what passed for a grin appeared. I pushed some hair that had been blown into my face out of the way and chuckled. ¡°Fine then. Head up there,¡± I pointed to the foredeck, ¡°and stay out of the way as you enjoy the evening air.¡± He snorted in happiness before turning and bounding off, slipping through the crew on the deck with an ease one wouldn¡¯t expect of such a large beast. Of course, inside another year or so, he¡¯d not be able to slip through so easily. Or possibly move on the ship without needing people to move for him. Based on his mother¡¯s height, he¡¯d be at least the size of a horse, though with how Kaa and Rian were larger/longer/bigger than their breeds were known to be, I always wondered just how large Ymir was going to get. And how downright terrifying to others he¡¯d be. As my mind drifted to my other companions, my thoughts moved to Rian. About two moons ago he¡¯d taken off and not returned. While he did take long flights at times, when it passed two nights I reached out to his mind. He was distant, but I could sense he was safe, and that he was with someone. Not another human, but, if I was understanding what I was sensing correctly, another Sunfyre eagle. His species, from what I¡¯d read, didn¡¯t mate until they were six, yet it seemed he¡¯d found a mate a few years earlier than normal. A few days ago, I¡¯d sensed a shift in his feelings and suspected he was returning. Since he seemed pleased, I felt he¡¯d not lost his possible mate but was perhaps bringing her back to Sunspear to nest. If that was the case, it was going to be interesting to watch and experience how he handled and felt during the birth of a chick. I turned on the deck, pushing thoughts of Rian and his possible mate to one side, and turned them to the ladies on the quarterdeck. There a happy Asha was holding the wheel, while behind her, Nymeria was laying down on a hammock, a thin slip of a dress barely hiding her modesty as the sea breeze tried its best to remove the dress. Nymeria had come about a moon after I¡¯d returned and asked me about inviting them for a short sail. I¡¯d been reluctant to allow the Greyjoy lass onto my ship and said as much. However, over the following moons, Nymeria had kept asking, sprinkling in hints that if I agreed, then she and Asha would be incredibly grateful. Now, after moons of suggestions, and with things growing slightly boring for me, I¡¯d agreed. Thus, since we¡¯d left harbour, Asha had been piloting my ship. Even if Nymeria¡¯s hints of reward came to nothing, the smile Asha wore ever since first being allowed to pilot made the trip worthwhile. She might¡¯ve seemed happy in Sunspear, especially when around Nymeria and her friends, but the smile she¡¯d worn ever since then ¨C and which was still stuck on her face even now ¨C made clear just how much she missed the oceans. Even the hints of hatred she¡¯d always had for me ¨C no doubt in response to blaming me for indirectly causing her father¡¯s death ¨C were gone. As I emerged into the quarterdeck, Asha looked at me. That hatred was gone, or at least suppressed, replaced by a gaze of desire, though I suspected that was more from her being back at sea than something aimed at me. ¡°I thought I told you to stop tempting my crew,¡± I said to my stepsister as I stepped past Asha. The first day out from harbour, one of the crew ¨C a new member brought onboard to make up numbers after the storm and pirate attack several moons ago ¨C had seen her, and not long after tried to bed her. Nymeria had been against that and removed a finger with one of the daggers that even now, were never out of arm¡¯s reach. When I¡¯d discovered the incident, I¡¯d considered placing the now nine-fingered man in the brig. However, after he launched a string of insults at my sister, I¡¯d simply moved closer, picked him up, and tossed him overboard. Several members of the new crew had stared in shock at my actions, though I had noted that none of the old crew had cared. To all, I¡¯d stated clearly that tossing him over and letting him decide his fate in the sea was a fairer response to how Prince Oberyn would react if he¡¯d remained onboard when we returned to port. That had ended the issue before it became one and resulted in most of the crew avoiding gazing at my sister. At least whenever I was present. There was little doubt in my mind that she teased the crew whenever I wasn¡¯t around, and as her current dress proved, even if she did nothing but laze around, she could drive any man ¨C and many ladies ¨C to distraction. Nymeria shrugged before shifting in the hammock, causing her dress to slip enough that one of her breasts was exposed. She smiled and licked her lips when she caught my gaze wandering. ¡°The only ones I wish to tempt are those close enough to enjoy the view,¡± she replied as she shifted again, moving to a seated position that dragged my focus to her long, smooth legs. ¡°And I see it¡¯s working on at least one of you.¡± I smirked and shook my head. ¡°And to think I delayed bringing you out here.¡± I glanced over my shoulder at Asha who was seemingly lost in sailing. ¡°Sadly, I think your partner is distracted by something she finds even more alluring.¡± Nymeria stood, sliding her feet into a pair of sandals that did little more than protect her feet from splinters. ¡°It seems you may be correct.¡± Her eyes locked on me, and she smiled as she nibbled a finger. ¡°Perhaps there is something we could do that might regain her attention?¡± As she spoke, her finger slid from her mouth and trailed down her neck, stopping just above the gap between her breasts. I stepped closer, wondering just how far she was willing to take this, and hoping that would be all the way. ¡°And how, dear sister, might I help with that?¡± Nymeria¡¯s hand turned and she rested her palm against my chest, biting her lips as she ran her fingers over my upper body that was exposed by the loose shirt I wore. ¡°I can think of one thing that might work.¡± She leaned closer even as her fingers trailed down my stomach. ¡°If you may be willing to accept my thanks for allowing us this voyage?¡± ¡°More than willing,¡± I replied, though with that she pulled back. I turned as she moved past me, and as she approached Asha, and slid her arms around the other girl¡¯s waist, Asha jerked, so lost in sailing that she was caught off guard by the action. ¡°Enjoying the sea, my love?¡± Nymeria asked loud enough that I could hear. ¡°Hmm, Yes,¡± Asha replied, leaning back into my stepsister. ¡°Thank you,¡± Nymeria whispered something to her, and Asha turned her head to me. ¡°Thank you, Cregan.¡± I accepted the thanks with a nod even as I did my best to ignore the way Nymeria¡¯s hands slid into Asha¡¯s trousers. Nymeria leaned closer and whispered something into Asha¡¯s ear. The Greyjoy¡¯s cheeks darkened a touch as she continued to look at me, and her eyes wandered over my frame. I could see the flames of lust sparking to live in her eyes, brought on, no doubt, but Nymeria¡¯s skilled fingers. ¡°Fine, but if he fails to live up to your word, you shall suffer for it,¡± Asha remarked. Nymeria pulled back but not before kissing Asha¡¯s cheek. ¡°Promises, promises.¡± She moved away from Asha, removing her hands from inside her lover¡¯s trousers. One hand found Asha¡¯s while the other reached out for me. ¡°Come along. The sun is getting low, and we want to retire to your cabin.¡± I blinked, processing the slip in wording. The way she smirked made clear it was intentional, and I happily took her hand in mine. ¡°Good. I have grown tired of hearing tales about you from my cousin. It is long past time I discovered if they, and what my sisters hinted at, are true.¡± ¡°I doubt they are all true,¡± Asha commented as Nymeria guided us toward the steps down. ¡°I am more than willing to prove them true, my dear,¡± I replied with a smirk as we let Nymeria guide us to the main deck and then toward my cabin. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ Drums of Dust Drums of Dust ¡­ ¡­ (Circa 296AC)
Loud banging dragged me from the soothing, relaxing confines of sleep. I blinked as the fog in my mind cleared and I realised the banging was coming from the door of my cabin. Slowly, the ravages of slumber still affecting me, I turned. Or at least I tried to. My eyes shifted to what was stopping me from rising only for them to widen rapidly. My right arm was trapped under the sleeping form of Asha Greyjoy. The only things protecting her modesty were the sheet that was around her waist and her hair which partially obscured my sight of her reddened breasts. My eyes wandered lower and saw faint red marks on her waist and memories of the night before came rushing back. When we¡¯d gotten to my cabin, Asha had pushed me onto the bed and then climbed on top. As her tongue fought mine for dominance, we tore at each other¡¯s clothing and once naked enough, the battle fully began. Asha was anything but a quiet or obedient lover and every round of the night, every action was warfare. Though, in the end, I had control of all but a few battles, and in those I let her take control as Nym distracted me by kissing me, whispering sweet nothings into my ear or in one case, sitting on my face. Nym was, surprisingly given her persona, almost docile in bed. Not to the point of being a hidden submissive, but simply in that she preferred slower, gentler fucking to the warfare favoured by Asha, or the passion shown by Ari. After my first time with Nym, I¡¯d wondered internally how she and Asha managed to temper their very different sexual preferences, though several rounds of combat later I learnt my answer when the pair granted me some rest and entertained themselves. While they¡¯d not done so for my enjoyment, I certainly had delighted in watching them together. At least until I¡¯d re-joined them in my sheets. Another bang at my door drew my attention back to the present. Or at least the present that didn¡¯t involve me sharing a bed with two naked and beautiful ladies. ¡°Make it stop.¡± I turned to my other side as Nym murmured and then pushed into my side. Unlike Asha, Nym had nothing covering her and I marvelled at her form before gasping as Nym shifted and her leg brushed against my groin. I didn¡¯t know if it had been intentional or not, but another bang at the door raised my hackles. ¡°If that is not the Stranger or another Death god at the door, they will get the pleasure to soon meet them,¡± I grumbled before slowly extracting myself from my companions. I crunched my feet on the rug that lay next to my bed, though before moving I found my boots and shirt, which were discarded elsewhere on the cabin¡¯s floor. By the time I¡¯d found and slipped them on, Ymir had risen, growling in annoyance as he moved to my side. I ran my hand down his side as I walked to the door, though not before unsheathing Red Rain on the chance this wasn¡¯t someone from the crew, another half dozen bangs having occurred in the time it took me to get something on and reach it. ¡°What?!¡± I snarled while keeping my voice low after pulling the door open. Garreo froze for a second, though that was more likely because Ymir was growling at my side than my tone. ¡°Begging your pardon, Captain, but we got a problem.¡± I glanced over his shoulder, though it was hard to see what was happening as while there were a few lanterns on the deck, the crew seemed to be doing their best to avoid the light. ¡°Barrelman spotted a ship creeping toward us.¡± I wanted to look up to the crow¡¯s nest, but the short corridor between my cabin and the main deck prevented that. As would the dark, moonless night. ¡°Guessing they are not friendly?¡± Garreo shrugged. ¡°Hard to tell on a night like this. But they be coming right at us from astern and not running lights.¡± He paused as if considering something. ¡°Was hoping you might be able to confirm if we got a problem.¡± I grunted to bite off the chuckle that threatened to escape. I¡¯d not mentioned anything about my skinchanging to him or anyone else onboard, but there¡¯d been enough hints from Garreo to suggest he suspected I had a way to see further than any other could. ¡°Not on a night this dark,¡± I replied, cursing slightly that Rian was still away. However, I could feel our bond strengthening, meaning he was coming closer and returning from wherever he flew off to seek a mate. ¡°Ready the crew just in case.¡± Garreo bared his teeth in a grin. ¡°Already doin¡¯ that. Just wanted to wait before interrupting you and your friends before letting you know.¡± ¡°Currently they are sleeping,¡± I replied with a chuckle. ¡°I think I wore them out. Still, if we are going to have guests I better wake them. I think our Ironborn will enjoy making new friends on the sea.¡± Garreo chuckled darkly before nodding and turning around. As he moved through the short corridor leading to the main deck, I closed the door to my cabin and turned. When I did, I was greeted by the sight of the ladies sitting up on my bed. Asha¡¯s legs were barely covered by the sheets while Nym was holding her side of them to her chest. ¡°What happened?¡± my stepsister asked before yawning. ¡°Seems we will be having guests,¡± I replied as I moved toward the pile of clothes. While I¡¯d get my armour in a moment, I needed clothes underneath. ¡°Sadly, that means having to postpone the next rounds for a while.¡± ¡°Guests?¡± Asha mumbled as she stood, leaving her natural beauty exposed for my eyes to feast upon. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Aye, though sadly not the kind we will enjoy,¡± I said as I slipped my legs into my breeches. "Or perhaps we might, but we cannot bring them to join us here.¡± As I continued I tightened the belt for the breeches and then turned toward where my armour was kept. While I¡¯d not expected to need it on this short voyage, I¡¯d still brought it. Now it looked like that choice was a wise one. ¡°Once I am properly attired, I plan to thank them for disrupting our sleep.¡± ¡°A fine idea,¡± Asha commented with a chuckle. As I picked up my gambeson I turned back to see her moving for her clothes. ¡°Been a while since my axe has tasted flesh.¡± She turned and bent over, collecting whatever piece of clothing it was she was after. My eyes naturally drifted to her arse, and the red marks that were still there from our earlier activities. ¡°Eyes up sailor!¡± Asha called when she caught me watching. ¡°After dealing with these guests, you can have another shot at this,¡± she wiggled her arse at me, ¡°if man enough to do so.¡± I laughed. ¡°I think after last night, you know I am up to that challenge.¡± I turned back to my armour after securing the gambeson. While I had all of it with me, I was reluctant to wear full-plate. Not only were we fighting on a vessel, but it was night-time. Yes, I¡¯d fought for a short while in armour on the Windchaser before, but then I¡¯d just been filling in gaps in the line. This time, I¡¯d be leading the battle from the front and with that meaning I¡¯d be near the edge of the vessel and it being pitch black, I had to find a balance between protection and ease of motion if I was knocked overboard. Making my decision, I collected the hauberk, figuring the chainmail shirt would offer decent protection without weighing me down too much for my water magic in the event of going overboard. Yet, even as I pulled the shirt over my head, I mentally selected the parts of plate armour I¡¯d wear. The helm was a given, as were the gauntlets and sabatons as those would protect my hands and feet respectfully. Anything else would depend on how much time we had before the attackers arrived. After securing the sabatons, I turned and saw the girls were changed as well. While Asha was placing her axes into her belt, Nym was securing an array of knives against a leather chest piece. ¡°We will be fighting with you,¡± Asha said as she saw me looking. ¡°Not going to hide in the cabin and simply wait for you.¡± As she finished she moved toward me. I had little issue with Asha fighting, as she was Ironborn. When she¡¯d been made a ward of House Martell, she¡¯d already been fourteen and beyond simple training, I knew she¡¯d gone on raids. She¡¯s likely seen more naval battles than I had, at least in this life. However, my issue with Nym. While she was skilled with smaller blades, she wasn¡¯t built for frontline battles. Instead, she favoured getting close with her looks and striking when her target¡¯s guard was down. ¡°Nym?¡± My stepsister looked at me. ¡°If you two are fighting, then so am I.¡± Her tone left little room for argument. ¡°Fine,¡± I said slowly as Asha slid my first gauntlet on. ¡°However, I want you to stay behind Asha and not get drawn away from the cabins. Keep them at your back and be mindful of everything around you.¡± ¡°I know how to fight,¡± Nym shot back. I sighed, wondering how to phrase my reply. ¡°Not in a battle like this,¡± Asha countered as she tightened the straps for the gauntlet. ¡°This isn¡¯t the yard but chaos and carnage the likes of which you have yet to see.¡± ¡°I am not hiding away here!¡± Nym shot back, showing the fire I¡¯d seen in her sisters, cousin and father at various times. Before I could reply, an idea came to mind. As Asha picked up my second gauntlet I turned to my armour, though what I picked up wasn¡¯t anything from that. ¡°Here,¡± I said as I turned back to her holding my weirwood bow. ¡°Take this. This will let you fight without getting too close.¡± Asha paused as Nym came closer. While I wasn¡¯t happy about letting anyone use my bow, I¡¯d take Nym using it over losing her. While she wasn¡¯t on my level with a bow, she knew how to use it. The only issue might be if she could draw it at all. However, that was removed as she gave the bow a few test pulls, drawing it back just far enough to shoot. ¡°Heavy, but it shall do.¡± I nodded, accepting Nym¡¯s words and picked up the quiver. None of the weirwood arrows were inside as they, like the extra sections of wood and shavings were kept in my room at Sunspear. So far, I¡¯d not made a call on what to do with the extra wood, though ideas were still running around my thoughts. ¡°Good.¡± I turned Asha as she slid my second gauntlet on now that my hand was free. ¡°I know you want to be in the thick of the fighting, but I need you to stay near the cabins and watch Nym.¡± Asha paused, and for a moment I thought she might argue. ¡°Fine, but you owe me afterwards.¡± I chuckled and nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sure we may both enjoy that.¡± I looked over at Ymir. ¡°Stay with them.¡± He whined, making clear he didn¡¯t like my order. ¡°No. Stay, you have no armour and I need you protecting them.¡± Ymir stood tall and snorted, and I gently patted his head with my gauntleted hand. ¡°Still not sure how that works,¡± Nym remarked as she came closer, her gaze on Ymir. ¡°But I¡¯m not complaining. We will keep an eye on him, not to worry.¡± ¡°Aye, been waiting to see the beast in action,¡± Ymir growled. ¡°Save that anger for those who attack us,¡± she said with a smirk. ¡°I will try and leave some for you,¡± Ymir grunted and pushed against her leg. ¡°So¡¯s he,¡± I said as I watched the odd interaction. Asha and Ymir had been wary of each other ever since he¡¯d come to Sunspear. It seemed the promise of blood and carnage let them find common ground. Well, that and Ymir might well consider Nym and Asha another two of my mates. I shifted the fingers in the second gauntlet as Asha finished securing it. ¡°Seriously, all of you stay safe. I would rather not lose any of you.¡± ¡°Falling in love already?¡± Asha remarked as Nym came closer and pressed her lips against mine. I slid a metal hand around her waist and pulled her in, forcing my way into her mouth. I pulled back after a few seconds, leaving her breathless, and looked at Asha. ¡°No. Just prefer to return to a warm bed with companions than have to mourn your passing.¡± Asha nodded as Nym collected herself. ¡°You had better come back in one piece,¡± she said softly, a hand resting against the mail over my chest before she leaned closer. ¡°You still have some of me to claim.¡± The whispered words were accompanied by her gently squeezing my arse. My eyes widened as she pulled back, a mischievous smirk dancing on her face. ¡°With an offer like that, I would kill the Seven themselves to return to your side.¡± ¡­ ¡­ I leaned back, letting the pirate overextend. Then, as his axe sailed harmlessly past me, I brought my blade around in a rising cut. Red Rain severing his arm and sending another splurge of red mist into the air. My blood hummed in delight as he screamed, though the sound ended with a gurgle when the axe in my other hand slammed into his throat. I roared as fresh blood soaked into my new weapon as I yanked it free. Before the body had fallen to its knees, I was moving, hunting my next target. Around me, chaos reigned as my crew fought the fools who¡¯d disturbed my rest. I shifted as a blade surged toward me. The offending arm sent flying, but I kept moving. That prey was falling, someone stealing my kill as the point of a blade punctured their chest. A challenging scream drew my focus. Someone was moving at me, an axe in both hands. They swung one blade and I snarled, backstepping. The second came around and I lunged. Red Rain lived up to its name as it sent a shower of blood flying as hand and axe were severed. I snarled as I stepped in, trapping his other arm before sliding red rain almost lovingly across his stomach as his guts fell and pooled around my feet. Letting go I spun again, seeking new flesh to feast upon only to snarl as my eyes spotted something. At the edge of the carnage, someone was holding a bow. Their eyes were aimed away from me, yet when I saw where they were looking as they pulled another arrow, I felt my rage surge. They were targeting what was mine. I caught sight of Asha driving her axe into the back of scum as Ymir ripped out their ankles. Behind the pair, Nym let another arrow sail from my bow. Yet, while they were holding their own, none saw the threat, which only incensed me more. I roared and rushed forward, as he knocked the arrow, I threw my axe. The weapon spun through the air, slamming into the bow just as the string was pulled. The fool stumbled, falling onto the steps, though I was upon him before he could recover. He grunted as I drove Red Rain down, piercing his pathetic excuse for armour without issue. My blade slid up, slicing his insides, before ripping free near his throat, sending blood and guts onto the deck. Sneering, I left him to gurgle out his last breaths in agony. Glanced at my pack, seeing the one Asha and Ymir had been taking down on a heap on the ground, along with others. A surge of delight rushed through me at knowing my mates could defend themselves, and I turned, looking for my next meal. Yet as I surveyed the deck, I saw only a dozen still standing. I took a step forward, toward the nearest man only to blink. He wasn¡¯t prey, but one of mine: my crew. I shook my head, clearing the rapture of battle from my thoughts and then surveyed the deck. A shout of victory erupted from my crew, joined soon by one from myself and a howl of delight from Ymir. As the moment passed, I moved forward, Red Rain remaining in my hand in case one of the bodies around me wasn¡¯t dead. ¡°Secure their ship!¡± I called out to Garreo, who appeared unharmed. As he turned to shout orders, I saw blood on the leather on his shoulder had been severed with blood seeping into the armour and shirt below. He turned back to me as others moved toward the vessel that had pulled alongside before the battle commenced. A glance by me at his shoulder drew a smirk and a quick roll of the arm from him to show it wasn¡¯t a major wound. Accepting his action as proof he was fine, I turned and, after stabbing something in the pile of flesh around my feet moved, called out. ¡°Search the bodies! Take everything of worth and toss the trash overboard!¡± the crew hurried to obey. I approached the cabins, seeing a smiling Asha and a happy but distraught Nym. Yet my first focus was on Ymir as he sauntered toward me, proud of himself. ¡°Hey there boy,¡± I said as I fell to a knee, my free hand running along his fur, checking that the blood there wasn¡¯t his. ¡°Have fun?¡± Ymir whined in delight as he leaned into my touch, and I could sense his delight at having tasted battle for the first time. ¡°He did,¡± even as my hand kept looking for wounds I looked up as Asha and Nym approached. Asha had a hand on Nym¡¯s back, helping my stepsister as she looked unsteady on her feet. Not an unexpected event given it was her first battle. Possibly of any sort. ¡°From what I saw, I bet you did too,¡± Asha added with a wide smile that made clear she¡¯d enjoyed herself as well. ¡°What can I say,¡± I began with a smile. ¡°Battle gets the blood flowing. Almost as much as spending a night, or day, or both, with beauties like those in front of me.¡± Asha laughed while Nym smiled. While still unsteady, the spark I saw in her eyes made clear she was as excited even while she was shocked by the carnage of battle. ¡°We would be more than happy to make that happen,¡± Asha said as she ran a hand through my hair. I growled at the action, making her laugh again. ¡°First though, clean up. As much as I enjoy a good fuck after a fight, I would rather not have the blood of your victims on me.¡± She leaned closer and inhaled before making a face. ¡°Nor the smell of whatever caused that.¡± I stood and used the hand holding Red Rain to tap my chest. ¡°By your command.¡± That made both laugh, yet it was the look in Nym¡¯s eyes before she let Asha guide her back to my cabin that caught my attention. For all that, the battle had unnerved her, the fire in her eyes, as they ran over my blood-soaked form, made the desire inside me grow. Though this time it wasn¡¯t battle I sought. At least not the kind I¡¯d just emerged from. As the pair walked away, Asha glanced back over her shoulder before smirking. The last few steps before the pair disappeared down the corridor to my cabin were taken up with my eyes glued to their derrieres and the way they swayed. A whine from my side drew my focus once that delectable sight was gone, and I looked at Ymir even as my free hand patted his head. ¡°Aye, they want some more of the wolf,¡± I remarked to him. He barked in agreement, and I chuckled. ¡°Go on then. Quite sure, unlike me, they will wash you before bed.¡± Ymir bounded off after the girls, which made me chuckle as he¡¯d not even given me a look to see if I wanted him to stay. ¡°Traitor,¡± I muttered as he disappeared down the corridor after the girls. ¡°Capt¡¯n,¡± I turned to see Caddar behind me. He¡¯d come onboard as helmsman after Garreo was promoted to Frist Mate. ¡°We got three no'' dead who claim¡¯n they¡¯re worth somthin.¡± ¡°Doubt that, but let us see what they got.¡± These bastards ruined my sleep, though I couldn¡¯t deny I¡¯d enjoyed the battle and that I¡¯d soon enjoy a re-run of the previous evening if the looks Asha and Nym had given me when they¡¯d left were any indication. Still, they¡¯d attacked and threatened what was mine and it seemed some still hadn¡¯t learnt the error of their ways. I glanced toward the cabin, wondering if I should call Ymir back. The threat of a direwolf, even one not fully grown, would certainly be useful in loosening tongues. However, I decided against it. I felt better having him near the ladies as they unwound after a battle. Plus, I felt I could be very persuasive. Especially as I was still covered in the blood of these survivors¡¯ former shipmates. ¡°They better have something worthwhile,¡± I remarked as Caddar led me toward the forecastle where the trio were under guard from six of my crew. ¡°they are keeping me from a good fucking.¡± ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ Even before the crew had tossed the ropes to the deckhands, I leapt over the side. Landing in a soft crouch on the wooden pier, I turned and looked toward the dock, trying to spot the dockmaster. It¡¯d taken a few days to sail back to Sunspear, though some of that had been taken up with securing the pirate vessel in a small, isolated inlet just out of sight of Sunspear. The trip back had been quiet, and I¡¯d spent most of my time in my cabin enjoying the pleasure of the company of Asha and Nym. As the Windchaser was pulled to the dock, Ymir leapt over, landing at my feet. ¡°Show off,¡± I remarked at the ease he displayed with the jump. I glance back at my ship to see Nym and Asha waiting to disembark as the crew prepped the ramp. I pushed them, and images of the pair in various positions of delight and nakedness out of my mind and turned and marched toward the dockmaster. When I reached the end of the pier various merchants moved closer. It was easy to tell which were local or not as those who knew me lowered their heads and stayed still. Those that didn¡¯t looked between me and Ymir and in some cases backed off as I stalked forward. ¡°In a hurry this time, are we?¡± The question came from the dockmaster, Stuar Blackwood. He was the younger brother of the captain of the Shadow City¡¯s city watch while their father was lord of a minor holdfast about halfway between Sunspear and the Water Gardens. The house was young, barely over a hundred years old, but steadfastly loyal to the Martells and I¡¯d gotten to know Stuar over the last few years as I¡¯d come and gone from the docks on the Windchaser. ¡°Aye. The voyage was beneficial,¡± I replied as I came to a stop near him, ignoring his guards as they tensed at my forceful approach. And at Ymir who growled at them when they tightened their grips on their swords. ¡°Though I had to come back early due to an issue.¡± Stuar frowned and leaned closer as my eyes drifted to my ship, seeing Asha and Nym step onto the pier. ¡°While anchored about two days sail from Sunspear, we were attacked by pirates.¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re telling me this, I assume they are no longer a threat?¡± I chuckled. ¡°Aye, they paid for their mistake. That said, their First Mate was captured and after speaking with him, I felt I needed to return and bring the matter to Prince Doran.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Stuar snapped his fingers and a guard stepped closer. ¡°Prince Oberyn¡¯s son has a prisoner. Get three men and escort them to the palace cells.¡± The guard nodded and moved away, three others quickly coming to join him as he moved onto the pier leading to the Windchaser. ¡°Because of this, I feel I must thank you for once more denying my son¡¯s request.¡± I took a second to turn back to face Stuar, watching how the guard only stopped to allow Asha and Nym to pass. I turned back to Stuar and smirked. ¡°Aye. I think Jekar might even agree.¡± Stuar laughed and nodded. ¡°Though given how badly prepared the pirates were that even my companions managed to kill some, I feel your son would have been safe. And had a story to tell the girls.¡± Jekar was only a little older than Prince Trystane, but he¡¯d gravitated toward Beron since I¡¯d brought the son of Ned Stark to Sunspear. The pair had bonded over the sea and tales of Corlys Velaryon. So far, I¡¯d say he was Beron¡¯s closest companion, though I would admit I¡¯d not spent as much time with my cousin as I¡¯d like since he¡¯d come to Sunspear. Between keeping Ari happy, training and other odd errands, I¡¯d been kept busy in the palace. ¡°Yes, that is true. Still, I am glad he didn¡¯t have to face pirates at such an early age.¡± ¡°That lot was not even worth getting out of bed for,¡± Asha countered Stuar¡¯s remark as she and Nym came close. ¡°Though I will admit it certainly lit a fire in you later,¡± she added as she moved next to me and slapped my arse. I chuckled darkly as I gripped her wrist before she could remove her hand. ¡°Careful, little Kraken or I¡¯ll have to show you again where your place is.¡± Asha smirked at my words and tried to pull her hand free, but I countered and pulled her closer, trapping her arm behind her body. Nym laughed and I glanced down to see her watching us, one hand on Ymir¡¯s head scratching him just behind the ear. Before I¡¯d bedded her and Asha, Ymir hadn¡¯t let her approach so easily, but ever since the battle he had. Though I felt it had more to do with my bedding both girls before the battle than fighting at their side. He¡¯d behaved the same with Ari and Sarella, with the only ones he let approach easily without issues were Ty ¨C at least before she¡¯d departed ¨C Alysanne and Beron. That was likely as all three had been around him as I¡¯d nursed him back to health in Winterfell. ¡°Promises, promises,¡± Asha whispered huskily, drawing my focus back to her. I growled and pulled her closer, pressing her breasts against my chest and towering over her. Her smirk grew, accepting my challenge and I felt the urge to claim her here and now. However, before I could, Stuar coughed. I leaned down, as if to capture Asha¡¯s lips, only to push her away with a laugh. ¡°As much as I would enjoy reminding you of your place here and now, I have work to handle.¡± I turned to Stuar. ¡°I shall need someone to clean the decks of the Windchaser. Blood is hard to remove with just seawater.¡± As Stuar nodded, the guards reappeared on the pier, a tired, dirty man missing several fingers being roughly pushed between them. I snarled as he looked up, a faint hint of defiance in his gaze, though that faded as he saw me watching him. The only reason he was still alive was that even though I¡¯d gotten much from him about where he was based and who he served, I felt he was hiding something. While I could attempt to persuade him, I knew I didn¡¯t have the experience to take things that far. It had never been something I¡¯d learnt in my time with the SBS, focusing instead on infiltration and surveillance tactics. Thus, I¡¯d brought him back with the intention of, if he was willing, asking Oberyn to teach me how such things were handled in Westeros. I was all but certain there was no limit to what I could do, beyond common decency, but it was better to see from someone I suspected was skilled in the art of interrogation than muddle along and risk losing the source of information before I was sure I¡¯d learnt all I wanted. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I looked around the courtyard, enjoying the pleasant breeze that was blowing through Sunspear as I lazed around the morning after returning to the city. I¡¯d woken up late as Ari had been quite insistent that I spent my night with her, and we¡¯d soon been joined by Nym and Asha meaning by the time sleep had taken me I was worn out. Not that I was complaining mind you, as sharing a bed with three beauties with such different looks, personalities and kinks was something I¡¯d not forget any time soon. Still, it meant today was going to be a generally quiet one. I¡¯d spoken with Oberyn and Doran briefly the night before about an unintended guest I¡¯d brought to Sunspear and how I¡¯d come upon him, and Oberyn had promised we¡¯d speak with the man after lunch. The two men had private business to attend to first, which was understandable. Thus, I had wandered the palace this morning before arriving in a courtyard housing some of the children under Doran¡¯s care. The main ones in this yard had been the Northern trio. Also present were Jekar and a few local children from minor lords or orphans of the Greenblood. About an hour ago Vorela, one of the slaves freed when I¡¯d been knighted, had come into the yard to serve us and Wylla and Alysanne had insisted she remain. She¡¯d been reluctant to do so until I said I¡¯d cover for her if someone came looking. While Vorela and her older sister Eirnela were nominally working for the Martells, it was semi-accepted that they preferred to serve me alone. Something many had joked about. Vorela had been nervous about sitting with trueborn girls but had quickly been drawn into conversation by Alysanne and Wylla to the point I felt she might soon consider the Northern pair friends. However, all thoughts of what was going on in the yard ¨C including Jekar and Beron asking me for another retelling of my naval adventures ¨C dropped from my focus as I felt a familiar presence brush against my mind. I stood, smiling at learning Rian was back and wanted to see how he¡¯d grown and changed since I¡¯d last seen him. ¡°Cregan?¡± I turned to Alysanne who¡¯d noted I¡¯d stood, and saw Wylla and Vorela ¨C along with many others ¨C were looking my way, wondering why I¡¯d suddenly stood. I smiled at her and her friends. ¡°Sorry. Just remembered there is something I need to handle.¡± I took a step away, not wanting to detail things publicly. While Alysanne knew of my skinchanging, the others didn¡¯t, though I planned to bring Beron in on it soon. Since Robb could skinchange ¨C though he¡¯d only achieved it through dreams with Quicksilver before I¡¯d left Winterfell ¨C and the other Stark children could in canon, I wanted to determine if Beron could. For that though, I¡¯d need to think of a young creature to gift him for training, and the same for Alysanne. The pair would be here, if nothing went wrong, beyond when Ned and his children had found the direwolf pups in canon. Of course, there was a chance that wouldn¡¯t happen because of my actions, but until I was sure an event hadn¡¯t happened, I worked on the belief that the event occurring was the most likely outcome. I could see Alysanne wanted to ask more, but a soft whistle from high above drew my attention. And likely others as well. Overhead I saw Rian circling the palace. ¡°Hey! Rian¡¯s back!¡± Beron called out only for another, smaller eagle to pass overhead as well. ¡°And he brought a friend!¡± Jekar added, earning a few coos from the girls in the yard. ¡°That¡¯s what you have to deal with?¡± I turned to Wylla and chuckled. ¡°Well, it is now.¡± I looked at the others in the yard. ¡°I shall be back as soon as I can. And Vorela, you can stay here and relax. I will talk with Ricasso, so you shall not get in trouble for staying here.¡± The fair-haired girl blushed at me singling her out ¨C as she always did ¨C and managed a weak nod of thanks that I¡¯d speak with the Seneschal on her behalf. I left the courtyard and moved into the palace. The corridors were generally empty bar regular guards and servants going about their business. As I passed near the throne room, I overheard Doran as he held court, but didn¡¯t linger to hear what was being discussed today. I¡¯d heard some murmurs in the Shadow City that Doran seemed distant and cold toward his people, however, I knew that wasn¡¯t true. He cared just as much as Oberyn about the people but seemed to prefer maintaining his distance. That said, every few days he held an open court where any in the city ¨C or the lands under the direct control of the Martells ¨C could petition him about an issue. On days when something of greater importance occurred, he assigned his cousin, and the castellan of Sunspear, Manfrey Martell, to hold court in his place. Seeing how Oberyn and Doran treated their people and comparing it to how others from the books and show had ruled, was helping me learn what sort of public persona I¡¯d like on the off-chance I ever gained a holdfast to rule. As I reached the stairs leading up to the quarters in the Tower of the Sun, Ymir came bounding toward me. ¡°You missed him too huh?¡± I asked as Ymir brushed against my leg, making sure my hand stopped behind an ear. I chuckled and scratched for a moment before climbing the stairs. ¡°Fine, but I doubt he has anything for you.¡± Ymir shook in response and fell in behind me as I climbed the steps. On each floor, guards were stationed, and I caught glimpses of staff working. None reacted until I reached the floor with my quarters ¨C and that of my stepsisters. There the guards tensed for a second as I stepped out of the staircase, though they relaxed once they saw me. That meant they were older, regular guards as the newer ones still tensed whenever Ymir was around, which was a semi-common event in Sunspear and the Shadow City. Ymir was large ¨C passing any hunting dog I¡¯d seen in Westeros but not fully grown yet. Still, many knew that a direwolf lived in the palace of Sunspear which made him something of an attraction. In the Shadow City groups of children, if they weren¡¯t working, dared each other to approach. Neither Ymir nor I had an issue with it, and I made sure Ymir allowed the youngest to come close enough to pet him. Their parents often seemed unsure of this, but since I was seen as the son of Oberyn, most had no issue with it. At least not beyond the natural fear any parent would have about their child approaching an alpha predator. In the palace, various lords and nobles who visited spoke of wishing to see the Wolf of Dorne, to which Oberyn almost always asked whether they meant Ymir or me. Normally, they meant Ymir, but few of the Dornish lords had an issue with me or my position in the Palace. Some of those from further afield in Westeros had, or at least the way my stepsisters and I had positions of importance in the palace seemed to irritate them, but none said anything openly against us. I took a dozen or so steps to reach my quarters and I saw Erac nearby. While he was no longer my watcher, my mother had worked to ensure he remained a guard near me. Which I was fine with as he never mentioned ¨C as far as I knew ¨C the fact I wasn¡¯t spending many nights in my quarters. I nodded at him as I reached my door, and pushed it open. After waiting for Ymir to enter with me, I closed it and then tensed. Ymir sniffed the air and the faint sound of someone in my chamber reached my ears. When Ymir didn¡¯t tense, I figured it was someone he knew and moved calmly to my bedroom ¨C the balcony with Rian¡¯s stand was on the other side ¨C even as Ymir moved to his bed. However, when I pushed the door open, I paused. ¡°Well, this wasn¡¯t what I expected to find here,¡± I remarked as my eyes drank in the sight in front of me. My bed was currently occupied by the delectable sight of Ari¡¯s naked form, though she wasn¡¯t alone. Another girl was under her ¨C something a moan of desire confirmed ¨C and Ari was enjoying herself exploring her current bedmate¡¯s body. My eyes travelled over Ari¡¯s legs to her shapely derriere, seeing the glistening of desire from her core. However, before I could step closer or enjoy the sight any longer, Ari turned. A wide smile spread on her face as she saw me even as she licked her lips. ¡°Cregan,¡± she said as she shifted on the bed, crawling toward the foot where I was standing. ¡°I hadn¡¯t expected the servant to find you this quickly.¡± ¡°Yes, I can see that.¡± Another moan, this one of yearning, drew my gaze from Ari to her companion. Ari moved just enough, letting me see the delightful naked form of her handmaiden Ambre. The orphan of the Greenblood girl was breathing heavily, panting in a way that made her chest rise and fall that all but demanded I sate her desire. ¡°Are you going to join us?¡± Ari asked as one hand slid up Ambre¡¯s leg, drawing a needful groan from the handmaiden as she pushed her leg toward the princess. My eyes feasted on the sight in front of me, and I took a step toward Ari¡¯s embrace only to stop as a popping sound came from the balcony. ¡°As much as I want to, there is something I must handle first. Which is why I came here without anyone telling me to do so.¡± I stepped toward the balcony even as Ari pouted in ways that inflamed my passion. ¡°However, if you can keep yourselves entertained for a short while, I shall return with due haste.¡± ¡°I will hold you to that,¡± Ari said as her hand continued moving up Ambre¡¯s leg, her nails now leaving faint marks as they trailed over the other girl¡¯s thigh. ¡°Ambre here has grown rather impatient to sample what you have to offer and while I can keep her passion sated for a time, I feel nothing but the touch of the Bloody Wolf will cool the flames within her. And me,¡± she added as she placed a finger to lips and gently suckled it. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. I shivered at the sight. ¡°I will return as soon as I can, my princess.¡± I bowed as I finished before slipping through the curtains that separated the balcony from my bed chamber. While there was a door, because a cool breeze regularly blew in due to my chambers being a decent way up the tower, I rarely closed it. As I stepped onto the balcony, I saw Rian¡¯s stand was still empty, and he wasn¡¯t on the edge. A whistle from the clouds drew my attention even as an accompanying pop followed a second later. I knelt next to a small cabinet on the balcony and opened it. As I retrieved a jar from inside, I felt a rush of air. As I stood and turned I saw Rian standing on the balcony¡¯s stone railing. ¡°Ah, so this is what draws your attention more than me,¡± Ari commented as she stepped through the curtain. She held a bedsheet against her chest, though loosely enough that it barely covered her buttocks. She smiled as she saw my eyes enjoying the curves of her frame. ¡°Though from your gaze, I suspect it was a hard decision.¡± I chuckled. ¡°Aye, it is. And if not for what you were doing on it a moment ago, I might comment on how you were dirtying my sheet.¡± She moved closer and pressed her body against mine. ¡°If you wish, I could remove it.¡± Her free hand gently squeezed my groin. ¡°As much as I long to see what you hide once again, I would not suggest that. While we are high, anyone looking up may see I have female company on my balcony.¡± That wouldn¡¯t be a big issue to most as it was known I was Ari¡¯s only paramour. Well, only male paramour as Ambre¡¯s presence on my bed ¨C and that we¡¯d been joined by Nym and Asha last night ¨C proved at least some of the rumours of her bedding other ladies were accurate. Though if she did let the sheet drop, the only hint any would have that something was going on was when the breeze helped it take flight. ¡°Would that be so bad?¡± Ari asked as her fingers played with the hem of my trousers. ¡°No, but if I do not greet Rian and his mate, he might not forgive me.¡± Ari blinked. ¡°Mate?¡± A whistle from above drew our attention and as we looked, a second Sunfyre eagle swooped down, coming to a stop at Rian¡¯s side. ¡°Oh! So that is why he left. He grew jealous of us and sought company for himself.¡± The newcomer was smaller than Rian ¨C hardly a surprise even if it would¡¯ve been one to her as females were generally regarded as the larger of the breed ¨C and the thinner white line that ran over the feathers confirmed it was a female. I laughed as my free arm slid around Ari¡¯s waist. ¡°Not sure that is entirely true, but it seems he has found some companionship.¡± Ari smiled and looked at the pair of eagles. ¡°Yes, and I for one am glad.¡± She took a step toward Rian only to stop when his mate ¨C who I¡¯d have to think of a name for ¨C spread her wings and made popping sounds. I used my hand on Ari to pull her back. ¡°I don¡¯t think she is used to people, which is why I grabbed this.¡± I held up the jar in my other hand. While Ari and the female eagle didn¡¯t react, Rian did. He leant forward and emitted a low, but powerful whistle. ¡°Aye, I know you want some mate.¡± I took my hand from Ari and used it to open the jar. Rian¡¯s head tilted as I pulled a small piece of dried meat I kept in the jar. They¡¯d been dried to last longer, and I¡¯d found Rian had developed a taste for them, even if he did prefer to hunt his food he never turned down a treat. ¡°Ready?¡± He whistled loudly before shuffling away from his mate. He turned, facing away from me but I knew he could still see me as he had nearly three-hundred-and-sixty-degrees of vision. I rolled my shoulder and tossed the strip of jerky into the air. Even before it left my arm, Rian took flight. He dropped below the edge of the balcony before soaring upward. As he climbed, Ari pressed into my side. She always enjoyed watching Rian grab a treat from the air, and I felt her hand slip into the jar signalling she wanted to toss some meat as well. I smiled brightly as I sensed Rian¡¯s enjoyment and pride as he raced higher than the meat. Then, as the jerky lost momentum, he turned and swooped down. With his wings pulled in tight, he shot like an arrow for the jerky. Just before passing it, his wings spread, and his body shifted. Talons easily gripped the strip and with his treat caught, he flapped back to the balcony. As his mate watched, he lowered his head and took the jerky into his beak before tossing his head back and swallowing the treat. The moment it was gone, he turned to me. ¡°Someone is greedy,¡± I remarked as I readied a second piece of jerky. ¡°Though given the beauty at your side, I can see why you want to show off.¡± Yet before I could toss a new strip, Ari threw the one she¡¯d taken. Both the eagles took off as the meat stopped climbing before they rose. ¡°I see he needs to learn that a lady comes first,¡± Ari remarked with a smirk. I laughed at her words and tossed my strip into the air. ¡°I assure you that I am under no such misconceptions,¡± I said as I turned my full attention to her, my free arm sliding back to her waist. ¡°Something I am more than willing to prove to you once more.¡± The hand on her chest moved, letting the sheet protecting her modesty, not that she had much, drop. Even as the breeze caught and pulled it toward the edge of the balcony, my heart raced at the feast before my eyes. ¡°Then do so.¡± A hand pulled my head down to her as our lips crashed against each other. She hopped up, wrapping her legs around my waist even as I fumbled to place the jar down. Ari knocked it from my hand, causing it to smash on the floor and send the meat within spilling out. ¡°you shall have to pay for that,¡± I commented as I broke the kiss, and my now free hand joined the other on her arse. Ari smirked and leaned forward. ¡°Make me,¡± she whispered before biting my ear. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ As I neared Doran¡¯s solar I took a moment to compose myself. While he and Oberyn had been receptive to my initial plan to extract information from the captured pirate, and Oberyn had helped to do so, I wasn¡¯t sure how this follow-up meeting would go. Nor could I get the images of how far Oberyn went to gain information from the pirate, or how successful he¡¯d been out of my mind. Watching Oberyn interrogate the pirate had been eye-opening in the sense I¡¯d confirmed that there was no line considered too far. That said, the larger reveal was the second part of Oberyn¡¯s process. The first part, which took most of the morning, was determining the pirate¡¯s physical limits and then keeping him there so he answered any question Oberyn posed to him. I had thought that I¡¯d drawn a decent amount of information from him on the voyage home, however watching Oberyn work for barely an hour showed me how wrong I was. Yet it was the session that took place after lunch, from which I¡¯d just come, that had been the most interesting. After letting the pirate drink some wine, Oberyn had sat and spoken calmly with the private for some time, until changing tack and asking more cutting questions. To my surprise, the pirate had answered almost every question put to him truthfully, though in a few cases, Oberyn had to change topics and seek the information he wanted from a direction. Still, the pirate had spilt everything he knew about Dustspear and its ruling lord: the Grim Prince. He¡¯d even changed a few details he¡¯d given to Oberyn or I in earlier sessions. After leaving the hall before Oberyn headed away to wash, I¡¯d asked about how he¡¯d achieved that, and my father had pulled a vial from his clothing. He¡¯d explained that it was a concoction he¡¯d developed himself after studying at the Citadel. By combining various poisons and remedies, he¡¯d created something that worked as a truth serum; or at least something that made the drinker more pliant. Sadly though, he wasn¡¯t willing to give me the recipe for the serum, at least not until he was confident I could make it. Having collected my thoughts, I moved into the corridor that led either to Doran¡¯s solar or the throne room. The side passage was one only available to family members and close confidants. A nod from one guard was accompanied by the other pushing the solar¡¯s door open. As I walked inside, Doran turned from the window, and upon seeing me, smiled. ¡°Please, be seated.¡± I lowered my head slightly before taking a seat on the other side of the desk that dominated the room. Doran moved easily to his seat, which had a high back topped off by two engraved crossing spears. The ease with which he moved was a sign that unlocking his magic was helping his condition. He no longer needed a cane on certain days to move around and was able to come and go from a room with no help. Maester Caleotte was at a loss as to what had brought on the improvement in the prince, and Doran seemed to enjoy keeping the representative from the Citadel in the dark. ¡°Now,¡± Doran continued once we were both seated, ¡°you wish to discuss the increase in pirate activity on Dornish trade through the Narrow Sea?¡± ¡°Yes, My Prince.¡± I began, showing respect for his title and position. While I didn¡¯t need financial support as I felt I had enough coin to afford what I needed for my plan, I wanted his support. Even if, as I expected, that couldn¡¯t be openly revealed. ¡°As you are no doubt aware, I, Nymeria, and Lady Asha were attacked a little under two days sail north of Sunspear while anchored in a supposedly safe inlet but a few days ride from the Water Gardens. That we would come under attack so close to the Gardens and Sunspear is¡­¡± I paused as the door behind me opened. Turning I saw Oberyn step into the room. His hair was slightly messed, and he was wearing different clothes from when we¡¯d spoken with the pirate not long ago. It had barely been an hour since he¡¯d finished speaking with the pirate using his serum, and there¡¯d been no fresh bloodshed, so why had he changed? ¡°Forgive my tardiness,¡± Oberyn said as he pulled a chair to the side of the large table, taking a corner on Doran¡¯s side to make clear that I was speaking to both Princes of Dorne instead of him being a neutral observer. ¡°I was delayed when I returned to my quarters.¡± He smirked as he spoke, locking his eyes on me. I blinked as I realised what had delayed him, but pushed those thoughts to the side. I could get back at him for bedding my mother easily enough. Either Nym and Sarella would be up for some fun later, possibly even with Ari and Asha. ¡°I trust the questioning was beneficial?¡± Oberyn chuckled as he looked at his brother. ¡°Yes. While he lived, the man was most forthcoming once we established a rapport.¡± He glanced at me. ¡°Something I suspect Cregan has already used to alter whatever his pitch regarding the pirate issue is.¡± ¡°It has, Father,¡± I replied, matching his smirk with my own. ¡°And I am thankful for your help in discovering the information, and tutoring me in how to extract such information.¡± Oberyn swatted the air as he chuckled. ¡°Please. That man and those with him threatened you, Nymeria, and Lady Asha. If they had succeeded, I¡¯d have lost a daughter, a son and my brother a ward placed with him by the crown. For that alone, his life was forfeit. Though I must commend Cregan for bringing him to Sunspear. Without that, we would not know the strength of the pirate behind the attack.¡± ¡°Indeed. While none would have cared if you had executed him at sea, keeping him alive was a wise move.¡± I lowered my head, accepting their praise. ¡°Now, please continue what it was you wished to say before my brother joined us.¡± ¡°The pirates that attacked us sailed from Dustspear, under orders from the island¡¯s lord, The Grim Prince. If you might recall, that was the same lord who commanded the force my father and I encountered on our return from the North.¡± ¡°I had thought his forces had been weakened over the years.¡± ¡°They have, My Prince. Thanks to your decision to rebuild the fleet in Sunspear, his power has waned. That said, he still commands nearly three hundred men and ten vessels with which to raid solo ships or small convoys that ply their trade through Sunspear. They also have set up slave operations on Dornish soil.¡± ¡°Something I remember well,¡± Oberyn remarked, a dangerous inflexion in his tone. ¡°Those we saved and remained here have settled in well. Especially the sisters from Essos, even if they prefer to serve only you.¡± I smiled at the gentle tease. I wouldn¡¯t deny his claim, nor the teasing that had come from Ari and others about the pair having eyes for me. However, I doubted that anything would happen as the pair were still struggling with what they¡¯d endured as slaves. ¡°I am simply glad their torment is over.¡± I returned my full focus to Doran. ¡°Beyond his forces, we learnt up to fifty slaves are held on Dustspear. Their fates are undoubtedly darker than anything those we freed endured.¡± ¡°Slavery is an abhorrent practice. Indeed, it is one of the laws every lord, be they a Great House or a newly landed knight, upholds without question. Much like Guest Rights.¡± An image of Walder Frey passed through my mind at that reference. ¡°However, even as Prince of Dorne, there is little I can do to counter slavery or privacy, in the Stepstones. If I move against this¡­ pirate lord,¡± Oberyn seemed reluctant to call the Grim Prince a lord, ¡°then it would draw the attention of King¡¯s Landing, Myr, Tyrosh and possibly even Pentos and Volantis. While Dorne is stronger now than it was a decade ago, we couldn¡¯t counter such a force.¡± ¡°I understand that my Prince, and agree entirely. However, while a sitting Lord, or even a second son,¡± I added with a glance at Oberyn, ¡°could never move against this so-called prince, I, a simple bastard with sufficient coin conceivably could. As my father is aware, the ship that attacked the Windchaser was not sunk. It''s currently secured close, but not too close, to Sunspear. My First Mate along with a dozen men remain there, repairing and refitting the ship under my orders. With the coin I still have from my tourney victory, and the first return on our investments in the Shadow City coming in, I can easily hire, perhaps fifty men and a crew for the second vessel.¡± ¡°Even with those forces, the Grim Prince would greatly outnumber you.¡± ¡°He would if all his forces were gathered in one place.¡± As I replied I let a vicious smile creep onto my face. ¡°However, luckily we have just learned that is not the case.¡± Doran turned to Oberyn, looking for confirmation. ¡°My son is correct, brother. However, the figure includes the thirty killed attacking the Windchaser. There are also three outposts established on Dornish soil amounting for fifty men, though likely more.¡± ¡°Assuming each outpost has one vessel, and another is at sea with a crew of twenty, that¡¯s anywhere from a hundred to one-fifty that are away from Dustspear,¡± I added on, hoping to sell my plan. Oberyn nodded. ¡°While I planned to send word to Lords Santagar and Warth to clear those outposts, Cregan asked me to stay my hand until after we spoke. Hearing his words, I think a delay in sending the ravens might be an option.¡± Doran grimaced. ¡°Those outposts on Dornish soil are an insult. Normally I would order the ravens sent immediately, but I can also see Cregan¡¯s thinking on the matter, provided the full details of your proposal appeal.¡± I smiled, glad I at least had him considering offering vocal support. I knew before coming here that martial support wasn¡¯t going to happen. The reasons Doran had given earlier were true. Still, so long as he approved my initial plan for Dustspear, I hoped he might be more open to financing the second part of my plan. Though that only mattered so long as he agreed to the initial assault. ¡°Attacking Dustspear is a worthwhile endeavour. Even if all I do is raze the two small settlements the Grim Prince has, which lay at the northern and southern tips of the island, that would cripple the pirate haven closest to Dorne, and I wager, distract other pirates as they fight to control the deserted island.¡± ¡°I cannot fault your logic. However, what is your reasoning for wanting to do this?¡± ¡°While I have been raised in this palace, and could, possibly, spend my life here without worry, I am a bastard. Without fame and fortune, that would be all I could ever be. Even if, by some act of the Gods, Arianne wanted to wed me when she becomes Princess of Dorne, the lords would never accept it.¡± ¡°I think you undersell how widespread your name is,¡± Oberyn offered, though he did nothing to disagree with my statement. ¡°Perhaps, but even if I have the blood of two First Men houses dating back to the Long Night, and was raised by House Martell, in the end, I am still a bastard. My prospects for life are limited to either serving in the household guard or like Daemon, serving as a sworn shield. That¡­ holds little appeal. I want to travel, to explore. But to do that I need a name that carries some weight. Unlike many, my fate, my worth to the realm is not given, I must make it. Dustspear could be the first step in doing so, in determining my fate.¡± I leaned back, letting Doran consider my words. Silence fell over the room as he did even as I turned my thoughts to reasons I couldn¡¯t reveal. The Others were the first true threat to this world I¡¯d have to face, but not the only one. Something the dream that accompanied my magical awakening had revealed. Thus, I felt I needed a power base to work from. If I¡¯d taken being trueborn, then I might well have had that. However, in that case, I¡¯d be all but trapped in a set location, unable to move as freely as I felt I could as a bastard. Even as a second son, my actions would affect my house. Something proved by Oberyn when he was briefly exiled to Essos after the duel with Lord Edgar Yronwood. No, I was happy with being a bastard. Especially one with links to two Great Houses and blood of another house dating back to the First Men. That said, I accepted I needed a powerbase, and after listening to Beron go on about Corlys Velaryon, my thoughts had turned to another linked to him. The Rogue Prince, Daemon Targaryen. Before the Dance of Dragons, the pair had taken the Stepstones and Dameon had ruled as king there for a short time. While he hadn¡¯t cared about holding the Steps, I felt it might work for me. Yes, it was dangerous to do, especially as none bar myself, The Three-Eyed-Raven, some Wildlings and the Children of the Forest knew the Others were starting to move. But even if I couldn¡¯t take the Steps, attacking various islands to clear them would earn my reputation that I could use to gather a force for what was to come. ¡°I can understand your desire to seek a name for yourself, to choose your path,¡± Doran said slowly as Oberyn gave me a faint, but approving smile. ¡°However, I doubt your mother will agree, nor my daughter. Also, even if you cleared the entire Stepstones, you must understand that my daughter''s hand may still be beyond your reach.¡± ¡°I am aware of that, My Prince,¡± I replied calmly. It was hardly a surprise that Doran felt I might be doing this to win Ari¡¯s hand. From what they knew, it made perfect sense that I¡¯d try. However, I felt I knew his plan for her and while she¡¯d not be marrying Viserys ¨C even if he survived Drogo, I¡¯d do everything I could to ensure he never laid a hand on her ¨C they didn¡¯t know that. Hells, even with Viserys dead, I wouldn¡¯t be getting her hand, so long as Doran lived. Not unless I was a lord in my own right. ¡°Then, on the terms you¡¯ve laid out, I grant my support, hidden as it may be, for your plan.¡± I smiled, happy he accepted the plan, only for him to lean forward. ¡°However, one thing that you failed to mention is when you will make your move. The longer the captured ship remains near Sunspear, the greater chance there is that the Grim Prince discovers its capture.¡± Again, Doran grimaced, finding the Summer Islander¡¯s title offensive. ¡°I am aware of this, My Prince. With your permission, I need access to any charts that you may have in Sunspear with a focus on the layout of Dustspear and nearby islands. While I know where the pirate havens are, an idea of the land of the island would help finalise my plan of attack.¡± Doran nodded, pleased that I understood the need for intel before acting. ¡°I will have Maester Caleotte grant you access to any charts we have. I shall also send out feelers for any willing to, perhaps, work and settle in a hazardous location. I assume after the island is captured, you will be seeking carpenters, masons and the like?¡± I blinked, not expecting that which made him chuckle. ¡°While you have spoken of only razing Dustspear, you are too smart to not be considering holding the island. Either as an unofficial extension of Dorne or for yourself. Either condition is acceptable to me as I gain an ally in the Steps.¡± ¡°I¡­ have given that some thought, though I was not going to bring it up until after the Grim Prince is dead and the island under my control. Mainly as I was unsure how you might react to the move.¡± Oberyn laughed, drawing my attention. ¡°As my brother said, having an ally on the closest island in the Steps is something useful to us. As you said, we cannot take it, but you can, and your loyalties lie with your family. And lovers. While you may not be accepted as a house under Sunspear, we would be willing to use your new holding as an operational base for the Dornish fleet and as a layover for traders seeking shelter beyond the shores of Dorne.¡± He leaned closer. ¡°I might also know of several willing to accept your offer of coin and battle. Ones that stand more chance to stay loyal than others gathered from the streets.¡± I nodded in thanks. ¡°How long will you need to prepare?¡± ¡°No more than a moon,¡± I replied to Doran¡¯s question. ¡°As you said, the longer the ship remains hidden, the greater the chance Dustspear learns of it. Though most of the time left is studying the land and hiring blades.¡± Doran leaned back into his chair. ¡°Very well. We shall speak again before you sail, until then the matter is to remain undiscussed with anyone else. My daughter, nieces and our Northern guests must not hear word of this, else the venture may lose my support.¡± ¡°Yes, My Prince.¡± ¡°Is there anything else related to this venture you wish to discuss now?¡± ¡°No, My Prince.¡± Doran nodded, accepting that and placed his hands on the table as if to stand, only for Oberyn to lean toward me. ¡°Since we are in private, I feel this is as good a place as any to bring up another of your recent adventures.¡± He smirked as he spoke, making me wonder what was amusing him so much. ¡°I understand that before the attack you bedded Nymeria and Asha. That now makes four of your sisters who¡¯ve succumbed to the charms of the wolf. How many more of my daughters do I have to watch fall into your clutches?¡± The smile was still friendly, but there was a hint of danger in his gaze. ¡°I have no intention of bedding any more of my sisters, Father. Though it should be said that Tyene, Nymeria, and Sarella all bedded me.¡± Oberyn leaned back and laughed. ¡°Yes, that is true.¡± He reached forward and clapped me on the shoulder. ¡°I know neither they nor I share blood with you, at least not yet.¡± I ignored that as I had no interest in being a father yet, ¡°but it warms my heart to know I¡¯ve raised you as my son.¡± The hand on my shoulder tightened. ¡°However, I do hope you remember the words we had regarding Tyene¡¯s heart and understand how it extends to all my daughters.¡± ¡°I remember them, Father.¡± I kept my voice calm as I held his gaze. ¡°And if the positions were reversed, I might say something similar regarding my mother. However, I know she is happy with you.¡± Oberyn¡¯s lips twitched at my retort, but it was Doran who cut in after chuckling. ¡°As much as I enjoy watching this family interplay, I feel I must end it now before I hear things about my daughter that no father should.¡± ¡°Yes, My Prince,¡± I replied after gulping as I remembered I was fucking his daughter on a nightly basis, and that he was aware of that. Oberyn seemed amused by my reaction, though any concern about his warning left my thoughts as I left Doran¡¯s solar. Instead, they turned to my sisters, or at least the ones younger than myself. I had no intention of bedding any of them, even if one eventually wanted me to. The oldest, Elia, was ten. She reminded me of Arya in many ways, though where Arya wanted into the yard, Elia preferred the stables. The girl was already a good rider and I¡¯d seen her out-ride several pages and younger squires in races. Hells, if she¡¯d been born a man, I¡¯d mistake her for a Dothraki with how comfortable she was in a saddle. Obella was the next in age and while more reserved and willing to sit through lessons with a Septa than Elia, had a habit of spying on others. Oh, she called it hiding for others to find her, but the girl enjoyed saying things she overheard to the point I wondered if there would one day be things she heard that might get her into trouble. The next two, Dorea and Alia, were almost inseparable and I often found the pair hanging around the yard watching those inside. They were too young ¨C thank the Gods as I¡¯d kill the first boy to try anything with either ¨C to be interested in the fighters, so I wasn¡¯t entirely sure why they were there, but so far, it wasn¡¯t an issue. The others, Loreza and Sarisa, were too young to have developed any clear characteristics. Well, beyond, like their older sisters ¨C by which I meant from Elia down ¨C enjoyed sitting with me and listening when I told stories. Sometimes I made them up by adapting snippets of stories from my former life to fit Westeros. Others I pretended to tell them how Rian and Ymir saw the world, which always made them laugh as Ymir seemed to dislike me telling them what they smelled like to him. Yet for all, I knew I¡¯d kill anyone or anything that threatened them. Just as I would for my mother or those I shared my bed with. They were my family, my pack, and I¡¯d do whatever it took to protect them. Even from threats that might never become one such as the pirates of Dustspear. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ Spotting a chance, I brought my right arm around, powering the axe I was wielding. While Daemon got his shield into position to deflect the strike, the force the weapon generated forced him back slightly, and as it bounced off his shield, I saw a slight dent left behind by the strike. However, I couldn¡¯t enjoy the damage done as Daemon adapted quickly. His blade surged forward, and I was forced to use my blade to parry the attack. As I did that, Dameon pushed his shield forward, using it offensively. The only thing I could do was move as the axe wouldn¡¯t do anything to block the shield. However, that left me slightly off balance and exposed once again, reinforcing that the idea of dual-wielding sword and axe against someone with Dameon¡¯s training as a knight wasn¡¯t a wise choice. Then again, while I wasn¡¯t taking it easy in this spar ¨C the fourth one I¡¯d had with Daemon in the last six days ¨C I was experimenting with styles that I felt would serve me better on Dustspear. The chance of running into someone as well-trained as Daemon was unlikely, and I was more likely to run into pirates with smaller, weaker shields that an axe would be useful against. While I¡¯d also spent time training using a bastard sword two-handed, that wasn¡¯t a style I was focusing on. Not until I was able to have Red Rain reforged into something that would work better for my preferred blade. Thus, I was sparring most in the odd dual-wield style of sword and axe, something Daemon was enjoying as I wasn¡¯t great at it. This was proved again as Daemon took advantage of my movement to slide his blade ¨C which had disengaged from mine at the same time his shield had come forward ¨C through the gap in my defence. I brought my axe round to knock the blade away, though before I could connect, the tip of his blade grazed my armour. The blow wasn¡¯t painful as the armour absorbed it easily, but it was yet another attack he¡¯d landed on me, which made me glad we were training with blunted blades. Of course, if we¡¯d have been using live steel, then I¡¯d have brought out Red Rain which may have allowed me to close the distance. Before he could strike me again, the bit of my axe crashed against his blade. I was pleased with that as I twisted to try to bind the blade with the beard of my axe, snarling as he disengaged with a slightly less sure grip. Even as that happened, my blade was moving and it struck his sword, forcing it down as I stepped forward. That was a move he¡¯d used a few days ago to end a spar, and now I wanted to return the favour. The small moves we¡¯d made let me slip inside his defences and my axe was already moving, regenerating its momentum for a painful blow. However, before my axe could strike his armour, he pushed forward under my centre of gravity with his shoulder planting in my stomach. With how my arms were positioned, there was nothing I could do to stop him, and I was sent tumbling back. As I tumbled my arm hit the ground and the axe flew from my loosened grip. Thankfully, I managed to keep my sword in hand even as I made sure to roll with the fall. The position left me exposed, and as Daemon¡¯s blade caught the light, I rolled, barely avoiding the blade as it slashed the ground. As the roll finished, I pushed myself up, knowing the longer I remained on the ground, the more certain my defeat would be. However, before I¡¯d gotten much further than my knees, something slammed into my back, driving me helm-first into the ground. I coughed and blinked, trying to clear the dust from my throat and eyes only for something to smash into my shoulders, driving my back into the dirt. It was followed by two more, each stopping me from doing anything but kissing the ground. ¡°Stay Down!¡± Daemon shouted as another blow struck the rear of my armour. I coughed as more dust and dust got into my mouth and nose. The only good thing was that he was using a blunted weapon, as anything sharp would¡¯ve stood a chance to break through the armour. Even as another blow landed, I felt a fire to escape this punishment and return the favour spark to life within me. As the next blow landed, I turned with it. My arm on that side collapsed, letting me roll. As I did, my other hand brought up my blade, which had until then been trapped under my palm. The blade only made faint contact with his armour as I rolled, nowhere near enough to damage even if the blade had been sharp, but that was fine. The move had kicked up dust, and using Wind Magic I sent that dust shooting up at his helm. Daemon stumbled back, coughing. As he did, I scrambled to my feet and then, with both hands on the hilt of my sword, attacked. The urge to take him down, to bloody him growing with each passing moment. Yet, before my attack could land, he shifted, resetting his stance. Thankfully, he wasn¡¯t able to fully prepare, and his blade was knocked from his hand by the force of my swing. Yet, even as his sword clattered to the ground, he countered. His shield slammed flush against my forearm, jarring my arm, and causing me to go to a single-hand grip. After managing to counter the momentum the blade had built up from my previous attack, I brought it back around even as he slammed his shield into me again. I was knocked back, off balance from my attack starting as he struck me, and my arm flailed out. Daemon shifted his shield, slamming the edge into my hand and causing my weapon to clatter to the ground. As I steadied myself, I caught him smirking from behind the rim of his shield. Rage burned inside me, and I was struggling to remain in control as I ripped my dagger out and braced. When the shield moved, I dropped low and rushed forward. I smirked as I slipped past the shield and as I collided with him, I wrapped my arms around his waist and pushed upward. He might¡¯ve been older, stronger and ¨C as much as it pained me to admit ¨C better skilled than me currently, but I could still fight him close in. Daemon was lifted into the air, and I tackled him to the ground, bringing our combined bulk down on his back. A grunt of pain was ripped from his lips. ¡°Fuck!¡± he called out in pain. I pulled back an arm, and my blade came down only for him to use his free hand to grab the blade. His armour protected him from my blade, which would¡¯ve been true even if it had been sharpened. My free hand came down and slammed into his helm. Yet, as the blow landed, he twisted his hand and rolled. As I fell off him, my blade was wrenched from my grip and a moment later his shield slammed into my side, forcing me from him. I ended up looking at the clear blue sky, but before I could right myself, Daemon and his shield came into view. The rim of the shield came down, aimed at my neck. My hands grabbed hold of it, stopping it before it could strike my gorget, yet before I could attempt to slip free, he shifted his weight, placing most of it on top of the shield. My grip slipped as my hands were forced down into my neck and I gulped, trying to draw in as much air as possible. Even as I fought to keep the edge of his shield from pressing down on my armour, I watched him lift a free arm and then slam it down on the top edge of the shield. ¡°Stay fucking down!¡± He snarled as my hands were crushed down on my gorget, and while the armour didn¡¯t give, I could feel it pressing down on my neck and trapping my bruised fingers. I gulped, trying to take in as much air as possible as I struggled to stop Daemon from pressing his full weight onto his shield. Each gulp was harder to take than the last as he continued to pound on the top of his shield, trying to drive the lower edge through my neck. I scrambled as best I could to escape even as my blood grew thick, and my vision clouded. I felt my mind slip away, releasing something wild and untamed. I knew I wasn¡¯t prey, but the predator. ¡°AARGH!¡± I roared in defiance, finding a new urge to escape. I twisted rapidly, doing whatever it took to escape, and felt my heel crash into something. That had Daemon¡¯s weight shift, lifting the shield fractionally and I struck out again and, with what feeling remained in my fingers, pulled the shield to one side. Daemon was knocked off-balance and as he fell, I brought my knee up and struck him wherever I could. Even as he hit the dirt, I rolled toward him, one arm swinging over to slam into his armoured side. I felt my armour vibrate with the force of the strike, yet as I found myself on my knees, my other armoured fist came flying around, crashing into his hand, and breaking his grip on his shield. My fists blurred together as a need to dominate the one who¡¯d challenged my right to rule, who threatened my status burned in my veins. The world faded away as all that mattered was pounding the challenger until they couldn¡¯t rise again. Until my foe lay broken and dead at my feet. My head snapped back as something struck me. It was followed by a blow to my chest. I was driven back slightly, and when my focus snapped back to the challenger, I saw him kneeling like me, fists ready to fight. I leapt forward, my fists striking out even as blows landed against my armour. The metal sang with each blow, but I didn¡¯t care. All that mattered was beating my foe until they understood who the true alpha was. ¡­ ¡­ I slumped back on my heels, all energy drained from my body. I panted heavily as everywhere hurt and my ears burnt from the sound of metal striking metal that reverberated through my armour. I was going to be bruised all over, possibly even had a few cracked ribs, but I could survive it. And seeing Daemon in the same state, I smiled as I realised I hadn¡¯t lost. I hadn¡¯t won, something partially confirmed by the pain I felt when I smiled, but for the first spar ever, I¡¯d not had to tap out. Of course, as the bloodlust and fury faded from my mind ¨C driven away by exhaustion more than rational thought, I understood how close I¡¯d come to giving myself over to the beast. To the rage inside. I knew I had anger issues brought on by my body going through its teenage years and amplified by my wolf and dragon traits, but this had been something else. Something bestial. I blinked, clearing my sight, and looked at Daemon. He collapsed a few metres from me, only still sitting thanks to an elbow that he was leaning heavily on. Someone was near him helping to pull the helm from his head, but I couldn¡¯t quite focus on who. Someone came close, and I tensed as their hands moved to my neck. Yet, as they moved around, I knew I couldn¡¯t stop them. I simply didn¡¯t have the energy to do so. As they did whatever they were doing, I watched as Daemon¡¯s helm was pulled off. There were slight, but clear, dents in his helm from where I¡¯d struck him. Yet, any enjoyment from seeing that was tempered by the blackened skin that emerged from underneath. As my eyes took in the bruising of his face, and the wince as he moved slightly, I wondered how bad I looked under my armour. My helm moved. I tried to shift to stop it, but every inch of my body hurt. I winced as a part of the helm scraped against my face and then blinked as my vision, no longer confined by the narrow slit to protect my eyes, faced the full might of day. Yet, as the spots in my vision cleared, I saw the sun was no longer overhead, having instead dropped low enough that it was hidden by the wall of the yard. ¡°This is not what I expected to find when called to the yard.¡± I turned my head slowly as Oberyn spoke, pushing through the pain that even that slight movement caused. ¡°However, after witnessing the middle of your brawl, I saw no reason to step in and end this debacle.¡± As he spoke, Oberyn¡¯s gaze shifted between me and Daemon. ¡°Now that you have reached a point where neither can continue, and I hope burnt out whatever fuels this bad blood between you, you will talk. You are knights of Dorne and my former squires, not a pair of wild, untamed beasts!¡± Oberyn¡¯s tone dropped the longer he spoke, until by the time he finished, the threat in his words was backed up by the venom of a trained and experienced killer. When he looked at me, I nodded, showing I understood him and watched as Daemon did the same. ¡°Good. After the pages have given you water to quench your tiredness, you are to stay here and talk about your issues. Eventually, Maester Caleotte will arrive with others to help you remove the armour and tend your wounds. For both your sakes, I hope the Gods ensure that happens before my niece learns of this debacle and releases her wrath upon you.¡± While I didn¡¯t fear any physical or verbal assault from Ari, I knew that once she learnt of this, she¡¯d do her best to verbally rip me a new one. ¡°I assure you that it is safer to face the Black Dread in his prime than an enraged Princess of Dorne.¡± With his piece said, Oberyn turned and marched away. Two pages came over to Daemon and I, carrying jugs and goblets. Even though it hurt to take it and speak, I thanked the page for the goblet and drank. I smirked when Daemon coughed from gulping down his water too fast but remained silent as I savoured the cool, refreshing sensation of water sliding down my throat and soothing the pain inside my body. Once the water was finished; I handed the goblet to the page and saw it was my cousin Edric Dayne. He offered me a small smile, before glancing at Daemon and then scampering away. ¡°Fuck!¡± I turned to Daemon, making sure to move slowly, and saw him slowly lifting and rotating an arm. When he caught me watching he stopped and stared back. ¡°I know you hate to lose, but where the fuck did that come from?¡± as he finished he grimaced, no doubt from pain racking his body. ¡°You!¡± I shot back, only to grimace at how much that hurt and the copper taste in my mouth. ¡°Ever since I came to Sunspear you wanted me dead,¡± I added, though with less volume than before and with a wince at how broken I sounded. Dameon stared at me, and as the seconds ticked away, I felt the embers of my rage flare. ¡°Well? WHY?!¡± A second later Daemon coughed. A second and third followed soon after, joined by more at ever-decreasing intervals. That was when I realised he was laughing at me. Those embers inside ignited and I could hear the call of the beast demanding I strike him down for his insolence. Thankfully, my body was too tired to respond ¨C thanks to that brawl that had gone on for hours ¨C and my mind was clear, so I remained where I was, waiting for his response. ¡°That is what this was about?¡± Daemon managed to get out as the coughing laughter died down. ¡°Why do you never stay down when I beat you?¡± I nodded and he shook his head, only to grunt in pain. ¡°You really fail to understand, don¡¯t you? You never saw what everyone outside your new family did?¡± He seemed to shrink as if the tension in his body suddenly left him. ¡°Like me, you are a Sand, but they treat you like one of them. They took you in and let you eat at their table! Hells, after the Greyjoy Rebellion no one called you out for your folly that almost cost the Princess and your mother their lives! No, because you got fucking lucky, they praised your bravery! They brought you closer and Prince Doran treats you better than he does his firstborn son!¡± Dameon lifted his fists even as rage seeped into his words. Daemon stopped and looked down at his shaking arms as if seeing them for the first time. I stayed still, wondering what he was thinking, watching as he slowly regained control of his anger. ¡°Do you know what it feels like, to watch your hopes, dreams and desires just be deemed secondary to a complete stranger by your own family?¡± He asked, his voice slow and steady, but unable to fully mask his rage and pain. ¡°To see someone you love and cherish look at another the way you want to be looked at?¡± ¡°Arianne is above both of our stations, sooner or later she will marry those¡­¡± ¡°I KNOW,¡± Daemon cried, cutting me off. ¡°I know. But is it too much to dream? I have seen the way she looks at you, and tell me, when she follows through with her duty to her station and grows to love someone else, how would you feel then?¡± ¡°I...am unsure¡±. I replied. I knew what Prince Oberon and Doran intended for Ari, who they intended for her to marry. Yet the idea of that insane wanker being near Ari, touching her, marrying her... It turned my stomach and a faint growl slipped from my lips. He laughed and pointed ¡°And there it is, the savagery of a Northman. Is this how you intend to reward them? By acting like a wild untamed fucking animal!¡± His arm dropped and the fury in his voice fell away. ¡°And yet, even after this, they will still love you. Oberyn, Arianne, Doran¡­¡± He paused and shook his head once before lifting a hand to his forehead. He sighed and shook his head. ¡°I was, I am envious of you, Bastard of Starfall. Not just because of how the Princess and others look at you, but of how everyone seems to bend over backwards for you. To grant you whatever you want, whomever you desire. How your life has played out as if your life is nothing but a story where a bastard can rise high enough in a station that they can be treated as equal to their pureblood brethren.¡± ¡°You had, you have, the same place!¡± I shot back. ¡°You were treated as Oberyn¡¯s son before me. Hells, you were also his squire. Now, as a Dornish bastard, you serve as Ari¡¯s sworn shield! Yet you complain about the Martells treating me well, about me having all the breaks. Yet it is you, not I, that Prince Doran has protecting his daughter and heir! If you dislike that I am a bastard in a prominent position in the palace, look in the fucking mirror!¡± When I finished my response, I leaned forward and started coughing. Every cough felt as if I was being impaled by a dozen lances, and when the burst ended, I saw blood pooling on my armour. I looked back at Daemon, expecting him to be angry. Instead, I found someone who looked three times his age, even with the bruising taken into account. ¡°Do you really think that?¡± Daemon asked slowly. ¡°I may have been Princess Arianne¡¯s Sworn Shield now, but I am always the Bastard of Godsgrace. Named by my uncaring father after a man who would always be my better in his eyes.¡± he paused and looked down at his hands, encased in metal gauntlets. ¡°I have learnt to accept that, to accept my station, to love and care for my true family in secret. Knowing that the woman I once desired would never look at me as I once looked at her. Yet, just as I was slowly coming to understand that, perhaps even beginning to accept it, I saw how Prince Oberyn treated you. How Prince Doran seemed to train you as if a trueborn son of House Martell. Someone almost on par with Prince Quentyn by many. I watched as Arianne ignored my feelings, dismissed them even, to show you compassion. Even when you placed her and others in danger.¡± He paused once more, taking time to settle his thoughts before holding my gaze as he spoke again. ¡°I understand now that I was jealous of that attention. While I understand and accept that Arianne no longer feels for me as I once did for her, I struggle to let go of my issues with you. To see you as anything but the favoured and spoiled child.¡± He spoke softly even as his gaze hardened. ¡°Yet I cannot trust you around them, not when your rage, your animal instincts continue to overwhelm your mind. You¡¯re a danger to the Martells, my family. You lose control too easily and lash out like the wolf of your father¡¯s sigil. Until you reign in. that temper, you''ll always be a danger to them.¡± I held his gaze for a few moments before sighing. ¡°Aye, I know. And I¡¯m trying to get a handle on the anger. I really am. But it feels like the last few years¡­ It¡¯s gotten worse.¡± I knew that was more a result of Blood of the Dragon¡¯s Flames than being a teenager, but it wasn¡¯t exactly something I could just come out and say. Not without sounding like a fucking madman. ¡°I mean, I¡¯ve got control most of the time, but when that control slips¡­¡± ¡°Yes, I know well what that leads to,¡± Daemon finished with a chuckle that almost turned into a groan as he grimaced. Slowly, being careful of how he moved, I watched him stand. I did the same, ignoring as best I could the pain that burnt over my back as I moved. Once we were both standing, he moved slowly toward me. His hands stayed low with the palms open as he approached, which was the only reason I didn¡¯t shift into a combat stance. Well, that and I knew that if I tried to fight again today I¡¯d risk serious injury. ¡°I can no longer hate you for how life has played out around us. Your actions, as much as it pains me to admit, have never intentionally placed my family, our family, in danger. However, until you learn to control your anger, your rage, I can never truly trust you.¡± Once he was close, he stopped and raised his hand. I stared at it for a time before slowly extending my hand. As we shook, a small, pained smile came to his face. ¡°As much as it pains me to admit, and if you say I said this to others, I will deny it until the day I die, you are good, Cregan. I mean, I am better, but that¡¯s because I am older.¡± We both smirked and then made a face as pain racked our bodies. ¡°With time¡­ you might be better than me, maybe even match Prince Oberyn. However, until you learn to harness, to focus this rage inside, it will never happen.¡± ¡°Aye, I know,¡± I said as we stopped shaking hands. ¡°And about this¡­ I am sorry about not tapping out when I lost. It was stupid.¡± I looked away, my eyes drifting toward where I knew the sea was. ¡°I just need to push myself. I need to be ready.¡± ¡°For whatever it is you and Prince Doran have planned?¡± I turned back and saw the faintest of smiles on Dameon¡¯s face. I suspected he¡¯d have chuckled at my shock if it wouldn¡¯t hurt to do so. ¡°You might think you are smart and keep whatever you are up to hidden, but people talk. The palace, for all it belongs to the Martells, is full of hundreds of people. It was not much effort to overhear enough that confirms you have spoken with Doran several times since your most recent return. Nor that you also spent an inordinate amount of time with Maester Caleotte. At least when the Princess was not dragging you into whatever room she had decided on for that day¡¯s fucking.¡± I smirked, remembering the last such session from this morning, and the state I¡¯d left Ari in before heading to the yard. However, I was drawn from those thoughts Daemon stepped closer. ¡°Just what exactly are you up to?¡± ¡°If Prince Doran allows, I will tell you on two conditions,¡± I replied. He took a moment to consider before nodding. ¡°First, you cannot tell Ari and second, you have got to spar with me each day until I next leave Sunspear.¡± Daemon held my gaze as he considered my words. ¡°Fine, though if the Princess asks me directly, I will not lie for you.¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± Daemon shook his head as I saw Maester Caleotte step into the yard, a frown on his face. ¡°Then you have my word as I knight. Now let us speak to Prince Doran so I might know what in the name of the gods are you up to?¡± ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ As Caddar manned the wheel I took a final, long look back at Sunspear. It was around three-quarters of a moon since I¡¯d brought my plans to Doran, and I was finally underway and had said my goodbyes to everyone. My mother had been the least happy about my leaving, and for the last few days before I sailed I¡¯d found her hovering near me when I was in public. While I could live with that, I wasn¡¯t sure Oberyn was doing as well. Since the reveal of my plans to my extended family, my mother had been giving him a shoulder so cold that even the Others might¡¯ve avoided it. Oberyn, to his credit, accepted it with grace and neither showed it around the younger children. Alia, Sarisa and the younger Sand Snakes were only told I was leaving on an important mission and had extracted promises from me to bring them gifts back. I wasn¡¯t sure how I would fulfil those requests, or the ones that came for others like Beron and Alysanne. They¡¯d been more understanding of my need to leave even if they didn¡¯t know the full details, though the pair had been distracted by me showing myself skinchanging into Kaa. When I¡¯d told them they might be able to do the same thing, and hinted Robb was learning to do so with Quicksilver, the pair had leapt at the chance. Thus, under my orders ¨C which Oberyn knew the reason for ¨C the pair were to spend time in the stables with the same horse each day, or with a pair of peacocks Doran had been gifted recently from the new Sealord of Braavos to help ensure Dorne kept ordering her vessels from him. Yet, for all my plans for my cousins, or steps Doran was taking to strengthen Dorne, the memories that played in my mind the most centred on my older stepsisters and Ari. Neither Nym nor Sarella was overly emotional about my departure, but both had ensured I enjoyed one more private time with each of them before I left. Something that I¡¯d enjoyed with Asha and Ari as well. I¡¯d also enjoyed a foursome with the princess, Nym, and Asha which was something I¡¯d never forget, though last night I¡¯d spent the evening alone with Ari. Ever since learning of my plans, she¡¯d been turned on, enjoying the fact I was tempting danger with my actions. That night had been¡­ energetic. Yet, when the morning had come, we¡¯d spoken about why she felt I was doing this. I hadn¡¯t denied her belief that I was doing this to earn her hand, nor did that idea offend her. Hells, it had almost resulted in us fucking away the morning. We hadn¡¯t, as we both had duties to perform, but it was clear when I¡¯d said goodbye that when I returned she was going to try and fuck my brains out. ¡°The provisions, weapons and men are secure,¡± Daemon said as he climbed the short flight of stairs to the quarterdeck. ¡°The men seem in good spirits, but who knows if that will last when their loyalty is based on coin.¡± Ever since our dragged-out spar, or at least the heart-to-heart we¡¯d had at the end of it, we¡¯d reached a place of, if not friendship, then common ground. That said, he wasn¡¯t here by choice, but by order of Arianne. I couldn¡¯t help but smile when Daemon had grudgingly told me his orders were to ensure my safe return to Sunspear as it seemed the heir to Dorne wasn¡¯t interested in finding another paramour. Having him here was nice, as it gave me a blade I could not only count on when the cards were dealt, but he was someone I could trust. At least as far as not stabbing me in the back and stealing my ship. while I felt the men I¡¯d hired wouldn¡¯t do that, I couldn¡¯t be sure. Bronn was loyal to coin only while Irraro considered me his employer due to my part-ownership of the Sunset Rose. The men those two had brought ¨C totalling eight not including themselves ¨C were the ones I considered more valuable than the rest. As such they and Daemon would form the core of any unit I kept near me though currently, the pair were onboard the captured and converted pirate vessel that was sailing slightly behind and to the port of the Windchaser. ¡°It¡¯s what we have,¡± I replied as Daemon stepped onto the quarterdeck. At his heels came the large black mass behind indicating the only being I trusted more than Daemon or my crew on the Windchaser had decided to wake from his snooze. Of my animal companions, Ymir was the only one I was bringing with me, though I had no plans to use Ymir in combat to capture either settlement on Dustspear. While he now had chainmail armour that had been adapted from some worn by sand steeds, I wasn¡¯t willing to risk him in combat. Rian was spending most of his time with Riona: the name I¡¯d chosen for his mate. The pair had made a nest on an empty balcony high in the Tower of the Sun and with Riona having laid an egg less than a week ago, Oberyn had taken steps to ensure the room the balcony they were using was restricted from any bar himself, Doran, or Ari. Of the trio, I felt only Ari might head into the room as she¡¯d spent time slowly earning Riona¡¯s trust with dried meat and fish. While she¡¯d never have the connection I had with Rian, she wanted to eventually have Riona trust her enough to come if asked. As for Kaa, while the forests of Dustspear ¨C something along with the discovery the island had once had a quarry along with some farms had surprised me ¨C would be an ideal hunting ground for him, he had even less protection than Ymir. Oh, using Kaa to scout a settlement had great appeal, but not when battle was soon to occur at that location. ¡°Oh, I am well aware and agree,¡± Daemon said as Ymir bound passed him and pushed against my side, moving so my hand was able to scratch his ear. ¡°For what it is worth, I think this plan of yours is a good one. Risky as hell for sure, but if you pull it off you will secure your place at Prince Doran¡¯s table completely along with earning fame, fortune and the attention of many a maiden.¡± I looked up from Ymir to see Daemon smirking as he finished. ¡°What, are you feeling jealous that when we pull this off I shall get the fame and you will go back to being Arianne¡¯s sworn shield?¡± He snorted and shook his head. ¡°No, not now. If you had asked me that a few years ago, when I still sought the princess¡¯ hand, then maybe. Now though, I am content. I have an important role in a visible position, a lady who I hope to woo and wed when we return, and someone to ensure I never grow lax in my training.¡± He tipped his head to me at that bit. ¡°Plus, I will not have to try risky ventures like this to make my name.¡± ¡°Then I am happy for you, though one day it won¡¯t be you pushing me, but the other way around.¡± He laughed and looked out to sea. ¡°Never going to happen.¡± ¡°Keep telling yourself that,¡± I retorted by turning and glancing back at Sunspear. We were far enough away that while the palace could still be seen, even with my enhanced sight, I couldn¡¯t make out features on the buildings. I¡¯d return soon, the first step in making my name and path ¨C at least the one I wanted to take before and after the Others were beaten ¨C completed. My gaze turned northward, toward where Dustspear roughly lay. There, in the shadows of land once conquered by Daemon upon the back of Caraxes, the first steps in my plans lay. And when the Grim Prince fell beneath my blade, a new lord would rise in the Stepstones. However, before I could openly reveal my name and sigil ¨C something Ari and Alysanne had still to let me see ¨C I needed to work secretly. That was why, in homage to Daemon and my father, the banner of the Rogue Viper would fly over Dustspear before the year was out. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ Kicking Up The Dust Kicking up the Dust ... ... (Circa 296AC)
I knelt at the front of the Trickster ¨C the name I¡¯d given the captured pirate vessel I was using for my assault on Dustspear ¨C as the vessel slowly inched forward. The sails were secured with most of the men below rowing us forward, their timing being kept by a gentle tapping that barely reached my ears on the forecastle as it echoed through the ship. Scanning the view in front of me was difficult as a new moon had happened last night, meaning everything was bathed in darkness. Yet, thanks to the boost to my sight that came from my bond with Rian, I could just make out various shapes as the Trickster inched its way forward. The only light to be seen came either from somewhere in the settlement we were slowly approaching at the southern end of Dustspear, or from small fires at the two watchtowers that were meant to guard an approach to the settlement¡¯s pier and beach. Calling them watchtowers was perhaps a joke as neither was much more than a two-storey table, but both were now unguarded as, with the limited light to guide me, I¡¯d tracked and taken out the men at each. My bow had proven itself in clearing those two locations, singing beautifully as it sent forth death, though at first things had gotten a little tricky when my first arrow had knocked the man on the upper level clean off the floor. Thankfully, before the other man could realise what had happened, a second arrow had impaled his chest and pinned him to the wooden wall of the watchtower. With that considered, the second tower had been cleared just as easily, with both men being pinned to their chairs by my arrows. That had cleared the path into the pirate settlement for the Trickster. The Windchaser wasn¡¯t with us because if spotted its silhouette would chance raising the alarm. Therefore, it and a little less than half the men I¡¯d hired ¨C led by Bronn and Irraro ¨C had beached my vessel further down the coast. By now, that force should¡¯ve reached the outer edges of the settlement and was just waiting for the Trickster to land and attack to join us. Inching closer to the shore, my eyes scanned the shore, looking for any lookouts. At my side, Daemon did the same though he¡¯d not spotted the men at the watchtowers until after I¡¯d taken them out. Resting in my hands undrawn was my bow with an arrow knocked to the string. Seeing a faint shift in the shadows on land, I placed some tension in the bowstring. As the shadow passed near one of the faint sources of light from within the settlement, I lifted the bow off the Trickster¡¯s railing. Even as I pulled further back on the bow, I tracked the man. With almost no wind, it was easy to account for that factor, but judging the range was a challenge. Thankfully, I¡¯d spent time in the range in Sunspear practising shooting in the dark at targets that were moving on a zipline, so I had a good judge of how to gauge range when working with little to no light. As my hand reached my chin, I took a breath and then exhaled some of it. Then, once sure of my mark, loosed the arrow. It vanished into the ether almost as soon as it flew away, yet I knew it¡¯d flown true as the shadow I¡¯d been tracking shuddered. Even as my hands moved to nock another arrow, my eyes watched the shadow, making sure the target was down. Only once I was sure of that, did I return to tracking possible new targets. ¡°Impressive.¡± That remark came from Daemon Sand who was crouched near me. While he had a bow as well, he was only there if I missed my mark, which I¡¯d so far not done. While I wore mail armour, as I expected to have to fight and move in water, Daemon was in full plate. Though to help hide our approach ¨C which had been my plan from the moment Daemon had been assigned to protect me by Ari ¨C the armour had been dulled down before we¡¯d left Sunspear. He¡¯d not been happy about that, but I¡¯d promised to pay for it to be re-polished once we returned from clearing the island. I was about to reply to his comment, but a sound from the pier as we neared drew my focus. There, another shadow moved and the arrow I¡¯d nocked was loosed almost instantly. A second later, the sound of something hitting the water echoed around us. ¡°I hope no one heard that,¡± Daemon said even as I cursed internally. ¡°Would you rather he lived longer and spotted our approach?¡± I whispered back while nocking another arrow. The Trickster had just slid past the end of the pier, meaning that even if we were discovered now we could disembark. Now, moving down the pier wasn¡¯t ideal, as it¡¯d funnel our forces and leave us exposed to any private that could flank us with a bow, but it was better than being discovered entering the dock under the cover of darkness. If Daemon replied, I didn¡¯t hear him. Somewhere near the end of the pier, where the black walls of buildings began, two shifting shadows moved in the road that seemed to lead into the centre of the settlement. Light shifted from some unknown source, revealing the shadows as two pirates. The pair were moving toward the beach, and not only would they reach it before we landed, but they¡¯d discover the first man I¡¯d taken down just before we¡¯d reached the end of the pier. As we passed the mid-point of the pier, I pulled another arrow from my quiver and before regripping the string, slipped the new arrow between my fingers. Far enough away that it wouldn¡¯t affect my first arrow, but close enough that I could nock and loose it inside a few seconds. Even as the first arrow was loosed, I nocked the second and it was away just as the first reached its target. The second figure tensed as his partner was dropped by my arrow, and a hand moved to his belt. Before he could pull his blade free, my second arrow slammed into his throat, and he collapsed with a gurgle. While I was pleased that both had gone down silently, their bodies were now on the main path from the beach into the settlement. That had me wondering if I should¡¯ve waited a few moments longer until they reached the beach before attempting a double shot. While I could¡¯ve pulled that shot off at a shorter range, I didn¡¯t have much accuracy with it. Not like Sarella. When she¡¯d learnt I was practising archery at night and decided to join me. For a while, I¡¯d been able to challenge her because of my weirwood bow, but then, a few days before I¡¯d sailed, Oberyn had gifted her a goldenheart bow for her fifteenth nameday. From then on, she¡¯d left me in the dust for accuracy and distance lending credence to rumours of goldenheart bows being the most powerful of any in the Known World. Also, as much as I still had issues with him, I suspected Theon could match Sarella with my weirwood bow, or possibly even without. Asha¡¯s brother was a prick at times, but I couldn¡¯t deny his skill with a bow, nor that no matter how much I trained with mine, he¡¯d likely remain a better archer than me. Putting those thoughts to the side, I nocked another arrow as the Trickster inched ever closer to the beach ready for anyone else who might come into view. Yet, as door and window frames in the buildings nearest the beach came into focus, I knew it was time to shift. My bow and quiver were placed against the inner hull of the Trickster, wedged as tightly as I dared. I then slowly slid a plank over them which I held in place with two small casks. While it wasn¡¯t perfect, it would keep the bow safe especially as everyone knew that if anyone broke it, they¡¯d have to face my displeasure. Once the bow was secured, I picked up my shield, one like my tabard that was emblazoned with the sigil of the Rogue Viper. It was a simple thing, being a snake shifting through a skull ¨C both in white ¨C against a black background with blood dripping from its fangs, but it would serve me well for any pirate that somehow escaped the island and alerted the other Pirate Lords. That way they¡¯d not realise the person who¡¯d taken out the Grim Prince was connected to Dorne. Eventually though, I knew the truth would get out and at that point, I¡¯d use a proper sigil. However, I still had to see what mine was going to be. Ari, Alysanne, and others hadn¡¯t finished designing mine before I¡¯d left Sunspear. That said, what they had looked impressive as it blended elements of the Houses Stark, Martell and Dayne with the wolf¡¯s head of House Stark being black like Ymir. I pulled Red Rain from its sheath slowly, not wanting the blade to catch any stray light coming from the settlement. A moment later the Trickster shuddered as the keel embedded into the shore. I leapt over the side, water splashing as my feet hit the water. Thankfully, the water didn¡¯t pass my ankles and my splash had been quiet as a fish jumping out of water. Daemon¡¯s exit was louder as he was wearing heavier armour, but as we moved out of the water and onto the beach, it seemed none of the locals had noticed us. Behind us, the sounds of the rest of the crew disembarking were marked by the constant, but irregular splashing of water. Once we reached the first buildings, we pressed up against the wall, discovering it was made of wood save for the corners were stone. Though they looked worn and in daylight, I¡¯d probably be able to locate damage that needed fixing. I sensed Ymir move to my side and felt his head as he brushed against my arm, the mail he was wearing gently rubbing against mine, though I didn¡¯t turn to acknowledge him. Instead, I kept my focus on any sound or movement that came from around the corner of the building I was hiding behind. Time seemed to slow as I waited for my men to disembark and gather. I could feel my blood quicken in excitement as the moment of battle approached when I¡¯d finally step out of my father¡¯s shadow and start making a name for myself as something other than the Northern bastard of Dorne. That title was rarely used, save in jest, but it was one I hoped to lose. The moniker King Robert had given me, The Bloody Wolf, would stick for a long time, but I found I rather enjoyed that one now that I had Ymir with me. And after the taking of Dustspear, it would be hard to argue it didn¡¯t fit well. The shifting of a shadow on the ground at my feet sent the anticipation of what was about to happen flooding through me. My heart was beating calmly but I could still feel the call to battle, the desire to strike out and claim this land for myself building. ¡°Huh,¡± The shadow muttered with a slur brought on by a hangover. ¡°Bryan, that you?¡± the shadow shifted forward erratically, further confirming their status, as they moved toward the bodies near where I waited. ¡°Wha¡­¡± The moment the shadow was close enough that his voice sounded as if it was just around the corner, I moved. Pivoted around the edge of the building, Red Rain slashed forward, slamming into the chest of the drunken pirate. Terror and shock rushed through his eyes as my blade dug in and then emerged from his gut, leaving a cut that went clean through. I relished the look of fear as he understood his death was at hand, yet I didn¡¯t let it linger. With a turn of my arm, Red Rain moved skyward, cutting out a swathe of blood from his chest through his neck. As the body slumped, I brought my shield forward, holding him up. The pirate spluttered, and I felt hot blood leak down my shield and over my hand, but I didn¡¯t mind. With him held there, then anyone behind might not instantly realise his fate. Peaking over the body¡¯s shoulder, I looked down the road. About twenty metres forward the remains of a large fire was slowly dying. Around that the bodies of pirates sleeping off their drink from the night before lay. Some were slowly moving, either having managed to stay awake until now or having joined the festivities late. All though appeared entirely unaware of what was happening at the beach. I grunted in fury as a weak female shriek reached my ears. Following the sound, I saw movement near the rear of the campfire. Three bodies were moving in ways that made clear what was happening, and the sounds confirmed the female wasn¡¯t a willing participant. Pushing down the urge to rush forward and send those men to a painful death, I moved back, making sure the body remained generally upright against my shield. ¡°At least ten men at the centre. Slaves too.¡± ¡°That could be a problem,¡± Daemon whispered back, and I knew exactly what he was talking about. One thing I wouldn¡¯t stand for during this assault ¨C and any future ones if things went the way I planned ¨C was the raping of prisoners or freed slaves. While I knew it was a common thing in Essos ¨C and probably happened in Westeros during wars even if most chose to pretend it didn¡¯t ¨C I wouldn¡¯t allow it. When hiring the men, when we¡¯d gathered in the docks of Sunspear before departing, and then finally before the Trickster and Windchaser had taken different courses to the island, I¡¯d made clear that any reports of rape would be brought to me, and if confirmed the men involved would face justice. None of the men seemed happy about it, but given each had been paid two Silver Moons to sign up ¨C with that being upped to five once we set sail ¨C they¡¯d accepted my word. At least publicly. If nothing happened before the island was mine, I¡¯d be shocked, and Daemon had spoken to me privately about how expecting them to hold to their word was unlikely as they weren¡¯t knights. I¡¯d bit back a comment about how many knights would enjoy the spoils of victory as much as any sellsword. Instead, I¡¯d explained that I hoped that Dustspear wouldn¡¯t be the only island we targeted. If that was to be the case, to show I wasn¡¯t just another bastard trying to make a living, I had to set standards. The clearest of which was that no slavery or rape was going to be tolerated. While that might make some unwilling to join my ranks as the moons passed, I hoped word would spread through various slaves and others of my choices. If it did, then I could attract men with at least a hint of honour. Now, during my research on the Stepstones, I¡¯d come across rumours that there was a Pirate Lord on an island near the coast of Essos who supposedly was from YiTi and targeted slavers. However, since reliable information on the political natures of the Steps ¨C bar the three largest islands of Bloodstone, the Shrouded Isle, and Redwater ¨C was hard to come by on the best of days, I couldn¡¯t be sure if it was anything more than a rumour. Though even if it was, then the PR gain from Westeros of me moving to not only take the Steps but crush piracy and slavery in them was worth making the battles harder and ¨C once the truth of my identity was well-known ¨C risking the Free Cities of Tyrosh, Myr and Lys potentially getting involved. ¡°We shall check on it after,¡± I replied. If Daemon had anything further to add it was cut off by the ringing of a bell. That was coming from somewhere further into the settlement, though where exactly was impossible to tell as it echoed off the various buildings. Glancing around the body shield I was using I saw the men around the fire slowly reacting to the bell. Their actions were sluggish and disorientated. Still, once they were all up, I watched where the slave was taken. Exhaling in relief that she¡¯d not be present when we charged, I smiled viciously when the men turned away from us. That meant the alarm had come from Bronn and Irraro¡¯s force. As the pirates staggered inland, I moved around the building, pushing the body from my shield. I¡¯d gotten to the next building in from the beach when I heard movement from inside. Tensing, I waited as the door to the building opened and a small group of pirates stumbled out. The lead one¡¯s eyes widened as he saw me, and his hand went to his belt. Before he could draw his blade, Red Rain once more lived up to her name as I slashed the pirate¡¯s throat. Even as he choked on his blood, Ymir rushed forward. The body fell back flailing in a panic, and the pirate staggered. As the one on the ground struggled to free himself, I stepped forward and drove my blade into the gut of a third. Blood soared into the night sky as my blade tore open the pirate¡¯s gut sending steaming guts bursting from the wound. At my feet, a gargled scream was accompanied by the snarl of Ymir as he tore into the tangled limbs. A quick block with my shield and slash from my blade ensured the only pirate still standing was dead, and I turned back toward the fire. More bodies awaited their fate there, and with the rush of battle and delight at serving out justice to those who deserved it, I rushed forward seeking the next to feel my wrath. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I looked around the carnage as the first rays of light touched the settlement. Trails of blood were strewn over the dirt, with most leading toward the beach as that¡¯s where I¡¯d had the bodies of the dead ¨C which were overwhelmingly pirates ¨C gathered. The fire I¡¯d seen the night before, which marked the rough centre of the settlement, was roaring again. Around it were huddled about two dozen slaves that had been discovered in the settlement and were now getting the same share of any captured food as my men, who were generally keeping their distance. A few had grabbed at some of the freed female slaves, but when Ymir had growled in their direction they¡¯d back off. While the direwolf had frightened the slaves at first, his actions in protecting them from abuse at the hands of their apparent saviours had endeared him to them, and the youngest slaves ¨C a pair of girls barely older than Elia Sand ¨C were all but clinging to him. While Ymir was enjoying the attention ¨C something made clear by the constant banging of his tail against the dirt ¨C the man who¡¯d tried to take one of those girls into a nearby building was rotting with the other corpses. I¡¯d not even given him a chance to explain himself when I¡¯d put my sword into his skull. No one else had any issue with my actions though Bronn had warned me that perhaps if such a thing happened again, I might consider some leniency to avoid the risk of a mutiny. Speaking of Bronn; he, Irraro and Daemon were sitting near one of the larger buildings at the centre of the settlement. The trio were sharing flagons of some recovered wine, sharing stories of battle, and based on Bronn¡¯s gestures, beddings. The building behind them was one of the few that was without damage from age or the elements, which was why it¡¯d become the treasury. The only entrance was guarded by four men, and it had no windows making the odds anyone could slip inside and take an unfair cut of our bounty unlikely. Said Bounty was more than I¡¯d expected as there were three chests of coin and jewellery. While not all of it was from Westeros, nor gold coins, I¡¯d estimate the coin alone was worth north of a thousand Dragons, and that was before anything was counted. Already, I¡¯d picked out some necklaces, rings and the like to gift to my family while Bronn had acquired a finely crafted castle steel dagger with an ivory handle from the man who¡¯d seemingly been the commander of this settlement. The Windchaser was now moored with the Trickster against the settlement¡¯s pier with both being serviced by the crew of the Windchaser. While the crew of the Trickster seemed competent, I didn¡¯t entirely trust them- nor any of my hired blades ¨C which was why when most of us moved out to take the northern settlement, Garreo would remain with a half-dozen men to protect the treasure and freed slaves. Garreo was currently standing on the pier directing checks of the two vessels, along with overseeing the guard on three pirates that had survived the night-time assault. While many of my men, and all the slaves, had wanted me to execute the trio, I¡¯d delayed doing so. While I had decent intel on the Grim Prince¡¯s capital, it was at least a moon out of date. The trio would be persuaded to confirm if that intel was still accurate, or if not, provide corrections. If they felt like not doing so, then I was sure Bronn would be willing to help me and Ymir loosen their tongues for a few coins. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°I really was not sure you had that in you.¡± I looked from the basin of water where I was washing my hands to Bronn as he spoke. ¡°I mean, I know you not some stick-in-the-arse highborn, but you were raised in a palace.¡± I chuckled as I shook my hands. ¡°You forget I was raised by Oberyn fucking Martell,¡± I replied as I picked up a rag to dry my fingers now the blood of the pirates was off. ¡°And that both Daemon and I were his squires before being knighted.¡± Behind Bronn, a crowd had gathered in the centre of the settlement. That had been caused by the trio of pirates being bought out once I finished speaking with them. It had taken some time of discussion, persuasion, and torture ¨C which was proven as the sun had passed overhead ¨C and a promise that afterwards neither I nor any of my men would kill them to get what I wanted, but I got up to date intel on the Grim Prince and his forces. While the Summer Islander had commanded a dozen or so vessels, only six were known to be in the northern settlement, and even then it was likely two of those had set sail. That removed a sizeable number of men along with two of the Grim Prince¡¯s six guards/lieutenants. However, even if those ships and crew were out, there could be around a hundred men in the settlement, giving them about a two-to-one advantage before even considering the terrain. The other piece of information that was interesting was that the Grim Prince had a goldenheart bow. Having seen what Sarella could do with such a weapon, that was a concern. Particularly when the pirates had suggested the Grim Prince could use it to pierce full plate armour and take a man off their feet with a single arrow strike. Bronn had dismissed that as hearsay, but after watching Sarella with her bow and knowing my weirwood bow could dent plate armour, if not pierce it at the thinner sections on the arms and legs, then there was a very good chance what the pirates had said was true. A roar from the central area of the settlement drew our attention before Bronn could reply, and as I saw what was happening there, I couldn¡¯t help but smirk. I had kept my word that neither I nor my men would kill the pirates. I had, however, not mentioned anything about the freed slaves, and the pirates had forgotten about them. A mistake they were paying for as most of the slaves were attacking the still-bound slavers with whatever they could get a hold of. Many had daggers ¨C given to them by my men ¨C but others were using rocks, planks, or their bare hands. The only ones not involved in the retribution killings were the youngest, who were gathered near Ymir and Daemon. Bronn chuckled as we turned away from the spectacle in the centre. ¡°Aye, I know that, and I have heard rumours about him. He earned his name poisoning some highborn cunt during a fight over a whore.¡± ¡°I cannot comment on how much of a cunt Lord Edgar was,¡± Bronn smiled at that, ¡°nor that his paramour should be called a whore, but I have been told that¡¯s the basic truth.¡± Bronn shrugged as I dropped the rag next to the basin. ¡°Eh, any woman who spreads her legs for a man in return for coin or gifts is a whore.¡± Bronn paused as I stood and moved away from the basin. Someone would be along later to pour it out and probably throw away the rags when the bodies of the last three pirates were dragged to join the others. ¡°Though I have heard that not only is your Prince married to a rare beauty but his¡­ paramour is at his beck and call.¡± ¡°I would never say Lady Ellaria is at his beck and call, nor my mother,¡± I said slowly, taking a moment to push aside any anger at his tone as he spoke of my mother. ¡°Nor shall I comment on their beauty.¡± ¡°And what of his daughters?¡± Bronn asked with a chuckle. ¡°Your sisters are still young I hear, but what of those born from others? I heard stories of the collection of beauties that you shared the palace with. And that the princess may well be the most appealing of the lot.¡± I closed my eyes and took a long, deep breath. I wasn¡¯t sure why Bronn was asking about this now, but I wasn¡¯t going to give him any pleasure at seeing how he was annoying me. ¡°I cannot speak for the oldest, my goodaunt Obara, as she is in the North. However, the others are indeed rare lights in the sands of Dorne.¡± My words were kept soft to hide as much as I could my feelings for my stepsisters and Ari. We walked a short while in silence before Bronn shook his head and looked at me. ¡°Lucky prick,¡± he muttered with a smirk. I smiled back, not wanting to reply verbally. ¡°So,¡± he said after a few more steps had passed, ¡°I heard a rumour in the Shadow City. Apparently, the Princess has a new paramour. You know anything about that?¡± I fought desperately to keep a grin from spreading on my face. ¡°Fucking lucky bastard.¡± ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ It was just past midday on the day after we¡¯d captured the southern settlement and I found myself, along with most of my men, moving through the forest that seemed to cover most of Dustspear. The day before, along with Daemon, Bronn, and Irraro, I¡¯d refined the plan for taking the northern settlement and removing the Grim Prince. Which was why I, Daemon, and Bronn were leading over half our force through the forest. The basic premise of the plan was an evolution of what we¡¯d used against the southern settlement, though with a few key differences. This time most of our force would attack over land. On the morning of the fourth day after we left the southern settlement, the Windchaser and Trickster would approach the Grim Prince¡¯s capital from east and west. Neither ship was to move into the harbour though. Instead, the plan was for them to draw out at least two of the moored pirate ships. They¡¯d then turn and lure the pirates away, engaging with their scorpions if forced to do so. While both were outfitted with such a weapon on their forecastle, and the men and crew on each had a dozen bows to defend themselves with, I hoped they weren¡¯t forced to defend themselves. While the Windchaser should have little issue staying clear of the pirates ¨C provided there was a decent breeze ¨C the Trickster had the risk of being taken. That was why the crew and sellswords onboard were ones I didn¡¯t care about. With Garreo staying in the southern settlement with some of the Windchaser¡¯s crew to guard the treasure and freed slaves and prepare the ships we¡¯d captured there for sailing back to Sunspear, Irraro was in temporary command of the ship. I¡¯d prefer to not lose the Trickster, but I¡¯d already taken two vessels of similar size and design in the south, so it had already served its primary purpose of getting me to Dustspear. Regardless of when my ships were spotted ¨C be that early on, or after getting closer enough to perhaps use their scorpions a few times on the docked pirate vessels ¨C they¡¯d draw some of the pirates present to sea. That would split the Grim Prince¡¯s forces and, all things being equal, give my men a good chance of taking the settlement before those ships realised what was happening and either turned back or sailed away with the knowledge the island had fallen to an unknown force. Of course, even if half the Grim Prince¡¯s force left after my vessels, there was a good chance my men would be outnumbered three-to-two at best. Yet all of that was contingent on us being at the wall of the northern settlement by the morning of the fourth day after we¡¯d left the south. At first, that had felt like an easy thing to achieve as there¡¯d been an old but clear dirt track leaning into the forest. However, before the end of the first day, the path had all but vanished. It had clearly not been used for years, and while the rough path it took was still visible through the tree line, it had become overgrown. Thus, most of the men were now trekking in the forest proper so we weren¡¯t strung out for miles all following a path barely wide enough for one man to pass. The only hints we had that we were heading in the right direction were the sun as it moved overhead and Ymir. While he was built for northern woods, the forest of Dustspear was easy for him to manage. Especially as I was carrying his armour on my back with my bow, quiver, and shield. Red Rain and an axe I¡¯d brought from Sunspear were in hand to help me hack my way forward. While the Valyrian steel blade wasn¡¯t designed as a machete, it was more than capable of fulfilling the role, and because of the properties of the metal, I didn¡¯t have much concern about dulling or bending the blade by using it as I was. As I hacked away a low-hanging branch, I felt Ymir¡¯s desire to once again run off and hunt. The forest was far from empty ¨C something I¡¯d made a note of for how the settlements could help support themselves when I started developing the place ¨C and Ymir longed to hunt. While the men had caught some rabbits and shot a handful of birds to feed themselves, Ymir smelt far more nourishing and appealing game. I¡¯d slipped into his mind a few times over the last day and a half, and not only had he caught the scent of prey, but through his eyes, I¡¯d seen a herd of deer moving in the distance and the unmistakable sound of a sounder of wild pigs ¨C if not warthogs. The only thing that held him back, at least beyond my ability to enter his mind, was the promise that once the second settlement was taken, he had free reign to head into the forest and hunt that night. That had settled his bloodlust for the time, though when we reached the Grim Prince¡¯s capital, I knew he¡¯d be able to sate that desire properly. The only good thing about the slow trek was it gave me time to think. While I wasn¡¯t trying to get too ahead of myself, I could already see how the southern settlement could be rebuilt, expanded and better defended. Due to its location, it had the potential to be a useful stopping point for ships heading from Dorne into the Narrow Sea, or vice versa. With the quarry the island had, and sources of fresh water ¨C which we¡¯d discovered last night when we¡¯d camped near a narrow but moving stream ¨C the natural resources to turn the island into something more than just a base for raiding and pillaging existed. It would take time to develop, even with potential support from Doran, and would have to worry about raids from other islands in the Steps ¨C though I had ideas for countering those in the early going ¨C but with time, decent bounties from taken out the Grim Prince and others, and effort, Dustspear had the potential to be a solid, if unspectacular holding. Of course, all of that was contingent on us reaching the northern settlement in time, and the Grim Prince lying dead at my feet. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ Faint sounds carried through dark leaves and brushes of the forest as I slowly stalked around. Far behind, I could hear the alpha¡¯s camp. Those with him were making too much noise for a predator of the forest, but given the noise of the hot, dry place I¡¯d lived before coming with the alpha to this place, it was far quieter. Though I did find myself missing the attention of the alpha¡¯s mates. I was glad to be away from the pack as the smell from many of those now in it bothered me. Plus, clear of their scent, I could once more track the prey I¡¯d been sensing ever since we¡¯d entered the trees. Yet I knew I couldn¡¯t hunt tonight. The alpha had another purpose for me. There was no light from the skies above, and whatever was coming down was blocked by the trees, but that didn¡¯t concern me. I saw clearer in the dark than when the sun was overhead, the various shades of my sight adapted for low or no light conditions which made it easy as I lay prone under a bush to watch the enemy pack scouts move. Somehow this pack smelt worse than those that had joined my alpha, but even if I was downwind of these pretenders, I was far enough away that I could ignore the smell. However, I knew once we attacked them and took their lands, the smell would be an issue. Thankfully, at that time, the alpha had promised bloodshed, thus I was content to remain here for the night and watch. This other pack had scouts, but they were lazy, slow, and disinterested. The faint sounds of the alpha¡¯s pack carried to my ears, but the scouts of the other pack couldn¡¯t hear them, or simply didn¡¯t care. A fault I would enjoy helping the alpha make them pay for. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. The scouts of this pack moved badly, no effort made to remain hidden or watch the forest where I lay. That made it easy to follow their movements, determine their hollows and see the repeated paths they took. Part of me wanted to attack tonight, to slide from the shadows, take out a pretender and slide back into the dark before the members of that pack knew I was there. Yet I knew that wasn¡¯t the alpha¡¯s plan. Since his pack also couldn¡¯t move well in the dark ¨C though the alpha was better than the other two-legs ¨C the attack would come just as light rose in the sky. That made sense as many animals, be they prey or predator, were disorientated at the moments when the light came and went. Time slipped away as I continued to watch the enemy pack, moving location only once I was sure of the timings of the scout¡¯s movements. There was a moment this night, as there had been each night since we¡¯d left the dwelling where my alpha lived under the protection of another alpha when I swore I heard the howl of my brother carried to me on the wind. He was far away, back in the lands of white that I could only just remember, the lands I¡¯d come from. He was safe and well with his alpha, yet he called out for me. Each night I wanted to return his call, but I understood I couldn¡¯t, not until the enemy pack was destroyed and subsumed by my alpha. This was, I felt, why my alpha was the better leader. He understood the need to leave safety, to prove himself in battle and on a hunt. He enjoyed the rush as blood flowed from the scars he placed on his prey, of the delight of crushing a challenge under his paws. To claim his place at the top of the chain. The sound of something snapping behind and to my right had me pushing myself lower into the dirt. My ears perked up as I turned my head, trying to determine where the sound had come from, and what had made it. A shift in the trees caught my sight and a faint growl slipped from my maw. A two-leg was moving in the trees, trying to remain hidden given the way they moved slowly and stayed low. Keeping low, I shifted my position, wanting to move downwind. To see if this two-leg was from the alpha¡¯s pack or the enemy. It took time, though not as long as if I was stalking true prey, but I soon moved downwind. As his scent reached me, I snarled. I sensed the hints of my alpha upon him. While I didn¡¯t understand every sound my alpha made, I knew he had no other scouts out tonight/ no two-leg could do what I did, and certainly not as well. This pack-member shouldn¡¯t be here. Watching them, I saw their gaze was mainly on the enemy pack as if judging their movements. Yet, at times, the pack-member looked back to where I knew our camp was. That made me bear my fangs. If he¡¯d been a scout, his focus would¡¯ve been entirely on the enemy. I smelt more concern from him when he turned to look back than when he watched the enemy. That meant only one thing. Betrayal of the pack. I slipped forward slowly, cautious to not let them see or hear me when they looked back at those they had betrayed, those who would thank me for dealing with a traitor. They inched forward, watching the scouts of the enemy pack, though they were still inside the trees. As they moved, so did I, closing the distance on them patiently. I couldn¡¯t have them run, couldn¡¯t have them reach the other pack. Yet I had to strike before they slipped from the trees and reached the large earth wall the other pack had around their camp. Time slowed as I neared, my paws moving with silence and grace that the traitor could never match. My eyes tracked their every move and noted the object at their side. That was something all two-legs, even my alpha, used. Though he was different, special, and smelled of something ancient and powerful. More powerful than anything I¡¯d smelt save from something back where my brother was with his alpha that seemed to be part of that pack¡¯s lair. Closer and closer I moved, the stronger the sight and smell of the prey became their every little movement that generated sound growing clearer, feeding the anticipation of what came next. The restoration of the natural order. I leapt. They turned; my movement having drawn their attention. Time slowed to a crawl. My claws extended. Their eyes widened as fear rushed through every sinew in their body as they understood who I was. What I was. Their hands moved to their side, for the long, grey object two-legs liked to use. Before his paw could touch it, my claws dug into his chest. His mouth opened to scream but no sound came as my teeth dug into his exposed throat. Fresh, thick, rich, empowering blood slipped into my mouth as they fell to the ground. My jaw moved back, tearing the throat clean from the neck. Blood squirted up, soaking my fur. A familiar, enjoyable gargling came from their maw. The sound of prey knowing it was dying and unable to prevent it. Yet, while I wanted to let them continue to suffer, to savour their misery, I knew I couldn¡¯t. The longer this prey continued to gargle, the greater the chance the other pack might hear and come near. I felt bone crack as I crushed their jaw within mine. Thick, delicious blood mixed with their fear in my mouth, ending their existence. My head flipped back, and the warm, enchanting taste of fear and a fresh kill slipped down my throat. ¡­ ¡­ I fell back and blinked, staring up at the night sky as it peeked through the canopy of the forest. My fingers came to my mouth, wanting to wipe away the blood there, yet I felt nothing. Nor did I still taste the mixture of flesh that I¡¯d swallowed, one that had tasted fuller, better, than anything I¡¯d ever eaten before. ¡°Fuck!¡± I spat as I processed what I¡¯d just experienced, which I¡¯d just done. I¡¯d stayed in Ymir¡¯s mind when he¡¯d killed a traitor. I¡¯d felt the rush of the hunt. The delight at the terror in the man¡¯s eyes when I¡¯d pounced. The ecstasy of ending their life with my claws and teeth. The full, almost overpowering flavour of their flesh as I tore it from their face. ¡°Fuck!¡± I spat again, this time loud enough to disturb someone outside my tent. ¡°Cregan?¡± Daemon asked as he poked his head into my tent. I blinked and shook my head trying to clear the images and sensations of what I¡¯d just done. ¡°Cregan? Are you well?¡± ¡°A¡­ aye,¡± I replied slowly as I licked my lips. ¡°Did something happen to Ymir?¡± Dameon asked quietly. I looked up to see he¡¯d slipped into the tent, pulling the cover behind him. Daemon knew of my ability to skinchange and had done so since before we¡¯d left Sunspear. Ari and Oberyn had come to me after she¡¯d assigned Daemon to my side and insisted I reveal the ability to Daemon as I¡¯d need someone to watch my back when I skinchanged. After some thought on the matter, I¡¯d agreed. Daemon hadn¡¯t taken the matter well at first, mainly due to him being a regular visitor to Sunspear¡¯s sept, but he¡¯d seemingly accepted the ability while we¡¯d been travelling to Dustspear and had served as a guard while I¡¯d wandered the forest in Ymir since we¡¯d left the southern settlement. ¡°Ymir¡­ we had a traitor.¡± My words came out in barely more than a whisper, my mind still elsewhere as my tongue ran over the inside of my mouth, trying to find any hint of the taste I¡¯d experienced only a few seconds ago. Daemon came closer. ¡°What?¡± He asked hurriedly, his voice rising. ¡°Who?¡± I looked at my hands, trying to shift the images of them being claws, of them sinking into flesh from a man¡¯s body. Of the sensation of my fangs rending the man¡¯s throat from his body. ¡°Cregan!¡± I turned to Daemon as he shook my arm forcefully. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I¡­ I was watching the defences of the settlement,¡± I began slowly, almost as if I didn¡¯t understand anything. ¡°I, I know where we need to attack and when. B-but then¡­ a man came into the forest. One coming from our camp and heading to the Grim Prince.¡± I paused and closed my eyes, instantly taken back to the vicious, enthralling attack. ¡°Ymir¡­ he killed them.¡± ¡°Gods.¡± Daemon sank to the floor. ¡°You mean¡­¡± ¡°Aye. I was there when he killed the man,¡± I replied slowly. I¡¯d broken one of the supposed rules of skinchanging, one I¡¯d learnt from Old Nan in Winterfell back when I¡¯d been a child. Now, I didn¡¯t know if the rules were such things, or merely guidelines, but as the heightened sensations of Ymir¡¯s kill continued to flow through me, I felt Old Nan might¡¯ve been onto something. ¡°Gods,¡± Daemon muttered again. ¡°How¡­ What does this mean?¡± ¡°I do not know.¡± I steeled myself and turned to face him fully. ¡°However, whatever this means is something to worry about later. For now, we need to go over what I saw through Ymir¡¯s eyes, and determine how to use it to our advantage before the battle begins tomorrow.¡± Daemon nodded slowly, seemingly just as willing to move on from what Ymir had done ¨C and I¡¯d experienced ¨C to more practical, relatable matters. As he settled down, I started recounting what I¡¯d learnt from seeing things through Ymir¡¯s mind. As for what I¡¯d experienced. That I would deal with once the battles were over and I had the time to process everything I¡¯d experienced, and how it might well change me. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ As the hazy dusk that came just before dawn crept into the forest, I found myself crawling forward through the forest. I was moving quietly, slowly creeping into position near the Grim Prince¡¯s capital. While I¡¯d rather not draw on what I¡¯d seen through Ymir¡¯s eyes earlier during the night, I needed that info to make my way toward the settlement without alerting the lookouts. With my own eyes, I could confirm the wall was nothing more than a decently high earth embankment, one that when stood upon would place a man at a height to see over the canopy of the forest. While the watchtowers would grant further range to any lookout, the flaw was that the forest had been allowed to encroach on the embankment for decades, if not hundreds of years. That level of neglect seemed to extend to the watchtowers that dotted the embankment. They weren¡¯t too far apart ¨C perhaps a few hundred metres between them ¨C but with my enhanced sight, I could see the signs of decay in the wood. Plus, between the towers was nothing, not even hints of a rotted wooden wall that such a defence should¡¯ve had. Because of that, the only issue with the defences was the embankment itself, which was reasonably, but not impossibly, steep. Far to my left, there was a gap in the embankment where a path entered the forest. Ymir had scouted that out as well and found the towers and gate there in better condition with more men manning them. However, like those in the other towers, they appeared lax in their duties. Seeing the defences now, I could see changes that would have to be made to secure the settlement, starting with cutting down the forest to leave it at least two hundred metres back of the embankment with that wood then changed into planks to make a basic wall around the top of the embankment. However, that plan, and others like it would have to wait until after the settlement was taken. Feeling I was close enough to target two of the four watchtowers we¡¯d take out to begin our assault, I slowly shifted behind a tree and knelt. Once that was done, and after waiting for some time to ensure the lookouts hadn¡¯t reacted, I peeled my bow from my back, placed my quiver against the tree and waited. Behind me, thanks to Ymir, I could sense my men slowly moving closer, though they¡¯d stay back from where I and the other archers would position ourselves. After that, it was simply a waiting game for now as before we could risk breaching the defences, I had to be reasonably sure the other part of the plan was still on track. ¡­ ¡­ About an hour later, as the first rays of light started to kiss the embankment, I stood with an arrow nocked but not drawn on my bow. The faint shifting of earth behind me had me tensing, but when Ymir didn¡¯t growl out any warning I kept my gaze forward. ¡°Scouts are back,¡± Bronn whispered from somewhere behind and to my right. ¡°The Windchaser¡¯s on the move. No idea about the Trickster though. ¡°Good,¡± I replied in a voice just as quiet. ¡°Send word to the archers. The moment they see the first man go down, take out their targeted towers. Have the rest of the men ready to move quickly once I give the signal.¡± While I replied, I tracked the men at the closest tower, making sure our voices weren¡¯t carrying to them. The pair there now, and at the other towers that I could see, had recently changed shift. They¡¯d come up the banking from behind the towers, and the ones they¡¯d replaced had gone down the same way. That suggested that there were steps that led into the settlement. Given the size of the barrier, there¡¯d be a lot of ground inside the settlement. Still, from what I¡¯d gathered during my interrogations, the men inside only used a handful of buildings, which I¡¯d been assured I¡¯d be able to spot easily as all were marked. Hopefully, the barracks the guards used was near the embankment so we could, ideally, enter the place quickly and quietly and take out those guards settling down for a rest. ¡°Aye, I know the plan. Men do too, though if they listen is another matter.¡± I smirked even as my eyes tracked one of the men at the nearest tower pulling a chair out from it. ¡°If they fail, then either the pirates will kill them, or I lower their cut.¡± ¡°Either way means more for me,¡± Bronn replied. ¡°Just try not to get yerself killed now. As much as it may mean a bigger cut for me, I would likely have to fight for that share.¡± The shuffling of feet in the dirt and branches being pushed aside followed the remark, and it drew a faint growl from Ymir. ¡°I know you may not trust him, or any of them after last night, but he is a good and predictable fighter.¡± Since returning to the camp last night, Ymir had growled at everyone in my force, save for Daemon. Knowing the attack would begin on my actions, I lifted the hand holding the arrow against the string and pulled another arrow from the quiver. After resting it between my first and middle fingers ¨C but far enough away that it wouldn¡¯t interfere with the already-nocked arrow ¨C I slowly lifted my bow, placing tension in the string. After taking a deep breath I pulled the string to my shoulder. Aiming at the man in the nearest tower, I released some of my breath. A split second later, the arrow was flying. Even as the arrow slammed into the chest of the man in the tower, sending the flagon of no doubt cheap rum in his hand flying, my second arrow was away. The body of the first man stumbled back out of sight, and I had to hope it didn¡¯t fall out of the tower and roll down the inside of the embankment. The sound made the second stand, meaning the arrow aimed at him didn¡¯t strike his head, instead embedding itself just below his ribcage and pinning him against the wall of the tower. Even as he pulled at the arrow with one hand and the other grabbed his axe, a third arrow left my bow. It slammed into his jaw, securing him against the tower¡¯s wall. The axe clattered from his grip as he no doubt tried and failed to cry out a warning. Though instead of any alarm being raised, I heard nothing, though just before my gaze drifted toward my second tower, I smirked at spotting the flow of red surging from his face. Two arrows flew at the second tower, repeating the attack. Though since the man outside was standing, that arrow struck true in his chest, piercing his heart, and trapping him against the tower¡¯s wall. The man upstairs didn¡¯t tumble away, simply falling enough that I could see a leg poking up into the air. Even as I slipped from behind the tree I¡¯d been using as cover and picked up my quiver, I caught sight of two more towers being targeted. Since no one else had a bow even close to rivalling mine, each of the other towers being targeted had two men targeting at the same time. That would ensure the guards went down quickly allowing the next phase of the plan to be implemented. I slipped from the trees, an arrow nocked on my bow, and sprinted for the base of the embankment. Ymir, as expected, beat me there. As I slid the arrow back into my quiver and slung my bow over my back, I saw movement in the forest. That would be Bronn leading the men forward, ready to rush out and climb once I gave the signal. Daemon was further away, commanding the rest of the men who¡¯d be breaching the wall at the other towers. Once I had my axe in hand, I started my climb using the weapon to grip the solid earth. I¡¯d barely gotten halfway up when Ymir raced past me. He paused for a moment near the top and then slipped from view. As I neared the top, I heard a muffled cry of terror and felt Ymir¡¯s delight at a successful kill. Sliding onto the top of the embankment, I discovered a rough, well-worn path that led to the two towers I targeted from the forest. I¡¯d told the men last night before we¡¯d camped, and then again before we¡¯d moved out to stay low as they breached the horizon at the top of the embankment. Hopefully, those that didn¡¯t listen got themselves killed as I didn¡¯t need men who couldn¡¯t follow simple instructions. If they didn¡¯t and I learnt of their mistake, then I¡¯d handle the matter. After hooking the axe back to my belt and then unslinging my bow from my back, I crawled forward. As I moved close enough to see into the roofs of the settlement I ended up having to push what looked like an arm out of my way. As the sounds of Ymir tearing apart something that had to be the body of the arm, my thoughts drifted back to his kill last night. The sensation of raw, freshly torn flesh sliding over my tongue and then down my throat swirled in my mind, just as it had done over breakfast. While the meals we¡¯d been having since leaving the southern settlement hadn¡¯t been great, that meal had felt even worse. Almost as if it was devoid of any taste. I hoped that was only because it was the last of the rations we¡¯d brought with us for the hike, and not a sign that everything would taste bland because of what I¡¯d experienced last night. However, I couldn¡¯t be sure of that until I was back in Sunspear eating freshly roasted meals dipped in spice. ¡°Fuck!¡± The curse slipped quietly from my lips as I reached the inner side of the embankment. While I¡¯d known from outside it was larger than the Grim Prince needed, I¡¯d expected it to be generally empty. Or failing that, have most of the buildings clearly unusable. Yet, from where I rested, not only were there more buildings than I¡¯d expected, but only a few looked damaged enough that they¡¯d not be used. Now, the buildings nearer the docks, including a two-story building that appeared to be made of stone and a large wooden structure that had to be a store, were in better condition, but the overall state of the settlement appeared, at least on first look, to be higher than I¡¯d expected. While that would be useful for what would come after, for the assault it would make things troublesome. The odds of us finding the main barracks that the guards used before we assaulted the dock were slim. The pirates likely were spread out fairly evenly. To say nothing of any slaves that were being held either for sale or enjoyment. The settlement had three piers though only four vessels were docked there. The spaces against the piers looked large enough to house another four to six vessels the size of the Trickster, which fit with what I¡¯d learnt of the Grim Prince¡¯s fleet and operation. My ships should draw two, if not three of the docked vessels out before we assaulted the docks, and while I¡¯d be fine with them sailing away once the settlement was taken, I hoped they could be tricked into coming close enough that they could be captured. While I didn¡¯t have the men currently to man ten ships, provided the freed slaves were plentiful enough, then it would be nice to sail into Sunspear¡¯s docks with a small fleet of vessels to either refit or sell. After giving the roofs a long look to gain a rough guide as to their location, I shifted back. My gaze stayed inward, watching for any movement that might signal someone realised the watchtowers had been taken out. Yet by the time I¡¯d moved back enough that the settlement slipped from sight, that hadn¡¯t happened. As my feet popped over the outer rim of the embankment, signalling I was there, I held up an arm. That was the signal for the others to advance, though I wasn¡¯t going to look back to be sure of that. Instead, I crawled forward again, a nocked arrow resting on my bow. My eyes returned to scanning the settlement even as I saw the faintest of movements to my sides. If all was going right, then Bronn had two teams moving to the towers. The bodies would be thrown down the outside of the embankment while those teams moved inside the towers and assumed overwatch. The one to my left would focus their attention on the main gate of the settlement while the right would track movement in the settlement. As rough paths toward the docks formed in my mind, and I once more wished Rian was here for a clearer picture, I felt someone crawl closer. ¡°Tower¡¯s secured,¡± Bronn whispered. After a nod from me, he slid down the inner embankment followed by the rest of the men with him. Once they were down, and the maps were in my head, placed the arrow back in the quiver and prepared to move only for a bell to sound in the settlement. ¡°Damnit!¡± I cursed, my gaze moving to the harbour. While the settlement didn¡¯t have a full harbour, the southern half was enclosed by an outcropping of rock that jutted out and around, providing shelter from the sea, and most of the storms that drifted up from the Summer Sea. There, just at the edge of my vision, I saw a shift in colour against the waves signalling the Windchaser. It seemed the outcropping had guards on it as my ship was still out of sight of the settlement itself, had been spotted. Still, that was something I''d prepared for. My eyes shot back to the docks, and I saw men rushing from the buildings. My focus was on the stone building as a group of five emerged, particularly the shining ebony skin of the leader. While the four with him looked impressive, my gaze lingered on the Grim Prince. Clad in a coat of armour as deep and rich as the emerald leaves of the deepest forest, my attention was drawn not to the attire that cloaked him, but to the bow he wielded. The sunlight kissed the wooden curves of his weapon, revealing the unmistakable gleam of goldenheart, akin to the radiant sheen that adorned Sarella''s bow, yet this one surpassed it in both size and grandeur. That didn''t surprise me though, for the Grim Prince loomed over those around him, an imposing figure with a musculature that would undoubtedly dwarf that of my stepsister. The Grim Prince gestured with his free hand and two of the men with him moved toward the pier. Others soon scampered to obey and over two dozen surged toward one of the piers, readying two ships. The bell sounded again, and I watched as everyone near the docks tensed. Someone ran toward the Grim Prince, and after he listened the pirate lord turned and started barking out new orders. More men ran toward the piers, and a third ship was readied even as the crew pushed the first of the other pair away from the pier. I stayed where I was, watching patiently until the third ship slipped its moorings and moved away. The lead ships were just emerging past the outcropping that protected the harbour and beyond them I saw the Windchaser turn even as the Trickster slipped into view. Offering the crews on my ships a silent prayer, I pulled the arrow from my bow and slipped it back into the quiver. I then crawled forward. As I slid down the embankment, I saw my men were gathered behind three buildings, with any at the building I was sliding toward avoiding Ymir. That was understandable as the remains of the man he¡¯d killed were all over the ground near him, to say nothing of his maw which had blood dripping from it. ¡°Hey boy,¡± I said to Ymir as he came over, letting my hand slide over his head and giving him a quick scratch behind his ear. Moving to secure my bow all I could do for now was place it against the side of the building and hope it stayed safe. After that, I moved to the corner of the building, securing my shield against my arm before my other hand drew Red Rain. ¡°Looks like we kicked up the hornet¡¯s nest,¡± a man named Jaeronos whispered from across the path where he huddled with other men. From what I¡¯d learnt, Jaeronos had come to Sunspear from Volantis. I didn¡¯t know the full story, but he¡¯d proved himself during the battle of the southern settlement, showing at least a partial understanding of tactics and command which was why he had command of a unit of my men. ¡°Aye, but they are not hornets. Simply jumped-up ants,¡± I replied with a smirk. That earned me a chuckle, yet before anything else could be said, I slipped around the corner, my shield raised to cover my throat and body. Nothing appeared in front of me, and I cautiously moved inward. Jaeronos and the rest of my men followed behind. As I reached the first intersection, I paused making sure no sound was coming from either side. As sure as I could be, I stepped forward, crouching low to shrink my profile. Once sure the intersection was clear, I moved across it, passing between two new buildings. Before I reached the next intersection I stopped when Ymir growled softly. Glancing back, I saw his head was low, pointed to the door of one building. Looking at the door, I saw a faint marking on it, one that matched what the pirates I¡¯d interrogated had mentioned was a symbol used to indicate secure buildings. The pirates might have used more than one type of mark, but since Ymir was smelling something from inside, I felt certain several targets were inside. I jabbed my blade at the door and three men came forward. The door creaked as Jaeronos pushed it open and he then slipped inside with the other two. Part of me wanted to enter, to claim the first ¨C well second ¨C kill inside the settlement for myself, but I understood the risk that posed. Not only would it draw me away from commanding those outside, but there was a chance I¡¯d get caught inside when the Grim Prince learnt of our attack. If that happened, either Daemon or I had to engage him and his guards. While anyone had a chance to kill the Grim Prince, if the fatal blow wasn¡¯t mine or Daemon¡¯s it would not look good. A short, muffled scuffle could be heard from inside and a few moments later, Jaeronos stepped out. ¡°Three, all dead.¡± I nodded, accepting his words and returned my attention to moving forward. The next intersection was empty as well and we moved through it. However, once we moved alongside the next few buildings, Ymir growled again though this time his head snapped from one side to the other. Trusting his senses, I sent teams into each building. Yet, barely after the last man had entered a frightened woman¡¯s scream came from the left building. I bit back a curse of annoyance at the scream and braced as I heard movement from the next intersection. ¡°Wha¡¯ thfds¡­¡± The pirate¡¯s words died in his throat as Red Rain buried itself in his head. As his eyes widened in shock, I wrenched the blade free, taking good chunks of his bones and brain with it. Even as he slumped to the ground, I was moving. ¡°Hey!¡± shouted another pirate behind the man I¡¯d just killed. He and his partner pulled their weapons from their belts as I rushed forward. Before they could get their weapons ¨C an axe and a mace ¨C into defensive positions, I was on them. My shield slammed into the one with the axe, driving them back into the wall of a nearby building even as Red Rain came in low, slashing the other pirate. The pirate blinked in shock as his arm fell to the ground and blood and guts poured from a deep slash across his stomach. Yet before I could finish him off the other one recovered and stepped forward axe streaking towards my head. I backstepped raising my shied to catch the axe and then passing stepped as Red Rain came around in a backhand to carve out his throat. As he stumbled back, I twisted. My shield moved around to protect me from an attack from behind while Red Rain cut a crimson swathe through the air and the man¡¯s throat. Blood soared as I used my momentum, and seeing the first pirate still recovering from the shock of his missing arm, angled my shield. The edge struck his face, sending him stumbling to the ground. As my pivot continued, Red Rain transitioned into a thrust through his back, severing his spine and making him fall face-first into the dirt. I felt my shield slam into the other pirate, sending them flying into the wall of a building, but before I could finish that one off the bell sounded again. Realising what that meant, I turned and looked at my men ¨C some of whom seemed surprised about something ¨C and shouted. ¡°Unleash hell!¡± Before I could set myself to move, two of the men rushed past me, racing toward the docks. I moved to follow only to spot a new pair of pirates coming at us from down the side path. The pair held swords at the ready and bore shields smaller than mine. With my blood pumping in my chest, the taste of blood in my mouth and a smile on my face, I moved to engage them. The pair attacked together, blades coming in from two angles. I blocked one with my shield while the other blade broke in half with a tortured squeal as it clashed against Red Rain. The man¡¯s eyes widened in confusion, though that turned to shock as my blade carried on, and dug deep into his side before slicing part of his other arm clean from the bone. The pirate lurched back in surprise, though I couldn¡¯t strike him again as his partner brought their blade in for another attack. Angling my shield, I guided the blade away. Red Rain came around and carved part of his shield away. Before he could process that, I stepped forward as he backpedalled frantically. Pulling my arm back, Red Rain¡¯ thrusting forward to stab through his shield and sliced deeply into his arm before I wrenched my blade to take his shield off line. My shield then rushed forward, the edge of which clattered into their chest. As they stumbled back Red Rain sliding free, I turned to the first pirate, the one missing part of an arm. He¡¯d recovered enough to pull an axe from his belt with his remaining hand and was swinging it toward me. Given the side he was on, I had to shift my weight and twist to bring Red Rain around to block. The axe was severed mere inches from the pirate¡¯s hand, though the head continued onward. I grunted as the bit of the axe slammed into my shoulder, but kept moving. The pirate screamed as my shield slammed into the stump of his arm and as he shifted back, I flicked my arm, and my blade cut a deep gorge from his waist to his shoulder. As he took another few steps back, his innards pouring out the cut, I pushed off one leg, shifting my momentum back to the other pirate. Yet, as I turned, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up and an odd sensation rushed through me. Feeling the urge to trust the sensation, I leaned back as something flew across my vision and slammed into my arm or shield. I tumbled to the side, the force of the blow costing me my balance. I hit something, drawing a pained grunt and then I fell to the ground, tumbling in the dirt. I shook my head, clearing the cobwebs from the fall, and looked at my shield. My eyes widened as I saw that an arrow had not only struck the inside of my shield right where the strap secured it against my arm but had punctured a hole in the steel. Not only that, but the arrow had embedded in the gut of the pirate I¡¯d been turning to engage. I broke the shaft of the arrow with Red Rain, and when I looked closer, I saw the arrow had cut the strap enough that it would only take a decent pull for what remained to break away. I yanked the shield pulling the arrow out of the pirate, which drew a pained grunt as he slumped to the ground, yet as my shield came free of the man, I had another sensation of danger. Planting my feet into the dirt, I pushed myself back and went flat, watching as another arrow flew in. This one clipped my shield, driving it into my chest. However, when it not only deflected in the pirate¡¯s arm but ripped it clean from the shoulder, I started to panic. Scrambling to my feet, I looked to where the arrows had come from to see the Grim Prince glaring at me. Another arrow slipped onto his bow and as he drew the bow back, I scrambled for cover. That sensation of danger rippled through me, and I dove for the nearest building, drawing a confused look from one of my men. Mid-dive, something hit my shield and my arm was twisted awkwardly. On pure instinct I let go of it as the strap snapped and landed in the dirt awkwardly, Red Rain bouncing from my grip. After scrambling to regrip my blade, I turned, planning to get my shield, only to stop. While it was lying face-down in the dirt, my eyes were on the man pinned to the wall of a building by an arrow through their gut. The man was still alive as his eyes sought me out for help, but given where the arrow had struck him, there was little I could do to help. Plus, trying to do so would result in me being in clear sight of the Grim Prince again. Turning, I moved away, using the building I was behind for cover even as I ignored the pained grunts of the man behind. While it was callous, it was better he died than me. As I moved, I pulled my axe from my belt. I¡¯d done some training using the axe with Red Rain and while I wasn¡¯t bad, it wasn¡¯t my most practised style. However, I knew that often in combat, beggars couldn¡¯t be chooser about what weapons they had. Plus, Red Rain wasn¡¯t built to be used as a bastard sword. The grip wasn¡¯t long enough for a second-hand. Around me the sounds of battle echoed gloriously; the clashing of steel against steel, the cries and grunts of pain as someone was wounded, often fatally. However, my focus was on the Grim Prince and how to get to him. In my head, I worked out roughly where I was and plotted a route that would move around to his flank without letting him spot me too easily. I slipped around the corner of two buildings without any issue. At the third, I ran into two men fighting outside my path. Seeing one of those was one of my sellswords, I whistled. The pirate turned, caught out by the distraction, which allowed the sellsword to gut the man. As he pulled the blade free, he gave me a nod which I returned as I moved onward. Reaching a fifth building after dispatching a pirate who¡¯d staggered out into my path, I came across Bronn and another of my men engaged with six pirates. While it looked like the pair were holding their own, I was behind the pirates and not wanting to lose Bronn¡¯s blade, I moved to help. As my axe embedded itself in the shoulder of one pirate, Red Rain came around, slashing two more across the back with the arm of the second being all but severed from the shoulder. The man who¡¯d all but lost his arm screamed even as I pulled back on my axe, taking that man to the ground. As two of their compatriots turned to face me, I drove my axe into the downed man¡¯s chest. Even as they brought their steel toward me, Bronn and the other man ¨C who I saw was a bastard from the Vale called Cayde ¨C countered. Cayde drove his blade into the gut of one of the men still facing them. At the same time, Bronn parried an attack from the other before ramming a dagger I¡¯d not spotted under that man¡¯s armpit. I leaned back to avoid a thrust from the cutlass of one pirate who¡¯d turned and then sheared through the low-quality blade of the other as it clashed against Red Rain. Before the man could understand what had happened I buried my axe in his gut. The bit to the side tore out his stomach and before his partner could attack, Bronn thrust a blade through his back. ¡°Not that I needed the help,¡± Bronn began as the man he¡¯d just stabbed fell to the ground, ¡°but thanks.¡± Cayde gave a nod in agreement. ¡°You can return the favour by helping,¡± I said as I started to move. The pair fell in at my side. ¡°The Grim Prince is in play, and that bow is as dangerous as advertised,¡± I explained as I reached the end of one building. If I was right, this would lead directly out onto the dock area and place us slightly behind the Grim Prince¡¯s line of sight. ¡°Bastard knocked me down just by striking the inside of my shield. To say nothing of the man he took from his feet and pinned to a wall with a single arrow.¡± ¡°Fucking wonderful,¡± Cayde remarked as I paused at the building¡¯s corner. ¡°Got a plan?¡± ¡°Use others as fodder,¡± I shot back. I turned and flashed them a smirk. ¡°Not you two, though,¡± I added as I didn¡¯t want them to get the wrong idea. The pair were good, if not great, blades and I¡¯d do what I could to ensure that some of the less useful sellswords died before the pair. Though if it came down to it, I¡¯d sacrifice the pair to save my hide, something I suspected both would do in return. Hence my quick add-on. ¡°Good to hear it. Would hate to deny the ladies from Volantis to the Wall the pleasure of my company.¡± I chuckled at Bronn¡¯s comment before stepping around the corner. While there was a reasonably clear line to the docks, I couldn¡¯t see the Grim Prince. The sounds of battle made it clear most, if not all, of my remaining men, were now fighting in or near the docks, so it was likely he was busy sniping others. Pushing forward as quickly as I dared, I had another odd sensation. Leaning back from the corner of the building I was moving past, I barely avoided being knocked over as a man crashed to the ground. A black mound was on him in a shot, snarling. The man¡¯s scream was smothered as teeth tore into his throat and blood seeped from the wound. ¡°Gods, that beast is scary.¡± I chuckled. ¡°Ymir¡¯s still small,¡± I replied to Cayde. ¡°His mother was the size of a horse.¡± I laughed softly as Cayde coughed, either in worry or shock. That laughter died as Ymir turned to me, blood dripping from his maw. Memories of what I¡¯d experienced last night shot through my head, and I shook it to clear the images. ¡°Hey there boy,¡± I said as Ymir moved closer. After giving him a quick pet with a few fingers, I moved forward again. As we crossed the last intersection before emerging into the dock area, a group came toward us. I braced, expecting a fight only to relax when I saw the group of four was my men. The leader of the unit nodded as he realised it was me, and moved to join us. As he did I looked down at Ymir. ¡°Stay back.¡± He whined as he looked up at me. ¡°No. That bow can kill any of us with a single hit, and I shall not lose you,¡± I explained as I placed my hand ¨C the one holding the axe ¨C upon his head. ¡°Take him from behind well we engage.¡± There was a moment of silence before Ymir tilted his head to one side. After a quick yap that I took to mean ¡® don¡¯t get yourself killed¡¯ he turned and took off, slipping into the shadows that covered the paths between buildings with frightening ease. ¡°That mutt is far too smart,¡± Cayde commented as Ymir disappeared into the darkness. ¡°Just glad he¡¯s on our side,¡± Bronn added, drawing approving murmurs from the other men. I looked at my men. ¡°He¡¯s on my side,¡± I said with a smirk that possibly looked deranged to them. ¡°So long as you stay there as well, he¡¯s harmless.¡± I turned back, preparing to rush the docks. ¡°Harmless he says,¡± one of the other sellswords muttered. ¡°Going to have nightmares about what I¡¯ve seen him do.¡± ¡°It gets worse,¡± Cayde replied to the man who¡¯d spoken. ¡°According to our fearless leader, he¡¯s only a pup.¡± ¡°Fuck me.¡± I bit back a retort to the banter, choosing inside to step to the corner that would lead to the docks. Taking a breath to centre myself, I slipped around the edge of the final building before the docks. Chaos was the only way to describe what greeted me. Men were engaged in battles throughout the open area, usually in smaller groups mixed into the larger battle. However, my eyes were only on one man, and catching the light glint of his bow, I spotted my target just in time to see an arrow soar from his bow. Tracking its flight, I saw it slam into one of my sellswords, taking the man off his feet. That man had been fighting beside Daemon as they engaged two of the Grim Prince¡¯s bodyguards. While that now left Daemon outnumbered, if the path of dead pirates leading to him was any indication, he seemed to be holding his own. His shield deflected the thrust of a spear even as his blade clashed against the blade of his opponent. Trusting Daemon to hold his ground, I rushed forward for the Grim Prince. Two men slipped into my sight, blades held high and ready to strike. I slipped to one side, letting Red Rain slip under the attack of the nearest man before slicing clean through his stomach. The other man couldn¡¯t get an attack in as I raced toward the Grim Prince even as his partner slumped behind me. An arrow flew from the Prince¡¯s bow, slamming into one of a pair of sellswords that were rushing him. That man clipped his partner as he fell, leaving the second man open to an arrow that took him from his feet. At that point, the Grim Prince turned toward me, nocking another arrow. His reactions were impressively fast, but given how the few men that had gotten close had been killed by arrows, I suspected he either wasn¡¯t as skilled with a blade as he was with his bow, or preferred to use the bow even a close range. As the bow was pulled taut, I stepped to my left before diving to my right. I felt the arrow fly past, and heard it slam into someone behind me, even as I rolled. Coming out of the roll, I resumed sprinting toward the Prince and his remaining guards. Seeing him readying another arrow, I summoned my magic. Flames danced along my blade and the Prince hesitated, caught unprepared by my trick. He recovered well, yet before he could loose the arrow a black shape rushed into him. The arrow soared harmlessly away as his bow was knocked from his hands as Ymir smashed into his arms. Even as he scrambled to recover the bow, one of the guards moved toward Ymir. The direwolf took off quickly, the man in pursuit, yet he didn¡¯t get far as, with him distracted by Ymir, he failed to spot my axe as it slammed into his side. I didn¡¯t know if the edge had dug in deeply, but the impact forced the guard from his feet, which was enough. Returning my attention to the Grim Prince, his eyes met mine and, caught between picking up his bow or drawing his blade, he froze. When the remaining guard rushed toward me ¨C and whoever was behind ¨C he moved for the bow. The bodyguard coming at me had a large, two-handed arakh. Yet even as he snarled, readying for the clash of steel, I caught something in his eyes. Hesitation mixed with fear. I confirmed that by moving my blade slightly, drawing his eyes to the flames dancing along the metal, giving Red Rain a sinister feel. I smirked at his reaction, as it was the same hesitation Oberyn had the first time we¡¯d sparred with my blade alight. Oh, Oberyn had quickly grown used to it during our sessions where I sparred with Red Rain, but he¡¯d commented regularly about how disconcerting it was to face a blade on fire. Truthfully, it was to me too at first, but I¡¯d learnt that since I commanded the flames, I wasn¡¯t at risk of them burning me. With time, I¡¯d learnt how the trick with a lit blade was to move quickly, always appearing to attack as it forced any not used to facing such a weapon problems as they were distracted by the flickering flames. As we closed on each other, I flicked my wrist and commanded the flames to rise further. The guard hesitated, stopping an attack before it could truly begin. That was all I needed. As I grabbed his raised arm a roll of my other arm and Red Rain swung low. I felt the blade bite into, and then slice through his leg just above the knee. I wasn¡¯t sure if the strike had taken all the leg, but it was enough that he was already falling as I raced past him toward the Grim Prince. The Prince had an arrow nocked on his bow, and as I saw fear in his eyes, he pulled back quickly to get off a snapshot. I moved to the side as late as I could, but the arrow clipped my arm. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t a full strike and was my free hand. I knew the mail I was wearing was torn as I felt something dig into my flesh. With the arrow having missed, the Grim Prince realised he didn¡¯t have time to nock another arrow. The bow was discarded ¨C callously in my opinion ¨C as he pulled a cutlass from his belt. Yet even as he shifted his stance, I saw his eyes drifting to the flame rippling along my blade. When I reached him, he thrust forward, almost hesitantly. I moved to block the thrust, only to roll my wrist at the last moment. The flames hid the shift, and I brought the edge of my blade down on the flat of his. The Prince shifted back, his eyes struggling to track me through the flames leaping from my blade. While I had a similar issue, I¡¯d trained to counter this and twirled my blade, my magic making the flames shift in ways it shouldn¡¯t have been able to. The Grim Prince watched with concern in his eyes, and when I thrust forward he slapped at my blade. A scamper back was caused by me making the flames leap from my blade toward his hilt and I smiled in amusement at the fear I saw growing in his eyes. He swatted at the flames which continued to rush toward him, I used the distraction. Red Rain swept low, sliding under his blade, and sending a scarlet mist into the air. A hand came to the wound as the Prince moved back, and as he snarled in anger I sent him a smirk Oberyn would¡¯ve been proud of. After steeling himself, the Grim Prince approached his blade forward to defend. There was no rush for vengeance, nor rash actions in his movement even as blood seeped onto his clothing which spoke of his experience. Yet even as we started to circle each other, I could see the doubt in his eyes whenever my blade moved as streaks of fire trailed behind it. His cutlass cut forward, attacking my arm, yet because of the flames, his aim was off. A faint shift of my arm ensured the attack missed and I slapped the flat of his blade again. Ignoring the odd sound that emitted from his weapon, I pushed forward, sliding my blade down the edge of the cutlass. He pulled back his hand with a hiss of pain as the guard of the cutlass crashed uselessly to the ground, fingers going with. Even as he tried to move, to shift the blade to his other hand, I lunged forward. His eyes widened as Red Rain drove into his chest. With my free hand, I swatted his cutlass away. As the blade hit the ground, I pushed forward, sinking the flaming blade deeper into him until I felt any resistance end. As I commanded the flames to crawl over his armour and clothing, I stepped back, pulling my blade free. The blade hissed as it came free, blood boiling from the heat of the fire. He fell to his knees; realization and acceptance of his fate clear in his eyes. A twist of my free hand had the flames rushing over his body, though not crossing his neck. I swung my blade, severing his head clean from the body. It tumbled away as the flames engulfed what remained even as it crashed onto the dirt. I turned, ready to face the next pirate only to be greeted with a cheer. Around me, pirates were backing off, dropping their blades, and falling to their knees. A wave of delight rushed through my men. I thrust my blade high and roared. The men joined in, as did the loud, powerful howl of Ymir. The Grim Prince was dead, his men defeated; his lands conquered. Dustspear, and all it contained, was now mine. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ The Dust Has Settled The Dust has Settled ¡­ ¡­ (Circa 297AC)
There was an urge for me to put my feet on the desk in what had once been the Grim Prince¡¯s solar. I resisted it however as the desk was impressive, though it had taken some damage over the years as there were stains from Gods knew what on the surface along with cut marks on the inner edge where I was sitting. The desk was massive, rivalling the one in Prince Doran¡¯s solar in size and, even with damage to it, likely worth a fair amount of coin. Around the edges, various animals ¨C some of which I had never heard of ¨C had been carved into the wood along with Valyrian words and symbols before it was polished and coated. It had three drawers though the locks on the right side were gone, having been broken open at some point in the past while I¡¯d not found any hint of a key to lock those on the left. The drawers themselves had included some files, scribbled in horrible shorthand that I¡¯d yet to work out, but given it was only a few hours since I¡¯d taken the building as my command station and settled into the office, that wasn¡¯t a surprise. What had been were the bottles of alcohol from across the world. Volantene and Arbor Reds sat beside what looked like something from Ghis and another from YiTi. I wasn¡¯t sure how, when, or where the Grim Prince had gotten them, but after tasting them I wasn¡¯t complaining. Yet all of them felt bland when compared to a good Dornish red, but that might just be because of whatever was affecting my tastebuds as breakfast earlier today had also felt bland. In the corners of the room were two large cabinets that, while also finely made, failed to match the desk; or each other, though that might have been the idea. One was made of wood so white it reminded me of my bow the other one was as black as obsidian. The drawers inside those held some trinkets, handfuls of coin, one pile of books, and several more bottles of alcohol. The large chair I was relaxing in didn¡¯t match the styling of the desk, but the high back and velvet cushioning on it meant it was a better choice as the main chair than any of the other three in the room. While none were poorly made, they weren¡¯t meant for someone of importance. Much like the woodwork not matching, the floor was covered in a hodgepodge of carpets and rugs of varying qualities, colours, and patterns. Most were well-worn from years, if not decades of use, but some seemed recent additions. Those ones I had already rolled up and placed to one side as they had some potential value, and while I waited, I flicked through one of the few books the Grim Prince had kept. This book detailed an expedition by Gahaelor Baeliar ¨C a former Triarch of Volantis ¨C to Sothoryos about two hundred years ago. I¡¯d read a few references to Gahaelor while growing up in Sunspear but never read the recounting of his adventures. According to what Maester Caleotte told me years ago, this book was a rare find, and I planned to take it, and the few others the Grim Prince had kept, back with me to Sunspear. It appeared the book was in decent condition, and between Caleotte and Master Myles, it should be possible for them to copy the contents of this and the other books into new bindings. I¡¯d just reached the part where he landed on the southern continent when there was a knock at the door. I lowered the book, finding a sheet of parchment to use as a mark when the door opened, and Bronn popped his head in. ¡°Got more for the backroom,¡± he said before coming in. Behind him came two men, one carrying a small chest, the other a crate of comparable size. I stood and moved toward a secure door at the back of the room, pulling a key from around my neck. The room behind the locked door had been the Grim Prince¡¯s private hoard. When we¡¯d first found it, there¡¯d been a chest full of coin and another filled with gems and jewellery. Since then, it had evolved into a store for anything of decent value to take back to Sunspear. Joining those chests, which were larger than anything we¡¯d found in the southern settlement, was another chest of random coin ¨C the Prince¡¯s one had filled with gold coins from Westeros and Essos ¨C and crates containing a wide variety of goods. Rolls of fabric, some made of silk, had been joined by sealed sacks of clothing and a small supply of porcelain bowls and cutlery that hadn¡¯t yet been ruined by the pirates, figurines made of ivory, jade, and bone, and the odd pieces of jewellery. From the pile, I¡¯d already picked out a few to gift to others. An ivory figurine of a knight on horseback was going to Elia, as that girl adored riding. Hells, if she¡¯d been born a man, I knew she¡¯d have already won several squire jousts. I¡¯d also discovered an unexpected find that was going to Ari. While Valyrian steel wasn¡¯t as uncommon as I¡¯d expected before my rebirth ¨C there were over two hundred weapons in Westeros made of the metal ¨C finery made of it was a rare find. That was why the necklace engraved with Valyrian characters and symbols and inlaid with emeralds and jade was going to the princess, as it was something meant for a noble woman. Those two, and the gifts for my other sisters, mother, Oberyn, Asha, and Lady Ellaria were all gathered in a small chest padded with velvet near a corner of the treasure room. The Grim Prince¡¯s goldenheart bow, which would go to Doran, rested over the top. I stepped back to allow the two men to place their finds inside, though as they stepped inside they, like others before them, froze in shock at seeing the rest of the room. The various chests and crates were closed, but given how much was in there, it didn¡¯t take a genius to work out that this room was worth a small fortune. ¡°Eh-hem,¡± I muttered as I tapped on the door with the key and let my other hand rest gently on Red Rain¡¯s hilt. While I doubted the men would try anything, a gentle reminder of the chain of command was never a bad thing. ¡°Sorry, boss. Hard to not get distracted by all this.¡± The reply came from the taller of the pair, a man named Jovarn from the Stormlands. Since he didn¡¯t carry himself with any hint of class, I suspected he was lowborn, but that didn¡¯t matter in the grand scheme of things. He wasn¡¯t bad with a blade and had managed to survive both battles. ¡°Aye, I know. But we¡¯re not divvying up anything until every building is searched and the last of Grim Prince¡¯s men are dealt with.¡± ¡°Yes, boss.¡± The fact that Jovarn, like many others, preferred to call me boss instead of ¡®milord¡¯ was another hint toward his lower birth. Which was fine as I wasn¡¯t a lord technically. Oh, Dustspear was mine, but I hadn¡¯t yet considered how to set up things here to ensure the rest of the Stepstone knew the Rogue Viper was the new pirate lord of the island. The man with him, another Stormlander named Chass, gave me a nod in understanding as the pair stepped out of the room. As they reached the exit to my solar, Bronn smirked. I ignored it as I resecured the door and lock and slipped the key back around my neck and under my shirt. ¡°How goes the search?¡± ¡°Think we¡¯ve covered most of the place,¡± Bronn replied. I gestured toward a chair on the other side of the desk. Bronn moved toward it as I slipped around the desk. ¡°Daemon and Cayde are moving slowly as we can¡¯t be sure how many of the Prince¡¯s men slipped away in the night. Though when we do find them, most give up the fight quickly.¡± ¡°To be expected of pirates.¡± ¡°Aye, but I think your wolf has something to do with that as well.¡± I chuckled even as I slipped into my chair. ¡°Possibly.¡± After defeating the Prince, we¡¯d started searching the buildings near the docks. From one, a trio of pirates had rushed out. They¡¯d quickly dispatched the two men nearby, but their attempted attack had died when Ymir entered the scene. A howl from him had echoed around the settlement, and the trio and many of my men had frozen on the spot. My men had recovered quickly, but before they could reach the pirates, one of them had been yanked into the shadows. A scream that echoed through the soul had come from that shadow before it was cut off by the sound of bones breaking. When Ymir had then emerged from the shadow, the arm of the pirate serving as a chew toy, the other two had thrown down their blades and surrendered. I¡¯d struggled with the image of the limb in his mouth, as it took my thoughts back to the night previous when I¡¯d been inside his mind as he dealt with a traitor. I knew that was going to be an issue going forward, but for now, I wasn¡¯t focusing on it. Instead, I found almost anything I could to distract my thoughts. Still, since then, most of the pirates discovered in the settlement ¨C which had only been a handful, had surrendered on sight. However, while it seemed the settlement was secure now, the men from the gate leading into the forest, along with those on the causeway that guarded the harbour, hadn¡¯t yet been accounted for. Jaeronos was leading a dozen men on in the forest searching for those pirates, though given the semi-regular howls that reached the docks, and the sense of delight I could sense from him, I knew Ymir was taking care of many of the pirates himself. I¡¯d sent him out, as promised, to hunt on the island but it appeared that at least for now, humans were proving easier and more plentiful bounty. ¡°How many are locked up now?¡± I asked as I opened one of the drawers on the desk. Bronn shrugged as my hand gripped a bottle of Arbor Red. ¡°Last I checked, ten and three. All secured like nice little pigs in a nearby storehouse.¡± When he saw the bottle, his brow rose, and he smiled. ¡°going to do the same as in the last place?¡± he asked as I slowly filled two goblets. ¡°First I¡¯ll talk with them. Politely of course.¡± Bronn chuckled. ¡°Aye, talk you say. I remember how the last round of talks went.¡± As he spoke, I passed him a goblet and before picking up mine, put the cork back in the bottle. ¡°Pretty devious way to go about it. Men liked it though, and trust you more because of it as well. As do the slaves.¡± ¡°You saying you have reason not to trust me?¡± I asked as I took a sip of the wine. Like earlier tastes, I found the flavour lacking when compared to a Dornish Red. Yet all morning the bottle, and one Volantene Red, lacked in flavour. While that might simply be as they weren¡¯t great vintages when combined with the fact that the morning meal had tasted oddly bland ¨C at least until I¡¯d added some spice to it ¨C it was something I¡¯d have to keep an eye on. ¡°No, of course not,¡± Bronn responded with a wave of his hand that over-played his words. ¡°I trust you. At least as long as you keep paying me as well as you have.¡± I laughed at that as we both took another sip of our wine. However, any further talk was cut off as a bell rang outside. That bell was the same one the Prince had used for warnings, and as such, we placed our goblets down ¨C me more carefully than Bronn ¨C and moved toward the door. As Bronn opened it, I picked up my bow and quiver. Stepping outside, I looked around, taking in the situation on the docks. Most of the men were slowly gathering, blades in hand, but none were taking charge. Seeing Jovarn and Chass rushing toward me, I turned to them. ¡°Get Cayde and Daemon back here!¡± The pair nodded as they slid to a halt, and as they turned, I looked at Bronn. ¡°Get those here ready,¡± I ordered as I saw two vessels slip around the causeway protecting the harbour. As he started shouting at the men, I drew an arrow and nocked it, though I paused as I saw the lead ship turn and spotted its sails. Seeing the symbol of the Rogue Price on the main sail, and picking out the figurehead of the Windchaser, I relaxed slightly, and further still when I saw Garreo standing on the foredeck of my ship, though given I now had a fleet, I supposed I should call it my flagship. ¡°Jovarn, hold!¡± I called out, keeping my eyes on the Windchaser and the vessel behind. ¡°It¡¯s the Windchaser!¡± Hearing a response from Jovarn, I moved toward the pier. The arrow remained nocked, but I kept it pointed down. ¡°That one is not ours,¡± Bronn remarked as he moved with me, sword, and shield in hand but at arresting position. ¡°No, it is not. Be ready.¡± I moved down the pier, slowly raising my bow. Not enough so that I was aiming at Garreo, but enough that I could get off a snapshot if this was any sort of deception. As it came closer, I saw most of the crew on the Windchaser¡¯s deck, though my eyes were drawn to the faces of men I didn¡¯t recognize. Each of the dozen there were, based on their relative height, kneeling. Behind them, I saw some of my sellswords and Irraro. Time slowed as the Windchaser drew up alongside the pier and I waited carefully as the mooring lines were tossed over. ¡°I take it you had some fun of your own?¡± I called up as two of my men worked with a pair of crewmen who¡¯d jumped down to secure the lines. ¡°That we did,¡± Garreo called back from the foredeck. ¡°As we hoped, the ships that exited the harbour gave chase. I have not seen from the Trickster but this one tried to turn tail and run when they realised what was going on.¡± He patted the scorpion that had a place of prominence on the foredeck. ¡°Our girl ran them down, and thanks to this baby, we convinced them to surrender without too much effort.¡± ¡°That takes us to five captured vessels,¡± I replied with a wide smile as I placed the arrow back in the quiver. Turning, I moved alongside midship, and as the gangplank was lowered, slung my bow over my shoulder. Two of the sellswords came down first before the prisoners were marched off my ship. ¡°Hello there,¡± I began as the last one stepped onto the plank, pulling Red Rain from its sheath and resting it lightly on the shoulder opposite my bow. ¡°Your lord, the Grim Prince is dead. I now rule this isle. Until I decide if you may be worthy of serving me, you¡¯ll be housed with your companions within the settlement. If you would like a fate beyond summary execution, when I speak with you privately, you shall tell me whatever I want to know.¡± As I spoke, I made eye contact with the pirates. Most looked down, resigned to their fates, though a handful glared back at me. ¡°If you would rather not, then I have someone who shall rip anything of use from your hides.¡± The prisoners didn¡¯t get the joke, but my men did. All understood I was speaking about Ymir, though only Bronn and perhaps Irraro knew how truthful I was about the direwolf ripping this lot apart. As for the prisoners, they¡¯d learn what I was implying when they met Ymir during my interviews. My speech finished; I stepped back to let the group be guided past. As they passed me, one spat on my boots. Irraro moved to grab that one, yet already my gaze had shifted to the man behind. He¡¯d been one of the few to glare at me, and his gaze had fallen on my axe as he approached. As Irraro grabbed the spitter, the other man moved toward me. His bound hands pushed forward, going for my axe. However, before he reached my weapon, I was moving. Red Rain slipped from my shoulder, my grip on the hilt tight, before I severed the hands that dared to try and touch me. ¡°huh?¡± the pirate breathed in shock as he fell to his knees, though any further sounds were cut off as I brought my blade around in a backstroke and removed his head. ¡°He chose poorly,¡± I said to the remaining pirates, who¡¯d all frozen as the head of their comrade bounced off the pier. The body slumped to the ground, blood gushing from the wrists and neck. ¡°You two,¡± I continued, using Red Rain to point at the pair ¨C one of whom was the one who¡¯d spat on my boot ¨C as the head bounced once more before dropping into the harbour. ¡°Pick up the body. You shall carry him with you to your prison. Perhaps a few hours with the reminder of what awaits you if you try anything might loosen your tongues.¡± One pirate ¨C the one who¡¯d not spat on me ¨C scurried forward almost before I finished talking. The other one, the spitter who I would repay for his actions in this incident when I spoke with him, delayed a moment before helping his compatriot. Once they¡¯d hoisted up the body, the spitter drawing the short straw and having to hold onto the bleeding arms, my men escorted them down the pier. ¡°Dumb cunt that one was,¡± Bronn remarked once the prisoners moved away. His hands hadn¡¯t moved from his belt throughout the incident, but given his skill with a blade, I didn¡¯t take his lack of readiness as disrespect. More that he simply didn¡¯t regard the pirates as anything more than cattle for the slaughter. ¡°Always one.¡± I picked up a rag and wiped the blood from my blade before sliding it back into its sheath. ¡°Well done,¡± I said to Irraro as he waited with us for Garreo. ¡°For capturing the ship.¡± ¡°Thank boss,¡± the large Summer Islander replied as Garreo moved down the plank. I greeted my First Mate ¨C though at this point it was perhaps better to refer to him as the captain of the Windchaser ¨C and grasped his arm. ¡°You did well,¡± I said to both as I let go of Garreo¡¯s arm. ¡°Later today, find me in the stone building. For capturing the ship, you can take a single piece of value from our bounty. I shall also make sure to give you and the men with you a bonus when the loot is divided.¡± ¡°The men will be thankful for that, Captain,¡± Garreo replied, as Irraro nodded in agreement. ¡°If there is anything from their ship of value, have it brought to me,¡± I added as the captured vessel moved to the other side of the pier, the Windchaser¡¯s helmsman, Caddar, in command of the latest member of my small, but growing, fleet. Given the lack of trusted figures, there was a good chance he¡¯d gain command of that vessel for the return to Sunspear. ¡°Oh, were there any slaves onboard?¡± Since it had set sail in the early hours of the morning, I doubted it, but I had to be sure. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Thank fuck,¡± I muttered, which drew confused looks from Irraro and Garreo. ¡°We have found nearly forty already. While it is good they are free, watching and feeding them is a diversion of men I would rather have not had.¡± I looked back at the newest ship in my fleet as its mooring lines were tossed onto the pier. ¡°I had even been concerned about getting everyone back to Sunspear before you solved that issue.¡± The pair nodded in understanding, and I turned to Bronn. ¡°You able to handle bringing everyone up to speed?¡± ¡°Aye, but it will cost you.¡± ¡°Arbor or Volantene?¡± I asked in response, which drew a chuckle from the sellsword. ¡°Volantene. Nice to have something different,¡± Bronn replied with a wide smile even as Garreo laughed at the interplay. ¡°wine, coin, and women,¡± he shook his head and laughed. ¡°You sure you were not sent by the Gods?¡± ¡°Certainly not the Seven,¡± I replied, which only made him laugh more. ¡°and I would ask that you refrain from one of those things until we are back in Sunspear.¡± ¡°Aye, no issue there. While some of the locals are appealing, they¡¯ve been through enough that anything would not be as fun.¡± ¡°Good choice.¡± I knew that many of the men were annoyed by my ruling that the freed slaves weren¡¯t to be taken, not without the one they wanted confirming it to me personally, but I needed to remain clear in my ruling. Freeing slaves was possibly unique in the Stepstones, so it would set me apart, and might, with time, bear fruit among other slaves if they learnt my name and that I was coming to their island. With the moment of concern and then surprise at the Windchaser¡¯s return having passed, I walked back toward the dock. In front of me, turning toward their future accommodation, was the group of eleven who¡¯d been captured at sea. The body of their dead comrade with them. I¡¯d deal with them and the others in due time, but the body would serve to weaken, if not break, the resolve of any that still held hope of fighting their way out of their imprisonment. Reaching the docks, and with the freed slaves on my mind, I turned the other way from the temporary stockade. Like with the southern settlement, the slaves here were skewed more toward women than men, though the split was more equal. When I¡¯d first discovered there were male slaves on the island, I wondered why, yet with time to think on the matter I could see why they¡¯d keep them around. There would be jobs that needed doing that most pirates wouldn¡¯t want to do, and with the women busy with ¡®other duties¡¯ the male slaves would handle those jobs. Still, regardless of why they were here, all of them, plus those in the southern settlement, would be coming with us to Sunspear and given some coin to restart or resume their lives. If such a thing was possible after months or years of being enslaved. Now, perhaps some would consider returning to help develop the changes I had planned, but if they didn¡¯t, I¡¯d understand. This place would have terrible, traumatic memories that most people would never have the will or desire to face again. Still, for my plans for Dustspear to happen, I needed more than sellswords under my command. I still had to survey the settlement properly and consider what the island provided, but I could already see how it would grow. All I needed was the resources and manpower to make those plans viable. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ Seeing the tip of Bronn¡¯s blade thrust toward me as his shoulder shifted, I slid a foot back and shifted my weight for a riposte as his blade sailed past. Before I could bring my blade to bare, his had already transitioned from a thrust to a fast cut at my head. Bringing my blade around to deflect his, I stepped forward trying to shoulder-check him and gain some space. Unfortunately, he was far too skilled and easily circled out. ¡°Gotta do better than that, princeling,¡± he said with a wide smile even as he came in for a quick series of cuts which I barely defended against. My blade, which wasn¡¯t Red Rain, but instead one of the swords taken from the defeated pirates and blunted, shifted as I tried to lock his blade in place with the cross guard. Bronn easily shifted though, coming forward and grasping his blade with his offhand as his pommel swung around to smash my nose in. Backstepping out to avoid it as it whistled past my nose, I slid back and pivoted, bringing my blade down in a wrath cut at his shoulder. His blade came up to block that and then knocked mine to the side as he transitioned back into a one-handed grip and his sword swung for my ribs. I hastily retreated letting his blade slash the air, though the sound of metal scrapping against metal made it clear he¡¯d clipped the mail I was wearing for our spar. With his blade offline, I lunged forward blade going for his side. He riposted away with blinding speed as my blade barely clipped his upraised sword arm and I felt pressure against my gut. Looking down, I saw he¡¯d used his free hand to pull a dagger and thrust it against me. The position left him slightly off-balance, but given the wound would¡¯ve been fatal for me, it ended the spar. ¡°Dead,¡± Bronn remarked as I let my sword drop, signalling my defeat. ¡°Aye, I would be,¡± I replied as I took a step back, easing the pressure on my gut. ¡°Again.¡± Twenty spars against Bronn had all ended the same way, with me dead in the simulated combat. The only upside, if one could call it that, was that we were being very careful as we were sparring with steel and limited protection, meaning a mistake from either of us could¡¯ve been fatal for the other. The spars had moved slightly slower than normal because of that, but all that ever did was delay my defeat. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve been doing this since before you stopped sucking on your mother¡¯s tits,¡± Bronn shot back with a smile. He sheathed the dagger as we turned and moved toward the bench where some drinks ¨C and in my case, Red Rain and the axe I¡¯d been using for this campaign ¨C waited. ¡°Still, you are good Cregan. Better than those here. Well, bar Daemon, Cayde, Jae, Irraro and myself, but all of us got you beat with age and experience. With time, you gonna be fucking dangerous.¡± I nodded, accepting the praise, such as it was, and picked up a flagon from the bench. The ale inside tasted slightly bland, as every drink had in the last few days. Food was salvageable, but it required using more spice than I¡¯d done before coming to the island. I had a suspicion as to why this was happening, but until I returned to Sunspear, and tasted dishes that I knew and enjoyed, I wasn¡¯t willing to delve too deeply into the issue. Bronn sipped at his ale, far less parched than I was, which given I¡¯d been on the defensive for most of the spar, was expected. Still, the moment of quiet allowed me to reflect on the last few days. The calendar had changed to 297AC yesterday, which had resulted in a small party with everyone in the settlement ¨C that included the Trickster¡¯s crew, as they¡¯d returned the evening of the Windchaser¡¯s return ¨C though it had been a muted affair even by Westerosi standards. The turning of the calendar was far less of a festival than in my former life. Most of the freed slaves had joined us, and a few had even overcome their ordeal enough that with the drink they had taken to laying with the men. Bronn had been pleased as he¡¯d bag a pair of girls for the night, which were still in his cabin when I¡¯d seen them this morning, though I¡¯d had to turn down offers from several of the women, and one man. While the girls were attractive, I wasn¡¯t willing to give them any sort of false impression about why I¡¯d freed them, or that anything we might experience would lead toward something permanent. As for the man, I simply didn¡¯t have the same proclivities my father did. Still, in the days before the new year, when I¡¯d not been managing the odd issue that came up regarding how the settlement should be run, and sparring with Bronn, Daemon, and others, I¡¯d been speaking with the prisoners. Most of them had been willing to spill anything they knew, and the few who didn¡¯t had been persuaded to do so by myself, Bronn, and Ymir. Though a few had succumbed to their injuries before anything of use could be drawn from them. An added advantage of Ymir being there, beyond the intimidation factor, was his ability to seemingly smell a lie. When a lie was followed by the direwolf snarling and moving closer, the few who¡¯d felt a need to lie quickly corrected their story. From those talks, I¡¯d learnt far more about the situation in the Stepstones than I¡¯d known before I¡¯d left Sunspear. Apart from being the closest island to Sunspear, Dustspear was slightly isolated from the other major islands in the Steps, which was something that had played into my plans for attacking it. While there had been more trade between Dorne and the rest of Westeros in the last few years, the increased military might of House Martell had limited the opportunities for the Grim Prince to take advantage of the new targets. That was why he¡¯d set up outposts in the Broken Arm. That plan had weakened the manpower he¡¯d had on the island, which had helped me take him out. The isolation of the island from the others would mean it should take time for word to get out that the Rogue Viper had replaced the Grim Prince. Which I was going to use to return to Sunspear, gather more forces and return. I was uncertain as to which way I¡¯d go for my next attack though. I¡¯d thought hard about targeting the Whores, a group of seven major islands and twice that in smaller ones, that could be waded between. The islands were unclaimed, however, Pirate Lords from Bloodstone, The Shrouded Isle, and Grey Gallows were constantly skirmishing near and on the Whores, leaving them unclaimed. That status made them seem a logical target, but having a half dozen Pirate Lords fighting there regularly would make holding the Whore extremely difficult with my current forces. Because of that, and the information I¡¯d turned my attention toward Redwater. The island was nearly three times the size of Dustspear, but unlike some of the other islands, wasn¡¯t united under the control of a single Pirate Lord. Instead, three pirates called themselves Lord of Redwater and skirmished with each other as much as they attacked passing vessels. There were at least ten settlements on the island, with several changing allegiances every few moons. With the place in chaos, but not prone to threats from other islands, I was thinking Redwater would be my next target once Dustspear was secure. As for the islands, the Coral Isle and the Lotus Shores lay east of Redwater, with the Coral Isle being closer to Essos than Dustspear was to Dorne. The Coral Isle was home to Salladhor Saan, who while not the richest or having the largest fleet, was the only Pirate Lords to control one of the larger Stepstone islands alone. Saan was also unusual in that he seemed to make most of his coin by escorting ships around not just his island, but the others in the chain as well, and given the name of his isle, I could understand the logic of doing that. The Lotus Shores was smaller than even Dustspear, but its Lord, who was said to hail from YiTi, was known to specifically target vessels involved in slavery. Even those of other Pirate Lords. That said, the Lotus Prince ¨C which I felt was a bit on the nose ¨C had some form of alliance with Saan as none of those I¡¯d talked to could recall the pair ever skirmishing. To the south of the Lotus Shores, and east of the southern tip of Redwater, lay Stormwatch. Smaller than the Lotus Shores, it was claimed that the local Pirate Lord was in service of the pleasure city, Lys. Or possibly Volantis. Regardless, the Lord there was a seemingly minor player which made sense due to the slightly isolated location of the island. The other island in the Steps that was claimed to be under the control of a Free City was Saffron Reach. Given that the island lay far to the north of the other Stepstone islands and due west of ¨C and barely a day¡¯s sail from ¨C Tyrosh, that wasn¡¯t a surprise. South of Saffron Reach was Obsidian Sand, which was about the size of Dustspear and likewise ruled by a single Pirate Lord. However, that Lord wasn¡¯t seemingly powerful as the island sat between Bloodstone and Whisperwind, which were east and west of Obsidian Sands. Whisperwind was controlled by two Pirate Lords, though unlike one Bloodstone, Redwater or the Shrouded Isle, those two weren¡¯t skirmishing. Or at least the prisoners didn¡¯t know of any such actions taking place. That lack of intel extended to Suncrest and Valyria¡¯s Tooth which lay between Whisperwind and the Disputed Lands, and Misthaven which lay due south of Whisperwind. The prisoners had given more intel on the other three major islands in the Steps ¨C Grey Gallows, Bloodstone, and the Shrouded Isle. A single lord ruled from Grey Gallows, which was logical as it was a smaller island, even if it held the centre point of the island chain. The Shrouded Isle was contested by four pirates, though only two ¨C the Bloodhawk and Lucian Koros, a man with Volantene history ¨C had been considered by the Grim Prince to be his equals. Like Redwater, Bloodstone was contested by three pirates. The smallest of those called himself the Blood King, which was a pretentious name but given he¡¯d seemingly been losing ground to the other two, it didn¡¯t seem as if I¡¯d have to face him any time soon. The other two Pirate Lords on Bloodstone were Aeron Indarys and the Blood Serpent. While there was an urge to comment on the originality of Pirate Lord names, I didn¡¯t make it. Daemon had, along with a remark about the Rogue Viper that I¡¯d taken for the time being. Regardless of the names, Indarys and the Blood Serpent were the two major Pirate Lords on Bloodstone and often skirmished with each other. They also did so with the Pirate Lords of the Shrouded Isle over a series of smaller islands between the two larger ones known as the Bone Breaker Isles. They were also the ones who had skirmished over the Whores with Pirate Lords from the Shrouded Isle and Grey Gallows, whom Indarys had recently defeated in what the prisoners called a major battle. Now, I understood that I couldn¡¯t trust that what the prisoners had told me was accurate, but based on everything, I was looking east and not north for my next target. Of course, first I¡¯d have to speak with Doran and Oberyn as to them, attacking Dustspear had been about clearing, and hopefully holding it, not using it as a stepping stone to the rest of the islands. I¡¯d also need far more men to even consider attacking another island as I had to ensure Dustspear remained secure on the chance that I was forced to retreat from Redwater. ¡°My Lord.¡± I was pulled from my thoughts ¨C which had taken place between a few more gulps of ale ¨C when Irraro spoke. Turning to him, I kept the frown from my face at him calling me a Lord. While Dustspear was mine, I was not yet a Lord, though many of the men had started doing so, as had all the freed slaves. ¡°The, uh, voting has finished.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± I looked at Bronn. ¡°You want to watch this?¡± Bronn seemed to consider it for a moment before surging. ¡°Eh, why not? Not much better to do on this island.¡± He grinned as he picked up his flagon. ¡°And curious what exactly been concocting in that twisted mind of yours.¡± I chuckled and took his words as a compliment as I moved off. Bronn and Irraro fell into step just behind, which was something they, Cayde, and Jaeronos had been doing ever since the southern settlement fell. Daemon generally walked at my side, but that was more because of his orders from Ari to protect me from harm. Moving through the settlement, we encountered some of my men. Most nodded or greeted me with something like ¡®milord¡¯, and fell in behind once they realised where we were heading, and what was happening. The only ones who didn¡¯t were those on guard duty or with work to handle. When we arrived at the docks, we found the twenty captured pirates. They were lined up on their knees with hands bound behind their backs, mouths gagged, and blindfolded. Behind the row stood a half-dozen of my men with Cayde in charge. While it was unlikely that any would try to escape from their current position, if they did Cayde had orders to execute them. There had been three more pirates, but two had died from wounds taken in battle and the last had been willing to die before telling me anything, which had happened during his interview. I wiped my brow theatrically as I neared the line. ¡°I hope you and the men made sure to stay cool,¡± I said to Cayde, tormenting the pirates who¡¯d been kneeling here from just after breakfast until late afternoon. While their torment of sitting outside in the sun seemed mild, it wasn¡¯t why I¡¯d lined them up here. That was for the various bowls that were in front of each pirate, and the stones on each bowl. ¡°Aye. Made sure to shift around regularly as you said as well,¡± Cayde replied with a smile. ¡°Bring me the bowls.¡± As the men moved to obey, I wondered how this would play out. The idea of simply allowing the slaves to slaughter the pirates as I¡¯d done in the southern settlement was appealing. However, after talking with Daemon, Bronn, and the others, I¡¯d decided to alter the way I handled this. If I simply went after pirates and killed them all, then future battles would turn violent as the pirates would fight to the death. Thus, I was trialling another idea today, one that I¡¯d come up with yesterday morning but not fully explained to anyone. Before the first bowl reached me, I turned to where the freed slaves had gathered. ¡°I know what I asked today sounded strange, and no doubt was hard to do, but I thank you for your service,¡± I said to them before lowering my head. With that done I looked through each bowl and quickly counted the stones within. If there were more than five, the associated pirate was moved to the left, while those with less than five were moved to my right. However, there was one bowl without a single stone within. ¡°Everyone here has made a judgment?¡± I asked the slaves, wanting to be sure that all had voted. A vote went to any slave that had, in any physical way, abused them while they¡¯d been enslaved. I¡¯d honestly expected every pirate to have a dozen or more stones, so finding any with a few was unexpected, and one with none something I hadn¡¯t prepared for. ¡°We have, My Lord. That one was new to their ranks and had yet to¡­ partake in the activities the others did.¡± The one who spoke was an older man named Phenias. From what I¡¯d learnt from speaking with him, he¡¯d been a trader from Myr who¡¯d fallen afoul of the Grim Prince sometime in the last few moons when his ship had been unable to escape a longship in becalmed seas. The man¡¯s Common Tongue was heavily accented, but he was fluent enough to hold a conversation and seemed to have taken a position of importance among the freed slaves. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡°Unexpected,¡± I muttered before speaking louder. ¡°Very well.¡± I turned to Cayde. ¡°Bring that one to me.¡± The pirate was brought toward me, and his blindfold and gag were roughly removed. He blinked, adjusting to the harsh light while I examined his face. He looked to be around my age, perhaps a little older, though a head shorter than me. His hands weren¡¯t as rough or dirty as most of the other pirates and his clothes seemed an ill-fit. I also remembered speaking with him. He¡¯d blurted out everything he knew, and not just about the Grim Prince, before I¡¯d even managed to explain the situation, never once lying. Not that he seemed to know much as he¡¯d blathered on about only joining the Grim Prince late last year in the hopes of one day becoming a captain of a vessel of his own. ¡°It seems boy, that you are something of a rarity. A pirate with enough moral fibre to not instantly turn into scum.¡± I glanced at the two groups of pirates. ¡°Those you could have abused or assaulted have spoken today of your innocence in such matters, even if your acts of piracy are undisputed. Therefore, I am going to give you a choice. Eith¡­¡± I never got to finish as the boy dropped to his knees. ¡°I pledge myself to your side, My Lord,¡± he said before lowering his head to seemingly kiss my boots. ¡°That was fast.¡± The remark came from Bronn as I pulled my boots back, not wanting this boy to kiss them. As he looked up at me, gestured to Cayde and the boy was hoisted to his feet. ¡°Your name lad?¡± ¡°Eddin, milord,¡± the boy replied, a Westerosi accent easy to pick out even if it wasn¡¯t a Dornish one. ¡°I¡­ I joined the Grim Prince as I wanted to one day captain a¡­¡± I held up my hand to stop him. ¡°Yes, I remember you telling me all this when we last spoke.¡± I looked him over, judging him. ¡°I accept your pledge. For now, you will be unarmed and serve as Cabin Boy aboard the Windchaser. In time, if you prove yourself, You will have the chance to earn your dream.¡± ¡°Thank you, milord,¡± Eddin replied giving me a deep, but flawed, bow. I jerked my head to the side and Eddin scampered away, though as he moved to head behind me, I shook my head and pointed toward the stone building I¡¯d taken as mine. He nodded and then ran over. He¡¯d not be able to get in as the door was locked and the window closed. Both of them had guards to make sure no one tried anything while I was away. ¡°I was na'' expecting that,¡± Cayde muttered as he came closer. ¡°No, but at least we might find one man, well boy, worth keeping around.¡± I looked toward the two groups of pirates and gave a nod. At that, they were brought to their feet and the blindfolds were removed. I looked into the eyes of each man, seeing which, if any had any resentment or stubbornness in them, making a note of it for what was to come. ¡°All of you have, like Eddin, been judged by those you formerly oppressed. However, unlike him, you were all guilty of some form of abuse, for which you will face judgement. Your actions, your choices in life, have led you to this moment, however, you will not face equal punishment.¡± I looked at the right group, of which there were six. ¡°You lot have only been marked as having committed some crimes against those you captured and abused. That might be because you were only a member of the Grim Prince¡¯s force for a few weeks, or that you have some odd sense of honour. Whatever the case, your lack of crimes grants you a chance at redemption. At least of a sort.¡± I walked toward the group, taking the measure of each, judging how they reacted to my gaze and how open they¡¯d been when I¡¯d spoken to them. ¡°You have a choice,¡± I continued, taking my time to look each in the eye. ¡°Either you swear your lives, however short they might be, to me, or you fight against a warrior of my choice. If you defeat them, I will grant you your freedom and drop you off the coast of Dorne. If you lose, and survive, then you join your cohorts over there.¡± I stepped back, giving them room. ¡°Make your choice. Bend the knee, or stand and fight.¡± Of the six, four dropped to a knee while two remained standing, which made me smile. I¡¯d known some would reject an offer to serve, and wanted to use them for another purpose. However, first I had to deal with the four who¡¯d knelt. ¡°Good, I accept you lot into my serve. I don¡¯t, however, have reason to trust you. Your hands will remain bound until such time that I, or one of my lieutenants, feel like removing them, for the first quarter of the year you shall also only receive quarter wages.¡± One of the four snarled, unhappy with the conditions, and I moved toward him. ¡°If you dislike the terms, you could choose to fight,¡± I snarled back. The pirate lost his glare and lowered his head. ¡°A wise choice. The storehouse shall remain your bunks until such time as I deem otherwise, though you are free to remove the body of your fallen comrade. His lesson in how I handle dissent has been made. Irraro,¡± I waited for the tall Summer Islander to come over. ¡°Escort our new men to their bunk and then remove their gags. If they dislike my terms, return them here to join that group,¡± I pointed at the larger group that was being guarded by Cayde and more men, all of whom had their blades ready to strike down any attempted rebellion. ¡°Yes, My lord.¡± I nodded, accepting Irraro¡¯s title, and then looked at the remaining pair. One was nervous about his choice and kept glancing at the other man. That one appeared to be the older of the pair, and if looks could kill, I¡¯d have been a pile of ash on the docks by now. ¡°Bronn, clear me some space.¡± ¡°Right, you heard him! Move back, you mangy lot!¡± I chuckled at Bronn¡¯s words, even as I continued to watch the two men. The one who kept glaring had a broken finger which helped me remember exactly how his interview had gone. That one had been reluctant to tell us the truth and it had required some persuasion to get anything of use from him. From what I¡¯d learnt from the other prisoners, he¡¯d been the first mate of one of the Grim Prince¡¯s vessels and considered himself above most of the other pirates. I turned and moved over to Bronn. ¡°Hold this,¡± I said as I unbuckled the strap holding Red Rain. Bronn raised an eyebrow. ¡°you sure about this?¡± He asked as he took my blade, his lips twitching upward in amusement. ¡°Aye.¡± I handed him my axe. ¡°Been looking forward to this,¡± I added with a smirk that made him laugh. ¡°Just try not to get yourself killed. Apart from having to fight for my share, would rather not have that wolf of yours in a foul mood with no one to control it.¡± I laughed at that and then turned back to the pair. ¡°You first,¡± I said, pointing at the angrier of the pair. ¡°To make this fair, since your fingers are broken,¡± I grinned, knowing I was responsible for that, which would only anger the man further, ¡°we shall fight unarmed.¡± The man snarled behind his gag at the reminder of why his fingers were broken, which was what I wanted. He was around my height, but bulkier and I could just about remember him from the battle for the settlement. If I had him pegged right, he preferred wide, powerful strikes over control when using a blade and had little formal training, and based on his build and how he moved, he¡¯d be the same unarmed. I gestured toward Cayde, who moved behind the man and cut the bindings. As soon as that was done, the pirate rushed at me, gag still in his mouth and fists clenched. Judging the distance, I waited until one arm moved back, giving away his strike. However, not being too confident, instead of engaging his charge, I slipped away, letting the wild swing miss. As he rushed past me, I dragged one foot out and sent him tumbling to the stones of the dock. ¡°Not even waiting for a signal to begin?¡± How uncivilized,¡± I muttered with exaggerated tutting. ¡°I mean, at least tell me your name before you lose,¡± I added as the man pushed himself up from the stones. Instead of doing so, or removing the gag, the man turned and charged again. He cocked his fists in the same manner, and I dodged to the other side this time, a trailing foot sending him to the ground once more. ¡°Really? That¡¯s the best you¡¯ve got? Attacking like a wild beast. How embarrassing,¡± I added with a shake of my head. The pirate stood, his eyes burning with rage as he wiped away blood from his mouth. ¡°Look, I haven¡¯t even struck you and you¡¯re bleeding.¡± I knew I was showboating with this, but that was my intent. Hopefully, this pirate would start putting up a decent fight so I could make a statement to not just those who¡¯d just sworn to me, but those who had come here for the coin. I knew many might choose to leave once we returned to Sunspear, content with their new-found wealth, but I wanted to prove to those who were considering staying that I was worth following. I knew I wasn¡¯t the best fighter here, every one of my lieutenants, bar Irraro, kept defeating me in spars, but that didn¡¯t mean I wasn¡¯t the leader of this motley band. The pirate snarled and came in again, though this time he did so cautiously. Because of that, I started taking this seriously. A fist came in, better controlled than before but still predictable. I slipped it, avoiding the blow, and then planted my feet while twisting from the hips as my arm flashed into a hook. My fist crashed into his side, cracking at least one rib, and drawing a grunt of pain from the pirate. He swung his arm back, hoping to land a blow even as he stumbled back. My arm went high, hooking his, before dropping low. As I trapped the arm, I turned. My other arm came in, my fist slamming into his shoulder even as I used my shift along with his momentum to pull him back awkwardly for him. A cry of pain slipped from his lips as my blow dislocated the shoulder, yet I didn¡¯t give him a chance to recover. Keeping his arm trapped, I pulled it down as my knee came up, slamming into his trapped elbow. ¡°Aargh!¡± The cry of pain echoed around the docks as the bones in his forearm broke through the skin. I cut off his cry by slamming my fist into his jaw, rocking his jaw just as I released the broken arm, and he fell to the ground, his good arm taking the brunt of the landing. Before he could recover, I moved closer, the heel of my boot crashing into the back of his knee. ¡°Aah!¡± he screamed, which grew louder when I repeated the attack, breaking the joint. A small mercy for him was that the bones in his leg didn¡¯t pierce the skin this time. I slipped back, avoiding the stone he¡¯d gathered with his good hand and tossed at me as he rolled over. ¡°I said unarmed.¡± My words were followed up by me dropping my knee into his gut. The blow forced air from his lungs and as he instinctively raised his head, my elbow slammed into his face. A groan of pain came from him as his head snapped back, cracking against the stones on the ground. Any further sound from him was cut off as a quick thrust had my hand jam into his throat. His good arm came up wildly, trying frantically to get me to move. My hand gripped his wrist and twisted, rolling, it painfully. I followed that up by slamming the palm of my other hand into his elbow, jarring the joint, before slamming the side of my palm into the gap under his arm. As he groaned in pain, I stood. ¡°Pathetic.¡± The word slipped from me as I looked down at his form, and with this fight over, raised one foot. Before he could realise what I was doing and counter, I drove the heel of my steel boot into his throat, crushing his windpipe with a crunch of cartilage. The pirate¡¯s eyes widened drastically as he realised what I¡¯d done, and he scratched frantically at my leg. A flick of my foot knocked his hand away, and I stepped back, surveying the broken form in front of me. ¡°No time even to place a wager,¡± Bronn remarked as I stepped away from the pirate, leaving them gasping for air as their body reacted to the fact no more could be inhaled. ¡°Doubt you would have won much,¡± I replied with a grin as I took back Red Rain and my axe from him. Bronn shrugged. ¡°I mean, I would have bet on you ending it quickly, but aye, it was a fool bet to expect you not to win.¡± He turned and glanced at the other pirate who¡¯d chosen combat. ¡°What about that one?¡± I turned and looked at the pirate. His eyes were wide, fear radiating from him so much that Ymir could probably taste it from inside the stone building where he was lazing away out of the sun. Hells, there was a dark stain running from his groin down one leg that made clear how frightened he was. ¡°You want this one?¡± I asked Bronn as I turned back to him. ¡°Eh, not really a challenge.¡± ¡°Make it two bottles if you defeat him faster than I beat my man.¡± Bronn grinned in a way that I feared the pirate might shit himself. ¡°Oh, in that case, I accept.¡± I turned to the man behind the pirate. ¡°Cut his bindings.¡± Once the pirate¡¯s hands were free, he rubbed his wrists, his eyes bouncing between me and Bronn. While I likely shouldn¡¯t enjoy seeing such terror in another man¡¯s eyes, I couldn¡¯t deny I was enjoying the sight. Yet, instead of crumbling to the ground, or begging for mercy, the pirate surprised me. Acting with unexpected courage, he turned, gripped my man¡¯s wrist, and yanked the knife from his grip. ¡°Hold your blades!¡± I called as the pirate turned back to face me, the dagger shaking in his grip. ¡°Well done on disarming my man, but the question is what are you going to do with your blade?¡± I said slowly, not backing down or moving as the tip pointed at me threateningly. I took a step toward him, and the blade rose, the shaking slowly increasing. ¡°Are you going to use it to try and kill me, to get some sort of justice for your former lord? Or do you think that it will somehow prevent Bronn here from killing you?¡± ¡°Not bloody likely,¡± Bronn commented with a snort, no hint of concern in his tone. As the pirate continued to hesitate, I took another step toward him, wanting to see if he had any sort of backbone. Sadly, he didn¡¯t, as before I could take another step, and be in range of an attack, he turned. Before my man could react, the pirate had pushed past him and started running toward the forest. ¡°Bloody hells!. Someone get me a bow!¡± Bronn called out. ¡°No need for that,¡± I said as I watched the pirate run. ¡°Let him run!¡± I called out to my men as some moved to intercept the pirate. ¡°Ymir!¡± The door to the stone building burst open as the large black frame of my direwolf emerged. He snarled, annoyed at being disturbed but I was impressed he¡¯d reacted as fast as he had. Perhaps the smell of blood from the man I¡¯d beaten had caught his scent, or perhaps he¡¯d sensed my enjoyment of battle. Either way, he was up but unhappy to be out in the sun. I pointed at the pirate. ¡°Enjoy.¡± Ymir snarled and then howled loudly. The pirate glanced over his shoulder and then stumbled falling to the ground, the dagger bouncing away as he fell. As he pulled himself up, the black mass of his impending death raced toward him. ¡°As much as I would like that bottle, I am not fool enough to get between Ymir and a kill.¡± I chuckled at Bronn¡¯s remark. ¡°You choose wisely.¡± The pirate reached the first line of buildings, slipping from sight, the mass of a hunting direwolf bearing down on him like sent by Death itself. Trusting Ymir to not toy with his meal too much, I looked at the man who¡¯d first lost his knife and then allowed the pirate to run. ¡°I¡¯m docking you half a day''s pay for that. There will not be a next time.¡± ¡°Yes, milord.¡± While I was docking him significant pay, his mistakes could¡¯ve cost himself or others their lives, and it was better than trying to dismiss him from my service. However, if he wanted to sign on again for my return to Dustspear, I¡¯d have to consider the matter after this incident. Putting the matter to one side, even as a howl echoed around the settlement, I turned to the remaining group of pirates. ¡°Now, you lot. You were judged to have committed significant crimes against those you captured and enslaved. For that, I find I cannot offer any chance of redemption or mercy. No, your sentence is simple. Death.¡± I smiled as I walked toward the group of prisoners who were now struggling with their bonds, wanting to enjoy the next few moments. ¡°However, your deaths won¡¯t come by my hands, nor by any of my men or my direwolf. No, your punishment will be served by those you wronged.¡± I stopped and looked toward where the freed slaves were gathered. At a nod from me, two of my men brought over a small crate and pulled back a tarp that was covering it. That exposed an array of weaponry within. As the slaves looked worryingly at the weapons, I walked toward them. ¡°These men abused you, tormented you. They killed your friends, and your family, and placed you in chains. Their fate is sealed because of that. However, I grant you the chance to exact revenge, to send these men to hell, and in the process, perhaps, excise some of the terrors that haunt your thoughts!¡± I reached the crates as I finished and nodded to the two men there. The pair reached inside and pulled out blades, holding the hilts toward the former slaves. ¡°If you do not wish to gain some small measure of justice for what they did to you, I understand. To take the life of another is never an easy thing. However, by their very actions, these men forfeited whatever rights they had in front of any god for mercy. Valar morgh¨±lis, yn valar ?dra daor emagon se paktot naejot ¨¡brar.¡± While most didn¡¯t understand the full statement I¡¯d made, enough knew the opening part. I waited, watchful until the first slave approached the blade. It was a woman, perhaps the same age as Ari and Ty, though it was hard to be sure. While the dirt many had been found in had been cleaned up, the wounds and blows they¡¯d endured from the pirates remained and this girl still had a swollen eye. As she gripped the dagger offered to her, my man moved back. While he reached in to draw another blade, the girl stepped forward. As she passed me, she lowered her head. ¡°?uha ¨¡eksio.¡± I stepped toward her and placed a hand on her shoulder. She tensed at the gesture but allowed it, the grip on her dagger tightening. ¡°Iksan daor i¨¡ ¨¡eksio. Ao ?dra daor emagon naejot ob¨±ljagon. Mirre hen iks¨¡ d¨¡ez.¡± While the gesture of accepting me as her lord was nice, I wasn¡¯t. She was free to choose her own path. After offering me a small smile, I let her pass, moving away on the remote chance she might choose to use the blade against me. As she moved closer to the pirates, all of whom were being held down by my men, more of the slaves moved forward. Many lowered their heads or bowed to me as they passed, and I returned each with a nod. By the time the last slave that was willing to lift a blade had passed, I turned away. The sounds behind me made it clear the pirates were getting exactly what they deserved. ¡°Once they have all died, burn the bodies,¡± I said as I passed Cayde and Bronn only to stop. ¡°Actually, have those who swore themselves, do it. Help them break their chains to their former lives.¡± Cayde chuckled. ¡°Aye, that''d do it.¡± I moved off, heading toward my solar, only to see Daemon approach. ¡°The Princess will not be happy to hear about this.¡± I chuckled. ¡°About arming the freed slaves or me killing a man with my fists?¡± I knew Ari wouldn¡¯t care about the former, feeling the pirates had gotten what they deserved. As for the latter, I felt she¡¯d enjoy it. She did seem to find pleasure in watching tourneys. Or at least the melees more than the jousts. Almost as if she got a rush of seeing men battering and killing each other. Given some of the places she¡¯d demanded I take her within the walls of Sunspear, I felt she was something of an adrenaline junkie who got off on danger and dangerous events. Daemon opened his mouth to respond, only for a loud, triumphant howl to echo through the settlement. A faint, momentary scream accompanied the howl, but it ended quickly. Through our bond, I sensed Ymir¡¯s delight, meaning he¡¯d found his target and was now enjoying the moment before he went for the kill. I shook my head, clearing thoughts of that night when I¡¯d shared his mind and focused on Daemon. ¡°Perhaps that is a matter best left to her and her paramour,¡± he remarked with a smirk. I was glad that the divide between us was gone, and that he¡¯d let go of whatever feelings he might¡¯ve held for Ari. Though I¡¯d rather do without any teasing from him on how often I emerged from her quarters in the morning. ¡°Though I was hoping if I might take something from the haul.¡± ¡°For this mystery lady who has caught your eye?¡± I asked, turning the tables. Daemon had revealed that a lady at court had caught his attention, but he wouldn¡¯t reveal who it was. Since he¡¯d assured me he¡¯d not pursue her if she rejected him, and that it wasn¡¯t Nym, Ty, Asha, Sarella, or Ari I saw no reason to pry. ¡°Yes. I hope a spoil of war might help warm her heart toward me.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± I said, resuming my walk toward my solar. ¡°But before we return to Sunspear, I want to know who it is.¡± Mainly so I could avoid flirting with them, never mind risking Ari or one of the other girls bringing them to my bed and risking the renewed friendship I had with Daemon. I might be greedy in not wanting any man near those I considered mine, but I wasn¡¯t so greedy as to steal from a friend. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°You remember the plan?¡± I asked as I moved down the pier with Bronn and Irraro just behind me. ¡°Yes, boss,¡± Irraro replied in a resigned tone. ¡°Just as we did the previous five and twenty times you checked.¡± I paused as I reached the gangplank of the Windchaser, and turned to look at the pair. Irraro looked as irritated as he sounded, while Bronn barely looked to be paying attention. I knew that wasn¡¯t the case, just that he liked to project a laissez-faire attitude while actually paying more attention than it appeared. ¡°I know I keep going on about this, it¡¯s just I would rather everything we fought for not to fall away in the moon it takes me to sort things out in Sunspear and return.¡± ¡°As if there is any in these isles that could best me.¡± I smirked at Bronn¡¯s bravado. ¡°One-on-one, you might be right, but a hundred to one? A thousand to one? You may be good but not that good.¡± ¡°Eh,¡± he muttered with a shrug of doubt. While he was good, better than anyone else here, so much so that he¡¯d sparred against Daemon and Cayde and managed to hold his own. That said, I¡¯d place a wager on Oberyn, Jaime, Barristan, and others of that calibre being able to beat him. ¡°Still, be cautious,¡± I said as I walked up the gangplank. ¡°And remember whatever they offer you, I will double it.¡± The pair laughed at that. ¡°Aye, we know you will,¡± Bronn said once he¡¯d stopped laughing. ¡°After this adventure, we know you are good for it. Now get going before I decide to take all that coin and goods than let you sail away with it.¡± ¡°Fine, fine,¡± I said with a chuckle as I reached the Windchaser. As I turned, two of the crew pulled the plank back. I moved to the forecastle, as the mooring lines were untied and tossed on board, taking in the sight of my island. Bronn, Irraro, a dozen men, and one of the captured ships, were remaining behind to secure the settlement on the chance any of the Grim Prince¡¯s men returned to try and take the place. Or that another pirate might choose now to attack. Irraro was a close match to the Grim Prince in height, so he was dressed up as the former Pirate Lord ¨Cwhose skull was stored in the hold after the flesh was burnt off so I could present it to Dora. Hopefully, that would fool anyone entering the harbour. Now, anyone with a brain would use a Myrish eye to confirm that Irraro was the Grim Prince, but the hope was that if the former ruler¡¯s men returned, they¡¯d not check that before sailing into the harbour while forces of another pirate might not know what the Grim Prince looked like. I doubted that any ship would approach while I was away, but it was better to be prepared, and if it could be managed, I¡¯d promised all the men remaining a month¡¯s wage if they captured another ship and found me some more men to interview. Those that had sworn themselves to me were coming with us as I didn¡¯t trust them, though none were on the Windchaser or Trickster as those two vessels were carrying all our loot, with my flagship taking the bulk. We¡¯d stop in the southern settlement and collect the handful of men and freed slaves there and take six vessels back to Sunspear. I¡¯d already done the rough figures in my head of what I had to pay out in remaining wages and bonus pay, and what I wanted to gift to the freed slaves to help them recover from their ordeal. With those costs taken care of, and the large cut I¡¯d have to give to Doran for allowing the expedition ¨C he might not have paid for anything, but he had allowed me to do this, with carried risk toward Dornish shipping if I¡¯d failed ¨C I¡¯d have more than enough to outfit all six vessels and pay for supplies to take back. Hopefully, I¡¯d also be able to hire crew for the vessels, more sellswords willing to sign on for future expeditions and, if all went well, people willing to chance moving to the island to help turn it into something other than a pirate haven. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°Gods, how much longer is this going to take?¡± Jaeronos said as he stood behind me with Daemon. Behind them were the various chests and crates that held most of the loot from Dustspear. ¡°As long as needed,¡± I replied as I stood patiently, looking at the doors that led toward the throne room of Sunspear. We¡¯d been waiting in this antechamber for a while now, which explained Jaeronos¡¯ irritation, but since we¡¯d arrived without an invitation or summons, we had to wait at the back of the line. Though the quiet grumble from my stomach reminded me it had been a while since we¡¯d docked. Having six vessels sail into the harbour, especially four without markings, had meant the dockmaster and head of the guard at the docks coming to greet us. Once Stuar Blackwood had realised it was me leading the small force into the harbour, he¡¯d stood down the guard. After a comment about how I seemed to enjoy arriving back with more ships than I set sail with, I paid the docking fees for all six vessels for half a moon and asked all to be checked for repairs. Only the Windchaser and Trickster were to be fixed without asking though. With him accepting my words, and a request to have a dozen scorpions ¨C six the same as those mounted on my vessels, six larger ¨C commissioned accepted, turned back to the ships, and all the men and women were disembarking. Since I¡¯d paid three-fourths of the basic pay to my sellswords before we¡¯d left, I only had the remainder of that to hand over, along with their cut of the loot. Still, because the take had been greater than I¡¯d expected, everyone ended up all but being paid double for the moon¡¯s worth of work. Those like Daemon, Cayde, and Garreo who I considered officers in the unit were paid far more of that cut. Daemon had also taken a necklace for the girl he wished to woo, who rather unexpectedly had been revealed as my cousin, Alysanne Snow. Before he¡¯d revealed her name, he¡¯d asked me to not lash out, and even after promising to do so, I almost still did. Of all the names he could have given, my cousin ¨C and the hidden Targaryen ¨C was the one I¡¯d not expected. Still, after taking a few days to cool my emotions, I¡¯d found myself accepting the potential pairing. Daemon was a good man, and a highly skilled swordsman with excellent prospects for a bastard while Alysanne was, to the outside world, nothing more than the bastard daughter of Ned Stark. Oh, I knew she was more than that, and she and Ty suspected ¨C as did Doran and Oberyn ¨C but others didn¡¯t. While I wasn¡¯t sure what would come of the pairing, I wasn¡¯t going to stand in his way, not unless Alysanne asked me to do so. Plus, this would help her shift her attention away from me. While she was maturing, and I suspected due to her Targaryen heritage, would develop into a beautiful young lady, I didn¡¯t want her to get hung up on me as seemed to have been happening before we¡¯d left the North. Ignoring any issues I might have with her current age ¨C which I was well aware was hypocritical since I¡¯d bedded Ty when I¡¯d been about the age Alysanne was now ¨C I didn¡¯t want to pursue that. Her having a dragon egg, and likely being able to ride and bond with it should she hatch it, was a powerful motivator to keep her close, but that didn¡¯t mean I¡¯d have to bed her. Of course, the morning before we arrived in Sunspear, I¡¯d taken Daemon aside and made it very clear that if he ever did anything to hurt her, there would be no place in Westeros, Essos, or beyond where I wouldn¡¯t find him. Daemon had accepted the warning without question, which was impressive as Ymir had spent the entire time growling so deeply it rattled my bones. He¡¯d also promised to not make any move toward her without the permission of Prince Doran since Alysanne was his ward, and that I felt was the most likely way the courtship could be scuppered. At least in Dorne as I had no idea how Ned would react if he learnt of the couple. Anyway, after paying the men, I¡¯d tasked Cayde with finding the freed slaves places to stay for a few days while they made their minds up about what they wished to do with their lives. I¡¯d spoken to the group of around fifty telling them I¡¯d give them some coin to help them resume and rebuild their lives, but what they did was up to them. Still, a few had seemed to want to come with me to the palace, and in the end, I¡¯d allowed five to do so. The Myrish merchant Phenias had led the group which included the girl who had first taken a dagger in the northern settlement, another girl around my mother¡¯s age, and two young men from the group from the southern settlement. Those five were standing behind the Martell warriors who were carrying and guarding my loot. While the four younger ones seemed unsure of themselves, Phenias seemed at ease, suggesting he¡¯d dealt with nobles before his enslavement. With that done, Stuar had arranged for guards to find a caravan to carry our loot to the palace and granted me four guards to help escort it. Though with myself, Daemon, Jaeronos, Ymir and a dozen of my men around the cart, and the five freed slaves as well though none were armed, I¡¯d not expected any trouble. While I had been accurate in that assessment, we had stopped several times as we walked through the Shadow City. Word had leaked from the palace about where I and Daemon had gone, and why, and it seemed that many were worried about us. Or me at least, as while Daemon was a member of the household and Oberyn¡¯s former squire, I was his adopted son and someone it seemed many people liked. Most spoke of their love for my father and offered thanks to the New and Old Gods for my safe return. Others gave us food and drink to mark our safe return, and while all had dismissed taking any payment for the nourishment, I and Daemon made note of which merchants gave us what so I could keep them in mind in the future. While Sunspear wasn¡¯t my city, it was my home, and to help secure their loyalty toward the Martells, I wanted to do my part. However, the most unexpected but welcome stop had come when we¡¯d reached one of the main squares in the Shadow City ¨C though it wasn¡¯t much of a square given the way the streets of the city seemed to twist and turn every which way. There, a sharp, high-pitched whistle from above had drawn a loud bark of laughter from Ymir and a moment later, Rian had flown down to greet us. As he landed on my arm, I was glad I¡¯d left my bracers on, otherwise his massive claws would¡¯ve ripped my flesh to the bone. While I passed him a piece of dried meat, a merchant had approached us with fish in hand. I¡¯d frowned, wondering what was going on, but then the merchant tossed the fish into the air. Rian had taken off instantly, and even before the fish started falling back to the ground, had buried his talons into it. I watched as he climbed higher, taking the meal to his mate, at which point I¡¯d turned to the merchant, curious as to why he¡¯d done that. The fish merchant, a portly man named Laroy, let me know that he and others had been doing this for the last moon. A rumour was circulating around the city that I¡¯d not taken Rian with me because he¡¯d found a mate, and they had an egg inside the palace of Sunspear. Since there was a part to the rumour that hinted Ari was caring for the mate and an egg, the merchants felt it was their duty to help. It seemed that Rian had become something of a symbol for the Martells, or at least Ari, which given how magnificent he was, did make some sense. Add in that it was known I was close to the Martells as an adopted son, and that Ari was caring for the eagles while I was gone, and the city¡¯s merchants had decided to help ease the burden on Rian as he hunted for food. That had me wondering how Laroy and others saw Ymir and Kaa. The merchant knew little of Kaa, thinking he was simply a gift I¡¯d been given by Oberyn several years ago, but Ymir did have a reputation in the city. Once I was aware of it, I found it amusing as fuck. When he¡¯d left he¡¯d still been small enough that he could pass himself off as a large hunting dog. However, words had spread not long after our arrival from the North that he was, in fact, a direwolf. While many were nervous to have such a beast within the city walls, most of the children enjoyed coming up to pet him. What helped with parents accepting that was seeing Oberyn¡¯s younger daughters and Ari moving around the direwolf without concern. By the point Rian had appeared, several children had come out to greet Ymir, though most were held back by their parents since he¡¯d grown some more in the moon we¡¯d been gone. Hells, he was now at the point where I could rest my elbow on his shoulder, dwarfing any other canine in Dorne. After saying goodbye to Laroy and the others in the square, we¡¯d continued to the palace, moving through the Threefold Gate that granted a direct path to the palace. At the final gates, we were greeted by the Castellan, Manfrey Martell. There, the guards that the Dockmaster had assigned us broke away, replaced by the palace guard. They escorted us inside the palace, and after Manfrey understood what we were escorting, had helped carry the chests and crates inside. ¡°But I thought you were the son of Prince Oberyn Martell,¡± Jaeronos remarked, his irritation at our waiting continuing to grow. ¡°Cregan is Prince Oberyn¡¯s adopted son,¡± Daemon cut in, saving me from doing so. ¡°Even if he was trueborn, he would still be made to wait. It is protocol.¡± Unlike me and Jaeronos, he was in full plate armour, he wasn¡¯t a returning or visiting figure, but a sworn shield returning from an assignment. Plus, I suspected he wanted to impress Alysanne if he could, though I did wonder if he was struggling as full plate in the Dornish heat was something that would quickly tire even the strongest of men. ¡°And here I thought I was done with this,¡± Jaeronos muttered to himself, though I still overheard it. I knew Jaeronos came from a family of some, though not major, importance in Volantis, but as the third son, hadn¡¯t had many prospects if he remained. At least not as anything more than a position of importance in the city¡¯s guard, or married to some minor noble. To change his fate, he¡¯d become a sellsword and at some point met and befriended Bronn. However, that was all I¡¯d learnt about his family, not even his family name, mainly as I wasn¡¯t going to pry into his personal business while he was a simple sellsword. If he remained with me and returned to Dustspear, then I¡¯d push to know more. While Volantis wasn¡¯t a major player in the Stepstones, it was still one I had to be careful of. Plus, during my magical awakening dream, I¡¯d sensed something ancient, dark, and powerful there when I¡¯d drifted too close. ¡°It is the same the world over, as you well know. Men sit in chairs above others, making those below them wait and bow. Such is true even of Prince Doran who is sworn to the Iron Throne.¡± While true, I wondered how willingly Doran would swear himself to Robert, or if he¡¯d even head to King¡¯s Landing if summoned. Silence returned to the chamber, and the minutes continued to tick away until, eventually, the door opened. The Seneschal of Sunspear, Ricasso, stepped in, smiling warmly. ¡°It is good to see you again, Cregan,¡± He said as he came over and grasped my forearms. ¡°Certain members of the court have been rather sullen ever since your departure,¡± he added with a nod as he broke his grasp. I chuckled at that but said nothing as he moved past me. ¡°Ser Daemon, it is good to see your return, and with your assignment completed.¡± ¡°It was more difficult than I expected, mainly as that one could not help but get us into trouble.¡± ¡°I do not go looking for it,¡± I replied to Daemon¡¯s comment. ¡°Is that not exactly what you set out to do this time?¡± I inclined my head sheepishly at Ricasso¡¯s critique. ¡°Gods be good, will you ever stop growing, Ymir?¡± Ymir snorted and shook his head, drawing a chuckle from the old man. ¡°Well, I hope you do. I doubt the cooks will enjoy feeding you if you reach the size of a horse. Not with the need to ensure your meals are kept as raw as possible.¡± I held my tongue, not wanting to remark on how well-fed Ymir had been on Dustspear. There was little need to imply my direwolf had developed a taste for human flesh. At least not to people I considered friends. ¡°From the chests, I suspect your voyage was a successful one?¡± ¡°It was indeed. And no matter what this one says,¡± I gestured at Daemon, ¡°relatively uneventful.¡± ¡°I will leave that matter up to Prince Doran,¡± Ricasso said, choosing to not be drawn into any form of debate between myself and Daemon. ¡°If you would follow me.¡± After I nodded in acceptance, he turned and exited the room. ¡°If you would rather wait out here, you have my blessing,¡± I said to Jaeronos as the guard dropped to pick up the chests and crates. ¡°Let''s just get this over with,¡± he replied. I nodded and then turned and walked after Ricasso, listening to my boots click with each step as they touched the white-marbled floor. Ricasso was waiting at the main doors that led into the palace. Seeing us stepping into the corridor, he moved toward the main doors as I saw Phenias and the other slaves that had come with us to the court emerge from another, smaller waiting room. Two pairs of guards stood on either side and as Ricasso approached, the innermost guard on each side turned and pushed the doors open. The sounds of the court rushed to greet us, and as the seneschal stepped into the room, making whoever was speaking around the room stop, I picked out the thrones of House Martell. The twin chairs dominated the room, the throne of the ruler of Dorne and their spouse. Yet, as had been the case for several years, the chair of the spouse, resplendent in the colours of the Rhoyne, was empty. Lady Mellario had left not long after Quentyn Martell had been sent to foster with Lord Yronwood and Ari sent to be the cupbearer of the Sealord of Braavos; well, the former Sealord as there¡¯d been a change in leadership there while I¡¯d been in the North meeting and bonding with Ymir. My eyes fought to not move from Doran to his daughter, as she sat at a chair just behind his throne, one with an ornate spear carved into the wooden back and inlaid with gems, forming a glittering ruby tip. Ari seemed to freeze as she saw me, shocked at my arrival, yet she stayed still, knowing her place in the protocol of the room while Doran sat in court. ¡°Prince Doran, Princess Arianne, Prince Oberyn, members of House Martell and distinguished guests, returning from their adventures I present Ser Cregan Sand, Ser Dameon Sand and the mighty direwolf Ymir!¡± Ricasso said to the room as he reached the main floor and bowed deeply. That was my cue and I stepped into the room, surveying it. The court seemed full, with few spaces not occupied by some noble. As a murmur rippled through those gathered and whispers of where we¡¯d been passed from various lips, I saw my parents sitting near the throne. Oberyn was seated at the seat closest to the throne, well second closest as Ari¡¯s chair was just behind Doran¡¯s, and at his side sat my mother. Oberyn offered a small smile, entirely unconcerned by my return, and offering no hint of concern while my mother smiled widely, joyful to see me return unharmed. I would greet them soon, however, protocol demanded that my attention remain fixed on Doran. That meant I couldn¡¯t look around and see who else was present as I walked down the steps, Red Rain at my side, slipped through a hoop on my belt to display the Valyrian steel to the court. While normally returning knights would be asked to remove their blades when in the courtly presence of the Prince or Princess of Dorne, I and Daemon were allowed to keep our blades. For me, it was because I was linked to the family, even if through marriage alone while Daemon was a sworn knight of the house. Jaeronos was unarmed, something he¡¯d not been happy about when Manfrey insisted he and the freed slaves be disarmed. I marched toward the throne, stopping about three-quarters of the way across the floor, before dropping to a knee. Behind me, I heard Daemon and Jaeronos do likewise. ¡°I return with news, My Prince,¡± I said, keeping my eyes on the floor, which was so polished I could make out my reflection in the marble. ¡°Rise.¡± I did as ordered but made no other move. Doran allowed a small smile to come to his face. ¡°While you are not of my blood, I consider you as much a nephew as my brother sees you as his son. It pleases us and the rest of our family I am sure, that you have returned from your voyage unharmed. Though judging by those behind you, not empty-handed.¡± ¡°No, My Prince. I am pleased to report that the mission was a success.¡± I paused and turned. Jaeronos stepped forward and handed me the cloth-covered object he¡¯d carried since we¡¯d entered the palace. ¡°My Prince, My Princess, people of Sunspear, it pleases me to state that the pirates that have long plagued shipping from Dorne to the rest of the Seven Kingdoms and Essos have been driven back.¡± I pulled the sheet back and held aloft the skull it covered. ¡°The Grim Prince, self-styled Pirate Lord of the island Dustspear is dead, killed by my very blade!¡± When I finished, polite applause broke out from the galleries. I heard whispered conversations under the sound of clapping, but I ignored it, keeping my focus on Doran. The Prince allowed the ovation to go on for perhaps half a minute before raising an open hand. That had the sounds in the chamber drop away. ¡°It pleases me and our people to hear this and to see you and Ser Daemon return to report your victory. Though I do hope that more than just the defeat of this pirate was accomplished?¡± ¡°It was, My Prince. Like the Grim Prince, most of his men fell to our blades. The few that did not either bent the knee or fled, carried as far as their oars could take them. Dustspear had been broken, its treasures, ships, and riches taken and brought before you.¡± Another round of applause came from the court. As it did, I turned and gestured for the chest to be brought forward, along with the small group of freed slaves. When I turned back, Doran again raised his hand, bringing silence to the chamber. ¡°My Prince, the former Pirate Lord of Dustspear held many slaves, all of which had been freed and brought to Sunspear. This group wished to greet you as representatives.¡± I waited as Phenias moved to my side, he dropped to a knee as the four behind him also did the same. ¡°Prince Doran.¡± Doran looked quizzically at me for a moment. ¡°Rise.¡± The former slaves did as commanded. ¡°I know not what Ser Cregan has promised, nor the abhorrent situation you found yourself in on Dustspear, but such practices are forbidden within Dorne and all of Westeros.¡± ¡°We are grateful to hear this, Prince Doran. I am Phenias Irryl, and before my enslavement, I was a trader from Myr who travelled many times to your great city. For nearly two years I suffered under the thrall of those monsters that plague the Stepstones. Thanks to Ser Cregan, I and fifty others are now free. While we expect nothing from you, I, and the small group with me, wished to accompany Ser Cregan so that we might offer our thanks for your allowing his expedition. While we know our freedom was not your motivation, your action in allowing the assault granted us back our liberty. Ser Cregan has already offered to help those of us recover, though many of us wish, if we can, be of service, serve him, and you Prince Doran, if you would have use for us.¡± Doran looked down at Phenias, almost as if he was judging him. ¡°For now, I cannot say if I might have need for so many. However, until I have made a decision, or until any of your group wishes to depart for your homelands, you are all welcome within my city. I will also, see to it that accommodation is found for you and your people.¡± ¡°We are humbled by your offer, Prince Doran. However, Ser Cregan has already dispatched the rest of our group with some of his more trusted men, to locate room and board.¡± Doran offered me a small smile and nodded. ¡°It pleases me to see that Ser Cregan holds to the principles of knighthood. It honours both the one who knighted him and his bloodline.¡± Doran looked toward where my parents sat. They both smiled at the compliment, though Oberyn¡¯s was more amused by the turn of events with the freed men and women while my mother seemed relieved that I had returned unharmed. ¡°Since Ser Cregan has already provided you with help of his own, I extend the protection of my House to your people for however long you remain within Dorne.¡± ¡°Many thanks, Prince Doran.¡± Phenias bowed deeply, almost to the point I feared he might fall over. He didn¡¯t though, instead shuffling back and returning the floor to me. ¡°While the removal of the Grim Prince was my primary motive for assaulting Dustspear, many unexpected windfalls came of it,¡± I said when I realised Doran wished for me to resume my detailing of events. ¡°Beyond the freeing of those enslaved by the vile fiend that formerly ruled the island, many other rewards were discovered.¡± I turned and held out my arms. Jaeronos knew what that meant, and from the top of the largest crate, he lifted a long object that was covered in a sheet of worn, but still detailed, velvet. I took the object and its cover onto my arms and then turned back to face Doran. ¡°In honour of your victory, My Prince, I present the Grim Prince¡¯s most prized possession, and his favoured weapon.¡± As I detailed what I held, I took a step forward, reaching the base of the dais that held the thrones of Dorne and then dropped to a knee. I kept my head down and waited as I heard someone approach. A hand on my shoulder had me looking up to see my father had come over. While I was trusted by the family, to present a covered and unknown gift to the ruler of Dorne meant Doran couldn¡¯t accept it himself. I smiled at Oberyn as he pulled back the sheet. Several gasps came from the court as he lifted the goldenheart bow. Certain there was no hidden threat, Oberyn turned and walked up half the steps to the throne and held out the bow. Doran stood and took the bow. He turned it over in his hands and then pulled back the bow gently, testing the string. ¡°A fine weapon, and one unworthy of a pirate, no matter their belief in their nobility,¡± Doran said slowly. ¡°Now rise, nephew.¡± I did as he commanded, pleased to hear the public confirmation of our connection. While I didn¡¯t share the blood of House Martell, by publicly stating I was his nephew, Doran reaffirmed that the attack on Dustspear was something he approved of. Yes, that would get to King¡¯s Landing and beyond, but since the way I¡¯d spoken today hinted the island was simply cleared of pirates and all my men returned, it wouldn¡¯t draw any undue concern from major players in the Great Game, except, perhaps, to believe that I was a piece under the control of Doran. While that was something Doran also believed, I knew it wasn¡¯t entirely true, though the discussion with him and Oberyn about my full intentions would wait until I was summoned to Doran¡¯s solar sometime in the next few days. ¡°On behalf of myself, our family, and all Dorne, I offer my thanks to you Ser Cregan, to you Ser Daemon, and to all those who served under you in this campaign. The removal of the self-styled pirate lord removes threats to those who risk the seas to trade with Dorne.¡± I bowed deeply as a third, louder round of applause echoed around the chamber. A loud cheer from my right caught my attention and I turned to see the cause. There, near the back of the gallery, Beron, Wylla, Alysanne and others stood. I didn¡¯t know they¡¯d arrived, but behind them were Ser Jory Cassel and Ser Kevan Brightlight. Lady Jynessa Blackmont, the heir to Blackmont and one of several ladies-in-waiting for Ari who was helping guide and teach Wylla and Alysanne was standing nearby, watching the younger girls closely. For a moment, my thoughts turned to Alysanne, and the fact Daemon had at some point decided to pursue her. While there was nearly an eight-year gap between the pair, such relationships were common in this world. Something proven by me and my various partners. However, that didn¡¯t mean that a part of me was hoping that Doran, or perhaps Beron, would deny Daemon the right to pursue Alysanne. Still, I wasn¡¯t going to stand in his way, not unless he did something to hurt her, at which point, all bets were off. I turned back to Doran, seeing him smile warmly at me as he held his new bow in his right arm. It was then that I noticed he was standing freely, without any hint of unsteadiness, nor was the walking stick he¡¯d been using when I¡¯d returned from the North nearby. While I didn¡¯t know how far he¡¯d advanced in his use of water magic, it seemed that what he could do had cleared his gout enough to seemingly have recovered from it. ¡°While I, and many more here, would enjoy hearing of your adventures, I feel that it should wait for this evening¡¯s feast when we might celebrate your triumphant return.¡± ¡°Yes, My Prince,¡± I said with a bow. ¡°However, before then, if you would permit me but one further moment of attention?¡± Doran looked at me carefully, wondering what I was wanting, before nodding. ¡°Very well,¡± he stepped back and made his way to his chair. ¡°The floor is once more yours, Ser Cregan.¡± I bowed again in thanks. ¡°When I presented you with the Grim Prince¡¯s bow, My Prince, I spoke of how we found many treasures on the island. Of those, there was one piece that upon seeing, Ser Daemon and I agreed was worthy only of royalty.¡± Daemon hadn¡¯t said anything actually, but by deflecting some of the attention toward him, I was avoiding anyone thinking my next gift was in any way a play for Arianne¡¯s hand. Or so I hoped. ¡°However, this gift, we feel, is not one best suited for you, My Prince, but for the fairest lady in Dorne, if not all Westeros.¡± Reaching into a pouch on my belt, I turned my gaze to Ari. ¡°Princess Arianne, since I first arrived in Sunspear with my mother for her wedding to your uncle, Prince Oberyn, you have treated me as family. While I often, perhaps, have not been as caring in return,¡± Ari smiled slightly at my words, ¡°I wish to present you with a token of my esteem. For your willingness in accepting me into your family, and as a mark of respect toward you and your family.¡± ¡°If my father will allow it,¡± Ari began, shifting her attention to Doran. When he nodded, she stood and walked toward me as I struggled to not let my eyes wander over her frame and drink in the delight of her beauty for the first time in a moon, stopping about halfway down the dais. ¡°Ser Cregan, you have always been family to me, somehow becoming closer to me than either of my brothers.¡± I bit the inside of my lip to avoid smirking at the comment. ¡°When I learnt of your service to our House, I was concerned for your safety, though words fail to describe how relieved I am that you have returned unharmed.¡± ¡°Thanks for that must go to your sworn sword, Ser Daemon Sand, My Princess,¡± I replied, shifting focus to Daemon again. ¡°Without his presence, I fear I would have been lost when surrounded by sellswords who, at the time, perhaps only saw me as nothing more than a way to earn some quick coin.¡± While I was laying it on thick, Daemon had been invaluable, and I hoped he might return with me to Dustspear. I didn¡¯t expect him to be released of his vow to Arianne, but the longer his blade was beside mine, the greater the chance of success I¡¯d have. Arianne turned to Daemon. ¡°Then it would be remiss of me to not offer you my thanks, Ser Daemon, for returning my cousin to me.¡± ¡°It was my honour, Princess,¡± Daemon replied. While I couldn¡¯t see him as my eyes were locked on the beauty before me, I expected he¡¯d lowered his head. ¡°While Ser Cregan is young, his knighthood was well earned as he fought with courage, bravery, and ingenuity. Under his command, as you well know, many people were freed and a threat to Dorne was removed. Though I will admit that his need to lead at the vanguard did make it harder for me to keep my vow to you of ensuring his safety. Especially when he chose to rush, at no small risk to his life, to engage the Grim Prince in single combat in the final battle of the campaign.¡± I fought off an urge to roll my eyes at Daemon laying it on thick. He knew of my relationship with Ari and perhaps was hyping my actions to thank me for not stepping between him and his intentions toward my cousin. Ari¡¯s gaze returned to me, a hunger burning brightly in her eyes. ¡°Defeating such a foe is one worthy of a true knight. The Old Gods are honoured by your worship, as I am to name you my champion.¡± I blinked in shock as whispers shot around the room, at both the reveal of my beliefs and my new status as her champion. I¡¯d not expected that, yet as quickly realised it was a way to explain why I was often seen in her presence, and perhaps quell any rumours of me being her paramour. Not that either of us were concerned about those rumours. ¡°Yet, as much as I yearn to hear of your adventures, my curiosity about this gift you bring overrides it.¡± ¡°As My Princess, commands.¡± I reached into the pouch with my free hand and gently pulled the necklace inside into view. Ari gasped as the light caught the inlaid emeralds and jade and her hands came to her mouth as the exquisite and familiar ripples of Valyrian steel glittered as I moved my hand. ¡°Gods be good,¡± she whispered into the silent chamber. ¡°Is that¡­¡± ¡°Valyrian steel, My Princess,¡± I finished, setting off gasps of shock from the galleries. ¡°I know not how or where the Grim Prince came to possess such a thing, but the instant my eyes fell upon it, I knew of but one place where it belonged.¡± Ari moved down the final few steps of the dais. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± she said as her fingers gently traced the inscriptions engraved into the steel. ¡°It is indeed,¡± Doran commented, drawing my attention from Ari as her fingers brushed against the necklace and my palm. ¡°and it explains why you were clear in stating it was a gift toward our family and not just my daughter. Such finery is worthy of a princess.¡± ¡°Yes, My Prince, and with your permission,¡± I gestured toward Ari. Doran looked down at us carefully before offering a small smile and nodding. Ari was slow to remove her fingers, wanting to let them linger against my skin, yet she did remove them and then turned around. Once she pulled back her hair, I inhaled the scent of her for the first time in a moon, I reached around and slowly, carefully secured the necklace in place. There was an urge to let my hands linger, to pull her close, but I knew I couldn¡¯t do that. Not here and now. So once the necklace was secure, I stepped back, granting her room to turn. As the chamber clapped in delight at seeing the necklace in the place I knew it belonged from the moment I¡¯d first laid eyes upon it, Ari gazed at me. The fire in them stirred my loins, and I knew before the night was over I¡¯d find myself once more in her bed. Dreams of Dust Dreams of Dust ... ... (Circa 297AC)
I stirred slowly in bed, shifting to get my long hair off my face, the first rays of morning light slipping through the thin curtain that blocked the bedroom from an attached balcony breaking my sleep. As the fog of slumber slipped from my mind, I remembered that I wasn¡¯t in my bed, nor was I alone. As I¡¯d expected even before I¡¯d set foot in Sunspear, never mind after I gifted Ari the Valyrian steel necklace, once the evening feast celebrating the safe return of me, Ser Daemon, and our men, was over, Ari had dragged me to her quarters. Now, she hadn¡¯t leapt over the tables and pulled me away in front of those at the feast, but the moment I¡¯d slipped away, claiming a need to relieve myself, she was upon me. It took us longer than normal to reach her quarters, even while using the various passageways hidden from any but House Martell and their most trusted advisors, mainly as we¡¯d struggled to keep our hands and lips away from each other, but we did eventually arrive. Which was when we discovered that, due to us being continually distracted by each other, we¡¯d been beaten to her room by two others. Nym and Asha had been waiting on Ari¡¯s bed, and given their state of undress, had grown bored of waiting and started without us. While Ari had acted annoyed at their presence, Nym had silenced her with a kiss that enflamed passions. the four of us had then spent the rest of the evening, and several hours through the night, exploring and enjoying each other¡¯s bodies. I was tired from last night''s exertions, but as had been the case throughout this life and the one that came before it, I woke with the sun. The only upside of that was, unlike in the North, or my former life, the sun in Dorne rose at roughly the same time every day. Lifting my head, I saw the various positions of my companions and considered how I would slip from their grasp without waking any of them. Ari was rolled up against one side, one hand resting over my heart, the other on my stomach while one of her legs was draped over mine. Nym was on my other side, her hands in similar positions to Ari¡¯s, though, unlike the princess, Nym¡¯s grasp was firmer. While she wasn¡¯t clingy while awake, when asleep she did enjoy holding her partner; something Asha and I had teased her about. Though today the issue was that her second hand was a touch lower than Ari¡¯s. so much so that if I wasn¡¯t careful I might well hurt myself trying to slide from her grasp. Asha was on the other side of Nym, taking the dominant position she often did when with Nym. One arm was around Nym¡¯s chest, pushing my stepsister¡¯s breasts into my arm. The other hand had reached over and was resting on Nym¡¯s arm, almost as if she wanted to make sure I was still there as well. With no sheets over any of us, my eyes feasted on the flesh surrounding me, and the subtle but distinct differences between the trio. Ari was the shortest by far and the softest. Now, that wasn¡¯t to say her curves were defined or her muscles underdeveloped, but compared to Nym and Asha it stood out. Asha¡¯s paler skin also stood out against those of the Dornish ladies around us. Now, her skin had tanned some while in Dorne, but not much. Not even to the extent mine did, never mind that of the radiant bronze of the daughters of House Martell. As I enjoyed the sights before me, a faint grumble from my stomach accompanied an urge to relieve myself. After considering how to slip from the clutches of the three ladies, I eventually managed to escape the bed without waking the trio. Once up, I stretched, getting the nightly kinks out of my limbs, and making sure to keep my eyes away from the bed behind me. While it amused them to see, I disliked walking around at full mast. Slipping from the bedroom, I stepped into the main chamber of Ari¡¯s quarters, noting the state of the place. Clothes were discarded everywhere, though I saw Red Rain resting in its sheath upon the central table of the room. Nearby it lay the gifts I¡¯d given the trio and other pieces of jewellery we had been wearing last night. Ari¡¯s necklace was draped over my blade, and beside it was the ruby ring and axe I¡¯d gifted the other two. Asha had wondered why I¡¯d given her an axe ¨C one with intricate detailing engraved into the wooden shaft ¨C instead of jewellery. I¡¯d replied that I felt she¡¯d prefer a weapon over a gem, but if she¡¯d rather have something like Nym, I could arrange it. The speed with which she¡¯d pulled the axe toward her had made me and others laugh. The axe had been slipped through her belt during the feast and was waiting on the table when Ari and I reached the room last night. Along with every stitch of clothing, either of the other two ladies had worn to the feast. After relieving myself, I moved toward the wash basin. While the trio in bed would likely want a repeat of last night¡¯s performance, I didn¡¯t want to return to them without first cleaning up a little. As I washed, I wondered how Sarella and Ty were doing. The latter was, from what Doran and Oberyn told me, serving with the Silent Sisters somewhere in the Reach. Apparently, Doran had felt if she went anywhere in Dorne Ty might get favourable treatment as Oberyn¡¯s daughter. I didn¡¯t know where in the Reach she was, but if I had to guess, I felt Doran would¡¯ve sent her to either Oldtown or Highgarden. While Ty was being punished, in Doran¡¯s place I¡¯d have instructed her to listen for anything interesting regarding the major families of the Reach or the Citadel. Ty would return later in the year, and I knew the next time we met, we¡¯d have to speak freely with each other. Her actions in the North had been incredibly ill-advised. Things had worked out in the end, with Alysanne being allowed to travel to Sunspear with Beron, but that didn¡¯t excuse how badly the two girls had handled things. While she was a bastard, Alysanne was still ¨C to the world ¨C the bastard daughter of a Lord Paramount, and what happened could¡¯ve easily been seen as a kidnapping. Thankfully, Ned hadn¡¯t reacted as other lords might ¨C and some of that, I felt had come from whatever Alysanne had written to her father, though I didn¡¯t know what was in that letter ¨C but it could¡¯ve been so much worse. If that had been Sansa or Arya, then my fears might well have come to pass. Thankfully they hadn¡¯t, and with time away from Ty to reflect on the matter, I understood I¡¯d vastly overreacted. My anger ¨C possibly clouded by a perk and trait ¨C had been uncalled for. For that I needed to apologise to Ty, however, I wasn¡¯t sure if I could accept her back into my trust. It had been my mistake with revealing magic to Alysanne, and then bringing in Ty to help that ¨C I felt ¨C had led to the pair concocting their plan, so there was blame to go around. However, Ty¡¯s choice not to tell me of the plan until we were almost at White Harbour was something I still struggled to accept. Whenever we next met, we¡¯d have to speak freely with each other and see where we now stood. I wouldn¡¯t deny that every time I thought of her, I felt a stab of pain at her not being by my side, but her choice to keep the plan hidden from me meant I had to think carefully about if, or when, I¡¯d bring her back into my bed and confidence. Still, she had the trust of her sisters and cousin, which if she was in Oldtown, might be of use to Sarella. The youngest of the first generation of Sand Snakes ¨C as in, those who weren¡¯t also children of Ellaria Sand ¨C had left for Oldtown not long after I¡¯d set sail for Dustspear. By now she should be somewhere in the Reach, posing as a boy. Since the Citadel didn¡¯t accept women into their ranks Sarella was going to have to hide the truth of her gender. She¡¯d been planning to study at the Citadel for many years, and while I felt she was smart enough to do so, the fact women were denied had always seemed like an obstacle too high for her to overcome. That didn¡¯t mean I hadn¡¯t supported her in learning everything she could, but I had thought she¡¯d given up on her dream. Apparently, I had underestimated Sarella¡¯s desire for knowledge, and now could only offer a prayer to the Old Gods to ensure she wasn¡¯t discovered. Taking a cloth to dry my face, my thoughts turned to the Citadel, and the various rumours I¡¯d heard about their ability to shape the destiny of Westeros. The most common stories I¡¯d heard, inside and out of the palace, was that the Maesters ¨C or at least a good chunk of them ¨C had in some way engineered the Doom of Valyria, the death of dragons and the overthrowing of the Targaryen dynasty. While I could, possibly, accept the last one ¨C the practice of incest was an insult to the Faith, of which almost all Maesters would¡¯ve been brought up with ¨C the former two were just, to me, ridiculous. Magic hadn¡¯t been driven from the world by the Doom or the death of dragons. Me and the Martells were proof of that. Though it had obviously done something to weaken magic in the world, to the point creatures that needed it like dragons, had died out. Now, from what I knew, the Red Comet was a factor in how Daenerys birth her dragons ¨C there were, I felt other factors at play, but I wasn¡¯t sure of what they were¨C and I hoped that it was the event that would remove the limits on my magic, which was preventing me from taking Fire Magic beyond level 100. However, since that was still a few years away, I couldn¡¯t be sure until the comet arrived. Placing the cloth down, I turned and walked back into the main chamber. A faint panicked squeak had me stopping in my tracks as I saw Eirnela at the central table. Given the jug and filled cups she¡¯d just brought, it was obvious why she was there. As she looked away and moved to place the table between us, I remembered I was naked, which given what she¡¯d endured before I¡¯d freed her, was likely something that terrified her. Now, there had been times when she¡¯d had to enter a room where I wasn¡¯t fully clothed ¨C since she and her sister chose to serve me or Ari more than anyone else ¨C however, each of those times, she¡¯d knocked before entering and I¡¯d covered myself. This time, she¡¯d likely knocked and having not got a reply, assumed we were all still sleeping. ¡°M-m¡¯lord,¡± She all but squeaked out, caught between the requirement to meet my gaze and the fear brought on by being around a naked man. From the table, I caught a distinct smell, suggesting the three cups she¡¯d brought were filled with moon tea. That made sense as while Ari having a child out of wedlock wasn¡¯t as unacceptable to the Dornish as the rest of Westeros, it was better if the first child she bore was her heir and not a bastard. As for Nym and Asha, while they might like being around the younger Sand Snakes, neither had shown any interest in becoming a parent. ¡°Just give me a moment,¡± I said before turning and moving to where my shirt lay. While it wouldn¡¯t cover all of me, given it reached halfway down my thigh, it would be enough. At least so long as I wasn¡¯t distracted by anything. ¡°I am sorry if my state upsets you,¡± I said as I reached down for my shirt. ¡°Th¡­¡± Eirnela stopped as I collected my shirt. ¡°It does not, My Lord. I was s-simply surprised by your arrival.¡± ¡°I am not some random noble, Eirnela,¡± I said as I pulled the shirt over my head, the soft silk sliding over my skin without issue. ¡°I know and understand why you avoid most other men besides myself.¡± Once the shirt was on, I turned back to her. Her eyes glanced low before she remembered I was now watching her and turned away. ¡°It was my mistake for walking around as I was.¡± She nodded, for whatever reason unwilling to respond verbally. While others might be offended, I accepted it. I¡¯d not probed about what she and her sister had endured at the hands of the pirates, but I knew it was traumatic enough that I was the only man they were comfortable serving. To the point that Oberyn had stepped in during a feast several moons ago when a visiting trueborn from the Stormlands had tried to get handsy with Eirnela. ¡°Do you have any other duties to perform here?¡± I asked, hoping to let her slip away without further embarrassment or fear. ¡°No, My Lord,¡± she replied, her eyes staying on my feet. ¡°Then off you go. I shall make sure the Princess knows you delivered her morning tea, and that you returned to your other duties.¡± ¡°Yes, My Lord. Thank you.¡± She curtseyed and turned toward the door. Though as she did, I caught her gaze rising. Not enough that it met my eyes, but enough to suggest she was perhaps curious about something. I stayed still, letting her slip from the room, before moving toward the table. A chuckle slipped from my lips as I reached the jug and started pouring myself a goblet of wine. The smell from the filled cups was strong enough now that I was certain they contained moon tea. ¡°When are you going to bed her?¡± I lowered my goblet and turned to see Asha standing in the doorframe to Ari¡¯s bedchamber, not a stitch of clothing on her. My eyes drank in the delightful sight before me, noting the marks that I or others had left on her last night. While I savoured the sight of her, her eyes did likewise to me, and an amused, possibly vicious, smirk crept onto her face. ¡°Do you think I have tired of you and the others already?¡± I asked as I placed the goblet on the table. ¡°Or that I prefer a meek lamb over a wild kraken?¡± I added as I stalked toward her, as a wolf might stalk a deer. Now, Asha was no deer, and every time we joined ¨C at least when given the time and space to do so ¨C it was a fight. Of the girls I¡¯d bedded or had been brought to my bed by Ari in the case of a few handmaidens, Asha was the most aggressive. Every time we mated, it was as animals, where one had to achieve dominance. Though I did sometimes allow her to appear as the dominant one, we both knew the truth. I was always in control, and it seemed Asha enjoyed that. At least when it was me, as with Nym and Ari she was the more assertive partner. ¡°Good response,¡± Asha said as I neared. Her hand reached out, gripped my shirt, and pulled me toward her. I was glad it didn¡¯t rip as the thing was expensive, however, any thoughts on my clothing were driven from my thoughts as her lips crashed against mine, trying once more to take control. As I returned the kiss, forcing my tongue past her lips, my arms slipped around her waist. A faint grunt of enjoyment slipped from her lips my hands grasped her arse, and as I lifted, her legs rose and locked around my waist. ¡°Now,¡± she said, breaking the kiss to appear unwilling to let me take control, ¡°get me back in that bed and fuck me hard enough that my ancestors hear me.¡± ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ Later that day, after lunch and as the sun began its slow, languid journey to the horizon, I was walking through the corridors of the Tower of the Sun. At lunch, Doran had stated publicly that he wished to speak with me privately about the details of my battles to remove a pirate threat to Sunspear. Thankfully, he¡¯d been gracious enough to allow me and those with me time to eat fully. Due to Asha¡¯s sounds, Ari and Nym, as expected, had woken this morning and we¡¯d resumed our activities from the night before. So much so that we¡¯d gone completely past breakfast and Eirnela had needed to bring us food to break our fast. Several people had noted our arrival as a group to lunch, though outside of Oberyn¡¯s teasing barbs, few said anything about it. At least not loud enough that the hall could hear. Many of Ari¡¯s ladies-in-waiting gossiped quietly among themselves, often giggling whenever I glanced their way. The same for true of Wylla, her ladies-in-waiting, and Alysanne. For most of the meal, we¡¯d not given any hint about why we¡¯d all come in together, though Nym, apparently growing annoyed with the whispered conversations going on, had decided to make things clear. After stabbing a side of lamb with her knife, she¡¯d take a bite from it before offering the lamb first to Asha and then to me. That action had, as she intended, silenced a lot of the whispered conversations. Possibly because it was an open secret that I was Ari¡¯s paramour, yet Nym had just made clear that I was also with her and Asha. The people seemingly confused by Nym¡¯s actions were Beron, Trystane, and those with the young prince such as my cousin Edric Dayne. Beron was older than Trystane and his friends, but had slipped into their group when I¡¯d left as there were few boys in Sunspear or the Water Gardens his exact age and Beron was now Oberyn¡¯s squire. While Beron didn¡¯t follow the Faith, since I¡¯d been knighted it turned out he wanted to be as well, which amused Oberyn and Wylla. That said, I felt he didn¡¯t realise how it would look to Wylla to choose to become a knight when her house was the only major Northern one to follow the Faith. Nor how it might appear he was doing so to seem a better match for her. Still, the possible relationship between the two Northern second-born children was a matter for another time. Reaching the doors to Doran¡¯s solar, I knew the conversation I was about to have was what mattered currently. The guards outside saw me approach, shifting since I had Red Rain sheathed at my side, though they relaxed once they noticed who I was. While most people didn¡¯t wander the halls of Sunspear armed, thanks to being Oberyn¡¯s son in all but blood, and someone trusted by Doran and Ari, and was now a knight, I was given leeway to do so. Still, entering the solar armed wasn¡¯t something I was allowed to do, and once I was at the door, I unbuckled my sheathed blade and held it up to the guards. One took it from me and then knocked on the door. ¡°Enter.¡± After Doran¡¯s command, the guard pushed the door open and as I stepped inside, followed, handing my blade to my father. Oberyn was sitting at the corner of Doran¡¯s desk, a small smile on his face. ¡°You summoned me, My Prince?¡± I asked with a bow even as the guard moved back toward the door. ¡°I did indeed,¡± Doran replied calmly. ¡°Please, sit.¡± As I sat, Oberyn leaned forward, that almost trademarked smirk where he knew more than someone else on his face. Behind the pair, taking a position of prominence at least for this was the Grim Prince¡¯s goldenheart bow. I didn¡¯t know if either had tested it, but its display was a sign from Doran, that I hoped meant he was pleased with how the battle for Dustspear had gone and would be receptive to the next stage of my plans. ¡°I must admit to being surprised that even with the summons, you were able to escape the clutches of your companions.¡± I smiled softly, well used to his teasing. ¡°If not for Prince Doran making clear at lunch that he wished to speak, I fear they might have found ways to ensure I could do nothing but remain with them.¡± I bit back further comments as, while Doran was accepting of me being Ari¡¯s paramour, I doubted he wanted to listen to innuendo regarding his daughter and heir. Doran let my statement hang, almost as if waiting to see if Oberyn would reply. When he didn¡¯t, the Prince of Dorne spoke. ¡°First off, on behalf of House Martell, and all of Dorne, you have my thanks for the removal of a threat so close to our shores.¡± I lowered my head, accepting the praise. ¡°The question now turns to how you wish to proceed with your new holding. From what I have learnt, you left behind men to hold the island.¡± ¡°I did indeed, My Prince. While the island is too large to garrison with even all the men I sailed with, the northern point, where the Grim Prince made his base, remains under the control of my men. They should be able to maintain control until I return. However, before I do, I will need more men; and not just sellswords.¡± ¡°Yes, when we first spoke of your plans, you hoped to develop the island into something more than a pirate bastion. I take it, those plans have expanded after your time there?¡± ¡°They have, My Prince, though it might be easier to explain my thinking by first detailing the lay of the land.¡± Oberyn leaned back and bent down. ¡°For that, I have come prepared.¡± He picked up a large sheet which, after Doran allowed, he unrolled on the desk. As I helped him weigh the corners down to keep the scroll open, I saw it was a map of Dustspear, though one that lacked much detail. Beyond the location of the two settlements the Grim Prince had used and a few other scant details the pirate Oberyn had interrogated several moons ago, the map was empty. As in nothing more than the outline of the island. ¡°Sadly, the former ruler of the island was not very forthcoming with details for the Maesters. I hope the new lord of the island might be more helpful.¡± I chuckled at Oberyn¡¯s comment and then took the offered quill and inkwell he passed to me. ¡°I think I can. Now let us see,¡± I said as I started filling in details, starting with the general layout of the settlements. ¡­ ¡­ I leaned back from the map, taking in the much fuller ¨C though still sparse ¨C map. ¡°That is about all I can remember, as while I was more cautious of wild animals or patrols than the lay of the land,¡± I said as I put the quill down. It had taken what felt like an hour to fill in the map with details of paths we¡¯d taken on the trek from south to north on the island and what I¡¯d seen when we¡¯d sailed around the western shore. ¡°I shall have some of the men come into the place over the next few days to see what they know, along with the captains of the Windchaser and Trickster.¡± It was unlikely any could offer an improvement on what I¡¯d given, but perhaps Caddar or his First Mate could fill in some of the blanks for the eastern shore. Doran and Oberyn both looked at me, impressed with what detail I¡¯d provided. ¡°Did, perhaps, some of this information come from Ymir?¡± Oberyn asked as I added notes about what animals might be in the forest that covered most of the island. ¡°And I think the captains might know of useful locations to either beach a vessel or fish.¡± ¡°For the former, aye, the ability to smell what he smells when he hunts makes it easier to work out the animals present. Though I admit that him bringing an adult boar into camp the last night was a surprise.¡± Of course, thinking about Ymir reminded me how the food since that moment of sharing his mind when he killed was affecting me. I¡¯d hoped the blandness of food would¡¯ve passed but it remained even through the feast last night and lunch today. Perhaps it would clear in time, but it was making me cautious about warging into him whenever he wasn¡¯t nearby. ¡°I would suspect a cargo of them was brought to the island at some point,¡± Doran offered, taking my thoughts from Ymir. ¡°While not often transported alive, if they were to be taken to be hunted elsewhere, then it is plausible.¡± ¡°As you say, My Prince. As for fishing locations, I expect there to be several around the island, which will help us become self-sufficient.¡± ¡°A task that, based on what you have reported, is looking more plausible than it had when you first mentioned the idea before departing last year.¡± Doran looked at the map, his hand running through his beard. ¡°The issue will, as you are aware, be workers. Any who join as a sellsword likely will not be willing to help farm or fish. As for repairing the settlements, and expanding them inland, you will need skilled men. Finding a mason should be simple enough, though it will take time for them to arrive in Sunspear. Sawyers, carpenters, and others skilled with wood are more troublesome.¡± ¡°I might be of some help there,¡± Oberyn cut in, his smirk widening into a smile. As Doran and I turned to him, he continued. ¡°Just after Cregan left, as you know brother, I sent out a missive to the Lords of Dorne. I wanted to see if any young apprentices, preferably those with skill and a desire for an adventure, would be interested in a venture being arranged in Sunspear. I kept your name from the missive, brother, to avoid any thinking we are behind Cregan¡¯s plans for Dustspear, but some men have filtered in. The last party came from Godsgrace, which is why Daemon''s father is here.¡± ¡°That explained why Ser Ryon was vague about his reason for visiting,¡± Doran commented, seemingly putting another matter to bed. I hadn¡¯t realised Daemon¡¯s father was in Sunspear, but given I¡¯d been preoccupied since returning by three lovely ladies, it wasn¡¯t surprising I¡¯d missed some seemingly minor details of the court. ¡°Still, I am surprised you were so certain of Cregan¡¯s success, and the will to follow through on his intentions for Dustspear.¡± Oberyn clutched his chest as if his heart was failing. ¡°Brother, you wound me,¡± he said with mock pain. ¡°I trained Cregan, I trained Daemon. I knew they could take Dustspear with the men under their command. While Cregan is young, and there is much he still has to learn, you knew this plan would work. Else you would never have supported it, and risked angering Arianne.¡± My father turned to me, a wide smile on his face. ¡°While I have yet to speak with the men who came with Ser Ryon, I know that groups have arrived from Lemonwood and Spottswood, so there is a chance a sawyer is among them.¡± ¡°Aye, likely,¡± I replied with a smile. Those two keeps were so named as they were locations of the only two woodland areas in western Dorne. Now, there were forests at other locations along the various rivers brought life to the deserts of Dorne, and forests in the Red Mountains near Starfall, but the two ¡®wood¡¯ named keeps were the main sources of lumber for western Dorne. That lack of wood was one reason I¡¯d been intrigued by the density of the forest on Dustspear. While I couldn¡¯t be sure the trees growing there would make good timber, they should be, which would create a market for at least one resource from the island. Now, at first, I might have to ship the down trees back to Sunspear, or possibly Lemonwood further south, to be converted into timber, but with time, and security, I knew a skilled tradesman capable of turning trees into timber would come to the island seeking work. Depending on the stones that came from the abandoned quarry, the same might well be true for that as well. Now, at first, I¡¯d have to keep back most of the resources to rebuild and repair the various settlements on the island. However, the fact I could see how the island¡¯s economy could develop, meant the path forward was visible. ¡°Provided there is a skilled sawyer interested in joining your settlement, Sunspear would be interested in purchasing any excess timber.¡± I smiled at Doran¡¯s words. ¡°I had hoped as much, My Prince, and I can assure you the terms would be beneficial to us both.¡± Doran chuckled. ¡°Yes, I am sure they will be.¡± I looked back at the map, taking my time to see how little of it was filled in. Thanks to Ymir I knew the forests covered much of the island, but I didn¡¯t know what else might be hidden there. Once we were back, I¡¯d be sending out surveying parties to see other potential ways the island could grow. First though, the focus would be on the northern settlement, which still needed a name. I didn¡¯t know how many non-sellswords would sign on at first, but I had no plans to develop the southern settlement until the northern one, along with any farms and the quarry were up and running. In time, the southern settlement would hopefully focus on trade with Dorne while the northern settlement would have a more military slant, however, such plans were for further into the future. ¡°Now, since it is clear you plan to develop Dustspear into a true holding, I feel a need to enquire as to your plans regarding the rest of the Stepstones. Word will leak that Dustspear has a new master, and if the pirates sense weakness, they will attack seeking to crush you before you become a threat.¡± I smiled deviously at Doran when he finished speaking. ¡°Well for one, My Prince, Dustspear is not held by Cregan Sand, but by the Rogue Viper.¡± ¡°Fitting,¡± Oberyn remarked with a chuckle. ¡°Now, I know the name shall not hold for long, nor will others not quickly place the link between the Rogue Viper and Sunspear, but I only need a few moons to secure my position. Any longer than that will be a bonus, but I do not intend to sit on my laurels and await an attack.¡± ¡°Where do you plan to strike next?¡± My smile grew and I looked again at the map. It might only have Dustspear on it, but that was enough to lay out my next plan. ¡°The obvious targets are The Whores, Grey Gallows, and Redwater,¡± I said, tapping the appropriate edges of the map in turn. ¡°The Lord of Grey Gallows, from what my prisoners told me before they faced justice, recently lost a major skirmish to a pirate from Bloodstone over part of The Whores. Redwater, meanwhile, is currently contested by three pirates, all of whom claim to be the island''s Lord.¡± Oberyn leaned forward, drumming his fingers on the desk as he looked at the map of Dustspear. ¡°From what you have said, it would seem Grey Gallows is the best target. However, due to its location in the Steps, taking it would place you in danger of attacks from almost every direction. Perhaps even cutting any force off from support in Dustspear.¡± ¡°Aye,¡± I agreed with a nod, ¡°and while the Whores are unclaimed, they are contested by at least four pirate lords, with none able to gain much more than a foothold in the small chain of islands.¡± My hand moved to the eastern edge of the map. ¡°Which is why Redwater is my next true target.¡± ¡°The island is at least four times that of Dustspear, and the plans used against the Grim Prince will not work against all the pirates there.¡± ¡°They might even unite against you,¡± Doran added, ¡°and crush your forces before you could gain a foothold.¡± ¡°Aye, they well might, My Prince. However, before striking at Redwater, or even targeting any vessels linked to the Pirate Lords there, I plan to raid, properly this time, The Whores. If I can drive each of the groups currently contesting the island back, then they¡¯ll all seek to reclaim their lost holdings to avoid being seen as weak. That would draw the focus of the Pirate Lords of Grey Gallows, Bloodstone, and The Shrouded Isle to this chain and each other. Especially if I fly flags of the other pirates during the attacks.¡± ¡°Clearing the Whores would bring chaos to that area of the Steps, for certain. However, might it affect the lords along the Broken Arm?¡± ¡°I do not feel it would, brother,¡± Oberyn replied before I could. ¡°Knowing something of how such people think, I would wager a sizable amount of coin that those pirate lords whom Cregan drives out of the Whores will return in large numbers. As he said, so as to not invite a challenge to their power.¡± Oberyn turned, smiling at me as he understood the plan I was laying out. ¡°And while those pirates, and perhaps even one of those on Redwater, move for The Whores, you move against Redwater. I assume the pirate who controls the southern tip of the island?¡± ¡°Possibly. Though I will have to evaluate as things progress.¡± My father leaned back, his fingers rubbing along his jaw. ¡°A risky plan to use your men to first clear The Whores. However, if you are quick enough about it, and can sow confusion as to who is behind the attacks, then the pirates may do as you expect. Which would leave you unchallenged from the north while you strike east.¡± ¡°That is my hope, Father.¡± ¡°You will need more men than you had for Dustspear, but if you are even half as careful with those men as Daemon tells me you were on Dustspear, I feel you can take Redwater. Holding it, however, might be an entirely different proposition.¡± ¡°That is a bridge I shall cross when I come to it. It does not serve me to focus that far ahead. Not when the early road is fraught with danger.¡± Oberyn chuckled. ¡°Well said.¡± Almost as one, we turned to Doran to learn his opinion on my plans. ¡°On behalf of Sunspear and Dorne, I cannot officially offer my support for these attacks,¡± he said slowly, measuring his words. ¡°The danger posed by the cities of Essos learning we directly back you is too great. However, as your uncle, I and your father will do what we can, under the table, to help you prepare, and will offer prayers to the Gods that your venture is successful.¡± ¡°That is all I could hope for.¡± ¡°As Oberyn says, holding Redwater will be a challenge, as you cannot leave Dustspear undefended. However, I feel that taking Redwater will be the more difficult task. Still, if all you can do is raid the island and clear the pirate infestations there, along with those on The Whores it will greatly benefit all of us.¡± ¡°If the riches on Redwater scale with its size, then I might have contacts in Westeros and beyond who may be of use,¡± Oberyn offered. ¡°They certainly will not be cheap, but the company I founded during my brief sojourn in Essos is still led by those I knew, so they should be open to a contract. Provided that they are not employed elsewhere.¡± Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°If they are free and trustworthy, then I would be willing to speak with them,¡± I said. Now, while Oberyn had mentioned repeatedly, he had founded a company in Essos and had many adventures with them while in exile to Essos just before and during Robert¡¯s Rebellion. However, he hadn¡¯t ever told me the name, perhaps feeling it was more worthwhile for me to determine who it was myself. So far, I had only an inkling of which company it might be, but even if it was a small one, a company of experienced warriors wasn¡¯t something to dismiss out of hand. That said, I would if the leaders of the company were the sort to break a contract, or seemed inclined to not follow any rules I put in place. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ The meeting with the two Princes of Dorne ran on for a while after that, as we talked about how I planned to develop Dustspear, how that might be achieved, and what my plans beyond Redwater were. Eventually, though, it ended as both had other business to attend to and once allowed to leave, I¡¯d returned to my quarters and spent some time with Kaa. While it was hard to judge his emotions as he was far more alien in how he thought than Ymir or even Rian, I felt he was happy I was back. I also set plans with a servant to ensure he was ready to come with me to Dustspear. With the island under my control, I wanted him at my side. Beyond feeling empty when far from my companions, I planned to continue milking his venom and mixing it into my drink. Oberyn had started doing that several years ago, as he said it built up a resistance to most other poisons. Given I now had a tracked skill for Poison Resistance, there was wisdom in his words, and I¡¯d continued doing so once I learnt how to milk a snake¡¯s venom. While I used Kaa¡¯s because he trusted me to hold him, it was more because his venom was more potent than it should be that made him more valuable for milking. Oberyn and Maester Caleotte had commented on that fact, and I knew my father had used some of Kaa¡¯s venom in the poisons he concocted. Hells, I¡¯d seen Ty do so as well, at least before everything had happened between us and she¡¯d been sent to the Reach for a year. Still, while Kaa would be returning with me and Ymir, Rian wouldn¡¯t, which was why I was now climbing the stairs in the Tower of the Sun toward the room where he and Riona had made their nest. Maester Caleotte had given me texts detailing the life cycle of eagles, specifically Sunfyre eagles, and from that, I knew the egg wouldn¡¯t hatch until after I left for Dustspear. Even then, it would be several moons ¨C perhaps even up to half a year ¨C before Rian would trust his child to leave and hunt on alone. While I¡¯d miss Rian¡¯s ability for aerial reconnaissance, I¡¯d miss more the comfort of knowing he was close by. Still, just as I wouldn¡¯t with a human, I wouldn¡¯t force him to choose between me and his new family. His happiness was more important than my need for his skills. Thoughts about Rian slipped from the forefront of my mind as I reached the floor containing the balcony where he and Riona had nested. While the guard outside the room was expected ¨C as Arianne had placed that there before I¡¯d departed to take Dustspear, seeing Daemon there wasn¡¯t. ¡°Arianne is inside?¡± I asked as I approached. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve been told that she and others spent considerable time here while we were gone,¡± Daemon replied with a smile. ¡°Perhaps she felt a need to be close to Rian due to your absence. Perhaps your reconnecting was not as effective as it sounded.¡± I laughed at his words, glad to be at a point where he could joke about such things, and that our friendship had been restored. The guard at his side ¨C Deston my mind supplied ¨C shifted as he saw the sheathed blade at my side. However, as Daemon was unconcerned about Red Rain, Deston, had to allow it, and I pushed at the door, being careful to not have it creak. As the door closed, I turned and saw the main chamber was empty. However, voices drifted on the wind from the bedroom, which made sense as like many of the quarters in the Tower, the balcony was attached to that room. ¡°¡­so much older than me.¡± Alysanne¡¯s voice was the first to reach me as I neared the door to the bedroom, which was slightly ajar. ¡°Daemon might be older, but that is a minor issue,¡± Ari replied, a slight edge to her tone. ¡°I know of many girls who are married to men older than them. Ser Ryon Allyrion¡¯s wife is my age, yet Ser Ryon is Daemon¡¯s father.¡± A sigh loud enough that I could hear it out here slipped from her lips. ¡°It is far more uncommon for the lady to be older, such as what I have with Cregan.¡± ¡°He might be young, but from the sounds echoing around the Tower last night and this morn, I would say he¡¯s skilled between the sheets.¡± I held back a cough of shock at hearing that comment from one of Ari¡¯s ladies-in-waiting. If I caught the voice clearly, I¡¯d say it was Jelissa Fowler commenting on my skill. ¡°Oh, he is very skilled,¡± Ari replied quickly, an amused tone to her voice. ¡°Be it with his cock, hands, or tongue.¡± A round of giggles and coughing echoed out of the bedroom, and I was caught in two minds. While it was amusing to overhear Ari speak of my abilities to others, some of whom were very attractive, I was eavesdropping. Before anyone could speak again, I stepped back from the door and coughed. That ended the sounds from the room, and I stepped back toward the door. ¡°From the laughter, I take it you are not alone, Princess?¡± I asked as I placed a hand on the edge of the door. ¡°No, I am not,¡± Ari replied. ¡°And we are decent enough that you may enter.¡± I pushed the door open and saw that apart from the three I¡¯d already identified from their voices, Jynessa Blackmont ¨C my second cousin through my grandmother ¨C and Allyria Dayne were also present. ¡°Forgive me if I am interrupting something private ladies,¡± I said as the girls all looked up at me. Alysanne and Allyria both looked away, their cheeks reddening, but Jelissa and Jynessa both looked at me as if I was a nice steak. ¡°However, I had hoped to check in on Rian and Riona.¡± Ari smiled warmly at me from where she and the others were sitting on the bed. ¡°I had expected you to come here after my father was finished speaking with you. Though I admit, I had expected that to take most of the afternoon.¡± ¡°As you can see, it did not, though it was a rather detailed, if private, discussion.¡± I turned my gaze to Alysanne. ¡°I had not expected to find you with the Princess, cousin.¡± Alysanne tried and failed to meet my gaze. Ari seemed to take pity on her, and after placing a hand on my cousin¡¯s leg ¨C which had her flinch ¨C she spoke. ¡°Alysanne wished to discuss a private matter with us. One for which a more experienced voice was needed.¡± ¡°Ah, then I hope I have not in some way come at an inopportune time?¡± ¡°No, there was nothing said that I feel would offend your ears,¡± Ari replied before licking her lips. ¡°Though perhaps your cousin might wish to discuss another matter with you over the coming days.¡± Alysanne seemed to want to sink into the bed as if embarrassed by the focus now on her. ¡°Perhaps we can speak later, with less of an audience?¡± I suggested, to which she nodded. I then looked at the others on the bed. ¡°Aunt, I hope you are well.¡± ¡°I am, thank you, Cregan,¡± Allyria replied with a small smile. ¡°And I am happy you have returned safely from your mission to protect Dorne.¡± ¡°Do I not warrant a greeting, cousin?¡± I turned to Jynessa to see her smiling at me, a spark in her eyes that drew me in. While not on the level of Ari, Allyria, or even Alysanne, she was an attractive lady; and not yet married or betrothed. ¡°Our blood link is distant, Lady Jynessa, shared through our grandparents,¡± I said back, not rising to her invite with anything more than a basic response. ¡°Nor did I foster with your family, as is the case with Alysanne.¡± ¡°That is a shame, still, we are both in Sunspear. I would be remiss if I failed to spend time getting to know my cousin. Princess Arianne speaks very highly of you.¡± ¡°While I am flattered you feel that we might become close, and by the Princess¡¯ kind words,¡± I gave her a nod which drew an amused smile from Ari, ¡°I am unsure if time will permit us to grow closer. Prince Doran will surely find more use for my skills.¡± If she came with Ari to her bed, and it was very clear that she had chosen this without any prompting or seduction by Ari, then I wasn¡¯t going to kick her out. However, bedding a trueborn daughter even one who was third-in-line like Jynessa ¨C was far different, even in Dorne, from bedding a bastard daughter. And carried far more risk depending on the parent. Which is why I was trying to lower any hopes she might have to let me bed her. What I had with Ari was different as I was her paramour, and Doran had given his blessing for what we shared to continue. There were caveats, but those were a considerable way away if they ever came. Doran¡¯s intent to marry Ari to Viserys was doomed to fail, and not just because I felt the insane prince¡¯s fate was set. ¡°And was that what you spoke with him about today?¡± Ari asked. ¡°Alas, Princess, but your father was quite clear that I was not to discuss the matter with any bar him or Prince Oberyn,¡± I replied with a smile. I¡¯d enjoyed teasing Ari about my initial plans for Dustspear and figured I might do the same with the next phase of my plans. At least until we could speak privately. ¡°Now, if I might have my leave, I wish to check on Rian and will then depart to allow you to continue whatever it was you were discussing before I arrived.¡± ¡°Rian is currently away hunting,¡± Ari said with a smile of her own, ¡°though from what I have heard, he never has to go far to find a suitable meal.¡± I smiled, remembering the moment with the fishmonger yesterday. ¡°Riona, I believe, is resting while she warms the egg.¡± ¡°Then I shall return later to see if Rian has returned.¡± I bowed deeply. ¡°Until later Princess, ladies.¡± Turning on my heels I walked toward the door of the chamber, leaving the group to return to their discussion. If it had it right, Alysanne had brought up Daemon and the gift he¡¯d given her. This room made sense to discuss the matter as it was a private location, and with Daemon outside, he wouldn¡¯t enter without knocking loudly, giving Alysanne time to shift the topic. At some point, Alysanne would speak with me, as I had grown up with Daemon and, I felt, she respected my opinions. So long as Doran had given permission for Daemon to pursue her, and that Ned was made aware of Daemon''s intent by letter, then I wouldn¡¯t stand in the way. Though that didn¡¯t mean I wasn¡¯t expecting Beron, Wylla, or possibly both, to come and speak with me about the blossoming relationship between the two bastards. As I slipped from the room, I smiled in amusement at Daemon. He frowned as I passed, wondering why I¡¯d done that, but never said anything as I walked away. What happened between them was none of my business, at least so long as he respected her. Which, after growing up around Daemon, I knew he would. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I looked up from my seat at the trio of men standing on the other side of the table I was sitting at. They had weaponry, which was more than some that wanted to sign on with me, and some armour, but overall, there was nothing impressive about them. Still, at this point, what I needed was bodies for my military, and this trio, along with others I¡¯d seen this morn, were interested. This was the third time I¡¯d helped in the tent with recruiting sellswords. While I could¡¯ve left it to Cayde and Jaeronos, I felt I should put in the hours for it as well. Not only would it let me ¨C and by extension, Ymir, who was lazing against my chair ¨C meet the new men under my command, but it would show Cayde and Jaeronos that I was willing to do the same menial work as them. I hoped that might help ensure further loyalty in them, as I¡¯d be relying on them ¨C and Bronn and Irraro ¨C more heavily once we were back on Dustspear. ¡°You understand, having heard the terms of employment with me, you shall be away from Dorne, and any family you might have, for at least half a year?¡± ¡°Aye, we do, mi¡¯lord.¡± The reply came from the largest of the trio who was about my size, though with broad shoulders. ¡°And that, any action you take that violates the rules you just had read to you, then you accept the judgement passed down by myself of one of my officers and any order given to you is to be obeyed, no matter how odd it sounds?¡± I added, gesturing at Cayde at my side. He¡¯d just read, for about the thirtieth time this afternoon, the rules I had every man wanting to fight for me had to agree to and sign as proof. Those rules were, in the opinion of Cayde, Jaeronos, and Oberyn, more expansive than most sellsword companies would use. While many of the rules were obvious ¨C obey your superiors, don¡¯t steal from your fellow warriors, set pay rates for various ranks ¨C some were more, in a sense, controversial. The biggest example of that was the rules regarding rape ¨C be it actual, or caught in the attempt to ¨C or murder of a prisoner. Anyone caught doing such crimes would be summarily executed. While Oberyn considered my ideals noble, he mentioned that stopping men from raping and pillaging after a battle was hard to achieve. More so in Essos than in Westeros, but it did happen in the Seven Kingdoms. The most recent example being Robert¡¯s Rebellion. Cayde and Jaeronos had expressed similar concerns but they, along with Daemon had signed the contract below me. Daemon it seemed was coming, both as Ari wanted me to stay safe and because he¡¯d admitted that he enjoyed the adventure. At some point down the road, if things went mainly how I hoped they would, he¡¯d be forced to choose between continuing to fight at my side and serving as Ari¡¯s sworn shield. Thankfully, that day was a long way away. Another major ruling had been slavery, or even creating something that was slavery in all but name. There, any man proven to be forcing another person to serve them against their will would be stripped of all pay ¨C which would be given to their victim ¨C and then executed. While I didn¡¯t think that would be a major issue, it was one I had to put down to separate myself from the Pirate Lords of the Stepstones. And it was the one rule no one that had signed had shown any issue with. ¡°Aye, mi¡¯lord,¡± the same man repeated with his cohorts nodding in agreement. I stared at the trio, and gently petted Ymir. He lifted his head and gave the trio a sniff. A short snarl came from him, but that was all he did before lowering his head back onto his paws. ¡°Very well. Speak to the scribe there and listen to him repeat the rules. If you still accept them, then tell him your name, and when he asks you, place a mark next to it confirming you understand and accept the rules and my command over you.¡± I watched as the trio turned and moved over to the second table in the tent we¡¯d pitched near a large square in the Shadow City. There a hired scribe sat with Eddin. So far, Eddin wasn¡¯t giving me any reason to distrust him, nor was Ymir suspicious around him. Already Ymir had expressed disinterest in seven men who had wanted to sign on, when I¡¯d mentioned that my direwolf didn¡¯t trust them, three had walked away, insulted by the comment. The other four hadn¡¯t and while they¡¯d signed on, I¡¯d made sure their names had an extra mark. That mark was added to any that Cayde or Jaeronos had concerns about as well, and those men ¨C who totalled eight so far after five days of hiring ¨C would only be brought along if I felt I needed them right away. If they came, then they¡¯d be assigned as separately as possible, or, if there was a need for it, placed on suicide missions. Not that they¡¯d learn the mission was that before they were sent of course. ¡°How many now?¡± I asked as Jaeronos pulled back the cover to the tent, letting the next potential recruit in. Behind him, a line of perhaps twenty were waiting. ¡°Seventeen today,¡± Cayde replied as he placed three more marks on the parchment on the table. ¡°Brings us to about a hundred fifty so far.¡± That wasn¡¯t bad, though most of the first fifty were the men from Dustspear and the crews of the Windchaser and Trickster. Crews for the other vessels were being hired, and they¡¯d also be signing the contracts, but I wasn¡¯t placing as much focus on that this early as I wanted an idea of how many sellswords I could get first. Nor were there concerns about how to enforce the rules as time passed and the company grew. Or when someone broke one of my major rules and I had to execute them. Though I knew it was only a matter of time until that happened,. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I followed Ari and Alysanne into Ari¡¯s chamber, and if not for knowing why we were entering, I¡¯d perhaps worry Alysanne was about to admit something that would cause issues between me, her, and Daemon. Thankfully that wasn¡¯t the case, so I wasn¡¯t worried, though as we entered and I saw the rolled-up fabric resting on the table in the centre of the room, I became curious. ¡°You have to promise not to laugh,¡± Alysanne said as she picked up one side of the fabric. Ari collected the other, though she wore an amused smile, looking forward to what was to come. I watched the pair lift the fabric, which didn¡¯t appear heavy and noted that while Alysanne was seven years Ari¡¯s junior, the height difference wasn¡¯t pronounced. Most of that was because Ari was short as she unfortunately hadn¡¯t inherited her height from her father, who while not as tall as Oberyn, was a bit above average when he stood to his full height. Amusingly, the only clear difference between Alysanne and Ari was that the princess had matured into a beautiful young lady whereas Alysanne was in that awkward stage of being a teenager. ¡°I promise,¡± I replied as the pair moved away from the table. While I remained externally calm, inside I was worried about what the pair had made for me as a personal sigil. Worrying images of an insane mixing of the colours and symbols of Houses Stark, Dayne, and Martell flooded my thoughts whenever I considered what the pair had been up to. Now, I knew that whatever they¡¯d created wouldn¡¯t be anywhere near as bad as what I¡¯d dreamt up, but the concern that I¡¯d one day march into battle wearing something hideous hadn¡¯t ever left my thoughts. ¡°Ready?¡± Ari asked though it was more to Alysanne than me. After my cousin gave a weak nod, showing her fear I¡¯d hate what they¡¯d created, they removed a hand each from the fabric and unrolled it slowly. As it unveiled itself slowly before my eyes, the distinct black outline emerged first, tracing the star and tail of House Dayne. Yet, this rendition differed¡ªviolet instead of the customary grey, swirling in an elegant circular manner. My gaze swiftly shifted to the grand yellow sun, tinged with crimson, encircling House Dayne''s star. The flames danced atop the sun, their separation revealing a spectrum of colours beneath. Amidst my admiration for the seamless fusion of the two sigils, the heart of the emblem came into view. At the very core of the radiant sun, lay the tranquil countenance of a black direwolf, its vivid azure eyes capturing my attention. A grin formed on my lips as I recognized the subtle nod to Ymir in their design, yet unmistakably drawing inspiration from House Stark''s sigil. The sigil boasted a richness of hues, surpassing the usual composition of a house emblem. In my time, I''ve witnessed more ostentatious personal sigils during the Gulltown tourney, but those were few in number. Often, when combining the sigils of two houses, the resultant design either awkwardly melded the colours or adopted a peculiar amalgamation. And when three houses were involved, it often resulted in a quartered design, favouring the most significant house with multiple sections. These creations, while logical in concept, often appeared chaotic to me, leaving the banner''s focal point ambiguous. However, the creation crafted by Alysanne and Ari was devoid of such complexities and was, in truth, truly remarkable. ¡°Well?¡± Ari asked with a smirk, and I realised I¡¯d been staring at the banner for perhaps too long without commenting. While the princess seemed amused by this, Alysanne had grown nervous, as if afraid I wasn¡¯t happy with it. ¡°This is good,¡± I said slowly, taking a step forward and placing my hand on Ymir¡¯s head. ¡°No, scratch that, amazing.¡± A wide smile dominated my face as I looked at Ari and Alysanne. ¡°Thank you.¡± Ari turned to Alysanne and smiled, almost as if to let her know she¡¯d been worrying for nothing, and I saw Alysanne¡¯s shoulders slump in relief. ¡°We, uh, we wanted something that used the colours of House Stark at first,¡± Alysanne explained as I let my hand slide over the rest of the banner, marvelling at how the star and its tail in a light purple didn¡¯t detract from the design even though the purple shouldn¡¯t have worked with the black and yellow that dominated the sigil. ¡°But that just failed. The Princess suggested changing the colour.¡± ¡°It was your idea to use Ymir though,¡± Ari cut in, shifting the credit to my cousin. ¡°And had the idea to make the eyes blue to confirm it.¡± I turned to Alysanne and gave her a wide, warm smile. ¡°He and I thank you for that.¡± ¡°Wel... EEP!¡± Alysanne was cut off as I reached for and pulled her into a half-hug. As she flustered against me, Ari chuckled, which had me turn to her, giving her a smile that promised a more personal thank you later. ¡°This is amazing,¡± I said as I released Alysanne, ignoring the fact her face was redder than Dornish wine. ¡°Thank you.¡± My cousin nodded, not trusting her voice. I turned back to Ari. ¡°Princess,¡± I added with a lowering of my head. While I wanted to hug and kiss her, and doubted Alysanne would mind, we weren¡¯t alone, so decorum meant I couldn¡¯t. ¡°You are more than welcome, Ser Cregan,¡± Ari replied before gently nibbling her lip in a way that sent a pleasant shiver down my spine. Even without the gesture, the desire in her eyes left no doubt she wanted me to thank her in a more personal way, though we understood that would have to wait. ¡°Apart from this banner, I had a handful of shields and surcoats commissioned with the sigil upon them. They should be ready before you next depart.¡± ¡°You will be leaving again?¡± I turned to my cousin, who blinked and brought her free hand to her mouth at realising she¡¯d spoken out of turn. ¡°Yes,¡± I answered, stopping her from apologising when neither I nor Ari needed one. ¡°After my success on Dustspear, Prince Doran has need of my blade and those who sailed with me, for another matter of security. Though this time we will likely be gone for several moons.¡± ¡°I, I see.¡± She turned away for a moment as if contemplating something. ¡°W-will Ser Daemon again be travelling with you? ¡°I am uncertain of that,¡± I replied, choosing not to comment on her bringing up Daemon for the first time around me. It¡¯d only been about a week since we¡¯d returned to Sunspear, so whatever was going on between the pair was still young, and Alysanne would need time to put her thoughts in order regarding Daemon¡¯s interest. ¡°While I would like a blade as skilled as his at my side, he is the Princess¡¯ sworn shield. She decides where he goes, not I.¡± Ari chuckled as she gestured for Alysanne to help her roll up the banner. ¡°I could, perhaps, allow him to sail with you again. However, I feel I will need persuasion to permit it.¡± I took a step toward her, knowing exactly how she wanted me to convince her. ¡°B-Beron¡¯s jealous!¡± I stopped my approach to Ari at Alysanne¡¯s blurted words. Alysanne¡¯s cheeks had reddened further, either from realising that she¡¯d let slip her interest in Daemon, or from the interaction between me and Ari. Or possibly both. ¡°He wants to sail with you,¡± she managed to get out, explaining her initial remark. ¡°Aye, I expect he does. However, he is here as a ward of Prince Doran. Sending him into battle with me, when he is not my squire would be impossible, and would place him in great danger. That is something I, Prince Doran, and your father would not wish to see. Still, when his time as Prince Doran¡¯s ward has passed, and if I am still fighting on the seas, he could choose to join me of his free will. If he is not otherwise occupied.¡± Beron¡¯s desire to sail with me was something I was well aware of. I¡¯d taken him out once on the Windchaser before I¡¯d departed for Dustspear, and he¡¯d asked a few times to do so again. While my vessel, and the others under my command, were currently not being put to sea as they were being repaired and upgraded under the watchful eyes of the Dockmaster, he had come onboard. Beron¡¯s love of the sea, even if he still got seasick, was why, in the end, I¡¯d decided to gift the book of Gahaelor Baeliar¡¯s adventure to Sothoryos to him instead of Maester Caleotte. The Maester hadn¡¯t been happy about a child getting such a rare book, but Beron had shown intelligence in using that to his advantage. He¡¯d been happy for Caleotte to copy the book, though on the condition that Beron was allowed to read any books within Sunspear detailing expeditions and adventures beyond Westeros¡¯ shores. Doran had accepted that condition, with a caveat that the books Beron could read were done so only with his approval and under the watchful eye of Caleotte or one of those who assisted him. ¡°Oh,¡± Ari said, snapping her fingers, ¡°Wylla wishes to speak with you. I believe the mermaid has grown tired of waiting for the wolfling to realise her interest.¡± ¡°I am unsure how much help I can be there,¡± I replied, chuckling at the image of Wylla trying to flirt with Beron. She¡¯d likely be unsure of how to do so, and Beron would easily miss the signs. ¡°And I don¡¯t think the ways you and your cousins tempted me while I grew up would work for those two.¡± Ari laughed, remembering the constant innuendo she, Ty, Nym, and even Sarella had used against me. Still, I would do what I could to help Wylla. Outside of being a good match based on their houses, the pair were similar in how outgoing they were and got on well. Now, there was a chance the pairing would be denied, but the only way I could see that happening was if Wylla¡¯s older sister, Wynafryd was betrothed to Robb. However, from the short time I¡¯d seen the pair around each other, Robb had no clue how to speak with Wynafryd, and with the Manderlys being followers of the Faith, I felt the other Northern houses might prefer a ¡®proper¡¯ match for the Heir to Winterfell. It had never been said when, due to Alysanne and Ty¡¯s actions, we¡¯d stayed in White Harbour longer than planned, but I felt Lord Wyman understood this. That was the only reason I could come up with Wylla being sent to foster in Dorne along with Beron. Well, unless he hoped to somehow snag someone like Trystane for Wylla. Still, I felt Beron and Wylla was a match worth helping to secure, and if it happened, it might earn me goodwill with Ned and Lord Wyman. ¡°How are your lessons going?¡± I asked Alysanne, shifting the topic as the three of us worked to re-roll the banner. I spent what time I could with her, Beron, Wylla, and the others that had come with them, but I simply didn¡¯t have the time to do so as much as they might like. Most of my time was taken with planning, training, or sating the needs of Ari, Nym, and Asha. Often at the same time. Plus, with me leaving as soon as everything was ready, I¡¯d have even less time to bond with the Northerners. ¡°Good,¡± my cousin replied slowly. ¡°I still dislike all the proper stuff that Sansa does, but at least the ones here are never as¡­ strict as Lady Catelyn and Septa Mordane.¡± I saw a hint of a smile come to her face as she continued. ¡°Plus, here I am allowed to train in the yard without glares from the Lady of the keep.¡± ¡°While my mother is not here, she would never stop you from learning what you wished,¡± Ari commented. ¡°And with my cousins all trained by my uncle there, it would be presumptuous for us to deny that right to others.¡± ¡°I am thankful for that, Princess,¡± Alysanne said, dropping her head in thanks. ¡°Though I wish Sarella was still here. She is a great teacher on the range.¡± ¡°Sarella has left on a personal errand, though I cannot say when she might return.¡± Ari¡¯s reply was vague and polite, which it had to be as if anyone caught a whiff of Sarella¡¯s intentions, she could be in danger. ¡°Though perhaps you might ask another for help. While not as gifted as Sarella, Ser Daemon is good with a bow, is he not, Cregan?¡± ¡°Well, he is not as good as me,¡± I commented, drawing giggles from the girls, ¡°but he is good. And I have seen him offering Edric Dayne and others help when in the yard together.¡± ¡°W-would he not be busy with his duties?¡± Alysanne asked, trying to downplay her interest in the idea, and failing horribly. When Ari had mentioned Daemon, my cousin¡¯s eyes had widened comically, and she¡¯d looked away to hide her feelings on the matter. ¡°I am sure I can spare him for some time each day,¡± Ari replied. With the banner now rolled up and placed on the table, she moved closer to me and placed a hand on my arm. ¡°With Cregan back, I am sure he would be willing to handle some of Daemons¡¯ duties to allow him time to tutor you.¡± Ari¡¯s nails dug gently into my arm, making it clear she wanted me to go along with this. And possibly as a hint that she wanted me to guard her in a more intimate manner. ¡°As always, I am at my Princess¡¯ command,¡± I replied to Ari before focusing on Alysanne. ¡°Ser Daemon is a good warrior, and I am sure he would be willing to help you if you wish. When next I see him should I broach the matter?¡± I hoped she¡¯d be willing to do so herself, but if not, I was happy to help things move along between the pair. Alysanne¡¯s eyes got glassy as if she was lost in her thoughts for a moment. ¡°N-no. I, I think I can manage that myself.¡± She shifted her gaze to Ari. ¡°Thank you for the suggestion, Princess.¡± When she spoke, she curtseyed, and while it wasn¡¯t particularly low, Ari seemed unoffended. ¡°There is no need for that, Alysanne,¡± Ari said, slipping closer to my cousin. ¡°While we do not share blood, you are Cregan¡¯s family, and I consider him family. That is enough for me, while we are not in court, for you to not need to be so formal. Plus, I believe we are becoming friends, yes?¡± Alysanne smiled. ¡°Yes, Pri¡­ Arianne. Thank you.¡± The two hugged, though it was difficult for Ari as she was still at my side. As they did, I gave Ari¡¯s arse a gentle squeeze, letting her know I was happy for her helping Alysanne. Whatever happened between my cousin and Daemon was up to them, but so long as he didn¡¯t hurt her ¨C which I doubted he would ¨C then I wouldn¡¯t get involved. And perhaps if something did develop, it might encourage Daemon to ask to be released as Ari¡¯s sworn shield. While that would remove protection for her, she could find another in Sunspear easily enough. Plus, it would mean Daemon fighting at my side, and given his skill, and the fact he was the only one with a basic understanding of what extra abilities I had among my men, that increased my chances of survival. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I stood in the yard, watching Alia and Dorea as they nocked arrows on their bows. ¡°Remember, never hold the string against your chin for too long,¡± I remarked as the pair pulled on strings, aiming the small, blunted training arrows they were using. ¡°Aim dead centre, release some breath and let loose.¡± As I finished, the pair did as I instructed, and the arrows flew toward their target: me. After quickly tracking their movements through the air, I reacted. Leaning to my right, the arrow Alia had shot sailed past me harmlessly, while lifting my left leg resulted in Dorea¡¯s shot impacting the dirt of the yard. While it wasn¡¯t obvious to either of them or anyone watching, I was using Wind Magic to gently redirect their shots. It wasn¡¯t much of a change, but it was a subtle, steady way to practice the magic while spending time with my sisters. Plus, it was the next step in my training with this branch of magic beyond simply trying to sense the movement of the arrows in the air. Now, I couldn¡¯t move them much, at least so far, but even an inch or two movement of an arrow could be the difference between life and death in battle. ¡°Alia, remember to steady the bow before loosing your arrow,¡± I said as I re-set my footing. ¡°Dorea, while I appreciate the attempt, stick to targeting my gut,¡± I added, patting my stomach. ¡°Once you can do that, then we can see about you trying to make me limp.¡± The pair chuckled at my comment even as they pulled the next arrow from their quivers, which let me review how I¡¯d ended up standing in the yard letting my young sisters take potshots at me with the smallest bows in Sunspear and blunted arrows that wouldn¡¯t do anything more than sting ¨C when fired by the girls ¨C if they hit me. Several days ago, after a sparring session with Oberyn ¨C in which, as always, I got trounced ¨C I¡¯d been heading to the armoury to return my training equipment. Having to do that myself was the downside of not having taken even a page yet, but it was what it was. Regardless, when I reached the armoury, I saw drag marks in the dirt. Curious as to the source, after putting the training blades away, I followed the trail. Which was when I¡¯d found the pair with weapons taken from the training armoury in hand. Well, more accurately, being dragged behind them. The question of how they¡¯d gotten into the armoury was one I¡¯d passed along to Oberyn when I¡¯d take the matter to him, but apparently, the girls had found it unguarded, and seeing a chance, had decided to borrow weapons for themselves. Now, Alia had been a touch smarter, going for a bow, though the shortbow there was almost as tall as her. Dorea however, had taken a fucking morningstar. When I¡¯d asked why she¡¯d taken it, she¡¯d replied that she wanted to smash some oranges in the garden with it. After recovering from the imagery of her running around the gardens trying to smash oranges with the morningstar, while the servants and whomever her minder for that day chased after her, I¡¯d promptly made them return the borrowed weapons. After that, I¡¯d taken them to find Oberyn. If I¡¯d taken them to my mother or Ellaria, they¡¯d have been heavily punished. However, I didn¡¯t see anything wrong with them wanting to learn a weapon, nor did Oberyn. After recovering from the laughing fit my story brought on Oberyn had decided that while I was in Sunspear, I would handle the training of my young sisters. At first, I¡¯d not been pleased with the decision, but I¡¯d quickly seen how I could use it to my advantage, and now into the fourth day of training, I¡¯d taken Wind Magic up nine levels to Level 37. The first few days, I¡¯d worked on trying to sense the arrows in the air, playing off the odd ability that I¡¯d discovered on Dustspear where I could sense a potential threat. I believed that ability came from my bond with Kaa, as the one with Ymir hadn¡¯t passed Level 5, and reaching that level with Rian had gifted me sharper vision. From today, I¡¯d started gently shifting the air around the arrows, trying to divert their flight. The results so far were mixed, but with time I should be able to do that, and I hoped, slow incoming fire enough that any that did hit barely scratched me even if unarmoured. ¡°Remember, using a bow is all about staying calm, finding your mark and then, when the shot feels right, loosing the arr¡­¡± I said to the pair as they nocked their arrows, though I was forced to stop when Alia let off a rapid shot, one that hadn¡¯t been aimed. The arrow was never going to hit me, but I didn¡¯t want her disheartened and used some magic to let the arrow carry further. ¡°While I appreciate the idea,¡± I began as the arrow slid to a stop just before reaching my foot, ¡°you¡¯re no wh¡­¡± I paused again, though this time it was because of that odd ability to sense a threat kicked in. I turned to where my instincts were telling me, and my eyes widened as I saw a wooden training dagger flying toward me. Leaning back, I lifted my hand, using magic to slow the weapon before grasping it out of the air. As I gripped it, I looked beyond, seeing Nym and Asha standing there, smug smiles on their faces while Nym used another dagger, one of many she kept hidden on her person, to idly pick at a nail. ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware you wished to join our session, sister,¡± I said slowly, tossing the training dagger up into the air. ¡°I¡¯m not sure you want me shooting at you,¡± she shot back, wearing a smile that reminded me of her father, and somehow looked a million times better on her lips. ¡°Though that wasn¡¯t me.¡± My gaze shifted to Asha, the Greyjoy girl smirking as she picked up another training dagger. ¡°While I enjoy the extra challenge, what have I done to warrant such an unprovoked attack?¡± As I spoke I saw my younger sisters whispering to each other as Alia nocked another arrow. ¡°Oh, you have done nothing to anger me today,¡± Asha replied with a smile before licking her lips. ¡°I simply wanted you to know we were present as Nymeria wished to see what exactly you were teaching her sisters.¡± The faint sense of danger sparked again, though far weaker than when Asha had attacked. Since it was coming from the general direction of my sisters, I knew their intent before I turned back, though seeing the two arrows flying at me, both bound for my chest, was unexpected. I reached out with the wind to slow down one arrow while the dagger came up across my chest to knock the other away before I reached out and grasped the slower one with my opposite hand. ¡°First, well done for targeting my chest,¡± I said as the two stared at me with wide eyes. ¡°B-but¡­¡± ¡°Second,¡± I continued, cutting Dorea off, ¡°while I have not yet taught you that lesson, I¡¯m impressed you tried to take advantage of my distraction.¡± I tossed the arrow in the air, just as I¡¯d done with the dagger mere moments before. ¡°However, you have a long way to go to be able to get the drop on me,¡± I glanced at Asha, ¡°as do you, my dear Kraken.¡± While I¡¯d been talking she¡¯d picked up a bow and nocked an arrow, though thankfully she¡¯d yet to draw the string. Seeing she¡¯d been caught, she smiled widely and un-nocked the arrow. ¡°Got to keep you on your toes,¡± she said as she placed the arrow back in the quiver. ¡°And here I thought you preferred it when I was on my back,¡± I shot back, drawing chuckles from her and Nym. I turned back to my younger sisters, not wanting them to think about my reply for too long. ¡°Now, provided others are finished interrupting us,¡± I jerked my head toward Nym and Asha, making Alia and Dorea giggle, ¡°perhaps we might return to our lessons?¡± I dropped the training arrow on the ground, beside many of the other arrows the pair had shot today. ¡°And remember, if either of you manages to strike me, you get the first choice of whatever treats the kitchen is cooking for tonight¡¯s meal.¡± The pair started whispering excitedly to each other, likely over what treat they wanted, though so far neither had hit me. Until today they¡¯d struggled to consistently get their shots close, but I felt from today I would allow at least one to score a hit. It would likely be Alia as, apart from sharing blood with her, she was the one who¡¯d tried the snapshot. Though to ensure no hints of favouritism, and because the idea of Dorea smashing oranges with a morningstar was one I¡¯d enjoy seeing, I¡¯d let her score the strike tomorrow. As the girls nocked new arrows, Nym and Asha moved away, over toward where, among others, Ari was resting. Those with her continually talked among themselves as they watched me tutor my sisters. I didn¡¯t know what they were saying, but the looks I caught Ari sending me made clear her feelings about watching me teach the girls. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ As the Windchaser slipped around the rock outcropping and the lookout tower upon it that watched the seas around Sunspear, I looked out to the water. Ahead of us, the Trickster and four of my fleet were moving, their sails unfurled to make use of the good northerly wind blowing today. Our sails would soon do the same, and the small force would sail to Dustspear. Onboard the six vessels were every sellsword I¡¯d hired ¨C totalling about two hundred and fifty men ¨C and a dozen skilled labourers. Some of the men I was uncertain about were with them, but they were distributed throughout the fleet, with those that signed on together sent to different ships. The Captains and men that I, Cayde, or Jaeronos trusted had orders to monitor those men in case they became an issue. Another thirty men, along with Jaeronos and the rest of the workers ¨C including a group of whores, chosen by Daenora, who saw potential in opening a brothel on Dustspear ¨C would come on three more boats. That third boat was a hired vessel and crew for transporting many of the workers, their gear and supplies that would be needed to develop and expand Dustspear. I had considered keeping them on retainer, to carry trade between my island and Sunspear, but at this early venture, I didn¡¯t feel that was needed. While not ideal, the vessels I had would be able to move some trade, and once things had developed, I could revisit the idea of hiring a specific vessel for trade. I was impressed with the number, if not the quality, of sellswords I¡¯d hired, and from the workers I¡¯d lucked out on. Apart from three young apprentice sawyers, and two apprentice miners/quarrymen, I¡¯d got a trained stonemason. They, and in the case of three of them, their partners, would be a massive help in developing the island quickly, as would the handful of workers who came from farms along the Greenblood. The rest of the workers weren¡¯t skilled at anything particularly useful ¨C if anything ¨C currently, but were willing to sign on to an adventure. While it had cost me a fair amount of coin to hire and pay the sellswords and workers, I was still comfortably covered. Just over half of what remained of my coin was staying in Sunspear. Oberyn had my permission to use some of it to expand the investments in brothels and taverns in the Shadow City, though I knew he didn¡¯t need my coin to do that. Still, that he and Doran were willing to allow me to continue to invest in those projects was a sign of their trust in me, and how I¡¯d grown from a pawn in Doran¡¯s hand in the Great Game. Now, I had intentions to become a major player myself but for the time being, I was content to be a piece Doran could use. That ensured his support, as under the table as it was, and protection to a degree, and allowed me to expand my interests with a powerful patron backing me. Doran¡¯s intent of seeing me as a useful piece in the Great Game may well have been why he allowed me to keep the lion''s share of the coin taken from the Grim Prince. Oh, he¡¯d taken all the trade goods and most of the jewellery as his share, but the coin he¡¯d left for me. What wasn¡¯t left behind with Oberyn was secured in a chest in my cabin, and would cover wages for everyone for, if things didn¡¯t go to fuck, perhaps half a year. If things went even close to how I intended, then I¡¯d double my treasury before even moving on Redwater, and thanks to favourable terms with Doran on lumber from Dustspear, had reached an agreement where I¡¯d take an even greater share of the coin from whatever I raided on The Whores. Normally, this wouldn¡¯t have been the case, and Doran would¡¯ve simply paid me for my service, and that of my men, to sweep The Whores clean. However, given my intentions lay beyond simply clearing the small grouping of islands, I¡¯d managed to convince him to allow me to keep the rewards from the raid. Beyond that, such as whatever I took from Redwater, the bounty would be almost entirely mine. Clearing The Whores still served Dornish interests, at least compared to moving on Redwater and other islands further from the Dornish coast. I turned around, shifting my gaze to Sunspear, and easily picked out the Tower of the Sun as it rose skyward from the palace that sat above the Shadow City. Overhead I could see a bird circling the tower, which was either Rian or Riona as Rian had long since claimed the alpha role of any bird that flew over the palace and city. I chuckled, remembering when Maester Caleotte had come to me, asking me to ensure Rian stopped trying to hunt his ravens. It had taken some work, but I¡¯d gotten the concept through to him that ravens, and the other hunting birds kept in Sunspear, weren¡¯t prey. Though I sensed Rian enjoyed tormenting them on occasion to reassert his dominance of the palace¡¯s airspace. Ari would be somewhere in the Tower, possibly even in the room taken over by the eagles, and already I missed her company and that of Nym and Asha. And the handful of handmaidens that Ari had convinced to join us between the sheets. Thankfully, none of her ladies-in-waiting had tried to do so, but the looks a few had given me before I¡¯d sailed away suggested they regretted not doing so. ¡°We have barely left the city and already I find you longing for your bed?¡± I turned at Daemon¡¯s voice as I saw him ¨C and Ymir who bounded up ahead of him ¨C climbing the steps to the quarterdeck. ¡°Or perhaps it was the company you left there that had distracted your thoughts.¡± ¡°While I do miss the warmth of their touch, I¡¯m sure they can amuse themselves the next time we return,¡± I replied, holding out a hand for Ymir to brush his jaw against. Around my shoulders, Kaa hissed, not liking the distraction to his rest. Many considered it insane for me to move with the poisonous, and rather large ¨C he was over a metre long, and would likely keep growing ¨C snake so close to my neck, however, Kaa was bonded to me, and his mind was melded to mine. I knew this for certain as I¡¯d reached level 10 in my bond with him. That was, according to the Interface, the highest level a bond could reach, and because of it, and the fact his mind was smaller than mine, we were now bonded to such a level that when I slid into him, our thoughts were nearly one and the same. My thoughts returned to Sunspear as Ymir ignored Kaa¡¯s hissing ¨C though I smirked when I saw it made Daemon pause. Like me, he also added a small amount of poison to his drink, though when he¡¯d first done so with some of Kaa¡¯s venom, he¡¯d spent half a day in the privy. The most emotional reaction to my departure had come from Alia and Dorea, with my mother being the next most upset to see me depart. The girls had been upset thinking their training sessions were over, but Oberyn had confirmed he¡¯d take over the sessions. That had pleased the pair, though I¡¯d seen Septon Dontar and Septa Rosyn scowl at the reveal. Frankly, if the pair had an issue with Oberyn training his younger daughters to fight when the elder four were all skilled in a specific weapon, then they¡¯d picked the wrong damn kingdom to serve in. That said, I¡¯d love to see Oberyn¡¯s face if the pair had the balls to ask the high Septon to suggest a trueborn lady like Alia shouldn¡¯t learn weapons of war. And to read his response to such a letter. My lovers had been calm, but given I¡¯d spent most of the previous day with them besides my time training, and sated their needs through the day and night, that was fine. Oddly, Edric Dayne had been the most upset male about my departure, though there was logic to that. Apparently, the heir to Starfall wished to become my squire, and while I wouldn¡¯t mind training my cousin, I knew it was unlikely to happen. Just as I¡¯d dismissed the idea of Daemon taking Edric, I had to dismiss myself. I was a bastard, even if one from House Dayne, and to his mother, the idea of a bastard training her son, and the heir to Starfall, would be insulting. Still, even after explaining how unlikely the idea was, he¡¯d sent a raven to his father, and my uncle, Lord Aldric, asking if he could squire for me. Beron was also upset, but I¡¯d promised him that, if I could, I¡¯d bring him back another gift from this voyage. I¡¯d also given my word that when next I returned, he could join me for a day¡¯s sail on the Windchaser, even going so far as to suggest he might consider inviting Wylla along. He¡¯d clammed up at that, but the way I¡¯d caught him glancing toward the Manderly girl suggested he wasn¡¯t opposed to the idea. However, anything more than spending time together would have to wait on letters of approval from Ned and Lord Wyman. I didn¡¯t know if Beron had written to them, but sensing a chance to repair the damage done by Ty and Alysanne, I¡¯d sent a letter to the Northern lords suggesting it was a match worth considering, and that I felt the pair enjoyed each other¡¯s company. I wasn¡¯t sure if Ned would agree, but if he did, then it might nip in the bud the issues having Robb and Sansa betrothed by the time of Robert¡¯s death caused. ¡°And what of you?¡± I asked Daemon as he moved closer and looked back at Sunspear as well. ¡°Do you miss the company of a certain someone?¡± Daemon smiled and ran a hand through his hair. ¡°I believe I might,¡± he said slowly, a smile coming to his face. ¡°I do not know if Lord Stark will grant me permission of her hand, but I hope he does.¡± I¡¯d seen the pair, often with Ari acting as a chaperone ¨C though I doubted many realised that was the dynamic in play ¨C walking through the gardens of Sunspear over the last week. It was clear something was beginning to spark between them as, when we¡¯d departed Alysanne had spoken quietly to Daemon and, unless my eyes deceived me, passed him a small cloth. One that was tied securely to his belt. ¡°I hope he does. Sadly, neither of you nor even myself, have much chance of a lordly match. Beyond it being another way to solidify bonds between Dorne and the North and piss off the other kingdoms,¡± Daemon chuckled at that suggestion, ¡°I feel you will be a good match for my cousin.¡± Which was why, in the letter to Ned I¡¯d also mentioned Daemon¡¯s interest. How he reacted to that would be an interesting insight into how he saw Alysanne, and what his plans were for allowing her to live a normal, non-Iron Throne-centred life. Letting silence settle over us, along with two of my bonded companions and Daemon, I watched Sunspear slip away. The sails of the Windchaser slowly unfurled, taking us away from our home toward, I hoped, a new destiny. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ Building From Dust Building From Dust ¡­ ¡­ (Circa 297AC)
¡°One, two, three, heave!¡± The command came from the apprentice carpenter that had been willing to move to Dustspear, Jorge. With it, I and other men worked to lift the long and heavy beam from the framework of the building in Northpoint, the entirely unoriginal name the northern settlement on Dustspear had been given. This building, like many inside the earthen walls of the settlement, was being dismantled. It wasn¡¯t a building we needed to save, though as the damage to it was minimal, we were removing the planks carefully. According to Jorge, while buildings in Northpoint were made in different ways and styles over the years, the planks from many could be saved and reused to fix or expand other buildings. Jorge was a young man originally from Spottswood, but he was the only carpenter or builder who had come with those willing to move to the island. As such, I had made him the Master Carpenter of Northpoint and had him survey the buildings inside the walls. Many of the buildings were beyond salvage, even for reusing the wood elsewhere, and those buildings were simply being taken down and the remains stored. They¡¯d either be used for filling in small holes in the buildings we were keeping, or used as fuel for the fires we burnt at night. Or possibly as temporary wooden walls on top of the earthen mound that protected the settlement from the forest. I¡¯d been back on the island for nearly a week, with Jaeronos, the supplies, and the majority of those willing to move to the island, and while there¡¯d been teething issues getting the sellswords to accept the workers, things were generally settling into a stable, if uninspiring routine. The sellswords were housed in five of the larger and safer buildings on one side of the docks while the workers were in buildings on the other. My building ¨C the only one constructed of stone ¨C and a few workshops had a central location in the docks. Along with various buildings that were keepable and had been designated as storehouses, and others set aside as barracks, everything else was designated for removal. Mainly because, over the years, the pirates hadn''t maintained them and they were now dangerous to enter. After a few days, and only having guard duty, many of the sellswords had gotten ansty. While I¡¯d been clear that they¡¯d be doing more than just raiding on this voyage ¨C hells, they were all but employed by me as guards and workers even if many seemed to not have realised it ¨C that hadn¡¯t stopped some from complaining when we¡¯d not instantly started raiding pirate vessels. One had even decided to test my leadership. That went, piss poorly for him, and while I¡¯d been kind enough to not kill him, I¡¯d sent him back to Sunspear on the hired trade vessel. Not only had I taken his coin and weapons, but I¡¯d informed the ships¡¯ captain to speak with either Oberyn or Manfrey. The man had broken his oath and had to be handled accordingly. Likely, he would be sent to Ghaston Grey, though that man was no longer my concern. To handle the others who were growing restless, I¡¯d designed a schedule. Every hired blade, including myself and my lieutenants, would rotate through three groups. A man, if not given time off, involved in planning for the settlement or raiding of The Whores, would either be assigned as a guard, a worker or sent to engage in training. While many of the men were competent with a blade, I wanted them ready for the battles to come. While the training was accepted, and their moods improved by the whores who¡¯d come opening for business, many hadn¡¯t liked the idea of helping the civilians. To ensure they did, I and my lieutenants pitched in, which settled most of the grumbles. What they¡¯d never learn was that every officer under my command ¨C be they a knight like Daemon, a captain of one of my vessels, or just a highly skilled blade like Bronn and Cayde ¨C had been essentially bribed to get them to do manual labour. Since I had more than enough coin, and they all considered me good for it, they¡¯d agreed to the terms provided that after the raiding began they weren¡¯t expected to continue helping around the settlement as workers. Jorge, along with the other apprentices and the trained stonemason, had surveyed the settlement when they¡¯d arrived. From that, plans had been made for Northpoint and Jorge was overseeing those, which was why I was heaving along with others under his commands. The trio of apprentice sawyers had ventured out to examine the forest, confirming the trees could be used for construction and other purposes. Under the command of Clarton ¨C who was the senior sawyer, and thus the Master Sawyer for Northpoint ¨C they were working with groups of men who¡¯d come to farm the land and hired blades to clear the areas around the earthen walls. While there was a gap between the forest and the walls, I wanted the forest driven back further, so that around two hundred metres was cleared. Whenever Northpoint came under attack, then the attackers wouldn¡¯t find it as easy to slip inside the walls as my men had. That cleared ground would, once cleared and tilled, be the site of initial farms for Northpoint and a sawmill ¨C for which I¡¯d spoken with the sawyers before leaving Sunspear and purchased blades for the task ¨C would be built near the main gates. Or what would be gates once they were built as what had been there before were rotting disasters that might collapse with one good swing of an axe. A second group had also gone out, though they¡¯d left several days ago with Bronn. That group, led by a young man named Darrok, was heading toward the abandoned quarry that we¡¯d discovered during the battle for the island. Hopefully, it was salvageable as having a source of stone would be a massive boon to growing Northpoint, and eventually, the entire island. A third group, officially led by Irraro but more accurately relying on Ymir¡¯s senses, had headed deeper into the forests, trying to determine what beast lived within, which could be hunted, which had to be removed ¨C something I was sure Ymir would enjoy ¨C and which, if we were lucky, could be captured and brought back for the farmers to rear. I didn¡¯t hold out hope that the final option would have any success, but I wasn¡¯t discounting it given how untouched the island was outside of the settlements at the northern and southern tips. Both groups that headed out further were due back in a few days, and from there I could begin setting plans for developing Northpoint. Even when I¡¯d taken Redwater, I wanted Dustspear to become something more than just a simple military outpost. While I could ferry in supplies, it took around a half-moon each way for ships in good weather. The island would one day come under assault as I knew eventually the Pirate Lords of the Steps would move against me. The more self-sufficient Northpoint in particular, and the island in general, were against assault the better its chances to survive until help arrived. Provided I survived the battles with the Wildlings and the Others, then the experience here of building a settlement would help me if I needed to offer my services to any rebuilding operations, something which would be useful in gaining power. Plus, the experience of leading forces and fighting in battles here would prepare me for wars to come, even if the forces in play here were far less organised than those in an army. The cart groaned as the plank, the third and final one for this trip, was placed onto it. Once it was secure, I turned and looked toward the docks, noting the Trickster and one other vessel were still gone. While not ideal for it, I¡¯d tasked the longboats in my fleet with fishing expeditions. While we were a decent distance from the other islands in the Steps, I wouldn¡¯t risk sending smaller boats out to fish and thus had to use warships for the purpose. So far, while the hauls were small, it was at least providing fresh meat for Northpoint. We¡¯d also discovered berries in the forest. Those that were safe to eat had been added to the stores brought from Sunspear, granting a little over a moon and a half of food if we didn¡¯t add anything to them. Some of the bushes produced poisonous berries, and I¡¯d had those harvested and stored in my quarters. Eventually, I¡¯d have those bushes uprooted and brought to a private garden, but the berries were sufficient for now for my needs. Now, to many in Westeros, poison was a woman¡¯s weapon, but the Steps weren¡¯t part of the Seven Kingdoms, and Oberyn had made sure to beat that idea out of me. We¡¯d need every advantage we could get in battles going forward, and soaking a blade in poison, even one that only dulled the senses of an opponent was a huge tactical advantage I wasn¡¯t going to overlook. To prevent myself from being weakened by said poison, I¡¯d started adding a few crushed berries to my food, though not with any poison milked from Kaa. I¡¯d also ensured my lieutenants also did likewise. Daemon already ingested some poison with his food ¨C a result of also having been Oberyn¡¯s squire ¨C while Bronn and Cayde did so for common protection. The others had agreed to do so as well, though I remembered vividly the reaction Bronn and Cayde had when I¡¯d first added a drop of Kaa¡¯s venom to their food. The pair had been sick for several days, walking around like zombies as they tried and ultimately failed, to fight off the weak effects of Kaa¡¯s venom. Both were slowly getting used to it now, but they wanted to know what I fed the bloodstone viper that made his venom so virulent. As with Daemon when he¡¯d first experienced a hint of Kaa¡¯s venom, I put it down to the snake¡¯s size and diet being the reason. Although since learning I could Skinchange, Daemon had suspected that the link I shared with him somehow increased the potency of Kaa¡¯s venom; a fact Oberyn had learnt years ago. ¡°That might be all of the walls we can salvage from this building, Mi¡¯lord.¡± I turned, dragged from my thoughts, but Jorge¡¯s voice. At our side, the men split into two groups. One group began pulling apart the rest of the building. They¡¯d try their best to keep potentially useful sections and shorter planks together, but if they couldn¡¯t it was fine. The other group pushed and pulled the cart toward the docks, and the store where salvaged wood was being kept. One of the men had suggested using Ymir to help since we lacked beasts of burden. After I told him to repeat that suggestion to Ymir¡¯s face, and the direwolf had growled fiercely as we approached, the man had apologised and all but ran back to help push the cart. ¡°How many trips will it take for this one?¡± I asked, gesturing at the remains of the building. ¡°If it be in the same condition as the last few buildings, perhaps two trips, Mi¡¯lord,¡± Jorge replied. I wasn¡¯t technically Lord of the island, and certainly not a Pirate Lord, but my men and those who¡¯d come to live here addressed me as such. Any thought of trying to convince everyone to stop calling me a lord was shut down internally as it would only lead to issues about the command structure and my position that I had fuck all interest in dealing with. The only ones who didn¡¯t call me ¡®Lord¡¯ were Daemon, Bronn, Cayde, and Jaeronos. For Daemon he wasn¡¯t technically under my command, and in some ways outranked me as a sworn shield of the Heir to Dorne. For the others, Bronn had made clear the only way he¡¯d call me Lord was if he was knighted. While that idea had merit, and would ensure his loyalty ¨C and that of Cayde and Jaeronos ¨C I¡¯d decided against it. I was only a year into being a knight myself, and far younger than the trio. Making them knights wouldn¡¯t be accepted by others, and might even see some challenge me to combat for somehow insulting the concept of being a knight. Of course, since Gregor Clegane and Amory Lorch were knights, then that argument was built on shit, but it wasn¡¯t an issue I wished to face. Though I would return to the idea of knighting Bronn and the others ¨C and the two bastards responsible for the deaths of Elia Martell and her children ¨C in later years. ¡°Very well.¡± I turned, moving away from the building, and beginning a slow walk back to my quarters. Looking around, I took in how much Northpoint had changed. Inside a quarter-moon, we¡¯d pulled down about a third of the buildings marked for demolition, and the rest should be almost done by the time I left with most of the hired blades for The Whores. While I was away, Jorge and whoever was left in command would have orders to continue the work of improving and cleaning Northpoint, with a focus on defences. I wanted the earthen wall topped by a wooden wall. It wouldn¡¯t be high, but enough to offer cover to men patrolling it and make it harder for any attack to slip inside the settlement. I also needed the watchtowers on the coast raised. What was there was decent, if in need of repair, but I wanted them higher; ideally three stories tall if they couldn¡¯t be situated on a small hill. That would grant us better forewarning of any approaching ships. I¡¯d love for the wall on the breakwater that protected the harbour, or at least more defensive installations, but that was far down the line, behind most of the civilian projects that needed to be handled as well with the growth of the settlement. As I walked, I sensed enjoyment and reached for my bonds, it was flowing from Ymir. At a guess, he¡¯d discovered a challenge in the forest and had defeated it. I didn¡¯t, however, shift into his mind, wanting to avoid being there if he started eating his kill. Ever since that time, I¡¯d had to add stronger spices to food to truly taste things. It was slowly getting easier to eat, but I doubted anything would ever taste the way it had before I broke that taboo. A whistle as I walked drew my attention, and I saw some of the working girls looking at me appreciatively. While none matched the beauties I¡¯d left in Sunspear, none were unattractive. Still, I never took them up on their offer of a free tumble with any or all of them. I could restrain myself enough that any excess aggression could be worked off fighting on The Whores. As for my urges, while I might be young, I was able to contain myself until I next returned to Sunspear. Something I was sure Ari, and the others would be glad of. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°Got to say, this map¡¯s not half bad.¡± I smiled as I leaned back, having secured the last corner of the map on the desk in my quarters. Around the desk were Bronn ¨C who¡¯d commented ¨C Jaeronos, Irraro, Cayde, and Garreo. Bronn had only arrived back with the team that had ventured to the abandoned quarry this morning, and with everyone back, I¡¯d decided to begin planning the battles of The Whores. To help with that, I had commissioned a map of the Stepstones. Maester Caleotte had overseen the work, and while it lacked a lot of details, it showed every major island, or smaller group of islands like The Whores, stretching from Sunspear to Lys, and north to Tyrosh and the Saffron Isle. Not replying to the comment, I began placing markers down on the various islands, each marker ¨C of which there were a dozen ¨C was being used to indicate a Pirate Lord on the steps. While we only had names for a handful of the Pirate Lords, we knew of more, so they and their forces were placed generally on the islands they were said to control. ¡°Helps to have access to a Maester and mapmakers,¡± Cayde added with a chuckle as I placed the marker for Alequo Ryndoon, Lord of Grey Gallows, on the map. The smaller markers for him were placed on the island as well but I knew some would be moved to The Whores as while he¡¯s suffered defeat in a major skirmish, he still has interests in that group of islands. That was also true of The Bloodhawk, Lucian Koros, The Blood Serpent, and Aeron Indarys. The first two were based on The Shrouded Isle and the latter pair on Bloodstone. All four, like Ryndoon, had interests in The Whores, though every time these Pirate Lords came up I wondered what the fascination with the word ¡®Blood¡¯ as part of a title was. There was also a Blood King on Bloodstone, but he¡¯d been slowly losing power and influence there to the other two Pirate Lords of the island over the last decade. From reports we¡¯d gotten ¨C willingly and unwillingly - he had, perhaps, a year or two before he was taken out. However, if my plans for The Whores came to fruition, he might last longer and remain a nuisance for the other Pirate Lords of Bloodstone. ¡°Tis a shame what we know is already moons old,¡± remarked Jaeronos as I added the markers for the Lords of Redwater. Those were Allerion Redbeard, Rakakz the Gilded Hand, and Vaegon Firetouched, and they supposedly controlled equal shares of the island. Allerion held the northern section; his name was based on him dying his beard with the blood of his enemies. Vaegon controlled the south of the island and was so-named due to scars all over his face from being burnt when younger. If it was true, then it might be something I could exploit as he may have a similar issue as Sandor Clegane. Rakakz controlled the middle section of the island, and it was claimed he wore a gauntlet that ensured he never lost a battle he personally fought in. At a guess, it might be a section of Valyrian steel armour, but I couldn¡¯t be sure of that. Something that had caught my attention as I¡¯d gone over the intel on Redwater was that, while each Pirate Lord was powerful, none controlled the small island that was in the bay of Redwater. Hells, they seemed to actively avoid taking it. Since it lay on the direct path between Dustspear and Redwater, it felt like a logical place to gather my forces before attacking Redwater. However, planning for Redwater would have to wait until after I¡¯d unleashed chaos on The Whores, facing off against five, if not six, Pirate Lords there. ¡°Aye, but can work from it,¡± I replied to Jaeronos as I placed the final markers on the map; ones for the two minor Pirate Lords on The Shrouded Isle. Since they were on the north or east sides of the island, they weren¡¯t supposed to be active in The Whores, but I couldn¡¯t be sure of that. Nor of their names as none of the pirates captured and questioned so far had known them. ¡°While attacking here,¡± I placed my finger on the central island of The Whores, ¡°Brings us into conflict with several powerful lords, the fact they are all fighting each other over these islands makes it a tempting target.¡± ¡°Tell me you are not thinking of taking The Whores?¡± ¡°Hells no!¡± I spat in response to Cayde¡¯s worried question. ¡°As much as I enjoy a good fuck, I¡¯m not that desperate.¡± That made the rest laugh. ¡°What I want to do is go in, cause chaos, steal what we can, and leave the pirates to sort out the mess.¡± ¡°So go in, have some fun and then fuck off?¡± Bronn asked with a smirk. ¡°Sounds about how you should treat a whore.¡± I joined in with this round of laughter, figuring while our jokes about this small group of islands weren¡¯t unusual, it was better to get the hilarity out of the way now. ¡°My hope is that by targeting the Whores,¡± I began once we¡¯d stopped laughing, ¡°we shall draw the focus of the lords of these islands,¡± I pointed at The Shrouded Isle, Bloodstone and Grey Gallows, ¡°onto reclaiming their territory. Tis only a matter of time until word reaches them that The Grim Prince is dead, replaced by a newcomer. I would prefer if the pirates had other, closer, things to distract them, rather than testing our strength.¡± One ship had escaped the capture of the island, and I had fuck all idea where they¡¯d gone, so the knowledge was likely already out. It just depended on who knew what and how I controlled the flow of information as to how long we had before someone tried to attack Northpoint. ¡°Aye. To the pirates, Dustspear might seem as tempting a target as The Whores. If one of these bigger pirates attacks, we¡¯re fucked.¡± ¡°I prefer to be the one doing the fucking.¡± Another round of laughter filled the room at Jaeronos'' reply to Cayde¡¯s comment. ¡°I think we all do,¡± I remarked once the latest burst of amusement ended. ¡°Which is why I want to raid, and where possible, level, any holdings the Pirate Lords might have on The Whores. I doubt there will be much coin to take, but for every man we kill and loot, that be one less arm and one less blade that can be used against us. and a weakened Whore is a better target than an armed viper.¡± There were nods of agreement at my words. I wondered how many had caught on to me using the moniker I was flying currently. The Rogue Viper wouldn¡¯t last long, as stories of Ymir would slowly slip out, as would my connections to Sunspear, but the longer I could maintain the deception that I was just another pirate, the longer it would be before any of the Pirate Lords tried to ally with each other and attack Dustspear. ¡°Our real target is here,¡± I said, pointing at Redwater. Brows rose at that and Garreo let out a low growl of concern. ¡°Aye, I know it is bigger than Dustspear, with at least three Pirate Lords and each will easily have the manpower of The Grim Prince, but the greater the challenge¡­¡± I left the sentence open, appealing to, for most of them, their greed. Daemon, who was overseeing the training for the men, already knew my intentions. As a sworn shield to Ari, and here under her orders to protect me, he¡¯d not been happy about attacking Redwater. However, he felt my plans had potential, even offering a few suggestions that I planned to implement when we attacked The Whores and Redwater. That gave me one vote in support, however, I wanted the majority, if not all, to agree. While I could push on without their consent, if my lieutenants were invested in the plan, then they¡¯d motivate the men better. ¡°I do have to ask,¡± Bronn began after perhaps a minute of silence, a grin spreading on his face, ¡°why your princess lets you out of her sight.¡± He pointed at The Whores and then Redwater. ¡°For a plan like this, your balls must be fucking massive. How the hells did you slip her clutches?¡± I snorted, caught out by his blunt comment. I really should be used to such things, but Broon seemed to know when and where to make such remarks. ¡°Fucking her into a stupor helps,¡± I replied, drawing amused chuckles from the room. I disliked talking of Ari, or anyone I care for that way, but I understood the company I was in. ¡°And battle is just as enjoyable and useful for my calm.¡± Bronn nodded in agreement, as did a few others. ¡°Now, has anyone got anything against this plan, or anything to add that might help?¡± Even before speaking to Daemon, I had ideas floating around my mind, but I wanted to hear what everyone thought before implementing them. While it was likely they¡¯d have similar suggestions to the ones I had rattling around in my head, letting them offer them should, I hoped, gain me more loyalty from this lot. There was no hint from Bronn about how he felt, though given the lack of scalding remarks, I felt he was on board. Probably just wondering what sort of glory he could earn from this, and how to use the stories to bed any maiden that caught his fancy. Cayde wore a smirk, possibly considering the same things as Bronn while Garreo offered a nod, confirming his support. Irraro, as was common with him, stayed silent. Possibly he didn¡¯t consider it his place to question me. While he officially worked for Daenora in the Sunset Rose, I was a partial owner of the brothel, so he saw me as his boss. ¡°We¡¯re with you boss,¡± Jaeronos said, speaking for the group as others nodded in agreement. ¡°As you say, it be risky, but it makes sense. And I might have an idea to help.¡± I stepped back, giving him control of the map. ¡°We know these lords are fighting over The Whores, so why can we not use that to our advantage?¡± He pointed at the various groups of markers scattered randomly over The Whores. ¡°They will not have banners like Lords in Westeros, or even powerful families in Essos, but they would have some sort of flag their ships all fly. Like the Viper you are using. If we can capture some of those, we can fly them when we attack.¡± ¡°Aye, that shall confuse the fuckers,¡± Cayde agreed. ¡°Might even be able to slip into holdings under those flags and raise hell before they know what¡¯s hit them.¡± ¡°That could work.¡± I turned to Bronn and Irraro. ¡°Did you keep any of those flags for The Grim Prince?¡± The idea was one I¡¯d already had, but by letting others offer it, it should serve my purpose of improving their loyalty. And, in future, make them more willing to offer suggestions that I might not think of. I was in command of the men, but I wouldn¡¯t lead without consent from this group, and the more they trusted me to be fair and listen, the better we¡¯d work as a unit. ¡°Aye. Have to see what happened to them, but there should be a few around we can use in our first attacks.¡± I nodded, pleased to hear that. ¡°Once we finish, bring them here.¡± I looked at the rest after Bronn nodded in acceptance of my order. ¡°Any other ideas for how we might fuck these whores?¡± ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°What am I looking at?¡± I asked Darrok as I stood with him overlooking the abandoned quarry. While he had given me a report once he and the team with him had returned to Northpoint, he¡¯d wanted to show me the quarry personally. The trip here had been arduous as whatever path had once existed had been overgrown fully, though some of the bushes had been hacked clear by Darrok and his team when they¡¯d first come here. In my hands was a decent-sized rock, one that looked useful with some work, for construction. Though it was hard to know if that was possible as I had only the most basic understanding of masonry and construction. Mainly in lessons in recent years over how to assault and break through walls and the like. ¡°Granite, Mi¡¯lord,¡± Darrok replied, ¡°and judging by the size of this area, a large supply of it.¡± As he spoke, I turned the stone over in my hands, using Earth Magic as I did so. Since I¡¯d first suspected this quarry was here, I¡¯d been curious to see how Earth Magic might be used here. My level was far too low for me to sense metals or elements in the soil, but I should be able to train it up by attempting to sense things underground. One day, I hoped to maybe be able to use Earth Magic in battle, but even if that took decades, I understood this branch of magic, along with the other elemental branches, had uses outside of battle. Hells, I¡¯d already used Fire Magic to warm my hands and Wind Magic to gently shift air around. Both of which Ari, Nym, and Asha had enjoyed experiencing. ¡°And it is good enough to be used for construction?¡± It should be, as granite and limestone were commonly used for keeps throughout Westeros, though in the sands of Dorne, Sandstone was more commonly used. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Yes, Mi¡¯lord. We cleaned and examined a few blocks that were not too badly buried. The stone appears to match that of your quarters.¡± ¡°Well, at least we know where those stones came from,¡± I remarked with a smirk, the small lump of granite still in my hands being examined by my magic. I wasn¡¯t sensing anything, but that was fine. I¡¯d barely been able to do anything with Fire Magic or Wind Magic at the lowest levels, and even at level 41 for Wind Magic, I was limited in what I could do. Still, with Fire Magic seemingly blocked at Level 100 for the time being, it granted me time to work on the other elemental branches. And even doing this was a better use of my time than helping with grunt work around Northpoint. While I wasn¡¯t doing as much now as during that first quarter-moon, I still did some. Which cut into my time training, planning, and other things. ¡°Yes, Mi¡¯lord. However, there are many issues that we face before we can even start mining. To say nothing of transporting cut stones to Northpoint.¡± ¡°Aye, true.¡± Looking at the quarry, or what was meant to be one, confirmed that. The path down was barely visible, having long since been overgrown with grass, or in the sections that were against a cliff face, either damaged by rocks shifting, the wooden frames rotting or rain. Water was also an issue for the central section of the quarry as there was a large pool of seemingly stagnant water. On the hike up Darrok had pointed out two small streams that past close enough that they should be usable to drain the quarry, not to mention help with water issues once the quarry was up and running. And thankfully, neither stream carried to the river we¡¯d passed during the hike when taking the island. While water wasn¡¯t used directly for drinking, a clean source of it was useful in other ways. The river nearest Northpoint didn¡¯t seem to flow past the quarry, meaning there was little chance of runoff from here contaminating that freshwater source. That river didn¡¯t flow that close to Northpoint though, and that was an issue for the farms that would soon be built. Plans for irrigation, if not the diversion of the small river were under consideration, existed but they¡¯d be a massive undertaking, and far down the list of projects to be handled. A more pressing issue, at least linked to the quarry, was clearing a route between here and Northpoint. Barring the areas hacked clear, the path was non-existent. There was technically a road running from here to Northpoint and the currently abandoned southern settlement ¨C the working name was Southpoint ¨C but it would need to be cleared. Trees had taken root upon the road and would have to be cleared. The foresters and workers helping them were still working, nearly a half-moon since arrival, on pushing back the forest around Northpoint and clearing the land outside the walls for farming. To clear a path to here was going to take a lot of time, perhaps two to three moons of constant work, and that was without considering the transportation of the trees to Clarton and the other sawyers. Or any other projects they had to handle. The only upside so far was that, of the land cleared outside Northpoint, the soil was fertile, and according to the small group of farmers who¡¯d moved here, better than most found in Dorne. Even along the banks of the Greenblood. That was a relief, as was the fact they¡¯d slowly begun planting various seeds we¡¯d brought with us. We didn''t know what would grow, or how well it would take, here so I¡¯d purchased as large a variety as I could in my time back in Sunspear. Oberyn had suggested reaching out to other places in Westeros for grain and crops that might grow here, but it would take moons for anything to arrive in Sunspear, and likely wouldn¡¯t be planted until the following year. Still, the soil was fertile, the land plentiful and with this quarry, there was the potential for industry. All that confirmed my belief that Dustspear could support a decent population, provided matters of security and the pirates were handled. Even getting a decent town here, or perhaps a thousand across the island could see Northpoint develop into a semi-useful trading and stopover location. Hells, with time, which I admitted was something I might not have, there was potential for Dustspear to regulate trade from Sunspear into the Narrow Sea and toward Essos. Eastern Dorne relied on the Greenblood and other rivers for not only grain but other resources. Still, they had to import massive amounts of produce from the Reach and Stormlands. With effort, Dustspear could remove that dependency. Something I knew Doran was hoping for. ¡°Mi¡¯lord?¡± I blinked, realising I¡¯d gotten lost in my thoughts about what the future may hold. Turning, I saw Darrok watching me carefully. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°There¡¯s more I have to tell you.¡± My brow rose, the stone in my hand resting. ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°It seems this island may once have had mines, Mi¡¯lord.¡± I blinked, caught unaware of that reveal. Darrok pointed toward another of the mountains, small as they were compared to others in Westeros, that marked the central point of the island. ¡°It¡¯s not my trade, Mi¡¯lord, but Jeran says that there appear to be three abandoned mines on the side of that mountain. He hopes, with your blessing, to take a small number of men and discover what, if anything, was mined there.¡± ¡°He has it,¡± I said without much thought. ¡°Though tell him to wait until the camp here is ready to begin. I do not wish to lose anyone in the development of the island. And while I understand it is not your trade, I would like you to monitor his efforts, but the cleaning and restoration of this quarry is more important than the mines.¡± Even as I spoke, my mind was wondering what might be found on the island. While silver and gold would be a massive boon, I¡¯d probably prefer it to be iron. While setting up smiths on Dustspear was potentially a pipedream, even iron ore could be exported back to Sunspear and other eastern Dorne locations for smelting and refining. Not only would it create a market and bring in coin, but it would reduce costs for purchasing new weapons and tools that would be needed as Northpoint grew and the island was developed. ¡°Yes, Mi¡¯lord. Jeran is aware that the quarry comes first, though he shall be happy you have allowed him to explore the mines.¡± Darrok chuckled. ¡°He has been excited ever since the discovery.¡± ¡°And I share that excitement,¡± I replied with a smile, and after dropping the stone to the ground, placed a hand on Darrok¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I know that you, Jeran, and the others took a risk in coming here, and I want you to know how grateful I am for that. And for the work, you are doing now and in the coming years. While Northpoint will grow without them, an active quarry and mines would only speed up the growth of the settlement, and the island. Darrok returned my smile and lowered his head. ¡°It is our honour, Mi¡¯lord. Helping you helps Sunspear and the Martells, not to mention stories of your deeds abound¡± I chuckled, impressed by the loyalty the man was showing to his home, to Sunspear, and even to me. ¡°I am curious about how the stories of my actions have changed. Perhaps you and others might regale me with my legend over supper, and then I can correct the fallacies within them.¡± ¡°As you wish, Mi¡¯lord.¡± ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ Kaa slid through a smallish gap, slipping between the walls of the damaged building. While I was inside his mind, I wasn¡¯t dominating it. Like I¡¯d done each evening not long after we¡¯d arrived in Northpoint, I was along for the ride while Kaa explored the building. His mind was vastly different from mine, and while I understood how his senses worked and could interpret whatever he sensed when exploring I found it easier to be a passenger. It also ensured that on the rare occasion, he sensed prey, I could leave his body without risking being present while he ate. This building was one Jorge had marked for full destruction, and after the unexpected discovery of a weapons cache in one such building, and several of the weapons being damaged while the building was brought down, I¡¯d started using the viper to scout the buildings scheduled for removal. So far, he¡¯d not found anything of use, but it was a nice way to spend my evenings. While I didn¡¯t need to improve my bond with him, this gave me the chance to spend time with him, making up for the time I¡¯d been away in the North, or focusing on Ymir to raise my bond with him. Kaa¡¯s tongue flicked out, tasting the air for scents, looking for anything of interest. The faint hint of food reached him, which showed how strong the sense was as the evening meal had ended and most of the settlement was settling in for the night. Yet, over a hundred metres away, several hours later, and currently being upwind, Kaa sensed the food. Even where he was, somewhere inside a dead building on a near-moonless night, the world was alive with colour. Or at least shades of blue and green. While vastly different from my experience with infrared and night-vision, I found seeing this world strangely relaxing; as if everything was moving at a cooler, more sedate pace. Somewhere outside the building, my body was slumped over, resting. Ymir and Daemon were standing watch over me. Ymir seemed to understand what I was doing, as every time I¡¯d shifted into Kaa¡¯s mind, Ymir stared at the viper. Daemon didn¡¯t truly understand what I was doing, but he was curious about the sensations of seeing and sensing the world through the eyes of an animal. Since he was now courting Alysanne, he was curious if my ability to skinchange was one Alysanne might have, and after saying that I felt it came from my Stark blood, he¡¯d grown extremely curious about the ability, and what it felt like to inhabit the thoughts of beasts. I couldn¡¯t confirm for him that Alysanne would be able to do as I did, as with the changes in this world from what I¡¯d known of before, it was possible she¡¯d not inherit the gift. However, I had explained that I¡¯d begun lessons for her and Beron before we¡¯d left Sunspear, so there was a chance that when we next returned, she¡¯d have opened her mind to doing so. Because of that, we¡¯d spent time discussing how Ymir, Kaa, and Rian saw the world, and wondering how other animals saw it. He¡¯d never have the gift, nor likely any ability with anything magical, but the fact he seemed open and accepting of what I could do was a relief. We were back to a place we¡¯d not been in nearly a decade, and the friendship we¡¯d restored ¨C after beating the shit out of each other first ¨C was one I was glad to have. And not just because of how good a fighter he was. Kaa moved across the new room quickly, at least for a snake his size. Since I¡¯d bonded with him, he¡¯d continued to grow and while the pace had slowed in the last few years, he was now around five feet in length with the weight to boot. I could easily support him on my shoulders, but the day was coming when it would be a challenge to do so, for both weight and length. According to Oberyn, snakes could grow throughout their entire life, and with my magic boosting Kaa in many ways including size, I wondered if he might one day reach the size of a water snake. It was claimed that those behemoths, which were this world¡¯s version of boa constrictors, were three times the length of a man and could swallow a cattle whole. That left me wondering how easy it would be to feed him. Yes, even at his current size a handful of mice could sustain him for a month, but at double or triple his size, I suspected he¡¯d have to start eating boar or deer. Or an entire fishing boat¡¯s catch every month or so. Since I was reluctant even now to let him wander too far from my quarters, lest he frighten someone, or Gods forbid, end up dead because of one of my men¡¯s swords, I¡¯d have to monitor his food over the coming years. The other thing that the increased size brought about was, when boosted by my magic, a higher quantity, and more virulent strain, of bloodflower viper venom. Oberyn had noted the increased potency of Kaa¡¯s venom not long after I¡¯d been gifted him by the now-former Sealord of Braavos, and that it continued to grow more potent with age. He¡¯d taught me how to not only milk that venom ¨C something easy to do as Kaa trusted me entirely ¨C but how to dilute the venom; turning it from a lethal concoction into ones that would only paralyse someone either permanently or temporarily. While the berries found near Northpoint could be used the same way, I preferred Kaa¡¯s venom, and it was the main source of the drops of poison I added to my meals. While not with me currently, I had a padded bag with marked vials full of Kaa¡¯s venom in various potencies. While I wasn¡¯t sure if I¡¯d ever need them, like with the berries, I had them on hand as the chance to win a battle without the loss of life on my side wasn¡¯t something I would ignore. Hells, even a grazing strike from an arrowhead of blade¡¯s edge coated in poison could remove a dangerous opponent, turning the tide of any battle. By now, everyone in Northpoint was both aware Kaa was mine, and that he wouldn¡¯t strike unless attacked. While it also played into my current moniker, most gave him a wide berth whenever they saw him. Going so far as to request that, when possible, he remain in or nearby quarters. Kaa preferred this as the stone building was the coolest place in the settlement, with him only willing to come out at dusk or later; preferably with me carrying him on my shoulders. He wasn¡¯t lazy per se, but I could sense he enjoyed it when he could settle on my shoulders and let me do the travelling. Kaa tensed, his head rising as a new scent reached him. His tongue flicked out rapidly, trying to determine what and where this scent was. I knew it wasn¡¯t food, or at least not one I¡¯d tasted the scent of through his mind before, but whatever it was had his attention. He moved quickly, slithering toward the source, and I stayed back, letting him work and simply observing his actions. When he reached a hole strong with the scent, he paused and looked up, his eyes taking in the room, and the gap in the ceiling. This was done for me as he understood I wanted to know where he was in the building. While he saw the world in different ways, over the years I¡¯d learnt how to convert his sense of size and location into something I could use. There was a faint hint of annoyance as he pushed through the hole, his scales scraping against the edges. While he generally seemed to like his size, moments like this weren¡¯t things he enjoyed. Thankfully, he was due to moult soon, so any lingering irritation to his scales would pass once the process was complete. Which was an advantage he had over Ymir and Rian, as each time they got grazed, I fretted over how it might affect them, and how long it would take to heal. Once he¡¯d got most of his body through the hole, he lifted his head, tongue flicking out to get a renewed bead on his target. This room was fully enclosed, but I could interpret his vision well enough to have a rough estimate of the room¡¯s size. It was small, perhaps three feet by four, and there wasn¡¯t an obvious door. Or at least anything that looked like a handle for one. That was interesting as it suggested a hidden room; something generally used to hide valuables. Once he was fully inside, Kaa slithered forward, toward a chest. Details on it were faint, with Kaa¡¯s eyes not having the focusing ability of Rian¡¯s, but from what I could see, the chest was weathered, but the lock appeared intact. Knowing Kaa couldn¡¯t do much more, though whatever he¡¯d found was a surprise, I left a command for him to remain here and then slipped from his thoughts. I blinked, my head jerking forward as my eyes opened and I found myself back inside my body once again. While I was used to the shift after years of moving between the minds of my companions, there was always a momentary readjustment needed. My senses were massively different from those of Kaa, Rian, and Ymir, and even though Kaa was maxed ¨C with Rian¡¯s at Level 8 and Ymir¡¯s at Level 6 ¨C I had to adapt to being back in my skin. Once the moment of confusion passed, I placed a hand against the wall of the building and pushed myself upward. ¡°Another wasted night?¡± Daemon asked, leaning casually against the wall of a nearby building. ¡°No,¡± I replied with a smile as Ymir stood, sensing I needed him. ¡°Seems Kaa found a hidden room inside here.¡± I gestured over my shoulder at the building behind me; the one Kaa was currently inside. While it was a dark, almost moonless night, I could make out the surprise on my friend¡¯s face thanks to the torch we¡¯d brought with us. it was currently wedged between some blocks of stone, keeping it upright and leaving Daemon¡¯s hands free. ¡°These buildings were cleared. Either someone missed this, or they wanted to keep it for themselves.¡± ¡°I would say the former. If they had wanted to take whatever might be inside, they would have come back already. And the room seems to lack an obvious door.¡± I turned, opening the door to the ruined building even as Daemon picked up the torch. ¡°Regardless of why, we are going to have to go slow. This building is meant for full demolition with nothing to salvage, so it¡¯s likely unstable.¡± I paused and looked at Ymir, who had an expectant expression in his eyes. ¡°Ymir, find Kaa.¡± Ymir snapped out a faint growl, which I knew was his way of signalling intent to obey my order. Moving forward, his nose to the ground, he slipped inside the building. His bulk barely passed through the door frame. I followed behind with Daemon bringing up the rear. It was unlikely whatever the chest held was of any worth, or that the contents hadn¡¯t degraded over the years, but at least the night wouldn¡¯t be a total waste. This would prove, if he didn¡¯t already understand them, the uses of scouting with Kaa. While he said he understood how useful Ymir was, and had a vague idea for Rian, he¡¯d yet to see Kaa¡¯s work ever bear fruit. Even if there was nothing of worth in the chest, this renewed my intent to examine as many of the other condemned buildings as possible before we sailed for The Whores. It was unlikely that I¡¯d take Kaa with me as unlike Ymir he was less able to defend himself in battle. Or at least the type of battles we were likely to have on The Whores. Still, using him to scout places I couldn¡¯t otherwise enter was one useful skill of my bond with him. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I leaned back, letting the blade coming toward my chest taste nothing but air. One foot slid back, kicking up dust as my blade flickered, deflecting away the attack of my second foe. I then shuffled back, avoiding the thrust of a spear that came in after the first attacker stumbled to one side, his attack wild and overbalanced. Of the three, the spear-wielder, Dolthas, was the best trained. Or at least the one who understood the benefits of fighting as a group against an opponent. I didn¡¯t know yet why the Tyroshi understood this while his companions didn¡¯t, but it meant that of the trio, he was the one I watched the closest. Now, while skilled, Dolthas wasn¡¯t anywhere near Daemon with a spear, to say nothing of someone like Oberyn who made it seem almost like an art form, he was good. More so than Daris and Vogor. The trio were from the group of pirates that bent the knee to me after I¡¯d killed The Grim Prince and taken Dustspear, and while I¡¯d accepted their service, I didn¡¯t trust them entirely. Still, they, like the rest of the men, were trained regularly by me or one of my lieutenants, with today being my turn to engage the men. I, along with Daemon and Cayde, focused on teaching them to work as units, while Bronn, Irraro, and Jaeronos worked with them individually. It had only been a half-moon since the sessions had begun, but already there was a marked improvement in the fighting trim of the men and my own skills. I was fast approaching 20000 skill levels, and should if all went well, reach it before my fifteenth nameday. I had spent some time considering which of the current traits, be they standard or special, I¡¯d take, and while I¡¯d narrowed my choices down I wasn¡¯t making any final call until I saw what the new traits would be. For now, though, my focus remained on the trio. They shared a smile, thinking they were continuing to force me back, away from where the session had begun. Nearby the other men watched, some placing wagers on who would win, or how long I¡¯d last. Yet they and the trio of former pirates were missing the point. I was outnumbered, but each step back, each slide away was intentional. They should be trying to circle me, to keep me in the open, yet after only a handful of minutes, I was already halfway toward my destination. The buildings behind, and the narrow alleyways between them, would nullify the advantages the former pirates had, yet they seemed to not understand this. Daris and Vogor continued to attack irrationally, with no thought of where the other was, nor what Dolthas was doing. That meant I¡¯d already used the blade of one to block the other, allowing me to concentrate on Dolthas¡¯ spear. After Daris and Vogor shared a smile, the latter rushed forward, his cutlass held high for a powerful, but easily spotted attack. My blade, which wasn¡¯t Red Rain as sparring with Valyrian Steel was stupid flashed out, clipping the flat of the cutlass. The metal rang as I pushed my blade forward, turning his weapon away, and punching out with the crossguard. He scampered back, fearing I¡¯d press my attack, but my attention was already on Daris. The other former pirate tried to take advantage of Vogor¡¯s failed attack. Yet, as his blade came in, I moved toward him, stepping inside his guard. My elbow clipped his arm, stopping his attack before my axe slammed into his gut. I wanted to smash Daris in the face with the pommel of my sword but was forced to disengage. Dolthas, displaying once again some sense, chose that time to attack. His spear came in high, over Daris¡¯ arm, and I was forced to parry his attack, being mindful of the small spurs near the back of the spearhead that were designed to catch blades. I¡¯d fallen for that attack so often against Oberyn that there was more chance that I¡¯d start worshipping the Seven than let a common pirate pull that trick on me. While I couldn¡¯t take Daris out of the spar right away, I was able to push Dolthas¡¯ spear down, the shaft clattering into Daris¡¯s arm, pushing his arm out of line, for a moment, he couldn¡¯t attack with it. Pivoting, my blade was already moving, deflecting away the latest attack from Vogor, and as he became unbalanced and stumbled away, I slipped back further, nearing the buildings. Once there, the angles I had to defend narrowed, and I took stock of the spar. This spar had been going on for only a few minutes, but I¡¯d controlled the battlefield entirely, moving my opponents as I willed, scoring strikes against Vogor and Daris with ease. Daris, thanks to my quick moves, had two strikes, Vogor one, while Dolthas and I had zero. Now, in a normal spar, the event ended when someone landed a ¡®killing blow¡¯. However, that had to be recognised by both parties. While that worked for Oberyn when he sparred with four or five of Sunspear¡¯s guards, I couldn¡¯t trust these men yet to accept that, hence the three-strike rule for group spars. Plus, by letting a spar go longer, there was more chance those I was trying to teach might learn something, and more time for me to improve my skills while beating experience into them. Dolthas spared a glance at his partners, some annoyance showing on his face, even as Daris and Vogor glared at me, the former removing a hand from his gut. Knowing he was the weak link in the trio, I smirked, daring him to attack. He took a step forward, taking the bait, which earned a withering look from Dolthas even as Vogor also committed to attacking. His blade came in fast, intent on skewering me like meat for the fire. My axe came up, apparently to block, which drew a wicked smirk from Daris. Yet as his blade neared, I shifted. My axe came up, smashing his blade away as I moved to the other side, and then my arm crashed against his once more. That knocked him away from me and into Vigor¡¯s path. The cutlass-wielding former pirate¡¯s attack was neutered by his partner. To drive the point home about Daris¡¯ anger costing him, I punched him in his side with my blade hand, the crossguard digging in, eliciting a yelp of pain as my blow landed somewhere near his kidneys. That was his third strike, but in his current mood I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d realise that, so I struck him again; landing two quick strikes to the gut. As he collapsed to his knees, I stepped back, my blade flicking out to catch and deflect the tip of Dolthas¡¯ spear. Dolthas had expected that, and as I started pushing the steel tip of his weapon away, he shifted his stance and pushed down. The force wasn¡¯t enough to drive me back, but it meant my blade remained pressed against the spear. Vigor sensed this and moved to attack, his cutlass slashing as he stepped around Daris. As the cutlass neared, I shifted my stance, letting Dolthas¡¯ spear push my blade down, into the path of Vogor¡¯s cutlass. All three weapons crashed against each other, caught for a moment in a tangle. Using that to my advantage, I stepped forward, driving the spear toward Vigor and trapped his blade between the spear and my blade. My axe whipped forward, the blunted eye of the weapon slamming into Vigor¡¯s leg, causing him to stumble and fall to a knee. That broke the bind of our weapons, and I leaned back, letting Dolthas¡¯ spear swing overhead, before ¨C while keeping my blade high ¨C pivoted away, generating distance between us once more. ¡°I believe that be five to zero,¡± I said, taking advantage of the small gap between myself and my remaining opponents. ¡°Daris, out and unless you want my next strike to draw blood, withdraw.¡± Daris glared at me, but a less-than-gentle kick from Dolthas stopped him from doing anything stupid. As much as I didn¡¯t want to spill blood in training, if Daris came at me again, I was putting him down. If he didn¡¯t, well I needed men for the vanguard of each assault, and he¡¯d just volunteered. ¡°Now,¡± I said as Daris moved away, his free arm gripping his gut, ¡°I know you are only former pirates, but this is an unexpectedly bad showing.¡± I finished with a smirk that would make Daemon think of Oberyn. While I lacked my father¡¯s flair, I found verbally tormenting an opponent almost as enjoyable as he did. Around us laughter echoed, coming from those watching the spar and waiting their turn to fight. That made clear how unpopular the pirates that had bent the knee to me were. While the group hadn¡¯t done anything to make me doubt their loyalty, I trusted them half as far as Alia could throw them. They, along with a dozen of the newly hired men, would earn my trust only after several battles, and if they fell during those, then it was no great loss to me. The only pirate that had come close to being trustworthy was Eddin, and that was simply a factor of age, naivety ¨C who joins pirates with the hope to one day become a captain but no stomach for bloodshed? ¨C and the former slaves vouching for him. Eddin currently served as something of my page and messenger. I had fuck all intent of making him a squire, but I needed someone to manage my gear and handle errands for me and Eddin fit the bill perfectly. And if, over time, he did enough to earn greater trust, then I¡¯d see about having him assigned to the Windchaser. If he wanted to one day become a captain, then learning from Garreo was the best choice. Of the other pirates, Dolthas was the only one worth anything, and while he¡¯d still serve in the vanguard with his compatriots, I planned to give him command of a small unit. If he survived, and the men with him respected him, then I¡¯d begin integrating him properly into my force. Until then though, he and the other pirates would remain the whipping boys of our small, but developing army. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ A breeze blew gently behind me, pushing the Windchaser forward. I stood on the foredeck, one hand resting on the covered scorpion, gazing northward, toward the southernmost island of The Whores. It was just breaking into sight over the horizon, though even with my heightened sight ¨C a gift from my bond with Rian ¨C it was hard to make out much detail about the island. I knew it, and those beyond, were flat; the highest peak was barely a foothill compared even to the trio that rose from Dustspear, which meant they were devoid of much in the way of natural resources. Like its companions, this island lacked any official name, but for as long as the Stepstones had existed, pirates, thieves, slavers, and other scum had called them home. Their flat beaches were perfect for securing longboats, and then launching them whenever a potential target sailed too close, either by mistake or choice to avoid the Broken Arm of Dorne. Before Doran had sent Oberyn ¨C and by intent me ¨C to Braavos to order a small fleet, trade vessels had been at risk of regular attack, forcing trade with the Stormlands or beyond to dock at The Tor or Ghost Hill and then be hauled over the red wastes to Sunspear. Most traders now sailed in small fleets, large enough that they could, if they worked together, ward off any assault. For more critical or valuable supplies, Doran also assigned armed galleys or cogs as escorts. Yet, even with the small fleet under Martell¡¯s control, ships were still attacked, though, in the last few years, those had decreased. One day I vowed to take and hold The Whores, and unlike the pirates fighting over it currently, I wouldn¡¯t be raiding ships passing through, but extracting a toll. If I could get The Whores and the Shrouded Isle under my banner, I¡¯d have secured the Westerosi side of the Steps, and be able to influence which ships sailed through and when. From my readings, I knew the threat of foreign control of the Stepstones had drawn numerous wars to the regions with the Free Cities regularly attacking the pirates in the Steps ¨C with a focus on those on their side of the island chain ¨C to minimize the threat. Hells, it was when the Triarchy had threatened control of the Steps that Corlys Velaryon and Daemon Targaryen had launched their war, and for a short time had resulted in Daemon becoming King of the Stepstones. I had little intent toward becoming King of the Steps, as making such a play would draw the Iron Throne, and at least four of the Free Cities, into the region. Against that sort of might, I didn¡¯t stand a chance. Yet, if I could take most of the Steps, develop and hold them, then I felt the power players in Westeros and Essos would leave me alone, or attempt to ally, on the promise of lessened piracy when their trade vessels sailed through the island chain. That, however, was a long-term goal. One that would last, if I survived, past the Second Long Night. Even if my plans turned to dust, so long as when the war against the Others came I¡¯d earned glory and fame in combat, then everything here would be worth it. Turning, I looked at my ship, the crew busy going about their duties. On the quarterdeck, Caddar was manning the wheel; Eddin beside him. The boy ¨C he might be older than me by a few moons, but he looked younger ¨C had jumped with joy when I said he¡¯d be sailing with me on the Windchaser. So much so that having him clean and polish my armour had been done with a smile; one neither Daemon nor I could ever remember wearing when we¡¯d cleaned and polished Oberyn¡¯s armour and weapons. Further behind, staying roughly in our wake, were five of my longboats led by the Trickster. Each carried around thirty men and while the longboats were usable in the Steps, I couldn¡¯t push them too hard as they relied heavily on the men aboard rowing, meaning they would be very tired by the time we reached shore. That, along with a few other issues the vessels had, had been pointed out by Asha. While the Greyjoy girl hadn¡¯t offered me any hints on how to fix the issue, it had me wondering what I could do to improve and enlarge my fleet. I expected any vessels I captured in The Whores would be of similar size, but manning them to return to Dustspear was going to be an issue. The thought of ordering or purchasing a larger vessel was one I was considering before the attack on Redwater, however how and where to get such a ship wasn¡¯t clear. Doran wouldn¡¯t allow me to buy one of the ships from the Dornish fleet, as that would be too obvious a link between us, and while there was a small shipyard in the Shadow City, it focused on repairing ships, not building new ones. I could, in theory, reach out to a shipyard further afield. Braavos was out, as it was simply too far away to go for a single vessel; no matter how quickly they could build it, the sailing time there and back was close to half a year. There were shipbuilders in King¡¯s Landing and the Stormlands, however, I wasn¡¯t sure if they¡¯d be willing to construct a ship for a bastard from Dorne; nor that word wouldn¡¯t then reach someone like Varys. The longer I remained out of his focus, the longer it would take for him to investigate me. Eventually, he would be an issue, as he held ¨C assuming his backstory hadn¡¯t changed from the other timeline ¨C a hatred of magic. While the Martells knew of my magic, which increased the chance something might slip out, it felt safer having them in the know as Doran and Oberyn controlled the flow of information out of Sunspear or soon would be. My plan for investing in places like the Sunset Rose had been taken further, and while I didn¡¯t know how extensive their plans were, I knew enough to understand that anything up to half the city¡¯s brothels, inns, and the like had hidden investment in them via House Martell. My eyes drifted over the Grim Minnow, one of the newer vessels in my fleet, and I wondered how the ships and men left behind were doing. Jaeronos had orders to use the remaining ships to protect trade between Dustspear and Dorne ¨C with a focus on ships bearing Dornish colours ¨C and protect against any moves from elsewhere in the Steps. If one of the Pirate Lords of Redwater launched a probing attack, there should be enough men remaining in Northpoint to ensure the settlement didn¡¯t fall. By protecting the Dornish trade vessels, word should slowly slip out that The Rogue Viper wasn¡¯t looking to raid ships sailing past, and that they could, if they so wished, dock at Northpoint. Eventually, I¡¯d charge a toll for protection, but I lacked the ships and manpower for that currently. Thus, I had any ships I could spare out on patrol, offering free safe passage and knowledge of the settlement at Northpoint. I didn¡¯t expect any trade vessel to dock at Northpoint for some time to come, but there were plans to lengthen the docks. While being able to slip into the harbour, the cog I¡¯d hired could only just reach the end of the longest pier in the settlement for offloading. That was an issue I¡¯d have to fix as the settlement and my fleet grew. Northpoint itself was slowly taking shape. The first seeds were down and growing, though it would take at least half a year before any bore fruit. Still, by next year the farmers would know what could grow easily on the island, though they¡¯d noted that while in line with Dorne, the sea winds and regular gentle rainfall kept the island cool and ground moist, making it fertile and good for growing. Other plans were moving along, but like the farms, would take time to develop. While I could remain there to oversee them, after nearly three-quarters of a moon, I¡¯d grown antsy with the sedate lifestyle and set off for The Whores. The steps to the foredeck creaked and I barely had time to look down before the large, black mass of Ymir rushed up against me. My arm was forced up as he slid under it, still enjoying a scratch behind the ears or under the jaw even though he was now almost to my height. ¡°Hey boy, you ready?¡± I asked, my hand moving under his jaw. A gentle growl of excitement was my reply, which made me smile. While he¡¯d enjoyed hunting on Dustspear, like me, I¡¯d sensed him growing restless: as if he wanted new adventures. If there had been any predators on Dustspear, they and every other beast knew Ymir was the apex predator. The island was his hunting ground. Though since he¡¯d never been gone more than two days at a time, I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d hunted the southern half of the island, so there might still be a challenger there for him to vanquish one day. ¡°Soon. Very soon.¡± While Ymir was here, Kaa had remained on Dustspear. I¡¯d made sure my quarters were secure, with no gap he could escape from. Jaeronos would throw in some meat, preferably a living mouse or rabbit, once every four or five days to keep Kaa fed. Still, while he wasn¡¯t here in person, he was in spirit and venom. The padded satchel containing vials of varying potency of Kaa¡¯s venom was in my cabin, secured in place so they wouldn¡¯t break or spill if we were struck by a rogue wave. Replacing the venom would be easy, but the vials less so. Since they were simple vials, even if small, I could use a local glassmaker and not have to import them Myr, but I¡¯d have to return to Sunspear, speak with a glassmaker there, and await their creation. A second creaking of the steps up the foredeck had me looking to see Daemon approaching. Like myself, he wasn¡¯t in full armour though it was stored in his cabin. For seaborne battles, I felt better in lighter, more manoeuvrable armour, and it removed the risk of drowning if I fell overboard. However, as many of the battles in The Whores would take place on the islands, full plate armour was going to be a massive advantage. We¡¯d have to wear shawls to hide them if we wanted to approach quietly, but the chaos of battle, they¡¯d save our lives. ¡°Crow¡¯s Nest has ships on the horizon. Approaching from the island,¡± he said, passing me a Myrish Eye. Turning I extended the Eye and looked toward the island. With the help, I could spot two galleys moving in our general direction. Details of the crew were hard to determine, but given where they were coming from it was a safe bet to assume they were pirates. Once closer we¡¯d be able to see if they flew any flags marking out who they fought for, but already I was pleased as those galleys would instantly improve the abilities of my forces. ¡°How nice of them to send out a welcoming party,¡± I remarked as I lowered the Eye. ¡°Tell Garreo to pass the signal along that we¡¯re going to have visitors. Make sure most of the men remain below decks but armed. Those on deck can arm, but only as would be expected of ships in these waters. Anything extra they want for battle should be kept out of sight but close at hand.¡± ¡°Battle then?¡± Daemon asked with a smile as he took back the Eye, his clothing shifting enough to reveal the mail he wore underneath the loose shirt. While he and I could¡¯ve kept it over our shirts, we were dressed like this to hide that we were armoured, and hopefully lure in a passing pirate vessel. Something that appeared to be happening. ¡°I would say so, but we shall see if they are foolish enough to come closer. Still, if even one in a hundred vessels we encounter in the Steps hesitates to fight, we cannot go toward everyone openly ready for battle.¡± Daemon turned, taking a step toward the flight of stairs. ¡°Oh, have Garreo ready the colours.¡± Dameon chuckled without looking back. ¡°You have been waiting to say that ever since we left Northpoint, have you not?¡± ¡°Not my fault the song caught on with the men,¡± I responded. Before we¡¯d left Northpoint, I¡¯d taught the men a new shanty. While we weren¡¯t pirates per se, the song was one I felt worked, even if Daemon disliked the lyrics. ¡°Fine, but if the crew starts singing it and gives us away, or Gods forgive us, take it to heart and turn on us, I will spend an eternity in the seven hells making you pay for it.¡± ¡°The only men who might do that are scattered between the other ships and under watch, though if they try anything I am ready for it.¡± Daemon didn¡¯t reply to that, and I turned my gaze northward, toward The Whores and the approaching galleys, I smirked. A moment later a tune slipped from my lips, the soft whistle carrying over my vessel. ¡°Yo, ho, all together, hoist the colours high,¡± I sang to myself, readying for the approaching battle. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ Raiding the Wh*res 1 Raiding the Whores 1 ... ... (Circa 297AC) The blade, a shorter cutlass, swiped toward me. My shield came front, generating a screeching sound as metal dragged over metal even as I pushed to one side, taking the cutlass away from me. In the same motion, I stepped forward, driving the tip of Red Rain into the pirate¡¯s guts. While he wore armour, it couldn¡¯t stand against Valyrian steel, and I felt my blood sing as I stepped close to the pirate; my blade bursting out the other side of his chest. His eyes bulged as I stepped back, pulling my blade back and twisting, widening the already fatal blow. A turn as I stepped had my blade slide to the side while still inside, and as Red Rain emerged, steaming blood and guts came with it, soaking the planks of the galley in red. The pirate fell to his knees, and as I turned, looking for my next target, the edge of my shield slammed into his face, knocking him backwards so he couldn¡¯t attempt any final act of revenge against me. My eyes scanned for the next target only to see blades being thrown down and the remaining pirates dropping to their knees. Not all did so though, and they were either overwhelmed by my men near them ¨C Irraro removing the head of one such pirate ¨C or struck out at their traitorous colleagues. The head Irraro had just removed bounced merrily on the deck, and as a cheer of victory went up from my men, it bounced again, coming to rest against the starboard rail; near a ramp from the Windchaser. I joined the cheer, thrusting my blood-soaked blade skyward, and we were soon joined by Ymir. Turning, I saw him on the foredeck, the fur around his maw soaked in blood. My smile faded as he tossed back his skull, chewing on the leg of a man, and my mind rushed back to when I¡¯d shared my thoughts with him as he¡¯d killed a traitor. That man had deserved to die, but the sheer enjoyment of the warm, powerful taste of his blood and flesh as Ymir ripped the man to pieces just before I¡¯d left his thoughts, would forever haunt my mind. I shook my head, clearing the memory, and any concerns about how that was still affecting my human taste, and refocused on the here and now. Looking around, I took in the newest ship in my fleet; the first galley I¡¯ve seized but if the blitz of The Whores went even halfway decent, not the last. I looked down at the deck, ignoring my final kill. Finding a body whose tunic was soaked in blood, I knelt and ripped a section of the tunic clear. Standing, I used that to wipe the gore from Red Rain. While it didn¡¯t need sharpening, I wasn¡¯t going to slide it back into the sheath soaked in blood. Beyond the fact that it would begin to smell and ruin the sheath by seeping into the leather, the blood I¡¯d spilt wasn¡¯t worthy of being allowed to fester on the blade. ¡°Secure the ship!¡± I called out as I ran the section of tunic from the guard down the blade. ¡°Search and bind those who surrendered, loot the bodies and toss them overboard!¡± The men moved to follow my orders even as Ymir leapt down the short flight of stairs from the foredeck to the main deck; the leg still hanging from his maw. Once Red Rain was clean, I slipped it into its sheath, and when Ymir was close enough, gave him a scratch behind an ear. ¡°Try not to get blood everywhere,¡± I said as I ignored the limb. He gave a gentle grunt of acknowledgement, and as he moved off, looking for somewhere to enjoy his meal, I turned and headed aft. The galley wasn¡¯t massive, perhaps half again as long as the longboats, though narrower. About thirty benches ran along the sides for oars, though not all benches had oars. That suggested the vessel was older and that its former owner hadn¡¯t had the resources or inclination to have the ship repaired and serviced. The mainmast was tall, having a spot for a crow¡¯s nest at the top, though the frame there was damaged, further hinting to a lack of regular maintenance, and a smaller, triangular foresail rested about two-thirds of the way from the mainmast to the foredeck. There were also two scorpions mounted near the front, though those had been the first locations I¡¯d targeted as we approached. If this vessel and the other galley had managed to turn those on my fleet, we¡¯d have had major issues. Faint screams carried over the sound of the sea lapping against the hull, and looking toward the other galley I saw it slowly slipping under the waves. The Trickster and Grim Minnow were pulling back, not wanting to be dragged to the depths as men struggled to float in the water, calling out for help. For a moment I considered ordering those men rescued, as I¡¯d need men for this galley, but movement in the water stayed my voice. The fin of a shark pierced the surface just before a man was pulled under; the others panicked to get away even as I picked out more fins racing toward them. Leaving the pirates to their fate, and the sharks to their meal, I reached the door underneath the quarterdeck. Pushing it open slightly, I saw it was a single cabin inside; no doubt used by the galley¡¯s captain, whatever had happened to him. I pushed the door open fully with my shield even as my free hand rested on the head of my axe, mindful that someone might be hiding inside. The room though was empty, and my nose wrinkled at the smell of booze, sweat, and sex that carried out of the cabin. After leaning back and taking a deep breath of the cleanish air outside the cabin, I entered. Moving quickly, I reached the first of two small windows in the cabin and pushed open the cover back. After repeating the process with the other window, I inhaled the sea air as it rushed into the cabin. With that done, I moved to the desk, skirting around the bed that was unkept and the source of most of the smell. The desk¡¯s surface was devoid of books, instead holding several half-drunk bottles and a few goblets. Lifting one of the bottles, I groaned. ¡°Why could it not be a Dornish red?¡± I asked myself as I saw I was holding an Arbor Red. ¡°Or even something from Volantis?¡± Putting the bottle down, I opened the drawers of the desk. Two had broken latches and contained nothing. The last had a working latch, but I jarred it open with my axe. Inside I found a small book. Flicking through it, I groaned as I saw most of the pages had been torn out, and those that remained covered in random chicken scratches. Dropping the book back in the drawer, I moved to the bed. After using my axe to push back the sheets, I gently kicked at the boards underneath. Jaeronos had mentioned before I¡¯d left Northpoint that many captains and pirates had a hidden section under their bunk for storing valuables. After a few exploratory taps with my boot, I found what I was looking for, and after carefully finding an edge of the plank and pulling it back with my axe, I found a small satchel inside the space. Once my axe was re-looped to my belt, I picked up the satchel, a small smile coming to my face. While small, the satchel had decent weight. Opening it I saw a good number of coins, which after a gentle prodding with my fingers, I saw were from across the Narrow Sea. At a guess, there¡¯d be the equivalent of twenty, perhaps thirty Dragons inside the satchel. That was more than I¡¯d expect if the vessel had just sailed from port, suggesting it and its former companion had a successful patrol. Though I wasn¡¯t going to actively seek out the owners of the lost merchant ships to reimburse them. ¡°Boss.¡± I turned at the voice, seeing Cayde at the door to the cabin. His face wrinkled, suggesting the smell hadn¡¯t cleared fully before he continued. ¡°Prisoners are ready to meet you properly.¡± ¡°Good,¡± I replied with a smirk. ¡°Hopefully one of them has some useful knowledge on our targets.¡± Walking toward him, I sealed the satchel and tossed it to him. He caught it easily with one hand, though his brow rose as he did. He looked at it as I approached, giving it a few jiggles. ¡°More than I would expect for a patrol.¡± ¡°Aye, which suggests this was a raiding group,¡± I added as he moved to let me exit the cabin. ¡°Might be more in the hold that has to be transferred to the Windchaser.¡± Cayde smiled widely. ¡°Aye, on it.¡± He broke away, heading to the stairs leading to the lower decks, gesturing for some men to follow. While the lower deck would¡¯ve been searched for men, the priority was gathering the prisoners. That group were gathered near the foresail, Daemon, Ymir, and the rest of my men standing watch over them. As I approached, many of the prisoners looked my way. Most were despondent, resigned to their fates whatever they might be, though a few held my gaze as it swept over them. Of the five that met my gaze, three seemed curious while two glared daggers at me. A growl from Ymir, had everyone turn to him, those closest to the direwolf shifting back at the sight of the large black beast with the blood of their comrades dripping from its maw. ¡°As you can tell, your ship is now mine, which causes me an issue¡± I began as I reached Ymir¡¯s side, running my hand over his side. ¡°I could take you all prisoner, however, I have other places to go first. Nor can I simply let you go. If you survived to return to your lord, you may mention Ymir here,¡± my hand rested between his ears, gently scratching his fur. ¡°Thus, two choices are left to us.¡± I stepped forward, my hand sliding to Red Rain¡¯s hilt. ¡°Either I can slit all your throats, and toss you to the sharks and sail off with an under-crewed galley,¡± I partially drew my blade, many eyes drifting to the distinctive red ripples in the blade, ¡°or¡­¡± Many shuffled back concerned about what I might be implying. My eyes were drawn to those who didn¡¯t. That included the five who¡¯d met my gaze as I¡¯d approached with my focus landing on the only one wearing chainmail with a silk shirt underneath. ¡°Or what?¡± The chainmail armoured pirate asked. His voice was calm, and measured, suggesting he was made of sterner stuff than many of his crewmates. I moved forward, keeping Red Rain partially sheathed. ¡°Or,¡± I began once I was directly in front of him, ¡°you bend the knee to me.¡± ¡°And who the fuck are you?¡± I turned to the new speaker, seeing it was one of those who¡¯d glared at me as I¡¯d approached. ¡°I will tell you that only once you kneel,¡± I said. ¡°So will you?¡± I asked as I moved closer to him. ¡°Why the fuck should I?¡± He spat back as I approached, those nearby shuffling away as best they could. I sighed, running my free hand through his hair. ¡°I believe I already mentioned the first option,¡± I said. Before he could reply, I pulled his head back. My other hand, the one on Red Rain¡¯s hilt, came around, crashing into his jaw. Teeth and blood went flying as his head snapped to one side. I then yanked him forward, dragging him toward the side of the galley, even as he struggled to recover from my blow. ¡°Wait!¡± he called out as I pushed him onto the railing of the galley. ¡°Aargh!¡± The cry slipped from his mouth as I tossed him overboard. I turned as his body impacted the water, ignoring the faint, spluttering screams he sent hoping for rescue. With his hands bound, and blood seeping from his mouth, it was only a matter of time before he drowned, or a shark got him; either of which was fine with me. ¡°As I said,¡± I began, addressing the remaining pirates, ¡°your choices are that or to bend the knee.¡± I looked over the group, watching most struggle to meet my gaze. The only one who would was the chainmail-wearing pirate. ¡°Anyone have a preference?¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± the chainmail pirate asked. I sighed and shook my head. ¡°They seem not to listen,¡± I remarked to Daemon, drawing a chuckle from my fellow knight. ¡°As I said, I will tell you only once you bend the knee,¡± I answered the pirate. He held my gaze for a moment, as if getting a measure of me, before nodded. ¡°I will do so,¡± he said, lowering his head since he couldn¡¯t actually bend a knee given he and the others were already on their knees. ¡°Good,¡± I said as the others slowly did the same. ¡°Lift your heads,¡± I said once all had accepted my control of their fates. ¡°Until I know I can trust you, you may call me the Rogue Viper.¡± ¡°Then we place our lives in your hands, Lord Viper,¡± the chainmail-armoured pirate said, lowering his head again. I clapped my hands together. ¡°Excellent. Ser Daemon here will tell you the terms of working for me. If you accept those terms, then I welcome you into my service. If not,¡± I gestured over my shoulder, toward the railing I¡¯d just tossed the other pirate over. ¡°However, before Daemon explains my terms, might I know your name?¡± I asked the pirate who seemed to be a leader. ¡°And what role did you formerly serve on this vessel?¡± ¡°Hendal, Lord Viper. And until your arrival, I was First Mate aboard the Grey Curse.¡± ¡°First Mate, eh?¡± I replied with a smile. That was useful as he and the captain, wherever he was, would know details of the fleets of whichever Pirate Lord they served. ¡°And where, pray tell, is your captain?¡± ¡°He died manning the helm, Lord Viper. An arrow through his eye ended his life before your men boarded us.¡± I chuckled and turned to Daemon. ¡°Seems you were right,¡± I muttered. He laughed and rubbed his fingers together, reminding me that I owed him for losing the wager after killing the helmsman. After taking out the men manning the scorpions of both galleys, I¡¯d targeted the helms, wanting to disable the vessels. Dameon had pointed out that the pirate manning the helm of this ship wore armour, though that hadn¡¯t stopped me from targeting him to cause chaos aboard the galley. It seemed I¡¯d been right about it causing chaos, but the friendly bet we¡¯d made as I¡¯d lined up my next arrow had been lost. I pulled Hendal to his feet and then patted him on the shoulders. ¡°Well, with your former captain dead, I find myself in need of someone to manage the crew of my new vessel. I wonder if you know anyone interested in the position?¡± Hendal smiled back at me, dropping his head slightly before he spoke. ¡°I would be interested, my Lord Viper. However, I feel before you offer it to me, there may be more you want to know.¡± ¡°Aye, that I do,¡± I replied with a chuckle. Turning, I moved away from the pirates, bringing Hendal with me. ¡°Inform them of the rules and see which are willing to mark their name,¡± I said to Daemon, which drew a nod from him. ¡°Once Bronn, Irraro, and the others are alongside, and the new men understand their roles, see about distributing them among our vessels.¡± Daemon nodded again, and I moved away, heading toward the captain¡¯s cabin with Hendal. I wasn¡¯t going to remove his binds until I¡¯d spoken with him, but given Ymir hadn¡¯t reacted to his declaration of loyalty ¨C hinting the man was genuine ¨C I suspected Hendal would soon be a valued member of my crews. ¡°Now,¡± I began as we passed the mainmast, ¡°before I restore you to your former position, I will need to speak with you privately.¡± As I spoke, Ymir fell into step just behind us, the gentle scraping of his claws sending a few tremors of fear through Hendal. ¡°I would particularly enjoy hearing about your former employer, with a focus on his holdings ¨C and those of the other Pirate Lords ¨C in The Whores, and where exactly you have been before our serendipitous rendezvous.¡± ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I stood on the quarterdeck of the Grey Curse ¨C which, along with any other vessel we captured, was so getting renamed once the blitz of The Whores was over ¨C manning the wheel as the port on the southernmost island of The Whores came into focus. Even without a Myrish Eye, my boosted sight could just make out the buildings separating from each other, and the faintest of hints of movements near the docks. Beside me, Hendal manned the helm, his intel proving worthwhile enough for me to reappoint him as First Mate of the Grey Curse. Provided he survived the blitz, then he¡¯d likely be given command of the vessel. While the galley was a better warship than the Windchaser I wasn¡¯t moving my flag off it permanently. At least not for a simple galley. From his intel, this port was the only one on the island and the largest of the three ports Alequo Ryndoon controlled in The Whores. It was also the only island that was seemingly entirely controlled by a single Pirate Lord with the others having ports from at least two other Pirate Lords. Hendal couldn¡¯t provide full details about which Pirate Lord controlled which port as several were being constantly fought over, but his intel did cover this island and the next three. As this island was semi-safe from raids by the other Pirate Lords, due to its distance from the other ports in the chain, Ryndoon used it as a major base to raid vessels in the Stepstones; which was what the Grey Curse and her sister ship had just finished doing when we¡¯d encountered them. Also, while the port was larger than the others Ryndoon controlled, it supposedly had fewer defences, with its focus on supporting raiding vessels, and with its location, it could see ships approach from several miles away. Because of that, we were only approaching the port with the Grey Curse and the Windchaser and attempting a slightly more devious attack plan. A rope was strung from the Grey Curse to the Windchaser suggesting the vessel was under partial tow. Cayde was posing as the captain with Garreo and a dozen others ¨C all my men ¨C secured in the hold as the supposed captured crew of the vessel. The crews for the two vessels were split between men who¡¯d bent the knee and those who¡¯d sailed from Dustspear with me and none of the damage from the previous battle had been cleaned, bar the bodies being tossed overboard. If all went well, we¡¯d sail into the port looking to everyone there as the surviving galley of the raiding force bringing in a new vessel as bounty. The Grey Curse had left port over a moon ago with two other galleys, the first had sunk when they¡¯d tackled a larger trade fleet ¨C amusingly, one composed of Martell and Manderly vessels ¨C though they¡¯d struck it lucky about a week before running into my forces by finding and boarding a lone Lysine cog. The cog had sunk due to damage taken during that battle, but most of its cargo had been looted. That cargo remained in the Grey Curse¡¯s hold, along with some of the supplies from the Windchaser. Due to the various battles, Hendal should be able to explain away the loss of the captain, and the new crew members to the port¡¯s commander: a man known as Dwan who was considered one of Ryndoon¡¯s most trusted commanders. Provided this plan paid off, and we were able to dock without incident ¨C which, given the supposed constant changing of a pirate ship¡¯s crew, should be possible ¨C the plan was that, sometime during the night, my men would wake. While some would move to free Garreo and the others, others would move to open the gates around the port. Bronn and Daemon had sailed to the east with the longboats and should beach them further along the coast of the island. Led by the pair and Ymir, they¡¯d move through the night, getting ready to attack the port when the gates were opened sometime during the night. From there, attacking from within and without, the port should fall quickly. The only factor that might cause an issue was the number of men inside the port. I knew there was risk with this plan, and without Red Rain at my hip, I felt naked, but the attacks around The Whores needed to be fast and brutal. Straight-up attacking each port from sea or land in one large force invited high casualty rates, which was something I couldn¡¯t sustain beyond a handful of battles. Even if half the men in each port bent the knee after surrendering, if I lost the same percentage of men in an assault, then by the time I cleared The Whores I might be the only man left who¡¯d sailed from Dustspear. That was why I was trialling the new tactic, which was one Hendal hadn¡¯t encountered before. That said something about the tactics commonly employed by the pirates in the Steps, and along with Bronn, Ymir, and me believing Hendal was truthful in what he revealed about the port and the rest of Ryndoon¡¯s forces, gave me hope the plan would be generally successful. Plus, it would force the men to apply tactics we¡¯d practised on Dustspear about coordinating attacks over sea and land. ¡°Looks like the port be almost empty.¡± Hendal¡¯s words caught my attention, drawing me from my thoughts. ¡°Only two vessels are docked. There could be up to eight ships berthed here when we need to shelter from storms or bring in captured vessels.¡± I grunted at hearing that; I leaned forward. It was still too far for me to make out much detail, but Hendal had a Myrish Eye; one looted from the captain¡¯s cabin that I¡¯d missed during my quick, initial search of the room. I stepped back from the wheel, letting him take over, and took the Eye. While it was a risk to use it to observe the port, we were standing on the quarterdeck, and not the foredeck or in the crow¡¯s nest, so it was less likely we¡¯d be seen by any in the port. Looking through the Eye I saw Hendal was accurate. Only two vessels were docked, though there were two more piers. Given that one of the ships docked looked to be a galley the size of the Grey Curse, I¡¯d judge that the piers could support up to ten galleys if they were docked with almost no room between bow and stern. My gaze shifted to the port itself, and I noted where the locals were gathered; with a focus on two buildings that had men standing outside them, hands on their hips. Those must be important, but whether it was prison cells, a treasury, the commander''s office, or something else of note, I couldn¡¯t say until I was inside the port. Sweeping my gaze over the sides of the port, I grunted as I took in the state of the walls. While decently tall and made of wood, even at this distance I could see gaps in them, letting me see the forest. While it didn¡¯t appear to be as dense as the one on Dustspear, it seemed to run close to the walls, meaning Bronn, Daemon, and the men with them should be able to approach close without much issue. At least so long as the port didn¡¯t send out patrols to scout the nearby woods. Scanning back over the port one final time, I counted the men I could see, even if they then left my sight. While I wasn¡¯t seeing all the port, I barely got to twenty men. There had to be more men further into the port as the two docked ships needed at least eighty men to crew, so unless they were short-handed then there had to be more men out of sight of the docks. Still, even if there were only enough men to crew the two docked vessels, it might be possible to take the port with just the men aboard the Grey Curse and the Windchaser. If we moved quickly during the night, when most of the pirates would be passed out drunk, sleeping, or bust fucking any slaves the port might have ¨C something Hendal had revealed all Ryndoon¡¯s ports had to keep up morale ¨C then, at the very least, we should be able to cripple the port before the rest of my men arrived. ¡°Good for us then,¡± I replied as I lowered the Eye. ¡°Provided you not be trying to lead us into chains,¡± I added as I handed the Eye back to Hendal and retook control of the wheel. ¡°Can understand your fear, but I gave you my word,¡± Hendal said as he slipped the Eye into a padded pouch to protect it. ¡°And I told you everything I knew about Ryndoon and the other Pirate Lords.¡± ¡°Aye, you did, but that could easily be a trick.¡± I turned my focus to him, holding his gaze. ¡°Words are but wind; actions determine someone¡¯s value and honour. Prove yourself and claim your reward as Captain¡± Hendal¡¯s eyes narrowed, not liking my opinion of his valour. A grunt slipped from his lips. ¡°Fair enough,¡± he muttered before turning and moving ahead of the wheel, looking over the main deck. My eyes watched his body, looking for signs of treachery. So far, he¡¯d not given me any reason to doubt him, but until the port was captured, and probably even afterwards, I wasn¡¯t going to turn my back on him while he was armed. ¡°Turn us slightly to starboard,¡± Hendal said, ¡°there is a small reef we need to avoid as we near the port if we do not want the Windchaser to ruin her keel.¡± I did as he said, stopping the turn when he grunted, and watched as the port slowly slipped closer. We were still a while away, perhaps an hour, but the buildings would soon come into view. At that point I¡¯d have Hendal point out the various buildings of importance; detailing what was where. It would be easy to tell if he was lying once we docked, but so far I had little reason to doubt him. As he said, he¡¯d been forthcoming with intel, even offering pieces I hadn¡¯t considered asking about as they were seemingly unrelated to The Whores. However, as I¡¯d just said, judgment for him would wait until after the port was secured. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I moved slowly, hugging the shadows of the building next to me as best I could without it being fully obvious that I was doing so. One had rested on the head of my axe while the other held a dagger. Behind me came Cayde, Hendal, and two dozen of our men with them. Irraro had slipped away with about half as many men just after we¡¯d started to move on this almost moonless night, heading for the walls. While it was in a state of disrepair, it was manned so those men would need removing for when Bronn, Daemon, and the rest of my men arrived. We were heading toward the docks, wanting to take that position before the walls were breached. Things had been a little tense when we¡¯d docked as while Dwan knew Hendal and many of the men aboard the two ships, he didn¡¯t know me, Cayde, or the others, with Irraro sticking out more as a summer Islander. Hendal had spun a yarn that mixed truth with lies to explain us being forced into the crew after the first galley the Curse had sailed with was lost in a failed battle. After the capture of the Windchaser, he¡¯d promoted me to the helm as that¡¯s been my role on the last vessel I¡¯d served on. The fact that Garreo and a dozen others were secured in the Windchaser¡¯s hold helped further sell the deception; at least enough that Dwan allowed us into the port. After an evening telling stories of where we came from, women we¡¯d fucked, battles we¡¯d fought, and me sharing a handful of songs I¡¯d created that the pirates seemed to enjoy, Dwan¡¯s suspicions had fallen away enough that he¡¯d left us to enjoy his evening. Several of my men ¨C including some who¡¯d sailed from Dustspear with me ¨C had joined in the merriment, even taking liberties with the female slaves in the port. Their faces were burnt into my mind, and if they survived The Whores, they¡¯d face justice for their actions. I would reduce the punishment for those from the harshest penalties as their actions had helped sell the deception; or at least those who¡¯d been partially drunk before taking liberties. Daris and Vogor ¨C who were in the group behind me ¨C along with three others were dead men walking as they¡¯d gone for the slaves before the drink, and that was something I¡¯d not tolerate. The waning moon hung high in the sky, clouds drifting over it to cut out the light it generated, though it provided just enough light to help the men see where we were going. With my enhanced sight via my bond with Rian and perfect recall of the port, while the sun had been up, I had little issue with plotting my path toward the docks. Rounding a corner, the faint light of a slowly dying fire illuminated a half-dozen men. While there was some movement from the group, it was slight and subtle, suggesting they were either sleeping or almost there. Since the night was cool, almost warm, it didn¡¯t surprise me that they were sleeping outside. Not after already finding and dispatching a dozen men in various locations since we¡¯d passed since starting the op. I moved closer, mindful of my steps, memories of training to stalk a target from my previous life merging with the times I¡¯d been in Ymir as he moved. Each step caused the loose pebbles of the ground to shift, and I was mindful of the noise they made. As we neared, faint grunts ¨C of pleasure and pain ¨C reached me, masking the slight sounds of my steps. Along with that was the constant, rhythmic pattern of the tide brushing against the docks. My steps were timed to the tide, using the sound to cover my movement. I lifted my hand from the axe, flicking it to one side: around the building separating me from the small group of men. I didn¡¯t need to look back to know Cayde would take half the men the way I¡¯d indicated. Back on Dustspear, I¡¯d established signals with him and the other officers of my men so we could move without sound. I¡¯d just not expected the first battle of The Whores to be when that training came to the fore. The flickers of light from the fire the pirates were around illuminated their faces as I crept closer, and a faint smile slipped onto my face as I saw one face in particular. That was one of Dwan¡¯s lieutenants; the man was nearly two heads taller than me. He¡¯d been one of those I¡¯d wanted removed before any battle began as just his size would make him a challenge. To say nothing of the massive blade I¡¯d seen at his side when we¡¯d docked. As I reached the edges of the fire, the man closest to me shifted. The eyes flickered open, then widened; the fog of sleep driven from his mind as one hand clamped over his mouth. Before even a grunt of confusion could slip through my fingers, the dagger was embedded in his throat; the tip pushing toward his spine. His body went limp, meaning I¡¯d caught the nerves at the back of his spine, rendering him immobile. Withdrawing the dagger, blood spurted out as I severed his vocal cords and windpipe. The body slumped as my hand left his mouth, the dagger already turned and driven itself into the side of the next pirate¡¯s neck. Like the first, his eyes shot open in confusion, and as I pulled the dagger forward, repeating the destruction of the vocal cords, he fell forward; his hands going for his neck as faint gargles slipped from the ruined voice box. A bloody grunt slipped from the wound as my dagger slammed into his chest, piercing his heart. The lieutenant stirred at that, but before his eyes could focus, Hendal drove his blade into the man¡¯s chest even as one of those with us thrust another dagger into the next man. A flash of recognition and understanding came to the large lieutenant¡¯s face as Hendal removed his blade though before any words could come, the former pirate now under my banner crashed his fist into the pirate¡¯s face. The pebbles shifted louder than I¡¯d like as the lieutenant¡¯s body crashed to the ground, though I ensured he wouldn¡¯t rise by driving my axe into the back of his neck, severing the spine. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Once the pirates were dead, I slipped the axe back into its loop and started shifting around the bodies. While it was unlikely anyone would find them before the port was taken, it was better to be cautious. The pirates were sat back up, slumped over in ways that would hide their deaths unless someone came closer. We¡¯d done the same with others in places where we couldn¡¯t hide the body properly, and so far, it was working. With the bodies staged to hide their fates, I moved forward, seeing Cayde¡¯s face as the light fell behind me. He nodded, gestured to where he¡¯d come from and held up three fingers, indicating he¡¯d had a successful ambush as well. Nodding back, I turned, letting Hendal come closer. I put my hands together and then pushed them apart. Tapping my chest, I gestured the direct path to the docks, which was where Dwan¡¯s office, the prisoners, and the armoury/treasury were located. Pointing at the two men, I gestured for Cayde to go right and Hendal left. Both nodded and moved off, taking roughly equal numbers of men with them. I waited, watching them go. They¡¯d need time to flank out, so we¡¯d arrive at the docks at roughly the same time, and it allowed me to watch Hendal. Sending him like this was another risk, but he¡¯s proven himself so far, and as a captain ¨C well future captain ¨C in my forces, he needed to slowly gain more and more trust from me. His intel on the port had been accurate, and he¡¯d helped remove most of the suspicion about myself and the other new crew when we¡¯d docked. Adding in that he was helping me take the port and he was fast earning the position I¡¯d promised him. Once the groups had moved far enough away, I started moving forward, watching my step, and listening for the sounds of men, be they awake or asleep. The building to my right brought forth faint snores. Going through my mental map, that made sense as this building and another to its right ¨C the other side of the path Cayde should be heading down ¨C were the main barracks. I paused at the next intersection, checking it was clear. Once sure, I turned, gesturing to the men behind me to secure the door to the barracks to the right. Once I was over the intersection, seeing Cayde¡¯s and Hendal¡¯s groups doing likewise, the men behind me moved to my right. The dagger and axe were in my hands as the men moved to secure the barracks door. There was little they could do about making some noise. Sound and movement from my left had my attention, and looking that way I saw two figures moving toward Hendal. I slipped to that side of the intersection I was at, wanting to be close in case things went sideways. Hendal moved toward the pair, though what he was saying I couldn¡¯t catch as he spoke in hushed tones. My grips tightened as I feared he was betraying us, though after a few more words, one of the pair nodded and they slipped around Hendal. ¡°Hey!¡± one of the pair called out, the movement of my men securing the barracks to my right catching their eye. However, anything else he might¡¯ve said or done was stopped as his body jerked. He glanced down as something caught the light of the moon and I realised Hendal had thrust his sword through the pirate¡¯s chest. ¡°Wha?¡± the other said, turning to Hendal, hands going to his blade, however before he could fully turn to face the traitor, he stumbled forward, crashing into the man with Hendal¡¯s blade through his chest. I¡¯d hoped to strike his chest, but the man had turned before my throw could get away, and the bit of the axe embedded itself in his lower back. The trio of men tumbled to the ground, sending pebbles flying and generating a symphony of noise. I took a step toward them, wanting to silence anything further, but paused as the men with Hendal moved. They fell on the pirates like a pack of hyenas, and when they pulled back barely half a minute later, the pirates lay motionless on the ground. I moved closer, wanting to retrieve my axe, and as I neared Hendal held it out to me, shaft-first. Giving him a nod of thanks, I took it back and turned, the men around us lifting the bodies off the path. While this was another small step in Hendal earning my trust, it wasn¡¯t the final one he¡¯d have to take. While I didn¡¯t doubt he was with me to take out this port, I couldn¡¯t discount the fact that he might still move against me at a later date. By the time I returned to the intersection, axe in hand, the bodies of the pair had been removed from the path and the men with me had secured the door to the barracks. While it might be easier to simply enter and remove everyone inside, with two vessels sitting in the docks that I wanted to take, to say nothing of others I might find in The Whores, I knew I¡¯d need manpower. While pirates weren¡¯t the most reliable or trustworthy, bodies for a battle should never be tossed away without good reason. Moving forward, I passed the next building with ease, no sounds of anyone reaching my ears. That brought me into sight of the docks, with the prison and Dwan¡¯s office the closest of the critical targets. While taking out, or preferably capturing Dwan was a priority, I wanted the prison taken as soon as possible. It would be well guarded, Garreo and a dozen of my men were held along with about half that number of other male slaves. There were a handful of females as well, but they were kept elsewhere; with some having been dragged away by the Dwan ¨C the port¡¯s commander ¨C after the evening meal for his personal enjoyment. At the docks, I just make out all four ships there. The Grey Curse was docked next to the other galley on one pier while the Windchaser was docked on a pier with a cog that was shorter but wider than her. According to Dwan, the Westerosi trade vessel, its cargo and crew had been captured a few days ago, the ship skirting the coast of the Broken Arm in an attempt ¨C which clearly failed ¨C to avoid pirates. While the cog, Ilaerah¡¯s Luck, wouldn¡¯t be of any use in The Whores, having it available would save me needing to use military vessels to help transport cargo and men to and from Sunspear or hire a merchant to do the job. Provided it was in decent condition, then it and the Windchaser would head back after this island, or possibly the next one, were raided of anything useful. Thoughts on my future plans were interrupted by a familiar presence at the edge of my thoughts. Ymir was close to the wall, if not in sight of them. That meant Bronn, Daemon, and the rest of the men would be there as well. Soon the need for subtlety and stealth would be lost, but before then, I wanted to see how much more damage we could do. And then, once the port was taken, I¡¯d see what new men and resources I had at my disposal for the next stage of the attack on The Whores. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°Never!¡± Dwan spat at my boots. ¡°I would never betray Alequo!¡± I sighed, annoyed at the response even if it wasn¡¯t unexpected. Hendal had mentioned when we¡¯d talked about the port that Dwan had been with Ryndoon since before the man from Myr had become Lord of the Grey Gallows, so I knew the offer to bend the knee to me was unlikely to be accepted, still, I had to make it. Hendal and others spoke well of Dwan¡¯s skill and experience. Ymir moved closer, a low, warning growl slipping from his teeth. Dwan snarled back at the direwolf. ¡°And you can call off your mutt, he does not scare me!¡± He snapped. I moved closer, kneeling close enough that I could speak to him softly, but not close enough that he could attempt anything while forced to his knees and restrained. ¡°First off, Ymir is not a mutt. He¡¯s a direwolf from north of the Wall.¡± That still failed to pierce his anger and he only snarled. ¡°And as much as I doubt you will believe me; I respect your decision. It fucking annoys me, but I admire the conviction.¡± Dwan looked at me, his anger soothing slightly with my words, finally taking in my features. He blinked as if confused by what he saw. ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked in the calmest voice I¡¯d yet heard from him. I chuckled, one hand reaching down and picking up some pebbles from the ground. ¡°I have had a few names already in my short life,¡± I said as I rolled the small stones around in my palm. ¡°King Robert Baratheon named me the Bloody Wolf of Dorne, Princess Arianne Martell of Dorne has dubbed me the Wild Wolf,¡± I explained, my voice quiet enough that it wouldn¡¯t carry to the other pirates restrained about five metres behind him. I stood, letting the stones slide from my palm and bounce off the others on the ground. A wide, vicious smile that I¡¯d learnt from Oberyn spread over my face. ¡°To you, and any who stand against me, I am the Rogue Viper.¡± I stepped back, my hands coming to rest on the pommel of Red Rain. ¡°And since I, like you, have honour, I make one final offer. Bend the knee and serve.¡± ¡°Never!¡± Dwan shot back, though the anger in his tone was more subdued. I sighed, running one hand through my hair. ¡°Very well.¡± I moved to his side as I continued. ¡°You fought well. When the battle was lost, you chose to surrender to save your men, and now show conviction in who you follow. For that, I grant you a quick death, may your ancestors welcome you in the afterlife.¡± Once I was behind him, in full view of the other pirates, I unsheathed Red Rain, holding the blade up to let the sun flash along its crimson blade. Dwan, understanding what was about to happen, lowered his head, exposing his neck. My blade flew true, and a moment later Dwan¡¯s head fell to the ground beside his lifeless body. Now, I could¡¯ve taken Dwan captive, dragging him back to Dustspear and interrogating him for information on Ryndoon¡¯s forces in the chain and on Grey Gallows or the forces of the other Pirate Lords. However, I knew that it would take a good deal of time to gain that intel, and by the time I learned it, it would be all but useless. Nor could I take him with me as this campaign was one of speed and chaos, not slow, controlled conquest. Thus, I granted him a clean, honourable death to prove that those unwilling to follow because of conviction would be given the honour that conviction deserved. I watched the head roll to a stop before turning to Daemon. ¡°When the body burns, let it do so with a blade in hand.¡± He nodded, accepting the words though there was a hint of confusion in his eyes; something echoed in the faces of Bronn and Cayde when I turned back and saw them behind the prisoners. After taking a cloth he offered, I turned back to the other bound and kneeling pirates. ¡°You motherfucker!¡± One of them called out, struggling against his bonds even as one of my men struggled to ensure he stayed kneeling. Ymir growled and stalked forward as the man continued shouting. ¡°What the fuck?¡± As I calmly cleaned my blade of Dwan¡¯s blood I said. ¡°This man would not bend the knee because of loyalty. That is worthy of an honourable death.¡± ¡°Honourable? Honourable!?! We be fucking pirates, you dumb cunt!¡± The man continued to struggle as another of my men moved over, holding him down. ¡°I will not serve a crazy bastard like you!¡± ¡°Is that your final choice?¡± I asked, Red Rain now cleaned of blood. ¡°Fuck you!¡± The pirate spat at my feet, mimicking Dwan¡¯s actions just before I granted him a clean death. ¡°And fuck your dumb dog!¡± That had Ymir growling fiercely, his ears flattening back as I sensed the man¡¯s aggression against him and wanted to deal with the challenger. After sheathing my blade, I moved forward and placed a hand on Ymir¡¯s neck. In a sign of his anger, he tensed at the touch, which made me sigh. ¡°Dwan made his choice based on honour, on duty to his lord. You, however, make yours with your lack of respect. For that, your death will not be clean.¡± A gentle push on Ymir¡¯s neck was all the signal he needed. The man¡¯s eyes widened as the giant direwolf bound toward him, his mind just beginning to understand what was happening as Ymir stretched open his maw. The start of a scream was drowned out as Ymir bit down; crunching through the man¡¯s throat with lethal teeth that were almost as long as my hand. I stood still, watching Ymir yank his head to one side, the pirate¡¯s skull being ripped clean from the body. The men who¡¯d previously been holding the man had fallen over, scampering back to avoid the enraged direwolf. They would need to be disciplined as their blades were now near the hands of a dozen bound pirates. None of them made a move for the weapons though as they, like my men, had rushed back, not wanting to be near the violent death of their compatriot. There was a moment as Ymir leaned back and bit down, sending another soul-damaging crunch over the beach, where my mind wanted to return to when I¡¯d shared his thoughts. A second later, I was considering re-entering Ymir¡¯s mind, wanting to savour the rich, incredible sensation of a fresh kill. Both were pushed away as I remained stoic, watching the faces of the prisoners and my men. Ymir turned, shaking the head violently, sending blood, gore, and brain matter flying. Several of the prisoners shrieked in shock as they were splashed, however, I gave them no thought. Nor did I react when Ymir tossed the head upward, revealing the terrified final expression of the piss-poor excuse for a warrior. The direwolf bounded up, his back legs not quite leaving the ground, and caught what remained of the skull; the man¡¯s final expression clearly visible to all. Ymir held the head there as he turned back to the pirates, and I sensed his amusement. Whether that was for the sad attempt at a challenge, or the fear flowing from the pirates, I couldn¡¯t say, but either way, he was enjoying his meal. Bronn caught my eye and offered a nod, seemingly impressed with my actions. Cayde also seemed accepting, though his cheeks appeared whiter than they¡¯d been a moment or two before. Behind me, I knew Daemon would¡¯ve seen the action, and probably didn¡¯t approve, but I wanted to make clear that I wouldn¡¯t treat everyone equally. Dwan had earned my respect for his convictions, the other headless man hadn¡¯t; instead displaying the intelligence of a blind and deaf doe when being hunted by an apex predator. Ymir turned from the men, and with the prize still in his maw, walked back to my side. I held out my arm, letting him slide under it until he was back at my side, my hand once more on the back of his neck. Once there, I nodded to Bronn and Cayde, indicating I wanted the prisoners to stand. Once they were, I spoke. ¡°Now,¡± I said slowly, my voice calm and measured, ¡°with that done, I offer you a choice. Die with honour like Dwan, die like prey, or if you wish to live, bend the knee.¡± ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ Standing on the quarterdeck of the Grey Curse as we sailed clear of the harbour, I turned and looked back toward the port we¡¯d taken. Or more accurately, the beginnings of the end of the port. It had been less than a day since I¡¯d entered aboard this ship uncertain of my plan and placing faith in Hendal; a man who¡¯d only just sworn himself to me, yet already the port had fallen, and we¡¯d picked the bones as clean as we could in the time allowed, with everything of value stored aboard the Windchaser. That included the fifteen slaves kept in the port, and while they would all be heading back to Northpoint with the Windchaser once her hold was fuller, the males had caused problems before we left the port. They were furious that I¡¯d taken those who¡¯d been abusing them into my service, and struggled to understand my reasoning for it. However, they seemed willing to believe me when I said once in Northpoint they¡¯d be free to leave, to try and recover their lives. The issue of taking pirates into my employ while also freeing slaves was one I¡¯d have to be careful about as it was clear problems could easily develop, but I needed the manpower for raiding the rest of The Whores, and that took priority over my dislike of having to have rapists in my forces. In the end, almost all the pirates had bent the knee to me and then signed their consent to my terms after Daemon had informed them of the rules I used. Some had even looked at me oddly as if trying to figure out why I had such rules as a pirate, but until the raiding of The Whores was finished, few would learn the truth of who I was and what was my purpose here. Hells, even Bronn, Daemon, and the others who¡¯d been with me since the taking of Dustspear didn¡¯t know my full plans; only that I intended to attack Redwater once The Whores were blitzed. While I¡¯d not detailed it fully to them, I suspected Doran and Oberyn understood my intent was more than just building up Dustspear, they didn¡¯t know I planned to hold Redwater and, ideally, develop it. While taking the entire Stepstones was likely beyond reach, I would certainly make the attempt. If, at the very least, I could control the islands on the Westerosi side, then by default I¡¯d go from a useful piece for Doran in the Great Game to a minor player myself. It would also, I hoped, put my name on the lips of other power players; something I¡¯d then use to help deal with the Wildlings, and then, if I could, the Others. The flickers of fire were slowly growing inside the port, which would over time grow to envelop most, if not all, of the buildings in the port. The greatest fire was growing on the main dock where, at the point the dock reached the stoney beach, the Grim Minnow was beached and ablaze. While the loss of a ship hurt, I¡¯d replaced the longboat with two galleys ¨C even if both needed repairs done before they saw large-scale battle ¨C and as the ship once more bore the marking of the Grim Prince, its destruction here served a dual purpose. Apart from the flames travelling to the other piers, which was ensured by wood and other flammable material that I didn¡¯t want to loot stretching from the Minnow to those piers, the wreck would let Ryndoon know the port had been attacked by another Pirate Lord. To add to the confusion, a barrel was floating in the harbour, the tide pushing it away from the port, and inside it was a banner the Grim Prince had ensured his vessels had flown. I¡¯d initially planned to simply destroy those banners after taking Dustspear, but on the sail back to Sunspear the idea to use them for diversionary tactics had appeared, and now that was being put into effect. Whenever Ryndoon¡¯s forces arrived ¨C be they reinforcements or a change in rotation ¨C they¡¯d discover the place gone, and the banner. By the time Ryndoon learnt of this, he¡¯d likely have also heard the Grim Prince was dead, so ideally he¡¯d just ignore the idea that the Grim Prince¡¯s replacement had carried out the attacks. Something I planned to ensure by pinning raids on other ports in The Whores on him. If I did that for enough of the ports, if not all, then the various Pirate Lords with interests here would increase their attacks against each other in retaliation; granting me time and space to unleash hell on Redwater. Now, while the Minnow was no longer part of my fleet, it¡¯d been stripped of everything of value before being set ablaze, with its scorpion added to the pair on the Grey Curse and the oars attached on both galleys to bring them back to full capacity. Yes, the longboat oars were shorter, but they still reached the water and would grant the galleys a little extra speed if the need arose. ¡°Where to now, my Lord Viper?¡± I turned around, leaving the ruined and soon-to-be-destroyed port behind me. Hendal was manning the wheel, his position as captain confirmed just before we¡¯d sailed though I¡¯d shifted my flag to the Curse as with the extra scorpion it was the strongest ship in my small fleet. He¡¯d gained the position after convincing three of Dwan¡¯s lieutenants to bend the knee. While I¡¯d not heard his exact words to them, their oaths had been genuine enough that I, Bronn, and Ymir, believed them. With them on board, the other pirates had felt safer in accepting my terms. Still, as we sailed, I planned to ask for names from each lieutenant and Hendal privately on which of my new men they felt were the most untrustworthy or troublesome. The names that appeared more than once would be placed in the vanguard of each attack, which would ensure the worst of the worst were removed by the time I returned to Dustspear. ¡°West and then north around the island,¡± I replied. That had Hendal look my way, some confusion on his face. ¡°This was not the only port in The Whores,¡± I explained with a vicious smile. ¡°Nor was Ryndoon¡¯s only outpost.¡± Hendal watched me, waiting to see if I was going to add more details, but when I didn¡¯t he nodded and then turned back to the wheel. I trusted him enough to make him a captain, but not enough to bring him in on the full plan. Once the second island was raided, and their ports ablaze, I was sure he¡¯d figure out my intent, but until then he and the other new men would stay in the dark. Though even Bronn and Daemon didn¡¯t know my exact plans for the Whores as, to a large degree, I was adapting on the fly. The composition of the forces here was relatively unknown, and as no battleplan ever survived contact with an enemy, I was keeping things loose to allow me to adapt quickly. The overall objective was clear, and from the new intel I¡¯d gotten from Hendal ¨C and soon from the others who¡¯d bent the knee ¨C I was adjusting the next few stages. Time would tell though if those stuck, or if I¡¯d have to change tact. The island we were going for was the westernmost of the middle trio of islands that made up The Whores, and was currently contested by Ryndoon and the Bloodhawk, a Pirate Lord from The Shrouded Isle. Ryndoon¡¯s third port in The Whores sat on the easternmost of the middle trio of islands and was currently one of the last I planned to strike at. By that time, provided everything went reasonably well, the chain would be clear, ports ablaze, ships stolen, and the Pirate Lords who¡¯d controlled the ports at each other¡¯s throats. The ports nearer the Broken Arm of Drone should be larger than those facing eastward, but at the same time, they¡¯d likely be less regularly under threat from other Pirate Lords. If the next few raids didn¡¯t go quite as well as planned, then even taking some of the vessels there, along with greater bounty, would make this campaign generally successful, even if it didn¡¯t reach the heights I was hoping for. Of course, even with the two galleys added to our numbers, we weren¡¯t capable of engaging anything but the smallest of enemy fleets, and so, as Ryndoon¡¯s port burned behind us, I offered a silent prayer to the Gods for at least some fortune to avoid such an outcome. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I looked through the Myrish Eye, taking in the second of Ryndoon¡¯s ports. The place looked slightly smaller than the last one, with two piers to the previous ports¡¯ three. Like the first port, two ships were docked there, though we were still too far away from me to be certain of their size, I felt at least one of them was a galley. Due to how we were sailing toward the port, the sun was slowly sinking behind us. That meant any looking out at us from the port would struggle to make out much until the sun dropped behind the mountains of the Broken Arm, and ever after my small fleet would slide into the shadow that generated, hiding our size in another way. Still, to be careful, the Grey Curse and her sister ship, the Grey Tide led the way with the Tide half a ship¡¯s length behind off our port side. Both vessels still bore the flags of Ryndoon, flying them proudly from the top of the mainmasts. That would have anyone able to make them out, thinking we were reinforcements or a returning patrol. The men from the last port were spread out among my fleet, with most of the remaining longboats. None were on the Windchaser to avoid issues with the freed slaves there, and my personal ship and the Ilaerah¡¯s Luck were much further back. If the battle turned ugly, they had orders to turn and sail back to Northpoint as I¡¯d rather some of my forces made it back than none. That said, even if nothing went horribly wrong with this port and the next, at least the Windchaser would return home. ¡°How large is this port?¡± I asked Hendal as I lowered the Eye, waiting until we were closer to get a better look at the place¡¯s layout and dock-side defences. ¡°Not sure never sailed out of it, but been told it be smaller by others. Ryndoon kept it armed to raid passing vessels, but he never committed heavily as it was far from Grey Gallows and the Bloodhawk controlled the other port on the island. Though from what I heard, the Bloodhawk is focused on Koros currently.¡± I nodded, remembering the intel Hendal had given before we¡¯d attacked the first port, and added to since we¡¯d sailed from there. The Bloodhawk and Lucian Koros were the two major Pirate Lords on The Shrouded Isle and were often at each other¡¯s throats. On the rare times that they weren¡¯t, they skirmished with a pair of minor lords on the isle, though I¡¯d yet to learn the names of those Pirate Lords, and the Blood Serpent and Aeron Indarys ¨C Pirate Lords from Bloodstone ¨C over the Bone Breaker Isles. Those were a series of small islands that lay between the two larger isles, and control of them granted control of the strait there. Much as control of The Whores would, in theory, grant control of trade around the Arm of Dorne. Hendal hummed, considering something. ¡°If I remember, Iron Hands served there for a while before working for Dwan.¡± I offered him a smile of thanks, and as I moved toward the steps to the main deck, slipped the Eye into a padded satchel on my belt. Once down the steps, I moved through the middle of the deck, keeping clear of the men manning the oars as they sat there, rowing gently to push us toward the port. Once we were closer, they¡¯d row faster pushing us into the port at speed as I wanted to take this one with a rapid, frontal assault. While the men that¡¯d come from Dustspear could carry out other plans, those who¡¯d bent the knee couldn¡¯t, and even if they were mainly on the longboats, I didn¡¯t want too much confusion in the battle so went with a simple, but generally effective approach of a full-frontal assault for this port. Bronn was standing near the main mast, beating out the slow rhythm to have the men row in time, and I nodded as I passed, only to stop a few steps beyond him as I reached Iron Hands. That wasn¡¯t his real name ¨C not that I currently knew that ¨C and the man wore steel gauntlets ¨C which I¡¯d never seen him take off ¨C which was where I assumed the name came from. He¡¯d been a former lieutenant of Dwan and had bent the knee after Hendal spoke with him. He¡¯d given me some intel, but given we¡¯d reached this port in just over a day, I¡¯d not had time to fully debrief him or the other former lieutenants or Dwan¡¯s that had joined me. ¡°What do you know of this port?¡± I asked as I knelt beside him, staying far enough away to avoid the oar he and the man beside him were manning. ¡°Smaller than the last port,¡± he replied as he pulled the oar in time with Bronn¡¯s beat. ¡°Better armed though. Always has fifty men, and normally four vessels. Commander¡¯s a cunt with no care of anything but control, so the men there should join once that bastard¡¯s dead.¡± I patted his shoulder in thanks and then stood. walking to the bow, I considered Iron Hand¡¯s words. Since this was a more military port, the assault would likely work better than the deception used in the first port. At the bow, I placed a hand on one of the trio of scorpions there. It was a little tight having three here as the galley wasn¡¯t the widest, but this was where they¡¯d do the most damage. Supplies of bolts for them were in crates nearby, and if they couldn¡¯t be recovered or replaced as the raids continued, would have to be conserved. The same was true of the arrows for the bows stored here as well, though if it came down to it, they¡¯d be kept for me. My weirwood bow, which was given a place of prominence here, was the best bow we had, and I¡¯d continue using it to snipe until we ran out of arrows. However, the bows and scorpions couldn¡¯t be manned until we were inside the slight natural harbour here, otherwise those onshore would know our intent. That meant that for now, all I could do was wait. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ Red Rain flicked out, knocking aside a cutlass that was thrusting toward me. At the same time, I was pivoting, ensuring the blade couldn¡¯t reach me. Once that was certain, my blade flicked away, crashing against the second cutlass. Sparks flew as the Valyrian steel slid down the flat of the cutlass, scarring the blade, and then pushed down against the guard. A grunt slipped from the pirate as I removed the fingers on his hand at the knuckle; the fingers and cutlass falling away. That was a surprise as while Valyrian steel could slice through steel, I¡¯d not put much pressure behind the move, planning to do so once my blade touched the guard to push the pirate back. Taking advantage of the moment, my wrist turned, Red Rain shifted and then the tip of the blade dragged itself across his chest, slicing through the padded armour there to split open his chest. The pirate stumbled back, the two quick attacks wounding him badly. Quickly shifting to avoid a thrust of the first cutlass. The blade¡¯s owner had recovered from the failed attack and turned to engage again before I could kill his companion. With Red Rain out of position to engage the cutlass, I shifted, my axe coming around to hook his blade and direct it past me. That removed it from position allowing me to thrust my blade forward; the tip easily sliding through the leather the pirate was wearing and embedding itself in his chest. I pivoted, pulling Red Rain with me, the blade slicing its way through the man¡¯s insides. My eyes shifted to the other pirate, who was going into shock, I swung the axe around, driving the bit deep into his chest at almost the same moment Red Rain emerged from the chest of the other pirate. The realisation of his impending death flickered across the pirate¡¯s face as I ripped the axe free; his body shuddering as I did so. Red Rain continued coming around even as he fell to his knees, the tip of the blade catching him at the shoulder and then slicing a wound through his throat. Hearing the second body drop behind me, my eyes scanned the port, looking eagerly for my next target. Around me, chaos reigned as my men engaged the forces of the Bloodhawk. This was the second port on this island, with Ryndoon¡¯s having fallen quickly early yesterday evening, a longship with symbols of the Grim Prince again left burning in the port. With that secured, I¡¯d led a good portion of the men ¨C mainly those who¡¯d bent the knee ¨C over the island while Daemon led the naval forces. The three galleys and longboats bearing Ryndoon¡¯s colours had led the fleet, leading the commander of this port to order his vessels to sea. That had been what I¡¯d been waiting for, and with Ymir getting the first kill when he¡¯d leapt clean over the wall, taking down a guard there, we¡¯d assaulted the place from land. With their forces caught on my fleet, we¡¯d taken the wall with ease. Something that was a relief as unlike those in Ryndoon¡¯s ports, this one lacked any gaps in the wall that we could slip through. Thankfully through my bow, and then Ymir¡¯s dramatic entrance, the main gate in the wall had fallen before the men inside the port could prepare a counter. The sound of boots on the ground caused me to swing around Red Rain coming around, slicing a section of the small wooden shield the new pirate held. That had him sliding to a stop, which granted time for my axe to up and over. The bit gripped the top of the shield and pulled it down, exposing the pirate¡¯s face and chest. My blade up and thrust down in a perfect diving eagle, taking advantage of the gap created, with the tip easily sinking into the man¡¯s chest. Pulling my arm to the side enlarged the wound, and guts splurged from the wide cut. Yet, instead of unhooking my axe and pushing the dying man away, I pulled to one side as I turned. As I¡¯d driven Red Rain into the pirate¡¯s chest, I¡¯d seen two of his compatriots rushing toward me having just cut down one of my men that had recently bent the knee. The body I¡¯d just dragged to my side fell creating a barrier as it went down. One of the pirates slid to a stop though the other wasn¡¯t as lucky and ended up falling, the spluttering final moments of his companion weighing him down. My blade flicked out, knocking aside an obvious attack from the pirate that remained upright. A roll of my wrist had Red Rain banking down. The pirate grunted as the tip of my blade caught his thigh. Before he could recover, I stepped in making my blade sink deeper into the leg before it burst out, blood flowing freely from the wound as I shoulder slammed my opponent. The pirate stumbled, and my arm came around in a tight loop embedding itself in the juncture between neck and shoulder, hot blood splattering over my face as I grinned. Even as the man fell, gargling his final breaths, I turned back to his partner. He¡¯d yet to get free of the body on top of him, and a simple thrust of my blade into his throat ended any threat he might pose. Yet even as I pulled my blade clear, another pirate rushed toward me. This man had two short blades but seemed to hesitate as he neared, his eyes drawn to my blade as I pulled it from the throat of another dying pirate. I¡¯d seen that same look in the eyes of pirates in the last port, and wanting to empower here as I had then, I called forth my magic. Flames raced from the guard to the tip of Red Rain, the fire seeming hotter to the naked eye due to the blade¡¯s distinctive colouring. However, instead of the fear growing in this pirate¡¯s eyes, they widened in shock. I could work with that and moved to engage him only for the pirate to step back and drop to a knee. ¡°Lord of Light guide us,¡± he muttered in a bastardised form of Valyrian that I quickly understood came from Volantis. A grunt slipped from my lips as I looked at the kneeling pirate. I wanted fuck all to do with worshipers of R¡¯hllor, especially as they routinely sacrificed people ¨C including children ¨C at the stake to please their god. However, before I could move closer and end this man, movement from my left caught my attention. Turning slightly, I saw three men approaching, the lead man wearing a breastplate, pauldrons, vambraces and gauntlets and carrying a greatsword in his hands. The two men with him only had on chainmail, but the fact all three had metal armour meant they had to be the commander and his most loyal officers. I moved back, not wanting to get trapped facing them with the kneeling pirate behind me, but before the trio could reach me, the other pirate stood. I tensed, expecting an attack only for him to slide between me and the trio. ¡°Harlor!¡± The pirate in plate armour called out. ¡°What the fuck are you doing?¡± ¡°He shall not be harmed,¡± Harlor replied, his body tensing, readying itself for battle. ¡°He is important to the Lord of Light.¡± I bit my tongue, holding back a comment on what I thought of R¡¯hllor and his followers. If this fool wanted to die for me, I wasn¡¯t going to stop him. Especially when it changed a four-on-one engagement into a three-on-two. Instead, I called on my magic again, making the flames dancing along Red Rain¡¯s blade surge. They moved in ways flames simply couldn¡¯t, creating shapes and symbols as they flickered along the weapon. The leader¡¯s eyes narrowed at this. ¡°Bullshit!¡± he called, his body readying to attack. However, my gaze drifted to the two men with him. Their eyes widened in shock and as the leader took a step forward they hesitated. ¡°Just a charlatan with a cheap trick blade!¡± Wanting to use the confusion in the men with him, I pointed my blade at the commander, a smirk spreading over my face. Around us, the battle raged, though from what I could see it appeared my men were quickly overwhelming the defenders. From Red Rain¡¯s tip, a firebird grew and then slipped clear of the flames dancing along the weapon¡¯s blade. The firebird swooped forward, making the commander take a step back even as the men with him tensed in shock. ¡°Lord of Light protect us,¡± one of the men with the commander said, dropping to a knee and pointing his blade down. The other man did the same, making the commander glare at the pair. ¡°Oh, for fuck sake,¡± He spat out. His blade swooped around as he turned toward the man who¡¯d spoken, the blade sharp enough, and the swing powerful enough that it removed the man¡¯s head in a single sweep. He continued to spin, bringing the blade around in a wide arc. ¡°Enough of th¡­ Harlor!¡± The commander called out as Harlor stepped forward to block him. With a grunt the commander pushed Harlor back, the less-armoured pirate stumbling back. The commander advanced, his blade readying to attack. ¡°Hkg..¡± the odd sound slipped from his mouth and a moment later blood flowed from his groin as the blade of the man he¡¯d left kneeling removed his balls. As I fought an instant action of sympathy, the blade moved to the side, cutting a deep, flowing gorge in the commander¡¯s thigh. At the same time, Harlor stepped forward, his blade swatting away the commander¡¯s before his blade dug into the commander''s neck. As the commander fell to the ground, disbelief racing through his eyes as he bled to death, Harlor and the other man approached me. While their blades were kept low, I still readied myself in case they attacked me. ¡°My Lord,¡± Harlor said, dropping to a knee. ¡°I saw you in the flames,¡± he continued as the other man also knelt. ¡°The Lord of Light guided me to this island so that I might serve you. My blade, my life, is yours to do with as you wish in fulfilling R¡¯hllor¡¯s will.¡± He held up his blade, resting the tip on his free forearm. The other pirate did likewise. I watched them carefully, considering striking them down. While I needed men for raiding the other islands, I wasn¡¯t sure I wanted any of these fire-loving fools in my ranks. Especially if they started developing some odd beliefs that I was important to R¡¯hllor, to say nothing of the ideas they might think I was Azor Ahai. Hells, I knew I wasn¡¯t, not least as it was said Azor Ahai would birth dragons from stone, and that was Daenerys¡¯s destiny, not mine. I took a step toward them, planning to send them to their god ¨C if it would even accept such pathetic fools into its service ¨C yet before I could do so, a cheer started to my right. Turning, I saw my men celebrating, the cheer growing as they realized the port had fallen to us. I sighed, knowing I couldn¡¯t kill the two men kneeling in front of me now. To others it would look like I¡¯d executed two prisoners and while most wouldn¡¯t question it, it might make some reconsider their oaths to me, and possibly see me as a hypocrite or even a tyrant. As I turned back to the two men, I wondered how many other followers of R¡¯hllor might be among my ranks, and how executing these two because of their beliefs might make them consider leaving. I needed the bodies currently, and if they left, then there was a good chance word would reach Volantis. There, the priests of R¡¯hllor could whip up a storm, potentially turning the greatest of the Free Cities against me. ¡°Drop your blades and head over there,¡± I gestured toward the docks. That was where any prisoners ¨C which there were a good number of ¨C would be gathered. It was the method we¡¯d used since the first port and helped make it easier to secure them until they chose to bend the knee or die. So far, only Dwan had shown a spine to reject my terms based on loyalty and earned an honourable death. The other dozen or so who¡¯d rejected my terms had either been killed by Ymir or stabbed in the gut and then left to bleed out slowly. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ Red Rain pulled back, blood gushing from the chest of the pirate I¡¯d just killed. Around me my men, now numbering over four hundred strong, were overwhelming the defenders of the port. This one belonged to Lucian Koros and was the second of two ports he controlled on this island, and the third overall that we¡¯d raided. The battle around me wouldn¡¯t last long, and with it, the fourth island of The Whores would fall to me. Six, soon to be seven, ports had been taken, ransacked, and set ablaze with markers from another Pirate Lord to shift the blame. Like my forces, my fleet was now much larger, and I had a dozen galleys under my command, with two being larger, better-armed variants that I was terming war galleys, with my flag transferred to the first such vessel, the Red Kraken, once it had been taken. One galley had been sacrificed as part of my false flag operations, and because of those, I only had three longboats with most of those captured then burnt in the first port of a different Pirate Lord. I¡¯d also gained another cog, this one bigger than the Windchaser in all dimensions. That cog, the Pride of Saltbrook, had sailed back to Dustspear with my ship and Ilaerah¡¯s Luck after the taking of the third island. While the loot taken from the island wasn¡¯t much, the cog had been recently captured and nearly sixty slaves had been freed there, to go with the thirty or so that had come from the first island. While some of the male slaves had wanted to sign on for revenge, I¡¯d not wanted them near pirates who might¡¯ve been responsible for their capture and enslavement. At least not currently. Once this port fell, another three regular galleys would be added to my fleet, hopefully with enough men to crew them at close to ideal numbers. While I was pleased with my force being more than double what I¡¯d set out with, I was fast approaching an issue with crew numbers. Each galley needed at least twenty men to crew it, with sixty being the ideal number. The war galleys needed double that for both minimum and ideal numbers. While taking new ships was something I felt we could keep doing, I wondered how much longer it would be before pirates fought harder, costing me more men, and denying me larger recruiting pools once a port was taken. Already, I knew the sneak attack approach wouldn¡¯t work. I¡¯d barely worked in the last port with Cayde coming close to being murdered on the docks while the men who¡¯d sworn to me explained the presence of new crewmembers. With smoke from the previous ports visible from this port ¨C which sat on the north-facing side of the island ¨C the other port commanders would know the islands were under attack. The only upside was that they¡¯d not know by whom, and when they investigated, the evidence would point toward other Pirate Lords. My concerns about the need to change tactics, though not the speed of my raids, were pushed aside as another pair of pirates rushed toward me. At my feet lay the body of the man I¡¯d just killed, taking my tally to over fifty. While it wasn¡¯t a major thing, Bronn, Cayde, and the others were starting to keep track of their kills and we¡¯d made a friendly wager after the second island was taken that whoever secured the most would get a cask of Dornish Red whenever I returned to Sunspear. One of the two pirates approaching me was knocked over, a mass of black slamming into him. A scream came from his lips as he fell, though that was cut off as Ymir¡¯s jaw crushed his throat. I¡¯d prefer if Ymir wouldn¡¯t attack like that, as even with the patchwork leather I¡¯d made as best I could while we sailed, he was still vulnerable to a blade. Yet, even with a few scars along his side from strikes that had barely missed being critical, he still threw himself into battle, savouring the chaos and carnage. Of course, as I rushed the pirate that hadn¡¯t been knocked down, taking advantage of his confusion and fear at Ymir¡¯s arrival, I couldn¡¯t say I was any different. I wasn¡¯t losing myself in the battles, mainly as none I¡¯d fought had been a worthy adversary to truly let me enjoy a duel, but I loved the song of steel. I felt at home here, alive in a way I didn''t feel anywhere else. A grunt slipped from the pirate as Red Rain slipped through his armour like a hot knife through butter, and the body fell as I pulled my blade out to one side: severing one lung and potentially his liver as well. Turning, I looked for my next target, a small smile coming to my face as I found him. About five metres away, a decently armoured pirate was making quick work of two of those who¡¯d joined me. The pair had belonged to the Bloodhawk before they¡¯d bent the knee, but like most of those who¡¯d joined, they¡¯d not impressed me. I moved toward the armoured pirate as he killed the second of the two men engaging him, taking note of his armour, blade, and footwork. Like a previous commander, he wore steel armour, though without the vambraces; those being replaced by greaves. His shield was large and made of metal as well, his helm solid but exposing his face, and the blade looked to be in decent condition. As I neared, he turned, sensing my approach and I smiled, seeing the eyes of a man that understood battle. ¡°Come on!¡± he growled out, stepping toward me as I readied my blade. Red Rain flicked out with practised grace, effortlessly deflecting a thrust from my opponent''s blade. With a swift motion, my own blade flashed toward him, but he skilfully shifted back, angling his shield to deflect the strike. A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes as my blade skipped off, replaced by a hardened expression that hinted at his understanding of the peril posed by Valyrian Steel. Observing the decent armour adorning him, I had already suspected him to be the commander of this port. His recognition of Red Rain''s potency confirmed my suspicions. Finally, I anticipated a worthy adversary amidst these forsaken islands. His blade thrust forward, met by the swift interception of my own. Our arms twisted, blades locking together in a clash of wills. I was compelled to step back as his shield thrust forward, edge-first. A grin crept across my face, mirrored by the pirate before me. It widened as my blade surged forward, compelling him to retreat and defend. Eager to test his mettle, I unleashed a flurry of strikes, probing for weaknesses in his defences. Each defence he mounted only provided me with openings to exploit, allowing Red Rain to block his counters and evade his strikes. But after a mere thirty heartbeats, my grin faltered. Though skilled, the pirate was not exceptional. Already, I discerned flaws in his technique and plotted his downfall. In a calculated manoeuvre, I deliberately exposed a chink in my defences, tempting him to take the bait. He seized the opportunity, lunging forward with his blade aimed at my vulnerable abdomen. With a swift step back, I unleashed Red Rain in a lethal arc, severing his hand from his arm. Deftly, I closed the distance, ensuring his shield remained pinned against his body. Red Rain flashed once more, striking like a scorpion at the vulnerable nape of his neck, its edge finding purchase and ending his life. As his severed head thudded to the ground and his lifeless body crumpled, a triumphant cheer erupted from the onlookers. Another port had fallen to my prowess, soon to be engulfed in flames like those preceding it. With four down and three to go, our conquest of The Whores would soon be complete, and we would set sail back to Dustspear before the next quarter moon. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ Raiding the Wh*res 2 Raiding the Whores 2 ... ... (Circa 297AC) I stood on the quarterdeck of the Red Kraken as she sailed out of port. Behind us, the first embers of fire were rising in the final port on the fourth island of The Whores. Like every port before it that we¡¯d attacked, the place had fallen disappointingly quickly. The defenders hadn¡¯t been expecting an overwhelming attack from an external party. Also, like with the others, one ship that didn¡¯t belong was burning in the bay. The colours of the Bloodhawk floated nearby, drifting in the water so they¡¯d survive the fire and be there whenever men under the command of Lucian Koros arrived to determine what had happened to the port. Those two Pirate Lords were the main players on The Shrouded Isle. This attack, along with others that I¡¯d blamed on The Bloodhawk, should, I hoped, incite the pair to have larger skirmishes over the attacks. Battles that would ideally take place both here and on The Shrouded Isle. With this island now cleared, only three remained for me to attack. Those were the central, northernmost, and easternmost islands in the group. Most of the ports on those three islands were controlled by Aeron Indarys from Bloodstone, with The Blood Serpent, who was also based on Bloodstone, Alequo Ryndoon from Grey Gallows, and Lucian Koros controlling the other ports. While I could continue attacking as I had been, I knew the time for such slow, port-to-port attacks was running out. Smoke from the first two islands ¨C which were the westernmost and southernmost islands ¨C had risen high enough that I could see them from the northern edge of the fourth island, though I did need the Myrish Eye to do so. Still, if I could see them from here, then those on the central island would be able to see them without any aid. Because of that, I¡¯d altered my plan of attack for the three ports there. The majority of my enlarged fleet, led by the Red Kraken and another war galley ¨C the Coral Howl ¨C and escorted by six galleys, would sail directly to the northern port, under the control of Aeron Indarys, on the central island. That was the largest port present, and one built for controlling the waters between it and the remaining two islands. My remaining ships, consisting of four galleys and two longboats, had set sail earlier today. They were banking around the island we¡¯d just razed and would strike at the central island from the southwest. There, a small port controlled by Lucian Koros would be attacked, which, if all went to plan, would occur just as my fleet was ready to move from the main port to strike at the eastern port of the island. With the last port taken, Cayde¡¯s forces, including what they could grab and whoever bent the knee, would meet us there and we¡¯d sail for the easternmost island. From there I expected to sail back to Northpoint, leaving the northernmost island undamaged. With luck, that would have the Pirate Lords of The Shrouded Isle, Grey Gallows, and beyond think the attacks on the rest of The Whores had been arranged by one or both of the Pirate Lords of Bloodstone. From there, the others would return in force to retake their territory ¨C to not do so would leave them weak to challengers from inside and outside of their ranks, and send the northern and eastern sections of the Stepstones into war between the Pirate Lords here. Ideally, that would then draw in other nearby Pirate Lords from Obsidian Sands, Misthaven and, ideally, Redwater. With the Pirate Lords then thrown into chaos, or more of it as the Stepstones weren¡¯t exactly lawful before I took Dustspear, it would open the path for me to attack Redwater with minimal threat of an attack from any of the Pirate Lords to my north. Though for now, my focus remained on the central island of The Whores, and I offered a prayer to the Old Gods for fair winds and good luck as my fleet pulled away from the now-cleansed fourth island. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°I have something you might want to see.¡± I lifted my head from looking at the map of the Stepstones that I¡¯d laid out on the table in the main cabin of the Red Kraken, at Bronn¡¯s words. He was standing in the doorframe ¨C I¡¯d left the door open so he and others could enter without worrying about disturbing me ¨C with a slight hint of concern on his face. ¡°What?¡± I asked as I leaned back. ¡°Best you see for yer¡¯self,¡± he replied. Nodding, I ensured the map was securely anchored to the table, preventing it from rolling away with objects in each corner. While still vague, I anticipated gathering more information after the campaign in The Whores, enabling me to enhance details, particularly for The Shrouded Isle and Bloodstone. Though not immediately actionable, additional intelligence on enemy strength and locations would be invaluable. While aware of the main fortresses of the Pirate Lords on those islands and Grey Gallows, details such as their other ports and the status of minor Pirate Lords remained elusive. I followed Bronn out onto the deck, bringing the main deck. The sails were unfurled, taking advantage of a steady, though not very strong, breeze from astern. The men were at the oars, and several looked up at me. The drummer ¨C who was maintaining their speed with steady beats ¨C nodded, but I didn¡¯t give him or the others much attention as Bronn turned toward the flight of stairs to the quarterdeck. Ascending the steps, I furrowed my brow as the view astern revealed distant objects in the water. Despite the challenge in discerning details, even with my vision aided by my bond with Rian ¨C whom I sorely missed on this campaign ¨C I could discern approximately half a dozen ships trailing behind us. ¡°Have a look.¡± I took the Myrish Eye that Bronn offered, and after moving the rear railing, lifted it to my eye. ¡°Shit.¡± The curse flowed freely as I confirmed that there were ships behind us. Though the curse was brought on less by that ¨C as we outnumbered that fleet and were far enough away that if we wanted to turn to engage we could ¨C but by the sigil on the mainsails of several of those vessels. ¡°Aye, that was my feeling when I was told about them,¡± Bronn commented as I continued to observe the pirate fleet. They weren¡¯t directly behind us, laying more northerly than the path we¡¯d sailed along. That suggested they; come from the northernmost island of The Whore. The one I¡¯d decided to avoid so I could attack the central island of the chain. Their path meant they were heading in roughly the same direction as we were, which meant they were one of a resupply fleet for Aeron¡¯s holdings, a raiding fleet like ours, or the beginnings of a trap Aeron had set for this section of The Whores. With smoke from the fourth island visible to me through the Myrish Eye, why they were here was less important as to their intent. Odds were that having seen that smoke, they¡¯d rightly assume that we were responsible for the attack on that port, and would be out for revenge. Now, they¡¯d not rush to do so, as we outnumbered them, but it meant our attack on the central island would have to be swift as fuck or we¡¯d risk those ships crashing into our rear before we¡¯d taken the port. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± Lowering the Eye, I turned to Bronn. ¡°Not sure. We could turn and engage them, but beyond not being sure if the newer men would stand and fight such a battle, it would delay us from attacking the port. That could place Cayde and Irraro in danger.¡± ¡°Aye, that is true. But I dislike leaving those buggers on our arse when we attack the port.¡± ¡°I know, but for now we just have to wait and see.¡± I didn¡¯t like that idea or the growing sense that the appearance of this fleet was no accident, but without further intel, I wasn¡¯t ready to alter course. Once more, the absence of Rian weighed on my mind, though I understood his priorities lay elsewhere, attending to the needs of his mate and their imminent hatchling. According to the Maester¡¯s tomes on Sunfyre eagles, the gestation period for their eggs spanned roughly two moons, with the chick requiring an additional two to four moons before fledging. Yet, with Ari and others providing support, and Rian''s mystical influence nurturing the chick, I pondered the possibility of accelerated growth, akin to Rian''s own development. Another speculation loomed: whether the fledgling or its mother, Riona, might form a bond with one of the Stark children, a notion destined for confirmation only after several lunar cycles. Setting aside these musings, I redirected my thoughts to Aeron¡¯s fleet. The majority of his former loyalists, now sworn to me, sailed under Cayde and Irraro''s command. Betrayal seemed unlikely, as Bronn aptly put it, with those men doggedly trailing our every move. ¡°Captain! Call from the Coral Howl!¡± The shout from a crewmember who¡¯d come close to the quarterdeck cut me off from giving the order to turn and engage. The former pirate was gesturing to port, and turning that way I could make out Daemon standing on the quarterdeck of that war galley. Beside him, one of the crew was using flags to signal what Daemon wanted to relay. ¡°Got a bad feeling about this,¡± Bronn muttered as I watched the flags, getting the message. Initially, it seemed they were simply reporting the fleet astern, but then Daemon turned, lifted a Myrish Eye he had ¨C one liberated during our campaign ¨C and looked southward. ¡°Shit!¡± I cursed before I¡¯d finished lifting my Eye. ¡°Fuck!¡± I cursed again as I made out another fleet, again of six vessels, sailing northward from the central island. While not in our path, they were cutting off an avenue of escape to the south that would take us around the central island and close to the islands we¡¯d already razed. To make matters worse, like those behind, these ships bore the sigil or Aeron Indarys on their sails. ¡°A fucking trap,¡± I muttered as I lowered the telescope. ¡°Prefer to be the one springing those,¡± Bronn offered, his voice harsh as understanding sank in for him. ¡°Aye.¡± I looked at the fleet behind us, reconsidering my options, and then back at the southern fleet. Neither was bound directly for us, but it wouldn¡¯t take much for the two fleets to angle their approaches to either attack together or herd us deeper into the trap. I wasn¡¯t sure how, but it appeared that Aeron had not only worked out the pattern of attacks on the other islands in The Whores, but prepared a response when the attacking fleet ¨C my ships ¨C entered the gaps between the central and northernmost islands. Now, it might be that this trap was one designed to catch any fleet sailing through this gap, be that forces from another Pirate Lord or traders risking a shortcut to shave time off their journey, but I couldn¡¯t be certain of that. Regardless of how or why this trap existed, in my rush to swarm the next island, we¡¯d sailed directly into it. With our lead, it should be possible to keep our distance as we sailed eastward, however, there was a fair chance Aeron would have something else waiting for us if we pushed forward. We could turn to engage either fleet, but some quick calculations suggested that even if the fleet we turned to engage simply stopped ¨C to say nothing or turning tail ¨C we¡¯d not be able to wipe them out before the other fleet crashed into us from astern. Now, even though we were outnumbered in overall vessels and men, I knew we could prevail against both fleets, but the victory would be extremely costly. Perhaps to the point of making it, and this entire campaign, nothing more than a pyrrhic victory. With those being the only two options, I made my choice. ¡°Order the fleet to accelerate slightly.¡± The crewmember on the stairs nodded and turned to relay the orders to the drummer on the Red Kraken and those manning the flags for intra-fleet communications. ¡°You know they want us to do that?¡± ¡°Aye, I know,¡± I replied as I turned to Bronn. ¡°and we both know they will have something waiting for us once we sail deeper into the trap.¡± ¡°Aye, they will.¡± He paused and scratched his chin, the stumble there having grown thicker since we¡¯d set sail from Northpoint. ¡°Plan for that?¡± ¡°Working on one, but I am not going to commit until we know what awaits us.¡± He grumbled at my reply. "Fair enough," he said, devoid of his usual confidence, revealing his grasp of the looming danger. "Think I will go and check my armour and weapons. Got a feeling I will need them soon." I nodded in agreement and planned to do the same. Though before I followed him off the quarterdeck, I gazed at each of the pursuing fleets. If Rian was here we¡¯d have known about the trap, or at the very least, be able to know what lay ahead of us. He wasn¡¯t, which meant I was flying blind so all I could do was hope that the trap was one we could break through without major losses. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°I hate to tell you I told you so, but¡­¡± Bronn let his words trail off as we stood on the foredeck of the Red Kraken ¨C which, if we survived this campaign, would be getting renamed once we were back in Northpoint ¨C as we looked forward. In the distance, the easternmost island of The Whores was jutting out from the horizon, however our focus wasn¡¯t on it, or the central island to our starboard. It was on the small fleet of six ships that lay northeast of us; blocking the wider, clearer, path out of the middle of The Whores and into the Stepstones at large. The two fleets that had appeared earlier were behind us, at roughly the four and seven o¡¯clock positions, meaning this was the next stage of Aeron¡¯s trap. The trick now was to work out what it was he wanted us to do, and then do the opposite without losing most of the ships in our fleet. ¡°I was the one who said it was a trap, you just agreed with me,¡± I replied to the sellsword and one of the senior commanders of my forces. "Maybe, but that does not mean I was not right," he retorted. Despite the grimness of the situation, his retort elicited a smirk from me. "Damn well wish I had been wrong, though." ¡°You and me both.¡± This third fleet was stationary ¨C oars up and sails furled ¨C but it was enough to make going northward difficult. It was clear that their intent was for us to go south, taking a narrow passageway between the central and easternmost islands: right between two ports controlled by Aeron. It didn¡¯t take a genius to know that was a death alley, and I¡¯d not find a single man in my fleet willing to wager that the narrow channel wasn¡¯t lined with scorpions, pirates, and Gods knew what else to force any ships entering to surrender. The only upside I could find was that this trap didn¡¯t appear to be one designed specifically for us. If it was, then each fleet would¡¯ve been slightly larger to discourage even the idea of attacking either of the two chasing fleets before we were pushed deeper into the trap. I wondered how many pirates or traders the trap caught, but I could give Aeron credit for a well-designed funnel for anyone who slipped into his grasp. Beyond heading north or south in the water, options existed to beach the fleet on the islands to our east and south. Either one was fraught with danger, as we¡¯d be close to at least one port controlled by Aeron, if not one of the other Pirate Lords still active in The Whores. Beaching would also remove the advantage given to us by the greater firepower of the war galleys which each carried six scorpions to a standard galley¡¯s two. The two war galleys also had hardened bows, being lined with metal to strengthen the damage they¡¯d do when they rammed an enemy vessel. The scorpions in my fleet were our biggest advantage, and not just because of numbers. Each port we¡¯d raided had held reserve bolts for the weapons, and since we¡¯d not needed to use them so far in the campaign, the war galleys carried nearly three hundred bolts and each galley a hundred. When captured, no galley had even a third of that number, suggesting that when faced with odds not firmly in their favour, the pirates preferred to withdraw. That made perfect sense given the nature of pirates and the number of enemies in The Whores. Additionally, we had a lot of liberated weapons, enough that every man in the fleet could carry two swords if they wished, and about half could be armed with bows. All that meant that, if we had the room, we could fight a battle of distance and attrition. Sadly, neither was going to be possible here. For ship-to-ship warfare, Daemon, Bronn, I, and a few others had an advantage in armour, though not the full plate Daemon and I had as knights. Neither of us had brought every part of our full armour with us, as the concern of going overboard while wearing it was there. Still, at least for my senior fighters, we had an advantage in armour and weapons, if not numbers. Considering all that, I reached a decision and offered a cheerful smile to Bronn. "Well, since we know it is a trap, let us spring it!" There was a moment where Bronn regarded me as if I had transformed into a dragon, though the moment, and the expression it brought forth, swiftly dissipated. "Eh, what the hell," he muttered. "I mean, there was this lovely girl from YiTi I met in Sunspear that I would like to fuck again, but where is the enjoyment in fleeing." My smile widened as I surmised the identity of the girl he referred to. "Got a plan yet?" ¡°Sail eastwards as if confused about what to do, and then when closer, swing north. If we time it right, we should be able to shatter their lines before the other fleets reach us.¡± Bronn grinned. ¡°Aye, fuck them before they fuck us.¡± ¡°Not how I would put it,¡± I responded with a chuckle, ¡°but accurate. We need not defeat them to a man, and I want no attempt to make them bend the knee. We just need to smash through them.¡± ¡°Aye, and we have to get the timing right. If we turn too early, those on our arse will be on us before we can break through.¡± Bronn snorted after saying that. ¡°Which you already know, I know, but it bears stating.¡± ¡°I do, aye. And we need to do what we can to ensure that they don¡¯t realise we¡¯re readying to turn and attack. Need supplies for the scorpions and bows readied quietly, but if we can catch them with their pants down, we should take out some, if not most, of their ability to return fire.¡± ¡°Ballsy, but given your plans before this and who you fuck, about what I expect.¡± Bronn¡¯s words had me grinning like a madman. ¡°Let the other ships know and I will begin moving supplies around here.¡± I stepped forward and clasped his shoulder. ¡°And if at all possible, try not to get yourself killed.¡± ¡°Same, though only because if you die I may have trouble getting paid for this.¡± I laughed as he moved away. While I¡¯d only known Bronn for barely half a year, he was a decent man to have around. Oh, he was motivated by coin and his heart was black as coal, and the idea that someone might pay him more to betray me was always there, but otherwise, he was great to have around. Perhaps in time, I could find a way to assure his loyalty wasn¡¯t linked to coin, but that was a thought for another day. For today, and certainly the next few hours, my focus was on surviving the trap Aeron had laid, and ensuring that as many of my men did so as well. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I pulled my arm back, Red Rain sliding gently from the gut of one pirate. The qualities of the blade ensured the cut was clean, and brought forth remains of some of his internal organs. The man fell to his knees, shock at how quickly he¡¯d died clear on his face as a flick of my wrist had the tip of the Valyrian Steel blade sever his throat. Turning, I already put that fool out of my mind, as I¡¯d done for the half-dozen who¡¯d also fallen to my blade since we¡¯d engaged the third fleets. Each of the men had gotten a look in their eye when they¡¯d seen the colour of my blade and thought I¡¯d be an easy mark, but all they¡¯d earned was a quick, and I hoped painful, death. Red Rain swung around, a hard block clattering against the blade of the next pirate to dare attack me. Unlike with some of the earlier pirates, the man¡¯s blade didn¡¯t buckle or break as soon as it faced Valyrian steel, but it was for nought. While my swing pushed his blade his blade down and out, my axe swiftly found its mark at the edge of his neck. A squirt of blood accompanied the axe as I pulled it free. The man stumbled back, one hand going to the wound though he soon had more to worry about as my blade came around on a backswing to finish relieving him of his head. A howl of delight from somewhere behind me mixed with a cry of terror, and even without feeling Ymir¡¯s joy at his kill, I knew he¡¯d taken down another pirate. Since this was going to be a quick and brutal battle, I¡¯d had him wait near the door to my cabin until the battle was underway, before emerging. That had put a fear of the Gods into the pirates and turned the engagement from a skirmish into a rout. Seeing I had a moment¡¯s peace in the battle ¨C no pirate or crewmember nearby ¨C I considered how this battle had gone. My fleet had turned into Aeron¡¯s third fleet once we were nearer, the Red Kraken and Coral Howl bearing down suddenly toward the centre of the other fleet¡¯s line. As we¡¯d turned, every scorpion, and about half the men, had opened fire with bolts and arrows. Our fire had concentrated on four of the six ships not directly in our way before the scorpions on the war galleys switched to the remaining two vessels ¨C which were the central ones in Aeron¡¯s fleet ¨C after the initial volleys. With my weirwood bow, and the gift of enhanced sight due to my bond with Rian ¨C who I sorely missed ¨C I¡¯d been able to target specific men on the pirate vessels. At first, those had been men manning scorpions, but as we moved closer, I¡¯d taken aim at the helmsman and any near them on the various quarterdecks. Not long after that, with Aeron¡¯s fleet in chaos due to the unexpected barrage ¨C at least in how coordinated and targeted it was ¨C the Red Kraken had crashed into the forward hull of one of the central ships; the Coral Howl doing the same to the other. We¡¯d struck the pirates well; our metal ram piercing their hull. While half the men worked to row us back, Bronn, me, Ymir, and others secured our deck against any pirate dumb enough to try and board us. Before we could fully pull back, another galley had pulled alongside. Quick work by Lazo, who was one of the first men to bend the knee during this campaign, ensured the oars on our port weren¡¯t shattered, while I and some of the other men moved to fight off the boarders. During the battle ¨C which was still ongoing ¨C the Kraken had managed to pull back, separating us from the first of Aeron¡¯s galleys. That ship was slowly sinking, her crew either moving to try and board us in the hope of survival or jumping overboard to escape the stricken vessel. The only issue was that it was listing toward us, and we¡¯d need to get moving quickly to ensure it didn¡¯t come down on us, and trap us here before Aeron¡¯s other fleets arrived. To push through we needed the second galley pushed back as well, though with how quickly its crew were falling around me, that wouldn¡¯t take long to achieve. With the rout - calling it a battle was a disservice - looking like it would soon be over, I looked beyond the pirate galley on our starboard. The remaining pirate galley there was being swarmed by three of my galleys. While one looked like it was entangled with the pirates, the other two were free and helping their cohorts by pulling alongside on the other side of the pirate vessel or peppering the deck with arrows and bolts. I looked to starboard and saw the side of the Coral Howl. Battle was raging on her decks as well, but I couldn¡¯t see where the other vessels ¨C be they pirate or mine ¨C were as the higher deck of the war galley, and the chaos on its deck made it difficult to see much beyond. While the battles were going well, time was a factor and we needed to be clear of this battle soon otherwise the entire campaign would be for nought. Wanting a clearer picture of the status of the other half of my fleet, and needing to know how close Aeron¡¯s other fleets were, I moved toward the quarterdeck. However, I only got a half-dozen steps before another pirate tried to accost me. In contrast to the others, this figure loomed larger and broader than myself, brandishing a massive war axe. The sight of mutilated bodies nearby, dripping blood, emphasised its lethal nature. With a swift roll of his arms, the giant swung the axe in my direction. I jumped back, observing its speed with mild surprise. Yet, my years of futile attempts to spar with Oberyn using a spear left me feeling as if the gigantic weapon moved through thick quicksand. The war axe came around again ¨C the pirate knowing how to turn it without losing velocity ¨C though this time I only slid back one foot. The edge of the axe missed my chest plate by a scant few centimetres, and as it passed, I countered. Lunging forward, I drove Red Rain into the man¡¯s stomach, the armour there doing little to stop the tip of my blade. The large pirate grunted as the blade sunk in, and in the corner of my eye, I saw the axe swiftly ¨C for a weapon of its size ¨C turning. I, however, was quicker, and before he could swing the axe around again, I was beside him. Red Rain had remained inside his stomach as I moved, only emerging as I stepped beyond the man; blood and guts gushing from the cut that half bisected his stomach. A pivot brought my blade around high, and the blade bit into the man¡¯s flesh again. This time at his neck, and when I finished my move, once more looking toward the stern of my ship, the giant pirate¡¯s head clattered to the deck. The body slumped, the axe embedding itself in my deck, even as I resumed my path to the quarterdeck. Near the stairs, I saw Bronn and Ymir engaged in battle. The sellsword gracefully holding off two pirates without surrendering any ground. The direwolf readying himself to pounce against another pirate who¡¯d made the mistake of turning his back on the black terror. Bronn¡¯s blade flicked out with speed and finesse that most knights I knew would struggle to match, and he drove the pair he was fighting back. A deft cut of the blade caught one pirate on the arm, the other getting slashed across the face on the backswing before they could even consider attacking. At the same time, Ymir crashed into the pirate he¡¯d been eying. His massive maw opened wide, and a scream ripped through the ship as the pirate¡¯s shoulder disappeared into the direwolf¡¯s mouth. A twist of his head was all Ymir needed for his teeth to sever flesh and rip the shoulder and arm from the body. the pirate collapsed, blood spurting out and covering Ymir¡¯s snout. Yet the direwolf didn¡¯t stay with his kill. The arm was dropped, and Ymir leapt again, his front paws clattering onto the back of a pirate that was trying to sneak up on Bronn. The man screamed as Ymir¡¯s claws sunk into his back, though it ended when his head smashed off the deck with a pleasantly sickening thud. Bronn turned at the ruckus, the two men he¡¯d been fighting dead at his feet, ready to strike. As I neared him, I saw a faint shiver of his shoulders. While he was glad Ymir was on our side, the visceral nature of the direwolf¡¯s fighting still unnerved him. As it did for every one of my men. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°Never used to that,¡± I heard the sellsword mutter as I raced past him, bounding up the fleet of steps to the quarterdeck three at a time. I gave the helmsman a nod, the man still near his wheel along with two of the three men I¡¯d assigned to protect him. Yet, as I looked astern, the relief at seeing Miltar was alive faded rapidly. The two chasing fleets were closing rapidly, perhaps no more than a mile from us. Men were moving at the front of all twelve ships, readying their scorpions. I knew they¡¯d not care about protecting their cohorts in the third fleet as it was being overwhelmed, and by the time they arrived would be all but decimated. The only good piece of news was that both were sailing separately, suggesting the commanders were competing for who could attack us first. Putting concern about those fleets to one side, I looked to starboard, now having the sightline to see beyond the Coral Howl. The war galley was quieter now, the pirates they¡¯d been battling seemingly all but defeated. I couldn¡¯t see the galley to their starboard, but the other two were further afield. Those two were engaged by the three remaining galleys in my fleet. There it was hard to tell what was going on, bar the fact all three vessels were fully engaged in combat, but picking out some of the faces, I felt the vast majority of men fighting were mine. Hopefully, that meant they were nearing the point where they could work on pulling free of Aeron¡¯s vessels. A glance to port showed the battle there was all but over; my three galleys had overrun Aeron¡¯s vessel. Two of the ships were clear of that galley, the last looked like it was working on it, and none looked damaged enough that they couldn¡¯t sail on. Yet for all it felt like my forces were winning, I knew this was just the opening act of the performance, and if we hung around for the main section of the show, we¡¯d be massacred. That point was driven home as the lead galley of the portside chasing fleet launched a bolt from their scorpion. It landed in the water, though far closer than I¡¯d have liked. That bolt was nothing more than a rangefinder and I knew it wouldn¡¯t be long until we came under fire. I thought about going back for my bow, to see if I could perhaps return fire, but knew that by the time I collected it from its secured location, and gathered some arrows, Aeron¡¯s fleets would be in range to attack us. Therefore, after moving to the wheel, I reached down and removed the vessel¡¯s Myrish Eye. It was kept secured there in a small, padded compartment the former owner of the ship had used and was always handy when I or others wanted to scan the horizons. ¡°Get us moving!¡± I said to Miltar as I removed the telescope from its housing. ¡°And send the order to the other vessels,¡± I added as I extended it and gazed at the closer of the two chasing fleets. The scorpions at the front of the lead vessel of that fleet were being aimed upward in a clear attempt to gain distance while still outside optimal range. The other ships in that fleet weren¡¯t doing the same, but once the lead vessel found its range, the rest would follow. A quick shift in stance let me see the other fleet. The gap between was larger than I¡¯d initially thought, the lead vessel of that fleet also readying their ranged weaponry. That made it clear that the commanders were competing to see who could reach us first, which was something I might be able to use. This fleet ¨C the one that had sailed from the northern island controlled by Aeron ¨C was further back, so they were currently focused more on speed than judging distance. Each fleet was sailing in a standard wedge formation, the command vessel ¨C or what I assumed was the command vessel ¨C taking the point of the wedge. The tactic was the same one I¡¯d used for my fleet, though both war galleys had formed a shared point when we¡¯d crashed into the third fleet. I returned my focus to the closer vessel just in time to see another bolt be fired. Leaning back from the Myrish Eye, I quickly picked the inbound shot and watched as, like the first attempt, it impacted the water. It was, however, far closer, and their next shot had the potential to fly true. ¡°Damnit!¡± I cursed as I lowered the Eye. Looking at the state of the vessels in my fleet, it became clear that most wouldn¡¯t get clear before our pursuers reached us. I needed a plan to either delay Aeron¡¯s forces or help my forces slip free of this trap faster. however, any idea that raced through my head was dismissed quickly as their chance of success was slim to non-existent. ¡°Yeah, not doing that,¡± I muttered as one insane, downright mad idea came to the forefront of my thoughts. I wasn¡¯t desperate enough to consider attempting that, never mind crazy enough. I knew I could¡¯ve had my fleet angle for the edge of Aeron¡¯s third fleet instead of for its centre, but hindsight, as they say, was a bitch. Other little mistakes I¡¯d made were becoming apparent, but I didn¡¯t and couldn¡¯t focus on those just now. What I needed was a plan or one that wasn¡¯t fucking insane, that would buy time for my fleet to escape the battle before the reinforcements reached us. A third bolt came flying in, and even before it finished its arc, I knew it would strike the Kraken. The only upside, if one could call it that, was that it didn¡¯t reach the quarterdeck. Instead, it impaled itself against the stern. A glance over the railing removed a concern that the bolt had hit the rudder, though I grumbled at seeing that if it¡¯s been half a metre to the right it¡¯d have ended up landing in my cabin. While the windows lacked glass ¨C as that was far too expensive for a warship in the Stepstones ¨C it had a cover but, searching my memories, I knew that had been left open before the battle. ¡°Keep down as much as you can,¡± I said to Miltar as I moved toward the steps leading down to the main deck. ¡°Bronn!¡± The sellsword turned at my call. ¡°Get the men to the oars and be careful! We have sailed in range of their bolts!¡± I turned back before he could reply, now able to pick out the scorpion crews on the closer fleet without the need for the Eye. The lead vessel fired both scorpions as I moved back to the stern railing, and I slid down behind it. One bolt landed between me and Miltar, the other landing over our port bow. I placed the Eye on the railing, keeping low as I scanned the closer of the approaching fleets once more. The other vessels were readying to fire, so we¡¯d soon be under attack. The question of how many bolts the pirates had, and what other ranged weaponry they had, came to mind, but they wouldn¡¯t need them for long. They just had to keep us, and my men on the other ships, pinned down long enough that we couldn¡¯t escape before they reached us. Even with my bow, I¡¯d not be able to do enough damage to all six vessels to have any effect on their approach. And that was even if they somehow fired all their scorpions in a single volley. A better target would be the helmsman, but as I shifted my gaze to that position on the lead vessel, I knew just using a bow wouldn¡¯t work. That helmsman, along with many of the others, wasn¡¯t alone on the quarterdeck. The minute the man at the wheel one of those with him would take the position and the scorpions would zero in on my position. I needed a better plan, and my thoughts returned to the insane idea from earlier. It was deranged that I was even considering it, but given the situation, and that I was under a clock ¨C something reinforced by a series of bolts flying over the quarterdeck, drawing a scream of pain from further forward ¨C it was the only option I had open to me. Focusing the Eye on the helmsman of the lead vessel, I locked onto my target and closed my eyes. When I skinchanged into an animal that I wasn¡¯t bonded to, I felt my thoughts slam into the mind of another. This mind, however, was vastly different from any beast I¡¯d ever tried to take over. The pure, animalistic nature of a beast¡¯s mind was replaced by something that was both less and more. This mind was less instinctual and bestial than what I¡¯d faced before, though it was far more layered, focused, and familiar. Given I was trying to force my way into the mind of another human that made sense, though it was still unnerving. Knowing I didn¡¯t have time to gently ease the worries of the target mind ¨C if I could even do that with a human ¨C and that every second I dallied, more of my men might die, I attacked the mind my thoughts had crashed into. The outer barrier that all minds had fell away rapidly, something that happened with every mind I tried to merge with or control, yet this barrier felt easier. The familiarity and lack of ferocity of a creature made finding the paths inward simpler. With that barrier falling, the target¡¯s mind reacted. It didn¡¯t know what was happening and didn¡¯t understand the foreign presence, but it reacted as it should. New blocks appeared, paths deeper into the target¡¯s mind shifted, trying to stop me, yet still I pushed forward. My knowledge of skinchanging meant I had ideas of where to push forward, of how to shatter any blockages. Suddenly the mental war shifted, and everything shifted. I was in his/my home, a hut somewhere mild. A man stepped forward, dwarfing him/me. An arm pulled back, and he/I stepped back, quivering. A female stepped forward, grasping the man¡¯s arm. He/I knew her. Or did I? The man turned, pushing the woman away. His/my hand grasped at something beside him/me as the man turned back to him/me. In a flash, the man stepped forward, only to stop as something caught the light. He/I looked down at the man, seeing a blade in the man¡¯s chest. He/I had done that, hadn¡¯t he/I? The man¡¯s face twisted, an arm came around, and he/I was sent flying. The images, the memory, faded as I realised it wasn¡¯t what I wanted. Whether it came from the pirate¡¯s psyche or was a trap desperately created to stop me, it didn¡¯t matter. Whatever it was I pushed aside and cast out. All that mattered was shattering the pirate¡¯s mind, taking control of his body, and doing what I had to protect my men. Shouts erupted as he/I ran away, an apple in his/my grasp. Diving between people, carts, and animals, he/I raced through the various streets. A hand stabbed out, trying to grasp him/me, but he/I slipped away, disappearing down an alley, and fading into the shadows. I pushed this trap, this memory away, reducing it to atoms as I pushed deeper into my target¡¯s thoughts. I could sense the mind I was attacking panicking. I swore I could smell their fear. They didn¡¯t know how, but they understood they were being attacked. Being ripped apart by something greater, something stronger than them. More memories emerged, either by intent or accident, but I didn¡¯t focus on any. The moment they appeared, they turned to ash; dispatched into the void between our minds. The pirate battled frantically, futilely to keep me out, but as the memories grew fresher, newer, I knew I¡¯d soon have won the battle and taken control of the mind. This man, this fool might¡¯ve begun life in pitiful conditions and endured much, but the fleeting, flashing images of their later deeds removed all remorse I felt for shredding everything that made them who they were today. They didn¡¯t deserve to live, not at the expense of my life, or that of Ymir, or any of my men. ¡­ ¡­ I shuddered back, adjusting to not just a new mind but the sensation of being in another human body. my hands remained tight around what I was gripping, and I blinked, adjusting to the new location. ¡°The fuck¡¯s wrong with you?¡± After another few blinks, I looked to my left, trying to sort through the handful of memories that had been shredded to determine who the man next to me was. ¡°N-nothin,¡± I replied, my accent placing the body from somewhere in the Stormlands. ¡°Just off for a moment,¡± I added as I tightened my grip on the wheel. The man beside me, who, based on his clothing, was likely the captain, grunted but that was all he did and as I looked forward, I watched the galley¡¯s scorpions fire another pair of bolts at my fleet. In the distance, now maybe six hundred yards away, I could see the chaos of my fleet racing to slip free of the pirate fleet they¡¯d overpowered. A slight shake of my head didn¡¯t fix the apparent blurred vision, though I soon realised that it wasn¡¯t blurred; I just had to deal with weaker, normal vision as this body didn¡¯t share the boosted sight I gained from Rian. A glance at the captain of this vessel, and leader of this fleet, confirmed his attention had returned to the battle raging ahead and the preparations being undertaken by the few crewmembers not manning the oars. Beyond him I saw some of the fleet under his command, the rest, I confirmed, was to my other side. When I returned my gaze to the wheel, I saw it was similar to those on my captured galleys. A single wheel connected to a reasonably thick and tarred rope that was wound tightly around the spoke coming from the wheel. While I could hack at it with an axe, to do so I¡¯d have to move around the wheel, which would be seen from the main deck. That meant I¡¯d have to saw at it with a blade; the cutlass at this body¡¯s waist being the logical choice. Finally settled in this body, and aware of the situation, I acted. First, my hand slipped from the wheel, heading to my belt. The captain didn¡¯t react to the movement, nor when the hand grasped a dagger. The first he did react was when the dagger rushed toward him, but before he could do much more than widen his eyes, the blade was deep in his gut. A guttural grunt slipped from his lips as I removed the blade. It then thrust upward, catching the captain in his throat as he doubled over from my first attack. That ensured he couldn¡¯t call out about my betrayal, and a pull on the hilt of the dagger had the captain stumble behind me. The sound of his body hitting the deck was lost to under the beating of the drums regulating the oarsmen aboard; those crew thankfully too occupied with their work to spot the sudden, unexpected movement on the quarterdeck. The cutlass was pulled free and slipped through the spokes of the wheel. A few test slices confirmed the rope was tarred, so I pulled the blade back. Making sure first that no one was looking my way, I pulled the wheel hard to one side. The galley banked sharply to port; the wind catching the sails wasn¡¯t enough to stop the movement. Oars on the starboard side rose high from the water while those on the portside sunk low. Many of the men manning the oars fell over, those closest to the portside falling into the water; some crashing against the very oars they¡¯d been manning. The men at the scorpions and the drummer also fell over, and I smirked as the bags holding the bolts fell over, sending the ammunition scattering over the deck and falling into the sea. As the galley turned sharply, the cutlass went through the spoke, and I started sawing at a section of rope leading down to the rudder. Panicked screams came from the ship to our port, and a glance there confirmed they were turning hard to port as well to avoid a collision. That ship was half a length back and a full length away, but the sudden movement I¡¯d brought on meant we crashed into their starboard oars before they could react properly. Wood cracked as the second galley turned, sending many of its crew tumbling, possibly even into the water. However, I couldn¡¯t be sure of that as the angle they were at prevented a clear view, as did my focus being on the rope I was trying to cut. The process was slow going, the tar covering and protecting the rope doing a good job of delaying me from reaching the rope properly. Just as I felt the blade bite into the tightly bound rope, shouts came from the main deck. Looking there, I saw some of the crew recovering. Those that weren¡¯t helping others, were looking my way, shouting in confusion at what I¡¯d done. A clunk to my side drew my focus and I saw the captain¡¯s body slide down the stairs to the main deck. That removed any confusion from the crew, and several drew their blades and moved toward me. Others frantically scavenged, I assumed, for bows, though if any had been loose on the deck, they¡¯d likely be on their way to the bottom of the sea. One hand kept the wheel turned, preventing the rudder from rightening, and shifting the section of rope I was attacking from moving. As the first men reached the base of the stairs to the quarterdeck, my cutlass reached about halfway through the rope. A few more sawing motions ensured most of the rope was cut and I pulled the blade back. As the first pirate reached the quarterdeck from one side, I rushed to the other. As my feet reached the top of the stairs, I leapt into the air, tossing my blade at a random pirate on the deck. As the leap began to fail, I slipped from the man¡¯s body, getting clear as some of the pirate crew readied their bows. ¡­ ¡­ As I slipped back into my mind, my arse hit the deck. The transition wasn¡¯t anywhere near as fluid or comfortable as when I slid from the minds of a bonded companion, but that was to be expected. Feeling hot, a hand wiped my brow and lifting the metal gauntlet down, I saw it covered in sweat. That suggested taking over the pirate¡¯s mind was more strenuous than I¡¯d expected, yet as I risked a peek over the rear railing, I saw it had been worth it. The fleets were closer than before, but the southern fleet was in chaos. Four of the six vessels had banked to port, with three ¨C including the flagship ¨C having crashed into each other. The two unaffected vessels had slowed: confusion the likely cause. The fourth vessel that had turned to port hadn¡¯t taken any damage, but it was now angled toward the other fleet. While it and the other two unaffected ships would soon resume their advance, the other three were going to take time to recover and advance. The last one to be hit would need to shift oars around to ensure equal thrust before resuming its attack. The flagship and the one it had banked into were out of the fight as the bow of the flagship had crossed the bow of the other galley and it was still turning, meaning if the third vessel didn¡¯t move soon, it would be trapped as well. Yet, in the time it took me to smirk at the chaos I¡¯d unleashed, the two starboard-side galleys started pushing on, the moment of confusion gone. The galley far to port was also sailing away hard, but they had to adjust their sails and alter course to resume their advance, and a quick calculation had assured me they¡¯d not reach the battle before most if not all of my vessels were free. Looking around the battle, I saw it was over, or close to it. The Red Kraken was free of the two galleys on either side of it, with one already slipping below the water. The Coral Howl was almost clear as well, though there was still some fighting going on as Daemon and a few others dealt with the remaining pirates from the galley they¡¯d engaged. The three galleys beyond the Cowl were still fighting, though one was pulling away while another appeared to be working to push a defeated galley away. To starboard, the three galleys there were all slipping away. The galley under Aeron¡¯s flag that they¡¯d engaged was listless and lifeless behind them. While that was an improvement, the second of Aeron¡¯s chasing fleets was almost upon us and had angled toward the three galleys still working to free themselves from the battle. With the pirates there still fighting to delay two of my vessels, I knew I had to do something or risk losing both. Leaning forward, I placed the Myrish Eye on the railing and looked at the still fully active chasing fleet. My eyes quickly picked out the helmsman of the lead vessel, though, unlike the other fleet, there were two men with him on the quarterdeck. That would make things difficult, but not impossible. With my target in sight, I closed my eyes and reached out. As before, the mind I slammed into was familiar and far easier to breach. The lack of instinctual behaviour was possibly a reason for that, but not something I was dwelling on. The moment the barrier around the mind was broken, I began destroying the memories. I had no interest in knowing the life of this pirate; it wouldn¡¯t change my actions. Each memory destroyed resulted in temporary barriers being thrown up, and with the knowledge from the first mind I¡¯d overwhelmed, I knew how to shatter those. Whereas the first time I¡¯d been slightly cautious about how I entered, this time I went for the jugular from the get-go, and the mind fractured rapidly under my assault. ¡­ ¡­ ¡°Decran!¡± A voice screamed as someone grabbed his ¨C my ¨C arm. ¡°What the fuck is wrong with you?¡± The same voice asked in an angry, bastardised form of Valyrian. I blinked, processing the change. One man was grabbing my arm, shaking me and I was several steps from the wheel. Another man was there, but I knew I should be there. ¡°I¡­ I dun know,¡± I replied in broken Valyrian, glad both for Maester Caleotte¡¯s lessons in High Valyrian, and Oberyn ensuring I understood Trade Talk used by sailors and the bastardised forms Valyrian used in many of the Free Cities. I moved forward, pushing the hand away, and headed toward the wheel. This body, this Decran, was the helmsman and if I wanted to take out this fleet like I had the other, I needed to be at the helm. As I moved forward, I wondered if entering the man¡¯s mind more aggressively had resulted in him having a more obvious reaction. One that caused him to stumble back, and possibly call out. ¡°Hey!¡± The man I¡¯d pushed away grabbed my wrist. ¡°You not be getting the wheel until you tell me what the fuck you were muttering about,¡± he added as he spun me around. His face was older than the one manning the helm, and his clothing was of a higher quality as well, so this man must be the captain. However, unlike the previous mind, I¡¯d not bothered to even learn cursory information about the situation before shredding the memories. That left me at a disadvantage, one I¡¯d have to work around before I could take the wheel and enact my plans. ¡°Dun fucking know,¡± I shout back, shaking free of the grip. Perhaps it was out of character for Decran, but I knew he¡¯d not back down when challenged. ¡°I just felt sick for a moment.¡± The Captain¡¯s eyes narrowed, and the hand that hadn¡¯t been holding me slipped to his wrist. ¡°Since when did you talk like a Westerosi?¡± he asked, which had me mentally cursing. I¡¯d used bastardised Valyrian when speaking, but in my haste to reply, or possibly because Decran was somehow still resisting, I¡¯d not sounded as he would. That was an issue and forced me to adapt on the fly. ¡°I,¡± the word was muttered as I raised a hand to my head as if suddenly feeling faint. Yet, as the hand rose, I suddenly thrust it forward. The now clenched fist crashed into the captain¡¯s chest, just into the solar plexus, and drove inward. The air was driven from his lungs, preventing him from shouting out. The blow forced him back, doubling over, and my hand slipped down, pulling the blade at his hip from its sheath. Any words he might have said after recovering from the blow were ended before they could form as I thrust his blade forward, slamming it into the same area I¡¯d just punched. What air remained in his lungs was driven out by the attack, and as panic spread in his eyes, I pulled the blade up and out. I turned just as his stomach plopped out the wound, and as I brought the blade around toward the man at the wheel, I heard the captain¡¯s knees strike the ground. That made the other pirate turn slightly, which exposed his neck. My attack didn¡¯t miss, the blade flashing across the exposed flesh severing his vocal cords and windpipe. His hands went to his neck, and he stumbled back from the wheel. Before he could do anything else, I¡¯d unsheathed Decran¡¯s blade and driven it into the pirate¡¯s back, severing his spine about two-thirds of the way down his back. The body slumped to the floor, only delayed from falling by the grasp I had on Decran¡¯s blade. Gargled sounds slipped from his throat as I let the blade and body fall. The sounds barely reached my ears, never mind those of the rest of the crew, and I stepped over the body, taking the helm. As my free hand grasped the wheel, I saw movement on the main deck. Several of the crew had seen the commotion and were moving toward me, shouting out questions about what was going on. Knowing time was against me, I dropped the other blade and used both hands to turn the galley hard to starboard. As with the other galley, this one lurched to the side. Men on the deck were sent tumbling, oars dropping deep into the sea or rising like flagpoles into the air. The ship shuddered, and my chest crashed against the wheel followed a moment later by many of the starboard-side oars shattering. As wood and men were sent flying, many striking pirates and sending more tumbling into the sea, I realised the oars had dropped low enough to catch a reef beneath us. My feet struggled to keep me upright as the unexpected collision turned the galley harder to starboard than I¡¯d expected, though it did have an upside. Beyond the crew being tossed around more, the galley to our starboard was closer than in the last fleet. They screamed in panic and the helmsman spun the wheel; however, he wasn¡¯t fast enough and then we crashed into their oars. Those then rose into the air, smashing the deck of the galley I was manning, knocking even more men from their positions and taking them to what I hoped was a watery grave. One of this galley¡¯s scorpions came loose as a man crashed into it, sending both him and it into the sea. Re-finding my feet, I moved a hand to my waist, wanting to at least damage the rudder rope on this galley, though as I grasped nothing I remembered I¡¯d left the blade in the captain¡¯s chest and dropped the other blade I¡¯d held. Cursing, I looked around, hoping to find a dagger or axe I could use, only to grunt as something stabbed into my thigh. My leg buckled, but I kept my grasp on the wheel, and looking down I saw the captain snarling up at me, his hand pulling a dagger from my leg. Blood gushed from the wound, and I knew this body wouldn¡¯t last long as he¡¯d caught the main artery there. Yet I knew this vessel wasn¡¯t yet disabled. As the captain thrust the dagger forward again, aiming for my other leg, I blocked him with my free hand. ¡°Aaghh!¡± I screamed as the blade pierced the flesh and poked out of the back of my palm. The body slowed as if something was trying to force me from it, yet I remained in control. After pushing the wounded hand down the blade, I did my best to ignore the pain as I grasped the hilt and the captain¡¯s hand. Then, with what remained of the strength in the body, I pushed the arm through one of the spokes of the wheel, dragging the captain¡¯s arm as well. Before I could think about what I was about to do, I spun the wheel with my good hand. At that, I slipped from Decran¡¯s mind, a scream from his mouth along with one from the captain echoing in my head along with the sound of bones shattering. ¡­ ¡­ Just as happened the first time, when I slipped back into my mind, I ended up on my arse on the quarterdeck of the Red Kraken. Yet my focus wasn¡¯t on that, or the trailing fleets, but on my arm. My other hand came over, trailing my fingers over the armour there as my eyes inspected for any damage and I twisted and turned the limb and wiggled my fingers. Everything was fine, yet I¡¯d felt the arm break, shatter when the spokes twisted it to an ungainly angle. Logically, I knew that it wasn¡¯t my arm that had broken, but I¡¯d still experienced it and that meant my mind was acting like I had even if my body wasn¡¯t. The memory of what had happened, the pain the action had caused, was there, yet there was no physical sign I¡¯d experienced the injury. Or been fatally stabbed in the thigh. I closed my eyes, trying to centre myself, to push the feelings and memory of what I¡¯d felt while controlling the pirate away. It would always be with me, thanks to Emotionless Recall, but I wasn¡¯t going to dwell on it. Bar perhaps, as a warning of why not to repeat my actions today. ¡°Mi¡¯lord?¡± The voice startled me, and my hand shifted to the hilt of Red Rain before I realised the speaker was the helmsman of the Kraken, Miltar. He was glancing back at me even as he stayed low and sailed the war galley in a north-easterly direction, away from the battle. Though as a flurry of bolts flew overhead, one impacting the still furled sails, I knew we weren¡¯t entirely out of the woods yet. Looking at Miltar, I could see fear in his eyes, though I couldn¡¯t be certain if that was because I¡¯d gone unnaturally still while skinchanging into the pirates, or simply because of how close we were to losing. At guess, it was the former, as me being so unreactive would¡¯ve confused anyone unaware of what I could do, and made them afraid. Knowing I couldn¡¯t dwell on the phantom feeling of a broken arm and wounded thigh, I shook my head and then moved toward Miltar. He tensed as I approached, keeping low to avoid the incoming fire. After giving him a reassuring squeeze of his shoulder, I slipped forward more and took in the main deck of the Kraken. Most of the oars were manned, making it easy to see we¡¯d come through the battle generally unscathed. About five per cent of the seats were empty, though given I saw Bronn and others manning the oars, that suggested our losses were higher than just the vacant spots. Moving to the starboard railing, I kept low and looked around. About half a length back was the Coral Howl, and I could just make out the bow of two galleys beyond that, so they at least had broken free of the last vestiges of battle. From the port railing, I saw all three of the galleys there moving freely, though one vessel had a good number of oars unmoving. Still, it and the rest of my fleet ¨C or at least seven of the eight vessels ¨C were clear of the fighting. Yes, we were coming under fire from the pursuer¡¯s scorpions, but the ones still chasing would soon have to turn to go around their allied fleet or slow to pass through it. That would give us the time and unfurl our sails and escape. Of course, we¡¯d only be escaping The Whores and Aeron¡¯s forces, not entering safe waters, but it was better than being caught still fighting when those chasing fleets reached their allies. The only downside was that, as I slowly calmed down, I saw more ways we might¡¯ve attacked the third fleet. Ways that, if they¡¯d gone well, would¡¯ve saved me from having to skinchange into humans. I was sure other things I could¡¯ve done would become clear in the following days and weeks, but hindsight was, as they said, a bitch. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ Later that day, as the sun slowly set, I found myself lying on the bed in my cabin. The ceiling wasn¡¯t anything impressive, but I wasn¡¯t staring at it as my focus was directed inward. It had been about half a day since we¡¯d broken through the trap, with only one of my eight vessels not managing to escape. That last vessel had broken free of Aeron¡¯s third fleet, but as it was damaged, it had been run down by Aeron¡¯s other fleets. While the men onboard knew I¡¯d come from Northpoint, none had come from Sunspear with me, so there was a chance the truth of who and what I was wouldn¡¯t reach Aeron Indarys on Bloodstone. Regardless, I knew that when I attacked Redwater, I¡¯d do so not as the Rogue Viper, but as the Bloody Wolf. Sailing under the sigil Ari and Alysanne had made for me would confuse others, as the banner wouldn¡¯t be one known to anyone outside the palace of Sunspear. Yet, for all that I could consider that campaign, my focus was on the battle we¡¯d recently escaped. Or more accurately, what I¡¯d done to ensure the vast majority of my forces escaped. The handful of memories I¡¯d viewed from the destroyed minds of the pirates were already tossed aside. While I couldn¡¯t get rid of them, or the sensation of willingly shattering my arm, I wouldn¡¯t be concerning myself with them. nothing of value was in them, and like the men I¡¯d taken over, they were, ultimately irrelevant in the schemes of the Stepstones, to say nothing of the wider world. That said, what I¡¯d done was something that I shouldn¡¯t. No matter how grand it felt to not just challenge the mind of another, but to shatter it so completely that nothing was left felt, I knew it wasn¡¯t something I should¡¯ve done. There was a rush knowing that I had proven myself superior to them in a way few could ever attempt, but it was tempered by concern over how my actions would affect me. I looked at Ymir as he snoozed on the carpet in the cabin. The blood of battle still marked his fur, giving him an almost demonic look with the dark red splashes around his maw, though he seemed to know and enjoy this. I¡¯d have to wash him once the campaign was over, but until then, he¡¯d retain his unnerving ¨C for others ¨C visage. However, when I looked at him, and with thoughts of what I¡¯d done in battle, my mind wandered back to when I¡¯d been him when he¡¯d killed a human. Since then, my sense of taste had diminished. Not to the point that all food lost flavour, but enough that bar food with pungent scents smelt and tasted bland. That was, so far, the only penalty I¡¯d experienced from sharing his thoughts as he killed, and thankfully it only extended to food and drink, and not to other things I might enjoy sampling, but it had confirmed Old Nan¡¯s stories about the rules of skinchanging. My sense of taste was, I felt, slowly returning, but I doubted it would ever recover fully. Certainly not if I repeated the experience. Because of that, I was wondering how I would change because of my actions in battle. So far, I wasn¡¯t seeing any change, but I knew how Bran had become in the later years of the show. While I was reluctant to take anything there as accurate ¨C and not just because no one here looked like they did in the show ¨C it was the only point of reference I had for what happened when a Skinchanger entered the mind of another regularly. Hodor was a different case than the pirates, as he was a simpleton ¨C something that was true here already when I couldn¡¯t be certain Bran¡¯s fate would be the same ¨C but by the end of things, Bran was an emotionless pale of a human. That was something I¡¯d not want, not least as it would ruin my desire to live and deny me the pleasures of battle and the company of others. Yet, whereas Brann had simply controlled Hodor, allowing him to retain his personality after returning control, I¡¯d obliterated the minds of the pirates. Even if they survived the battle, they¡¯d be nothing but drooling idiots. That was a worse violation, I was sure, but I didn¡¯t regret my choice. I¡¯d done what I must to ensure the survival of myself, Ymir, and others. However, I also swore to myself that, unless there was no other choice, I¡¯d not repeat my actions. Whatever the penalty for breaking the rule would be wasn¡¯t one I wanted to flaunt, but it also wasn¡¯t one I was going to allow myself to be concerned over any longer. With that decision reached, I stood. Ymir lifted his head and watched as I walked toward the door, though instead of following me, he leapt onto the bed and settled down on the blankets. I¡¯d have to remove him when I returned, but before then I wanted to check on my men and ensure they were ready for whatever came next. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°You decided what to do yet?¡± I looked up as Bronn entered my cabin. It was the morning after the battle, and I¡¯d left the door open meaning I was free to visit. Not that Bronn would¡¯ve cared. The sellsword normally entered without knocking when we were away from Sunspear. Though when we were there I was often with company ¨C or at least different company than just Ymir ¨C as was he, though his company wasn¡¯t inside the palace. While the direwolf was still caked in dried blood, I¡¯d used some water to wash away some from his maw and paws, or at least enough that I¡¯d not have to wake to find my bunk covered in dried blood flakes and matted fur. He¡¯d not enjoyed the wash, as per normal, though afterwards, he¡¯d let me inspect him for wounds. I¡¯d only found a handful of minor scratches, so in the chaos of ship-bound combat, he¡¯d avoided all the blades swirling around. The map I¡¯d been looking at was the same one I¡¯d been looking at throughout the campaign, though I¡¯d been focusing this morning on the battle yesterday, seeing what other tactics I could''ve used. I didn¡¯t regret my choices, but I knew I could and would learn from the experience. Several strategies had come to mind in the cool, morning air, and if faced with such a situation again, I had options in mind that I could use, and all those didn¡¯t revolve around Rian and having his sight to recon a battlefield before reaching it. ¡°Has there been any sight of Cayde¡¯s fleet, or smoke from the port they were to target?¡± I replied with a question of my own. During the night we¡¯d sailed around the easternmost island of The Whores, and passed south of the central island, granting clear sight toward where Cayde was meant to attack. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Then we sail on to the relay point. Even if Cayde did succeed in attacking his port, when he fails to see smoke from our target, he knows to fall back to the south. He is no fool who would try and attack without support.¡± Bronn snorted. ¡°Cayde¡¯s many things, but a fool he is not.¡± A heavy sigh escaped from him. ¡°I will let Miltar know to continue southward.¡± He turned and left, the door staying open behind him, and I returned to the map. With Cayde¡¯s forces either defeated or withdrawn, we had no choice but to fall back to the first island we attacked. The three uncleared islands stared back challengingly whenever I looked at them, especially those controlled by Aeron Indarys. If this was the end of my campaign, then he¡¯d come out of it, like me, a winner. He retained all his ports, and from the central island could, in theory, move to secure several of those I¡¯d raided if he so wished. However, he¡¯d not have it all his own way. The Blood Serpent controlled three ports on the northernmost and easternmost islands, meaning he controlled the quickest route from Bloodstone to The Whores. The passageway between those two islands was the one my fleet had taken after breaking free of Aeron¡¯s trap, though we¡¯d sailed clear of the islands as I wanted to avoid another battle until we knew of Cayde¡¯s fate. Lucian Koros should if Cayde hadn¡¯t managed to raze it, retain control of one port on the southern side of the central island, and Alequo Ryndoon of Grey Gallows had a solitary port on the easternmost island. They and The Bloodhawk would contest any attempt by Aeron to assume full control of The Whores, which would, as I¡¯d planned for before this campaign began, draw those five major players into greater conflict. Well, unless Aeron was able to convince the other Pirate Lords that I was the true source of the attacks and they allied up to attack Dustspear, however, the chances of that were slim. From the more recent men who¡¯d bent the knee that I¡¯d talked to since the ambush, there were long-running and unlikely-to-be-cast-aside easily, feuds between Aeron and the Blood Serpent, Lucian and The Bloodhawk, the Blood Serpent and the Bloodhawk, and Alequo and Aeron. Because of that, I could consider this campaign a successful one, though not to the level I¡¯d hoped for. I¡¯d arrived in The Whores with two hundred men spread through five vessels: the Windchaser and four longships. Even if Cayde¡¯s fleet was gone, then I was leaving with two war galleys, five regular galleys, as well as two cogs that should be on their way to Northpoint, along with the Windchaser. I also had at a rough estimate four hundred men on my warships, with another hundred between the others, and that was without counting the roughly hundred slaves we¡¯d freed, of which several dozen had expressed an interest in signing on with me for revenge. The cogs would be useful for trading with Sunspear and the other keeps and settlements along the Broken Arm from Spottswood in the north to Lemonwood about a day¡¯s sail south of Sunspear. I had the manpower now to push for Redwater, but I first wanted to return to Sunspear. Getting new men for the campaign, along with lowborn willing to move to Northpoint and help expand the settlement, I wanted to check in on everyone in the palace. I¡¯d not stay long, perhaps a half-moon, which would mean Bronn, Jaeronos, or whoever else remained in Northpoint would have time to whip the men into something approaching a useful fighting force while I discovered if any more sellswords were willing to sign on with me. There was always the small chance that Smalljon, Harrold Hardyng, and Donovar Royce might arrive to help as well. I¡¯d sent letters to them telling them of my plans just before sailing for Dustspear, and while I couldn¡¯t say that the Vale men would be interested, I knew the Smalljon would. He¡¯d made clear I had to tell him if I next sought battle, though I doubted he¡¯d come. He was heir to Last Hearth and a prominent trueborn figure in the North. For him, or the others, to fight under the banner of a bastard would be seen by some as an insult, though perhaps not in The North as I was the acknowledged, if not legitimized, son of Brandon Stark. What I hoped would come from The North and The Vale were men the nobles had gathered who were interested in fighting in the Stepstones. That said, I didn¡¯t expect any help ¨C if there was to be some ¨C to arrive until after I¡¯d attacked, and hopefully taken Redwater. If not even later on. Leaning back, I sighed. The campaign through The Whores appeared over, and while it would end on a sour note, I could consider it a success. Hells, if Cayde and his fleet were mainly intact, then it might not be over as I could return and target the easternmost island, or at least Aeron¡¯s port there as payback. That, however, would have to wait until we reached the southernmost island and learnt the fate of Cadye and his fleet. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ A knock at the door to my cabin was unexpected. As normal, it was open, and thus free for others to enter. Looking toward it, I saw one of the newer men, Stalleo, standing there, looking slightly nervous. We were back at the first island port we¡¯d assaulted in The Whores, and had been for two days now. Simple repairs were being made to the vessels to ensure they¡¯d be sea-worthy for the journey to Northpoint, and I was grateful that nothing major ¨C at least nothing that would require scrapping a warship ¨C had been found. The men had been separated into five groups. While one rested, the next worked on the ships carrying out repairs, the third watched for approaching vessels, another trained with Bronn, while the fifth searched the island, looking for anything of use. So far, the search teams ¨C and Ymir who was enjoying the exploring ¨C hadn¡¯t found much, but it at least gave the men something to do and keep their minds distracted. While it was unlikely any were already regretting their decision to bend the knee, it was something I¡¯d have to keep an eye on going forward. ¡°Ships approaching the port, mi¡¯lord,¡± Stalleo added when he saw me looking his way. His accent placed him as Essosi, possibly from Myr, and the use of ¡®mi¡¯lord¡¯ made clear he was lowborn and never worked for a family. All that barely mattered though as I¡¯d already seen him in battle and while not the greatest, he was decent with a blade in hand, which was all I wanted from those who¡¯d sworn allegiance to me. ¡°How many and from which direction?¡± I asked, moving toward the door. ¡°Two, mi¡¯lord, from the west.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Stalleo left in a hurry as if being in my presence frightened him. Given that Miltar had likely talked about my behaviour on the quarterdeck of the Kraken during the battle, whatever he¡¯d said had disseminated through the men, which was the probable source of the fear. Daemon and Bronn had both spoken with me, asking if I¡¯d had something to do with the odd behaviour of the pirate fleets, and while I¡¯d not denied it, I¡¯d made clear that such discussions would wait until we were back in Northpoint. I blinked as I stepped onto the deck. The sun was rising, behind to the east and as I reached the quarterdeck, I looked westward seeing the approaching ships. Thanks to my enhanced sight, I saw that they bore the sail of The Bloodhawk, but that meant little as we¡¯d taken everything he¡¯d held in The Whores. Pulling the Myrish Eye from its secure resting place, I looked through it at the vessels. At the bow of the lead vessel, I saw Cayde, so I finally had confirmation of his fate. I didn¡¯t see Irraro though, nor any hint of the other ships that had sailed with them in the second fleet. Still, given we¡¯d have left a little after midday, it was a relief that any of that fleet made it here. Assuming they were at least decently crewed, then that was another hundred men and two galleys for my fleet. It did, however, mean, the raids on The Whores were over, but I swore that, when the time came, I¡¯d return with a greater force and wipe Aeron and the other Pirate Lords from the islands. As well as their holdings in more major locations in the Stepstones. For now, though, we¡¯d be returning to Dustspear to prepare for the true second phase of my plans for the Stepstones. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ North to the Sun 34: North to the Sun ... ... (Circa 297AC) I stood on the deck of the Red Kraken, my eyes closed as the stiff, morning air washed over my face. I¡¯d already broken my fast and checked in with Garreo about how today¡¯s sailing would go. Clear skies and a slightly favourable wind meant we were making good time and there was no hint of pursuit. Since we¡¯d left The Whores, Daemon and I had taken shifts ¨C twelve hours each ¨C of being on deck in case anything happened. Bronn and Cayde were doing likewise on the Coral Howl, but so far, after four days of sail, there¡¯d been no sign for the bow of any ship sailing after us. With the chaos I¡¯d left in The Whores, that was what I¡¯d expected, but given the last battles hadn¡¯t gone our way, though they could¡¯ve gone far worse, I wasn¡¯t taking any chances. Still, with clear waters all around, I knew today was when I¡¯d sort out something I¡¯d been putting off ever since we¡¯d left The Whores. My eyes took in the sails, and knowing I¡¯d not get a chance to do so later, I summoned my magic and pushed the wind into the sails. The shift was indiscernible from what was already there, but it was a simple and effective way to practise and improve my Wind Magic without drawing attention to it. Since we¡¯d left Northpoint, I¡¯d lifted that branch to Level 45 by doing this, and while it was a minor thing, it was working so I¡¯d continue it whenever I could. Turning, I walked along the deck, heading toward the series of cabins under the quarterdeck. I gave Garreo a nod, letting him know I¡¯d be in the main cabin. the Captain responded with a nod of his own, and as I stepped through the outer door, I paused as I reached the doors for the two smaller doors. Normally these would be for the First Mate and Helmsman with the Captain taking the main cabin, but with myself and Daemon onboard, the latter two were bunking with the crew under the main deck. Knocking on the door to Daemon¡¯s cabin I waited for him to answer. The sound of someone tiredly pulling themselves from their bunk was followed a few moments later with the latch being shifted. Daemon¡¯s head came around the corner, his eyes heavy and his hair dishevelled making clear he¡¯d been asleep or just about when I¡¯d knocked. ¡°Wha?¡± I smirked, amused to see him so out of sorts. Normally, like any good knight and fighter, he was alert and ready, but given I¡¯d forced him from a wanted sleep, that wasn¡¯t the case this morning. ¡°Will be in my cabin for some or most of the day,¡± I replied. ¡°Doing certain things.¡± To make clear my intent, I summoned a small ball of fire to appear floating over my palm. It took a moment for Daemon, his mind still sleep-addled, to understand what I was implying. ¡°Oh, right.¡± The words came out in a mumble, and he stepped back, planning to close the door. ¡°Garreo already knows I will be busy, and Ymir will make sure no one enters.¡± I got out before the door was closed in my face. At another time, that might¡¯ve annoyed me, but I understood he wanted to rest and, I hoped, would remember my words when he woke fully. I laughed at the closed door and moved to my cabin. ¡°Hey boy,¡± I said as I reached the doorway, it had been pushed open earlier by Ymir coming back after a morning stretch. ¡°Almost home.¡± While I was fine on the sea, and found it relaxing, Ymir didn¡¯t. He had nothing to do and nowhere to run, so he spent most of the time snoozing in the cabin. though like me, I felt he missed the Windchaser. The captain¡¯s cabin on the Red Kraken was decent, and the bed comfortable, but the d¨¦cor wasn¡¯t what I approved of. Nor was the fact that it was smaller. The Windchaser had a larger cabin, and bed which I¡¯d put to use on a few nights, with room for Ymir to stretch out and not get in the way. That wasn¡¯t true here, at least not the part about having room to move around an outstretched Ymir, and I knew he longed to get off the ship and stretch his legs properly. A small chuckle slipped from me as I realised I¡¯d referred to Northpoint as home. The settlement was only a few moons old, at least under my management, but already I considered it, and the entire island, mine. There was a lot of work to do there, right up to the lack of many of the creature comforts one would expect in a decent castle or holdfast, to say nothing of somewhere like Sunspear or Winterfell, but it was home. I wasn¡¯t a lord, at least not one that anyone in Westeros or Essos would recognize, but it was my holding, and it had greater potential than those of many landed knights in the Seven Kingdoms. Perhaps one day, I would be recognized by Doran or even the Iron Throne, and made to kneel before them, but if that day ever came, I intended to hold more than just a single island with one village. In time, I hoped that Northpoint could turn into a town with other villages taking root on Dustspear, but like the idea of kneeling before the Iron Throne, those were something I didn¡¯t expect to happen for many years to come. While I didn¡¯t have a large number of men, I was returning with nearly five hundred from The Whores, having set out with two hundred. When combined with what had returned already, and what had remained in Northpoint, I had comparable manpower to a minor holding, such as the Daynes of High Hermitage. I smirked as Ymir pushed against my hands, wanting more scratching, at the faces Gerold and Gurner Dayne would have when they learnt I had a larger fighting force than them. though what they had that I lacked, at least officially, was quality. Daemon and I were the only knights, though Bronn, Cayde, Jaeronos and a handful of others were on or near that level, but none were loyal to me. Daemon was here because of Ari, while the others were loyal to my coin. I had ideas for how to ensure greater, more permanent loyalty, from them, but like those for Dustspear, those were a long time from being brought into the open. For now, I simply had to ensure they were paid on time ¨C not an issue given the riches I¡¯d taken from the Grim Prince and the smaller, but not insignificant treasure taken from The Whores ¨C and keep making them want to fight for me. ¡°I will not be under long,¡± I said to Ymir, focusing on the present, ¡°but I need you to keep me safe while I slumber. And protect me if anything does happen.¡± Ymir gave what amounted to a half-grunt, half-bark in response, before circling the room. Knowing I¡¯d not have much time to reach the bed before he took up the entire floor, I moved quickly, pulling off my shirt and dropping it over a stool near the bed. Red Rain was placed down on the bed, against the bow of the ship. While it was highly unlikely I¡¯d need the blade when I woke, I wasn¡¯t stupid enough to leave it out of reach. Once I was down to my breeches, I slipped under the covers and opened the small blue notice that had been in the corner of my vision for nearly two days. Standard Trait Point Gained! Special Trait Point Gained! You have reached 20000 skill levels. This means you now have 1 StTP and 1 SpTP to spend. Good work! ¡­ Available Traits Current skill level total: 20000 This grants you 1 Standard Skill Point (StTP) and 1 Special Trait Point (SpTP). You have spent 1 StTP and 1 SpTP. StTPs are listed normally. SpTPs are underlined. ¡­ Traits available for purchase: Alchemic Compatibility Bestial Bonds Boosted Book Learning Boosted Martial Learning Boosted Mana Boosted Stamina Earth Compatibility Greensight Gift of Tongues Hints of the Lost (Free Cities) Hints of the Lost (Planetos) Hints of the Lost (Westeros) Hints of the Lost (Valyria) Magical Sonar Necromancy Compatibility Over-boost Mana Over-boost Stamina Prophetic Dreams Shadow Compatibility The Price of Blood Water Compatibility ... WARNING! Be aware that when selecting a trait, your body will go through some form of alteration on both a physical and mental level. Because of this, a time delay can be set for how long it takes for a change to initiate. For Standard Traits, this results in a loss of consciousness for a period ranging from three to ten hours. For Special Traits, this results in a loss of consciousness for hours to days, along with a varying but constant level of pain as your body undergoes some changes. NOTE: If two traits are chosen to activate at the same time, the timeframe for both is doubled and added together. If three traits are taken at the same time, then the timeframe is tripled and added together. ... When the notice had first come in, I¡¯d gone over the lists, checking to make sure that none of those that had been there before had changed, and then focusing on the two new options. The Price of Blood and Alchemic Compatibility replaced Blood of the Dragon¡¯s Flames and Wind Compatibility respectfully, and were, in differing ways, interesting. While it was highly unlikely I¡¯d take Alchemic Compatibility any time soon, it was a curious one. Beyond unlocking Alchemy as a skill, and adding it to my overall Skills list, it was from what I could tell, an odd mix of my overall magical ability, and my skill with medicine, potion-making, and poisons. The only surefire Alchemical recipe I knew of was for Wildfire, and while knowing how that was made and worked was interesting, it wasn¡¯t something I could see myself spending a Standard Trait point on. If there was a way to grant the Trait to others, I knew that Oberyn would¡¯ve loved it. However, I couldn¡¯t do that, and thus, based on my needs and intentions, I was going to take Boosted Mana. The increase in my ability to draw upon and sustain my magic, even if it was limited by whatever event was causing issues. I suspected that it was the Red Comet, which was due in 299AC, however, I needed any advantage I could get for the next two years. Of the Standard Traits, Boosted Mana represented the best choice, and with me rushing to get Wind Magic to Level 100, that only made it more appealing. As for The Price of Blood, I was concerned and intrigued in equal measure. It would unlock, as the name hinted at, Blood Magic, and grant 10 levels instantly in the branch, but beyond that, and gaining an affinity with it not unlike what I had with Wind Compatibility, there were no clear indicators as to what was on offer. Instead, it spoke of how, after taking the Trait, my mind would be unlocked to the potential of Blood Magic. That suggested it wouldn¡¯t just drop a bunch of rituals into my head. More likely, I¡¯d have to study and ponder on the matter until things became clearer. It wasn¡¯t certain that I¡¯d take that Special Trait, but only Gift of Tongues and Hints of the Lost (Westeros) came close to being of any use. The latter there though would, knowing my luck, place something of importance and use in a section of the Seven Kingdoms where I couldn¡¯t easily reach it. Still, the Special Trait could wait as I didn¡¯t need or want to be unconscious for days on end if I took both traits together, and clicked on Boosted Mana. Trait Selected! Boosted Mana chosen. Are you certain? Yes/no ¡­ I rolled my eyes, looking at the familiar warning. I understood why it was there, but already it was getting old, and with a sigh, I concentrated on the ¡®Yes¡¯ option. Trait Confirmed! The user will be rendered unconscious for a minimum of six hours until Re-Alignment is achieved. ... Alignment Commencing ... 5 ... 4 ... 3 ... 2 ... 1 ... ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ A smile was spread wide across my face as the Red Kraken slipped around the rock outcropping that marked the harbour of Northpoint. Not only did this mean we¡¯d made it back safely, but seeing the Windchaser again brought me relief. When it and the two cogs, the Ilaerah¡¯s Luck, and the Pride of Saltbrook, had sailed off from The Whores with little to no escort, there¡¯d been a fear in the back of my mind that they might be intercepted by pirates. That they hadn¡¯t was a weight off my shoulders, and while it would be several days before I set sail again, I was already looking forward to the larger, more luxurious cabin on the Windchaser. All three ships were docked in the harbour, as was a single longboat. The other vessel that I¡¯d left behind to guard Northpoint¡¯s waterways had been spotted about an hour ago as we¡¯d neared the settlement. Adding them to what I was arriving with me, and my fleet had doubled in just numbers, never mind that every galley was capable of carrying around twice the crew of a longboat, while the two war galleys were three times that of a longboat in crew. And that was ignoring the increased firepower of the scorpions on the various galleys, or the stores below decks to carry extra men if the need arose. Thankfully, my manpower had gone up in line with my fleet so I wouldn¡¯t be sending out warships under-crewed. Provided there¡¯d not been any loss of life on the trio of vessels that had left The Whores early, and before considering if any slaves wished to join the settlement or military ranks, I was looking at close to seven hundred fighting men all told, and while at least a hundred would have to remain in Northpoint for the next phase of my plans, that left me a large force with which to move forward. That said, if the chance arose, I¡¯d take on any sellsword willing to sign the pledge all my men obeyed as most of my force were pirates, and about as trustworthy as a rat on a sinking ship. As the Kraken moved closer, the helmsman being guided by a crewmember from the longboat, I saw that not every ship would be able to dock at the same time. That was fine as I planned for the galleys to join the protective cordon around Northpoint, which would allow the longboats to focus purely on fishing, at least until dedicated boats could be built or bought and brought over from Dorne. All that the lack of room at the piers meant was that my ships, bar the war galleys and the three cargo vessels currently docked there, would have to rotate their times at one of the three piers in Northpoint. In time, the piers could be extended, or new ones built, but for now, the other vessels would have to dock in the harbour ¨C at least as best they could ¨C or along the coast. That would be good practice for the men for future attacks as I doubted we¡¯d be able to sail into many ports under a false flag as we¡¯d done in The Whores. For now, I was going to have to rotate the ships and men as needed, with priority given to vessels most in need of repairs that could be handled without beaching or removing the vessels from the water. Thankfully, none seemed to be in critical condition, as they¡¯d all been checked before we¡¯d left The Whores, but I wanted the fleet in as close to full fighting trim as possible before I moved onto Redwater. Nor were there many supplies or freed slaves to disembark from my fleet. Almost all of those had sailed with the Windchaser and the cogs when they¡¯d left after my sacking of the third island of The Whores. Those cogs would be extremely useful in the future. Not just with ferrying supplies to Redwater for the next campaign, but hauling supplies and trade between Northpoint and Sunspear. As much as I¡¯d love for the settlement, and Dustspear in general, to become self-sufficient, there simply wasn¡¯t the manpower or infrastructure to allow that to happen now. Probably not even for a few years, but the base was there and all I needed was time, luck, and skill for the island to develop into something worthwhile. Of course, the more it grew, the greater a target it would be for pirates and other raiders, like the Ironborn, to attack, which was why I had, and would keep, a large Watch around. The issue with the Watch, as with the men now under my command, was that the majority lacked morals and training. At least working cohesively when attacking anything other than traders or pirates. That would change as every new man would be put through their paces before we attacked Redwater, but I hoped that I could find another few dozen skilled sellswords with at least acceptable morals to join before the attack began. Bronn, Cadye, Jaeronos, and Oberyn had all put out feelers to the contacts they had, at least those that hadn¡¯t come in the first batch for attacking The Whores, so I expected a few more blades would be waiting for me in Sunspear, though I wasn¡¯t sure of how many. While all those on Captain¡¯s Pay, bar Irraro and Caddar, were still alive, many of those below them that had been on the verge of promotion when we returned, had been lost. The majority fell in the ambush and battle that my fleets had encountered when sailing for the central island in The Whores. Those men needed replacement, but I¡¯d leave much of that to Bronn, Cadye, and Jaeronos as they knew the men best. The battle Cadye had encountered wasn¡¯t, like the one I¡¯d sailed into, an ambush, but an already raging fight between two groups of pirates. He¡¯d tried to ensure the fleet avoided the skirmish, but the other commanders had, fearing Cadye¡¯s forces were reinforcements, or a third party making a move, attacked. In the carnage that followed, and lacking the power of my fleet, only three of the vessels that had been with Cayde managed to escape, one of those was abandoned before they reached us at the southernmost island of the chain, but at least he and some of the men with him had made it back. Neither of the pirate groups Cadye had encountered bore the flag of Aeron Indarys, which was why I felt it wasn¡¯t something planned for him like the ambush on my fleet had been. That was the only minor upside as I knew many of my men would have surrendered instead of fighting to the death. That meant whoever captured them, if they didn¡¯t just execute or enslave them, would quickly learn that they¡¯d sailed for the Rogue Viper from Dustspear. The hope was, that while those Pirate Lords might deduce that I was responsible for the chaos in The Whores, they¡¯d be too focused on recovering, and battling Pirate Lords nearer to them, that they¡¯d not make a play against Dustspear. Yet, on the chance they might, I planned to leave a larger Watch in Northpoint with an enlarged defensive fleet. It wouldn¡¯t stop a dedicated attack, but it would discourage raiders. The only upside, and it was a small one, of my men falling into the hands of Pirate Lords, was that when I sailed for Redwater I could do so under the banner made for me by Ari and Alysanne. The pair hadn¡¯t been happy when I¡¯d chosen twice now to not take the various shields, overcoats, and banners they¡¯d had made with my sigil upon them, but the third time was the charm. Also, once Redwater fell, or even if I was forced to fall back after only raiding much of it, it would confuse the other Pirate Lords as The Bloody Wolf and The Rogue Viper would appear, at least for the time being, to be two different new players in the Stepstones. The problem with that island was going to be size and scope. There were three Pirate Lords there, each controlling territory and men to match what the Grim Prince had held. The difference was, unlike the Grim Prince with his placement of small bases on the Broken Arm ¨C which had been shattered at the same time I killed the Grim Prince ¨Cthat the Lords of Redwater kept their forces close. Not as many trade vessels went past Redwater as Dustspear, so they focused more on securing and holding their territory than raiding further afield. A hand clasped my shoulder, drawing me back to the present. ¡°Looking forward to dry land?¡± Dameon asked as he and Ymir joined me amidship, near where the docking planks were deployed. Unlike the galleys and longboats, the war galleys had three such points along each side to handle the larger number of men and cargo that needed to be moved between the ship and shore. ¡°Aye, as is Ymir,¡± I added as the direwolf slipped around me and under my arm, forcing me, as he intended to scratch him behind his ear. Daemon chuckled. ¡°Yes. It is clear to all that the beast wants off more than we do.¡± He turned and looked at Northpoint. ¡°Be nice to put this behind us.¡± ¡°I do not intend to stay here long,¡± I said as the deck planks were lowered. Almost at the same time as the Coral Howl docked on the other side of the pier. ¡°I want to attack Redwater soon before storms can move in,¡± I added as I walked down the plank, Ymir having raced ahead as soon as the railing was cleared for disembarking. ¡°How soon?¡± ¡°Inside a moon,¡± I replied as I stepped onto the pier. Ymir was already rushing down the wood, wanting to get back on solid ground, but I was going to wait. Bronn was standing at the edge of the railing on the Coral Howl, waiting for the deck plank to be lowered. ¡°First I need to see how things are here, handle the slave situation, and a myriad of other little issues. Once that¡¯s finished though, I plan to return to Sunspear.¡± ¡°Sunspear eh?¡± Bronn called out, having begun to walk down the plank from the Cowl. ¡°Looking forward to that.¡± He smiled widely and clapped his hands. ¡°There is this lass there I want to visit again.¡± The smirk on his face made clear what his intentions were. ¡°And I know you have a few waiting for you,¡± he said to me, ¡°and as for this cunt,¡± He added slapping Daemon on the forearm. ¡°Have you plunked that little flower yet?¡± I ground my teeth, not liking the comment about Alysanne. Bronn was being Bronn, but talking about her that way wasn¡¯t something I liked. Nor did I like it when he spoke of Ari or the others I slept with in similar tones. However, with Alysanne, there was always this voice at the back of my head, warning me of the danger of someone learning the truth about her parentage. As far as I knew, none in Sunspear were taking the story she and Ty had used for Alysanne slipping from Winterfell seriously, but the fact it was there meant Doran and Oberyn would be curious about the matter. Something that would have them press my mother about, yet I¡¯d not caught hide nor hair of any hint they saw Alysanne as anything more than Ned¡¯s bastard daughter. What was probably helping with that was that she was keeping her egg hidden. I knew of it and had subtly asked her about it when we¡¯d spoken. She¡¯d assured me it was kept in a locked box that was under her bed, the key for which always remained on or close to her person. With Ty gone, still serving her penance for her role in Alysanne¡¯s apparent kidnapping, that kept the circle in the know extremely small, something I¡¯d impressed on Alysanne to not expand. ¡°Lady Alysanne, might I remind you, is the daughter of Lord Eddard Stark, ward of Prince Doran, and a cousin of Cregan¡¯s,¡± Daemon replied, his tone low and aggressive. ¡°She is, unlike the women you frequent, someone special. Someone worth taking the time to woo and know, and not simply tossed down for a quick fucking.¡± ¡°Maybe, but nothing a girl doesn¡¯t like better than a good hard fucking. Cregan knows what I mean.¡± When he mentioned my name, Bronn gave me a shoulder tap, though I ignored him, my thoughts still on Alysanne. Or more accurately, her egg. The Price of Blood should offer a way, or at least the path to a way, to hatch the egg. Failing that, I expected to provide a way to bond a dragon to a rider. I wasn¡¯t planning to even attempt that for several years, but when the Others came, a dragon was going to be a game changer. Or at least it would be once it was grown. Unlike what the show had suggested, dragons didn¡¯t grow insanely fast. The records I¡¯d read suggested it took anywhere from a year to three before they could take a rider, and easily over a decade for them to reach a size where many, if not all, normal weapons were of little to no threat to them. ¡°This girl from YiTi,¡± Bronn continued, unaware of my thoughts, ¡°is something special. She does this thing with her tongue that is just¡­¡± He brought his fingers to his lips and kissed them, making clear how good whatever it was the girl did was. ¡°I cannot wait to fuck her again.¡± For good measure, or I assumed that was his intent, he thrust his hips. Daemon and I laughed at the behaviour, letting any anger from his earlier comments about Alysanne slide. Bronn was rough as fuck around the edges, but he was a good man and a brilliant and brutal fighter. I did wonder, though, when he mentioned a girl YiTi if it was the same girl I¡¯d seen outside the Sunset Rose. If so, then I couldn¡¯t fault Bronn¡¯s tastes. If I wasn¡¯t involved with enough ladies to keep me satisfied almost every night, I¡¯d have been interested in seeing just what that girl knew. ¡°I know Cregan here has someone he longs to see as well, eh?¡± I smirked at Bronn. ¡°Several actually. Preferably at the same time,¡± I added, returning fire in this game of teasing and boasting. It was an open secret that I was Ari¡¯s paramour, both among my senior men and many in Sunspear, but the fact I was bedding others wasn¡¯t. Daemon knew the truth and was accepting of it, his focus entirely on Alysanne. Even to the point that I¡¯d not heard of him visiting a brothel to relieve stress. ¡°Lucky bastard,¡± was Bronn¡¯s comeback after a moment where he imagined what I had. He moved closer with that almost ever-present smirk widening as he neared. ¡°Still, because of you, your tricks, and this magic cock of yours,¡± I stepped back, not letting him grab what he intended, ¡°we are all becoming filthy rich.¡± My hand moved to push his aside. ¡°Unlike my father in his younger years, I keep my proclivities to those of the opposite sex,¡± I said with a smirk that matched his. A semi-gentle push had his hand move away from me. ¡°Same. Though I have heard a few of the men wonder if it is your face, those eyes, and the silken words you use, that helped you get between the legs of so many noble ladies.¡± ¡°Ignoring that most of them are not highborn, my secret shall remain between me and my ladies,¡± I turned, and took a step toward the island only to stop and look back over my shoulder at the sellsword. ¡°Unless that is, you want to watch me work my magic on your YiTish lady friend.¡± ¡°Fuck you!¡± Bronn shot back, though with little anger in his tone. His arm swung out, but I¡¯d put just enough distance between us that it was easy to avoid the half-hearted strike. ¡°Keep your pants on when not in the palace so the rest of us can have our fun.¡± ¡°You never know,¡± I shot back as I saw Jaeronos at the end of the dock, ¡°You might learn something if you watched me and that lass of yours.¡± I heard Daemon laugh behind me, which seemed to draw Bronn¡¯s attention, letting me focus on Jaeronos. While there was a smile on his face suggesting he was glad to see us, there was a tension in his body language. When combined with the two guards, each with a hand near their blade, it suggested something wasn¡¯t right. ¡°I take it from your laughter that the raid went well?¡± he asked once we were closer. ¡°More or less.¡± I glanced at the men at his side as we grasped forearms, my other hand drifting toward Red Rain. Behind the trio I could see Ymir turning, sensing my apprehension. ¡°Something the matter?¡± behind me, I heard Bronn and Daemon come closer. The two men beside Jaeronos were men I¡¯d hired in Sunspear for the initial assault on Dustspear. Indeed, both had been recommended by Jaeronos, which had me a little concerned that something was about to happen. ¡°More or less,¡± Jaeronos replied as we let go of each other¡¯s arms. ¡°Just had a small incident while you were away. Because of that, I had to heighten the Watch¡¯s alertness.¡± I raised my brow, questioning for more information. ¡°About a quarter-moon after you sailed, the Silent Raider spotted two longboats approaching the island from Westeros. The Captain chose to return and warn us instead of trying to engage.¡± ¡°Smart,¡± I commented, making a note to learn the captain¡¯s name and if, as I suspected, this story had a good ending, ensure they were given a bonus. While anyone with half a brain would back off from a two-on-one battle, competence was worth encouraging. ¡°It was,¡± Jaeronos continued as Daemon and Bronn reached my side. ¡°With the knowledge that the ships had landed, and that they bore the flag of the Grim Prince, I had the men prepare. The villagers, at least those present, were taken to shelter. However, those out hunting, or moving to the quarry, were out of reach and I had to leave them. Better to keep the men here than send some to search and protect them.¡± I grimaced, fearing I¡¯d lost Darrok, Jeran, or one of their men. Getting those skilled workmen was a huge bonus for developing Dustspear, and to lose them now would be a disaster. As would losing any of the settlers. ¡°They attacked on the second night after landing, but we were ready. Lost less than a dozen men, including two villagers who wanted to fight. Most of their men either died in the attack or surrendered. Some ran into the forest, but their boats were found and brought closer to here. They¡¯re in good condition and can be added to the fleet after a change of banners.¡± ¡°Did anything come from those who surrendered?¡± ¡°Bar that they came from outposts along The Arm, nothing of value. Though those that held rank are still around for further questioning.¡± ¡°Prince Oberyn did say the lords along the Arm would attack those outposts when we assaulted Dustspear,¡± Daemon offered. ¡°It is possible the men in one or more of those ports managed to slip away before an attack arrived.¡± Jaeronos nodded as Daemon spoke. ¡°Yes, that was my thinking on it.¡± He turned back to me. ¡°Those still alive await your judgement, and the ships, as I said, are now part of the fleet.¡± He smirked as his eyes drifted beyond me. ¡°Which I see has grown considerably to the point we can¡¯t berth them all.¡± ¡°Those that need repairs will get preference. The rest can drop anchor in the harbour. Also, have the crews practise assault landings. They will need practice for Redwater. That said, the raids were, overall, a success, though not as great as I had hoped.¡± Bronn scoffed. ¡°Nothing ever goes perfectly. We got more men and ships and caused the pirate lords there and on other islands problems. Most of the men will be little better than meat shields, but that just means more bodies for our enemies to target instead of me.¡± ¡°Was that an offer to stay here and train the new men? If so, I would be happy to console that YiTish lass of yours.¡± ¡°Fuck off and fuck your princess,¡± Bronn shot back, though any anger in the tone was lost as the rest of us laughed at his expense. He joined in with a chuckle of his own before continuing. ¡°I am going to Sunspear and nothing you say or do will stop me.¡± ¡°We will sort out who will remain later,¡± I said as the first of the men on the Coral Howl, which were a group of a dozen slaves we¡¯d freed on the fourth island that had then survived the ambush. ¡°For now, we need to work on housing the new men and guests. Preferably for the former, far from the villagers. They might have bent the knee, but I trust them half as far as my youngest sister could throw them.¡± that drew some chuckles. ¡°Most of the buildings left standing are repaired so we have the room to spare,¡± Jaeronos offered. ¡°Should be fine for supplies as well. The farms are far from ready, but there¡¯s plentiful fish, berries, and game. Not to mention the food and drink brought back from your raids. At least for a few weeks. After that, we might have issues.¡± ¡°Ugh,¡± Broon groaned, ¡°enough about the boring stuff.¡± He moved forward, cutting in front of me and speaking to Jaeronos. ¡°For now, I want food, drink, and the comfort of the nicest whore on the island.¡± Even as I laughed once more at the man¡¯s blunt, self-focused approach, I wondered how wise an idea it was. While I was fine with celebrating with Bronn, Daemon, and some others, having several hundred former pirates, fresh to the island and likely not thinking my rules were law imbued with drink sounded like a recipe for disaster. I couldn¡¯t, however, deny them drink, so I¡¯d have to ensure they were kept even further from the villagers, and that the Watch had clear orders to prevent issues. I knew that eventually one of the men would break my rules. All I could hope was that it was a long time in coming and that when it did happen, it wasn¡¯t a major rule they broke. Until then, all I could do was limit the chances for trouble and see what happened. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°Thank you for this,¡± I said to Stalleo as he sat across from me in my solar. ¡°Before you go, I need to ask, is there anything you might know that could be of use? No matter how minor it may seem.¡± Stalleo¡¯s eyes flickered from me to Kaa, who was absently resting, as normal, around my neck. The bloodflower viper had almost as much of an effect on others as Ymir did. At least when I allowed the metre-plus extremely venomous snake to rest around my neck like some sort of ornament. Until they saw Kaa move, many thought I simply wore a dead snake to play into my title as the Rogue Viper, but the moment they saw Kaa move for the first time ¨C or if they¡¯d forgotten about his presence ¨C their reaction was always enjoyable. The eyes of the former lieutenant for Lucian Koros flicked beyond the viper to the men at my sides. Daemon and Cayde stood behind me, the former probably standing as if he was guarding Ari, the latter, from the sounds I was hearing, enjoying a pomegranate that had come from a grove discovered when the remains of the Grim Prince¡¯s men had attacked the island while I and others were in The Whores. Already plans were in place to gather seeds from the grove so that a grove could be nurtured closer to the settlement. Bronn would be, if he had recovered from the festivities last night, beginning the training and testing of the new men alongside several of the older and better-trained sellswords in my forces. Last night¡¯s party hadn¡¯t gotten too unruly, and I¡¯d only had to knock out two of the new men for overstepping their bounds with either me or the villagers. Another man had lost a hand for thieving after he tried to rob one of the whores after his time was up. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it The pirate was dumb enough to admit to it publicly, leaving it easy to determine judgement. He, along with a handful of others who had broken minor rules I¡¯d set in place, still retained use. They, along with men that either I or my commanders were uncertain about, would be assigned to the vanguard of every assault I carried out in Redwater. With luck, the dumb fool would get himself killed by the enemy, but if not I¡¯d have to ensure he didn¡¯t return to Northpoint. Jaeronos was, at his request, continuing to work as the commander and mayor of Northpoint, finding something enjoyable in the position that he hadn¡¯t expected. If things went well with Redwater, I might consider making Jaeronos the military commander of Northpoint, but that and appointing proper officials wasn¡¯t an immediate issue. Still, I¡¯d promised Jaeronos that he¡¯d be with us on the assault on Redwater. As much as he seemed happy to manage the settlement, I¡¯d hired him for battle, not administration. ¡°No, mi¡¯lord,¡± Stalleo replied once his eyes returned to me, though he cringed, and his eyes darted to one corner of the room as the sound of teeth scraping on bone echoed around us. Ymir had enjoyed his night as well, having headed out into the forest almost as soon as we docked. I hadn¡¯t seen him return during the night, but the carcass that had been outside the door to my building made clear he¡¯d had a successful hunt. Currently, he was gnawing on the leg of the boar he¡¯d caught during the night. While I¡¯d rather not have the smell of the dead animal in the solar, Ymir¡¯s presence and actions were effective in ensuring Stalleo, and the three before him that I¡¯d spoken to, were honest in their words. Even Daemon, who¡¯d known Ymir almost since I¡¯d had him, was sometimes concerned by the direwolf¡¯s size. At the size of a pony, yet if felt, with room still to grow, it was odd that more people didn¡¯t cower or back away in fear when he moved around. However, that might be because, even at his size, he could move with the silence and grace that only an apex predator could achieve. Honestly, the only people who never showed fear of him were my family and lovers, and the young of Sunspear and the Shadow City. The former because Ymir understood they were part of our pack, and the latter because, as much as he¡¯d never admit it, Ymir was a giant softy at heart. A direwolf he may be, but at the chance of getting petted and scratched by dozens of small, weak hands, he¡¯d roll over and submit. The parents and guardians of the children were fearful of letting the children so close to Ymir, but the lowborn knew they couldn¡¯t do much if Ymir did turn, while those of higher station would have to protest to Doran and Oberyn should anything happen. Yet in the two years that Ymir had been bonded with me, he¡¯d never attacked anyone I¡¯d have not approved of. ¡°Then you are dismissed,¡± I said to Stalleo once his eyes came reluctantly back to me. ¡°Though if, over the next few days, you remember anything, please mention it to myself or one of my commanders.¡± ¡°Yes, mi¡¯lord.¡± Stalleo stood, and then, his eyes struggling to remain on me as I lifted a hand to stroke Kaa, he bowed awkwardly. Like other former pirates, he wasn¡¯t used to such formal responses, but since last night the new men understood that I wasn¡¯t just a simple sellsword, but the Bastard of Sunspear. A few even knew of me as the Bloody Wolf and the story of how I¡¯d killed a dozen Ironborn while I was a child to save the Princess of Dorne had spread ¨C again ¨C through the settlement. I offered a nod in reply and then watched as Stalleo moved away. He was slow at first, careful to not venture too close to Ymir and his chew toy. One of the new men who¡¯d somehow been up before I had made that mistake when I¡¯d stepped out into the morning air. At Ymir¡¯s growl, the former pirate sprinted away, and just before he¡¯d slipped from view, I swore he¡¯d soiled himself. ¡°I wonder if we might one day meet a man not in some way wary of that beast,¡± Cayde remarked with a chuckle as the door closed behind Stalleo. Cayde had seemed forlorn when he¡¯d met us at the southernmost island in The Whores, and angered with himself at this failure to save more of the fleet under his command. Some of those who¡¯d died had been men he¡¯d known for many years, so their deaths under his command wounded him. I¡¯d spoken with him briefly before we¡¯d left, making clear I didn¡¯t blame him for the losses, and that it was my mistake and overconfidence that cost us so many ships and men. I¡¯d next seen him last night once we were back in Northpoint, and since then there¡¯d not been a hint the disaster of that battle still haunted him. While he seemed fine now, I¡¯d be watching as carefully as I could, without alerting him, to ensure his head was in the right place going forward. He was a capable fighter and commander, the latter worth more, so having him battle-shy, at least when sending men to die, wasn¡¯t what I needed. ¡°So far only my father seems as at ease with Kaa as I am,¡± I replied as I checked over the notes I¡¯d added to the collection as Stalleo had spoken. ¡°But there are few men like my father. Plus, if any fool tried to challenge Ymir, I know Ymir would enjoy educating them on their mistake.¡± Ymir growled in agreement, making me chuckle as I looked at my notes. I could¡¯ve asked Daemon or Cayde to make them, but they might have felt it was beneath them to act as my scribe. I was fine with doing it myself for now, but when we returned to Sunspear, I¡¯d ask around, perhaps with Maester Caleotte and see if any of his helpers and scribes had a sense of adventure. While I¡¯d love to bring a full Maester to Northpoint, as Dustspear wasn¡¯t under the control of the Iron Throne, nor was I even a landed knight with a holdfast, then that wasn¡¯t something I¡¯d get now. Perhaps in time, but for now I¡¯d have to make do. One option I had considered but had dismissed due to the unlikelihood of it, was finding a disgraced Maester or trainee. Qyburn was an obvious example, and for all his moral flexibility, he had been a Maester until he took his research too far for the rest of the Citadel. The reason I¡¯d dismissed him was that I had fuck all idea of where he was and what he was doing currently. I could reach out to the Free Cities, but the longer it took for any of their leadership to learn of my action in the Stepstones the better. That said, the one place I¡¯d not be looking for any learned help was Volantis and their fire priests. While I was sure I could learn something regarding my magic from them, I didn¡¯t want any of those insane fanatics near me. I had a few worshippers of R¡¯hllor in my ranks now, but those men were joining the vanguard for Redwater as the sooner those crazies were dead the better the world would be. ¡°Yeah, rather not see that again,¡± Cayde muttered, his mind probably travelling back to the few fools who¡¯d tried to run while we¡¯d been in The Whores. Ymir had hunted every one of them down, taking pleasure in dragging out their deaths. Those who remained had, with the pained, dying screams of their former compatriot in their ears, bent the knee quickly after that. ¡°On topic, while our intelligence on Redwater has not improved, at least we now know more about the Shrouded Isle.¡± ¡°Aye, we do,¡± I replied to Dameon, looking up from my notes. Stalleo was the fourth former commander or lieutenant of a Pirate Lord that I¡¯d spoken to today, and some gaps in our intel on the largest island in the Stepstones were slowly being filled in. I now knew not only which areas of the island Lucian Koros and The Bloodhawk controlled, but the locations of many, if not all, of the ports they held around the island, along with the names and locations of the two minor Pirate Lords on the island. Amusingly, both minor Pirate Lords were bastards from Westeros. Crann Snow held a single port, and nominally the mass of the island that rose from its midpoint and pointed north. Though given that the Pirate Lords focused their attention on their ports and fleets, I doubted he had much close as to what that land contained. Snow was also, for all intent and purposes, subservient to the Lucian Koros. Gravy Pyke was the other minor Pirate Lord and had two, possibly three ports under his control, and held the northeastern tip of The Shrouded Isle. His location made him more important than Snow, but he was still subservient to a more powerful Pirate Lord, in this case, Lucian Koros. Pyke¡¯s location, at that northern tip, controlling the northern entry to the channel that lay between The Shrouded Isle and Bloodstone and the Bone Breaker Isles, ensured that while he didn¡¯t do much raiding, his position was important enough that none of the Pirate Lords on Bloodstone, could move to against him without weakening their defences. As for the two major players on The Shrouded Isle, Koros had more territory and men, the Bloodhawk¡¯s men were regarded as the more fearsome fighters. Plus, the Bloodhawk and Blood Serpent on Bloodstone had some form of agreement, which I was calling the Blood Concord, to avoid battles in the Bone Breaker Isles that separated their territories. Instead, they focused their attention on Koros and Aeron Indarys respectively. They still engaged each other elsewhere though, so my actions in The Whores shouldn¡¯t cause them to engage in open warfare soon. While their weakening of each other would be useful, I wasn¡¯t in a position to exploit, whereas Koros and Indarys were. The last thing I wanted was for there to be a single Pirate Lord with a large island at their beck and call. That would seriously fuck up my plans. The other thing I¡¯d learnt was that my appearance, including taking Dustspear, wasn¡¯t common knowledge. They respected me for how I¡¯d taken the island and then launched a raid on the Whores. It was a bold move, one many wouldn¡¯t take, but the former pirates that I¡¯d spoken to so far had been clear that they understood why I¡¯d attacked. Causing chaos to distract others bought me time to build and consolidate. The four I¡¯d dealt with so far today were split between having followed Koros and The Bloodhawk, and all agreed that my actions would stir the pot between their former bosses, and Indarys and The Blood Serpent on Bloodstone. Once they had learnt of my connections to Sunspear, it appeared they understood my plans stretched to more than just one island in the Stepstones. Because of that, and their curiosity about how I became The Bloody Wolf, I was now certain I¡¯d fly under the banner designed by Ari and Alysanne. Two different players appearing in the Steps at roughly the same trying to take over wasn¡¯t uncommon, and the confusion it would cause when others thought of The Rogue Viper and The Bloody Wolf as separate people was something I¡¯d exploit. Eventually, the truth would come out, as would my connection to Sunspear. While I didn¡¯t care if the Pirate Lords learnt this, the issue arose when King¡¯s Landing and the Free Cities did. At that point I¡¯d be pulled, willingly or not, into the Great Game, though if all went well, I had a year, perhaps two, before that happened. Though, unless something major happened to change things, then the first arc that I expected would be starting. I was under the clock to get as much done as I wanted in the Stepstones before Robert rode for Winterfell, but I¡¯d known this was coming when I¡¯d chosen to enter this world and selected Ashara Dayne and Brandon Stark as my parents. Looking back on it, and with my in-world knowledge, I¡¯d have been wiser to choose another time frame, perhaps growing up as a contemporary of Oberyn instead of his adopted son. However, there was little I could do to change the past. Instead, I had to live in the present and, if all went well, shape the future. A knock drew my back to the room, and a second later the door to the solar swung open, exposing the face of Chresten. ¡°Next man¡¯s ready, mi¡¯lord.¡± He was one of the original sellswords who¡¯d fought to take Dustspear but was now acting as a senior member of Northpoint¡¯s Watch. While he and the others who I¡¯d assigned to the Watch hadn¡¯t been happy to miss out on the possibility of loot from The Whores, I¡¯d given them a ten per cent increase in their wages for each month they spent in the Watch. Since the coin taken from The Whores was minimal, and the danger here far less, I suspected many were happy now with the assignment and I hoped many, if not most, would want to continue serving in the Watch. I did plan to rotate them out with others who¡¯d fought in The Whores, but I had to be cautious as I didn¡¯t want to leave Northpoint undefended, nor have the Watch composed of too high a percentage of former pirates. That would destroy what I was trying to build here. ¡°Thank you Chresten.¡± The sellsword nodded and moved back, allowing the next former officer of a Pirate Lord to enter. This one was Jaenor, and he¡¯d bent the knee when I¡¯d taken a port belonging to The Bloodhawk. His name and accent placed him as from Essos, with me suspecting he grew up in Myr, but I couldn¡¯t be certain of that. Nor his loyalty as the port he¡¯d joined from was on the fourth island, and we¡¯d only attacked one other port before Aeron¡¯s ambush. ¡°Please, be seated,¡± I said, indicating the chair on the other side of the desk. ¡°No need to be fucking nice about it,¡± Jaenor growled as he stepped forward. The anger in his tone and body vanished when Ymir met Jaenor¡¯s aggression with some of his own. ¡°Easy, Ymir. The man is not looking for trouble. Were you?¡± I asked, my hand gently stroking the underside of Kaa¡¯s jaw, making him flick his tongue out. ¡°N-no, mi¡¯lord,¡± I smirked at Jaenor¡¯s burst of concern. If he was stupid enough to express anger when entering a room with three others, a direwolf and a metre-long viper when unarmed, I had to wonder how he reached his former position. ¡°Now,¡± I began once he was seated, ¡°As I¡¯m sure you know, I¡¯m speaking with everyone who recently joined my cause.¡± ¡°Like we had much of a choice,¡± Jaenor snapped back. The hostility had me adding him to the list for the vanguard force on Redwater and drew an annoyed hiss from Kaa. The viper slipped forward, using the arm I had on the desk holding my quill, to slither forward. Jaenor backed up into his chair, his eyes watching as Kaa slid onto the desk. With my other arm, before he caused an issue, I pulled some of my notes out of the way and allowed my snake to move toward the unruly former pirate. ¡°The choice you had was simple,¡± Daemon said, shifting forward slightly. I didn¡¯t have to look to know his hand had slipped to the hilt of his blade. ¡°Serve and, perhaps, find honour, or die like a dumb bitch.¡± Jaenor snarled at Daemon, though the aggression disappeared when Kaa resumed his forward movement. Daemon wasn¡¯t the sort to make such blunt comments, with that being more Bronn¡¯s style, but it seemed he disliked this former pirate as much as I did. ¡°Easy Kaa,¡± I said, my hand moving forward to tap the crown of Kaa¡¯s skull. ¡°This man forgot his manners for a moment. He did not mean anything untoward with his tone, did you?¡± ¡°N-no. Forgive me, mi¡¯lord.¡± ¡°Good, now,¡± I said, lifting Kaa so he could return to his resting spot around my shoulders, ¡°this is nice and simple. Just tell me everything you know about your former employer and any of the other Pirate Lords in the Stepstones.¡± Eventually, I¡¯d have to delegate this job to others, especially if the same percentage of men surrendered to me when we attacked and took Redwater. I just wasn¡¯t sure who would handle it. The only one I was certain that wouldn¡¯t be handling this was Bronn. He¡¯d get bored of it after a single interview and probably goad a pirate into attacking him to alleviate his boredom. As much fun as that would be to watch, I needed the manpower that former pirates brought me. At least for now. Dipping the quill in my other hand into the ink, I waited for Jaenor to speak, curious what new intel, if any, he¡¯d provided. And if he¡¯d make another mistake and display his distaste for me and my operation. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ As the Windchaser sat outside the harbour of Northpoint, I looked back at the settlement. The Pride of Saltbrook was just emerging from around the rocky outcropping that protected the harbour, the galley that would serve as its escort slightly further behind. The Ilaerah¡¯s Luck and her escort were already alongside the Windchaser, and once the Saltbrook emerged, the fleet of five would set sail for Sunspear. While I waited for that voyage to begin, I played over the events of the last six days since we¡¯d returned from the blitz of the Whores. I¡¯d not managed to speak to every pirate that bent the knee, though I had spoken to every one of them from the rank of sergeant or Helmsman upward. The rest of the interviews, which I doubted would bring any useful new intel on the situation, had been fobbed off to my captains. Daemon and Bronn had taken the first few days, but as they were now sailing with me to Sunspear, Cayde and Jaeronos would finish them off. I¡¯d have preferred to have Cayde come to Sunspear, to grant him the chance to unwind and reset his mind away from the Steps, but Bronn had drawn the long straw signalling his return with me and Daemon. My fellow knight didn¡¯t have to draw lots for returning, as his duty was to protect me under orders of Ari. If I returned to Sunspear without him, then she would be concerned, as would Alysanne. From the interviews, the only new intel that I¡¯d gained after the first day was about the situation on Obsidian Sands. That island lay to the east of Bloodstone and, unlike what I¡¯d first believed, was controlled by two pirates: Marys Valtaris and Jaerenys Tarlarys. The pair both came from Essos, but that was where any similarity ended. Valtaris, who was known as The Greenhand as his ships and banners with a hand printed on green, supposedly hailed from Volantis. Like Salladhor Saan and The Lotus Prince, Valtaris chose not to attack and raid passing vessels. Instead, he extracted tolls to either be left alone by his men or, for a larger fee, be escorted through the Steps and protected against other pirates. The fact that Valtaris, Saan, and The Lotus Prince seemed to not be focused purely on piracy, meant that they were the most likely of the Pirate Lords to at least be cordial to me if we met. At least in theory as you could never tell what someone was like based on rumours. Still, none of the trio were current concerns, though I knew I¡¯d have to consider Saan and The Lotus Prince once Redwater was under my banner. Many of the former pirates I¡¯d spoken to had suggested this made him less than a Pirate Lord. However, given that Valtaris had ruled his lands for going on thirty years, I felt he¡¯d earned the right to be considered a senior Lord of the Stepstones. He was certainly a more respectable choice than the other Pirate Lord on Obsidian Sands. Tarlarys held the northern half of Obsidian Sands and had only risen as Pirate Lord in the last three years. He¡¯d come onto the scene with over twenty galleys, and swarmed the northern part of the island, driving back Valtaris. Valtaris, working with others it was claimed, had managed to stop Tarlarys, and the pair were in a state of permanent skirmishing ever since. One thing that stood out about Tarlarys was that he came from Tyrosh and arrived with a fleet of seemingly brand-new galleys. That had many of the pirates I¡¯d interviewed, along with me and my captains, believing it was a play by Tyrosh to take control of another island in the Stepstones. They already, from what we¡¯d learnt, controlled the Pirate Lord of The Saffron Reach, and a play for another island, especially one that regularly extorted tolls from them, made sense. Since Tarlarys had failed, and no new ships had appeared to bolster his forces, it seemed the Free City had abandoned him. Still, it was something I¡¯d have to be wary of if the time ever came to take Obsidian Sands. I did hope to take most, if not all of the Stepstones, but I knew that would be hard to achieve. The Free Cities, with a focus on the former triarchy of Myr, Tyrosh, and Lys, would violently oppose my actions. As might Volantis and King¡¯s Landing. Allying with one or some of them would ensure the rest declared open war. The most likely outcome was bending the knee to the crown, but there was fuck all chance I¡¯d do that to Joffrey if sat upon it. Hells, if the choice was between him and waiting for Danerys, I knew where my banner would fall. And that was before considering that she¡¯d, unless things went massively different, have three fucking dragons at her command. As the Pride slipped fully around the outcropping, my thoughts turned to the settlement. Northpoint was developing slowly. The farms were coming along, with the test crops beginning to show shoots if they were meant to. By next year we¡¯d know what worked best and begin rotating the fields. A channel was being dug from the river to divert some water for irrigation, and while it wasn¡¯t clean to drink ¨C the channel was made of mud though I hoped to change that in future ¨C it was ideal for crops. The foresters had cleared the trees back far enough that it would be hard for anyone to attack Northpoint as I had when I¡¯d taken it, and the walls along the earthen walls were being slowly raised and strengthened to provide further protection. There were a handful of tree trunks in the hold of the Luck that I planned to sell to sawyers in Sunspear. While the sawmill was almost ready in Northpoint, it lacked the blades and axes needed to allow my sawyers to cut and shape the wood. Those I¡¯d be purchasing in Sunspear, along with weapons for the assault on Redwater. Darrok had returned to Northpoint yesterday and informed me that the quarry was slowly being drained and would soon be ready to resume work. Or at least it would if the path to it was clear, and they had mules or donkeys to haul the carts with stone to the settlement. Thus, those beasts of burden were now on my shopping list. The same issue arose with the mines, or soon would as Jeran claimed all two of the mines were in a state that they could resume, after repair work, operations by the end of the year. Jeran had brought samples of the rock he¡¯d found in the three mines with him, and I was taking them with me for analysis. Jeran was certain that the two main mains held good deposits of iron, but he admitted that he wasn¡¯t as skilled in making the determination official as a master miner would be. The third mine was one Jeran wasn¡¯t sure about, but he understood that it was possible, if uncommon, for gems to be found near iron veins. I had to rely on his knowledge there as my understanding of mining and minerals was, at best, pitiful. Regardless of what the third mineshaft held, the fact the other two were sources of iron ore, then, so long as it was of suitable quality, there was potential for some industry to develop. The issue, as with just about everything linked to Northpoint now, was manpower. So far, I¡¯d had those under my military command helping out around Northpoint and the nearby land, but I knew that couldn¡¯t last. I¡¯d need almost all of the men to attack Redwater, never mind hold the massive island. That meant the villagers would be stretched in trying to handle everything themselves. I did hope there¡¯d be more willing to risk moving to Northpoint from Sunspear or from elsewhere in Dorne, and perhaps the Seven Kingdoms, but I doubted there¡¯d be many wishing to move on this trip. So long as one of the cogs continued regular voyages between my island and the Dornish capital, then I felt that manpower for the settlement wouldn¡¯t be a major issue for long. Some of the most recently freed slaves were going to stay on Dustspear and attempt to make a life of it there, though the majority wanted to sail for Sunspear. Understandably, they wanted little to nothing to do with the Stepstones and the painful, if not horrible, memories they held. Still, to protect the few who¡¯d remained, I¡¯d arranged accommodation as far from where my new fighters were housed. While selling raw materials of uncut trees and iron ore to Sunspear would bring in some coin, I wanted Northpoint to be self-sufficient. Not just for industry but for food as well. While it was all well and good relying on fish and what the farms produced, I wanted to see if we could develop livestock farming. I didn¡¯t expect to find any such beasts for sale in Sunspear, but the thought was there as the island was teeming with life. While Dustspear wasn¡¯t as hot as Sunspear and eastern Dorne, something helped by the strong sea winds bringing fresh rain and cooling breezes, it wasn¡¯t as temperate a climate as The Stormlands, never mind The Reach. Yet, the island, through methods and reasons I didn¡¯t know, had many of the same beasts in its forest. Deer, boar and rabbits were all plentiful on the island, and while that could provide meat for us, I didn¡¯t want to over hunt the beasts. The more we did that, the less there¡¯d be in future, and the further from Northpoint ¨C and Southpoint if it was developed ¨C hunters would have to venture to find meat. And the more likely it was that Ymir grew restless and might attack a farm animal. Perhaps I was thinking too far ahead, with the threat of the Wildlings, the Others, and Danerys¡¯ invasion of Westeros, all events that should and likely would occur in the next five to ten years. However, I didn¡¯t intend to die in any of those battles and wars, and as such I wanted to make the islands in the Steps that I took into one where I could settle down and live. While I didn¡¯t know what the future would hold, I did hope one day to marry and have kids. I knew that I¡¯d never truly settle down, but having a stable, well-developed, and protected base to return to was something I wanted. Otherwise, at least to me, what was the point of adventure? ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°Ugh. Aargh.¡± The sounds slipped painfully from my dried and cracked lips as I slowly regained consciousness. While my name came to me easily, everything else, like where I was, or why every inch of my body ¨C inside and out ¨C was racked with pain didn¡¯t. All I could focus on was that pain. It felt as if I was pulled in a million directions at once. Everything, everywhere hurt insanely. I couldn¡¯t focus on what was worse, or where I was. So much pain. My bones, muscles, sinews, and everything else roared in rebellion at whatever had caused me this torture, seven hells even my teeth hurt. The flares grew strongest around my skull as I fought, and failed, to force my eyes open. Wanting to move, to do something that didn¡¯t involve the agony rushing through me, I rolled to one side. The muscles, limbs, and everything else there somehow reacted with even more anguish, but at least it allowed me to focus on one point, on one area of torture. Yet, that was as far as I could go, as much as I could take, and I lay there, on my side, wanting but unable to call out, to move, to do anything to end the suffering I was enduring. Time lost meaning as I endured, but eventually, I felt the torment ease. The pain was there, but it was slowly, excruciatingly slowly, fading away. Enough that, I was able to force my eyes open. Though the moment light slid in, I regretted the decision as it set off a new source of torment as my eyes reacted to having to process light. Though there wasn¡¯t as much light as I expected. Something was there blocking the light, pushing it back, and I felt more than saw, something massive move closer. Against my wishes, and ignoring my protests, my arm lifted, moving to meet the shadow encroaching upon me. Fresh agony surged through me as whatever the shadow was pushed against my hand, and I felt my fingers slide through something familiar. Focusing on the familiar sensation, I pushed aside as much of the pulsating pain that echoed throughout my body. drawing on the familiarity, I found my memories, my thoughts. That was Ymir pushing against me, checking I was well, and I was in my cabin aboard the Windchaser. ¡°¡­¡± A greeting died in my throat as another source of distress rippled through me. Knowing I needed to warm and wash my throat, and probably my mouth and lips, I gulped a few times, forcing whatever moisture was in my mouth down my gullet. That done, and continuing to ignore the wracking tremors from my body, I prised apart my protesting lips, and ran my tongue along them, grunting in response to more sources of pain. ¡°H-hey boy,¡± I managed to get out when I tried to speak again. My hand, pained as it was, felt comfortable resting against Ymir, and I demanded my fingers move, to scratch him and let him know I was recovering. Every time I took a new Trait something like this happened. My body was being altered on a structural level, and in ways I didn¡¯t understand, and no way would that never hurt. While the pain from taking a Standard Trait was manageable, and I was only under for a few hours, this was the second time I¡¯d taken a Special Trait, and like Blood of the Dragon¡¯s Flames before it, The Price of Blood exacted a painful, longer toll on me. Each Special Trait had taken more than a day of being unconscious for the effects to kick in, and both times now when I¡¯d woken, I didn¡¯t know where I was or what was going on. The pain that rushed through me slowly passed, but it would take time and I now had to accept that each time a Special Trait was taken, I¡¯d been out of things for some time; both during the Trait altering my body and for several hours when I awoke. Ymir stepped closer, resting his large, fur-covered head on my bed, letting my arm reach over to his other side and scratch behind that ear. His tongue flicked out, as he watched me. I knew what he intended, and would hate it, but in my current state, there was nothing I could do to stop him. Which I suspected was his intent. My eyes closed as his maw moved toward my face, and I felt his thick, rough tongue drag itself over my face. I hated when he did this or drooled over me, and normally I¡¯d stop him, or redirect him toward someone else to slobber. Eventually, he pulled back, and I removed my hand from over the back of his neck. I had tried to grasp his fur, to pull him back, but even at full capacity, that could be a struggle. Ymir was around two years old, and still had room and bulk to grow into, yet when he wanted something, it wasn¡¯t through physical strength that I stopped him, but by force of nature. Given my current condition, I lacked the aura needed to force him back, which he¡¯d just taken advantage of. ¡°Really?¡± I asked as my hand ran over my face, pushing the drool away and then slowly, cautiously opening my eyes. Ymir looked back at me, his head tilted to one side as if to say ¡®Why, yes, really¡¯ and I could sense his amusement. After a snort to confirm his amusement, he turned and padded away, finding his spot in the centre of the cabin. I rolled onto my back, the pain from the alteration of the Special Trait continuing to lessen. Now it simply felt that every muscle and fibre in my body was tired and in need of a good rest. I knew that was true to a degree as I¡¯d have exhausted my reserves of energy with the change, which was why, once I was able to, I¡¯d sit up and see what was on the table near my bed. Daemon should¡¯ve left something there for me, and, I hoped, Ymir hadn¡¯t eaten it out of boredom while he lazed around my cabin. At some point, he¡¯d have stepped onto the deck, if only to relieve himself, but for most of the time I¡¯d been under, he¡¯d have remained close. Watching over me while I underwent the changes. The Price of Blood had been, of the Special Traits, the most appealing, even if I held concerns about Blood Magic. The rumours and stories of what a bloodmage could do, or at the very least, had supposedly been able to do back before the Doom, were enough to scare someone to death. Legends said that the Valyrian used Blood Magic to create all sorts of vile, twisted creatures to serve them, including dragons. I wasn¡¯t sure how much truth there was in that myth, as there were hints in legends and lore that suggested dragons had existed before the rise of the Freehold, but Blood Magic was something that held appeal. At least relating to the ability to potentially birth a dragon. Alysanne¡¯s egg, if it was still viable, would be capable of being birthed. The issue was that I¡¯d have to learn and discover how to do so. outside of Volantis, I couldn¡¯t think of where in Essos or Westeros I¡¯d find a bloodmage, so taking this Special Trait, and the boost of ten levels in the branch of magic, was the next best thing. Something that was confirmed by a small notice, that was dismissed as soon as it was read, that confirmed The Price of Blood had been aligned with me and was now active. Closing my eyes, I looked inward, trying to find the changes within me and find the new source of power that should dwell within me. Time slipped away as my mind pushed aside the weaker forms of magic that ran within me. Water, Wind, and Earth Magic weren¡¯t what I was after. Nor was my ability to skinchange, even if there was always this question of whether it was possible to shift into the mind of a dragon. At my core, glowing brighter within the threads of power that I mentally regarded as the tapestry of my existence, the heat and warmth of the strongest magic I held, and the one that was wielded most tightly to my being, guided me inward. The Fire Magic within me wasn¡¯t what I was seeking, but there was a commonality between it and Blood Magic. I had to search carefully in the flames of my soul that defined my existence until I discovered what I was looking for. There, attached but distinct and far weaker, was something new. It radiated power as all magic did, yet even though it was by far the weakest thread of me that hummed with power, the potential depths reminded me of a yawning chasm. Focusing on this magic, and ignoring the calming, power-promising flames that I needed to return to one day to remove their blockage, I let my mind open, curious about what I¡¯d understand. The Special Trait had promised ten levels in Blood Magic, along with some affinity for the branch, and in the spark of new magic, I saw glimpses of potential power. I¡¯d known before taking the Special Trait that Blood Magic would be different from anything I¡¯d studied before, but sensing the raw, unrestrained, slightly terrifying energy radiating from this spark, made it clear how much I¡¯d underestimated what I was in for. This wasn¡¯t something like creating a firestorm to level a city, this was, if I could understand the swirling chaos of the dark blood my mind was showing me, something so much more. I pulled back, some fear creeping into me at what I¡¯d unleashed within myself. At some point, I¡¯d have to see what physical changes, if any, The Price of Blood had brought forth, but there was no doubting that on a metaphysical level, change had happened. And as much as what I was seeing scared me, I was drawn to the power more than I feared it. Curious if I could do anything with my now unlocked and boosted branch of magic, I refocused on the new spark within me. Concentrating, I swore I saw shifting red flickers inside the spark. Images of what may be. Wanting to learn more, I picked something I felt was linked to Blood Magic: the creation of Valyrian Steel. There was no shift in the flickers, at least nothing I could discern, but that wasn¡¯t entirely unexpected. Valyrian Steel and its creation was something that was lost with the Doom, and before then would¡¯ve been guarded carefully by the ruling families of the Freehold. That the Targaryens, who were a minor family from the Freehold, hadn¡¯t known the secret made clear the importance of the rare, magically forged metal. Perhaps Blood Magic wasn¡¯t the key to the creation of the metal, but I felt it had to play some role. All I could for now was hope I lived long enough to discover that. Shifting my thoughts, I considered how one might birth and bind a dragon to a rider. That was a more attainable goal. While seeing anything in the spark was difficult, I swore I saw hints of shapes forming. The only shape that made any sense though was one I assumed implied the need for a dragon¡¯s egg, which was something I already understood. That was, at the very least, a step in the right direction, at least as long as I wasn¡¯t misunderstanding the power that resided within me. Shifting thoughts, I concentrated on ways I could enhance myself. Blood Magic should, in theory, allow one to do that. The flowing patterns of red inside the spark shifted again. It was harder now to make out anything than when I¡¯d thought of birthing a dragon but easier than understanding what, if any connection, Blood Magic had with the forging Valyrian Steel. While not wonderful, I felt I could, with time, effort, and meditation, learn enough to at least be able to attempt something to improve myself. The question would be, with the Traits I¡¯d taken before I¡¯d been reborn if I could push myself beyond the limits set in place by those traits. I was due to turn fifteen soon, which would lift my physical limits to 24 for Strength and 28 for Agility. It was going to be another three years before the last of the limits were removed and I could work toward my peaks of 32 and 38. While, when I was younger, those limits helped ensure I wasn¡¯t insanely strong or flexible as a child, now that I was fighting regularly, it was going to be an issue. 20 was the upper level for the average person, but few in this world were born average, and that was excluding cases like the Clegane brothers or Robert Baratheon who was said to wield a warhammer so heavy Ned couldn¡¯t lift it. Any advantage I could get, that didn¡¯t fundamentally change the way I moved, fought, and thought, wasn¡¯t something to ignore, even if the method to gain it might offend some. Thoughts like that though, weren¡¯t something I wanted to dwell on. And while what I might be able to learn and do with this new branch of magic was already developing in my mind, I knew I couldn¡¯t spend too much longer on them. A fact reinforced by the loud, pained grumble of my stomach. Opening my eyes again, I took in the ceiling of the cabin, spotting, even in the faint light of whatever time it was outside, the knots and grooves in the planks. That was a gift of my boosted sight with Rian. That had come with reaching Level 5 in our bond, and with that now standing at Level 9 I wondered what boost I¡¯d gain when I maxed out the connection at Level 10. I¡¯d had Kaa there for a few months now, and while at first, I¡¯d not been sure of what the maxed bond offered, after so many battles and spars, I felt I understood. From the bloodflower viper, I¡¯d seemingly gained an almost unnatural ability to react to danger. I couldn¡¯t sense it coming any easier, but when I knew about it, I could react faster than I should be able to. Far faster than my agility should, even when I finally maxed it out, be able to manage. It had taken a few battles for me to truly master it, and while it didn¡¯t grant me a clear way to counter a lack of skill against a superior opponent - such as Bronn or Dameon when we sparred - it helped me respond in combat so quickly that it had already helped me a few times while battling in The Whores. Another rumble from my belly had me focusing entirely on my room. Or more specifically, the table upon which some dried meat and berries rested ¨C somehow ignored by Ymir ¨C along with a flagon of what I hoped was wine. As I took my first bite of the meat, ignoring the final vestiges of pain from the alignment, I wondered how Rian was doing. The egg should¡¯ve hatched by now, but from what I¡¯d learnt it would be anywhere from two to four moons before the chick left the nest for good. While I hoped that Rian¡¯s progeny was, like his father, a fast developer, I wouldn¡¯t force Rian to leave with me. As much as I wanted him, and his scouting potential, with me when I sailed for Redwater, forcing and keeping a parent from their newborn or young child ¨C species be damned ¨C was a cruel thing to do. After another few bites, I turned my thoughts to the crew. While Daemon would¡¯ve covered for me, the men would be wondering why I¡¯d not left my cabin for a day. It was unlikely that any rumours might¡¯ve sprouted, but better for them to know I was well than to let fear and doubt creep into their thoughts. If I was right, we had three, perhaps four days before we reached Sunspear and docked in the Shadow City. The men would enjoy their rest and relaxation, as would I. However, as much as the idea of spending a month locked in a room with Ari, Nym, and Asha to relieve pent-up desire sounded wonderful, I knew I couldn¡¯t linger too long in the Dornish capital. Still, I knew that for my time there, I¡¯d enjoy myself and the pleasures of the flesh it would bring. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ Several days later, just as I¡¯d predicted, the small fleet had reached Sunspear and now we were being led into the docks of The Shadow City. Unlike last time though, as I was sailing with five ships, I wasn¡¯t able to dock in the area reserved for members of House Martell or honoured guests. Well, the Windchaser could, but not the rest of my fleet. As such, we were being led, by a pilot for the harbour, to a pier able to handle the entire fleet in one go in the main trade dock. I stood near amidships with Ymir, watching as the crew tossed the mooring lines over the side, and then saw the dockhands grasp them and begin to pull my flagship closer to the pier. Like normally, I was unwilling to wait for that though, and after placing a hand on the railing, and the other on Kaa to secure him around my shoulders, I leapt over the side. Landing in a crouch to protect my legs, I saw the workers generally ignoring me, though a few did glance my way at Kaas¡¯ furious hissing from my sudden movement. I wasn¡¯t the only person who did that, nor the most impressive. That right, at least with my forces, belonged to Ymir who landed beside me. He might be the size of a pony, perhaps a little beyond that now, but he landed quietly with a grace and skill that no man could match. ¡°Show off,¡± I muttered as he turned to face me. His head tilted to one side, tongue hanging out, and looking to all the world as nothing more than a house pet and not the massive direwolf he was. ¡°M-my lord.¡± I turned to the voice and found a sandy Dornish man approaching cautiously. His clothes marked him as someone above the dockworkers, which suggested he was at least the master of this pier if not someone higher up the chain. ¡°Ser Cregan,¡± he continued only to stop as Ymir also turned his way and Kaa¡¯s tongue flicked out, tasting the air, ¡°Prince Oberyn awaits you in the Dockmaster¡¯s office.¡± My brow rose at hearing that. While someone coming to greet me wasn¡¯t unexpected, that it was my father was. Unless he had been near the docks and been alerted to my arrival, his presence was a potential concern. ¡°Thank you,¡± I replied, giving the man a nod after schooling my features to hide my confusion. The man gave a quick bow and then turned. Words were given to the various men on the pier, suggesting I had been right in my assessment of his function. Turning around, I saw the Pride of Saltbrook moving alongside the Windchaser on the other side of the dock while the Ilaerah¡¯s Luck was further back, awaiting confirmation that my flagship was secure before docking. The two galleys were beside the latter cog, awaiting their turn to dock, and my mind once more turned to their defences. While each galley had a pair of scorpions on their bow, and the war galleys four along with two more amidships, I wanted to increase the firepower of my fleet. Beyond giving my trade vessels and flagships increased defences with some scorpions, I wanted the warships to have a greater capacity for ranged combat. The issue was finding and purchasing enough such weapons and ammunition before I left Sunspear. While I could, in theory, simply walk into a shop that built such weapons and purchase whatever they had available, in practice I couldn¡¯t. Most of what was made was for previous orders, and while I¡¯d left orders for a half-dozen to be constructed before I¡¯d last sailed from Sunspear, that wasn¡¯t enough for my purposes. I¡¯d have to hope that the workmen had the spare capacity to manufacture most, if not all, of those I required before I returned to Dustspear. I¡¯d also have to check with the blacksmiths and merchants to see what extra weapons I could acquire. As with the scorpions, I¡¯d placed a small order for maces, axes, bows, shields, and the like before I¡¯d sailed. Those should be ready, but they wouldn¡¯t be enough to outfit my much larger-than-expected forces, and it might be an issue to get enough made before we left. While not a poor city, The Shadow City wasn¡¯t close to the resources for the manufacture of wooden or metal weapons or armour and because of that, I¡¯d not purchased too many weapons for collection now when I¡¯d last sailed from the city. Now, after the blitz of The Whores was over, and my fleet and army larger than I¡¯d expected, I¡¯d have to hope that the blacksmiths, fletchers, and the like could meet my requirements in time. If all went well, then the ore Jeran had asked me to bring for examination would meet the standards needed. While I¡¯d prefer to export finished weapons and tools, I¡¯d settle for selling the resources for now. Still, with the two cogs in my fleet, and my expectation to only take one with the Windchaser to Redwater, I¡¯d be able to run semi-regular trade voyages to and from The Shadow City. Not only would that help with establishing Northpoint as a trading location, but it would allow any that wished to move an easy way to do so. Hells, until the settlement passed three thousand, I expected I might subsidise the cost of transport for new workers, craftsmen, and their families. The sound of metal on wood had me turning, thoughts on weapons and Northpoint slipping away, to see Daemon walking down the deck plank of the Windchaser. ¡°My father awaits me in the Dockmaster¡¯s office,¡± I said as he neared the pier. ¡°Can you and Bronn do what needs to be done here?¡± That would be making sure the freed slaves were taken to somewhere to stay and, like those before, given some coin to start them on their way, and seeking merchants willing to purchase what we¡¯d brought for sale. ¡°Aye, I think we can manage it,¡± He replied with a smirk. ¡°Good, I would hate to have the Princess wonder what had befallen her sworn shield. To say nothing of my cousin,¡± I shot back teasingly. It would take me time to fully accept Dameon¡¯s interest in Alysanne, and hers in him, but so far I¡¯d not had reason for concern. Yes, it had barely been half a year since the issues with Daemon had been resolved, but in that time the friendship we¡¯d had in my younger years had been restored. Strengthened even, with the continued combat where we¡¯d fought at each other¡¯s side. Daemon¡¯s smirk grew at the mention of Alysanne. ¡°I suspect that the Princess will be too preoccupied by your return to notice mine,¡± he replied with a chuckle. One that I returned. ¡°Though before I head to the palace, I wish to explore the markets. While Lady Alysanne is not expecting a gift, and there was little we found during the recent battles that was worthy of her beauty, perhaps a small memento would not go amiss.¡± I nodded, biting back a remark about his intentions. That he was willing to stay the course and woo her properly, and not simply try and sweet-talk his way into her dress was a small sign he was taking their courtship seriously. Plus, he knew well that if he hurt Alysanne, then beyond having to deal with me and Ymir, Doran would be furious as she was under his protection. And that was without even mentioning Ned¡¯s response if Daemon hurt Alysanne in any way. While, due to her real parentage, Alysanne would normally be expected to marry the first son of a major house, few knew the truth. To the outside world, as a bastard, a match with Daemon was a good one. Certainly, it was a higher standing than becoming the paramour of a high-ranking lord somewhere. That wasn¡¯t a dig at Lady Ellaria, or myself since I was officially that for Ari, but I felt Alysanne deserved more than that. While I hoped it never happened, there was a chance that the truth of Alysanne¡¯s parentage would come out. At that point, if she was still unwed, then there would be moves to marry her to a son of various houses. Targaryen loyalists might be willing to rally around her for the throne ¨C something more likely if her egg was ever birthed ¨C while Baratheon and Lannister forces might want her married to someone unimportant, if not killed outright. The only downside to letting this relationship play out, at least at the current time, was that it would place Alysanne squirely in Doran¡¯s control. For now, that seemed unimportant, but I felt Doran still held suspicions about Alysanne¡¯s parentage and could use that for whatever plans he was developing. That said, if things went even half as well as I hoped, then I had a way to remove Alysanne and Daemon from Doran¡¯s control without causing an incident, and thus get my cousin, and her potential dragon, under my control. That, however, was a matter for the far future. For now, it was safer for all if we remained pawns in Doran¡¯s control, or, in the case of Alysanne, Beron and Wylla Manderly, loaned pieces from Ned. Even if the man preferred to not play The Game, he was a player and a very bad one at that. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t tarry too long,¡± I said to Dameon, not letting my thoughts linger else he thought I disapproved of his pursuit of Alysanne. ¡°Rumours of you spending a long time in the Shadow City, wooing every maiden you see, would break her heart and leave us in an awkward position.¡± Daemon threw his head back and shook it while he laughed. ¡°While I admit that I have been known to enjoy the company of many in the City, I assure you that those days are behind me. My eyes and heart yearn for only her, which is something you cannot claim.¡± ¡°No, but I¡¯m fine with that, as is the Princess and those who join us.¡± It wasn''t a competition, but I did enjoy rubbing it in the faces of others who teased me about Ari that she wasn¡¯t the only lady in the palace to frequent my bed. That had Daemon laughing loudly, and he clapped me on the upper arm, avoiding where Kaa was resting. ¡°Yes, you might just be right! Now, get going,¡± He added, the hand on my arm giving me a friendly shove. ¡°While he has less power over us now, it is not wise to keep a Prince of Dorne waiting, especially when he is your father.¡± While his face stayed amused, there was the slightest inflexion in his tone when he referred to Oberyn as my father. Given the tense situation he had with his father, Ser Ryon Allyrion, the heir to Godsgrace, and that Dameon had been close to Oberyn for a long time, the tension wasn¡¯t a surprise. Hells, Daemon only spoke with Ser Ryon when the man visited Sunspear, or when as Oberyn¡¯s squire, Daemon had been to Godsgrace. From what I knew, Ser Ryon hadn¡¯t offered any words in support of Daemon¡¯s knighting, nor his position as Ari¡¯s Sworn Shield. I nodded and clapped the arm he was pushing me with my hand. Turning from him, and after seeing Bronn near the railing aboard the Pride of Saltbrook, giving the sellsword a nod, I moved down the pier toward the docks. Kaa rested comfortably around my neck, my hand coming up to scratch him under his chin while Ymir padded along behind. Most of the workers moved out of our way, and a few watched Ymir cautiously. While he was known to almost all in the city, many hadn¡¯t seen him in the flesh, and the large, clearly dangerous predator walking around near them had many a man nervous as we passed. What also probably didn¡¯t help was that, due to the heat of Dorne, he was panting, which left his maw and teeth longer than my fingers ¨C including fangs which were almost as long as my hands ¨C exposed for all to see. ¡°Ser Cregan!¡± I turned to the speaker and smiled at seeing the boy rushing toward me. ¡°Jekar,¡± I said as the son of Dockmaster Stuar Blackwood came to a stop near me. ¡°Did your father send you to greet me?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he replied only for his smile to slip slightly. ¡°Well, no I, uh, volunteered. I wished to speak with Ser Daemon about, um, a private matter.¡± My brow rose at hearing this. While I¡¯d seen the pair speaking when I¡¯d last been in Dorne, I hadn¡¯t realised the pair had struck up a friendship. ¡°He should still be with the ships,¡± I said, gesturing along the pier. ¡°As before we have freed slaves that need help settling in, however, I know he will have time for you.¡± ¡°Thank you, my lord,¡± Jekar replied, giving an awkward, and out-of-place bow. ¡°My father and Prince Oberyn wait for you in Father¡¯s office.¡± I watched as he hurried down the pier toward my ships. He''d never bowed to me before, at least not since I¡¯d told him he didn¡¯t need to do so, but perhaps my father¡¯s presence on the docks had made him forget my words. However, his calling me a lord was something he¡¯d never done before. I might have a holding now, but it wasn¡¯t one recognized by Dorne. At least it hadn¡¯t been before I¡¯d left, and I hoped it still wasn¡¯t. having to kneel and swear my lands to Doran now would make the next few phases of my plans for the Stepstones extremely difficult to pull off. There was a chance Jekar was playing nice in the hopes I¡¯d take him as my squire. I knew there were some, including my cousin Edric Dayne, who wished for that position. However, given my young age, and the battles I would soon be in, I was reluctant to have even a page serve me, never mind a squire who¡¯d have to follow me into battle. Still, it would help with maintaining my armour and weapons. Putting the matter to one side, I moved through the docks, heading toward Stuar Blackwood¡¯s office. As I walked, various merchants came forth, either to flock their wares or offer gifts to myself and Ymir. Many of those gifts were meant for Ari as, while it might not be public knowledge, it seemed the Princess had been slightly melancholy for the last few moons. Some gifts offered carried words suggesting I should work to improve the heir to Sunspear¡¯s mood once I reached the palace. The gifts for Ymir were gone devoured before I¡¯d even taken a half-dozen steps away from the merchants who¡¯d given them. While it was nice that the people here liked me, I knew it was more because of my connections to the Martells, with the focus on Ari and my father. While Doran and Ari were liked by the people of The Shadow City, Oberyn was loved by them. Hells, I¡¯d seen women bring their babes to him so he might touch them as if it would offer them a blessing of luck. I didn¡¯t have to face that, but by the time I¡¯d reached the Dockmaster¡¯s Office, I had an armful of gifts, along with the names and faces of those who¡¯d given them. While repaying them for the gift would be insulting, I¡¯d find a way to ensure they received extra business from my men or the palace as thanks for the offerings. Stuar¡¯s assistant, upon seeing me enter the office with the armful of gifts, was nice enough to help stack them on their desk. After giving the man coin to purchase a chest and ensure the items were ready for delivery to the palace when I was finished, I knocked on the Staur¡¯s door and then stepped inside. ¡°Back again, Ser Cregan?¡± Staur asked as I closed the door. Like my father, who was draped over the guest¡¯s chair in the office, he wore a wide smile. Yet there was something in Oberyn¡¯s look that concerned me. as if the source of his amusement was me, or something I¡¯d done. The pair held goblets in their hands, and on the desk was a bottle of Dornish Red, one that, as my eyes caught the label, I knew had come from Sunspear¡¯s private stocks. ¡°Aye. While not as successful as my last voyage, in terms of coin and land, it was still a victory.¡± ¡°Yes, I saw that when I spotted the vessels sailing behind the Windchaser,¡± Oberyn replied, holding up his goblet in respect. ¡°Or more accurately, my daughter and niece saw. If not for other matters, it would be they who would greet you today.¡± The twitching of his lips, along with the widening of Stuar¡¯s smile, all but confirmed that something was up, and I was the butt of a joke I¡¯d yet to hear. He stood and moved toward me, leaving the goblet on Stuar¡¯s desk. ¡°My brother will be pleased to hear of your successes,¡± he said as he grasped my forearms, entirely unconcerned by Kaa¡¯s hissing at the sudden movement that Oberyn¡¯s actions brought to my shoulders. ¡°And I know your mother, and others will be overjoyed at your safe return.¡± Of everyone I knew, Oberyn was the only one entirely unafraid of Kaa or Ymir, which was in keeping with the projected devil-may-care air he had. That and, at least for Kaa, Oberyn had been drinking small quantities of the bloodflower viper¡¯s venom for years now. It might not save him if Kaa sunk his fangs in, but it granted him protection few in Westeros had. Before I could reply, or even grasp his arms in return, he pulled me into a hug. Kaa hissed loudly, his head lifting from one shoulder to glare at the one who dared disturb his rest. When my father pulled back, he searched my eyes for something and then laughed. ¡°Is there perhaps a joke that I¡¯m unaware of, father?¡± I asked, ignoring the sinking feeling that was growing inside. Something was up, and I worried that while Oberyn was happy about it, I might not be. ¡°No,¡± Oberyn replied, as he patted my arms. ¡°Well, yes, but it is nothing alarming, I assure you,¡± he added as he stepped back. ¡°Your mother for one is overjoyed, at least most of the time, and cannot wait for your return to the palace.¡± He moved to my side, ignoring the look of panic that I knew had raced across my face, and reached out a hand to Ymir. the direwolf moved forward, accepting the friendly scratch under his jaw. ¡°I see Ymir has grown larger in his time away, and I sense, proved his place as a predator once again.¡± As if understanding the praise, Ymir lifted his head slightly and shook his neck, as if he was a lion. That removed the concern from my face and drew another bout of laughter from my father. ¡°He has indeed, father.¡± ¡°Good. Now come, the palace awaits.¡± I was gently dragged to the door by Oberyn, but as I moved I looked back at Stuar. ¡°My men freed more slaves on this voyage. Your son is likely there still speaking with Ser Daemon.¡± Staur nodded, his smile growing at the mention of Daemon. ¡°I shall have men meet and escort your guests to lodging in the city.¡± I gave a nod of thanks, but no reply could be given as I was out of the office a moment later. ¡°Have the chest delivered to me,¡± I said, managing to toss a Silver Stag to the assistant before my father had me outside the Dockmaster¡¯s building. ¡°Come along,¡± Oberyn said as he moved to mount a horse waiting for him. Another was brought to me by a guard who¡¯d ridden with him. ¡°Our family and others are most eager to hear of your latest adventures. Indeed, since the Windchaser was sighted nearing the city, there has been a veritable buzz around the palace.¡± Oberon laughed loudly, no doubt at the growing sense of fear within me. something was definitely up, and while I was concerned about what it was, I knew it wasn¡¯t anything fateful. At least not in the sense that I¡¯d soon be heading to Ghaston Grey or The Wall. Whatever it was that awaited me in the palace. So, pushing aside my reluctance, I rode beside my father; Ymir taking the lead and clearing a path for us. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ Unexpected Additions (1/5) 35: Unexpected Additions ... ... (Circa 297AC) ¡°Well?¡± Asha demanded as she stood across from me, one arm draped protectively over her belly. ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything to say?!¡± I looked at her, my eyes drifting from her face to her stomach and back as I tried to process what she¡¯d just revealed. When Oberyn, who was in the room with my mother and their paramour Ellaria Sand, had met me at the docks, and been excited about something, I¡¯ll admit I feared I¡¯d impregnated Ari. This, however, was both better and worse, as while I¡¯d not left Ari with an unexpected surprise, I¡¯d done so to Asha Greyjoy. That it was her that would carry my child, and not Ari and Nym was a shock, as while she was a regular in my bed, the other two were the more insistent that I fuck them, with Asha often preferring to enjoy her time with whichever one I wasn¡¯t directly fucking. At least during those times when we weren¡¯t all going at it as a group. ¡°Um, congratulations?¡± I replied, my mind not quite catching what I was about to say before the words had slipped from my mouth. Asha stepped toward me as I understood my mistake, and a moment later I took a step back. ¡°Oh,¡± I muttered, one hand coming up to rub my jaw where she¡¯d punched me, as I turned my head back toward her. Normally, I¡¯d have stopped that and then pulled her close before distracting her in certain ways, but it was that behaviour that had possibly resulted in her carrying my child. ¡°That is what you have to say?! Why you¡­¡± she took another step toward me, though I shuffled back quickly, my hands coming up to defend myself from the understandably upset woman. ¡°I think,¡± my mother began as she stepped closer and I turned, readying myself to block Asha¡¯s next attack, ¡°that Cregan is simply overwhelmed by shock at this surprise.¡± I nodded as my mother slipped between us, hoping to ease some of the fury in Asha¡¯s eyes. A faint, stifled chuckle drew my attention for a moment, and I saw Ellaria had a hand over her mouth. While she was trying to restrain her amusement, Oberyn wore a smile that they¡¯d likely be able to see in King¡¯s Landing. ¡°Yes,¡± I said, returning my full attention to the furious, but gorgeous, Ironborn lady who was glaring daggers at me. ¡°I mean, when my father met me at the docks, I was unsure what had him so amused. This,¡± I gestured toward her, ¡°was not what I was expecting. Not that I am upset,¡± I continued, not wanting Asha to get the wrong idea, ¡°I simply was not expecting to be a father yet.¡± My words seemed to soothe some of Asha¡¯s rage, and I wondered if she feared that I might choose to abandon our child. Even ignoring that Oberyn would have my head ¨C possibly both of them ¨C for such an action, I wouldn¡¯t. I could already feel a need to protect the progeny growing in her belly, though other matters kept that sensation down. ¡°Do, we, um, have to contact Lord Victarion or Lord Rodrik Harlaw?¡± I asked as Asha continued to cool. With Balon dead, Victarion was the head of House Greyjoy while The Reader was Lord of the Iron Islands. That said, from the few details I¡¯d heard about how things were going with the Ironborn, Lord Rodrik was struggling to maintain control as he wasn¡¯t a hard follower of the Drowned God nor the Ironborn way. ¡°Fuck no!¡± Asha replied though I couldn¡¯t be sure if the venom in her tone was directed at me for my suggestion or the two lords I¡¯d named. From what she¡¯d said on the occasions we talked, she liked her uncle, Lord Rodrik, having fostered there as a child, and wasn¡¯t against Lord Victarion as head of House Greyjoy. That said, she did feel that right should go to her, an urge that Ari and Nym supported even though I knew she could never inherit. ¡°Leave my family,¡± that word sounded almost like a curse, ¡°out of this!¡± I wondered if she would perhaps be forced to marry some old Ironborn lord as a way to secure their alliance for Lord Victarion. If that were the case, I knew I¡¯d need to instigate a duel to ensure it didn¡¯t happen. Not because it was the Ironborn way, but because she, like Nym and Ari, were mine and I¡¯d remove the hand and head of any man who touched them. ¡°Unfortunately, we cannot,¡± Oberyn cut in, his mirth fading away. ¡°While your uncle had no choice in you becoming a ward of House Martell, the change in your condition is one he must be informed of.¡± he moved closer and gestured toward Asha¡¯s belly. ¡°I regret even more that because it was a decree from King¡¯s Landing that made you our ward, they must also be made aware of the situation. It is unlikely that they will order you returned to the Iron Islands, but we cannot attempt to hide the matter.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. I noted that, as normal, my father refused to refer to Robert as King, instead choosing to talk of the capital as the throne. It was a subtle change; one few had picked up on ¨C or at least commented on in my presence ¨C but a smart way to handle matters of the realm without addressing House Martell¡¯s grudges toward Houses Lannister and Baratheon. ¡°This is all your fucking fault,¡± Asha groaned as she looked at me, weariness in her tone. ¡°Before I last sailed to Dustspear, I seem to recall that it was you and Nym that dragged me to bed,¡± I fired back with a smirk. That angered Asha and she took a step toward me, the passion that drew me to her on full display. ¡°You little,¡± she began as she neared, but my mother was still between us. As she managed to slide around my mother, I moved forward. Grasping her raised hand, I pulled her closer. ¡°My apologies for my words,¡± I said as my other hand slid around her back, though I made sure to not pull her too tightly against me, just enough that the arm over her belly couldn¡¯t do much in retaliation. ¡°I spoke with the intent of inflaming your fire, which serves no purpose here. Merely my father''s influence.¡± ¡°Leave me out of this,¡± I heard Oberyn say, but my focus was on Asha, and the storm raging in her eyes. I hadn¡¯t expected to bed her, but now that I had, even without her carrying my child, I knew I wasn¡¯t going to let go. Her passion, her rage spoke to me ¨C both the Wolfsblood and the Dragon¡¯s Flames ¨C and I¡¯d kill any that tried to take her from my side. ¡°But you do share the blame, darling. Cregan has seen and learnt this from you,¡± Ellaria offered even as the rage in Asha¡¯s eyes shifted, moving from fury to desire as she saw how I looked at her. ¡°Along with the tendency to bed women he should not.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Oberyn began with a chuckle, ¡°I suppose you are correct there, my dear lady.¡± ¡°Lady Ellaria and I are always right, dear husband,¡± my mother commented even as I pulled Asha closer, wanting to taste and claim her once again. The Ironborn girl licked her lips as the hand I¡¯d grasped to stop her from striking me pressed against my chest. I glanced at my parents and Ellaria. The trio were looking at us with expressions that mixed amusement, pride, and joy, and I knew all three were about to comment on how I now held Asha. ¡°Look,¡± I said, turning back to the Greyjoy, ¡°I know this,¡± my hand that had earlier grasped her to protect myself drifted lower, settling on her hand over her belly as I spoke softly to her, ¡°was never planned, and I am far from ready to be a parent but, no matter what comes, I will do all I can to protect and raise them beside you.¡± ¡°I expect that, you ass,¡± she shot back, though with none of the venom that had been there minutes before. ¡°And I will be carrying this to birth.¡± I felt the hand on her belly begin to slowly move around. ¡°I have no choice. The moon tea failed, and it¡¯s been nearly three moons since we¡­.¡± ¡°Fucked like rabbits?¡± ¡°Oberyn!¡± My mother snapped, slapping her husband on his upper arm. ¡°What? Am I wrong,¡± he shot back with a growing smirk. ¡°And if I remember, you complained about the noise coming from my niece''s room. At least on the nights where it does not seem to excite you or Ellaria.¡± He winked as he finished, though I groaned, dropping my head onto Asha¡¯s shoulder even as she buried her head into my chest. ¡°Gods,¡± I muttered into her clothes, ¡°Can you please stop?¡± ¡°Why?¡± he shot back, and I turned my head to find him smiling like a maniac. ¡°Today is a glorious day,¡± He added, spreading his arms wide and encompassing my mother and Ellaria. ¡°I have another grandchild on the way, and I shall be present for the birth this time!¡± I grunted, understanding that. Obara had borne Benjen two children that we knew of; Torrhen and Meria, though both had been born in the North. We¡¯d met Torrhen when we¡¯d last been in the North, with Meria being born near the end of the year after we¡¯d left Winterfell. ¡°I know it is too early to consider names,¡± My mother said slowly, a smile spreading across her face as she looked at me and Asha, ¡°but while you are in Sunspear I hope you might think of some. It is custom in Dorne for the name of a son to be chosen by the father, and the daughter by the mother. With your campaign in the Stepstones, we cannot be sure if you will be here for the birth.¡± I looked at Asha. ¡°If I can manage it, I shall be here. But before I go, I will leave some names with you all,¡± I continued turning my focus back to Asha. ¡°I know this was never planned,¡± Asha snorted at that, ¡°but it seems the Gods have decided to make us their playthings.¡± I already knew the Gods, or whatever was posing as Gods, and the powers that had brought me here, were doing that but no one needed to hear that. ¡°Regardless of how we ended up here, I swear by the Old Gods, that I will do all I can to help you raise and protect our child.¡± I was just repeating what I¡¯d said earlier, but this time I was making it clear to all that I had no intent of abandoning my child, be they bastard or trueborn. That might be acceptable to some, but even without being raised by Oberyn, I¡¯d never allow it. ¡°Good,¡± Asha replied, offering me the first smile since she¡¯d revealed her pregnancy. ¡°I¡­ Even if I had the choice, I feel I want to carry this child to term. I am not sure what sort of mother I might be¡­¡± ¡°Brilliant.¡± ¡°¡­ but I know you will make a good father,¡± she finished, her smile growing at my faith in her. ¡°We will teach them, be they boy or girl, how to fight on land and sea, and be ready for all this world may throw at them.¡± Her hand came up and she jabbed a finger into my chest. ¡°But do not think for one second that this means I want to marry you.¡± ¡°Thank the Gods for that,¡± I shot back with a chuckle. ¡°I fear I would not survive the bedding.¡± ¡°Probably not,¡± Asha agreed after chuckling. ¡°However, I would make sure you died a happy man.¡± She gave me one of those wicked, dangerous smiles that I adored and set my passion racing. Asha wasn¡¯t a traditional beauty like Arianne, Nym, or even Ty, but she was far from unattractive or unappealing. There was a fire, a desire in her that called to me, and like a moth to a flame, I couldn¡¯t resist it. The child she carried wasn¡¯t intended, but it was mine and I¡¯d burn the world and everything in it, if any threatened my child. Not even the Gods would stop me from moving heaven and earth to protect my progeny. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ Unexpected Additions (2/5) (Doran Martell¡¯s POV) As he waited patiently in his solar for Cregan to arrive, Doran cast his mind back, going over how the bastard of Brandon Stark and Ashara Dayne had changed things. Doran had predicted some, but not all of those changes, and yet, as he looked over the young knight¡¯s life, Doran found little that didn¡¯t in some way advance the plans he and Oberyn had. Doran chuckled, remembering how, when he¡¯d first heard of the northern bastard, he had wondered if it might be possible to ensure Cregan became Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North. It wouldn¡¯t have taken much to have Ashara swear that they were married in front of a weirwood. However, that idea had been discarded almost instantly. The Usurper sat on the throne, and Eddard Stark had been confirmed by the false king as Warden of the North, and given all that Ser Cregan had altered in Dorne from those early days in the Usurper¡¯s reign, Doran now found himself glad that Ser Cregan was baseborn for he feared what changes the young knight might¡¯ve brought if left to rule the North instead of shape things in Dorne. Returning to Lord Eddard, Doran felt no anger toward the current Lord of Winterfell. He respected him for standing up against an unjust decree, and that respect had grown when Doran learned of the Lord of Winterfell¡¯s reaction to the brutal actions of the Lannisters and their men in King¡¯s Landing on the day it fell to the Usurper. The sheer audacity of the Lannisters filled Doran with a simmering rage. If their roles had been reversed, and King Aerys had called for Doran¡¯s head, Doran would¡¯ve rebelled. Seven hells, if not for Elia and her children being held hostage in the capital, Doran would never have sent Dornish men to fight for the Mad King. The thought of his kin dying in such a pointless conflict stoked the anger that lay just beneath his composed exterior. With the war over, Doran had to work on weakening the Alliance between the Starks, Arryns, Lannisters, and Baratheons, and when Lord Eddard returned to the North ¨C after returning Dawn to House Dayne ¨C Doran had his way to begin the process. Cregan and the connection Lord Eddard felt toward his nephew, going so far as to send his brother Benjen to Starfall, had opened that door further than Doran would ever have been able to do otherwise. While there had been some unfortunate events brought forth by the connection to the North, the obvious example being when Doran had almost lost his daughter and the future queen of Westeros to the Ironborn, it had generally worked in Dornish favour. Even that incident had benefited Dorne, as by fighting beside the Usurper against a common foe, it gave the impression to Lord Jon Arryn that Dorne accepted the stag on the Iron Throne when that would never be the case. Through Cregan, Dornish influence had grown in the North. Obara was wed to Benjen Stark, and through him, controlled Moat Cailin, the only land route into the North from the South. Doran had not enjoyed needing the seal of the Usurper to have Obara named a Martell, but it was but one small part of the larger plan to remove the Baratheons and Lannisters from their false positions. Dornish influence in the North was only growing stronger as the second son of Lord Eddard, along with his bastard daughter and one of the grandchildren of the Lord of White Harbour ¨C who was now a major trade partner of Dorne ¨C was fostering in Sunspear. With the confirmation of the betrothal of Beron Stark to Wylla Manderly, Doran now had more influence with and respect from their Lords which would be useful when war next came to Westeros. Another change Ser Cregan had brought about was with Oberyn. The marriage of his brother to the sister of Lord Aldric Dayne had secured the support of one of the major houses of Dorne while showing that they wouldn¡¯t be ignored because of their connections to the Targaryens. Doran could still recall Elia¡¯s letters where she spoke of Ashara, and how she saw the daughter of House Dayne as the younger sister she¡¯d never had. Hells, Elia had even, at one time, considered having Aegon squire for the then Ser Alebert, heir to Starfall. That hadn¡¯t happened, but by approving the match ¨C after ensuring with Oberyn that it was one he deserved ¨C Doran had secured the loyalty of the Daynes and, through them, the western edge of Dorne for when the Targaryens returned to Westeros. It had also brought forth a useful change in Oberyn. Both Doran and his brother desired revenge for what had happened to Elia and her children. Yet, while Doran was happy for Oberyn to be the wild, attention-drawing brother while he worked in from the long grass readying to strike. Cregan and Lady Ashara had, along with Ellaria Sand helped distract Oberyn from any rash action, Cregan might not share blood with House Martell, but he was every inch Oberyn¡¯s son, and over the last few years had settled well into the role as the son of the Red Viper. Going so far as to play on that title for the one he used to assault and capture Dustspear. The next change, and the one Doran most approved of even if, as things were progressing it might well become the most difficult to control, was the one that Arianne had undergone. For many years she had been difficult, particularly when Doran¡¯s wife, Lady Mellario had returned to Norvos. Yet, after first taking Cregan to her bed, Arianne had become more focused and dedicated to learning how to rule, even going so far as to offer suggestions to Doran¡¯s Council. That would be needed when it was time to wed her to Viserys Targaryen and have her take her place as queen of the Seven Kingdoms. Doran feared that when that time came, removing the Bloody Wolf from his daughter¡¯s side would be tricky, yet, with the great gift Ser Cregan had brought and continued to bring to House Martell, it was a problem Doran was allowing, and even, however dangerous it might be, to grow. The heritage of House Nymeros Martell, brought to them by Princess Nymeria of the Rhoynar, and long thought lost, had been returned to them by Cregan. While Doran could not now, and likely never would in their lifetimes, be able to publicly thank the Bloody Wolf for the gift of returning the magic of the Rhoynar to the last of its royal blood it was something Doran wished he could do. Until then, he would support Cregan in his plans, be that in the Stepstones as he worked to expand the reach of Sunspear, or in fostering bonds with the next generation of Northern nobles. Of the three Northerners fostering in Sunspear, it was not the now betrothed pair of Beron Stark and Wylla Manderly that held most of Doran¡¯s interest, but the bastard, Alysanne Snow. Cregan and Lady Ashara had both sworn to the Gods that they did not believe the girl was anything but Lord Eddard¡¯s bastard. Doran, however, was uncertain if he believed them. Lord Eddard was, unlike the Usurper, Brandon Stark, or Oberyn before he settled down, not one to seek comfort outside his marriage. That he would, between King¡¯s Landing and Starfall, move to collect his bastard daughter and take her north was an odd move. Doran had placed it to one side, not thinking about it again until the bastard arrived in his throne room. The actions that had led to Alysanne Snow being in his court were troublesome, so much so that Tyene Sand had been dispatched to Oldtown to serve a year and a day with the Silent Sisters. However, it had not only strengthened the bond Doran had forged with Lord Eddard, as the Warden of the North had approved of the punishment given to Tyene but placed the probable daughter to Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark in his hands. Yet, for all that Doran was slowly suspecting that Alysanne was indeed the daughter of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark, he knew she was no threat to his plans. The Seven Kingdoms had made clear several times over the centuries that they would not follow a Queen on the Iron Throne. Still, Alysanne might have some role to play in events to come. When she had first arrived in Sunspear, Doran had thought she, like his daughter and others, would find herself under the sway of Ser Cregan. However, in an unexpected but useful development, it seemed her attention had, with Cregan¡¯s blessing, shifted to Arianne¡¯s sworn shield: Daemon Sand. Even if she was never confirmed as the daughter of Rhaegar, a match to Ser Daemon was a good one. As bastards, neither had much opportunity to rise far in the world, as it should be. Add in that Ser Daemon was loyal to House Martell, and Alysanne was under Arianne¡¯s wing, then a potential threat to the Targaryens, when they returned, had been turned into a possible tool. Lord Eddard had, if Doran¡¯s suspicions were correct, gone to extreme lengths, including besmirching his honour, to protect his sister¡¯s only child. If it were ever revealed that Alysanne was a daughter of the dragon, the Usurper would want her dead, which Doran knew Lord Eddard would never allow. Doran did not expect the North to rise in support of the Targaryens when they returned, but having them remain at best out of the war, and at least reluctant allies of the Baratheons and Lannisters, weakened the Usurper¡¯s base. Doran allowed himself a gentle chuckle as he considered the way several pieces had fallen under his control, and every one of them could, to varying degrees, be traced to Cregan. The greatest of those pieces was the return of magic to House Nymeros Martell. Yes, it seemed Cregan believed the Starks could regain their magic, but in The Great Game, the ability of water magic was a more powerful tool than being able to enter and control the mind of a beast. The fact Doran no longer needed even a stick to move around was, to him, proof of that. Yet, for all the changes that now benefited him, there was one thing that continued to concern Doran. That was how, by comparison, his son Quentyn paled in comparison to the bastard. Lord Anders wrote frequently, speaking in glowing terms of Quentyn¡¯s growth and maturity, even hinting that his daughter Gwyneth would make a fine match for the boy. The problem was that from spies Doran and Oberyn maintained in Yronwood, Doran knew that while Quentyn was improving, Cregan had long ago left him behind, leaving Quentyn choking on the dust of the steed taking the bastard to glory. From the more recent reports Doran had read, Quentyn had learnt of Cregan¡¯s growing fame and had grown to resent the boy for it. When it came time to wed Arianne to Viserys Targaryen and have Quentyn named heir to Sunspear, Doran would need a way to either remove Cregan from the board or ensure he was kept clear of his children. Or at least his older ones. That was why he was awaiting the young knight today, as while the plan was in its infancy, Ser Cregan¡¯s focus on the Stepstones presented Doran was a way to shift his pieces around without, hopefully, having to sacrifice one that had grown from a simple soldier into a useful knight and commander. That said, even if Cregan fell in the Steps, Dustspear could be taken and maintained by Sunspear while the carnage and chaos of Ser Cregan¡¯s campaign would weaken the strength of the pirates there when it came time for Viserys to return and claim the Iron Throne. Doran looked at the goblet of wine on his desk, and with his musing over and time until Cregan arrived, he lifted a hand. While he lacked the skill of his daughter or the creativity of his brother, Doran was still a water mage, and the wine floated upwards into the air, slowly taking on the shape of a snake. Oberyn might be the Red Viper, but it wasn¡¯t the loud, bright snake that should concern someone but the quiet one that moved slowly and unseen until it was ready to strike. A knock at the door turned Doran¡¯s attention to the matter at hand, and after lowering his hand and having the wine snake return to the goblet, he spoke. ¡°Enter.¡± The door was pushed open, the large frame of Aero Hotah being the first Doran saw. The man had come from Norvos with Lady Mellario, but when Doran¡¯s wife had returned home over their disagreement over Quentyn¡¯s fostering with Lord Anders and Arianne serving as cupbearer of the former Sealord of Braavos, Aero had remained. Doran had asked Aero why he¡¯d remained and the Norvosi had explained that he¡¯d done so to ensure the safety of Arianne. As the door opened further, the young man Doran had been expecting, stepped forward and Doran looked over Ser Cregan. He wore a loose shirt, purple to draw attention to the eyes that came from his mother, and open enough to bare most of his chest. Over his shoulders, Ser Cregan wore a cloak of black, and Doran knew it would be emblazoned with the sigil created for the young knight by Arianne and Alysanne Snow. Most bastards chose to either invert the colours of the parent that came from a noble house, or quarter a standard that used the sigils of both parents if each was trueborn. Arianne and Alysanne had created something different, and yet there was little Doran could find to fault their creation. Perhaps it was a touch overly dramatic, but the choice to represent each of the houses Ser Cregan was connected to was a fine one. As was basing the direwolf that dominated the sigil around Ymir, the black of the wolf matching Ser Cregan¡¯s hair for shade if not intensity, while the piercing blue eyes of the massive beast drew attention to the centre of the sigil. As Doran knew Cregan wouldn¡¯t marry Arianne, he prayed daily that his daughter would not bring forth a bastard with the Bloody Wolf, he was relieved that his prayers had been heard and answered. His daughter was not carrying Ser Cregan¡¯s child, and for that he was grateful. That dubious honour had fallen to Lady Asha Greyjoy. While House Greyjoy no longer ruled the Iron Islands, Lord Rodrik Harlaw did, and he was Lady Asha''s uncle. Because of that, Ser Cregan now had connections, albeit tenuous ones, to three houses with influence over different sections of the Seven Kingdoms. Doran had sent ravens to Lord Rodrik, Lord Victarion Greyjoy, and Lord Jon Arryn in King¡¯s Landing telling them of Lady Asha¡¯s condition. No reply was expected from Lord Victarion, as the man had not responded to a single raven sent with details of his niece¡¯s time in Sunspear, but Doran knew Lord Rodrik would respond and, because it was the Throne that had made Asha Greyjoy a ward of House Martell, he expected something from King¡¯s Landing as well. ¡°You summoned me, my Prince?¡± Ser Cregan asked once he was halfway to Doran¡¯s desk. ¡°I have,¡± Doran replied, ¡°please be seated.¡± As Ser Cregan moved forward, Doran gave Aero a nod, letting the Captain of the Guards know he could close the door. ¡°I do hope I have not pulled you from anything important?¡± He asked once the young knight was seated. ¡°No, My Prince. I was just spending time with Lady Asha and my mother,¡± Ser Cregan replied. ¡°Might I presume that her condition is why I have been summoned?¡± ¡°It was. At least in the main,¡± Doran replied, drawing a nod of understanding from the Bloody Wolf. Young he might be, but Cregan had a keen mind, one Doran had helped shape and nurture over the years through cyvasse and discussions while a game was played. ¡°Privately, I am sure you can determine another reason why we are speaking in my solar.¡± The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Without overstepping, I suspect you wish to know my intentions for the Stepstones after my recent campaign.¡± ¡°Yes, that is another reason why I summoned you, and one we shall get to in due course,¡± Doran replied, leaning back in his seat. Ser Cregan¡¯s brow creased, meaning he was entirely unaware of Doran¡¯s primary reason for the summons, which was something Doran was going to enjoy. ¡°First though, I should ask how you and Lady Asha are handling the change in circumstances.¡± Ser Cregan laughed, though it lacked some humour. ¡°As well as could be expected, My Prince, though, with a night to ponder the matter, I am certain now that I look forward to being a father and being able to guide my child.¡± ¡°Words every parent should speak and hold true,¡± Doran commented, remembering people ¨C highborn and lowborn alike ¨C who didn¡¯t heed those words. ¡°Will this change your plans for the future?¡± ¡°No, My Prince. If anything, it has me more committed than ever.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Doran nodded, pleased at those words. His Seneschal, Ricasso had told him over their morning briefing that the wood and stone brought from Dustspear had the potential to be of immense value to Sunspear. Or at least that was what the Master builder and blacksmith had told Ricasso last night when summoned to the palace after examining the samples Ser Cregan had brought from Dustspear. The cost of importing quality timber and iron from elsewhere was something that held the Shadow City back from growing as quickly as Doran wished. While Dustspear was a fledgling colony, it was another source of resources to be brought in, and Doran knew favourable terms would be easy to gain from Cregan. ¡°Are you aware that I have sent ravens to Lady Asha¡¯s uncles as well as King¡¯s Landing?¡± ¡°Yes, My Prince. My father explained that yesterday, and while Asha is perhaps more set against informing others of her condition, I know you could not avoid the matter.¡± Ser Cregan¡¯s expression dropped slightly as he continued. ¡°I only wish my father had been less¡­ jovial about the matter than he was.¡± Doran chuckled and picked up his goblet. ¡°Yes, my brother has been amused at becoming a grandfather again ever since Maester Caleotte confirmed Lady Asha¡¯s condition.¡± ¡°Understandable, My Prince,¡± Ser Cregan replied as Doran took a sip of his wine. ¡°Though I fear how the Throne or Lord Rodrik might react.¡± ¡°I do not believe you have much to fear there,¡± Doran answered as he lowered his goblet. ¡°Lord Rodrik, nor Lord Victarion Greyjoy, has any power to demand Lady Asha¡¯s return. As for the Throne, I do not believe The Hand of the King will pass the matter along to the Small Council or the Iron Throne. Even if he did, from what I have heard of our King,¡± Doran disliked calling the Usurper by that title, but it was always wise to pretend he submitted to the rule of the Baratheons when speaking with any bar his brother, ¡°he would be impressed more than insulted that you placed a child into Lady Asha.¡± Ser Cregan made a face, though no comment came to explain it. Doran was certain the young knight held a similar position regarding the Usurper and his Lannister backers as Doran and Oberyn held. However, he was not going to press on the matter until the time was right, if it ever was, to bring the knight in on the plans he had for the Seven Kingdoms. ¡°Lady Asha and her brother, Theon, might be wards of Sunspear and Winterfell respectfully, but their placement was determined by the Throne, not by the houses involved. To overturn that decision would undermine the authority of the Throne; something the Hand of the King will work diligently to ensure does not occur.¡± ¡°That is a relief, My Prince. While Asha and I have no intent to marry, we want to raise our child together.¡± Doran nodded, accepting the words. It was an unusual situation, but with Cregan being a bastard, the chances of a marriage to a highborn lady such as Asha Greyjoy ¨C even if many in the Seven Kingdoms didn¡¯t consider the Ironborn noble ¨C were slim. In most cases, after the child was born, or perhaps even before, a marriage would be arranged for Lady Asha to an elder Lord or highborn knight who would not complain about having a soiled lady as their bride. ¡°Then I shall offer prayers to the Gods, New and Old, that your child is born strong and your wishes for them granted.¡± ¡°Thank you, My Prince.¡± Cregan lowered his head at Doran¡¯s words, though Doran knew the young knight would not want the prayers to go to the Seven. Cregan, like the Northerners who now resided in Sunspear, worshipped the Old Gods. Septon Dontar considered their beliefs in the Old Gods heretical and had demanded the boy be converted, or sent away after Oberyn had married Lady Ashara. A subtle threat to summon Lord Eddard Stark by Lady Ashara ¨C and an implication he might take the matter to the Iron Throne ¨C had ended the Septon¡¯s public demands, though Doran knew Dontar still spoke out against the Old Gods during sermons. Eventually, it could be an issue, but with Cregan¡¯s star rising, and the support of himself, his brother and daughter, Doran knew there was little Septon Dontar could do to alter the opinion of Sunspear¡¯s court. Still, some Lords and Ladies had expressed, if not concern, then worried interest, about the influence of the Old Gods within Dorne. ¡°Before we turn to speaking of your recent campaign, and plans for your next one, I wonder if you have perhaps given any thought to taking on a page or squire?¡± Ser Cregan¡¯s eyes widened for a moment, making clear the question had caught him unaware. ¡°I¡­ I had not, My Prince, at least beyond start thoughts. Beyond my age and relatively new knighthood, what I have done, and will be doing, to secure Dornish interests, makes me reluctant to consider either position. It might leave me needing to pay my men to clean and prepare my armour and weaponry, but at least they chose to follow me into battle. A situation I am unsure I would wish to offer to one unknown to the horrors of combat.¡± ¡°Your intent is a fine one and does you credit, Ser,¡± Doran commented, drawing a nod of appreciation from the young man as he showed another hint of intelligence and thoughtfulness that Doran had found lacking in many of the Lords and Ladies of Dorne. To say nothing of those from beyond the Red Mountains. ¡°However, while a boy becoming a squire or page might not truly comprehend the dangers of war, their fathers do, and it is they that have the final say on with whom a boy will train.¡± He paused there, letting the matter sit for a moment and took another sip from his goblet. Cregan waited quietly, as Doran wanted, though he made no move to drink from the goblet prepared for him. ¡°While you are newly knighted and young, your star is rising in my court, Ser Cregan. Your return this time might not match that from taking Dustspear,¡± Doran glanced to one side, indicating the shelf where the skull of the Grim Prince rested, ¡°however, you have coin, prestige, and influence that many would hope to exploit by having you take their son as a page or squire. Such as the dockmaster of the Shadow City.¡± Ser Cregan took a moment, going over the point before he replied. ¡°Jekar is a smart boy, My Prince, and I understand he trains with others, including your son Trystane, in the yard. However, I believed he had more intention to become a sailor than a knight.¡± Doran allowed a faint smile to creep onto his face. Once more Cregan was displaying an intellect and wisdom far beyond his years. That had Doran relieved that he had not gone through with his plan to make the boy the Lord of Winterfell. From all he had heard, Lord Eddard had done well in the role, but it was clear he was focused more on maintaining the North than advancing it, to say nothing about preparing it for the next war whenever that came. ¡°Do you, perhaps, my Prince, have a candidate in mind for me to consider?¡± Doran¡¯s smile grew as Ser Cregan understood where he was being led, but laid the groundwork to deny Doran¡¯s suggestion. ¡°I do. Two have been brought to me and while both names might have crossed your mind, I am uncertain if you gave them the consideration they deserved.¡± Doran leaned forward, wanting to observe Ser Cregan¡¯s reaction to the names. ¡°How would you feel about taking Edric Dayne as a squire,¡± Ser Cregan seemed to freeze even as Doran continued, ¡°or perhaps my son, Trystane?¡± ¡°My Prince?¡± Doran leaned back and laughed, enjoying the shock that covered Ser Cregan¡¯s face. Bastard he might be, but the young man was hard to catch unawares, and those few times Doran or Oberyn had, he¡¯d recovered quickly. Seeing him lost for such a long moment at the names Doran had put forward was something Doran would enjoy telling Oberyn of when they next spoke. He would also speak with his brother about enhancing Ser Cregan¡¯s education toward unexpected information. While he was now recovering, the surprise and shock made clear that the names had not been ones Ser Cregan had considered deeply. If the Gods remained on his side, Ser Cregan had a role to play in events to come, and Doran needed the young knight ¨C and possibly future Lord ¨C to learn to school his reaction to shocks better, else those better trained in playing The Game would be able to exploit him. Just as Doran was doing now. ¡°Is there something about my suggestions that offends you, Ser Cregan?¡± ¡°No, My Prince!¡± Ser Cregan¡¯s reply was swift, showing even unbalanced, he wasn¡¯t out of the game. ¡°It is simply that¡­ the names you suggested were not, as you said, been deeply considered by myself.¡± ¡°But you had thought about taking the boys?¡± ¡°Yes, My Prince. Edric is heir to Starfall, and thus will one day be one of the most powerful Lords in Dorne while your son is a Prince of Dorne. It¡¯s just that, to be blunt, My Prince, I am a bastard. Taking either as a squire would insult their houses, and those who had also hoped to take the boys as squires to secure friendships and alliances with Houses Dayne and Martell.¡± ¡°If you were but a simple bastard, with no fame, name, or fortune, what you have said would be true. However, you have all three. You are a bastard of a Great House and another House with good standing, you have earned honour and glory before you were a page, and as a knight, have moved to earn a name worthy of the title you bear. A Stark by blood you may be, but you are the Bloody Wolf of Dorne and a knight whose name and glory, as I have said, are rising high in my court. Many beyond the red sands might fail to see your skill, valour, and vision, but I do.¡± ¡°You honour me with your words, My Prince,¡± Ser Cregan responded, and Doran wondered how he would deflect the attention and the offer. ¡°I would be honoured to simply consider your son or Edric as my squire. However, I must remind you, My Prince, that I will soon be entering battle against men with little honour or civility. Taking either boy into such a situation is a risk I am uncertain I am willing to consider.¡± ¡°Having a page or squire enter battle is a concern every knight, at least those who are worthy of the title, has to consider.¡± Doran¡¯s thoughts raced to the mad dog of Tywin Lannister. One day, Gregor Clegane would pay for what he did to dear Elia, but that was not today. ¡°Your plans for Redwater, and I suspect for all the Stepstones, are bold, and will see you and any man with you, be they knight, sellsword, or squire, placed in danger. That said, I have faith in your plans, and your desire to protect your men from needless death, as befits a good commander.¡± If Cregan was caught out by Doran hinting that he might become the Lord of Dustspear or even the Stepstones, he didn¡¯t show it. ¡°I am honoured by your faith in my ability to lead, My Prince.¡± Doran¡¯s lips twitched. Ser Cregan had caught the suggestion that he might become a Lord but was smart enough to not dwell on it when other matters were at hand. ¡°The honour is mine for having your allegiance. The taking of Dustspear and the defeat of the Grim Prince has proven your worth to the entire court. The offer to take Edric and Trystane as squires is a way for myself, and Dorne, to reward and recognise your actions, and make clear to all your importance to House Nymeros Martell.¡± Ser Cregan lowered his head, accepting the praise, though when it rose Doran caught a flicker of confusion in the young knight¡¯s eyes. ¡°Forgive me, My Prince, but squires? As in both of them?¡± Doran¡¯s smile grew. ¡°Yes. I understand your confusion, while it is not uncommon for a knight, especially one from a powerful and rich house, to have multiple squires and pages at the same time, for one born a bastard, it is. Taking both, which I hope you shall do, is a sign to all regardless of your birth status, you have importance and influence within Dorne.¡± Doran lifted his goblet and took another sip. ¡°While young Edric is my page, even with the improvement in my health,¡± he lifted his goblet toward Ser Cregan, thanking the man for the help with that issue, ¡°I will be unable to take him as a squire and see to his training. I have spoken to Edric of this several times in the last year, and each time when asked for another to squire for, your name is the first he mentions.¡± ¡°I am honoured he thinks highly of me, but I fear his father, Lord Aldric, would not approve of the change. Lady Joenne more so because I might be seen as a threat to her child becoming Lord of Starfall.¡± Doran chuckled as he placed the goblet back on his desk. ¡°Thanks to your mother, I¡¯m aware of your goodaunt¡¯s concerns about your status and religious choices, however, the choice is not hers. Thanks to the efforts of your parents, and young Edric I suspect, Lord Aldric has granted his permission for you to take Edric if you so desire. With his second son serving as a page for Lord Beric Dondarrion and two more children, he feels the dangers of sending Edric with you is acceptable.¡± "Then I would be honoured to train the next Lord of Starfall," Ser Cregan replied; a flicker of something unspoken in his eyes. "However, I have concerns about training your son. Though he is not in line to inherit Sunspear, he is a Prince of Dorne. The honour of taking a prince as a squire is one I feel I may not be worthy of in comparison to others." "Many have spoken to me about the chance to train Trystane. Do you perhaps feel unworthy because you lack the land and title compared to the Lords of Westeros?" Ser Cregan nodded slowly, a hint of uncertainty in his eyes. Doran suspected that the young knight was being careful, lest he think Doran believed he was hoping to be made the Lord of Dustspear. Doran could, in theory, make him so, but he would not, at least not yet. Placing part of the Stepstones under the control of Sunspear would bring the wrath of many of the Free Cities, as well as King¡¯s Landing. While plans existed to remove the Usurper, they were far from ready to begin, and as such Doran had to be careful with each step he made. ¡°Then you undersell yourself once again, Ser. Young you might be, but your mind is sharper than many Lords and Ladies three times your age. Your skill with the blade is, when age considered, impressive, and your ability to plan and command actions with an ability to see beyond the immediate area hints at an advanced understanding of warfare.¡± Doran leaned forward, his hand moving toward his goblet. ¡°There is, also, as you have shown others in my family, something I feel you are uniquely qualified to teach my son.¡± As he spoke, the remaining wine in the goblet rose into the air, moving around to ensure it caught Ser Cregan¡¯s gaze. ¡°The magic of the Rhoynar is not exactly my speciality, My Prince,¡± Ser Cregan replied, his hand lifting as a small firebird appeared in his palm. ¡°Either your daughter or brother would be more suitable for his magical training.¡± Doran nodded, lowering his hand, and returning the wine to the goblet. ¡°Perhaps,¡± he began as Ser Cregan flicked his fingers out, dispelling the firebird, ¡°but my daughter could only train her brother in magic, not the other areas that are required for a knight. As for my brother, adding Trystane to him, when he already has your cousin as a squire, carries the risk of insulting your uncle in Winterfell.¡± Doran knew Cregan would know that was flimsy reasoning, but he was also intelligent enough to not attempt to correct Doran¡¯s comment. ¡°Yes, My Prince.¡± Doran¡¯s smile grew once again. ¡°Good,¡± he said, leaning back fully into his seat. It was clear Ser Cregan was accepting of taking both boys as squires ¨C mages too if Edric had any of Cregan¡¯s skill with magic though Doran hoped that was not to be the case ¨C but the decision had to be his and not Doran¡¯s. ¡°I understand your reluctance to consider, to say nothing of taking, one or both boys as squires. However, before you reach a final decision, might I suggest observing and speaking with the pair to determine their interest? They should, if I have the time right, be in the yard beginning their morning training under the eye of Ser Orland.¡± ¡°Yes, My Prince.¡± Doran nodded, signalling that the meeting was over. ¡°We shall speak again tomorrow,¡± Doran said as Ser Cregan moved toward the door. ¡°Consider your choice of which boy, or both, you shall take, and we will also discuss your next campaign.¡± ¡°Yes, My Prince,¡± Ser Cregan replied again with another bow. Doran watched the young knight leave his solar before turning his thoughts to the near future. Cregan would take both boys as squires; Doran was certain of that. To do otherwise would insult Lord Aldric and himself, and Cregan was too intelligent to make such a fateful error. The boys, if all went as intended, would learn well under the tutelage of Cregan and Daemon, who Doran knew would return with Cregan to Dustspear. The Bastard of Godsgrace might be Arianne¡¯s sworn shield, and expected to protect the heir to Sunspear, but Doran knew that to his daughter, Ser Cregan was more valuable to protect with the danger he was in. He did not agree with her logic as to why she sent her sworn shield with Ser Cregan, but he did approve of her making clear the importance Sunspear placed on Ser Cregan. Beyond a new source of materials for the Shadow City, Dustspear served as a bastion of Martell might into the Stepstones. If Cregan succeeded in taking Redwater and other parts of the Stepstones, then his influence, and by extension Doran¡¯s, would spread through a vital channel for naval trade. As that happened, others in Westeros and Essos would come to notice Cregan, and Doran was not willing to surrender such a useful, and growing more powerful, piece he had been cultivating. Perhaps he might not even wish to lose him later, but a knight was worth far less than a king. If, by chance, bad fortune, or a lack of skill, Ser Cregan fell, then Dustspear would be secured and integrated into Sunspear¡¯s sphere of control. Provided he was ready, Doran planned to place the island under Trystane¡¯s command, thus ensuring Martell domination of the seas near the Broken Arm. There was, Doran knew, a chance that Trystane would fall in battle, and the thought weighed heavily on him. Still, it was a risk he was prepared to take. Trystane was third in line for the Spear Chair and thus a minor piece, albeit one that carried value. Ser Cregan understood this and would ensure both Trystane and Edric were protected from the worst of the battles. Yet no one, knight, prince, or king, could predict the future. If Trystane fell and Ser Cregan did not, it would be interesting to see how the knight managed the situation and how it might sever the bond he shared with Arianne. Though severing that bond before the arrival of Viserys Targaryen would be beneficial, Doran felt the Gods would ensure Ser Cregan moved heaven and earth to see that Trystane and Edric survived to be knighted. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ Unexpected Additions (3/5) (Cregan¡¯s POV) I walked slowly through the corridors of Sunspear, making my way from Doran¡¯s solar in the Tower of the Sun to the yard where my potential squires awaited. Though calling them potential squires wasn¡¯t right. As much as I was still coming to terms with the offer to take one of Edric Dayne and Trystan Martell as a squire, I knew I¡¯d have to take both, otherwise, I¡¯d offend the house whose son I didn¡¯t take. Edric was one that I¡¯d considered long ago about taking, as it meant I had a chance to complete the A Morning Blade. I¡¯d long since accepted that I¡¯d never become the Sword of the Morning, but I could finish that objective by training someone else who earned that title. Given Aldric had two sons, the odds that one of them would become Sword of the Morning was high. While Arren was the more likely choice, as a way to placate him when Edric became Lord Dayne, I wasn¡¯t going to ignore the chance that Edric could earn that honour. Still, I was surprised that Lord Aldric was allowing me to train his firstborn son. While he never had any issue with my status, nor did my grandmother, my goodaunt, Lady Joenne fucking despised me. She hated that I was a bastard and that I worshipped the Old Gods, with the latter the bigger issue as Joenne was so fervent in her belief, that she reminded me of the ¡®arse-kissing¡¯ fanatics that represented the worst of religion in my former life. I hadn¡¯t spoken to either of them since I¡¯d left Starfall following my mother¡¯s marriage to Oberyn, but it seemed my mother had remained in contact. That she and Oberyn had spoken in support of me taking Edric as my squire was an unexpected, but not unwelcome, display of trust and support. I¡¯d known for a while that Edric was interested in becoming my squire, but because of his mother, and my status as a bastard, I¡¯d dismissed it. Now it seemed the option was on the table, along with the unexpected chance to train a Prince of Dorne. I¡¯d not had much interaction with Trystane, save via Edric, and even as third in line to control of Dorne, training him was a great honour. Just as I had when it¡¯d been suggested by Doran, many would question the choice of allowing me to train Trystane, yet Doran was right in his words. Trystane would have the potential for magic, and while Ari and Oberyn were far more skilled with that branch of magic than I ¨C the last I¡¯d seen, Ari barely held the advantage, though my father was far more creative in how he used magic than my lover ¨C neither was entirely suitable to train him. Not without raising various questions about why Trystane was with them. While I had suggested Oberyn to Doran when the offer to take Trystane was made, now I saw another, major flaw with it. Beyond the fact that it would divert my father¡¯s focus from Beron. If Doran felt the best person to train his second son was his brother, then it questioned the skill and honour of the Lords of Dorne. Now, having a bastard train Trystane would still be questioned, but given my closeness to the Martells ¨C going so far as being Ari¡¯s official paramour ¨C and my recent successes in the Stepstones, Doran would likely spin it as a reward for my efforts to secure Dorne¡¯s eastern waters. It also signifies that my allegiance was with Sunspear, making it harder for others to gain my support; be they Lords of Dorne or other major figures in the Seven Kingdoms. I didn¡¯t know when word of my taking Dustspear, or position in Ari¡¯s bed, would reach the ears of people like Tywin Lannister, Varys, or Petyr Baelish, but I knew it would. The only advantage I had currently, beyond Doran¡¯s patronage, was that every person on Dustspear now, or would sail with me when I returned, was highly unlikely to be a spy for anyone but the Martells. Thanks to my growing skill at sensing when someone was lying ¨C along with the skills of Bronn, Ymir, and Kaa ¨C I felt I should be able to limit the number of spies who entered my domain for at least the next half year. Beyond that, if my plans were still moving, then the focus on the Iron Throne, along with the Free Cities, would turn my way. I had ideas for how to manage those issues, but I wouldn¡¯t need them for some time yet, which was a good thing as they were still barely out of the initial stages of conception. Still, returning my thoughts to my future squires, while Trystane would be able ¨C barring some disaster ¨Cto harness water magic, I wondered if Edric might have some potential as well. From what little I understood, magic flowed through blood ¨C in both a genealogical sense and directly for Blood Magic, which I now had taken the first step toward learning. While I¡¯d been inserted into this world by choice, the magic in me, at least the base potential for it, would¡¯ve had to exist in some form in my parents for it to pass to me. Skinchanging came from Brandon Stark, along with Wolfsblood, but my affinity for Fire Magic didn¡¯t. Provided whatever power that had inserted me here had considered the matter ¨C and I¡¯d be shocked if they hadn¡¯t ¨C then that potential must flow in the blood of House Dayne. Given no female member of House Targaryen had ever married into House Dayne, then the magic either came from some other Valyrian bloodline ¨C which was possible as according to records a handful of Lords of Starfall had married Ladies from Essos with Valyrian features ¨C or it had existed in some form in the blood of House Dayne going back millennia. I¡¯d have to be cautious about how and what I showed Edric, but I already knew that, once I was clear of Sunspear, and had them under my control, I would begin their training. Before that, however, I needed to see what I was working with. Doran¡¯s suggestion to speak with the boys, and the less-than-subtle hint that I should head to the yard, allowed me the opportunity to watch, evaluate, and test my squires before they knew they would be joining my service. Now sure of my thoughts and plans, I walked faster. As I moved through the corridor of Sunspear, I saw Eirnela. The former slave gave me a shy nod and smile as I passed, and while I didn¡¯t turn, I swore I felt her gaze remain on me as I walked away. When I finally emerged at the yard, I saw several of the older boys sparring under the watchful eyes of Ser Orland Lightbright; Master-At-Arms of the palace guard. My attention was drawn to the grey direwolf that one boy wore, and I watched for a moment as Beron fought against a taller, and it was clear to see after only a few moments more skilled, fellow squire. As the spar continued, the older boy pushed his advantage and quickly forced Beron to concede the spar. While both had fought well, the gap in skill, size, and power was enough that Beron had little chance of victory. Still, the older boy ¨C who I recognised as Barrian Fowler when they lifted their helms ¨C had taken longer than needed to win. Several moves before his winning slash, he¡¯d had the chance to thrust his blade forward and catch Beron on the inside of the elbow. While the swords they were training with were blunted, a blow there would signal the end of the spar as in real combat, armour on the inside of the joint was often weak enough that the arm could be rendered useless with a well-place strike. Ser Orland walked toward them, though he offered me a nod, which I returned before he began speaking to the young nobles. Ser Orland was brother to Lord Darick Lightbright, the Lord of Sun¡¯s Keep, a small, but important holdfast on the route between Sunspear and Ghost Hill. Their sister, Lady Alyse, served on Doran¡¯s Small Council as Lord Treasurer, while Jayne Lightbright ¨C Lord Darick¡¯s third child ¨C was one of Ari¡¯s younger Handmaidens, and had formed a bond with Alysanne and Wylla Manderly. I moved closer, spotting younger boys practising in another section of the yard. ¡°Ser Orland, I hoped to speak with the two under your watch,¡± I said as I neared him and the squires. Both turned to me, wide smiles coming to their faces. Ser Orland nodded and turned toward the younger boys. ¡°Edric! Trystane! Come here!¡± I winced at his volume, but given the sound of steel clashing against steel that echoed around the yard, it made sense he¡¯d have to raise his tone to be heard. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°I take it you were expecting me?¡± I asked with a chuckle as he turned back to me. ¡°Yes. Prince Doran sent word that you would be here this morning to speak with that pair.¡± He gestured over his shoulder toward where the two he¡¯d called for would be. ¡°Finally time to take a squire, eh?¡± ¡°Aye. Prince Doran was persuasive in making clear I needed one,¡± I replied to him before looking at the two squires already nearby. ¡°Beron, Barrian, how are you today?¡± ¡°Very well Ser Cregan,¡± Barrian replied first, smiling widely. ¡°I won again!¡± Beron¡¯s shoulders slumped, making clear he wasn¡¯t happy to have lost; perhaps more so, as I¡¯d seen it happen. ¡°First, I have made it clear to each of you that there is no need to call me by title when not at a formal event,¡± I reminded. Beron was family while Barrian was one of the few boys close to my age ¨C he was about half a year younger ¨C and as such, one of the few male friends I had in the palace. ¡°As for your spar, remember that you are older and further along in your training than Beron,¡± I replied, wanting to ensure Beron didn¡¯t feel despondent. ¡°And, if you were more aware, you should have won the spar earlier.¡± ¡°Ser Cregan is correct,¡± Ser Orland said, drawing the attention of the pair. ¡°If either of you are to compete in Prince Oberyn¡¯s nameday festivities next moon, then you must continue training. Come, let us leave Ser Cregan to his business.¡± ¡°If time allows, I will speak with you later,¡± I said to Beron since I¡¯d yet to spend much time with my northern cousin since returning to Sunspear. Given the revelations of last night and now this morning, that was hardly a surprise, but I knew I had to make time to catch up with Beron and Alysanne. ¡°Okay.¡± Beron turned and moved off with Barrian behind Ser Orland while stepping toward the other side of the yard, seeing the two boys I was here to speak with emerge. The pair were sweating, suggesting they¡¯d been training for some time before I¡¯d arrived, but as they approached they spoke quietly to each other. There was an excitement in their movement that had me thinking they suspected why I was here to speak with them, but I wasn¡¯t going to just name them my squires. I wanted to toy with them a little, see if I could make them sweat before granting them the positions they wished for. ¡°It has been brought to my attention that after a year since my knighting, I have yet to take a page or squire,¡± the eyes of both boys lit up as I spoke, and Trystane gave Edric a gentle, but excited tap with his elbow. ¡°From what I hear, both of you are of an age to become a squire. Edric,¡± I turned to my cousin by blood, ¡°while you have served well as Prince Doran¡¯s page, he is aware of his¡­ inability to complete your training, and has asked if I might be willing to take over.¡± My cousin was trying to remain calm, but he was rocking from one foot to the other. ¡°Apparently, you were aware of this for longer than I, and have spoken to your father. He is open to the idea.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Edric snapped, pumping his fist, while Trystane¡¯s expression slipped, fearing disappointment. ¡°However,¡± I continued, instantly dampening Edric¡¯s excitement, ¡°when we spoke of your situation, Prince Doran offered forth another for the position. That of Prince Trystane,¡± I said, looking at the young Martell, ¡°your father has told me that you, for reasons I have yet to fathom, believe that being the squire to a bastard is one worthy of your station. I am curious to hear of your reasoning.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Trystane stopped and licked his lips. As he collected my thoughts, he reminded me of myself when Doran had first mentioned the idea of taking to squires to me. ¡°You may be a bastard, Ser Cregan, but your station is rising high in Sunspear. Many, including myself, feel you would be a suitable match for my sister when she becomes Princess of Dorne. Even if that is not to be the case, because of the fame of your deeds, you are a knight many admire and respect. Unlike Edric, I might not share a bond in blood with you, but I consider you family as much as he does.¡± I chuckled, seeing hints of Doran in that answer. ¡°Wise words for one so young, but expected of a prince,¡± I replied, giving him a small nod to further indicate my respect for the words. ¡°And I am pleased you chose to not launch into an overly long speech that many a Lord seem to enjoy when in your father''s court.¡± The pair chuckled, as intended. While they were trueborn, they disliked those speeches whenever an important visitor came to Sunspear, and a feast was called. Listening to those Lords, Ladies, and nobles from across the Narrow Sea, speak in grandiose terms about Doran, Sunspear, and Dorne was always a fucking bore. ¡°However, a squire is not measured by their ability to twist words, but by other ways. Including your skill with a blade.¡± I turned there and looked toward where Beron and Barrian had begun another spar. It was still early, yet already I was seeing mistakes in Beron¡¯s stances. It was to be expected as he was young, but it left him open to Barrian¡¯s attacks. As an idea for testing my future squires formed, I took a step toward the sparring boys. Edric and Trystane, after a moment¡¯s hesitation, fell into step behind me. That meant they understood the role they¡¯d soon be taking involved them having to follow without being told, though the murmured whispers that reached my ears made clear they¡¯d yet to learn to remain silent while following. ¡°Ser Orland,¡± I called out, drawing the Master-At-Arms attention. ¡°Might I borrow these two?¡± Ser Orland frowned, wondering what I was up to, but allowed it with a nod. ¡°Beron! Barrian! Head to Ser Cregan!¡± The pair moved back, ending their spar ¨C which Barrian was again winning ¨C and moved toward me, the visors on their helms lifted so I could once more see their faces. ¡°Beron, I take it you have grown tired of losing to Barrian during spars?¡± My cousin growled, his wolfsblood warming, before giving a single, terse nod. ¡°Good, then I have a challenge for you that should if you are up to the challenge, grant you two victories. At least, if you are willing.¡± ¡°I am Ser Cregan.¡± ¡°Excellent,¡± I said, clapping my hands together and turning around. ¡°Edric, Trystane, I wish you to, in turn, spar with Beron here. I do not expect you to win, but I want you to show me what you are capable of.¡± The pair nodded firmly, ready to prove themselves to me. ¡°Beron, I want you to test them.¡± ¡°Yes, cousin.¡± I stepped back, wanting to have room to observe my future squires as they took on my cousin. The two boys were busy speaking with each other, arguing over who would go first, as Beron pushed down his visor and moved to start the first spar. ¡°Who is to take them as squires?¡± ¡°Begin!¡± I called out once Edric was ready to face Beron. As steel clashed against steel, I responded to Barrian¡¯s question without taking my eyes from the spar. ¡°Prince Doran has made clear his thoughts on the matter, as has Lord Aldric,¡± I replied without directly answering Barrian. ¡°I am merely testing the pair under the Prince¡¯s instruction.¡± ¡°Ah. As you say, Ser Cregan.¡± Barrian fell silent as Beron thrust forward. Edric brought his shield up, but instead of deflecting the blow away, took it head on. Without the strength, size, or skill to tank the attack, Edric stumbled back. ¡°I notice your spars with Beron have been decidedly one-sided,¡± I commented as Beron pushed his advantage, though as he did I spotted flaws in his movement that a better-skilled fighter, be they knight or sellsword, would exploit. ¡°He has skill, but he¡¯s too wild, too reckless, though even without that, I have other advantages over him.¡± Grunting at Barrian¡¯s assessment, and finding nothing wrong with it, I watched Beron swipe low. Edric danced back, choosing to withdraw rather than block or counter. Perhaps that was all he knew to do, but it surrendered the initiative. ¡°Perhaps, once I have finished assessing the boys for Prince Doran, you might be interested in sparring with me?¡± ¡°I would be honoured, Ser Cregan.¡± I scoffed as Beron continued to press his attacks, displaying the aggression Barrian had just spoken of. ¡°While not the closest of people, I consider you a friend, Barrian. As I have said before, when not in court, or around some high-strung noble, there is no need to use my title.¡± Barrian chuckled. ¡°True, and I accept the challenge, my friend.¡± ¡°Good, but do not think I will be going easy on you.¡± While I watched my cousins spar and waited for Trystane¡¯s turn, I thought about Barrian. The boy had come to Sunspear five years ago with one of his sisters, Jelissa. Barrian was about half a year younger than I was, and though not as comfortable with war, I felt he would be knighted within a year. I¡¯d need to learn his plans once his time in Sunspear ended, but if he was interested, I¡¯d happily accept him¡ªand a handful of other third and fourth sons of Dorne¡ªinto my ranks. Those boys had little chance to inherit a keep unless through marriage to a young lady who ruled her own. They would be young and inexperienced, but having more knights in my forces would be greatly useful and would show that I remained fully loyal to Dorne. To be clear, I had no intention of betraying Doran or conspiring with Ari¡ªwho would never consider it¡ªto take over Sunspear. However, I didn¡¯t want to remain a simple but valuable piece under Doran¡¯s control. It would take time, effort, and a few small miracles, but if things went even reasonably well, I could step out as a player myself. Until then, I needed the protection of Sunspear, and by training the future Lord Dayne and a Prince of Dorne to knighthood, I ensured that protection remained. It would also raise my profile beyond the red sands, bringing me, I hoped, into contact with others that I could use to slide from under Doran¡¯s thumb. At least enough that I would stop being a simple piece and instead someone he had to consider a fellow player; hopefully one he considered an ally. If by some insane twist of fate ¨C which given my luck was possible ¨C Viserys wasn¡¯t crowned by Drogo but instead returned to Westeros with an army, then I¡¯d also need protection. The Beggar King was a reckless, vain, jealous fool, and the moment he knew of my connection to Ari, he¡¯d want my head. Better that, if that moment ever came, I had the land and forces with which to counter that threat. Or any of the dozens of other potential threats that existed to me and my family, right up to the one posed by what lurked beyond The Wall. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ Unexpected Additions (4/5) (Daemon Sand¡¯s POV) To any who looked at him, Daemon would appear a sea of calm as he walked with his companion on the paths that led deeper into Sunspear¡¯s Godswood. Yet, on the inside, Daemon was a torrent of emotions that, if he¡¯d been told of a year before, would¡¯ve been laughed off. He was Ser Daemon Sand, Bastard of Godsgrace, and Sworn Shield of Princess Arianne Martell, not some love-struck fool. However, that was exactly what he was, and it was because of the lady walking beside him: Alysanne Snow. Lady Alysanne, whose skin was as pale as her name, was the first lady Daemon had been around, save the whore Prince Oberyn had taken him to for his first time, who made him so nervous. Yet, if one were to look at them, they would fail to see how. Daemon was a man of two and twenty, and had wooed and bedded dozens of ladies ¨C and even a few men ¨C in his life, yet Alysanne, a girl of four and ten, who had only flowered inside the last year, continually made him feel as if he was once more a child taking his first steps in the art of romance and seduction. When he had first turned his eye toward the Northern bastard, Daemon had planned to make her nothing more than another notch in his belt. While not trueborn like some of his other conquests, Alysanne was one Daemon could see would mature into a rare beauty: one, in his eyes, unmatched in Dorne. Yet, for all that, his primary reason for showing interest in the baseborn daughter of Lord Eddard Stark was to spite her cousin, Ser Cregan Sand. After learning of Alysanne¡¯s reason for being in Dorne along with her brother, Beron Stark, and the tale of how that had occurred, Daemon had been enraged. Once more, in his eyes, Cregan had been forgiven for his actions while others ¨C in this case, Tyene Sand ¨C had been punished. Ever since the Ironborn Rebellion, and the near-loss of Princess Arianne ¨C something Daemon had long blamed Cregan for ¨C Daemon had been intent on having the wild, untamed wolf exiled from Sunspear. Yet, for all his words to Prince Oberyn, Arianne, and others, that bastard wolf had wormed his way further into the graces of House Martell, and Daemon had set forth to seduce the northern girl for revenge. However, in the days that followed her arrival in Sunspear, as Daemon watched Alysanne from a distance, learning what he could to earn his way into her sheets, his plans changed. The girl was attractive, and just beginning to blossom into something beautiful, but there was something special there, unworthy of being tainted by the simple need to bed her to spite her cousin. By the end of the first moon with the Northerners in Sunspear, Daemon had changed tack, and begun to speak with her simply to better know her, and at the very least befriend the winter rose that was blooming in the Dornish heat. Late last year, Daemon had put his issues with Cregan to bed, and while he had hurt for several days after that fateful spar and brawl, Daemon was pleased that Cregan had taken longer to recover. Venting the anger that he felt toward the wolf allowed him to see that, while his anger toward Cregan was deserved, he had allowed it to fester and turn into loathing. Critically, the younger knight understood his flaws and wanted to correct them, so much so that he had turned to Daemon to help, which quelled the last vestiges of the rotting hate Daemon had held. Upon then learning of Cregan¡¯s plans for Dustspear ¨C and Daemon now knew and understood, beyond ¨C had sparked a fire in Daemon as well. He enjoyed the position he had as Princess Arianne¡¯s sworn shield and the prestige it brought. However, the thought of battle, of testing his steel against others for fame and glory, called to him, in the same way it did, amusingly, to Cregan. He had wondered how he might find a way to accompany Cregan on the adventure, only for Arianne to order him to go and protect her paramour. A year ago, Daemon would have been incensed to do so, but when they had sailed at the end of the last year to take Dustspear, Daemon had been ecstatic at the opportunity to taste battle. More so that Cregan had given him a position of importance in the forces; not because of his position as the Princess¡¯ sworn shield, but because the younger knight respected his skill and counsel. However, when Arianne had told Daemon he was to sail with Cregan, Daemon had found a part of himself reluctant. And that, he had come to understand while they had sailed, was because of Alysanne. The girl had, without him realising it until the eve of battle on Dustspear, slipped her way into his heart and he found himself wanting to grow closer to the young she-wolf. So much so that he had, even though it was not needed, spoken to Cregan for permission to pursue her. Daemon could admit that he was surprised Cregan allowed it, going so far as to speak well of him to Alysanne¡¯s brother and father. Daemon feared that Lord Eddard Stark would deny permission for Daemon to pursue Alysanne, yet no word had come from the Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North for or against their potential union. Still, he worried what was developing with Alysanne would not be allowed as, in the eyes of Lord Eddard, he was nothing but a minor bastard in Dorne whereas Alysanne was, even if she was a bastard, his daughter. While Prince Doran had granted permission for Daemon to begin courting Alysanne, he was on eggshells that either Lord Eddard would write and deny him the chance to woo Alysanne, or that he would somehow destroy what was slowly growing between them. Stories of his past exploits, given by ladies Daemon now offered no attention to as he sought out the Winter Rose at every opportunity, might sour her opinion of him. Thank the Gods that he had not seen any sign of that souring on his previous return to Sunspear, and Lady Alysanne had agreed to this walk with a warm smile, and now, when he glanced down, happily wore the gift he¡¯d given her upon his return from the latest campaign in the Stepstones. As his eyes took in the gift, Alysanne sensed his focus and turned her head. Those swirling grey eyes that drew him inward, locked on him, and a faint smile danced at the corners of her lips. ¡°A-are you well, Ser Daemon?¡± Daemon blinked, fighting to not lose himself in the depths of her enchanting grey eyes, and smiled. ¡°I am, My Lady. More so for having moments such as these in your presence.¡± While he heard his words, which came out clearly, internally he panicked, fearing he¡¯d been too forthright in how much he enjoyed her company. Alysanne looked away, though Daemon could see her cheeks redden. ¡°Y-you flatter, Ser Daemon.¡± As she spoke, Daemon saw Alysanne fiddling with his gift, and he barely held back a pleased smile. Knowing that the battles in the Whores were unlikely to bring treasure of the value taken on Dustspear, Daemon had commissioned a piece before they had sailed. Collecting it had been, along with speaking to Staur and Jekar Blackwood, one of the first things he had done once they had returned, and then during the feast celebrating their safe return to Sunspear, he had gifted it to Alysanne. It had been about a quarter moon since then, and she still wore the gift, even at times when Daemon was not around. Overall, it was a relatively simple piece, being a cuff bracelet made of highly polished steel engraved with silver and measuring about four inches. What made it stand out, and where Alysanne¡¯s fingers were, was the central engraving. That was of the Stark sigil, but on the bracelet, it had been coloured black to match Alysanne¡¯s hair, while the eyes were two smaller rubies. Those had come from Daemon¡¯s claim of the initial bounty of Dustspear, and when combined with the black of the direwolf, were the two dominant colours of House Allyrion; the house from which his father came. ¡°I speak only the truth, My Lady,¡± Daemon replied, not wanting the silence or her nervousness to influence him. She lifted her head, but her eyes seemed unwilling to meet his. ¡°You have a beauty that has never before graced the Dornish sands.¡± From behind them, the faint, muffled sound of giggling could be heard. That meant Alysanne¡¯s watchers, or at least the female ones of Wylla Manderly and Elia Sand had been close enough to overhear his words. Alysanne was not a trueborn, but she was a ward of Prince Doran¡¯s, and her honour must be protected. The two girls were there for moral support, while the foursome of Stark guards with them acted as a reminder to Daemon of Alysanne¡¯s value. He doubted the Northern guards could stop him if they attacked, but that they placed such importance on Alysanne¡¯s safety, even here in the Godswood of Sunspear with an unarmed knight of Dorne, offered Daemon some comfort. Throughout the campaign in The Whores, Daemon¡¯s mind had returned to Alysanne, wondering if she was safe and well. knowing that her father and Prince Doran placed as much importance on her as they did on Beron Stark eased many of those fears. There had been other ladies Daemon had wooed who had also had guards, yet having grown up in the palace, Daemon knew where to step, and when, to slip from sight of such escorts to steal a few moments with the lady. Or, if she was inclined, more. However, he had no intention of doing that with Alysanne, not now that he found his heart demanding she be protected and respected. If any threatened her honour and purity Daemon would be first in line to stand as her champion. Alysanne smiled at his words, though she looked away again at the giggling of her friends even as her cheeks reddened further. As they continued walking in silence, Daemon feared again that he¡¯d been too honest with his words. Yet, he knew he couldn¡¯t withdraw them, nor would he as he spoke from his heart. However, because of the fear that he¡¯d over-spoken, Daemon held his tongue and waited for Alysanne to resume their conversation. This meeting was one of the few they¡¯d managed since he¡¯d returned to Dorne. While he had every intention of sailing again with Cregan, at least if Arianne asked him to, Daemon had duties to attend to that prevented him from spending as much time as he wished with the young wolf who¡¯d stolen his heart. Still, whenever he had time free of duties and training, he¡¯d given them to her, which was why they were walking once more through the Godswood of Sunspear. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°Wh-when will you sail back to Dustspear?¡± she asked, not fully lifting their head as they reached the centre of the Godswood. Unlike the one in Winterfell ¨C and, according to Alysanne, Beron, and the others from or who¡¯d been to the North ¨C every keep and holdfast ¨C this Godswood lacked the weirwood as a heart tree. Instead, a large oak tree dominated the place. Daemon placed little faith in the Gods, be they New or Old, but he would not deny that he preferred the Godswood in Sunspear to Winterfell. The way the face the Northerners had carved into the weirwood there followed you as you walked around the wood, to say nothing of the red sap making it look as though it was alive and bleeding, unnerved Daemon. Yet as he knew that Alysanne missed it desperately, that was why, if they wed, Daemon was prepared to return to Winterfell so that they could be married in the traditions of the North. ¡°Provided Princess Arianne asks me to sail with him once again, Cregan expects to depart in five, perhaps six days,¡± Daemon replied while smiling at her. ¡°That is if Lady Asha has not killed him beforehand.¡± Alysanne giggled at the jest, though Daemon felt his smile slip as he spotted Septon Dontar at the far side of the Godswood. The Septon was one of the most vocal critics of, as he saw it, barbarian influence in Sunspear. For a time, Daemon had shared that concern, though less for religious reasons than personal ones. Now, however, all he saw and heard whenever the Septon gave a sermon was a deranged old fool, unwilling to accept that anyone could worship Gods but his. That was, Daemon had noted, a sentiment that was growing within House Martell as Cregan¡¯s worth grew and his influence spread. Daemon did not fear the Septon would try something against Alysanne or the other Northerners, not when it would bring down the wrath of Prince Doran, but he was concerned that one of that man¡¯s flock might. If they did, Daemon would join Cregan in ensuring that everyone responsible for such a heinous action received the justice they deserved, which would likely leave Ymir with a full stomach. His thoughts turned to the idea that like Cregan, Alysanne might have the ability to skinchange. When Cregan had first explained and shown it to him, Daemon had been uncertain of how to react. However, after seeing the bond that Cregan shared with his beasts, and how it seemed to make Cregan stronger, Daemon wondered if Alysanne might share that ability and if, far into the future, their children might inherit it as well. ¡°I share your amusement at your cousin¡¯s predicament,¡± he finished, not wanting Alysanne to think he thought her wrong to laugh at Cregan¡¯s situation. ¡°Lady Asha is a fearsome warrior; one many in the yard know to stay clear of when in a foul mood. With a child to protect, her ferocity will only have grown.¡± ¡°Yes, I have seen that with Riona,¡± Alysanne replied, her gaze shifting to the Tower of the Sun, where in one of the highest rooms, the young Sunfyre eagle chick nested with its parents. ¡°How is the chick?¡± He asked, his thoughts turning to Rian, the bond the eagle shared with Cregan, and the idea that Alysanne might share that ability. If she did, it would be a boon to their future children, though if she didn¡¯t he would be comfortable with it. She, however, might not be as, while they did not discuss such matters openly, she had shared her annoyance with the close bond Cregan, and her brother Robb Stark had with their beasts. ¡°Talon? He is well,¡± she replied, with a small smile, ¡°at least from what I can see.¡± Alysanne stopped and moved toward an empty and, Daemon noted, slightly isolated bench near the heart tree. Daemon sat beside her, though he made sure to, even if every fibre of his being wished to, not sit too close to avoid the appearance of anything untoward. ¡°Rian and Riona are unwilling to allow any, even Princess Arianne, onto the balcony,¡± she continued. ¡°From the books that Maester Caleotte has provided, Talon has two, perhaps three moons before he will leave the nest for good.¡± Daemon nodded, pushing aside some annoyance that Rian would not be returning with them to Dustspear. The ability of Ymir and Kaa for scouting and tracking was something Daemon had seen in action, and he couldn¡¯t help but imagine the advantages that came with being able to see a battlefield or the enemy¡¯s holding from above. They¡¯d done well in The Whores to escape the trap they¡¯d sailed into, but Cregan had lamented that if Rian had been there, the loss of ships and men would¡¯ve been reduced. ¡°Do¡­ do you feel any connection with mother or chick?¡± He asked gently, making sure to keep his voice low so none overhead what he was saying. If anyone did hear him, they¡¯d not catch his intended meaning, but it was safer to remain quiet when discussing such a matter. ¡°No more so than the Princess,¡± Alysanne replied, understanding the meaning behind his words. ¡°It is possible that she or I might adopt one of them, but remember that Cregan did not discover Rian until he had left his nest.¡± Daemon nodded, aware of that. ¡°Ymir was an unusual one, I admit, but he and Quicksilver are connected to my house.¡± She paused and looked down, her fingers brushing the direwolf on the bracelet. ¡°I often find myself jealous of my brother and cousin¡¯s beasts, and wonder if the Gods might someday grant me such a boon, though I know such notions are silly.¡± ¡°There is nothing silly about it, My Lady,¡± Daemon said quickly, not wanting her to fall into a state of melancholy. His hand moved, brushing against the edge of hers, though that was as far as he would go as he didn¡¯t want to overstep. ¡°The bond Cregan shares with Ymir, and I suspect your brother has with Quicksilver, is something to behold. Cregan is a skilled fighter, and we work well together, but with Ymir, it¡¯s as if they understand each other in a way only siblings could.¡± He chuckled for a moment. ¡°To be jealous of such a bond is entirely normal.¡± ¡°You are too kind, Ser Daemon,¡± Alysanne replied, her hand shifting to brush the back of his fingers. ¡°And more patient with me than I should expect.¡± Her hand pulled back and she looked down. ¡°I¡­ I know others desire your attention.¡± Daemon smirked, finding the way her face reddened as the sun caught it, made her a vision worthy of a Goddess. ¡°Perhaps there are, My Lady, but they are not you.¡± Alysanne turned her head, letting him just catch sight of her mesmerising grey eyes. ¡°For the honour and pleasure of your company, I would wait until the next Long Night, or travel across all of Essos if it would earn me a smile and your affection.¡± Alysanne¡¯s cheeks darkened so much they reminded Daemon of Arbor Red. That, however, was a poor comparison, as the wine from the Reach was a sickly sweet, unsatisfying thing. By comparison, Lady Alysanne was a beauty that would leave kings and emperors shocked and unable to find beauty in anything else. ¡°Yo-you should not say such things, Ser Daemon.¡± ¡°As I have said before, I speak only the truth, My Lady.¡± He paused and looked skyward. ¡°If I speak falsely, may the Gods, New and Old, strike me down.¡± She chuckled at his oath, and he felt her hand slide further over his before he returned his attention to the angelic vision beside him. ¡°I know not if we shall be wed, but until that day arrives, I pray nightly that the Gods grant me your hand in marriage. I swear that if we wed, then I will do all I can to keep you happy, safe, and warm in my hearth.¡± A smile that would have him sail to defeat Volantis single-handedly, spread over her face. ¡°I..¡± She paused her cheeks a shade of red so vibrant that Daemon found no words to describe it. ¡°I feel the same,¡± she said quietly, and Daemon felt his heart stop. ¡°I have written to my father, asking for him to grant us the right to wed, but I wake each day fearing that he will deny me. Or that, when word comes, you will lay dying on some battlefield far from my side.¡± ¡°I have no intention of dying so soon, My Lady,¡± He replied, his free hand lifting, planning to brush her face only from him to stop when he saw movement from her guards. ¡°And there is a chance Princess Arianne will not send me again with Cregan.¡± Alysanne laughed gently, a sound that, to Daemon, would warm the heart of an Other. ¡°We both know that the Princess will send you. She is as enamoured with my cousin as I am with you. And it helps ease my pain to know you will protect each other, but, as awful as it sounds, I would rather lose my cousin than you.¡± ¡°I suspect your cousin will outlive us all, My Lady,¡± Daemon responded, finding an odd sense of truth in his words. ¡°While young, he has skills many knights twice his age lack and a keen and sharp mind. Not just for battle, but for seeing things others might miss.¡± Something Daemon saw with Cregan¡¯s plans for Dustspear and other islands in the Stepstones. Before he had begun courting Alysanne, Daemon had been content for chance to test his steel in battle, but now, as things progressed with her, and he saw what Cregan was building, he wondered if perhaps, in this new land that Cregan was forming, if he might find a way to be something more than a sworn shield. He would not be a lord, as he felt no one would acknowledge Cregan¡¯s holdings, but he could help build something alongside Cregan that would be worthy of Alysanne¡¯s hand. ¡°Indeed, if not for his daring and bravery, we would both have died several times over.¡± Alysanne¡¯s smile grew, though there was a sadness in her eyes. ¡°Yes, I remember the tales you and Ser Bronn have told the court during the feasts.¡± Daemon chuckled and shook his head at the image that came to mind. ¡°Bronn is many things, My Lady, but a knight is far from one of them. He lacks the¡­ grace, one would expect from such a person.¡± Alysanne giggled, and her face grew a shade brighter. ¡°Yes, I recall his¡­ descriptions of some of your heroics.¡± Daemon could not help but chuckle as he remembered the way Bronn phrased things at the feast, and how many nobles had reacted with shock at his coarse descriptions. As Alysanne joined him in mirth, Daemon wondered if introducing the sellsword to Prince Oberyn was a wise choice. He¡¯d heard tales after the first feast, celebrating the taking of Dustspear, that the Prince had shown Bronn all the better brothels and whorehouses in the Shadow City. Something that, according to rumour, had resulted in Lady Ashara denying him her company for several days afterwards. ¡°Still, I am happy there is another with you and Cregan that you speak highly of. I pray daily to the Gods that both of you return, though I admit that while you were gone this time, I may have prayed harder for your return.¡± Daemon felt incredible to hear her say that, but he remained silent when she pulled her hand away and began tugging at the sleeve of her dress. ¡°I¡­¡± she began as the hand slid up the sleeve, ¡°I want to give you s-something. To h-help you think of m-me while away.¡± He watched as she pulled a small cloth from the sleeve, one that when it was placed in his palm, he felt was damp from sweat. ¡°I know it is not much,¡± she explained as he moved to unwrap the cloth, ¡°but I hope you will take this with you when you return to the Stepstones.¡± As he unwrapped it, Daemon knew it was a token of appreciation, and he opened his mouth to thank her only to stop as he saw the pattern within. The cloth was white, but in the centre was the circle of red and black used on House Allyrion¡¯s sigil, but where the opened hand would be, there now resided the direwolf of House Stark. Daemon looked at it, even as his smile widened. It was a lovely merging of the sigils of their father¡¯s houses, and for a moment Daemon swore he saw them sitting in a room, each adorned with a robe bearing this sigil while children played around their feet. He pushed the idea to one side and returned his gaze to the young maiden whom he willingly allowed to steal his heart. ¡°I shall treasure it dearly,¡± he said solemnly, ¡°and whenever I gaze upon it, I shall remember these moments we have shared, and look forward to the next moment we might share.¡± Alysanne leaned closer, a warmth filling her eyes. ¡°I will await your safe return.¡± She paused about halfway toward his face, and her eyes darted to her escorts. Daemon turned as well, wondering what had distracted her. However, before he could make out the group, he felt Alysanne¡¯s lips touch against his cheek. He stopped, frozen in shock even as Alysanne stood, her hand brushing against his. ¡°Be safe, my Dornish knight,¡± she said softly before reaching her feet. He turned, watching as she walked toward her escort. Wylla and Elia had rushed forward, giggling, and smiling while the Stark guards were glaring at him, hands on the hilts of their swords as if he had insulted the North by allowing Alysanne to kiss him. Daemon stayed on the bench, watching as the guards closed around the trio of young ladies, and remained still as the group moved away. If the guards tried something, then he knew he could take them; even as unarmed and unarmoured as he was. Yet he had no intention nor desire to fight them, not when it would ruin this perfect moment and anger Lord Eddard and Prince Doran. As they reached a turn in the path, Elia glanced back at him, smiling widely, which told Daemon she and Wylla were happy for Alysanne. As the group drifted from view, he raised a hand, placing it against his cheek, the other hand holding tightly the token Alysanne had granted him. ¡°I will return safely to your side.¡± ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ Unexpected Additions (5/5) (Cregan¡¯s POV) For what felt like the hundredth time, I found myself standing on the quarterdeck of the Windchaser watching Sunspear slide away into the horizon. Yet, this was, perhaps, the first time I¡¯d sailed away where my thoughts weren¡¯t on my destination, or plans for major future events. Instead, as they had for much of the last week as the final preparations were made for our departure, they were on Asha and the child that she carried. My child. Knowing that I was to have children altered much of my thoughts. Not just for what might come after the Others, but on what sort of legacy I wished to leave on this world; both in general for those around me, and my bloodline. Asha and I had no intention to marry, so in theory, the child she bore wouldn¡¯t be entitled to inherit whatever lands I controlled. Or at least they wouldn¡¯t if I held lands in Westeros or even parts of Essos. Instead, my holdings, as meagre as they were, resided in the Stepstones, and with the thought of having to provide safety for my children ¨C I knew this wouldn¡¯t be my only child ¨C my thoughts regarding the island chain had shifted. While I still doubted I could take, hold, and develop the entire chain, I was more focused on doing it, and if not, then holding enough that I, and my family, would be safe and secure from most threats. At least the sort of threats that would concern any lord. The greater threats, or at least the ones I knew of, were already being planned for, even if, to many my actions in the Stepstones would be hard to link to challenges that lay at The Wall, in King¡¯s Landing, or ¨C provided events there played out as they had in other timelines ¨C Slaver¡¯s Bay, everything had been feeding into preparing for them. Now though, I wasn¡¯t just looking beyond them, but to anything else that might challenge me or my family, with Volantis and the other slavery-supporting Free Cities being the obvious concerns. I didn¡¯t know how events would play out over the next five years, never mind ten or twenty years down the road, but now I had a true reason to want to make and protect my holding. One far beyond the intent of using the Stepstones to battle-harden myself and my allies for what was to come. My gaze drifted over the three ships sailing behind the Windchaser. The Ilaerah¡¯s Luck and Pride of Saltbrook were joined by a hired cog. Nearly a hundred more sellswords had joined, along with fifty more lowborn willing to move to Dustspear and help develop the settlement. Included in that number was Phineas Irryl, who I¡¯d freed from slavery on the island. He and a handful of other former slaves were willing to return and make a new life where their old ones had ended. If things went well, then I planned to name Phineas mayor of Northpoint. I¡¯d need my best men with me in Redwater, but couldn¡¯t leave someone I didn¡¯t know in charge of my island, and Phineas returning was a welcome surprise. And one that, with time, might help open trade with Essos as he had some contacts there. At least before being captured and enslaved. Of the new sellswords, none had yet stood out, but I was sure by the time we were ready to sail for Redwater, Me, Daemon, Bronn, and the others would know what we had, and how to use them. to help with that, my cogs carried with them several hundred maces, axes, clubs, and the like. While only about fifty were new, the rest were still usable. Those had come from the armouries of Sunspear and the Shadow City thanks to an idea from Oberyn. The downside was that I had to pay for a replacement for every weapon, or ammo as I¡¯d also raided the armouries for arrows, which had cost a fair amount of coin. Stolen novel; please report. Still, it meant that most of my men would have a weapon designed for the kind of close-in fighting that we¡¯d see, if not a spare if they already had such a weapon. I had seen my axe sharpened and the leather on the shaft replaced. A second axe was in my cabin, having been gifted to me by Doran for my nameday. One I¡¯d promised to use to further remove threats to Dorne and Westeros in my campaigns. Turning to the bow, I saw Daemon on the deck, four boys around him. Edric Dayne and Trystane Martell were now officially my squires, but I wasn¡¯t the only one to have help. Young Jekar Blackwood had become Daemon¡¯s squire, which explained why the boy had been so desperate to see Daemon when we¡¯d arrived in Sunspear. I wondered if perhaps a deal had been cut between Daemon and Staur Blackwood, but it wasn¡¯t my concern. Stuar was a good man, and loyal to the Martells. Having his son squire for the sworn shield of Ari was an honourable position for the boy. Others, from older and more important houses, might have an issue with a bastard training their son, but Stuar was the second son of a minor lord, and far more practical than most other trueborn. The fourth boy was, even to Daemon, a surprise. Morsh was a street urchin whom Daemon had encountered during a trip to the Shadow City. From the story Daemon had told me and Bronn, the boy had been found fighting with three boys close to my age. He was getting beaten to a pulp when Daemon arrived, but he wouldn¡¯t stay down. After collecting the foursome and taking them to the guards, Daemon had learnt that the older boys had tried to attack Morsh¡¯s sister. Given their age, I didn¡¯t need to hear more, nor did I complain when Daemon had the trio banished from the city, took Morsh as his page, and found his sister a place working for Wylla Manderly. Something I suspected Alysanne had helped to arrange. Morsh lacked skill, but there was a fire in him that caught Daemon¡¯s eye. The boy had impressed me and Bronn as well, though he wouldn¡¯t be sailing with us to Redwater. At my instruction, Bronn had tried to scare the boy of the horrors of war, and while his words had affected the three highborn boys, Morsh hadn¡¯t been put. Hells, he¡¯d said he¡¯d seen worse in the Shadow City and promised to show Bronn those places when we next returned. Bronn was aboard the Ilaerah¡¯s Luck to watch over the majority of the new sellswords, which was a relief. While I was used to his teasing, his remarks about bedding and impregnating a Kraken had irked me. He''d realised that, and kept it up, even suggesting I wanted to make sure I left such gifts with my other ladies. While I¡¯d not had that intent, I had spent my last few nights in Sunspear enjoying the company of Ari, Nym, and Asha with the Ironborn girl still wanting to be intimate even with a child growing in her belly. A high-pitched whistle drew my sight upward, and I saw a bird flying high above. I knew that was Rian, coming to see me off. As much as I wanted him to join me, I wasn¡¯t going to force him to come, not when his progeny wasn¡¯t yet able to hunt and feed themselves. Perhaps Rian would fly to Dustspear once Talon left the nest, but I doubted he¡¯d reach me before I sailed for Redwater. To that end, I¡¯d used Skinchanging to dominate the minds of a dozen seagulls while in Sunspear. All of those birds were now caged, ready to be used as scouts over Redwater, though once I¡¯d hatched the plan to use the gulls, I realised I¡¯d have likely done this anyway. While using Rian was ideal, as I could trust his instincts to guide me, I didn¡¯t want him flying low, risking being shot by a hungry pirate with a bow. There were some birds in Dustspear, and I¡¯d move to dominate their minds and capture them as I¡¯d need as many disposable recon units as possible for taking Redwater. Three Pirate Lords controlled the island, and while each was, in theory, weaker than the Grim Prince with fewer men and ships, there were three of them on the island, and they were almost constantly skirmishing with each other. Therefore, the men on the island would be better fighters, and unlikely to surrender if overwhelmed and given the chance. Which was why, when the option came, if in doubt of their loyalties, or couldn¡¯t afford the men to guard prisoners, I likely would have them executed. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ The Water Runs Red 1a The Water Runs Red 1 ... ... (Circa 297AC) I lifted my head from the chart as someone knocked at the door to my solar in Northpoint. ¡°Come,¡± I replied, rolling up the map. By the time I had it secured, Edric and Trystane had entered, Daemon behind them closing the door. ¡°Ah, good, you are here.¡± I stood, closing the window to the solar so none could see in. No one could climb through the window, as it wasn¡¯t wide enough for a child, but there was still a chance someone could listen in. ¡°Please, sit.¡± To help limit the chances of that, the guards outside had orders to randomly patrol around the building to check that window and the few others the building held. At night, the windows were barred, preventing anyone from tossing anything into the room, while more guards were placed on duty to monitor the building. Perhaps I was being overly cautious, but with most of my men being former pirates who¡¯d been forced at sword-point to bend the knee, I was taking nothing for granted. With the window secured, I walked around the desk, placing my hand down near Kaa. The viper lifted his head, and understanding what I wanted, began slithering toward my arm as I rested against the front of the desk, towering over my squires as they sat in two chairs just in front of me. ¡°Ser Daemon says you wish to discuss our training, My Lord.¡± I nodded at Trystane, still finding it odd for a Prince of Dorne to call me a Lord. I wasn¡¯t, but it was easier to accept than having them call me Ser. If we were alone, and it was clear I wasn¡¯t acting as their knight, then they were free to call me by my name ¨C we were cousins after all ¨C however, for training, and in public they had to use either ¡®My Lord¡¯ or ¡®Ser¡¯. Technically I wasn¡¯t a Lord, though most of the men who served me, along with every villager in Northpoint and several merchants in Sunspear used the term when addressing me. While I had land now, with Dustspear being mine to rule as I saw fit, I didn¡¯t feel comfortable in the role. I wasn¡¯t a Pirate Lord ¨C a title I disliked but used simply because it helped signify the major figures in the Stepstones ¨C nor was my holding recognized by any of the major powers on either side of the Narrow Sea as being subservient to them. At least not officially. Doran considered me the Lord of Dustspear, though he could never use that term in public. Adding territory in the Stepstones like that would place him against the Free Cities in Essos, and possibly even the Iron Throne. While I knew he planned for that one day by marrying Ari to Viserys, he didn¡¯t know I knew, and even then, had warned me that it was only a matter of time until King¡¯s Landing and the Free Cities learnt of our connection. I¡¯d already been aware of that, as while the Martells had good control over information that flowed in and out of the Shadow City ¨C something I¡¯d had a hand in with the idea of purchasing stakes in the various brothels and taverns in the city ¨C Varys had his little birds everywhere. From there the matter would be taken to the Hand and the Small Council. It was unlikely that Robert would give two fucks about my actions, bar perhaps, regretting not being able to join the fight but from King¡¯s Landing news of my actions would reach the ears of others. The obvious figures who¡¯d learn of it, in theory, were Ned, Tywin Lannister, and Olenna Tyrell. I didn¡¯t think my uncle would care about my choices, only that Beron and Alysanne weren¡¯t with me, which they weren¡¯t. Olenna might not give much credence or have much care for my actions, but as the true power in the Reach, she¡¯d be curious as to what Doran was doing by having me take Dustspear. Tywin would probably have a similar reaction, bar perhaps remembering our meetings during the Greyjoy Rebellion, events that had transpired to leave us both with Valyrian Steel blades. I¡¯d received word that the Lord of Casterly Rock had Nightfall reforged into something more suitable for House Lannister. I hadn¡¯t yet had it confirmed who had done the work, but I suspected it was Tobho Mott. The Master blacksmith in King¡¯s Landing was the one who¡¯d reforged Ice and was claimed to have the skill to do such work. I had little interest in going to King¡¯s Landing ¨C for a multitude of reasons ¨C currently, but I knew that inside the next year or so, I would get Mott or someone else as skilled to reforge Red Rain for me to better suit my needs. Thinking of the Greyjoy Rebellion, my thoughts turned for a brief moment to Asha, and I wondered how she and the child growing within her were doing. I didn¡¯t have ravens to send, so it was hard to keep in regular contact, but once Redwater was taken, I hoped to return to Sunspear in time for the child¡¯s birth. ¡°My Lord?¡± I blinked, realising I¡¯d gotten lost in my thoughts for a moment. ¡°My Apologies. My mind was elsewhere.¡± I looked down at the squires offering the pair a warm smile even as Kaa¡¯s head came to rest on my shoulder, his body draped like a loose scarf around my neck. Doran¡¯s logic in having me take Trystane as my squire made perfect sense. At least when one knew of the magic I had, and the young Prince held the potential to wield. As a third child, and second son, Trystane¡¯s options for life were limited to marrying a Lady in Dorne who inherited a keep, some minor holdfast of his own, or remaining in Sunspear to serve Ari¡¯s children. Much as Manfrey Martell had done. Edric was, even now, the more unexpected choice. His mother hated me ¨C because I was a bastard, and because she considered me a threat to Edric¡¯s place as heir to Starfall, and because I worshipped the Old Gods. Frankly, if I never had to deal with that stuck-up Reach bitch again, I¡¯d be glad. However, it seemed that Eric had done enough to convince his father that I was a suitable figure to train him to knighthood. I was sure Lord Aldric was getting regular earfuls from his wife, but that was his problem, not mine. ¡°How are you enjoying Northpoint?¡± I asked for the sake of easing the pair into today¡¯s meeting. ¡°It is small, My Lord, but the people here are committed.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Edric agreed with his friend, ¡°though many of your men are, um¡­¡± I chuckled and shared a look with Daemon. ¡°They are scum, Edric. Most barely worthy of being alive, but they bent the knee, signed the same charter you two have, and I have use of them. Even so, I suspect many would, given the chance, return to their former lives, which is why they are little more than tools for me to throw at my enemies in the Steps.¡± ¡°Is that not a touch harsh, My Lord?¡± ¡°It is,¡± I replied to Trystane, which earned a chuckle from Daemon. ¡°However, to take the rest of the Stepstones, or at the very least hold what I now have, I need men willing to fight. At least enough that they fear death by my hand over that of my enemies. The sellswords, such as Bronn and Cadye, are better and slightly more trustworthy. However, their loyalty is controlled by whoever pays them best. For now, that is me, but it might not always remain so.¡± ¡°Ser Bronn is a skilled warrior, My Lord.¡± I threw my head back and laughed even as Ymir, roused by my reaction, started stretching. ¡°Bronn is no knight, Edric. Nor is Cayde or any of the others. They are as skilled as many knights, perhaps even a match for Prince Oberyn in the case of Bronn, but none have ever been knighted.¡± ¡°Gods, the idea of dropping any of that lot in court and expecting them to behave is as likely as you worshipping the Seven,¡± Daemon suggested, making me laugh once more even as Ymir made his way to me. ¡°Less so, I would say. Which is saying something.¡± Daemon had, since we¡¯d repaired our friendship, asked about my worship, and if it were part of why I could skinchange. He wasn¡¯t particularly religious and had never had ¨C even when we were at odds ¨C an issue about my worship of the Old Gods, and I suspected some of the new curiosity came from his pursuit of Alysanne. I¡¯d explained that skinchanging, while a Northern ability, was tied more to blood than the worship of the Old Gods; though I suspected it didn¡¯t hurt to pay respect to the Gods. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°However,¡± I said, shifting the topic as Ymir reached my side, pushing his massive head under my free hand so I could scratch him as he settled against my desk, ¡°that is not why I summoned you today. As Daemon said, I have training for you to begin. However, it is not something I suspect either of you have considered, and this training is not. Outside of those in this room or certain members of House Martell, to be discussed with anyone.¡± ¡°Yes, My Lord.¡± The pair replied together, though it was clear both were curious and a little apprehensive, about what was going on. ¡°Tell me, what is the position of The Faith regarding magic?¡± the pair blinked, confused by the seemingly random shift in topic even as Ymir stared at the pair. I gave the direwolf a ¨C for him ¨C gentle push, and after looking at me to confirm, shifted. As he moved toward the pair, he drew their attention. ¡°I believe I asked a question,¡± I commented as the boys petted Ymir as soon as he was close enough, thinking he was simply seeking attention from them as mine was talking. ¡°The Septons preach that it is used by those in service to the Lord of the Seven Hells, My Lord,¡± Trystane replied, his hand scratching behind one of Ymir¡¯s ears while Edric scratched the other. ¡°Any who use it are little better than demons to be killed for the good of others before they use their vile powers to corrupt and seduce those who follow the Seven.¡± I growled slightly, annoyed at the bile that had poured into the young prince¡¯s mind over the years. ¡°Do you agree with that, Edric?¡± I asked my cousin, pushing aside the urge to slip into Rian¡¯s mind and command him to rip out Septon Dontar¡¯s eyes and tongue. ¡°I¡­ Um.¡± Edric looked down from me to Ymir and then to Kaa who rested peacefully on my shoulder. Few were comfortable with the viper¡¯s location, but that was perhaps why I insisted on letting the metre-plus snake use my shoulders as a resting position. ¡°No, My Lord.¡± My brow rose at the conviction in Edric¡¯s tone. ¡°Oh? And why is that?¡± I wondered if he¡¯d heard or seen something in Sunspear that had him questioning the Faith. ¡°B-Beron speak of how his brother, Robb, has a direwolf like Ymir, My Lord.¡± Edric¡¯s eyes stayed on me as he spoke, even as his hand continued to scratch Ymir. ¡°From the way he speaks, I think Beron is jealous of his brother, and how close his friendship with Quicksilver is.¡± ¡°Something I suspect he also feels toward me and Ymir.¡± ¡°Yes. Along with Rian and Kaa.¡± Edric gulped even as Trystane gave him a side-on glance. ¡°H-he also has told us of the legends of the Kings of Winter. How, from the time of Brandon the Builder until King Torrhen, it was said that the Starks were men and beasts. How the direwolf w-was more than just the sigil of their house, and¡­¡± He gulped and looked down, unable to hold my gaze any longer. ¡°About how it is said that the Starks could commune with breasts, with direwolves. Something that the Faith, in all their glory,¡± I rolled my eyes to make clear my opinion on that matter, ¡°feel is the domain of demons and their worshipers. That it is the Old gods who are demons that need to be purged.¡± I stopped there, feeling my anger begin to boil. Though when both boys nodded, the fury rose further. ¡°Remind me,¡± I said to Daemon as the boys refused to meet my gaze, though neither stopped petting Ymir; as if drawing strength from him. ¡°When we return to Sunspear to have words with Septon Dontar.¡± ¡°So long as it remains only words,¡± Daemon replied cautiously. ¡°I would rather not be forced to flee Westeros because the Faith wants our heads.¡± ¡°In the name of the Gods, I promise that I shall not draw steel or raise my fist to the Septon, or any of his misguided flock.¡± A smirk came to my lips as I replied, already wondering what the Septon might do to anger any of my companions. As if sensing my idea, Kaa hissed loudly, drawing concerned looks from my squires along with a roll of the eyes from Daemon. ¡°A-¡± Trystane began cautiously, regaining my focus, ¡°Are the legends true?¡± ¡°Do you wish they were true?¡± I replied with a wide smile, enjoying their reactions. Seeing how people first reacted to magic, and what I could do, was something I always enjoyed. Oberyn had been the most laid back, both because he¡¯d already suspected what I could do while the boys were reacting similarly to how others their age had. ¡°I¡­¡± Trystane again gulped before really speaking. ¡°Yes, My Lord. I do.¡± ¡°As do I,¡± Edric chimed in, the fear giving way to excitement. ¡°Even if it means everything you learnt from Septons, Septas, and others regarding it, the Old Gods, and other things are not just wrong, but blatant lies designed to push an agenda?¡± The pair nodded, which had my smile grow. ¡°Excellent, though you should be careful about what you wish for,¡± I added with what, to others, possibly sounded like a deranged crackle. ¡°Now, while my ability to bond with Ymir, Kaa, and Rian is not something either of you should be capable of ¨C it¡¯s a gift for those with the blood of the first men after all ¨C though I will demonstrate it to you later, perhaps there are other forms of magic you might have some inclination toward. Something, perhaps, that is from the history of your Houses.¡± I looked at both equally, but my mind was on Trystane wondering if he¡¯d get the hint. ¡°Water!¡± The Martell boy called out, causing Ymir to pull his head and fix the boy with a withering glare. ¡°I, uh¡­¡± Trystane continued, his eyes darting between me and the offended direwolf. ¡°I mean that House Nymeros Martell has a connection to the Rhoynar. They were said to be capable water mages who rivalled the Valyrian Freehold for a time.¡± As he explained, his hand came back to Ymir, the direwolf relaxing as he resumed petting the beast. ¡°The Rhoynar were powerful mages, a trait that has been lost for centuries, but still resides in your blood.¡± Trystane frowned, not getting the meaning in my words while Edric looked lost. That made sense as he had likely never considered other forms of magic. ¡°The ability to shape, control, and direct water ¨C and other liquids ¨C is one that House Nymeros Martell has held ever since Princess Nymeria married Mors Martell to unite the cultures.¡± As I spoke I moved my free hand toward a goblet that I¡¯d purposely left out and filled for this meeting. ¡°Your family, and others, believed that the magic was a myth; something added to stories to give them flavour. However, magic is not a myth, merely dormant.¡± As I continued, my hand moved over the goblet, summoning the wine within it. It rose in a column, twisting around like rope before I fashioned a rough facsimile of a snake out of the burgundy fluid. Kaa hissed challengingly, not liking the shape of the wine, yet confused by the lack of heat and smell he¡¯d expect of another snake. My squires had stopped moving, much to Ymir¡¯s disapproval, as the wine rose into the air, and they only took their attention from the wine when I chuckled. ¡°Trystane, your father, uncle, sister, and some of your cousins have unlocked the gift within their blood, and it is why¡­¡± I stopped, pulling back as Kaa flew through my vision. The viper clasped his jaw down on the body of the wine-serpent, and I chuckled as I sensed his confusion at why he couldn¡¯t taste his kill. The long tongue flicked out, tasting the wine, making him rear back. A shake of his head was followed by him turning to look at me, his nose almost touching mine. I grinned, enjoying his irritation as the attack was something he¡¯d done whenever I created a serpent from water or wine. He knew I was the cause of the false challenge, and I delighted in his continuing to attack such creations. Eventually, he turned away, slithering around my shoulders to find a new resting position. ¡°As I was saying,¡± I resumed as Kaa moved around, ¡°the ability to harness water magic was one of the major reasons your father allowed you to become my squire.¡± ¡°But you are not a Martell,¡± Edric blurted out angrily. ¡°At least not by blood.¡± ¡°He is right. The last Martell to marry the Lord of Starfall was over a century ago,¡± Trystane added. ¡°Indeed, it was, though water magic isn¡¯t the only gift that I possess,¡± I replied with a wide, all-knowing smile. ¡°Beyond skinchanging, which I will demonstrate later, I have several other tricks.¡± At that, my hand reached out toward them. Turning it palm-upward, the pair pulled back as a small ball of fire blossomed from nowhere above my skin. ¡°Water is but one of the four basic elements that a mage can potentially wield. It, along with fire, wind, and earth, are magic I am capable of controlling, though my strength lies within the flames.¡± As I spoke the fireball shifted, turning into the firebird ¨C I refused to call it a phoenix ¨C that lifted off from my palm with a sweep of its wings. The firebird didn¡¯t need to lift off as a flesh and blood bird did, but I found the action instinctual; memories of my time sharing Rian¡¯s mind shaped how the firebird moved. ¡°Command over the elements comes not from my father, so it must come from my mother. Lady Ashara of House Dayne.¡± At that, Edric¡¯s eyes snapped from the now circling firebird, which Kaa ignored as it was far enough away to not be a potential challenge or meal. ¡°It is said Dawn was forged by the founder of House Dayne from the metal of a fallen star, and with the gifts I have, I wonder if perhaps that was not all the star blessed our family with.¡± The hints of anger and jealousy that had marred Edric¡¯s expression when he felt Trystane had something he¡¯d never have, had faded. Now all that existed on his face was a mixture of wonder, excitement, and curiosity. Something mirrored by Trystane, the Martell boy¡¯s eyes kept drifting toward the goblet from which I¡¯d summoned the wine-serpent. Truthfully, I wasn¡¯t sure if Edric had a gift for magic, but it was a possibility that deserved to be explored. From all I understood, magic in this world flowed through blood, meaning my source of elemental magic had to come from somewhere. Since it wasn¡¯t from the Starks, it had to be through the Daynes. There was no connection to House Targaryen, at least not where any female of that family had married directly into House Dayne, but even if there had been, it wouldn¡¯t explain anything beyond my command of fire. I knew there was a chance the beings that had allowed me to shape my new life, and then created or altered this world before I was reborn, might have not cared about how I gained my magic, however, I felt it more likely they¡¯d changed some minor details to ease my existence. At least enough that it didn¡¯t derail whatever enjoyment or reason they had for allowing me this opportunity. If no other Dayne could wield the elements to any degree, then questions about my parentage would form. Honestly, I expected they would anyway, but if I could unlock magic in Edric, even if it wasn¡¯t entirely like mine, then those questions wouldn¡¯t be as prevalent. There would be those, who feared my powers or what they might represent, who¡¯d seek to destroy me for wielding them, but I¡¯d been aware of that threat for a very long time. The Faith were the largest, and at least so long as I wasn¡¯t on Redwater, the closest of those threats, but they were also one I knew I could handle. Others, from the North and East, were more challenging. Not least as they, in theory, could also use magic; likely in ways I hadn¡¯t considered, or simply would never learn to do. Still, it was something that had shaped my motives for telling those I trusted of my gifts, and ensuring that if they could, they also unlocked their potential. Yes, it made the world a much more dangerous place if the wrong person gained access to magic, but the more mages there were, the more chance we had against the Others. ¡°Yo¡­¡± Edric¡¯s partial word, which died as he licked his lips, and probably gathered his thoughts, drew my focus back to my solar. ¡°You believe that Trystane and I can learn to do what you do?¡± ¡°If you mean to command the elements, then yes.¡± At that, the firebird swooped down, forcing both boys to pull back in fear. Ymir lifted his head, not liking the sudden loss of attention and tiredly growled at the firebird. The firebird turned naturally, my understanding of how the animal would move better than all bar the most learned individuals at the Citadel and elsewhere. ¡°the question,¡± I continued, the firebird circling back to me, ¡°is if you believe you can, and are willing to endure the training it will take to do so.¡± The pair¡¯s gaze shifted to the firebird as it dove toward my palm, seemingly to attack. I raised my hand, and the bird exploded as it struck my hand, engulfing the limb in flame. Gasps filled the room as the flames died away, and my hand showed no damage from the attack. That wasn¡¯t because I was immune to fire, simply because I had control of the flames and ensured that they never touched my skin enough to singe the flesh. The boys returned their focus to me and eagerly nodded. ¡°Good,¡± I said, pushing off the desk. ¡°Now, who would like a demonstration of skinchanging?¡± The Water Runs Red 1b I looked to the stern, Northpoint was gone from sight and Dustspear was slowly fading into the horizon. While my fleet was sailing eastward, bound for Redwater, my thoughts were on several people to the west. The first of those was Asha, who while I didn¡¯t intend to marry, had dominated my nightly thoughts regularly since I¡¯d left Sunspear. Given she was carrying my child ¨C probably the first of many I¡¯d have ¨C it was understandable that my thoughts turned to her. I worried for her health and found myself, each night before bed, offering a small prayer for her safety, and the birth of a strong, healthy child. Those prayers were only given to the Old Gods. The Seven could fuck right off, and the less said about the twisted Drowned God of the Ironborn, the better. Whenever I thought about Asha, my thoughts turned to others in Sunspear, especially Ari. She seemed happy about Asha''s pregnancy, but I worried about our future. Once Doran knew Viserys was dead, he might seek a husband for Ari to secure her rule over Dorne. The idea of another touching her or any of my ladies infuriated me, but I had little control over the matter. Ari was heir to Sunspear, and a bastard like me, even with my conquests, was unsuitable for her. The only way to gain Ari''s hand would be if she agreed to give Dorne to Quentyn and become Lady of the Stepstones, but Ari would never agree to that. My thoughts then drifted to Nym, Sarella, and Ty. Sarella was secretly studying at the Citadel in Oldtown, while Ty was finishing her time with the Silent Sisters or returning to Sunspear. I owed Ty an apology for my reaction to her helping Alysanne sneak out of Winterfell. I missed Ty more with time. She was smart, quick-witted, and more intelligent than she let on. Before she left for Oldtown, she asked many questions about the Old Gods, and Oberyn thought she might convert. I wondered if her faith had changed or if she still trusted the Seven. My mind after briefly passing over Beron, Alysanne, and others, shifted to Rian. Alongside Asha, it was he who spent the most time in my thoughts. I missed having him at my side, and while I could fly through the minds of the captured and broken gulls now with me ¨C numbering twelve in total when we¡¯d set sail from Northpoint ¨C it wasn¡¯t the same. Rian was a part of me, more so than any of the ladies, and having him so distant made me feel incomplete. It had been the same with Kaa when I¡¯d left him in Sunspear and Northpoint when attacking Dustspear and The Whores. However, that issue was soon to be resolved. About a week after we¡¯d arrived back in Northpoint, I¡¯d sensed a shift in Rian¡¯s mind. It had taken me a few hours to work out what was happening, but I¡¯d come to realise that Rian was returning to my side. Talon must¡¯ve left the nest, at least enough that Rian was willing to no longer monitor his progeny. Each hour I¡¯d sensed Rian come closer, much as I¡¯d done when he¡¯d returned from the Red Mountains with Riona, meaning he was bound for Northpoint. The issue was that, after another week of gathering supplies, training the men to work in units, and setting up Northpoint ¨C primarily by assigning Phineas Irryl as mayor ¨C I could no longer delay departing for Redwater. It had been a day since we¡¯d left, spent rowing to push us eastward. Now, with a decent tailwind to carry us over the sea to our target, I wondered if we¡¯d soon be too far gone for Rian to join us. Another issue was Riona. Sunfyre eagles were believed to mate for life, and if that were the case the odds were that she¡¯d be flying with Rian. While I felt he could manage the flight from the Broken Arm to Dustspear, I feared she might not. Now, there was a chance that she remained behind in Sunspear ¨C something I suspected Ari and Alysanne among others would approve of ¨C but I felt it was more probable she¡¯d attempt the flight with Rian. Provided she was able to reach Dustspear safely ¨C which I felt she could as eagles had incredible range when soaring through the air - then Phineas and those who¡¯d come from Sunspear would know the birds and ensure they were well looked after. However, the longer it took Rian to reach the settlement, with or without his mate, the smaller the odds became of him joining me for the new campaign. The sound of the men, most manning the oars, moving in time ¨C chanting, amusingly, Drunken Sailor as they worked ¨C drew my focus back to my location. My flag was aboard the Red Kraken for this campaign. While I adored the Windchaser and considered her my ship, she wasn¡¯t, even with four scorpions on her deck, built for war. She was a fast transport vessel, and I¡¯d assigned her to that role in Northpoint. The Ilaerah¡¯s Luck had also remained behind as, once all the necessary supplies for the campaign ¨C be those food, resources, or spare arrows and bolts ¨C had been secured aboard the Pride of Saltbrook. The cog was the largest of the ships in my fleet, and since most of the trade goods that would head to Sunspear wouldn¡¯t need the large vessel, it had worked out well to have it carry all our supplies. Daemon, along with his squire and page were aboard the Coral Howl, while Bronn, Cayde, and Jaeronos were on one of the four galleys in the fleet. The last was commanded by Dorvan Slate. The man was one Cayde had known since they were kids, and while trueborn, as a third son of a landed knight, had never been destined to inherit much. He had been taken as a squire by a hedge knight, but the man had died in a minor tourney somewhere in the Vale, and thus Dorvan turned to be a sellsword. There was likely more to his backstory, but that was all I¡¯d gotten from him and Cayde when the latter had brought the man to me. Two other sellswords, Jeffery and Illahdor, had also been made lieutenants in my ranks. The former was a lowborn who¡¯d fought with us in The Whores and proven himself capable of leading men when the captain of the galley he was on had died and he¡¯d assumed command. Jeffery wasn¡¯t as skilled as Bronn, nor, thankfully, as quick-witted and blunt, but he was a good hand. The same was true of Illahdor, who originally hailed from Volantis. The man had been with us from the beginning, and on the recommendation of others, had earned his promotion. Illahdor had asked me about how I¡¯d ignited my blade, and after I¡¯d explained it away as a trick of wildfire ¨C which I wasn¡¯t sure he bought ¨C he¡¯d warned me that the priests of R¡¯hllor would, once they learnt of it, possibly show interest in me. That Volantis, or at least their religious base, would turn their attention my way was something I¡¯d been expecting to eventually happen. Still, I had perhaps a year before the attention of Volantis, and other Free Cities, would focus on my actions in the Steps. Plans existed for how to handle that, or at least delay them attacking for as long as possible so I might gather my forces to counter them, but those were for another day. The promotion of the four new officers ¨C the last had taken the position as head of the guards in Northpoint ¨C and the increased rank and pay for Daemon, Bronn, Cadye, and Jaeronos, were needed due to my enlarged forces. Across Northpoint and the fleet, I had close to eight hundred men at my command. Most were former pirates who¡¯d bent the knee, but a good chunk were sellswords. All had signed the charter I¡¯d created when I¡¯d first planned the attacks against the Grim Prince, and while there¡¯d been no major violation of the rules, I knew it was only a matter of time until it occurred. Still, the man losing a week¡¯s wages for theft of food from the stores on Northpoint had shown, I hoped, that I would enforce the rules. While, if I took all my men and ships, I felt I could sweep most, if not all, of Redwater with relative ease, I couldn¡¯t do that. I needed to leave a decent force on Dustspear. While it was unlikely any of the Pirate Lords from other islands would attempt to test my defences ¨C or even retaliate for my actions in The Whores ¨C I couldn¡¯t take the chance. Without Northpoint, not only would my forces lose our only safe harbour in The Whores, but it would destroy my chances to build something designed to last beyond the battles that awaited me in the North and beyond. As such, a bit over a hundred and fifty men, along with three galleys and the two surviving longboats, remained behind. The longboats were to patrol just out to sea in shifts, watching for approaching vessels, while the galleys were to remain ready to sail if needed. If a supply run to Sunspear was needed, then one of the galleys would escort Ilaerah¡¯s Luck there. That many men, along with the hundred settlers in Northpoint, should be enough to dissuade anything but the most determined of attacks; something I felt no Pirate Lord would attempt so quickly. That left me around six hundred men ¨C which included the crews ¨C to man my fleet. That meant things were a touch tight across the seven vessels, but nothing that couldn¡¯t be endured for the week or so it should take to sail to Redwater. With that force, I should be able to take Redwater, though I doubted that even unless most of the pirates there bent the knee when attacked, then I might not have the forces to maintain control of the entire island. Hells, even if all three Pirate Lords ¨C and I disliked that title, but it worked to signify the power players in the Steps ¨C swore fidelity I wasn¡¯t sure I could maintain control. Not in the way I wanted. Of course, the Pirate Lords wouldn¡¯t bend the knee with all their men. Individually, I should be able to overwhelm any of them, but if they combined forces, I¡¯d be looking at a two or three-to-one disadvantage. That meant I was going to have to fight smart to gain the island; or at the very least, majority control of it. Fighting smart would also be needed for my squires. The boys were in their cabin ¨C more accurately, a large storeroom that had been converted for their use ¨C cleaning the weapons and armour we¡¯d be using. Ymir was with them; the pair having adjusted well to the idea that they could communicate with me through the direwolf. Both had begun meditating in the hopes of unlocking magic and while I felt Trystane would unlock Water Magic soon enough, I hoped Edric had some ability to wield some form of magic. If he didn¡¯t, there was a good chance he¡¯d grow jealous of Trystane¡¯s ability. Regardless of whether he did or not, I was hoping to train him, once he was a little older and stronger, to wield mass weapons. That should, I hoped, place the idea in his thoughts that he could become the Sword of the Morning, which was a fair conciliatory prize if he lacked the capacity for magic. My head spun there, sensing a familiar presence calling out to me. A Myrish Eye was lifted to my sight, and I scanned the horizon, trying desperately to spot a familiar shape moving above Dustspear. ¡°Hello there,¡± I muttered warmly as I found the speck in the sky above the island. However, as I watched, I saw another speck appear in the sky and knew Riona was there as well. I was happy for him, though I knew that Rian would have to rest for a while before coming after us. For a moment, I considered ordering the fleet to slow, but after the day of rowing, and with the breeze in our sails coming from Dustspear, I knew that it wouldn¡¯t take Rian long to catch up. At the height he flew, the air moved quicker, and I expected him to arrive by the evening. If he didn¡¯t, I¡¯d have a torch lit to guide him. Regardless, I would be waiting. ¡­ ¡­ That evening, I was back on the quarterdeck of the Red Kraken. My meal was eaten quickly as I sensed the impending arrival of my final companion for the campaign. At my side, Ymir circled, either sensing my agitation and excitement at Rian¡¯s return or looking forward to the event as well. Kaa was nearby, curried up on top of a barrel. Normally at this hour, the viper would be snoozing in my cabin, but when I¡¯d stood to return to the quarterdeck, he¡¯d made clear his intent to come. Once here, as if knowing who would soon be arriving, he¡¯d shifted from my shoulders to the barrel. While he appeared to be sleeping, the occasional flick of his tongue, along with how his head shifted whenever I moved too much made it clear he was only resting. Even in the dwindling light, I didn¡¯t need help spotting Rian. He was far above the setting sun, and angling toward us from the south. As he moved closer, gliding gracefully through the sky, I struggled to remain calm. The man at the helm kept looking at me as I paced, waiting for Rian to return, and cursing the seconds for seemingly growing longer with each passing one. Eventually, Rian was closer enough that I could make out the markings of his feathers, noting the shifting of colour in his plumage. Seeing us below, he circled the Kraken, his high-pitched whistle drawing the attention of the helmsman along with others on the deck. Those who knew the bird returned to their work, those who didn¡¯t whispered among themselves, a few pointing excitedly at the eagle. If any one of them went for a weapon, they¡¯d be dead before they had time to point it at the eagle. As Rian circled back toward me I felt his joy at our reunion mix with mine, and as he swooped down I stepped to one side, extending my arm. Normally, I¡¯d not let him land there, both due to his size and the sharpness of his talons, but I¡¯d come prepared. While lacking metal vambraces, I¡¯d wrapped some cord around the forearm and felt I could endure the weight for a while. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Rian agreed, as when he finished his dive toward us, his wings swooping out and causing the helmsman to stumble back in fear at how massive they were, he flapped over and then grasped onto my arm. I grunted, not used to the weight after some time apart. While I¡¯d seen him in Sunspear, I¡¯d not let him land on my arm for several months, or more accurately, he¡¯d chosen not to, choosing instead to remain close to the nest. ¡°Hey there, boy,¡± I said with a wide smile threatening to split my face in half. My other hand came up, and he leaned into the touch, letting me scratch him at the back of his skull. A few excited chirped whistles exited his beak as I scratched him, which drew happy grunts and moans from Ymir. ¡°Rejoining us?¡± I asked, drawing an energetic bobbing of Rian¡¯s head. I laughed at the display, knowing he understood me. ¡°Good. I can not wait to fly with you again. Though this time, I can be beside you.¡± Rian tilted his head, not understanding my intentions. ¡°you shall find out tomorrow,¡± I continued, figuring that conversation could wait. ¡°For now, we shall head to the cabin. I was sure the helmsman if he¡¯d recovered from the appearance of the massive ¨C I¡¯d place Rian¡¯s wingspan at about ten feet ¨C bird land on my arm would think me mad for talking to Rian as if he were human. I, however, didn¡¯t care. Rian was back, and for the first time, I was sailing into battle with all my bestial companions. While I¡¯d still use the gulls, as there was no way I was risking Rian for what I planned to use those birds for, it felt great. As if finally, after a long time, I was finally whole again. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I looked around, the enhanced eyesight allowing me, along with how I was, to let me see the island that sat in Redwater Bay even as I crossed over the southern coast of the main island. The port there, located at a point where the coats veered in, had been scouted and now it was the turn of the northern port. That southern port contained about forty buildings, though perhaps half were in a state of disrepair. The buildings that weren¡¯t abandoned had sections missing, suggesting the pirates had taken planks from them to repair other buildings, or even the vessels at the docks. There were four galleys there, though one had slipped its moorings while I¡¯d circled above, and another galley ¨C which was heading north from the port ¨C was already at sea. Assuming the port had enough men to man all the ships to a minimum level, it meant the southern port contained more than two hundred men, though I suspected more as they¡¯d want some men to remain and guard the port if all the vessels were at sea. That was a concern as while it was in line with the intelligence I¡¯d received about the island¡¯s forces, those estimates had been the mid to high expectations. Now, at a thousand pirates minimum, I was already looking at a two-to-one disadvantage. However, if the ports were manned as I would have had them, with spare crews for at least half the vessels docked there, then there could be nearly two thousand pirates on the island. And that was if the other ports weren¡¯t bigger than the first one I¡¯d reconned, and that there weren¡¯t others I didn¡¯t know about dotted elsewhere on the island. Another issue that arose, at least for engaging Vaegon the Firetouched ¨C he controlled the southern third of the island ¨C was that even before I¡¯d turned away from the southern port I could see the northern one. The ports were located at the narrowest section of the southern end of the island, which was a smart move. Likely that decision had been made by a Pirate Lord who¡¯d ruled here long before Vaegon, but it was still something that would require careful planning for, and until proved otherwise, I¡¯d work on the assumption that Vaegon had placed his ports and created the tracks himself. It was always wiser to believe an opponent was smarter than they truly were than dumber. What would also have to be considered for the attack plans was the track that ran between the two ports. It was wide, perhaps good enough for two carts to pass on, but only simple dirt. However, it ran almost directly from one port to the other. The only point where it didn¡¯t, and the section that ensured neither port could see the other with a Myrish Eye, was a large hill which the track snaked past. Swooping lower, a concerned whistle came from above and behind me. That was Rian who, while disliking me flying in the mind of anyone but him, was learning to enjoy the experience of having a partner. The first gull I¡¯d dominated and flown had met an unfortunate accident when, while diving around the skies, playing with Rain, the eagle had extended his claws and captured the gull in mid-flight. It had taken me a few hours to recover from the experience of having my wing severed, but I¡¯d slid from the gull¡¯s mind quickly, fearing what it would feel like when Rian killed the gull. He hadn¡¯t, and as I, back in my body, I¡¯d watched him release the gull. The damaged and broken creature fell to the sea below, unable in its last moments to understand what had happened and where it was. Rian had screeched painfully when the gull had fallen, but after slipping into his mind he calmed; assured that I was safe. He¡¯d then spent the time before I¡¯d entered this gull watching me; his concern radiating outward so clearly that I didn¡¯t need a bond between us to help me sense it. With this gull he was remaining further from me, staying higher to act as my lookout. If there were any birds of prey on the island ¨C which was a possibility ¨C he¡¯d warm me of their approach. So far, the skies had been clear save for other gulls and birds that inhabited, but I remained concerned that I would soon be forced to fly defensively. If not because of an attack from above, then potentially from one below. Circling around the hill, I slid lower and closer, seeking to find any type of watchtower on it. I was surprised to find none as, before reaching the southern port, I¡¯d spotted one at the southwestern tip of the island. Or, more accurately, they¡¯d found me when I¡¯d had to pull back and avoid an arrow that had raced toward me when I circled the point over land. The tower was designed, based on its location, to spot any vessels sailing to the south, or trying to sneak around the tip of the island to assault the southern port. It didn¡¯t, thankfully, have a clear line of sight toward Dustspear, otherwise, our fleet might well be spotted by it on approach. However, if there were other towers along the edge of the island, ones that allowed Vaegon to monitor the movement of ships to the west as well as south, then they¡¯d be an obstacle to overcome. The fleet was still three, perhaps four days from Redwater, and even with a Myrish Eye was little more than a fudged line on the horizon. However, by the end of the day tomorrow, I should be able to make out some features. It would take any lookout there longer to spot my fleet, but if there were towers along the coast, then they would. That was why, once I¡¯d scouted the northern port, I planned to sweep the coast from it back to where I¡¯d discovered the watchtower, seeking to see how many more Vaegon had active. The only upside, potentially, was that the watchtower I¡¯d been sniped at from, didn¡¯t appear to have a Myrish Eye. Or at least I¡¯d not seen any of the trio of men there with such a thing in their hands, nor in the tower. They might have had one in the small cabin beneath it ¨C though calling it a cabin was a stretch ¨C but that was unlikely as it wouldn¡¯t make sense to keep it stored there on a decently clear day such as today. Content that the hill didn¡¯t contain a watchtower, at least one that allowed clear sight and communication with the two ports, I flapped my wings and rose upward. Above me, Rian circled, ever watchful. Once the scouting was done, I¡¯d play with him again, letting him chase this gull; perhaps even allowing him to feast on it ¨C though only after I¡¯d slipped from its mind. The gull was replaceable, and while it would take time to locate a gull and then crush its mind, I wasn¡¯t going to deny Rian some fun and reward for a day of simply gliding around watching my back. Once high enough, I flew north, using the path to guide me. Though if today had been less clear, then I¡¯d have been able to follow the breeze. It was blowing from the northeast, and it was hard to miss the smells left by humans. While Rian replied on his sight and hearing to hunt, gulls had a sharp sense of smell as well. That meant I was forced to endure the disgusting scents coming from the pirates. Hopefully, it was because they refused to bathe ¨C which my men wouldn¡¯t be doing as I¡¯d located a small river a few clicks north of the southern port ¨C and not because of the general smell of the port. Otherwise, even if it weren¡¯t feasible for a long time, the urge to tear the place down and rebuild it would be hard to ignore. The first thing that stood out about the northern port was that it had defences. Or at least far more than the southern port. That port had a badly damaged wall covering the island-facing sides along with two towers at either side of the port from which archers could target approaching vessels. The northern port, however, was far more heavily defended. A wall ran around this port as well, though on the eastern side of the gate for the track, that sat on top of a small earthen embankment. The area outside the wall on both sides had been cleared, at least partially, for about ten metres meaning an easy attack on the wall wasn¡¯t doable. Circling overhead, I focused on the wall from the inside, noting that while the eastern side was solid and well manned ¨C I counted a dozen men working in pairs along that section of the wall ¨C the western side had holes in it, and perhaps half as many men guarding the approaches. That made it clear that Vaegon was concerned about an attack from the east, likely something Rakakz ¨C who controlled the centre of the island ¨C had done in the past. The gaps in the western wall were well-trodden, suggesting paths led into the forest to watchtowers, or hidden hunting grounds or stores. As I circled I counted about fifty bodies moving around the port, though as some had ropes around their necks, or lacked weapons, and were getting pushed and bossed around, it was clear Vaegon kept slaves to handle the menial labour. I¡¯d seen a handful in the southern port, though there were more here. Given the buildings here were in a better condition, or at least a higher percentage were, I suggested the manpower based here was greater as well. That added another fucking wrinkle to my plans, but one I felt I could work around. The reason Vaegon had the extra men here would be that Rakakz and Allerion had ports in Redwater Bay as well, and it would be the more logical place for them to skirmish with each other. That also explained why the ships in port, along with two more floating on the waves in the bay, were all longboats. The smaller craft had a lower draft, meaning they could sail closer to the coast, using it for cover to approach enemy positions. Hells, if there was a major river, the longboats could sail up it at least partially. The galleys in the southern port, and I assumed in the ports controlled by Rakakz and Allerion on the other coasts of the island, would be for striking at passing vessels, or larger attacks on open waters near the ports of the other Pirate Lords. The two longboats at sea had their sails furled and were resting in place meaning they¡¯d dropped anchor. Either they were scouts, monitoring for an attack from another Pirate Lord, or waiting for other ships to join them before moving to raid. Regardless, the fact that Vaegon and the other Pirate Lords used the bay for constant skirmishing, had been the final nail in the idea of using the small island that sat in the bay and was something I¡¯d have to deal with once I controlled Vaegon¡¯s ports. The island in the bay was smaller than any of the seven islands in The Whores, but had a perfect location to both control the bay and monitor the sea between Redwater and Dustspear. I had some plans for the island, mainly to use it as a military location for projecting power, but those were far into the future. Before I could enact them, I¡¯d need full and proper control of Redwater, along with examining the island. According to some pirates, it was claimed the island was cursed, and that any man who ventured there came back broken in the head, or never returned. While I wasn¡¯t discounting magic being involved in those events, I suspected the true reason was due to some form of predator that dominated the location. How it could survive on the small island, one that looked very much like the peak of a mountain poking out from below the water, wasn¡¯t something I knew, but nor was it something to concern myself with currently. Turning my focus back to the port, I watched how the men moved. I noted which buildings they entered or emerged from, how they were armed, and where any stores were held. While taking them out was an option, I wanted them intact if possible. My men needed food and having the buildings intact would allow the Pride of Saltbrook to not be our only storage location. Lifting my head slightly, I caught sight of Rian above me. There was a faint burst of worry ¨C a remnant of the gull¡¯s mind ¨C but it was shattered before it could become an issue. While Rian disliked me in the mind of the gull, feeling I was somehow undervaluing him, I¡¯d convinced him while sharing his thoughts that this way he wouldn¡¯t be in danger from a stray arrow. Something that was proven when I¡¯d stumbled on the watchtower when I¡¯d reached the island. Dominating the gull also helped me push Skinchanging on further. My bonds with my companions were high ¨C Kaa¡¯s was maxed at Level 10, while Rian and Ymir were at Levels 9 and 7 respectively ¨C but I¡¯d not yet gotten Skinchanging to Level 100. It was sitting comfortably at Level 92, and while the practice of breaking the minds of the gulls had granted me another level, I was cautious about reaching Level 100. At that point, I should gain another Instinctual Bond slot, and I wasn¡¯t sure which animals I¡¯d like to grant that to. Now, I¡¯d not actively chosen the bonds with Kaa, Rian, or Ymir, but with the direwolf I¡¯d been drawn to him, suggesting the bond was something I had some control over forming. I had some ideas for what animal I¡¯d like to bond with ¨C including insane ones of a dragon or kraken ¨C but I¡¯d have to wait and see what it would be. The other issue was that I felt Level 100 would be the maximum for Skinchanging. Fire Magic was at Level 100 and had been for about three-quarters of a year, and while it was possible to move to the next tier, I didn¡¯t feel Skinchanging would be capable of doing so. Not without the taking of a Trait. For Fire Magic, I¡¯d done a lot of mediating near open fires, even renting out a blacksmith¡¯s shop in the Shadow City to meditate near the furnace there, but I¡¯d not yet discovered what would help me unlock the next tier. It was possible that I simply couldn¡¯t do so until whatever event ¨C I suspected the Red Comet ¨C happened, but I¡¯d continue attempting to unlock it regardless. My attention returned to the port below as a group of men emerged from one of the main buildings near the dock. The group moved in unison, six others standing around one who both led and was escorted by the others. The lead man¡¯s shirt was bright ¨C insanely so to the gull¡¯s sight ¨C but it was the man that drew my initial attention. There was no hair on his head, instead, the skin and part of his face were scarred. Those marks I knew were the result of extensive burns, which meant this man was Vaegon the Firetouched. The way the pirates in the port scurried to appear busy, and the slaves moved to avoid Vaegon¡¯s gaze, made it even clearer I was looking at the opposite commander. My gaze then turned to the weapon he carried on his back. A large axe designed for two hands to wield was secured there. A closer inspection confirmed it but the slightly warn grip along the throat of the shaft suggested it saw regular action as well. I watched as Vaegon and his group moved to the dock, the men there hurrying to ready two of the ships. They might¡¯ve been heading out to replace the longboats holding watch in the bay, but I doubted that. Such behaviour wouldn¡¯t need Vaegon, and what looked like his commanders, to come to the dock together. That meant the group was heading off to raid, something confirmed when Vaegon turned and grasped arms with two of the six men with him. Those two each headed for one of the longboats, the crews pulling up the deck plank the moment the commanders stepped onboard. For a moment I considered following them, using their movement and attack to determine the locations of the ports of Rakakz and Allerion that lay in the bay, however, I decided against it. While that intel would be useful, I wanted to scout the coast from here to the watchtower I¡¯d found to the south. That would take time to do, something I¡¯d not be able to manage if I followed the raiding party. Once I was sure the coast was clear or not, and how that would alter the battle plan forming in my head, then I could return with Rian to scout the bay fully. Though first I¡¯d return to the Red Kraken, or more accurately my body. From there, I¡¯d relay what I¡¯d found to Edric and Trystane who¡¯d transcribe it, and then add some markings to my map of the Stepstones. At some point, I¡¯d have another such map commissioned as this one was proving extremely helpful for my campaigns, but details about The Whores and Redwater were understandably inaccurate. Eventually, I hoped to have the most accurate map of the Stepstones in the world, but that was going to take years to build, and I¡¯d need others to scout locations for me. Until then, this map was what I¡¯d work from. The Water Runs Red 1c (Bronn¡¯s POV) As he moved forward slowly, making sure to push aside branches and avoid causing anything underfoot to crack and give away his position, Bronn wondered how the fuck he had ended up here. Well, he knew how, but that so much had changed in the last year still took him by surprise, but finding himself leading men through a forest in the Stepstones, intending to attack another port controlled by pirates wasn¡¯t how he saw the year going. Running into those drunk fools in the Vale, and learning of their arrangement to bring a boy to Sunspear for seventy-five Dragons, had seemed like an easy payday. The boy delivered to the Dornish city was the bastard son of Roose Bolton, but Bronn didn¡¯t care. He had no interest in ever going to the North ¨C too fucking cold ¨C nor in dealing with a bloody lord. Still, the boy had done something to anger Cregan, as after leaving with his pay, Bronn never heard nor saw the Bolton bastard again. What had been unexpected was Cregan, though he had not learnt the name, had asked Bronn to remain in Sunspear for a while as he might have more work for him. Bronn, with the pouch full of Dragons in his hand, had agreed. He hadn¡¯t expected that to lead anywhere, but the chance to make more coin had been all the convincing Bronn needed to remain. Especially as Cregan didn¡¯t give the impression he planned to silence Bronn to protect the death of the Bolton bastard. Yet, after he had enjoyed his share of wine and women in the Shadow City, Bronn had met Cregan again, this time learning who Cregan was. The idea to attack an island in the Stepstones, under orders of Prince Doran no less, had intrigued Bronn. The promise of good pay serving to convince him to sign on. Learning that he¡¯d be working for the young man ¨C no one who got that much pussy could be called a boy ¨C was not something Bronn had been sure of, but seeing the plans Cregan had for Dustspear, and his willingness to fight dirty to win offered encouragement. Yet, after Dustspear was taken, and they¡¯d gained a small fortune in the process, Cregan had revealed an intent to carve out an empire in the Steps for himself and those willing to follow. Bronn was not one to care about politics. He cared only for coin, pussy, and battle: The latter only preferred if the chances of him dying were low. Still, Cregan had been true to his word in Sunspear, and again on Dustspear when he¡¯d talked of raiding The Whores, and he paid very well. Certainly, better than any company Bronn had served with in Essos during his travels there. Though Bronn knew in those he¡¯d been a fucking grunt expected to die in the first battle, with Cregan he was an officer; a Captain no less. Bronn liked the new rank, mainly for the increased pay it brought, but he disliked having to lead men. or at least men as fucking undisciplined and unskilled as those who had knelt before Cregan. Bronn knew these men, and calling them that was a fucking disgrace, were nothing more than bodies for Cregan to throw into battle, but Bronn now had to lead them. Which meant ensuring they didn¡¯t do anything stupid that resulted in Bronn¡¯s death. The slightest hint of movement ahead of him caused Bronn to tense. The shift in the shadows that caught his eye grew larger, revealing the form of the massive fucking direwolf that followed Cregan around. How such a beast could move so silently to sneak up on him and others, Bronn didn¡¯t know, but he was glad whatever gods had created such a monster that it was on his side. ¡°Fuck!¡± a man a few steps behind Bronn hissed out. ¡°That fucking thing almost stopped my heart.¡± ¡°Just be glad he¡¯s on our side,¡± Bronn whispered back, keeping his voice low because of where they were, and to remind the idiot to mind his tongue. ¡°Aye. Heard what it can do. Not seen it though.¡± Bronn turned back to Ymir, the beast¡¯s eyes locking onto his as if knowing it was being talked about. Which, given its intelligence, it might well could. ¡°Not sure you want to,¡± Bronn remembered vividly seeing the direwolf rip limbs from men as if snapping kindling for a fire and had no interest in experiencing that firsthand. That Cregan had such beasts had not come as a surprise to Bronn. Many nobles, and even some bastards, kept rare and unusual animals for amusing the dumb fucks that hung around them. What had confused Bronn for a long time was how close Cregan was with them. Letting a viper known to kill men with a single bite coil around your neck was normally the mark of a very stupid man. Bronn had understood quickly that Cregan was brave but far from stupid, though it was only in the last few moons that Bronn had learnt the truth. Hells, he was still at times finding it hard to believe, even with having seen small displays of magic and trickery in Essos. Ymir being here allowed Cregan to remain aware of their movements, and while Bronn could not deny the benefits of that, it still unnerved him. He could never tell, even when made aware when Cregan was inside the beast, or when it was just Ymir looking back at him. Bronn would also never admit to anyone that the idea of seeing the world through the eyes of an eagle intrigued him. He had stood at the top of several high places in Westeros and Essos and always marvelled at how those down below looked like ants. To see them from the clouds would be something else entirely. And yes, Bronn knew that many would call what Cregan ¨C and maybe others with Stark blood ¨C could do as evil, but those people were all dumb cunts. Seeing things from above, or through the eyes of a fucking direwolf, would offer advantages that anyone who understood war would kill for. That was proven, again, when the fleet had once they had reached Redwater. Hearing Cregan detail Vaegon the Firetouched bases, manpower, ships, the location of watchtowers, and the path between the bases was impressive. And with them having already dispatched men to take out the southern watchtower, something they were actively using. Several of the men had asked how Bronn, Daemon, Cregan and others knew of the watchtowers, but the dumb fucks didn¡¯t deserve to know the truth. Hells, many might not accept it. Cregan, the smart bugger that he was, lied his arse off well enough to cover things that Bronn would¡¯ve believed Cregan if he''d not known the truth. Movement to the far left drew Bronn¡¯s focus, his hand settling over the hilt of his blade. However, it was Daemon Sand. The Bastard of Godsgrace, and Sworn Shield of Cregan¡¯s princess, was the one in command of the men already on the island. While Daemon was far younger than Bronn, Bronn had no issues following the knight¡¯s command. Compared to some of the stupid arseholes he¡¯d had to fight for, Daemon was a genius in comparison, and while he wasn¡¯t on Bronn¡¯s level, the young knight had skill with a blade. Perhaps not with his tongue or cock though as he¡¯d yet to bed the young pup he¡¯d set his eyes upon. That girl, who was pretty but far too nice and unseasoned for Bronn¡¯s tastes, was a fun way to tease the Dornishman. And before they¡¯d sailed for Redwater, Bronn had made sure the whore he¡¯d hired from the small number in Northpoint spent the night being very vocal about their fucking. Both because Bronn had fucked her hard, and because Daemon was in the room nearby and needed to hear how you handled a woman. Daemon made a few motions with his hand, and after deciphering the message, Bronn replied in kind. The commands were simple but effective. That Cregan, as with his crews, had created a set of commands for them and the officers to use that was both similar yet different from commands Bronn had encountered in sellsword companies was another mark in Cregan¡¯s favour. Or at least Bronn¡¯s interest in continuing to be paid to fight for the Bloody Wolf. While some might feel Cregan was building a sellsword company to command, Bronn, like the other leaders who had been with him since before the taking of Dustspear, knew different. Cregan was planning to become Lord of the Stepstones or at least a large portion of it. It was a fucking ambitious plan, but so far Bronn hadn¡¯t seen any signs Cregan wouldn¡¯t manage to control a good portion of the islands. That, as much as it might surprise many who knew him, had him turning his thoughts to a longer-term view. Bronn had never considered what his future might hold, but seeing what Cregan was creating in the Steps had him wondering about his place in that. Cregan was, to many in Northpoint, among the men, and back in Dorne, a Lord in name already. Yet he could not rule all the islands or even most of them. He¡¯d need to place others in command of them. Daemon was the obvious choice; the knight was close to Cregan and was courting his cousin, however, Bronn did wonder if perhaps, one day, he might gain command of an island. He knew he¡¯d grow restless of staying in one place of dealing with the bullshit that Cregan dealt with in Northpoint, but the idea of having a location to return to, of men and fleets to command held appeal. Those ideas though were fleeting dreams of what might be, not what was. Cregan would probably fail in his goals ¨C Bronn expected it whenever the wolf moved against The Shrouded Isle or Bloodstone ¨C so it was pointless to focus on the idea of becoming something more than a sellsword. It was safer, and wiser to continue serving for now and earning a large amount of coin. Then, when it looked Cregan would fail, or someone offered him more for his services, Bronn would leave. And with that coin, his blade wet with the blood of others, and his heart racing from the excitement of battle, Bronn would return to the Shadow City and find that lovely YiTish whore to enjoy a few more nights of pleasure from her skilful hands, mouth, and cunt. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ (Cregan¡¯s POV) I turned my head, using the Myrish Eye to scan the coast of Redwater from the foredeck of the Red Kraken. We were sailing around the southern edge of the island, bringing the watchtower there into view. I was pleased to see that while there were bodies there, none reacted to the emergence of my fleet into their sight range. That meant Daemon had secured the tower, but as intended left the men upright to project the idea the post was still manned if any spotted it at a distance. It was likely men would be sent to relieve the dead, but Daemon had orders to use about twenty men to move slowly along any path from the watchtower toward the southern port. The rest of the men would move toward the hill that the track between Vaegon¡¯s two ports banked around. That was the obvious weak point in the track and with the number of men I¡¯d sent with Daemon and Bronn, along with Ymir so that I might stay in contact with them, ensuring the ports were cut off when the fleet attacked the southern port shouldn¡¯t be an issue. Only one other watchtower had been spotted on my recon flights, and that was placed along the coast from Vaegon¡¯s northern port. From there, they could see the movement of ships in the bay if they tried to slip around the small island, or if anything sailed in the sea near Redwater. That watchtower was to be ignored for now, as taking that out would alert the northern port to a threat, and I wanted them to remain as unprepared as possible. In Vaegon¡¯s place, in addition to the watchtowers to the east of each port, I¡¯d have placed men on the hill along the track between the ports, and if manageable, bells in each location and on the hill. That would allow the rapid transfer of warnings between the ports, and cause an attacker serious issues. That Vaegon hadn¡¯t done that was something that was helping my plans, and suggested that attacks on either port were only ever intended to harass and not secure. Vaegon might have watchtowers to the west, designed to monitor movement by Rakakz which would explain why the eastern coast had so few monitoring stations, and the ports lacked a quick and easy way to warn of danger. However, until I had him, or one of his lieutenants, on their knees before me, it was unlikely I¡¯d discover if that was the case. Once Redwater was secure, manning, securing, and expanding the defences on the south of the island would be my priority. I didn¡¯t have the manpower to secure the entire island from the get-go, but the place had more potential than Dustspear for supporting settlements. At a guess, I¡¯d say with time and proper protection the island could comfortably provide for ten to twenty thousand, however, until I was able to examine the entirety of the island I couldn¡¯t make anything more than a rough estimate of the island¡¯s potential. Beyond the wider world issues that awaited Westeros in the next few years, the more obvious issue with developing Redwater was the other Pirate Lords. Specifically, Salladhor Saan, The Lotus Prince, and the lord of Stormwatch. Those three controlled the islands to the west of Redwater, and could if they wanted, move to take the island. Of the three, only Saan had the forces to attack and hold the island, though if he did, The Lotus Prince would likely sail with him as an ally. The intel I had, which I admitted was spotty at best, suggested the pair had an alliance. They both focused on taxing vessels sailing near their islands and offering protection for the full journey. That did suggest the pair might be open to a peace treaty of sorts, but I¡¯d only be dealing with them, and the lord of Stormwatch ¨C who, it was claimed had ties to Lys ¨C once Redwater was under my banner. My gaze shifted, moving along the coast toward where the port lay. It was still too far away to be easily visible through the Eye, but because I knew where to look I could just pick out the faint haze of the port. ¡°Scouts have secured the tower,¡± I said without lowering the Eye. ¡°Signal the other vessels to form up.¡± Behind me, Edric and Trystane stood. I heard one of them, Edric I suspected, turn. He should be signalling the other ships, alerting them that the path was clear. I¡¯d had the pair learn the system of flag signals and positions I¡¯d developed for me men, and Edric had picked it up quicker. While there were standard signals used by fleets in Westeros and Essos, I wanted something just for my men. That would, in theory, make it harder for anyone to capture one of my vessels and sail it into Northpoint or close to another ship without giving themselves away. The issue was that, because it was an entirely new system, I had to keep it simple and only have my officers, along with the various ship Captains and First Mates learn them. There were also a few gestures I¡¯d created that wouldn¡¯t stand out to others, but could help, in theory, signal that their vessel was carrying enemies and they had been captured. It was a risk to have former pirates and sellswords learn these commands, as it wouldn¡¯t take much for most to reveal those commands under torture, but I felt it was a worthwhile idea to implement. As a bonus, it would help generate a sense of camaraderie between my senior warriors, making them loyal to each other and me. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. After ensuring that, as far as I could tell, there was no movement in the port, I lowered the Eye. Rian was high above the island, keeping watch of the comings and goings of men and ships from both ports, though he¡¯d only alert me if something happened in the southern port. As I slid the Eye back into the padded container it stayed in, I looked at the Kraken and the rest of the fleet. With about a hundred and fifty men on the island, it meant each ship was running light on crew. Since the wind was carrying us to the east, that hadn¡¯t yet been an issue, but as we approached the port and had to row hard to rush them, it might well be. If the men in the port chose to stand and fight, then I¡¯d need Daemon¡¯s men to strike from the north as we beached our warships. That would be easy to communicate because of Ymir, but it was only one of three choices the pirates in the port could take. The other two, which were to sail forth and engage, or attempt to flee on their galleys, were more problematic. A direct assault was unlikely, as I had the numerical advantage. Something that was further enhanced by the fact I had two war galleys, and every ship carried double the number of scorpions they had when I¡¯d captured them. The ability to launch volleys of bolts at anything that neared us ¨C each war galley had four forward-facing scorpions and two more along each side while the galleys had half that ¨C would make a naval battle one-sided and hopefully convince those battling us to either turn and run or surrender. Given my lack of manpower on my ships, those were preferable to boarding actions, however, if the pirates turned and ran; even after getting close enough that my fleet to attack them with bolts, it would cause me issues. Taking the port, and then moving overland to the other under Vaegon¡¯s control, would be problematic if even two galleys remained at sea. They could either land along the coasts and attempt to harass those holding the port or after the majority left to take the other base, assault it. I couldn¡¯t risk losing my fleet, nor being trapped between forces in both ports, however, I had a few plans to ensure the pirates that would soon see my fleet didn¡¯t attempt an outright flee. The first, and it was one the fleet was slowly shifting into, was a formation designed to hide my numbers. The two war galleys would take the lead, sailing close together without risking the oars becoming entangled. The galleys would slip in behind us, hiding as best they could from sight from the port. If there were men along the coast, then they¡¯d see it was more than just two vessels approaching the port, but it was unlikely that was the case, and even if it were, they¡¯d have to sprint to the port to arrive before we did. The other plan was a more unusual one, and something that when I¡¯d mentioned it to Daemon and the others, they¡¯d looked at me as if I¡¯d gone mad. However, I had faith in my plan and had the birds to pull it off. ¡­ ¡­ ¡°Very well then,¡± I muttered about two hours later as I once more looked through the Myrish Eye at Vaegon¡¯s southern port. The ships there ¨C only three of the four galleys I¡¯d spotted during my aerial recon ¨C were readying themselves to sally forth. Since they, hopefully, were only seeing two war galleys bearing down on them, they might well feel they had a chance to capture one or both vessels. Either that or they planned to sail to wherever the other galley was, and then, if we moved to take the port, attack us from the sea. ¡°Signal for attack formation,¡± I said without lowering the Eye as the first galley slid forward. Edric would ensure the signal was sent, and as the pirate vessels prepared to slip from the port, they¡¯d find themselves facing six ships instead of two moving in a simple, but effective Flying-V formation. At that point, the base commander would be more inclined to run than fight, either at sea or on land. He might, however, decide it wiser to abandon the port entirely and retreat to the northern one. That would be my least preferred option, but with one¡­ no two galleys free of their lines, they¡¯d be short on manpower. Enough that Daemon¡¯s men should be able to ambush them and either force a surrender or hold them long enough that my men could rush out to strike the pirates from the rear. If the last galley slipped its mooring, which looked likely, then I suspected they¡¯d turn north. Through Rian I¡¯d discovered two galleys sailing that way, seemingly having come from this port, toward a port further northward. They were either going to raid Rakakz¡¯s port or sail close enough to it to draw men out. Either way, that meant a good percentage of Vaegon¡¯s men in my targeted port were absent. They were far enough away that they shouldn¡¯t be an issue for taking the port, but I didn¡¯t want the other galleys and men aboard them linking up with those two. I¡¯d already alerted Daemon and Bronn that we were nearing the port when I¡¯d last spoken to them via Ymir. While Bronn had found it funny watching Daemon speak to the direwolf, at least until I growled at him, they were ready for runners heading to alert the northern port, at least if they travelled via the track. While it was unlikely the commander of this port would do so, seeing ships approaching from the west, and not having been alerted by the watchtower, I¡¯d send men through the forest to the north, flanking the track on the chance there were men there ready to attack the port. There was a chance I was overthinking things, but I felt safer assuming my opposite number was smart as I was less likely to be surprised by them doing something than if I assumed they were nothing more than dumb pirates. The last galley slipped from the dock, and I smiled. ¡°Warn the men to prepare for attack speed.¡± The sound of footsteps meant Trystane had left the foredeck. He¡¯d pass the orders along to the captain and officers of the Kraken. Regardless of the pirate galleys turned to attack or run, we¡¯d be hunting them down. A small, possibly vicious smile crept onto my face as I continued to watch the galleys. Part of me hoped they¡¯d turn and run. Not only would it save me from committing men to a sea battle, but I¡¯d also get the chance to test out my newest offensive tactic. One that I felt had never been seen in these seas, if not anywhere on the planet. Not since magic had run rampant, and skinchanging was more accepted and encouraged. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ (Pirate POV) The commander looked back from the quarterdeck of his galley. Curses rattled around his head, aimed at whoever led the fleet chasing them, which was responsible for driving them from the port. The sails of all four ships bore a sigil he¡¯d never seen before. The only thing that stood out about it, bar the black wolf¡¯s head that dominated the mark, was that it bore more similarity to something from Westeros than Essos. He had hoped the fleet would let them slip away and sail straight into the port, but the man commanding that fleet was smarter than that. While two of the fleet, simply galleys akin to his, had sailed into the port, the rest had turned to pursue. While the commander feared the war galleys might row them down, it seemed they were slower than his ships, probably because they¡¯d rowed hard to reach the port in the hope of trapping him, his ships, and his men there. While he had been forced to abandon the port, something Vaegon would understand when he explained it to him, it angered the commander to do so. He¡¯d worked from that port for ten years, commanding it for the last four. It was his home, and allowing anyone else in, even for a morning, was too long. Still, Vaegon would soon receive the runners the Commander had sent and be preparing a force to retake the port. While that was going on, and with it adding two new ships to their fleet, the commander intended to draw those chasing him away. His two other galleys were to the north, watching the movements of Rakakz¡¯s men and seeing if there might be a lone trade vessel to attack. Meeting up with those ships would give the commander the numbers to turn and engage his pursuers, the trick was to ensure the chasing fleet remained close enough to want to pursue, but not close enough that the scorpions ¨C the commander had seen three possibly four on the foredeck of the lead war galley ¨C could attempt to damage his galleys. Shouts of confusion had the commander turn, and as he looked at the deck, he saw several men near the main mast had stopped rowing. A few had even stood, pulling back from two locations. ¡°The fuck are they doing,¡± he snarled, marching past the helmsman toward the confusion. ¡°The fuck is going on?¡± He shouted as he leapt down the small set of steps to the main deck. Most of the men who¡¯d abandoned their post quickly shifted to return to them, not wanting to anger the commander. Others, particularly those who¡¯d moved away, didn¡¯t though, with several pointing at the mast. Looking up, the commander cursed when he saw a small hole in the centre of the sail. A grunt of annoyance slipped from him a moment later when the hole tore wider. ¡°Row harder, you fuckers!¡± he shouted, wanting the men to pick up the slack because of the damaged sail. Yet, as he focused on the tear, watching it widen some more, he wondered how it had happened. Sails didn¡¯t suddenly rip, and certainly not in their centre where they were strongest. It was possible one of the slaves had fucked up when repairing the sail, but that idea was dismissed as he knew the sail had last been repaired half a moon ago, with the galley having gone to sea a half dozen times since then. The commander¡¯s attention shifted to the two small groups of men who hadn¡¯t resumed rowing. Their faces ¨C names if he could remember them ¨C went in his memory, the lot due for a flogging for their fucking actions unless they had good reason to abandon their posts. He moved to the closest group first, seeing one of the pair picking up a seagull. A glance back at the sail, and the commander understood the bird had flown into the sail. Why it would do such a thing, he couldn¡¯t say, nor did he care. All that mattered was the dead thing had ripped the sail, costing them speed. A problem that was going to grow worse. ¡°Toss it overboard and then back to your oars or you gonna join it!¡± The commander snarled. Turning from them, he looked at the crew not manning the oars. ¡°Trim the sail as best you can. I do not want that tear widening and costing us speed,¡± He said, thrusting an arm toward the damaged main sail. As the men moved to obey, the commander moved to the other group that was standing. Those were on the other side of the mast, and four men were stomping panickily at something on the deck. The men nearby were glancing at the actions but were smart enough to keep rowing. ¡°What the fuck is going on?¡± The commander snarled, making the men stop. One man, who¡¯d stop with his leg reared up to stamp on the deck, stumbled back, landing on others who were busy rowing. ¡°Watch what you fucking doing fool!¡± His hand moved to his hilt, preparing to gut this idiot and toss the body into the sea only to pause as something on the deck caught his eye. Looking down, the commander gasped, wondering how the small section of rope had ended up on their deck, and why in the Gods¡¯ names, was it burning. Under the flickers of flame, he saw the rope was darkened, which was even odder as rope didn¡¯t do that unless it had burnt for a long time and this section looked to be otherwise in good condition. ¡°Toss it,¡± he ordered, his gaze turning to the men trying pathetically to stamp it out. The man stopped; confused or concerned by the order. ¡°Do it or you be the one going over.¡± Grumbling, though not loud enough that the commander heard and had a reason to gut him, the man looked around frantically, seeing something to grasp the burning rope with. As he did, the commander knelt, examining the rope. He frowned when he caught the smell coming from the rope. ¡°The fuck?¡± He muttered, wondering why the rope was soaked in tar. That was beyond fucking stupid and meant the men who¡¯d been stamping on the rope would never put it out. Hells, even tossing it in the water might not extinguish the flames, but at least it would be off his ship. The man ordered to remove it came closer, a bucket in hand. The commander stepped back, watching the man pathetically kick the rope into the bucket. Thick fumes rose for the bucket as it was lifted, and the commander turned, glad this stupidly odd moment was over. ¡°Sir!¡± The call came from one of the men not manning the oars. ¡°The Fear¡¯s ablaze!¡± The commander spun, not believing the words, and when he looked at the galley that lay off their starboard, about half a length behind, he didn¡¯t see any hint of fire. At least not until he glanced at the Fear¡¯s main sail. It was a minor thing, unworthy of the suggestion the ship was ablaze, but the sail was on fire. The commander¡¯s eyes narrowed as, under the small but growing flames, he saw a hole in the sail. It was in roughly the same location as the one in the sails aboard his ship. That another ship had suffered damage to its sail in the same location was insanely fucking unlikely. Add in that the growing fire that would engulf the sail before the tear destroyed it, possibly if it grew strong enough, damage the main mast, and the commander understood they were under attack. The question was how it wa¡­ His eyes shifted, seeing the carcass of the recently tossed gull catch one of the Fear¡¯s oars. ¡°Fuck me sideways,¡± he muttered. His mind was putting the pieces together, and while they seemed impossible, it was the only explanation he could come up with. ¡°Archers!¡± He called, turning back to his men. ¡°To the ready!¡± the men, archer or not, all turned to look at him; most of those manning the oars slowing or stopping their action. ¡°NOW! GODS DAMNIT!¡± The commander roared, his hand grasping the hilt of his blade to make clear that disobeying wasn¡¯t an option. Since many of the archers were manning the sails, it meant they had to scramble from their benches. That the bows were stored at either end of the main deck added to the confusion, though as the commander turned, looking back at the Fear, he knew it was needed. Somehow, someone was making birds ¨C he couldn¡¯t be sure a gull had attacked the Fear, but it seemed likely ¨C attack their sails while carrying tar-soaked burning sections of rope. The majority of his mind was reeling, struggling to believe what he was seeing, but it was the only explanation, even as beyond insane as it sounded, that made any sense. ¡°Fuck!¡± The Commander cursed as the flames spread over the Fear¡¯s sail, the cloth carrying the flames outward. While there was a chance the wind might extinguish the fire before it engulfed the entire sail, the Fear was already slowing, now nearly a full length behind his vessel. He turned around, wanting to see if the Terror was under attack, yet as his eyes drifted westward he stopped. He swore he saw something in the air behind them. Pushing his way to the quarterdeck as the men rushed to ready bows and gather their quivers, he leapt up the short flight of stairs to stand next to the helmsman. The man tried to keep his eyes forward, but the commander could see the confusion in the man¡¯s eyes; and the hints of fear that the commander was going insane. The commander ignored it, not least as he was still struggling to accept what he felt was happening and moved to the stern, gazing at the chasing fleet. He cursed his luck that, in the haste to rush to attack the galleys he¡¯d forgotten his Myrish Eye. He¡¯d not thought they¡¯d need it as the two war galleys had been sailing straight for the port suggesting they wanted battle. He understood the larger ships had simply been covering for those behind them, and he respected whoever was commanding the fleet for forcing him to turn and run, but it still didn¡¯t excuse his failure to not bring the Eye. His gaze shifted, catching again the speck in the sky. Hints of red or orange against the dull blue sky made the object stand out. The commander watched as the flickers grew larger, and when the flaps of wings became visible, he had his proof of what was happening. He still struggled to believe it, but dwelling on the how and why could wait until after the attack was ended. ¡°Motherfucker!¡± he shouted, knowing that someone on the chasing fleet was behind this, even as he watched the bird, and its burning cargo, drifted away from his vessel. ¡°Signal the Terror!¡± He shouted. ¡°Tell them to shoot that bird!¡± He added, pointing at the offending creature. ¡°Sir?¡± At the confused response from his First Mate, he turned, his arm staying up and in the rough direction of the bird. ¡°DO IT! NOW!¡± the First Mate nodded, before turning and relaying the order to the signalman. Yet even as that man lifted the flags, the commander knew it was too little, too late. The Terror¡¯s captain wouldn¡¯t understand the order, and that delay, along with getting his archers ready, would mean the bird would crash into the Terror¡¯s sails. Just as one had for his ship and the Fear. The commander watched the bird as it turned, angling toward its target, totally unconcerned by the fact flames were brushing against its feather. His mind returned to the gull that had landed on his deck. The feathers on the bird¡¯s underside had been darkened, but the commander had ignored it, believing it was just a trick of the light or an unusual pattern. Now though he understood, however reluctantly, that the bird had been burnt by the burning rope as it carried it toward him. Nothing about that made sense, as no animal willingly held something that harmed them, nor ignored the pain burning skin and flesh caused. Yet this was the third bird that had done so. And, as he watched it dive toward the Terror, he knew it was doing it intentionally. Nothing, absolutely nothing about this made any sense. Not unless someone on the chasing fleet was some twisted sorcerer. The commander had heard the stories of what men did in the Far East; rumours of the dark arts practised in Qarth, YiTi, and Asshai, but he¡¯d never believed them. Or more accurately, that what the stories said was fully true. Yet, as the bird slammed into the Terror¡¯s main sail, he accepted that perhaps there was more than just a hint of truth to those stories. He also knew what had happened with his vessel. The bird attacking them had come in at too sharp an angle. The bird had pierced the sails, but the speed had carried it and the flaming rope through the sail before the cloth could catch alight. Again, even though he knew that was what had happened, he struggled to accept it, even as the crew of the Terror reacted in panic to the flames that appeared on their sail. The commander turned back to the chasing fleet, watching as their sails extended, the war galleys pushing ahead of their escorts, confirming this was all their doing. ¡°Damn you!¡± The commander snarled, shaking an impotent fist at their pursuers. ¡°Damn, you all straight to the gates of Hell!¡± The war galleys didn¡¯t respond, at least beyond continuing to close on his small fleet. A few moments later, as the Terror started to slow, and the Fear continued to fall back, the commander saw another bird rise from the lead war galley. Or more accurately, he caught the flicker of flame from the bird¡¯s dangerous cargo. ¡°Fuck!¡± He snarled as the flicker rose higher and then another moment later the war galley launched bolts at the Fear. Only one struck, but it was luck and caught the mizzen sail, removing the last chance the galley had of using the wind to outrun the larger vessels bearing down on it. ¡°Fuck!¡± He cursed again, knowing what he had to do. Turning, he moved toward the main deck. ¡°Archers, to your oars!¡± Many of the crew looked at him as if he¡¯d lost his mind again, yet he didn¡¯t care. The bird in the air was heading for them, and their only real chance was to attempt to outrun it while those chasing them captured or sunk the Fear and Terror. Vaegon might well string him alive for losing the port and two of his galleys, but for now all the commander cared about was surviving to fight another day, and escaping the evil that was chasing him. ¡°NOW!¡± The Water Runs Red 2a (Jon Arryn¡¯s POV) Looking down at the various reports from around King¡¯s Landing and beyond that had been collected for him to examine this morning, Jon Arryn had to fight back a sigh. At seven and seventy, and four and ten years as Hand of the King to Robert Baratheon, he was growing tired of having to hold the realm together. That wasn¡¯t to say he wished he¡¯d never defied Aerys when he had demanded the heads of his wards, just that managing the realm was a role for a younger man. It had been over ten years since he had last held court in the Eyrie, and it was past time that his son, Robert, grew up away from King¡¯s Landing. If not in the Eyrie with Jon and his lady wife at his side, then at least as a ward of one of the Vale Lords. While none had directly asked about taking Jon¡¯s heir as their ward, Jon was learnt enough to be able to read between the lines of ravens sent from Lords Gerold, Lyonel, and Yohn to know they along with others wished for Robyn to grow up in the Vale and not King¡¯s Landing. The issue rested with Lysa. Jon¡¯s wife was overly protective of their son, almost to the level of Queen Cersei with her eldest Joffrey, and whenever Jon attempted to discuss Robyn leaving to serve as a ward of another lord, she had grown loud and aggressive. If he were half his age, Jon would not have withdrawn the topic, but when combined with the daily task of keeping the Seven Kingdoms and King¡¯s Landing running, he no longer wished to face the fury of Lysa Tully when the day ended. Still, he continued to wonder how he might arrange for the boy to ward, and how to arrange it without Lysa learning of it until after the fact. That matter though, for all it continued to rattle around his aged but still sharp mind, was minor when compared to all but ruling the Seven Kingdoms in King Robert¡¯s Name. Robert had been a great wartime leader, but in peace he was ill-suited to lordship, to say nothing of kingship. The one saving grace was that Robert understood this and allowed Jon, along with the other members of the Small Council, to rule the Kingdoms in his name. That task had grown more arduous in recent years. Not only was the influence of House Lannister at court and in the city growing stronger, but piracy in the Narrow Sea had increased to the point that trade vessels had to sail in fleets to ensure their safety. The only upside of the latter issue was that, in the last year, Robert had returned to the yard. While Jon believed the King knew he would not be leading an army to smash the pirates in the Stepstones or beyond, the fact he had pulled himself ¨C at least partially ¨C from drink and whoring was a relief. At least in the sense of him siring any more bastards. Jon knew of at least five within the city walls, though unlike Mya Stone and Edric Storm, none had been claimed by Robert as his baseborn children. That was a good thing for them as Queen Cersei was, among other things, fiercely protective of her children, and considered Robert¡¯s various bastards threats to her children. Or at least to Prince Joffrey. While the Queen loved all her children, she spoiled the heir to the Iron Throne so much that no matter the actions the boy took, she never scolded him. Not even after he had presented a pregnant cat that he¡¯d butchered to Robert. Robert¡¯s response to that, of striking the young Prince, had been warranted if light, but it paled in comparison to the complete lack of concern over Joffrey¡¯s actions that the Queen displayed. In the last few moons, whenever Jon''s thoughts strayed to Joffrey, Tommen, and Myrcella¡ªthe latter two as sweet and kind as children could be¡ªthey would invariably drift toward the thorny issue of their legitimacy. Lord Stannis had, in the strictest confidence, expressed his concerns about the conspicuous absence of Baratheon features in the royal children. Jon had sought to reassure him, outwardly confident that the children were indeed of true Baratheon blood. Yet, in his heart, doubts festered. Mya Stone and Edric Storm bore the unmistakable markers of their lineage, with thick black hair and piercing blue eyes. The royal children, however, were undeniably Lannister: fair-haired, green-eyed. Myrcella, in particular, brought to mind a young Queen Cersei, while of much higher concern both boys had the look of Jaime about them, rather than Robert. As he did each time they came to mind, Jon pushed those thoughts aside. The matter was one he would look into, but only after he had examined the missives that had arrived during the night, and then met with the rest of the Small Council after midday meal. However, before he could resume examining the letters that covered his desk, there was a knock at the door. ¡°Enter,¡± He called, pleased to be granted distraction from the missives. Though what little hope for a gentle discussion with whoever had arrived slipped away as he caught the hint of lavender. A moment later the one most known for such a scent in the Red Keep, Varys, moved around the door. ¡°I do hope that I am not disturbing you this morning, Lord Hand,¡± the Essosi in a voice that, to those unaware, sounded entirely unthreatening. Jon knew well that for all his plump look, the Spider was anything but unthreatening. Varys carried himself with a grace that few men half his bulk could achieve, and though a man of little physical threat, his network of contacts, spies ¨C little birds, as he called them ¨C and probable assassins in his hire made him one of the most dangerous men in Westeros. ¡°Not at all, Lord Varys,¡± Jon replied with a friendly smile, though the emotions behind the smile were anything but jovial. ¡°How might I be of assistance this morning?¡± Jon detested the Essosi, and not just because of his ability to seemingly know everything before anyone else. Varys had arrived in Westeros a few years before Robert¡¯s Rebellion and had served as Aerys¡¯ Master of Whispers. Robert, once he assumed the throne, had allowed Varys to remain in the position, and while Jon could not deny that the reports Varys brought to the Small Council had helped snuff out most threats before they became anything but a bushfire ¨C the Greyjoy being the one instance where that wasn¡¯t the case ¨C Jon had grown to detest the eunuch. An opinion shared by Lord Stannis and Ser Barristan, though none would speak such words in the presence of any but the other. "My little birds have recently brought something to my attention that I feel the Small Council needs to be made aware of," Varys intoned as he slipped into Jon''s chamber. The plump man moved with surprising swiftness and a near-silent grace across the tiled floor. "It concerns the matters we face in the Narrow Sea.¡± Jon¡¯s brow rose slightly, wondering what Varys¡¯ birds ¨C children really ¨C had learnt. He wondered often where Varys found the children he used for spying, as every census of King¡¯s Landing¡¯s orphanages year-on-year reported roughly the same number of children in their care. Wherever they came from, Jon knew to be wary of any child he saw around the Red Keep or while out in King¡¯s Landing for concern they might be of the Spider¡¯s little birds. Jon indicated the seats on the other side of his desk, and Varys offered a nod of thanks as he moved to sit. ¡°And what, pray tell, is of such importance that it could not wait until we meet this afternoon?¡± Varys slipped into the chair, seemingly collapsing into the seat as if glad to be off his feet. The routine was well practised, and many would miss the grace of Varys gliding around the edge of the chair without catching it. ¡°Might I offer you a drink?¡± Jon added, playing along with Varys¡¯ little routine as the large man exhaled in joy to finally be off his feet. ¡°Thank you,¡± Varys replied with another lowering of his head. ¡°The climb to your chamber is an arduous one for even the most capable persons within the Red Keep. Never mind one of my girth.¡± Jon bit back a snort, aware that the Spider knew of passages and shortcuts that ran through the walls of the Red Keep. While there was likely not a quicker way to the Hand¡¯s chamber in this tower than the staircase that ran up its centre, Jon knew Varys was quicker on his feet than most would ever realise. ¡°I find the effort needed to climb them ensures that nought but the most important issues are brought to my attention by those championing the cause.¡± As he spoke, Jon poured some wine into a goblet. ¡°Indeed, and that is why I am bringing this matter to you before the Council meets later today.¡± After speaking, Varys took the goblet Jon offered and took a long sip. Then, he passed a slip of parchment¡ªthe size of something a raven might carry¡ªto Jon. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Opening the small scroll, Jon read the contents. A frown formed on his brow, and he read it again, then once more before looking back at Varys. ¡°This is slightly troubling,¡± he said slowly, placing the parchment on his desk, ¡°and yet, given the closeness of Dorne to the Stepstones, along with the increases in trade between Sunspear and the North, it is not unexpected. Though Prince Doran risks angering the Free Cities with such actions.¡± ¡°I do not believe the Prince intends to take all of the islands, my Lord Hand. Instead, I suspect he merely wishes to drive back the piracy that has hampered Dorne¡¯s eastern coast for generations.¡± Varys took another sip of his wine, which allowed Jon to add a thought. ¡°Perhaps that is so, but with the new Dornish fleet he has purchased from Braavos, and the trading fleets that sail between Sunspear and White Harbour, I would have expected most pirates to curtail their actions.¡± ¡°As would I.¡± Varys placed his goblet down, careful to not place it on any of the missives that littered Jon¡¯s desk, though Jon did see Varys¡¯ eyes drift to a handful of them. Those he would look at once this unexpected meeting ended. ¡°It seems, however, that the pirate who controlled Dustspear simply saw the larger forces as a greater potential reward.¡± Varys paused there and looked around. If they were outside, Jon might suspect he was looking for spies belonging to others, but as this chamber was pressed against the wall of the Tower of the Hand ¨C bar the door that led to the staircase ¨C it was doubtful that any could spy upon them. ¡°This self-styled Grim Prince even managed to target ships that carried members of the Martell household.¡± Jon¡¯s brow rose in surprise at that, as such a move would draw the ire of Prince Doran. To not strike back would be seen as a sign of weakness among the other Lords of Westeros. ¡°However, it is here that the matter turns interesting. Both times that a member of the Martell household was threatened, Cregan Sand was present.¡± Jon blinked, taken aback by the mention of that name. He had encountered the bastard during the Greyjoy Rebellion when he was but a boy. The tale of how a child of seven had slain Lord Dunstan and his son, and claimed the Valyrian steel blade Red Rain, had been the talk of Casterly Rock when His Grace and the hosts of Lord Tywin and Lord Eddard had gathered there. Indeed, Robert had boldly proclaimed that the young Cregan was the bastard of Brandon Stark. Had Eddard and Robert not been brothers in all but name, such a claim might have stirred the ire of the Warden of the North. Instead, Eddard had been pleased to see his nephew¡¯s deeds celebrated by others. Jon recalled that Cregan¡¯s name had been a subject of conversation again, though this time within the walls of the Red Keep. News of Cregan and Robb Stark discovering and raising direwolf pups had set many tongues wagging among the nobles and gossip mongers of the city. While most had dismissed the notion that the Starks might have a direwolf for their heir, Eddard had confirmed by raven that the rumours were true. When Robert had learned of this, he had expressed a desire to see the beasts, though the matter had soon slipped from His Grace¡¯s attention after several flagons of wine. ¡°I hope that you are not suggesting that the bastard son of Brandon Stark, and one whose actions draw His Grace¡¯s attention, has turned to piracy?¡± ¡°No, Lord Hand, he has not. Indeed, after the first time he was assaulted by pirates, Oberyn Martell knighted Cregan when he was but a moon shy of turning five and ten, upon their return from the North with the direwolf in tow.¡± That voyage returning to Dorne was one Jon had known of for some time. Hearing that Eddard¡¯s second son, his bastard daughter, and Wylla Manderly would foster in Sunspear was a matter that Varys had brought to his attention around the time the fleet would have been passing Blackwater Bay. That Cregan Sand had been knighted on that voyage though was fresh news to Jon. The growing bonds between Dorne and the North were indeed encouraging. The North, remote from King¡¯s Landing and seldom embroiled in the politics of the southern kingdoms, maintained a close connection to the Throne through Eddard and Robert. Dorne, while acknowledging Robert¡¯s claim to the Iron Throne, had remained aloof. Even after Jon had journeyed to Sunspear to ensure that Prince Doran harboured no ill will towards Robert for the grievous acts that had led to the death of Doran¡¯s sister and her children during the sacking of King¡¯s Landing. ¡°Impressive,¡± Jon remarked, noting the knighting of Cregan Sand so that he might mention it to Robert. Though His Grace might not be swayed by many things, he had shown interest in the boy he had dubbed the Bloody Wolf. Perhaps the news of the boy¡¯s knighthood and his current campaign in the Stepstones might serve to keep kindled Robert¡¯s enthusiasm in the yard. ¡°I recall hearing from my nephew about Ser Cregan¡¯s triumph in a squire tourney in Gulltown a few years past.¡± Young Harrold Hardyng, the spare for House Arryn, was a source of such tidings, relayed to Jon via ravens sent by Lady Anya Waynwood. ¡°He spoke highly of Cregan¡¯s prowess, and the two seemed to have remained close. Yet I remain unclear as to why you have raised the matter of Ser Cregan.¡± ¡°I do so because it was he that Prince Doran tasked with taking the island,¡± Varys responded. ¡°The young knight did so ably and returned to Sunspear with bountiful treasure. Prince Doran publicly thanked him for his service though it seems that while Prince Doran is fond of the young wolf, the wolf¡¯s loyalty belongs to Doran¡¯s firstborn.¡± Jon felt one of his eyebrows rise. ¡°Princess Arianne has taken him as her paramour?¡± ¡°Yes, though from what I am told, she is merely one of several who share his bed. Including, and this was a shock to me, Asha Greyjoy.¡± Jon coughed, taken aback by this revelation. ¡°That¡­ is unexpected. I would have thought the Greyjoy girl would resent Ser Cregan due to his father.¡± ¡°As would I,¡± Varys conceded, ¡°but it seems that much like his father and Prince Oberyn, Ser Cregan possesses a certain way of finding himself in beds best left alone.¡± ¡°But were we so fortunate,¡± Jon muttered, reminded how thankful he was that it was Eddard who had fostered with him instead of Brandon. ¡°Still, the closeness of Ser Cregan to Princess Arianne might explain why Prince Doran assigned him the task of defeating this pirate and clearing Dustspear.¡± ¡°Holding Dustspear, my Lord Hand. While it is true that Ser Cregan emerged victorious, the most recent message I received stated he was sailing back to the island with a small force. Two, perhaps three hundred men with the intent of both developing the island and striking against other pirates in the Stepstones.¡± Jon sighed deeply. ¡°This complicates matters,¡± He said slowly, even past seventy his mind still sharp. ¡°As a bastard, Ser Cregan taking Dustspear is of minor importance, but with his closeness to Prince Doran and his heir, and his plans to strike at more pirates in the islands, this could risk the Seven Kingdoms being drawn into war with some or most of the Free Cities.¡± Tyrosh and Myr would never stand for the Iron Throne controlling the Stepstones. Nor likely would Lys or Volantis, but if assurances could be given to the Lyseni Magisters and Triarchs ¨C possibly ones paid for in coin ¨C they might allow the cleansing of piracy in the Stepstones by forces from Westeros. If they did not, or Tyrosh and Myr acted before Jon could open communication with the Archon and the Myrish Magisters, then the Seven Kingdoms might find themselves drawn into another war. Jon knew that Robert would fully approve of that, but Jon feared the cost. Already the crown was deeply in debt to the Iron Bank and Lord Tywin to the tune of five million Dragons. War in the Stepstones would only hasten the growth of that debt, though at least it would stop Robert from being so generous with coin the Throne didn¡¯t have for tourneys and other matters. ¡°Indeed, which is why I felt the matter must be brought to you this morning,¡± Varys¡¯ comment drew Jon out of his mental rummaging. ¡°And for that, you have my thanks, Lord Varys.¡± The man might not be a Lord but because of his position referred to him as such. Those who understood the power the eunuch wielded were doubly careful to not end up angering a man who, according to rumour, knew of assassins from the Wall to the Ruins of Valyria. ¡°I will ensure that the matter is discussed at council this afternoon and then brought to His Grace. While I doubt Prince Doran intends to conquer the Steps or drag Westeros into war with Essos, it is something we cannot allow to continue unabated.¡± ¡°I would agree that Prince Doran¡¯s intentions are not so grandiose, but one can never be too careful with the Dornish.¡± Jon nodded in agreement, and with that, Varys stood. The man slipped easily from his chair, far more so than one would expect from someone of his bulk, and Jon watched the Master of Whispers exit his chamber. He stayed still even once the door was closed, listening for any hint of sound that might suggest that one of Varys¡¯ little birds ¨C or someone in the employ of others ¨C was listening. Once as sure as he could be that he was alone, he sighed deeply, and his head fell into his hands. Doran¡¯s move against Dustspear, and even attempting to hold it, was of little concern to the Iron Throne. But the potential for war was there, and it would take considerable effort to assure the Free Cities ¨C save perhaps Braavos who would back any action taken against slavers, which most of the powerful pirates in the Stepstones were ¨C that this was not a move to expand the Iron Throne¡¯s borders. Attempts to take and hold the Stepstones had occurred often even after the Targaryens united Westeros. None had succeeded, and those that had come close had often failed because the Free Cities, the Iron Throne, or a combination of both, didn¡¯t want anyone but them controlling the islands. If Ser Cregan was working alone and lacked a strong connection to one of the Great Houses of Westeros, then there would not be an issue. However, Ser Cregan had been raised in Dorne and according to Varys, was the paramour of the future ruler of the land. The chances that any in the Free Cities wouldn¡¯t, once they learnt of Ser Cregan¡¯s history, assume it was an invasion sanctioned by the Iron Throne were small. Hells, even knowing it wasn¡¯t currently an attempt to take the entirety of the islands, Jon feared that Robert might support the move, even going so far as to join the fighting himself if he could. Wanting to clear his thoughts of possible war, Jon stood and moved to the main window of his chamber. The sound of steel clashing against steel echoed off the walls of the Red Keep and carried up to him, making Jon wonder if Robert was in the yard today and if so if he was sparring with Ser Barristan, Ser Jaime, or a combination of the two. While it was good to see, after over ten long years, the Robert of old re-emerge, Jon now just feared it might lead the crown to ruin. Though perhaps, he realised as the sound of training continued to reach his ears, he could use this to have Robert train his children. Joffrey, unless withdrawn from the Queen¡¯s clutches, was perhaps a lost cause. Tommen, however, had the potential to be shaped into a man worthy of the Throne. If ¨C Jon knew the chances of it were slim at best ¨C Jon could convince Robert to have Joffrey and Tommen foster away from King¡¯s Landing, then he could resume discussion with Lysa regarding their son fostering with a Lord in the Vale. ¡­ ¡­ The Water Runs Red 2b (Cregan¡¯s POV) I took in the sight of more than a hundred men on their knees. These were the pirates who had surrendered to his forces, whether after the pursuit of the three galleys or those left behind in the port. Some aboard the galleys had chosen to fight, but a few well-placed arrows and bolts had persuaded the majority to yield. Those left in the port had hoped to flee to Vaegon¡¯s other harbour, only to fall into the hands of Bronn, Daemon, and their men. The sight of such numbers, coupled with a snarling Ymir, had compelled them all to surrender without further bloodshed among his forces. It had taken longer than I¡¯d have liked to get the galleys back to port, as by the time they yielded all had lost their main sail. The upside of that was that by the time they reached the port, the group were as tired as most of my men were after all that hard rowing. That wasn¡¯t to say any man on either side was unable to fight, just that anyone who¡¯d manned the oars wasn¡¯t in perfect condition for battle when the combined fleet reached the port. Any remaining fight the pirates might¡¯ve had was destroyed when they saw Daemon and those men standing around the docks, the handful of pirates left behind already secured and kneeling on the beach. The rest had joined them soon after, which was why I was here now with about half my men. The rest were with Daemon and Jaeronos searching the port for supplies, treasure, and slaves that needed freeing. Shifting my gaze, I looked down at the man who had led the pirates before my capture of the port. This was the port¡¯s captain and the man who¡¯d commanded the lead galley. Rather impressively, he had determined my intent with the gulls and burning tar-covered rope after my first attempt failed and by the time I returned with another gull ¨C the other two galleys having their mail sails ablaze, I¡¯d had to slip from the mind of the gull before it crashed to the deck. Experiencing an arrow slice through my wing was far from comfortable, and even now I felt phantom pains in the corresponding arm. A fifth gull had been used, and while the main sail hadn¡¯t caught ablaze, the kamikaze attack I¡¯d made the gull do had taken out the sail. ¡°I must say, I am impressed by your ingenuity,¡± I remarked to the former commander of the port as I strode before him. One hand rested on the hilt of Red Rain, the other at my waist. Kaa was coiled around that arm, his head nestled on my shoulder, adding a hiss to my words. ¡°Knowing what I planned and preparing a counter is precisely the sort of thinking I need among my men.¡± The commander spat at my feet, eliciting a loud growl from Ymir. I withdrew my hand from the blade¡¯s hilt to calm the direwolf as the kneeling, beaten pirate glared up at me with seething rage. ¡°I will never serve a gods-damned warlock!¡± Behind him, both from the prisoners and some of my men, murmurs could be heard. That was something I¡¯d have to keep an eye on as while it was common knowledge now that I could ignite Red Rain, many might have issues with following someone they thought was a demon worshipper. Especially if religion was important to any of them. That was, admittedly, unlikely given their occupation, but it paid to distrust everyone around you when they fought for you because of coin, fear, or a combination of both. Still, of those already under my command, there were whispers that I was either the chosen of R¡¯hllor ¨C simply because I could ignite Red Rain ¨C or that, because of Ymir, the Old Gods sent me to punish the false believers. Neither of which was true, but it was something I could use as men such as those before me often followed another out of fear as much as the promise of coin. I¡¯d also have to remain wary for when word of my actions in the Stepstones reached corridors of power in Westeros and Essos, as the wrong rumour to the wrong person could see me facing a threat I was currently ill-equipped to handle. I leaned down, giving the commander a wide smile. ¡°Are my lips and teeth stained blue like those from Qarth?¡± I asked with a chuckle. It was impressive that he had deduced that I had used magic, but not enough to automatically guarantee his survival. ¡°No, they are not.¡± The commander shook his arms as if trying to slip his bindings. ¡°Fuck where you came from, demon, not serving you.¡± I stood fully and sighed, shrugging my shoulders. ¡°I cannot say that I am not disappointed. Not least because I now find myself in a bind. I cannot release you to run to Vaegon, nor can I permit anyone in this port to remain loyal to the Firetouched.¡± My hand returned to the hilt of my blade even as Kaa shifted, climbing up my arm. ¡°Given how your men speak of you, it is a pity you will not accept a position in my company. Still, I respect a man with conviction, and the courage to maintain it in the face of death.¡± I stepped back, putting some distance between myself and the former commander of the port. ¡°Might I ask if you worship any gods?¡± The commander¡¯s head lifted, and his eyes met mine, searching for something in my gaze. The change in tack had been sudden, but that had been my intention as was the slightly flamboyant approach I was making as I stood before the commander and those who¡¯d formerly served him. These men expected I was but another pirate, one who they could betray if the chance came to do so. That made me reluctant to take any into my service, but I needed the manpower to either take or failing that, raze this island. If those before me died during the battles for Redwater then none would mourn their passing, but I needed to make it clear the punishments for not bending the knee; be that from one such as the commander showing backbone, or those who¡¯d think to betray me and break their word. Once more, I sighed loudly when the commander failed to answer. ¡°I would think that was an easy question,¡± I said, my hand easing Red Rain from its sheath. ¡°Do you worship any gods?¡± ¡°None,¡± the commander responded, his sight shifting from me to the distinctive red Valyrian blade I was preparing. ¡°That is unfortunate for you,¡± I said as I moved to his side, both hands now gripping the blade. ¡°Still, whichever gods greet your soul, I hope they grant you everything you deserve for the choices that have led you to this point.¡± Red Rain ascended swiftly, the blade rising into the sky before cleaving the air as it fell, my second hand firmly resting on the pommel to guide the strike. The blade sliced cleanly through the commander¡¯s neck, and his head and body crashed to the ground, soaking the sand with his blood. ¡°Let me be clear,¡± I said, turning to the other pirates, blood dripping from the edge of my blade. ¡°Piracy is something I will not accept. Pillaging, raping, and other such behaviour deserves only death. That said, I respect a man who will stand by his convictions. Your former commander upheld his and chose not to swear himself to me. For that, I grant him the mercy of a clean death.¡± ¡°Death is what awaits any who will not serve.¡± I used my blade to point at Ymir, who rather luckily had seen the commander¡¯s head roll toward him and stopped it with one of his massive paws. ¡°However, after you sign my charter and give me your fealty, you will live. However, know that if you then break that oath to me, your death shall be far less civil.¡± Ymir growled, exposing teeth as long as my fingers. ¡°The choice of a clean death or service to me is now yours to decide. Be quick about it as if your mark has not joined the charter, and your words not given to me, by the time the sun sets, then your fate is sealed.¡± I turned, taking a cloth that Trystane brought to me. As I used that to clean my blade, I nodded at Bronn. ¡°You heard him,¡± he began, stepping forward and taking my place before the captured pirates, the book that contained the charter of those in my service in his hand. ¡°Sign your mark or become fucking direwolf food.¡± To help drive home the point, Ymir moved to Bronn¡¯s side. He would stay there for a while before venturing out to explore the woods to the east. It was unlikely any pirates had slipped away through them, but if they had the direwolf would enjoy his hunt. While the men following me weren¡¯t a sellsword company, I¡¯d decided to adopt the idea of a charter book after Oberyn had mentioned them the last time I was in Sunspear. The rules I¡¯d laid forth covered the first few pages, and they were to be read ¨C or read to those unable to understand Common ¨C and then on the rest of the pages, the name of the person and a mark made by their hand was added. That was their contract to serve me, and so far none had broken their vow, though I knew that wouldn¡¯t last forever. When that day came, I already had ideas for how to remind the others of what breaking the vows they gave me meant. Some might well consider those ideas harsh, if not downright cruel, but until the Stepstones were taken I wasn¡¯t willing to be anything but deadly to those unable to keep their word. Trying to stave off that moment was why I¡¯d been a touch dramatic with these pirates as by the time I left Redwater, I suspected that at least eight of every ten of the men under my banner would be former pirates. The only way to retain control of such individuals, or even the sellswords that had joined for coin, was through a mix of good pay and fear. Specifically fear of me being greater than fear of whomever I was fighting. As I moved away from the docks, I caught sight of Daemon approaching, and behind him, the crude wall that encircled the port. That would need repairing and strengthening, but such actions would only take place after Vaegon was defeated and the northern port was under my control as well. And for attacking there, I was already on the clock. While waiting to assault the port from the forest, Daemon¡¯s men had intercepted four pirates acting as runners between the two ports. Those men had been persuaded to reveal that runners travelled between the two places once a day. When those men, who were bound on the beach with the others, failed to return by the end of the day tomorrow, Vaegon would know something was amiss. Since Vaegon was likely not a fool, he¡¯d not march some or most of his men toward this port to see what had happened. Instead, he¡¯d likely send a smaller force ¨C at a guess around ten men ¨C to scout the port. My men were already deployed into the forest, with Ymir soon to join them, to watch and intercept any scouts. Regardless of if those scouts came forth and some made it back, or if Vaegon didn¡¯t send men out, I felt he had three real choices to make. Either he bunkered down in the northern port and prepared for an assault, he sallied forth with all his men to attack, or he¡¯d abandon the northern port entirely. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. I discounted the last choice as the logic behind it wouldn¡¯t fit with the small snippets of intelligence I had on Vaegon. And sallying forth would leave the port weak to an attack by sea. Vaegon would, I hoped, believe that it had been Rakakz that had taken the port I now controlled, so he would be wary of a strike from Redwater Bay, or perhaps even one overland from Rakakz¡¯s holdings toward the middle of the island. That meant the odds were that he¡¯d bunker down and wait, which was fine with me. With Rian and the gulls available to provide aerial recon of the port, I¡¯d know what forces were gathered there, and know how best to divide my forces to assault the port. Vaegon was living on borrowed time, he just didn¡¯t know it yet, and I wanted to make sure that Rakakz and Allerion remained unaware of that fact as well; at least until I¡¯d taken some of their ports. ¡°How goes the search?¡± I asked Daemon once we were close enough, pushing thoughts on the coming battle to one side and focusing on the need to secure my new port. Daemon sighed lightly, an unsettling sign, and gestured toward the building that stood centrally in the port. This had been the former commander¡¯s residence and had been repurposed as the command centre during the transfer of ownership. ¡°We have cleared about half the buildings,¡± Daemon reported as we made our way toward the structure, ¡°and so far the haul is solid. All the coin is being moved to the warehouse, and it appears we have anywhere from half a moon to a moon¡¯s worth of food and drink. At least, if we limit the revelry.¡± ¡°Not bad,¡± I remarked. I¡¯d not been sure what we¡¯d gain from this port, and Redwater in general, as while it was a larger location, there was less traffic past the islands. The discovery of food was a useful thing though as it would supplement what we¡¯d brought aboard the Pride. ¡°Yes. However, as expected there were slaves within the settlement and well,¡± He paused as we reached the door to the building. ¡°I do not know how long they have been here, but it is clear their minds are gone. Hells,¡± he continued as he pushed the door open, ¡°most seem to not realise the port has fallen to us.¡± I pushed aside a need to correct him ¨C the port had fallen to me ¨C and stepped into the room. It wasn¡¯t as well decorated as the solar in Northpoint; not even before I¡¯d had that cleaned when I had returned from Sunspear after celebrating my taking of the island. The table was decent, as were the chairs, and light came in through windows in the stone that had their wooden covers open. However, my focus wasn¡¯t on the new office, but on the trio who stood in the centre of the room. The trio wore little more than rags around their waists. The rest of them, regardless of gender, were exposed. All three had bruising on their bodies; from either beatings or being fucked. ¡°Master,¡± the middle of the trio ¨C the older of the two men ¨C said as they saw my shadow. A moment later, all three were on their knees, their heads lowered to the ground. A growl, one Ymir would¡¯ve been proud of, slipped from my lips. It died as the trio dropped lower and the girl started to shake. I turned to Dameon, curious if he knew anything about the behaviour. His only reaction was to shrug. Turning back, I ground my teeth, trying to settle my anger. Kaa shifted around on my shoulders, sensing my rage. I lifted a hand, gently caressing him under his jaw to ease his concern. I used that action, and turned my gaze away from the slaves, to calm myself. When I looked back at the kowtowing trio, I sighed loudly. ¡°Bloody hell.¡± They hadn¡¯t moved, nor did they shift as I approached. The girl, however, tensed once I was right in front of them. Pushing aside another surge of rage, I knelt and placed my hands, palms up, where they could see them. ¡°Stand. Please.¡± My words were as soft as I could make them in the situation, though none of them moved. ¡°Stand,¡± I said again, this time with more force. The trio lifted their heads, but when they saw I was kneeling before them, they stayed on the ground. Understanding that they¡¯d not go further while I was kneeling, I rose and gestured for them to do so as well. The trio did, letting me see them up close. The bruises and marks I¡¯d seen when I¡¯d first entered the room were but the tip of the iceberg. Few places upon their bodies didn¡¯t have some form of discolouration. That, however, might just be a feature of them not being fed well instead of being abused constantly. Age was impossible to determine, and their hair was in desperate need of cleaning, or more likely, removal as all of it looked matted with dirt worn into it. When my gaze met that of the girls, she tensed again, and I knew she wanted to look away; fearful of what I might do. ¡°Do you understand me?¡± I asked slowly. One of the trio nodded, though the other two only nodded after seeing the younger man do so. That was about what I¡¯d expected as while those on Dustspear and in The Whores had mostly spoken Common or some form of Trade Talk, Redwater was about halfway to Essos, it made sense if most spoke some form of bastardised Valyrian. ¡°What about now?¡± I asked, changing to Valyrian. ¡°Do you understand me?¡± All three nodded, which solved the issue of having to explain everything twice in two tongues. ¡°Yes, Master,¡± the older man added. ¡°I¡­¡± I sighed again and ran a hand down my face. ¡°I am not your master. You are¡­¡± I paused, wondering if a speech to them about being free would sink in. ¡°I need you to go with this man,¡± I pointed at Daemon, and he took a step forward. ¡°He will not hurt you. You have my word. What I ask is that you help him gather all those like you. All those forced to serve the pirates. Once that is done, bring them to this building so that I might speak to all.¡± ¡°Yes, Master,¡± the older man replied, and I ground my teeth to avoid letting my anger escape. It was clear he didn¡¯t understand, and blaming him for doing what he¡¯d done for moons, if not years, was wrong. I turned to Daemon, seeing discomfort mixed with rage in his eyes that no doubt echoed my expression. ¡°If you would.¡± He nodded and moved back, placing a hand on the door¡¯s handle. ¡°Please, follow me.¡± The two men did so, shifting wide around me as if scared I might strike them for amusement. The girl, however, didn¡¯t move and when I turned back she had fallen to her knees, her hands rising toward my groin. ¡°NO!¡± I snapped, grasping her wrists. She recoiled in fright at my action, while the two men fell to their knees. ¡°Those¡­¡± I bit back the curse that was forming on my tongue. The rage I needed to expel shouldn¡¯t, and wouldn¡¯t, be directed at the slaves. ¡°Please,¡± I said gently using my hand to pull the girl upward, ¡°Stand.¡± Once she was up, I used a hand to lift her head so I could look into her eyes. She didn¡¯t resist my actions, indicating any fight had been beaten out of her, and the gaze that met mine was vacant. As if her mind had retreated inward in an attempt to survive what she¡¯d endured. ¡°You do not have to do that,¡± I said slowly in Valyrian. ¡°Not ever again if you do not want to. You are free.¡± Something shifted in her eyes, perhaps my words were getting through to whatever remained of her that she¡¯d buried deep inside. Understanding what I was seeing, I nodded and removed my hands from her wrists. ¡°You. Are. Free.¡± I repeated the words even slower, focusing on each one in turn. It was unlikely that she truly understood or believed me, but the smallest glimmer of hope was enough to ease much of the maelstrom that was raging inside me. ¡°Go on,¡± I added, shifting to not block her way and indicating the door. She stayed still for a moment, though I did note that the two men had risen because Daemon had eased them to their feet, before walking. Her eyes flickered to me as if expecting this all to be a trick, though once she was away from me and near the other two, her pace quickened fractionally. Daemon led them out of the room, giving me a final look of shared concern before the door closed. I grasped the table, and Kaa, understanding my mood, slithered down my arm, settling on the desk. Once he was there, my hands moved, and the nearest chair exploded against a wall. ¡°Damn them all!¡± I snarled, keeping my voice down lest I scare the slaves outside. Or at least scare them more than the sound of the chair shattering would¡¯ve. I stood there, rage boiling off me, flames rising from my palms. The urge to head outside and butcher every pirate that had surrendered was strong, but I knew I couldn¡¯t. I needed the bodies for the battles to come. However, because of this, those men would be the vanguard of any assault. I wanted none of them to survive my conquest of this island. A moment later, a smile came to my face. Some, if not many of the men outside, even after accepting my terms of service, would break their oaths. When that happened, the anger that swirled around within would be released, and all would understand that they should not enrage me. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ As the evening drew upon us two days after taking the port, I was once more leading my men toward battle. Or at least most of them. Bronn was remaining behind in the southern port along with a hundred and fifty men to hold it, keep the coin, trade goods, and slaves that were aboard the Pride save and watch over the pirates who¡¯d bent the knee and signed my charter. In the end, around a dozen men chose to follow their commander and were executed. That was a higher proportion than had failed to follow when I¡¯d taken Dustspear or raided The Whores, but given the men of Redwater likely spent more time skirmishing and less being true pirates, it made sense more would be willing to die over serving another. Of the rest, bar thirty who were serving as scouts for my forces as we moved north, the rest remained behind. None of them were armed, as they had yet to prove their loyalty, and were helping with repairs and securing the port. Arming those men, and any that bent the knee once Vaegon was defeated, was going to be an issue. All told I could be looking about one pirate from Redwater to every two of the men I¡¯d brought with me. Given that about sixty per cent of my forces were already former pirates, it was something I would have to monitor. Still, so long as I kept them well-paid and won battles I felt I could count on them for now. Later, once Redwater was taken or razed, then an issue might arise but that was a matter for further into the future. All the men not with Bronn were moving toward the northern port, however, we weren¡¯t moving as a single force. The majority were with Daemon moving westward before they¡¯d swing up toward the western walls of the port. That force would be the main assault as the western walls of the port were the weakest; both in how they were manned and their condition. Around a hundred men, including my squires, were approaching the hill that marked roughly the middle distance between the two ports at the southern end of Redwater. Once there, we¡¯d wait for some time before moving forward, though to avoid being spotted we¡¯d be travelling through the forest on either side of the track. Daemon and I were both in full armour for this assault, though to help hide that we¡¯d covered it and our shields in dirt and tar. I was also wearing a makeshift shawl over my shoulders. When I¡¯d asked them to dirty up my armour, neither Trystane nor Edric had argued, but I suspect both weren¡¯t looking forward to having to clean it later. For a time, I had considered leaving the pair behind with Bronn, given the potential chaos of the battle. However, I dismissed that notion. Though young, they were trained in combat, equipped with decent armour¡ªat least for now, as I feared they might outgrow it before we returned to Sunspear¡ªand needed to learn how to fight beyond the confines of a training yard. After all, what was the point of their squireship otherwise? Jekar was with Daemon, though his page, Morsh, had remained behind. The street urchin had only received the most rudimentary training, and despite his spirit, his lack of experience, armour, and youth had led Daemon to decide that Morsh would be safer with Bronn. The last element of my forces for this attack was a group of about fifty men. that was being led by Jaeronos and had headed east from my newly acquired port. They weren¡¯t meant to attack Vaegon¡¯s remaining port so much as sweep the forest to the east of it. The runners that had come from there and those that we¡¯d spoken to after they¡¯d bent the knee had told of Vaegon keeping scouts deployed in the forests to the east in case Rakakz attempted a raid over the land. I wanted those scouts taken out without damaging any watchtowers they might have or alerting Rakakz to what was happening. The locations would be useful for protecting my forces from assault, and the longer it took for Rakakz to learn Vaegon had been replaced ¨C especially by a force from elsewhere ¨C the easier it should be for me to take him out. As we reached the hill, I looked upward, just above to make out Rian as he flew high above us. While I had two gulls ¨C caged and their beaks tied to keep them silent ¨C for scouting the port before we assaulted it tomorrow morning, having Rian back was a relief. Unlike the gulls, he could be airborne before I shifted into his mind, meaning I had something akin to an early warning system. Yes, the forests, at least a hundred metres or so beyond the ports and track, were dense, but Rian¡¯s eyesight was sharp enough that he could detect movement through the slightest of gaps in the canopy. From scouting yesterday with Rian and a mind-broken gull, and those that had bent the knee, I¡¯d confirmed that Vaegon had between two and three hundred men in the northern port. The number varied depending on how many longboats were at sea. Generally, it was two who acted as an advanced watch, but if Vaegon launched another raid, more than half the port might be absent. That was unlikely to be the case as Vaegon had launched a successful raid before we¡¯d taken the southern port, and with the messenger team not reporting back from the port, Vaegon was likely being cautious with his men. Due to the forces that I was sending against him, and the recon I¡¯d provided Daemon, Jaeronos, and my Lieutenants, it was unlikely we¡¯d not carry the day tomorrow. Still, I wasn¡¯t taking chances and even while Daemon¡¯s forces assaulted the western wall, my team would attack the main gate. Said gate wasn¡¯t anything impressive, being just two larger watchtowers with a solid wooden gate between them, but it would be harder to assault than the weakened western wall. To help with taking the men on the wall and gate out, Edric was carrying my weirwood bow. As the sun rose, I¡¯d begin targeting the men around the gate, though I doubted we¡¯d be able to breach it easily. The main assault would begin on Daemon¡¯s, or more accurately, Ymir¡¯s signal. The direwolf was with him and would howl once the lead elements of Daemon¡¯s force were at and through the wall. From there, it would be chaos, though the battle would continue until Vaegon lay dead or beaten at my feet, and his men surrendered. ¡­ ¡­ The Water Runs Red 2c (Daemon¡¯s POV) He moved forward slowly, cautious of any pirate that might have been missed by the archers when they¡¯d taken out the men at the wall. Calling it a wall was perhaps a mistake, as this port had an earthen mound surrounding it like Northpoint did, though it was half the height of that, and the wooden palisades atop the mound were either damaged or missing entirely. The only sections that were in decent condition were the main gate that protected the track leading to the southern port and the three watchtowers facing toward the western forest. The men there, along with another half dozen gathered at the various gaps in the mound or wall, had fallen silently in a hail of arrows. Now, with them taken out, Daemon led his men forward. He knew that once they slipped through the earthen wall, battle was only a few heartbeats away, and he found himself looking forward to it. A few years ago, when appointed as Arianne¡¯s sworn shield, he had been content with his life, but since the taking of Dustspear he had found that bar one reason, Sunspear held far less appeal than it once had. The call of battle, of testing his steel against others ¨C even if they were but pirates ¨C brought forth a fire he had never fully realised he had, nor that he had been missing until Arianne had assigned him to protect her paramour. Reaching the wall, Daemon readied himself. A glance back confirmed that Jekar, equipped in armour that like Daemon¡¯s had been darkened for this battle, was ready. The boy was understandably nervous, but Daemon knew he would be safe. Two of the more skilled sellswords were assigned to stay near him, and the hulking presence of Ymir added another layer to the boy¡¯s protection. There was always a chance that Jekar ¨C or either of Cregan¡¯s squires ¨C might die in this battle, but Daemon and Cregan had done what they could to ensure that didn¡¯t happen. After taking a moment, offering a small prayer to the gods ¨C old and new ¨C that he had survive this battle and others to return to see the one he yearned for, Daemon moved through the gap in the wall and looked around, and as he moved forward quickly, his sword thrust forward. The man he had just skewered through the chest grunted at the unexpected attack, and as Daemon withdrew the blade, his shield came around. The metal-covered object slammed into the side of the pirate¡¯s head. While that generated some sound, it was far less than the pirate would have made if able to call out about Daemon¡¯s presence. The body collapsed to the ground, the last flickers of life fading, and Daemon moved forward. Behind him, men poured through the gap he had taken and other sections of the wall. Daemon stood his ground, watching for any new threats as the men formed up with him. The port was laid out as Cregan had explained, and while many of the new Lieutenants would likely remain confused about how the information had been discovered, Daemon was glad for Cregan¡¯s ability. Knowing the battlefield before combat took away a weakness that any competent enemy could exploit. Once one of the men tapped their weapon against the back of his cuirass, Daemon advanced; the men moving with him. Others would spread out, heading toward the other breaches in the wall and then pushing inward toward the docks. The plan was remarkably similar to that used against the Grim Prince before his defeat, which made sense as this was another port under assault. The difference this time, at least for Daemon, was that he knew the lay of the land. Reaching the first intersection of buildings, a place that opened into a small square, Daemon tensed. This was, according to Cregan, where men were often gathered. Given the time ¨C with the sun not having yet risen over the mountains to the east ¨C it was likely that any men there would be relaxing before a day of labour, but all would be armed. Stepping out into the intersection, Dameon saw a dozen men. Most were gathered around a fire in the centre, no doubt having their morning meal. The few that were not saw him and those with him. ¡°We are undagh!¡± The pained call died as an axe impacted the pirate¡¯s chest. Daemon was not sure how far that attempted warning carried, but it had those in the intersection reacting. Daemon surged forward, his blade flashing out, and the first pirate to die by his hand fell. At the same time, a howl echoed around them. Some of the pirates paused, confused by the sound of a predator so close by. Daemon, and those with him, did not and rushed forward. The first battle of the port was over before he even had to use his shield to defend himself, but Daemon knew it would not be the last. Ymir¡¯s howl would rouse those in the port, alerting them that something was amiss. With Cregan assaulting the main gate, the pirates¡¯ focus should be there, which would allow Daemon and his men to get deeper into the port before Vaegon understood the true threat. To help with that, a group of those who¡¯d come through the wall with him would break off and assault the gate from the inside. Thoughts about other parts of the battle slid from Daemon¡¯s mind as he and the men around him resumed their advance. Movement flashed before his eyes as he neared the far side of the intersection, and Daemon raised his shield. It vibrated twice, as two arrows struck it. Looking over the edge, he saw a dozen pirates. Three had bows and had hung back but the rest were rushing forward. ¡°Charge!¡± Even as the word left his mouth, Daemon was moving, intent on getting past the oncoming pirates and taking down the archers behind them. His shield shifted, pushing the axe of one pirate away. That left the man exposed and his blade sunk deep into the pirate¡¯s guts. Even as the pirate gawked in shock, Daemon kept moving forward, the blade sinking through flesh with ease. A moment later, he crashed into the pirate shield-first, driving them back. At the same time, he withdrew his blade. As the pirate fell back, hands going to the fatal wound, a quick shift of his elbow had the point of his sword swinging around, adding another wound to the man¡¯s chest. Stepping over the dying man, Daemon advanced on the archers. Seeing them nocking new arrows, his head dropped low, using the shield to cover his approach. His steps became smaller just before the first of four arrows slammed into his shield; all harmlessly impacting, unable to pierce the treated wood. Three steps after that, Daemon was at the archers. Like the first pirate he had killed, none were armed in much beyond clothing and his blade made quick work of two of them before the rest of his men joined him to finish off the rest. Glancing around, Daemon checked, ensuring that his men were still in the fight. Pleased that none seemed to have fallen, he resumed his advance; shield forward ready for the next attack, the men falling into step at his sides. The track at the other side of the intersection, one that led to the docks, was narrower than those through which they had so far passed. He took the centre point of the line as others moved closer or fell back. ¡°Watch the flanks!¡± He said firmly. He did not shout, both because the men were at his shoulders and because it might alert any at the next junction. That did not seem to matter as a dozen pirates rushed toward them, flowing from both sides of the upcoming junction. Daemon had just enough time to see that, like the pirates they had just killed, this group was generally unarmoured. The lead pirate ¨C one of the few to have any armour on, though it was only gambeson ¨C came at him. The pirate¡¯s crude blade slashed for his face. Slowing, Daemon watched the short blade do nothing more than clip the top edge of his shield. A turn of his shield arm pushed the blade away faster, causing the pirate to move with the blade. A look of panic flashed in the pirate¡¯s eyes as he realised who he was fighting was in full armour, though it faded as Daemon¡¯s blade thrust up as he stepped in, piercing the pirate¡¯s skin below the armpit. The blade sunk it, clipping a rib before going deeper. The pirate gasped, as Daemon withdrew his blade. Before this fatally wounded fool could try anything, Daemon pushed forward with his shield, driving the metal into the pirate¡¯s face. Even as the pirate fell to the ground, Daemon advanced, seeking his next opponent. His blood sang with delight, enjoying the chaos as an axe clattered against his shield, and then chorused as his blade once more found flesh; leaving a deep gash in the leg of another pirate. Another, then another pirate fell to the ground, wounded, but Daemon paid them little heed. He continued to push forward, and those around him did likewise. The men behind would finish off any that were struggling to survive the initial assault as they followed along behind. The narrow confines of the alley ensured that against Daemon and those at his side who were armoured ¨C though not to the extent he was ¨C the pirates had little chance. As a sixth one fell to the ground, his leg collapsing as Daemon¡¯s sword cut it to the bone, Daemon felt the shift in the air and saw those pirates at the rear of the pirate¡¯s ranks step back. Once the first turned and ran, the rest began to follow. Those at the front were doomed because of it. Either they stood and fought, and thus lost against better-armed and armoured opponents, or they turned and exposed their backs to Daemon¡¯s men. The next few seconds were chaos as this group of pirates routed, and Daemon was left disappointed. He was heartened though as, as they passed through the junction from where the pirate attack had come, the next row of buildings was the last before they reached the sand and pebbles of the beach. Beyond that, he could see the bow of one of the longboats, moored against the docks. ¡°Flank and forward!¡± He called out, moving toward the docks. The men fell into step at his sides while others would shift down each path at the junction, sweeping the paths clear and then, after joining up with others, pushing toward the docks from other directions. Wary of what might await at the docks, Daemon¡¯s pace was slow. As more of the docks and the beach where it joined the island came into view, he saw men waiting, bows, and most worryingly, crossbows, at the ready. His shield came up, ready to block any arrow or bolt that came toward him. However just before he braced, movement on the docks caught his attention. His eyes widened as he saw men on the bows of two longboats, readying the scorpions that rested there. ¡°Down!¡± Even as the order left his lips, he was dropping low. One of the scorpions fired its bolt, and Daemon watched as he sailed toward them. He offered a quick prayer to the Gods when the bolt sailed high; slamming into the building to his right, though any reprieve was short as the other longboat was almost ready to fire its scorpion. ¡°Charge and scatter!¡± he called, pushing himself forward into the open dock area. The archers and crossbowmen aimed, and Daemon turned his shield toward them, hoping any bolt bound for him struck the shield and not him. Several objects clipped or clattered into his shield and armour, but nothing punctured, and he made his way toward a cart. It lay between him and the longboats, and while the cart might not survive the bolt of a scorpion, it was the only cover available to him. Around him, grunts and squeaks of pain came from his men; their weaker armour not saving them from arrows and bolts. As he reached the cart, he glanced back, seeing one pirate take a scorpion bolt to the chest. The man, or at least what was left of him as the impact crushed his chest, was lifted from his feet, and he and the bolt embedded through him crashed to the ground a few yards back. The man took out several others as he fell, but Daemon was heartened to see those further back loosing arrows in retaliation. Seeing the pirate archers scatter as they came under fire, and praying those on the longboats were doing so as well, Daemon rushed from the cart, bearing down on the nearest pirate. The man turned, roaring in defiance, two axes in hand. Daemon¡¯s shield deflected the first attack, then his other arm shifted, turning his blade so that the other axe could not catch it. Pulling that arm back, the edge of his sword cut the man¡¯s forearm to the bone. While the pirate did not drop the axe in that hand, he jerked back the arm. That was the opening Daemon was seeking. His blade surged forward, and while the pirate was able to raise his arm, and push the blade away from his chest, the edge of the weapon cut a deep gasp across the pirate¡¯s chest. Daemon turned as he pulled back the blade, deepening the wound. The pirate turned with the attack, trying to keep the cut shallow, but in the process, he lost track of Daemon¡¯s shield, and the metal came around, slamming into him. One of the axes was knocked from his hand, but before the pirate could recover he jerked; Daemon¡¯s blade thrusting deep into his gut. Giving the now-dying pirate one last look, Daemon pulled his sword free, more blood flowing forth to colour the sands. Turning, Daemon sought his next target, though four were already bearing toward him. All four, unlike most of the pirates, wore armour. While it was but chainmail, it would force Daemon to alter his attacks. However, it was the man leading the group who drew Daemon''s attention. That man, who was easily Daemon¡¯s height even when considering the armour Dameon wore, held a massive two-handed great axe in his grasp. The head matched Cregan¡¯s description as it circled around like a plate of metal from one side to the other. This was likely Vaegon, and as Daemon readied himself to engage the Pirate Lord and his men, Daemon felt a rush of excitement flow through him. Finally, he had an opponent worth fighting. As the trio came closer, Daemon saw the face of the lead man. While he wore a helm, it was open enough that, where the metal stopped, scarred skin could be seen. Daemon smiled, moving to greet Vaegon Firetouched, looking forward to ending his reign of terror. More pirates gathered behind Vaegon, seeking strength in their leader. ¡°Take them down!¡± Daemon called, pointing his sword toward the growing group. If Vaegon fell, his men would break, and while Daemon would happily send every pirate present to the Seven Hells, he knew it was better if they bent the knee to Cregan. Men, be they former pirates or sellswords, rushed to Daemon¡¯s side as he moved to engage Vaegon. Off to one side, he saw Jekar fighting, his sword finding the flesh of a pirate. Once the battle was ended, Daemon would enjoy celebrating his squire¡¯s first kill and sharing a drink to Vaegon¡¯s death. A pirate rushed past Vaegon, seeking the glory of taking Daemon down. Daemon stepped to one side, avoiding the rushed swing of the pirate¡¯s falchion, and then stepped toward the man, driving the shield into him. The pirate fell away, and Daemon continued toward Vaegon, sword and shield at the ready. Armoured they might be, and working as a group they probably would, but they had never crossed blades with a knight of Dorne. Still, Daemon wasn¡¯t going to underestimate the group, because Vaegon had ruled his ports for going on ten years and his men should be experienced in combat. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Daemon¡¯s advance was stopped as Vaegon¡¯s great axe swung around. The wide, circular blade cut a swathe through the air between them briskly, though it failed to strike sword, shield, or armour. The weapon was large, and it seemed Vaegon knew how to wield it, and those with him how to use those attacks to their advantage. Daemon shifted to his right, moving to the single man on that side while the other two came from his left. This one was armed with a pair of short swords; the slight curve on the blades was uncommon in Westeros but thanks to Oberyn, Daemon had trained against such weapons. The pirate attacked with well-timed strikes, each blow coming from different angles, yet every strike met Daemon¡¯s shield. He managed to block one attack and swung his shield to intercept the other, trapping both blades. With a twist and a turn of his arm, Daemon pushed aside the two pirate blades. However, before he could press forward, he was forced back as two more pirates surged into the fray. An axe struck his shield, Daemon moving his arm to guide the attack away from the edge of the shield. A blade slid around the edge, seeking to use his move to strike. One foot moving back had the blade slide along the front of his armour. Moving his shield arm closer had the edge crash into the hand holding the attacking blade. The weapon fell to the ground, though before Daemon could bring his blade around and wound or maim the pirate, he was forced to shift back. Vaegon was attacking again. The great axe swooped in from the left, speeding toward him. Daemon believed he could push the attack away with his shield, but doing so might leave him exposed, so he chose to shift back, avoiding the attack entirely. An axe caught the top of the shield before he could reset his feet. Instead of fighting the pull, Daemon went with it, turned his body, and then thrust his sword over the top of the shield. He felt the point strike flesh, which was followed by the pull on his shield ending and a gargled sound. He moved forward, leading with his shield, and he was rewarded by it striking the pirate. Without looking, Daemon turned, ready to face another pirate. His eyes widened as he saw a glint of metal rushing toward his head. He turned slightly and the blade grazed his helm. Another blade then clipped the armour on his arm without doing any damage. Daemon was then forced back as Vaegon¡¯s axe came around again, swooping in from above his shield. He turned, shifting his feet around on the uneven ground, and angled his shield. The axe clattered against it, jarring Daemon¡¯s bones, but the attack was deflected away. From the position he was in, he saw the pirate with a single blade thrusting forward. Daemon lifted his arm and shifted his chest, letting the point of the pirate¡¯s blade crash and then bounce away from his pauldron. With the pirate¡¯s movement altered by his shifting, Daemon thrust his sword upward, driving it toward the pirate¡¯s chest. The blade struck true, and the pirate stumbled, his hold on his weapon slipping. It then fell from his grasp when Daemon pulled his sword free. Daemon¡¯s focus shifted to the remaining pirate with Vaegon. The one with dual short blades. The man came forward, blades at the ready. Daemon had the advantage in reach and protection, but the shorter blades might allow the pirate faster movement and allow the pirate to slip a blade through a joint in Daemon¡¯s armour. Yet, for all the need to be wary of the blades, the great axe of Vaegon was a far more pressing threat. The short blades came forward, moving fast and seeking a gap. Daemon used first sword and then shield to deflect strikes, shifting back to keep the pirate and Vaegon in sight. The great axe swung around. Daemon saw he had no chance to avoid it without exposing himself to the other pirate. Knowing this, he tilted his shield, angling it so the axe did not just glance off. The axe struck his shield, and Daemon felt his arm be driven into him. Instead of trying to fight the movement, he went with it, stepping back. His sword came around, angling for Vaegon¡¯s wrist. The pirate reacted by turning his arm and stepping away. As his blade clattered against a steel vambrace, Daemon saw the other pirate moving in. His feet danced on the ground, taking him around. That exposed his back for but a moment, but with Vaegon¡¯s axe diverted, and the distance to the other pirate great enough, no strike landed against his armour. As he returned to face his foes, Daemon¡¯s shield arm turned and lifted. As the second pirate came into sight, the man advancing with blades ready to strike, Dameon shifted his arm once again. The hard lower edge of the shield slammed into the pirate, knocking him aside. Finishing his pivot, Daemon ducked low and extended his sword arm. His blade moved upward, cutting a deep gash across the pirate¡¯s back. As the pirate fell like a sack to the ground, Daemon found himself facing Vaegon, the great axe already sweeping back in. Angling his shield, Daemon braced as the great axe impacted, and then swung clear. Stepping forward, he thrust his sword toward Vaegon. The pirate leader batted the sword away with the haft of his axe though it left them both off line. Daemon reset his stance, his blood pumping as he faced Vaegon Firetouched in single combat. Vaegon stood for a second, his axe shifting to rest by his shoulder, watching Daemon. The slightest drooping of his head was matched by Daemon, and then he came at the knight. Daemon moved back, watching Vaegon¡¯s axe as it swooped and twirled around the gap between them. Vaegon was moving the weapon in smaller arcs now, not leaving himself as exposed as he had been when men had been ready to protect those gaps. He stepped forward, only to slide back, the possible gap removed by the speed Vaegon swung his massive axe around. The pirate knew how to use the weapon and control the distance. Behind Vaegon, Daemon saw men rushing near longboats, but he could not tell for whom those men fought. Taking his gaze from Vaegon for any more than a split second was dangerous. It would not matter if the bit of the axe were sharp or not, the speed it was moving would drive Daemon away and may break bones. Three more minor openings came and went without Daemon being able to exploit them. Vaegon¡¯s axe moved fast enough, and at angles that prevented Daemon¡¯s blade from getting through without risking it being smashed away. Knowing this could not continue, and feeling he had the patterns Vaegon was using down, Daemon shifted. Instead of attempting to take the small opening when it appeared, he stepped to his left and angled his shield. Vaegon¡¯s axe came around, the pirate altering the path of the bit. However, Daemon tracked it well enough that when it struck his shield, it bounced clear. The deflection forced Vaegon to shuffle to one side, and in the process expose himself. Daemon¡¯s sword slipped low. Vaegon grunted even as the blade was pulled back. The wound it caused wasn¡¯t deep, but already blood was flowing down the pirate¡¯s leg. Leaning back, Daemon watched the axe flash through his vision. He was unable to take advantage of the next opening in Vaegon¡¯s form, but that was fine. Taking a few steps back, he forced the pirate to follow him. Once Vaegon had taken the bait, Daemon rushed forward even as Vaegon¡¯s axe came crashing down from upon high. Daemon lifted his shield, angling it so that it and his armour could deflect the hit. At the same time, he thrust his blade forward, driving it deep into the pirate¡¯s thigh. The axe connected with his shield, but Daemon was able to hold his ground. At the same time, Vaegon stumbled to one side, the new wound and Daemon blocking the attack, destroying his balance. Vaegon¡¯s axe dug into the ground, sending pebbles and stones flying. Daemon barely noticed as some bounced against his armour. His focus was on Vaegon, and his blade was already moving again. The swept up into Vaegon¡¯s arm, and the pirate¡¯s grip on his weapon slipped. Daemon¡¯s shield then thrust forward, smashing into the pirate¡¯s face. Vaegon stumbled back, his leg giving way, and he fell to the ground. Not wanting to grant him the chance to stand, Daemon was upon him. ¡°Agh!¡± Vaegon grunted, his hands going to his chest as Daemon¡¯s sword crashed into the mail of Vaegon¡¯s armour. The mail held even as Daemon pushed forward, but it was enough to keep Vaegon on the ground. The pirate grasped the blade, blood flowing from his palms, and twisted the sword to one side. To avoid falling, Daemon released his grip. Vaegon turned with the sword, rolling over it. As he did, Daemon stepped forward and drove the base down. The point crashed into Vaegon¡¯s back, drawing a loud grunt from the pirate. Daemon lifted the shield and drove it down again, aiming to shatter the pirate¡¯s back. A third strike was delivered, drawing a third grunt, before Daemon stepped back. As he did, he pulled a short blade from his belt. The secondary weapon was already moving down as Vaegon rolled over. ¡°Yield,¡± Daemon roared as he placed the short blade against Vaegon¡¯s throat; one leg crashing onto the pirate¡¯s arm as it grasped Daemon¡¯s sword. Daemon did not mind if this pirate did not wish to yield, he understood that taking the man alive might be useful for information about the other pirates who ruled Redwater. Vaegon glared at Daemon, and for a moment the knight felt he would have to kill the pirate. However, Vaegon¡¯s gaze shifted to Daemon¡¯s right, and from there, a deep, spine-rattling growl echoed through Daemon¡¯s armour. While Vaegon couldn¡¯t see it, Daemon grinned, knowing the source of that sound. ¡°Yield, or die.¡± The pirate¡¯s focus returned to Daemon, panic beginning to blossom in his eyes. ¡°I¡­¡± Vaegon began, his voice hoarse, and the movement drawing a sliver of blood as he pressed against Daemon¡¯s blade. ¡°Yield.¡± Daemon grunted in satisfaction and pulled his blade back from the pirate¡¯s neck. Before standing he slammed his shield down, crashing it into Vaegon¡¯s arm and forcing the pirate to release the grip on his sword. ¡°Unless you wish to become direwolf chow, stay very fucking still,¡± He added as he resecured the short blade against his belt. After grasping his sword, glad to have it back in his hand, Daemon stood, though throughout the entire movement, his eyes never left the pirate at his feet. Taking a step back, the large form of Ymir came into sight. ¡°If he moves, remove a limb,¡± the direwolf growled, happy at the offer, ¡°though leave the head for now.¡± As Ymir moved closer, one massive paw pressing down on Vaegon¡¯s chest, Daemon realised that around them men were cheering. The sights and sound of the battle had all but vanished as he focused on taking down the so-called pirate lord that now lay at his feet. Looking around, he saw that the pirates had knelt, blades dropped while those who fought under his command were cheering, celebrating the battle. Daemon thrust his sword skyward, roaring in delight at his victory. That set off another round of cheers. As the moment passed, Daemon turned, and as he sheathed his sword, he looked around. Bodies lay everywhere, though far fewer than he had have expected, and most appeared to be pirates under Vaegon¡¯s command. His eyes quickly caught sight of Jekar, and he moved toward his squire. ¡°Jekar,¡± he said once closer, the boy snapping around to face him. He still held his blade tightly, blood dripping from it and from his armour. Daemon¡¯s eyes scanned the armour, and he sighed in relief at understanding the blood was not from his squire. ¡°You fought well,¡± he said, placing his no-free sword hand on the boy¡¯s shoulder. ¡°And claimed your first kill.¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± Jekar turned slowly to look at Daemon. His face was pale, and Daemon knew well the reason. ¡°You did what needed to be done,¡± He said gently, as he squeezed the boy¡¯s shoulder. ¡°The men that die by your sword deserve their fate. Their actions were unworthy of a knight of Dorne.¡± Jekar nodded, though Daemon was unsure if the words were sinking in. ¡°Come, let us see if we can find Edric and Trystane. Let us show them that you are worthy of being my squire, and one day becoming a knight.¡± Daemon had to give the boy a gentle push, but Jekar started walking with him. Daemon understood how he felt, remembering the first time he had killed while squiring for Oberyn Martell. The bandit had been one of several dozen that had attacked them on the road to Hellholt. At the time, Daemon had been much like Jekar; uncertain of what he had done and feeling sick to his stomach. Yet, with time, experience and patience, Daemon knew that the bandit deserved his fate. As did whichever pirates Jekar had killed this day. As they moved, Daemon saw Cregan heading toward him. Edric Dayne and Trystane were a few steps behind. The two squires seemed as shocked as Jekar, though neither appeared to have tasted battle. No doubt seeing the aftermath of the chaos of battle was a shock to them as it was to Jekar. They would have known that war brought death, and had seen animals butchered before ¨C Cregan and he had taken the squires and young Morsh to the butchers to see animals killed mere days after the group had sworn themselves to their service ¨C but seeing the bodies of men in such state was always an experience the first time it occurred. The boys would get stronger, they had little choice in the matter if they wished to be knights and with the battles still to come on Redwater and beyond. Thinking on the future, Daemon wondered what Cregan¡¯s plans for Redwater would be once it was cleansed of pirates. Building up Dustspear was the clear intent for now, but Redwater was thrice the size of Dustspear, and perhaps more importantly twice as far from Sunspear. Cregan would not want his seat to be that far from Arianne, which would leave an island ¨C according to the maps ¨C the size of Estermont needing a lord to rule it. Perhaps, just perhaps, Daemon wondered, that might become him with Alysanne ruling at his side. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ (Cregan¡¯s POV) I leaned against the central building of the port, watching as the last of Vaegon¡¯s men were frogmarched along the pier. They were the crew of the two longboats that had been further out when we¡¯d take the port. Since neither had been watching the port, nor close enough to see what was happening this morning, the ships had sailed back into port none-the-wiser that Vaegon no longer ruled here. Vaegon had, as expected, rejected my offer to bend the knee, and Daemon had removed his head not long after. Normally I¡¯d have done so, as I had passed the sentence, but Daemon had been the one to defeat Vaegon and take the port, and thus I felt the honour was his. After that, eight men of the nearly one hundred and fifty who survived the assault had chosen to not bend the knee. They had joined Vaegon in death. Of those who signed my charter and bent the knee, two had been former lieutenants of Vaegon¡¯s, and they were the ones who¡¯d help ensure the longboats that were now docked had sailed into the port unaware of the trap they¡¯d entered until it was too late. Neither of those former lieutenants, nor the roughly three hundred in total ¨C assuming the crews of these two longboats all bent the knee ¨C that now served me were trustworthy, but I needed the manpower to take out Rakakz and Allerion. Rakakz would be first as he controlled the central area of the island, and when it became time to attack his ports, the men who¡¯d bent the knee since my landing on Redwater would be in the vanguard. Not all of them, mind you, and not without others I felt were at least partially trustworthy, but the majority would be Vaegon¡¯s former men. While that was a dangerous option as they might well turn and fight my forces alongside Rakakz¡¯s men, after discovering the state of the two dozen slaves in the northern port matched those in the southern port ¨C perhaps they were even worse ¨C if I didn¡¯t need the manpower, I¡¯d have executed everyone here. To ease my mind on the matter, and ensure that no one tried to take advantage of those poor, mind-broken souls, they along with everything of worth that wasn¡¯t food, drink, or weaponry was being gathered and would be sent to the southern port. They¡¯d then be transported by the Pride to Northpoint. It would take the cog and her escort at least half a moon to get there and back. By then I¡¯d ideally have two if not all of Rakakz¡¯s ports under my control. The initial intelligence had suggested Rakakz and Allerion had just a pair of ports; much like Vaegon before his demise. From speaking with men who¡¯d bent the knees, including Vaegon¡¯s two former lieutenants ¨C Marraro and Jaqur ¨C I¡¯d discovered that Rakakz had three while Allerion was believed to have four. That, assuming similar numbers of men at these new ports, suggested even with Vaegon¡¯s men now under my banner, at best I¡¯d be able to match Allerion¡¯s forces. If he allied with Rakakz, then I¡¯d be fighting from an inferior position in almost every regard. The recently discovered Rakakz port sat on Redwater¡¯s east coast, about halfway between his other port there and the one I now control to the south. It, along with the port further north, suggested he used them to raid any trade vessels moving through the Steps, against forces from the Lotus Prince and Salladhor Saan, and to defend from attacks by Allerion from the north. In theory, the new port was a small one, but its mere existence altered my plans for taking out the Gilded Hand before facing off against Allerion. It was good that, as far as I could tell, no one had escaped my attacks on Vaegon¡¯s ports as it granted me time to re-evaluate my next move. Rakakz¡¯s bay port was the obvious target, but it could be supported easily by one of the east-coast ports. I¡¯d also have to be cautious of Allerion moving from his bay port to either attack my rear while I took Rakakz¡¯s port or sail south to attack the port where I now stood. To grant me a larger force in the bay, when the Pride sailed out, two other galleys would go with it, though when the small force reached the southern tip of Redwater, those galleys would turn north and head toward this port. While the bay was better suited to longboats than galleys, the extra ships ¨C and the increased firepower of their scorpions ¨C would help ensure this port wasn¡¯t exposed to a counterassault when I moved against Rakakz. The rest of my fleet would stay in the other port, with the sails of the three capture¡­ My thoughts ground to a halt as I felt a pull against my mind. Knowing it was coming from Rian, who was, as usual, flying high above the island, I headed into the building I¡¯d been leaning against. Once inside, I found Vaegon¡¯s former command chair and sat down in it before closing my eyes. The next sight I saw, as it did each time I experienced it, took my breath away. Soaring above the clouds, having sight of not just Redwater but other islands in the Stepstones, was a view that continued to amaze me. However, I wasn¡¯t here to enjoy a sightseeing tour. Rian had something to show me, and I let him remain in control of his body, settling in as a passenger. The massive eagle ¨C his wingspan was half again as wide as I was tall, which was far beyond what his species was generally capable of ¨C understood my intent, and as I enjoyed the sensation of the wind sweeping over his feathers, he turned northward. The ports I¡¯d just been thinking about came into sight, and I confirmed that the port I¡¯d only just learnt of was smaller than either of Vaegon¡¯s. Still, even if it occupied less ground, its naval force was an issue. Two ships ¨C galleys by the look of them ¨C sat at the docks while eastward, about two leagues eastward, two other galleys were closing fast on a single vessel. While I was curious about the vessel, as it appeared to be more akin to a carrack than a cog, it wasn¡¯t that Rian wanted to show me. Nor was it the layout of the port the galleys had likely emerged from. Instead, he swooped around and dove, bringing us back to what I was treating as the rough border between territory controlled by Vaegon and Rakakz. That was marked by the narrowest point in the land between the ports each had controlled, though it was closer to Rakakz¡¯s ports than either of Vaegon¡¯s former ones. Into the bay, a small river flowed, supposedly starring in the hills and mountains that ran through the middle of Rakakz¡¯s territory. Another river flowed toward the eastern shore from the same area, though this one was narrower and shallower. The presence of freshwater ¨C or at least more as streams ran near each of Vaegon¡¯s former ports ¨C along with mountains and forests suggested Redwater held an equal density of natural resources as Dustspear. They would, though, likely be less developed as the island lay further from Westeros than Dustspear. Hells, based on the maps, the closest point of Redwater to Westeros was roughly an equal distance from the Disputed Lands of Essos. Rian finished his circling descent, and though we¡¯d not dropped low enough that we were clearing the tops of the forest, the individual trees in the forest that covered most of the island were visible, as were the gaps between them. It was in one of those that I saw movement. At first, I thought perhaps it was a beast akin to a bear that roamed the forest. If so, Ymir would enjoy the challenge to his position as the alpha predator of the island. However, as another shadow moved through a gap in the canopy, I understood it wasn¡¯t a bear but a man. As Rian continued to soar high above the forest, through his eyes I saw more men moving below. All were heading south, and given we were close to Rakakz¡¯s south-eastern port, it was obvious these men were his, and that they were launching a raid on Vaegon. It wasn¡¯t certain which port they¡¯d be attacking, as they still had a day¡¯s ¨C or perhaps two ¨C trek to reach either, but that was something Rian or I could monitor as the day progressed. I offered a thought of thanks to Rian for alerting me to the movement and then slid from his mind. Once back in my body, I looked around, blinking as I re-adapted to my surroundings. While the aftereffects of skinchanging were far less now than they¡¯d once been, I was still disoriented for a few moments. ¡°Edric!¡± I called once I felt comfortable again. The door opened, and the heir to Starfall ¨C and if I trained him well, the next Sword of the Morning ¨C opened the door. ¡°Summon Daemon and Jaeronos,¡± I ordered, ¡°and bring my map of the Steps.¡± He gave a small nod and then left, closing the door behind him. Once alone, I stood and cleared the table that Vaegon had used. Rakakz launching a raid was a smart move, as the forest would cover much of his approach, and he¡¯d probably done so before. The difference this time was that Vaegon was gone and because of Rian I was aware of the impending raid. The lay of the land might not be certain, but it shouldn¡¯t be too difficult to ensure the raid not only failed, but that none of the Gilded Hand¡¯s men returned to tell Rakakz that he no longer faced Vaegon, but instead found himself opposed by the Bloody Wolf. ¡­ ¡­ The Water Runs Red 3a The rush of air beneath my wings, lifting me high among the clouds, was a sensation I would never tire of. Nor would I ever lose the thrill of immersing myself in Rian''s mind, letting him soar freely while I savoured the spectacle. But today, and for as long as it would take to conquer Redwater, there would be no pleasure in the flight. Instead, I was here on a reconnaissance mission, while my body lay far below in the captain''s cabin of the Red Kraken, guarded by my squires as the ship and a single galley tacked into the wind, heading away from Redwater. Rian wasn¡¯t flying over the water, but over the island instead, once more circling where the men who¡¯d come down from Rakakz¡¯s southern port were. The group were moving far slower than I¡¯d first expected, and for a while, I¡¯d wondered why that was. If they¡¯d pushed, the group of perhaps fifty might¡¯ve reached either of my ports inside of two days, three at the outside. However, it was nearing the end of the fourth day since Rian had first spotted them, and they still had a day or so to go. The reason for the slow approach had become clear when Rian had seen two galleys sailing from Rakakz¡¯s northern port toward the south. Once there, all four galleys at that port, along with most of the men present, had joined them and the group of six galleys had moved south. Once that was known, the plans for dealing with the land force were altered, and instead of overwhelming force being sent out to engage it, and thus leave the port weakened, a new plan was devised. It was clear Rakakz intended to take Vaegon¡¯s southern port, and then potentially push for the northern port that lay in the bay. The problem for him was that Vaegon was dead, having been executed by Daemon when he didn¡¯t bend the knee, and thanks to Rian and the gulls with me, I knew his movements almost as soon as they started. With that in mind, after a day planning out our counter with Daemon, Bronn, and Jaeronos, we¡¯d devised a plan that while risky would, if executed even half as well as planned, shatter Rakakz¡¯s power and ensure he would be easy pickings when we moved to remove his control over the centre of the island. Yesterday, as Rakakz¡¯s fleet moved south slowly, not wanting to attack at night as the sun would be in their eyes, my fleet had slipped from the port. Most of it, including one of the damaged galleys and the Pride of Saltbrook, had headed south, reaching the southern tip of the island. There, the fleet lay anchored waiting to spring into action, just out of sight of the port and Rakakz¡¯s fleet once they edged around the point they¡¯d sheltered behind the day before. However, not all of my ships had gone with Jaeronos as the Red Kraken and the Reaper¡¯s Revenge had headed southeast out to sea. The crew of the two ships I¡¯d taken hadn¡¯t liked sailing out into the open sea at night, but none had outright rejected my orders. From today at least, the part of the plan we were doing would become clear, as we swung wide around Rakakz¡¯s fleet and headed north, intending to strike at one of the weakened ports there. Bronn, along with Ymir and sixty of our best men had headed into the forest. About half the men had bows, and their orders were simple. Once the battle for the port commenced, they were to strike the land attack force in the rear, removing them for the battle and ensuring the pirates didn¡¯t sneak into the port and do damage while it was focused on the fleet bearing down on it. The majority of the men under my command remained in the port under Daemon¡¯s command. Kaa was also there, but he was secured in the commander¡¯s building and shouldn¡¯t be in danger. That said, if any pirate was dumb enough to enter the room, Kaa was free to strike, and Daemon should¡¯ve ensured that few if any men were present in the building before and during the battle. Most of the bows were with Daemon as well, though Jaeronos fleet had about fifty so that, if they needed to, they could add that firepower to that provided by the scorpions when they engaged Rakakz¡¯s fleet. Based on the plan that had existed when I¡¯d departed, though it might¡¯ve been altered slightly as my strike group had to set sail first, Rakakz¡¯s fleet would be allowed to attack the port, hopefully beaching most if not all their galleys. From there Daemon¡¯s men would engage them, Bronn¡¯s those in the forest, while Jaeronos had the fleet sweep north, either to strike any ships still at sea or trap the pirates between his ships and Daemon¡¯s men. Casualties were going to be high among Daemon¡¯s men, as Rakakz¡¯s forces would attack thinking they had the advantage, but as the men with him were roughly equal to those attacking, and they had the defensive positions, I felt Daemon could hold the line long enough for Jaeronos to get into position to trap the pirates between the hammer and anvil. At that point, many, if not all, surviving pirates should surrender, and I¡¯d be looking at a few hundred new men along with six sea-worthy galleys. While that, and Bronn¡¯s wiping out of the land force, was going on, the Kraken and Revenge would head north. The base plan was for me to strike the virtually abandoned southern port Rakakz controlled on the eastern coast. However, with just one galley docked in the northern one, and another at sea chasing a cog that looked like it would be escaping, that port was an option for me to strike at. Doing so was a far more dangerous option, but with Jaeronos meant to bring most of his fleet north to Rakakz¡¯s southern port, then once, provided I attacked the north, Jaeronos would leave only enough men to secure, and then strip clean the southern port before sailing north to reinforce me. Regardless of when the two eastern ports were taken, with the loss of most of his manpower and ships on the coast, the Gilded Hand would be left with just the single port in Redwater Bay. While it was the easier port to defend, situated in a small inlet at the point in the bay furthest from the sea, Rakakz couldn¡¯t pull too many men from it. If he did, Allerion, who controlled the northern third of the island, would be in a position to strike. Allerion held, from what I¡¯d so far learnt, five ports. One lay in Redwater Bay while the others spanned the length of the northern coast. Vaegon¡¯s former men only knew of four of those ports, but thanks to recon flights I¡¯d discovered a fifth port. This sat about halfway to Allerion¡¯s most easterly port, and while small ¨C containing only a single galley and two longboats ¨C served as a connection between the easternmost port and the others. A path that while overgrown was visible from the air ran from this new port toward the next port to the west, ensuring the ports remained in contact. That would cause me issues when it was time to move against Allerion, but for now, my focus was on Rakakz. Between his bay port, and the northern one on the eastern coast, a well-defined path ran. The path was almost straight, and reasonably flat ¨C at least from what Rian had seen so far ¨C so sending signals from one port to the other wouldn¡¯t be that hard. That alone was making me reluctant to strike the northern port as while I should have the men there outnumbered, a quiet signal to the bay port would see my target reinforced. The one upside was that, since it would take me two to get to the southern port, and at least another to the northern one, I had time to consider my course. Still, regardless of which port was struck, Rakakz was going to be severely weakened within a quarter-moon¡¯s time. The trick was taking advantage of that before he learnt of the failure of his attack. From there, I¡¯d have to scout The Lotus Isle and Coral Isle. While, in theory, the Lotus Prince and Salladhor Saan wouldn¡¯t outright attack my newly taken ports, and were against slavery and more common pirate actions, I wouldn¡¯t know their intentions until I spoke with them. that, however, would only take place once Redwater was mine, and Rakakz and Allerion either bent their knee or lost their head. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ (Bronn¡¯s POV) He kept low, using the bush and trees around him to stay as hidden as possible while he watched the group of pirates to his southwest. While they¡¯d moved toward the port slowly, the pirates had their focus on threats from their front, not their side or rear, and as such, thanks to Ymir guiding them, Bronn and the men with him had managed to skirt around the pirates without alerting them to their presence. The direwolf was a fucking gift from the gods in how easily he could track, and monitor a target without being seen. Ymir had alerted Bronn that they were nearing the pirates long before he had seen, heard, or smelt them. With the wind blowing from the southeast, they didn¡¯t have to worry as much about sounds and scents alerting the pirates, and it granted Ymir even greater ability to track their targets. That said, when Bronn first caught the scent of the pirates, he felt sorry for the direwolf. The pirates smelled like shit, and if not for years of being on battlefields and other places with such unsavoury smells, Bronn might have struggled to keep down his last meal. Ymir would be getting hit a thousand times worse, probably more as Cregan had explained how sharp the senses of the direwolf and his other animal companions were, and Bronn found himself feeling sympathy for the beast; an event he had never fucking expected a few years ago. Then again, much of what he was doing now was not how he had expected to be spending his time, but the pay was good and Cregan and the others were decent enough conversation that it almost made up for the lack of pussy for a post-battle fuck. Stolen novel; please report. Turning slowly, making his movements slightly erratic so that any who looked his way would not suspect a man was there, Bronn looked at the men with him. Most of those with him were sellswords or former pirates under the command of the Grim Prince. As this battle was, unlike the one in the port, more likely to be to the death ¨C not least as none of the pirates could be allowed to slip away and cause havoc elsewhere ¨C the men with Bronn had orders to give no quarter. About half the men carried shortbows intended to target the pirates once the battle began while the rest would charge. Ideally, they would be close enough that the pirates would not know they were under attack until Bronn and his men were right on top of them; preferably with a blade ready to slip through their neck or spine. While unarmed, and only wearing the lightest of armour that Cregan had created for him ¨C the mail too heavy and loud for woodland combat ¨C Ymir would be taking point. The idea that Bronn would trust a beast as large as a Sand Steed to fight with and protect him was another mad idea he¡¯d have never considered a few years ago. Not before bringing that Northern bastard to Sunspear. Bronn still did not know what the issue was between Cregan and the Snow boy, nor did he care. All that mattered, then and now, was that he was paid a small fortune for getting the bastard to Sunspear. Yet it was because of that that he found himself fighting beside a fucking direwolf, and trusting it more than most men to not stab ¨C or in its case, claw ¨C him in the back. The only issue was just how fucking quiet the beast could move, and if not for Chass stopping one of the pirates from freaking out, they might¡¯ve lost their position, and angered the direwolf, when it had appeared back in the group late last night. Turning back to examine the pirates, Bronn once more found himself counting any movement. The various counts he had done since they¡¯d found the pirates aligned roughly with Cregan¡¯s initial intelligence of fifty to sixty men. Bronn had that upper number with him, and while he¡¯d have preferred more men, he knew this wasn¡¯t the main battle. It would begin at the same time, which would be when Daemon blew twice on a horn he had, the trick was going to be to let the pirates begin their advance and sneak up on their rear without them realising they were about to be fucked in the arse. Some of the pirates would no doubt slip away, but the orders were to ensure they would not get far. That order had been given by Cregan to Ymir and Bronn was glad he wasn¡¯t the one to be hunted by the direwolf. None could survive this, and Bronn was happy about that. Now, he understood why Cregan needed the pirates who surrendered to bend the knee, but he could not trust any of those fuckers half as far as he could throw them. Sellswords were paid to do a job, and only switched sides if they were paid more ¨C or it was clear their employer was fucked ¨C but pirates had no such standards. They turned their cloaks at the first sign of trouble, hoping to not be cast into irons. So far Cregan had not been betrayed by any that had bent the knee, nor bar the battle at the end of The Whores campaign, had he suffered defeat, but Bronn knew that would not last. Pirates, even ones that had left the life, were worse than shit and should never be trusted. The only thing that could prevent them from turning on Cregan if he suffered several defeats was how much they believed in his goals, in him as a leader, and most importantly, how happy they were with their pay ¨C which Bronn knew from experience was higher than several sellsword companies in Essos and the watch of various towns ¨C and what Cregan was trying to build. As much as Bronn might never admit it to any, he was slowly finding himself liking the idea of what Cregan was trying to carve out of the Stepstones. It might not become anything of the size of any part of the Seven Kingdoms, but it would be a good-sized domain. Bronn hoped that Cregan was successful, mainly because his position in Cregan¡¯s forces meant that Bronn would get paid in coin and land for helping create it, but he knew the odds weren¡¯t there. The Gods, regardless of which religion they came from, were fickle fucks and sooner or later the winds would turn against Cregan. The trick was going to be to see how many of the men that remained stayed loyal to Cregan, and which would once more turn their cloaks or turn tail and run seeking self-preservation over fighting for a cause that was struggling, if not dying. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ (Daemon¡¯s POV) He stood at the edge of one of the buildings in the port, about a few hundred feet back from the docks. Most of his body was hidden behind the building, but his head was glancing out, a Myrish Eye raised to his face. Through the device, he could see the fleet of Rakakz the Gilded Hand approaching. The ships were slowly slipping around the edge of the coast as the sun rose and were using the light to attempt to hide their approach. Since they were not directly between the rising sun the tactic was not perfect, but it had granted them a chance at partially obscuring their approach. It also meant that as battle raged, the sun would be in Daemon¡¯s face, along with those of the men in the port with him. The issue for the pirates was that not only did Daemon know they were approaching, but the men moving around the beach and docks ¨C numbering around a hundred ¨C were not the only men in the port, nor its only defences. The challenge Daemon had with his men was to ensure that the various surprises he had available to him remained hidden until after the pirates had committed fully to the attack. The plan they had created to turn the attack into a trap was a bold one, but Daemon knew it was one Oberyn would have approved of, and he had little doubt that Cregan¡¯s father was the inspiration for this plan. That said, without Cregan¡¯s ability to skinchange they¡¯d have remained unaware of the fleet until this morning, and have no hint of the force moving over the island to flank the port. While he was raised to follow the Seven-who-are-One, Daemon was not a deeply religious man, and the more he saw Cregan use his bestial companions to his advantage, the less he considered the ability demonic. Without skinchanging, Daemon knew he, Cregan, and many others might have ended up dead in The Whores because of Aeron Indarys¡¯ trap, and he was wise enough to understand that anything that granted an advantage before, during, or after a battle was not to be ignored because some distant god condemned it. When Cregan had confessed to skinchanging into the minds of pirates to ensure their escape from Aeron¡¯s trap, Daemon couldn¡¯t shake the unease that settled over him. The very idea that someone could invade and control the mind of another man made his skin crawl. It was a power that, to many, could be seen as evil, and Daemon couldn''t dismiss that thought. Even now, the memory of Cregan¡¯s admission sent a shiver down his spine, one he knew would linger for years to come. Daemon struggled to reconcile his feelings. The only reason he could accept what Cregan had done was the genuine disgust and regret Cregan had shown when he spoke of it. Daemon believed in his friend''s sincerity, and that belief, coupled with the deep friendship they had rebuilt after years of distrust and dislike, made it easier to bear. The thought of marrying Alysanne Snow further solidified his resolve to accept Cregan¡¯s actions, though it didn¡¯t erase the lingering dread. Daemon knew that Cregan had felt he had no other choice, that it was a desperate act to save their lives. Yet, even with that understanding, the thought of it all continued to haunt him. Since coming to Redwater, Daemon found himself thankful that Rian had returned, though even if the massive eagle had not arrived, the gulls Cregan had brought with them would have ensured they were aware of the impending pincer attack. Rian being here simply meant that they were aware earlier of the attack, and thus had more time to devise their counter. The eagle was with Cregan, who sailed somewhere far to the southeast, while Ymir was with Bronn in the woods north of the port. Kaa remained in the port, secure in the commander¡¯s building and while men were guarding the building, they had strict orders to not enter. The bloodflower viper would strike at any who entered, and Daemon did not doubt that the viper¡¯s venom was potent enough to kill any bitten in less time than it would take for them to scream in pain. There was a signal to tell the viper that it was no longer in danger, and not to attack any who entered the building, but Daemon was unsure of that signal ¨C the tossing of a live fish would work. Even if it seemed it did, he was content to give the building a wide berth until Cregan returned or they had to abandon the port. Through the Myrish Eye, Daemon saw the sixth and final galley slide around the edge of the coast. That was the last of the attacking fleet, and assuming they were all fully crewed, they¡¯d be carrying around three hundred and fifty men. Daemon had slightly more than that under his command, but about thirty men, under the command of Lazo and Jovarn, had slipped from the port during the night. Those men would by now be in position along the tops of the cliff that looked down on the approaching fleet and the port. It was not an overly high cliff, barely a hundred feet high, but it granted an elevated position for the men to rain down arrows on the galleys. They would, however, only do that once Daemon gave the signal, as while ensuring the port did not fall was the primary intent of this battle, the chance to capture Rakakz¡¯s galleys, preferably all in working order, was a close second for the orders of battle. The archers on the cliff would fire down once Daemon sounded the battle had begun, focusing their fire on the rear of the enemy fleet. Those ships were the most likely to either turn and withdraw when the trap was sprung or if they committed, the first that would try and escape once the pirate¡¯s attack was broken. Now, the plan was for Jaeronos to ensure they could not escape, but Daemon felt using the cliffs to target those ships, and hopefully lower the time it would take to secure them, would allow Jaeronos to turn and head north for the second part of the battleplan. Ideally, they would be able to do that without firing a bolt at the pirate vessels, but Daemon expected things would not go as smoothly as that. ¡°Iron Hands and Jeffery report the men are ready.¡± Daemon lowered the Eye and looked down at Jekar as the boy relayed that the commanders of the two other hidden groups were in position. "Good," he said, smiling reassuringly at his squire. "I understand you might be nervous about entering battle again," he continued, handing the Eye to Jekar, "but I have faith in you. You have already proven your skill with your first kills." Though the boy nodded, Daemon could still see the uncertainty lingering in his eyes. "Death is a part of life, Jekar," Daemon said, placing a hand on the boy''s shoulder. "As my squire, it is your duty to serve alongside me, even when that means confronting danger directly." He squeezed Jekar''s shoulder, his voice firm yet encouraging. "Watching a man die is never easy, nor is the smell pleasant," he added, a wry smile tugging at his lips. Jekar smirked at the remark, finding some comfort in the levity. "But it is the price we pay to fulfil our duties as knights and squires. You have already faced battle, killed those who deserved it, and proven that the Warriors spirit beats strong within your heart." Jekar nodded again, more resolutely this time, as he carefully secured the Myrish Eye in its pouch. With the pirates now approaching and the sun rising over their port bow, using the Eye could give away their position. They needed the element of surprise on their side, at least until the trap was sprung. As Daemon watched the boy turn to place the Eye in a secure spot, he could not help but feel a pang of regret that there were no whorehouses nearby. Crude as Bronn was, he was not wrong about the value of a willing woman''s company after battle. It helped soothe the nerves and would do Jekar good, taking the edge off his uncertainty and helping him step further into manhood. For his part, Daemon would keep the vow he gave himself, not willing to take another to his sheets until he was either married to Alysanne ¨C the cloth she¡¯d given him secured under his armour ¨C or Lord Stark had denied his request. For a lesser man, staying faithful to their love, or waiting patiently for the enemy to arrive might be a challenge, but for a Knight of Dorne, it was but a trivial matter to endure. ¡­ ¡­ The Water Runs Red 3b (Jaeronos¡¯ POV) Jaeronos hated waiting. The wait before a battle was the worst. When you knew a fight was coming, had everything ready, and all that was left was to sit on your ass until the chaos started¡ªthat was what he despised. The boredom, the stillness. It made his mind itch. He was stuck in the cabin of the Coral Howl, trying to ignore the damned gull squawking in its cage. Though it caused his thoughts to wander to why he was here in the first place: Cregan Sand. Jaeronos had expected easy coin when he heard about the job. Attack a pirate base, get paid after. Simple. But instead of some princeling, he found himself face-to-face with Cregan Sand, the Bastard of Starfall. The boy looked green, barely more than a kid, slim and tall, but those eyes¡ªthose eyes had seen battle. Jaeronos had heard the tales of Cregan killing an Ironborn lord and taking his Valyrian steel sword, but until that meeting, he hadn¡¯t believed a word of it. One look into those cold, purple eyes, though, and he knew the stories had some truth to them. Cregan was made for war, but the boy did not fully realise it yet. He had not accepted the thrill of battle, the rush of bloodshed, not like Jaeronos had. But he would. The Stepstones would teach him that, and Jaeronos was more than willing to follow along for the ride, especially with the coin Cregan was paying. Jaeronos did not care about the politics, the magic, or any grand dreams Cregan might have. He was here for the fight and the pay, nothing more. Let the boy figure out the rest on his own. What mattered was that Cregan had a plan, a bold one, and Jaeronos was ready to play his part in it. The waiting was the worst part, though. And the damn gull wasn¡¯t making it any easier. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ (Cregan¡¯s POV) As had been the case for most of my waking hours since Rian had first alerted me to the oncoming attack, I found myself in the mind of a bird high above Redwater. At the moment, however, I wasn¡¯t sharing the eagle¡¯s body, but instead controlling the frame of a mind-broken gull. Rian was flying further to the north, scouting the twin ports of Rakakz for any change in their situations while I was using the gull to monitor events to the south, and the battle that was not far from happening. Below me, the six galleys sent by Rakakz were slipping closer to the port I controlled. They¡¯d rounded the corner of the island, and with the rising sun at their backs, bearing down on Dameon and the men stationed there to greet them. Most of the men were hidden behind a few rows of buildings, gathered in shelter there out of sight of the approaching pirates, though about thirty were on the cliffs overlooking the approaching fleet and port. When I first saw them, I feared the pirates had landed men from the galleys during the night, and they would link up with the men Bronn and Ymir were to engage. However, those concerns were quickly dismissed as I caught sight of Jovarn as the men moved to the cliff edge, though not so close that those on the galleys below might spot them. That made clear Daemon had been the one to send the men there, altering the plan I¡¯d known of when I¡¯d set sail aboard the Kraken. The change was a bold move, as it would cost Daemon men for the fight in the port, but if those on the cliffs could cause chaos in the pirate fleet just as it neared the port, then it would be a successful one. Shifting my sight north of the cliffs, through the gaps in the canopy, I tried to pick out the men, regardless of banner, there. I knew Bronn was down there, as I could sense Ymir¡¯s presence, but the forest was too thick, and with both groups of men stationary, none were easily spottable from above. All I could hope was that Bronn, Ymir, and those with them were in position to attack whenever Daemon gave the signal. Turning my wings to drift south, and be carried higher by the wind and it brushed over my feathers, I saw the rest of my fleet. They¡¯d slowly begun sailing eastward, tacking into the wind which blew from the southeast, as if heading away from Redwater and bound for Volantis. The pirates would¡¯ve seen the fleet, but given the distances between them, the fact the sigil on the sails of his ships would be unknown to the pirates, and the direction Jaeronos¡¯ fleet was heading, they¡¯d have, I hoped, dismissed them as a threat or juicer target. Jaeronos would be waiting down there for my second signal. The first had been for him to sail eastward, and the next would be to swing northwest, aiming to strike the pirate fleet from the rear. When they made that move the men aboard would man the oars, and power the fleet closer as the wind, which was in our favour, blew in from astern. Circling back toward the pirate fleet, the faint flicker of something catching the sunlight drew my attention. The movement that caused it came from the quarterdeck of the lead galley and I saw one of the two men there holding up a Myrish Eye. Given the other man was at the helm, the man with the Eye was likely the commander of the assault. The commander lowered the Eye slightly and tilted his head. Whatever he said never reached me, the winds carrying them far from the gull¡¯s weak ears, but the sudden increase in movement on the galley told me something was happening. The men that were moving joined those already at the oars, and their pace quickened, pushing the galley forward and helping it ride higher on the crest of the next wave. Behind it, the other galleys copied the movement making clear the commander was committing to the attack. Watching the commander, I noted the lack of an armoured vambrace or at least anything that would be unique or special enough to fit with Rakakz¡¯s title of The Gilded Hand. That meant the Pirate Lord was in one of the other ports, most likely the one in the Bay, which would filter into my plans for which of the eastern ports to attack. Knowing that it was time to set the trap, I slipped from the mind of the gull ¨C though not before commanding it to return to the Kraken, and entered the mind of the only beast I had any link to that lay to the south. Shaking the head of the new gull as I grew accustomed to my location, I turned around. the room was dimly lit, the only light coming from two pairs of windows that were partially covered over the stern of the war galley. Jaeronos was at a table nearby, looking at something, though he turned when I had the gull call out. He moved closer, his lips moving as he asked if it was time. I had the gull nod and then used its beak to tap six times at the bars of the cage it was in. I then looked north and spread my wings. That signalled the pirate ships were going full speed for the port. After nodding in understanding, Jaeronos left, and as fresh light flooded the room ¨C coming from the door he¡¯d opened ¨C I heard him call out to his crew. With my part now completed, I slipped from the mind of the gull and returned my thoughts to my body. As always, there was a moment where I had to readjust, the weaker eyesight and different limbs causing a moment of confusion. I wondered if the weaker vision my human eyes had might be improved further by getting to a Level 10 bond with Rian. At Level 5, I¡¯d gained sharper sight, though not to the level of Rian or any bird I¡¯d dominated and seen through the eyes of. At Level 10 with Kaa, the weak heat sense I¡¯d gained from our Level 5 bond which extended a few metres beyond me and only alerted me to nearby movement, had increased to superior reflexes. While not insane, when combined with the rough danger sense I had from Ymir¡¯s bond reaching Level 5, meant I was able to react to threats faster than I otherwise could. Something I¡¯d benefited from, both in battle and out. Once re-settled into my body, I stood and left the main cabin of the war galley. Stepping out, I saw the short corridor to the main deck open. ¡°Stay here,¡± I said to Edric and Trystane, the squires having taken watch outside my cabin while my mind was elsewhere. ¡°I shall return shortly.¡± Stepping onto the deck, I took a deep breath, enjoying the clean sea air. With that done, I turned and moved to the short flight of stairs that led to the quarterdeck. Halfway up it, I stopped as I caught Miltar¡¯s attention. ¡°Turn us due north!¡± Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°Aye Captain,¡± Miltar responded, his hands rotating the wheel and turning the rudder. As the ship slipped to port, I looked back to the deck. ¡°Full sails!¡± The men on deck responded to my command, and as I stepped back toward the short corridor that led to my cabin, I saw the sails being unfurled fully. While the wind was coming at us from the stern side, starboard, it would help push us north faster. Barring any setback, we¡¯d be beyond the point on the coast where the pirate fleet had gathered by midday, and halfway to the southern port by nightfall. Perhaps even further if the oars were fully manned and the speed increased. I gave my squires a nod as I moved past them into my cabin, and after flicking the latch to ensure none could enter without creaking the door down first, returned to my bed. While I could rest my body on a chair, with the chop of the sea, even as gentle as it was now, I found it safer to rest on the bed while my mind was elsewhere. I might not be able to fight in the battle at my port, but I would watch it. Once it was over, provided the gods hadn¡¯t decided to rig the dice rolls against my men, I¡¯d slip into Rian¡¯s mind and see how things were at my potential targets. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ (Daemon¡¯s POV) Staying in his hidden location, only his head ¨C the helm opened to grant him clearer sight ¨C peeking around the corner of the building. Even without risking using the Myrish Eye, and thus giving away that they knew the fleet was approaching before they should, he had seen the increased speed of the galleys. The oars might be too fine a detail to determine, but the way the ships rose higher on the crests of waves made clear their speed had increased. The men on the docks had seen the approaching fleet, and begun preparing defences. The two moored galleys had been shifted as best they could. The scorpions, already loosened days before for this, moved to the quarterdecks of the ships, though both remained covered to not alert the pirates that the men of the port were prepared for their attack. Elsewhere men were slipping on armour and collecting weapons that they had not carried while going about their morning duties. A handful of men, perhaps a third of those in sight of the pirate fleet, had bows with arrows in quivers on their person, or resting on nearby barrels, crates, and the like. Anything that could be turned into a makeshift barrier had been, though the few carts and rowing boats in and around the docks were less than there normally would be. Daemon had ensured that most were moved back, placed down alleyways to deny the pirates cover once they made landfall, blocked off certain paths into the port, and provided cover for the men that waited further back to counterattack. He remained where he was, waiting patiently. Battle was approaching, and he could feel the surge of excitement washing over him at that, but was not letting the urge to do something force him into making a mistake. ¡°Easy there,¡± He said without turning as a sound came from his side. ¡°Sorry,¡± Jekar whispered, making Daemon smirk. While he had been nervous earlier, the same excitement that flowed through Daemon was affecting his squire. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡± ¡°I know,¡± Dameon cut in. ¡°But if we act too early and rush from our positions before the enemy is on the beach, then it will all be for nothing.¡± Jekar did not reply, choosing instead to remain silent and Daemon assumed his words had worked to quell the squire¡¯s desire to fight. At least until the battle began. With the matter handled, Daemon returned his full attention to the approaching fleet. Time slowed as he found himself willing the galleys to come closer, to begin their final push to reach the port. The familiar strange stillness fell over Daemon and others. Everyone knew what was about to happen, that in minutes many of them might well be lying dead on the ground, yet none moved from their position. None turned tail and ran from what awaited them. This was their fate and they would face it like warriors. Daemon smiled as the oars on the lead galley moved quicker. The pirate¡¯s leader had committed. ¡°Signal Iron Hands and Jeffrey,¡± he said quietly, knowing Jekar was there. ¡°Our enemy has committed but they are to remain hidden until the second blow of my horn.¡± Gravel being kicked up was the reply he got from his squire, but Daemon was fine with that. Committed the pirates might be, but the sound of men that they could not see shouting would have them falter. They needed the pirates to reach the docks, to commit entirely to the attack for the trap to capture all in its net, and Daemon would be the one to reveal the truth when he stepped into the light. His armour was still darkened, still smeared with tar and dirt to hide the shine of it, but even so, the sight of a fully armoured figure in what should be a pirate port would draw attention. The pirates would surge toward him, all seeking the honour of striking him down. However, as he brought one wrist to his mouth, placing a small kiss over where he had secured Alysanne¡¯s token of affection, he knew none he faced today would have that honour. He would survive this battle, and all that followed, as unlike those he faced, he had something beyond himself worth fighting for. Worth driving back death for. Nothing would prevent him from once more seeing the eyes of the woman he loved. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ (Bronn¡¯s POV) Bronn was growing bored of this. He had spent the fucking night watching these pirates, and now, as the morning grew longer, still found himself waiting. He knew he had to wait for Daemon fucking Sand to blow the horn before he and the men with him could attack, but if he had to spend the day just sitting here, waiting for that Gods-damned horn to blow, he would give the Dornish knight a piece of his fucking mind. The only upside was that, for all that he was annoyed with being stuck out here waiting for the battle to begin, the pirates he was targeting had been in the forest longer, and they knew nothing of Bronn, nor the men and direwolf with him. Sounds of the animals in the forest echoed around him, but Bronn gave it little thought. Instead, his focus was on the familiar quiet that filled the air for his men and the pirates. The quiet was normal, and it did not concern Bronn, as he used the time to consider ways he might ensure he survived this battle and enjoyed any celebration that came after. The only downside of that celebration, as with each that had taken place on this island already, was that there were no women to enjoy alongside the drink. Technically, there were women on the island, but those were former slaves and Cregan was clear that they were not to be touched. Bronn considered that rule, and a few of the others Cregan had explained to every man who had signed on with him, a little odd, as looting and pillaging were standard things that happened after a battle. However, he was willing to accept them because of how well Cregan paid him. Hells, he even helped enforce the rules every man agreed to, though none had attempted to challenge Cregan over raping a prisoner or slave yet. A faint rustling had Bronn tense, one hand slipping to a dagger at his belt, though he relaxed as he saw the shifting black mass of Ymir. Unlike the over a hundred men stuck in the forest waiting for the battle to begin, the direwolf seemed unbothered and unaware of the stretching quiet that existed as everyone waited for the start of the battle. Ymir looked, for all the world, as if he was somewhere else, lazing around. Yet, for a beast the size of a horse, the direwolf could move with such silence that he had come close to disturbing several of the men under Bronn¡¯s command, and if not for others stopping them from reacting, their ambush might have failed before it had begun. What caught Bronn¡¯s attention was that Ymir was not simply shifting around, trying to get more comfortable. No, the hairs down the direwolf¡¯s neck were standing, and the beast¡¯s muscles tensing. Bronn did not understand how the direwolf seemed to sense a battle was to begin before any signal was given, but after several battles fighting beside Ymir, he had learnt to accept the signs, and his other hand slipped to an axe while the other drew the dagger he had grasped from its sheath. Proving once again that the direwolf had some extra sense for bloodshed, the moment Bronn had his hand on the axe, a horn echoed through the forest. Men, be they those under his command, or his targets, shifted at the sound even as the horn blew again. That was the signal from Daemon that the battle for the port was underway. The gentle rustling of leaves to his side had Bronn¡¯s attention, and he saw Ymir slipping away, heading north. ¡°Good hunting,¡± he whispered to the beast, knowing it would move to strike from there, cutting down any man who escaped from Bronn and his men. Any that considered themselves lucky to get away would learn, for however short their lives ended up being after then, that they¡¯d have been better dying in battle. The direwolf didn¡¯t respond, nor did Bronn give it any thought. His focus remained on the men ahead, waiting to see how they reacted, and when he and his men could descend on them, taking them out before they knew what was happening. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ (Jaeronos¡¯ POV) He stood at the bow of the Coral Howl looking through the Myrish Eye toward the port he and the fleet had sailed from the day before. The pirate ships were racing toward it, their oars flashing through the water rapidly, propelling them forward. He was too far away to know when Daemon would blow the horn signalling the battle was beginning, but the shift in speed of the pirate vessels was all he needed to know it was time. ¡°Hard to port!¡± he called out, knowing the men on deck would relay the helm. ¡°Bring us around into the wind!¡± While the pirate fleet had to tack slightly with the wind, because of where they had sailed this morning, Jaeronos¡¯ fleet lay southeast of the port, meaning the wind was almost directly behind them. when combined with the rested men who would be rushing to man the oars, that would carry his fleet into the battle quickly. The trick was going to be getting there before Daemon and the men in the port were overwhelmed, and before the pirates, seeing his fleet incoming, decided to turn tail and run. On either side of him, Jaeronos could hear men moving, those men readying the four scorpions that rested on the bow of the Howl. The others would be aimed forward as best they could, but these four ¨C along with the pair at the front of the smaller galleys ¨C would be the primary ranged weapons the fleet would use. There were a few dozen bows stored on the Howl and some of the galleys, but none had the range of Cregan¡¯s weirwood bow. As he felt the wind ruffle the back of his skull, signifying the ship had turned to be carried by the wind, he issued another order. ¡°Signal the galleys. V formation, off-centre to port!¡± The formation was a basic one, but with the need to hide their intent over, it would allow the galleys to spread out and bring their scorpions to bear. The extra command would mean that two galleys would be to the Cowl¡¯s starboard, allowing them more chance to intercept any pirate vessel that tried to escape back to their home ports. The damaged galley, without repaired sails, would trail behind, with the men there given the chance to prove they had some use by trying to keep up with the rest of the attacking fleet with just oars alone. Further back, the Pride of Saltbrook would also turn, though it would bank away from the damaged galley just in case those men tried to take the cog. While the cog lacked extra warriors onboard, the crew were trusted, trained, and should be capable of repelling any attempt at betrayal from the damaged galley if the men there chose to try their luck and turn their cloaks again. Ideally, Jaeronos would have preferred for the Pride to sail away, heading back to Dustspear. However, while the winds were currently favourable, the ship would have to travel without escort, and that was not something he or Cregan were willing to risk. Therefore, it would remain close to the fleet, but far enough back that it should not be threatened by the battle the Howl now raced toward. With just three galleys to support the Howl, they would be undermanned if the engagement was to be a purely naval one. However, today that was not the case. Instead, they were the hammer against Daemon¡¯s anvil, designed to crush the pirate fleet between them. The Water Runs Red 3c (Daemon¡¯s POV) His blade came up with his arm, the point of the blade along with some of the top section, slashing against and then through the gambeson the pirate wore. At the same time, his shield arm was shifting, angling the metal to deflect away the attack of another pirate. The man his blade had caught turned, the wound deep enough to unbalance him, and as the steel slipped free, blood gushed forth from the wound. Daemon turned, using his shield to guide the attack of the other pirate further away, and straightened his arm. The point dug in deep, drawing a grunt from the second pirate even as the first fell to his knees trying desperately to hold in his steaming guts. The man was not dead yet nor was the one Daemon had just stabbed, but in the melee of battle, Daemon was not moving to ensure they died quicker. There were too many opponents, too many men seeking his head, for Daemon to risk diverting his blade down, removing it for a few seconds from being able to defend and attack against the next rush of pirates who came at him. Through the slit in his helm, as he pulled his sword free of the side of the pirate he had just stabbed, he saw two more rushing toward him; one of Dameon¡¯s men falling to the ground half a yard behind them, blood flowing from a deep wound to his gut. Ever since the pirates had beached half their galleys, and Dameon had blown the horn signalling the counterattack, this had been the pattern of battle. The moment he had stepped into the light, even with his armour darkened, the pirates had understood that he commanded the defences. That his death would win them the battle and grant them a greater share of whatever loot they could find in the aftermath. That, however, was exactly what Daemon relied on. Aside from Vaegon with his massive axe and a few pirates wielding maces or hammers, none of them had weapons that could seriously threaten his plate armour. That didn¡¯t mean he was letting blades get too close¡ªfar from it. But if a strike did manage to slip through his defences, he trusted the armour to deflect the blow or lessen its impact enough to prevent a serious wound. The pair reached him just after he¡¯d readied himself to face them, both wielding falchions. Under the helm, Dameon smirked, looking forward to what was coming. They rushed at him together, not flanking as they should. His shield pushed forward, blocking their strikes, and then a turn of his arm lifted the base upward. As the falchions were lifted and pushed away, Daemon stepped forward. His sword flashed out, sinking deep into the gut of one pirate. The blade was pulled back, and the pirate staggered back, one hand coming to the mortal wound he now had. A quick rotation of his elbow and the sword swept to the side, slicing the chest of the other pirate. The blow was not fatal, but it forced the pirate to turn and stumble away; right into the blade of one of Daemon¡¯s men. His smile widened as he turned to seek his next foes, and Dameon noted that it would have been his sixteenth kill of the battle. While it felt as if time was flying past, he could see that the last of the pirate galleys was only now reaching the docks; the first of its men leaping over to join the fighting on the wooden planks that ran from the beach to the two moored galleys. A pirate charged at Daemon, swinging a mace with brutal intent, forcing him to consider his approach a fraction more carefully as he turned to face the new challenger. Daemon braced his shield, letting the mace crash against it with a dull thud, absorbing the blow. His sword flicked out, aiming for the man¡¯s arm, but the pirate was quicker than anticipated, swinging the shaft of his weapon just in time to deflect the blade. A grin tugged at Daemon''s lips¡ªfinally, something resembling a challenge. The mace came around again, aimed at his pauldron, but Daemon shifted his stance, raising his shield to block the strike. At the same time, his sword cut upward in a swift arc, slicing into the pirate''s arm. Blood seeped from the wound, but the man barely reacted, save for a grunt of irritation. Daemon moved back, dodging the upward swing of the mace, and prepared to counter the next strike. But out of the corner of his eye, he caught movement¡ªa second pirate lunged at him, his blade clashing against Daemon¡¯s shield. The angle of the shield deflected the blade toward the first pirate. The stumble of one pirate forced the other to halt his attack, throwing him off balance. Daemon seized the opportunity. He pushed forward, thrusting both shield and sword. The shield collided with the body of the second pirate, while his sword found its mark, sinking deep into the leg of the mace-wielder. As he drew back his blade, ready to finish the job, a sword burst through the pirate¡¯s chest from behind. Blood spewed from the fresh wound and the man¡¯s mouth as he crumpled to his knees. Turning to deal with the other pirate, Daemon saw the one holding the blade had been his squire. While he disliked losing his kill, he was pleased to see Jekar fighting and taking advantage of his smaller stature to strike from behind. A knight should have honour, but it had little place on a battlefield. Daemon¡¯s sword came around, the edge slicing the pirate he¡¯d just driven back with his shield across the chest. The blade sliced the armour with ease, though it failed to find purchase in flesh. The pirate stepped back, trying to put distance between them, but Daemon advanced. His blade came back around, circling in the air due to a turn of his wrist. The blade once more slashed the front of the pirate, though this time Dameon felt greater resistance, and as the metal swooped clear, the pirate lifted a hand to his chest; the armour darkening as blood flowed from the wound. Another turn of his wrist and arm, and the point of the blade sunk into the pirate¡¯s stomach. Daemon stepped forward, ensuring the blade drove inward, and the pirate grunted in pain. As the blade was pulled clear, the shield came around, slamming into the pirate and sending him away. As the body crashed to the ground, Daemon was turning, seeking new targets. His blood pumped, loudly demanding his blade find more flesh to feast upon. Seeing pirates fighting his men nearby, and with their backs turned to him, he advanced, preparing himself to strike. As his blade thrust through the back of the nearest pirate, Daemon swung his shield around, angling the edge. It slammed into the head of one pirate, catching him on the side of the face as he turned. The blow drove the man into the one next to him, and the pair fell over. With that chaos caused, the remaining upright and uninjured pirates reacted, turning to deal with the commotion. That left them exposed to Daemon¡¯s men to finish them off, and with that Daemon turned, seeking another target. He¡¯d barely begun the search before a group of four came toward him. Stepping forward, he set his feet and angled himself so none might flank him while in their initial assault. The men he had just helped would, once the pirates they faced were confirmed down, join him, and cover his flanks, but Daemon wanted the group dead before then. His blade flashed out; sweeping and twirling to deflect two attacks in one flowing move. Altering his arm, another strike toward him bounced away as it struck his shield. The fourth pirate though was able to take advantage as Daemon saw the heel of an axe grasp the side of the shield. Knowing what was coming, Daemon loosened the tenseness of his arm and stepped forward. The axe pulled the shield to one side, the pirate planning to use the move to expose Daemon to attack. Because of his movement, however, the plan failed and a grunt slid from the pirate as Daemon drove his blade into the man¡¯s gut. As the axe slipped from the side of his shield, Daemon pulled the blade back, turning his arm to widen the internal damage. The shield pushed out, knocking back the man who¡¯d had a blow deflected by it before the axe had caught the edge. In the same move, Damon turned to face the other two of this latest group of pirates to face him. His sword came around, the edge clashing against the blade of one of the pirates, pushing it aside. The weapon continued onwards, and with a roll of his wrists, the point slashed the pirate¡¯s arm. The wound was not deep, nor enough to cause the pirate to lose their weapon, but the point of the cutlass dropped even as Daemon¡¯s blade continued past them. It clashed against the steel of the final pirate even as Daemon¡¯s shield, angled high, crashed edge-first into the arm of the first of the pair of pirates. While his sword was unable to push the blade it was clashing against back, the wielder of that blade had to step back, lest they be knocked over by their stumbling companion. The moment the blades were free of each other, Daemon pulled the blade toward his shield. The steel dropped low, slicing clean through part of the stumbling pirate¡¯s thigh. The man fell to the ground, cutting off his companion from attacking even as Daemon turned back to the third pirate that still stood. A weapon crashed against his shield, driving Daemon¡¯s arm back, and slowing his turn. Movement at the edge of the shield revealed this pirate had shifted weapons, and now wielded a mace. The weapon pulled back, readying itself for another strike. Daemon didn¡¯t allow it to do so and thrust his blade low under the base of his shield. The attack missed flesh, but it forced the pirate back ensuring they could not then attack him. As Daemon readied himself to strike again, wary of the pirate to his right that was moving around the fallen companion, the one with the mace grunted. A second later, he looked down as the point of a blade burst through the side of his stomach. The blade was pulled clear, slashing through flesh and organs in the way. As the man fell, Dameon once more saw that Jekar was responsible for the opportunistic attack. Smiling at his squire, though the boy would not see it, Daemon pivoted, sweeping his shield out as he turned. That ensured the pirate to his right was unable to take advantage of Daemon¡¯s position. At least not until Daemon was fully facing them. As the pirate¡¯s cutlass came down, Daemon pushed his arm forward and his blade sunk deep into the pirate¡¯s chest, piercing one lung. Daemon continued to turn, dragging his blade free and widening the wound so badly that on the way free, he felt it scrape against bone. The pirate slumped forward, dead before his weapon had slipped from his grasp, and Daemon found himself facing his squire. Jekar¡¯s expression was partially hidden by his helm, but it was clear that the boy was adapting to the chaos and bloodshed of battle well. Sensing movement behind Jekar, Daemon shouted, ¡°Down!¡± The squire froze for a second, caught unprepared for the command, but he obeyed in time that the blade swinging for his neck did nothing more than clip the very top of his helm. Jekar fell to one side, his blade hand pressing into the dirt to prevent him from falling even as Daemon advanced. The slight deflection from Jekar¡¯s helm had taken the pirate¡¯s blade high, exposing the man¡¯s side and Daemon made sure to not miss. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. The pirate seemed to freeze in place as Daemon¡¯s sword sunk deep into his side under his arm; the blade facing almost no resistance as more than half the blade disappeared into flesh. The man began to fall, and Daemon was forced to release his grip, lest he be taken down as well. Even as he reached back for a new weapon from his belt, a pirate rushed at him, blades in each hand. Not wanting to be forced back, Daemon stepped toward the pirate, pushing his shield outward. Metal scraped against metal and as Daemon¡¯s fingers grasped the shaft of the axe at his hip, he felt the shield slam into something far more substantial. Pulling the shield back, he saw the pirate tumbling back, and as he slid his axe free of its hoop, the pirate tripped over a body and fell to the ground. Not wanting the man to rise again, Daemon stepped forward, and then drove the axe down hard, slamming the bit into the man¡¯s chest. The edge crashed through the pirate¡¯s armour, and one of the man¡¯s arms came up, grasping Daemon¡¯s wrist. Daemon pushed down, using his leverage to ensure the axe sunk deeper, and he quickly felt it catch against, and then wedge into bone. Knowing the man was down, and that the axe was trapped, Daemon yanked his arm back; breaking free of the weak grasp the pirate had on him, and left the axe embedded in the pirate¡¯s chest. Turning, his hand moving for the next weapon he had, he saw Jekar standing over another pirate. This time it appeared the squire had killed them from the front, and Jekar was already turning as the pirate fell, seemingly seeking the next threat. Sensing a lull in the battle, Daemon moved toward Jekar, ready to pull his squire to his side. Yet as he reached him, and with a short sword now in his grasp, Daemon saw that around them, the number of men on the beach and docks had thinned dramatically. A horn sounded, and Daemon turned toward it, tensing. However, as his eyes took in the sight of the water, he understood that it was coming from Jaeronos¡¯ fleet. As others turned at the sound, those who knew Cregan¡¯s sigil cheered while those who had attacked the port started to panic. Many threw their blades down and fell to their knees, begging for mercy. Others raced for the galleys, hoping to slip them into the sea and break through the fleet bearing down on them. A handful continued fighting, but with the majority defeated or retreating, they were quickly being overwhelmed. Daemon even saw one pirate turn on his fellows and stab the others in the back before tossing his blade down. With the battle in its dying embers, Daemon slid the short sword back into his sheath and placed his hand on Jekar¡¯s shoulder. The boy tensed, his blade coming around until he understood who had grasped him. ¡°Are you well?¡± Daemon asked, seeing that Jekar¡¯s face was red, and his breathing laboured. ¡°Y-yes, Ser.¡± Daemon nodded and gave Jekar¡¯s armour a solid pat. ¡°Good.¡± Seeing the colour still on Jekar¡¯s face was a relief; it meant the boy was handling this battle better than before. ¡°You fought well today, even saved my life a few times.¡± That was a stretch¡ªnone of the pirates Jekar had killed could have reached him unless Daemon had been sloppy. Still, seeing Jekar¡¯s chest lift and his shoulders square showed that the words had bolstered the boy¡¯s courage, which was exactly what Daemon aimed for. ¡°Later, once we have taken the rolls, secured the prisoners, and dealt with the bodies, we will talk more about today. If there is time, we might even resume your training, so you are better prepared for the next fight.¡± Jekar nodded, though Daemon noticed the boy¡¯s eyes widening at the thought of training so soon after battle. Daemon had endured similar gruelling sessions while squiring for Prince Oberyn and knew that if Jekar were with the Prince, training would have started even earlier. Daemon was not as harsh as Prince Oberyn, at least not for now, but he was not about to let Jekar slack off. ¡°Come on then. Help me tally the cost of this battle and see what spoils we have earned.¡± Daemon turned and moved toward the docks, wanting to see what condition the ships there were in, and how soon the pirate ships docked there could be readied to sail with Jaeronos¡¯ fleet. Already prisoners were being led down the docks and along the beach to one central location. As he reached the base of the docks, one of the two pirate galleys that had pulled alongside instead of beaching had cast off its moorings. Men ran over the docks, trying to prevent the escape, however Daemon was not concerned. The ship was under-crewed and to escape would have to sail directly at the Cowl and its escorts. The odds were high that the men there would surrender after only a few bolts were fired at them. The other attacking galley at the docks already had some of his men onboard, though they were caught between securing the remaining crew there or dealing with the galley that was trying to escape. Elsewhere, the four galleys that beached in the attack were being emptied. While Daemon doubted they carried much loot, any extra weapons would be useful for the battles to come. Glancing at the growing group of prisoners, Daemon estimated around a hundred had already gathered, with at least the same again on their way or still fighting. That suggested a high number of deaths among the pirates, and Daemon hoped it was not repeated among his men. Most here had come with them to Redwater, and as such were more trustworthy than those who had bent the knee recently. The prisoners would get their chance to join their ranks, but Daemon knew that could wait. First, the galley had to be secured and Jaeronos sent on his way. Once Ymir was back with Bronn, Daemon would speak with the prisoners. He might not have anything like the connection to the direwolf that Cregan held, but the simple presence of the beast was effective in ensuring men understood their choices. As the galley that had slipped away slowed, the men there throwing up their hands after a volley of bolts from the Cowl had struck them, Daemon¡¯s gaze turned northward. He could not see where Cregan was, but he wondered what his friend would do. Would the Wolf of Dorne take the easy path and secure Rakakz¡¯s southern port, or would he, as Daemon half-expected, turn his gaze further northward? ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ (Cregan¡¯s POV) Looking down through Rian¡¯s eyes, I scanned the island that lay between the two closest of Rakakz¡¯s ports. After watching the battle far to the south through the eyes of a gull, I¡¯d spent most of the last few days surveying the island controlled by Rakakz and Allerion Redbeard with my focus on the ports of the former. After some consideration, I¡¯d decided to attack the northern port. While it was the more dangerous option, as I held a far smaller advantage in men, and the two galleys there could be launched by fresh men against the tired crews of the Kraken and Revenge, the reward for taking it was far greater. Jaeronos had his fleet, which was four vessels including the Howl closing in on the southern port that Rakakz held on the eastern coast of Redwater, and with there being but twenty men there, he¡¯d leave two galleys at most to secure it. The Howl and the remaining galley would then head north to reinforce me, doubling the men I¡¯d have at the northern port. Well, as the battle for this port was going to be a hard slog, those reinforcements would be more than double the number of men I¡¯d have after it was over. Even after forcing those there to bend their knee, if I came out close to being able to crew both my ships fully I¡¯d be happy. Daemon had done well in the battle defending the port and leading Rakakz¡¯s fleet into the trap. All six of the attacking galleys had been taken without damage, and one had left to escort the Pride back to Northpoint. From what he''d told me ¨C via Ymir ¨C they¡¯d lost about eighty men during the battle. Over two hundred had surrendered to him, with all but a handful bending the knee. The issue now was that the forces Dameon and Bronn had under their command were about eighty or ninety per cent composed of men formerly loyal to Vaegon and Rakakz. I knew this was going to be an issue as the campaign on the island continued, but I had not expected to run into the issue until I was engaged against Allerion. What made it even worse was that a good percentage of the men who¡¯d died defending the port would have been sellswords. By and large, each of them was worth four or five pirates in combat, and their loyalty, which was secured with coin instead of fear for most of the former pirates, was more secure. Once Redwater was wiped clean, and I returned to Northpoint, I¡¯d have to see about having someone return to Sunspear to hire more men. I wanted to do that personally, to see how Asha and the child that grew in her belly were doing, but I suspected I¡¯d not have the time. Deciding on what to do with a pirate-free Redwater, and how to target The Whores and Grey Gallows, would take precedence. At least to the degree that I doubted I would be able to spare, at best, the moon-and-a-half it would take to sail to Sunspear and back. Movement down below caught Rian¡¯s attention, and I was pleased to see it wasn¡¯t another rabbit that he was considering hunting, but men moving along the path that ran between Rakakz¡¯s two ports. While the path was straight, the initial scouting I¡¯d done while Rian had been further south had failed to reveal that the path wasn¡¯t as flat as I had believed. While not twisting around a hill as the path between Vaegon¡¯s ports had, the path rose high enough that, having looked at it from east and west, it was clear that the men in one port couldn¡¯t see the other. To counter this, and showing he was smarter than Vaegon, Rakakz had set up a small watchtower at the peak of the path, about halfway between the two ports. The tower was only ever manned by two men, and from what I¡¯d seen over the last few days, where they came from alternated. Those heading there in the morning and at sunset came from the bay port while those taking the position at midday and midnight came from the port on the eastern shore. As the watchtower needed to be taken out, then the time to do it was at some point in the morning after the handover had taken place from the bay port. The issue was that, between the eastern ports, there was no easy point on the shore where men could land to target the watchtower. At least not without being in sight of one of the ports. While I could wait for Jaeronos to take the southern port and then land men near that, the hike to reach the watchtower would take several days and mean passing over or around a collection of small mountains that rose in the centre of the island. As my ships had sailed north, far enough out that they would not draw attention from men in the ports, I¡¯d pondered this issue and devised a plan. It was risky, but if it worked, not only would it take out the watchtower, but if anyone discovered the attack, they would not understand why it had happened. Aboard the Kraken, I had four mind-broken gulls still available to me. Those birds were expendable, especially as I¡¯d seen hundreds of gulls and other birds on and around the island since arriving. Because of that, I was considering using the foursome to attack the watchtower. While not the fastest of birds, the gulls were large and their beaks solid. If one struck the chest of a man, provided the beak struck true, the man would die from the beak piercing his internal organs. Hells, even if the beak didn¡¯t do that, the sheer velocity of the bird as it struck might well crush a man¡¯s chest; at least enough that another attack could finish them off. One problem with the plan was that I didn¡¯t have time to slip from the mind of a bird attacking the port, back to one on the Kraken, and then fly it toward the watchtower to attack. I needed both men down at the same time, which would mean using all four birds at the same time. In theory, that was possible to do, and I¡¯d practised taking over the minds of the four gulls while they were in their cages. The problem was that it was far more stressful to maintain control over all four at once, and if I spent more than five minutes inside their minds when I slipped back to my body I was assaulted by an insanely powerful migraine. Another issue, if I could overcome the strain and after-action migraine, was that to ensure the birds struck true, I would have to stay in their minds until they struck the pirates. While the targets might survive the impact, I knew the birds wouldn''t, which meant that if I was a fraction of a second too slow in slipping from their minds, I¡¯d experience them dying. Now, I¡¯d already had that experience in my memories, but there was no emotion attached to it, no rush of terror in that final second before death. From what little rules there seemed to be about skinchanging, that wasn¡¯t against them, but it was hinted that experiencing death through the eyes of an animal was a dangerous action; one even those who worshipped the Old Gods did not approve of. Even if I did everything right, and only two gulls were needed to kill the men at the tower, and I slipped from the minds of the birds in time, there was still a major issue that remained. The port we would be attacking was placed in such a location that, while not heavily sheltered from storms that might move northwards from the Summer Isles, it had clear sight of a massive stretch of open ocean. Even now, if they chose to do so, they¡¯d see my two vessels sailing north, though given we were far to the east, almost halfway to Lotus Shores, they wouldn¡¯t consider us a threat. However, that would change the moment we turned toward them. To help delay how long it would take them to spot us, once the sun set, we¡¯d be turning westward. The night, even with a waning moon, should cover our approach for a time. At least so long as we limited the light we emitted as we sailed. When the sun rose tomorrow, if all went well not only would we be much closer to the port, but the sun would be directly astern. That was the rough tactic Rakakz¡¯s fleet had used to approach my port and there was something poetic about using it against him, and this time ensuring we were directly shielded from coastal sight by the sun. Now, the sun wouldn¡¯t keep us hidden for long, but if, by the time the men in the port saw us bearing down on them the watchtower was taken, then there was no risk of men from the bay port coming to support the eastern port. Ideally, we would get close enough that, by the time they spotted us, it would be too risky to get their moored galleys underway. Even if they did, they would not be able to send full crews out as that would leave the port all but deserted. Also, with the extra scorpions that my vessels carried, along with my weirwood bow, my fleet had superior firepower to, if not overwhelm, then at least drive the galleys back to the port. The problem was if a galley slipped its moorings and then turned to run. Logically, they should head south, and run into Jaeronos¡¯ fleet. The Volantene was aware that this was possible, so he should move to attack that galley, but just as if a galley headed north, there was a risk there would be a galley of Rakakz¡¯s men floating somewhere in the sea between Redwater and Lotus Shores. That would mean I¡¯d have to make sure it was taken care of before moving against Rakakz¡¯s final port in Redwater Bay. The only possible way that a galley escaping might not be an issue was if they sailed to the east and were attacked and captured by the Lotus Prince or Salladhor Saan. Those two, in theory, were unlikely to be kind to pirates that enslaved others, especially the Lotus Prince who was known to string slavers up whenever his men captured them. The only time he didn¡¯t was when they were crew aboard a trading vessel that paid the toll to pass Lotus Shores. Through the eyes of Rian and gulls, I¡¯d seen ships around that small island bearing green sails, which I took to be how the Lotus Prince marked his vessels. However, until I had to deal directly with him, or spoke to captured pirates who sailed this section of the Stepstones, I¡¯d not know that for certain. As the sun slowly slipped over the western horizon, I instructed Rian to head back to the Kraken. Like me and my men, he needed to rest for tomorrow. With that done, I slipped from his mind and returned to my body. Turning slowly on my bed, I looked around the cabin. Some food was placed on the small table nearby, but otherwise, the place was as it had been when I¡¯d slipped into Rian¡¯s mind not long after lunch. Outside my door, Edric and Trystane would be waiting, the pair acting as guards while I was scouting the island. Both had seen battle when taking Vaegon¡¯s ports, but I¡¯d not been in the thick of battle in either engagement, thus neither had they. Tomorrow, when we assault the port, they would get their first true taste of battle, and the chaos and carnage that came with it. After I¡¯d broken my fast, I¡¯d summon them in and speak with them about what to expect and do. The pair would stay close to me, but as I¡¯d be wearing most of my armour, and with my surcoat proudly bearing my sigil ¨C the same one that flew on the sails of my vessels ¨C the pirates in the port would be drawn to me like moths to a flame. Edric and Trystane would thus be close to the centre of battle, but with their training, and the fact I¡¯d be in plate and have Red Rain at my side, I knew they¡¯d be fine. After that I¡¯d speak with my men, making sure the commanders knew the layout of the port, and how to deploy their men once we reached the shore and a good night¡¯s rest would be taken by as many men as possible. While some would man the sails and oars, those who would lead the charge tomorrow would be ordered to bed. Tomorrow we¡¯d be in battle once again, and while there were parts of my plan that I had concerns about, barring anything disastrous, the day would be ours. ¡­ ¡­ The Water Runs Red 4a 39: The Water Runs Red 4 ... ... I forced my mind to bear the weight of the strain, gazing down upon the twin ports of Rakakz. The third port did not concern me. Jaeronos would handle that. My focus lay on the two before me, and more specifically, the tower between them. Thoughts came in fragments, rough and jagged, as my mind struggled beneath the pressure. I was not merely in one gull, but four, all soaring above the Redwater. The flood of sensations, the weight of controlling their flight, pressed hard against my skull. Too much to process, too much to sift through. Rian was near, seen by all four gulls. They trembled, wanting to flee. Rian meant death to them. I could feel their panic. But I held them fast. They served me. Below, the land blurred by in a smear of brown and green, the path between the two ports marked by a line of dirt and rock. Two figures moved along it, coming from the bay, heading toward the tower. My prey. But I waited, biding my time, forcing patience where instinct screamed for haste. To seize the mind of a man would be easier. Simpler. But far more dangerous. The act of taking over a man¡¯s mind was a line I did not wish to cross again. The Whores had been forced upon me. This would not. No, I would suffer the gulls, the strain of their collective minds pulling at mine. Still, the weight¡­ I forced three of the gulls to close their eyes, granting me a brief respite. The strain eased, if only slightly. With fewer images and fewer sensations to parse, my thoughts cleared. But even now, with their eyes closed, I couldn¡¯t afford to strike. This moment was nothing more than a pause in the agony, a chance to gather myself while the waiting continued. The gulls had no will of their own, not anymore. Rian¡¯s presence sparked their instincts, but that was all that remained of them¡ªtheir shattered minds and broken wills were my tools now. I was their master, even as the effort of controlling four at once gnawed at my reserves. Magic... such a fickle thing these days. Whatever curse lay upon the world twisted its use, made it brittle and unpredictable. Not just for me, but for any who wielded power. But I knew something the others did not. I knew why magic was faltering, and I had a plan¡ªthough the solution was far from my reach, still a year and a half away. The Red Comet had seen the return of dragons, those living engines of magic. Their rebirth had stirred the old forces awake, but the Comet itself held the key to clearing the taint that blocked the ability of those with the gift to wield magic. Yet until that fateful day arrived, I would continue to strain against this limit I despised. What I did today would nearly drain me, leave me hollow, but it was necessary. Rakakz could not know his eastern port was already under siege, not until it was too late¡ªuntil it was mine. As the two men reached the tower, I turned my focus to them and their location. The other gulls remained with their eyes closed, instincts allowing them to circle easily on the winds swirling around the island; captured by the range of high hills to the south and the mountains to the north. Those mountains separated Rakakz¡¯s territory from Allerion¡¯s, while the hills separated Rakakz from Vaegon. I had hopes that both places might have suitable minerals and resources for mining, but that was a project for a later time. Not least only once Southpoint was inhabited and defended as much as Northpoint currently was. At the tower, two men emerged, greeting their cohorts. Using the gull whose eyes remained open, I swooped down lower. Not low enough that any of the four men might consider loosing an arrow, but so that I might catch movements of their lips. It was hard to make out what was being said ¨C the gull¡¯s mind was not trained to process the movements of lips as Ymir could, and as I¡¯d learnt to do while inside the minds of Kaa and Rian ¨C but no codes appeared to be said. The two men from the tower moved away, heading for the bay port. I had to wait and make sure they were far enough away that the commotion I was about to unleash wouldn¡¯t be heard. Once far enough away, and the new men at the tower emerged back out from it, I commanded the other gulls to open their eyes. The pain returned. Four minds, four visions, all for me to control. The first gull circled low. Two of the other three began to follow. One target climbed the ladder, heading for the platform on the tower. The other went inside. The lowest gull aimed for the watchman. He saw me but thought little of it. His gaze turned east, toward Essos. With prey marked by me, the gull¡¯s instincts took over. Wings were drawn to the body. The beak angled down, cutting the air. Tighter the gull held itself, and faster it fell. Like a massive bolt pulled down by gravity. The man turned, looking in my direction. His eyes widened as he saw my gull-body. Limbs moved frantically. The prey knew it was in danger. A glint of something came from its middle. The man¡¯s pupils widened pathetically. I forced the gull to not slow, not pull back as it should. As gaps in the man¡¯s shirt became crystal clear, I snapped from the gull¡¯s mind. I watched from the eyes of the other gulls, my connection to the first gull broken. Its wings moved out, trying to slow itself. The action was too late. I¡¯d timed my departure perfectly. The gull¡¯s beak slammed into the man¡¯s chest. The pair fell back, the bird limply falling against the man¡¯s chest. The beak was embedded; the bird dead. A pained sound came from the man¡¯s mouth, along with blood, as he was knocked from the platform. I snarled inside my mind, enjoying the painful death I¡¯d unleashed. My focus shifted. The other man coming out of the tower. The death cries of his partner had reached him. Coming around, he stopped. Frozen at the sight of the other dead from a gull strike. With his gaze down, the two gulls I was driving with raced toward him. The man moved; his stupor ended. He turned, one hand going to his middle. A leg dropped, the other hand going to the impaled man. An arm lifted weakly. I saw the dying man mumble something. The alive man turned, a glint of light coming from his hip. I pulled from the mind of the first of the two gulls targeting him. His weapon had been drawn, intending to strike the gull I¡¯d just left. Steel found flesh, but too late and the gull slammed into the man¡¯s side, sending him and the now-dead gull to the ground. The weapon, an axe, was knocked from his grasp. He fumbled on the ground, trying to recover. The third gull, unsighted by him, dove closer. The man pushed himself over, his eyes widening as he saw the gull. Arms moved, trying to protect him. If the gull I was controlling could smile, the bloodthirsty grin I was projecting would¡¯ve been the last sight the man had. Slipped from the gull¡¯s mind, I looked down from the last remaining gull, it having slowly circled lower in case I needed to sacrifice it. The third gull had slammed beak-first into the downed pirate¡¯s face. Even if an arm had blocked some of the force, the way his head snapped to one side, blood all but exploding from bird and face, it was clear he was down for the count. Movement of the body suggested the man had survived, but as the remaining gull focused its gaze on the man and his companion, it was clear neither was getting up any time soon. Certainly not before I took the eastern port. Even if they survived this attack, they¡¯d not last long. Not without access to a Maester with supplies only found in the richest of keeps. On a remote location in the Stepstones, the pair were dead; all that remained for them was a very painful last few hours. The gull¡¯s gaze shifted to the path, tracking the pair of pirates heading to the bay port. They¡¯d stopped, the sounds of the attack possibly reaching them. Not wanting them to turn, I swooped lower and had the gull call out. The pair looked up, seeing the gull I controlled. One man shoulder-tapped the other, the pair sharing a joke before resuming their walk to the bay port. I smirked internally, amused that their desire for a meal and a good bed overrode any thoughts of checking on the tower, and once they¡¯d taken a good fifty steps, the gull turned, heading eastward toward my ships. With that done, I slipped from the gull¡¯s mind; bracing for the pain I was about to experience. ¡°Aghh.¡± The groan slipped from my throat as I fell to one side. My head clattered against something hard, drawing a hiss as everything spun and hurt. I knew this was going to be bad, but I wasn¡¯t sure what was going on, nor where and who I was. My chest hurt, and recognizing the sensation, I barely managed to turn my head before my mouth opened and I expelled whatever was inside my body. As I wretched and coughed, a stray thought offered a small prayer to the Gods that I¡¯d been smart enough to not eat properly before taking control of the gulls. Otherwise, as much as I might not believe it possible currently, things would¡¯ve been worse. I felt several small somethings touch my back and side. ¡°.re¡­gan¡­¡­u¡­al¡­ht.¡± I turned my head at the fucked-up sounds, unable to process what was beings said. My eyes offered little help to knowing who spoke; only showing me a blurred purple figure; one I knew was far smaller than I should be. The figure had two small unfocused extensions touching my side. Behind it, something orange shifted, and my head snapped to see what it was. I groaned loudly, my head falling slightly as my body protested against the sudden movement. ¡°¡­¡± my mouth opened, but the words I wanted to get out failed to slip from my throat. Instead, another round of heaving began, though this time at least there was nothing for my body to expel. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. The orange figure came closer and dropped down. It brought something of a dark colour to my face. The smell of it was familiar, and, after pushing myself upward away from the vomit on the floor, I reached for the dark object. My hand closed around what I knew as a mug, and I lifted it unsteadily to my lips. The contents slid slowly into my mouth and then down my throat, washing away the taste of whatever I¡¯d eaten earlier; drowning it in the tart aftertaste of a Dornish Red. The wine came back up slightly as I coughed, having gulped too fast even though I¡¯d tried to slow my drinking. There was an urge to retch once more, but I pushed it down. I didn¡¯t know why, but I knew I didn¡¯t have time to stay here and act like some newborn babe needing the help of its mother. I took another sip of the wine, letting it slide down my throat. Stopping, I waited for more coughing, and when none came took a longer sip. Feeling slightly better, I closed my eyes and forced my mind to refocus. Opening my eyes again, I saw the figures in front of me were my squires, Edric Dayne and Trystane Martell. The colours I¡¯d seen before were the surcoats they wore marking their houses. ¡°Are you well?¡± I grimaced, the quietly asked question hurting my ears. Turning to Edric, and not sure I could speak clearly yet, I nodded and with one hand, patted his arm to let him know I was getting there. After sipping the rest of the wine in the mug, I held it out ¨C still too unsteadily for my liking ¨C for Trystane. The boy took the cup and, with some help from Edric, I stood. ¡°Y-es. E-d-ric,¡± I managed to get out as the hand that had held the mug was now pressing against the wall, using it for stability. ¡°T-ell, M-en. At-ack.¡± Edric nodded, and faster than my brain would¡¯ve liked, he was up and rushing toward the door of my cabin. Trystane came closer, what appeared to be a refilled mug in his hands. I took it gratefully, offering him a nod of thanks, and sipped the entire thing in one long go. With the mug finished, I licked my lips. ¡°Watch. Tower. Gone.¡± I said, each word coming out clearly but slowly. ¡°Not. Fun.¡± Trystane nodded, though I knew he didn¡¯t understand what I¡¯d endured. Outside of my cousins of House Stark, I wasn¡¯t sure any of them could and even then, only Robb might have an inkling as only he had a skinchanging bond. That said, once I returned to Sunspear ¨C whenever that would be ¨C I¡¯d be spending time with Alysanne and Beron to see how their training with the ability was going. ¡°How. Long.¡± I knew the sun was rising as I¡¯d seen it through the eyes of the gulls, but I didn¡¯t know how far my ships were from the port, nor how long it¡¯d taken me to recover from orchestrating the gull attack. ¡°The sun is rising behind us,¡± Trystane said as he moved through my cabin, heading to where a pitcher of wine rested. I turned my head slowly, taking in the viewports of my cabin, noting that while all were still covered light was leaking in around the edges of the covers. ¡°We should be in range soon.¡± I nodded. ¡°Good. I need to¡­¡± my words stopped as I pushed myself from the wall and almost fell over before using Trystane for support. The room spun as I moved, and the motion of the vessel, along with the gentle pounding of a drum for the rowers to keep pace, did little to help. ¡°Should you not rest before the attack begins?¡± I chuckled and shook my head. ¡°No. While many of the men know I can wield magic; they don¡¯t understand how I do so.¡± My eyes drifted to my wrist where a seemingly innocuous necklace was wrapped around my forearm. ¡°If I choose to not take part in the initial assault when I have the best bow for it, then they might question my resolve. The last thing either us or Edric want is to have them change allegiance before Jaeronos and reinforcements can reach us.¡± ¡°Yes, My Lord,¡± Trystane replied, making me roll my eyes at him falling back to type and calling me Lord. It was a minor issue, but one I continued to stress was incorrect as I was not a Lord. I pushed Trystane away, feeling better about standing under my power, and as he moved to gather my weapons and armour, I looked down at the necklace, using my other hand to push it under the sleeve of my gambeson. The necklace was nothing of importance, a simple trinket of no great value. Yet, since my last departure from Sunspear, I had taken to wearing it less and less. However, during any public displays of magic before my men, I ensured it hung around my neck, a subtle show of power. It was Doran¡¯s idea, clever in its simplicity¡ªa ruse to disguise the fact that I required no aid to summon fire. Should any of the men grow bold enough to betray me, the necklace would be seen as the supposed source of my magic. And when the time came, if some fool tried to take it from me to steal my power, they would find only ashes for their trouble. "Fetch my bow first," I called out to Trystane, who stood by the weapons stand. Red Rain and my axe usually hung from my belt, but I had stowed them away before slipping into the minds of the gulls, wary of what might happen when I released control. The last thing I needed was to stumble and impale myself on my own blade. As I stepped gingerly around a jagged edge in the floor, I found myself grateful for that bit of foresight. "You intend to shoot?" Trystane asked. There was a familiarity in his tone that might have been impertinent from another, but I allowed it. He had served me well enough. "I will not hit anyone worth a damn," I admitted, "but drawing and loosing a few arrows will be enough. It will look as though I am trying. That way, no one will question my condition, and I will have a bit of peace to recover before the true battle begins." Trystane nodded, bringing the bow, a full quiver of arrows, and my helm. He turned back to fetch my blade, axe, and gauntlets, his movements practised and sure. The gauntlets would only hinder me while shooting, and I had no desire to risk snapping the bowstring. A broken bow would be of no use to me for the remainder of my time on Redwater. "Once I take up position with the bow," I said, sliding my helm over my head, "I want you and Edric in full armour. You do not have the strength to fire from the distance I will be shooting. And when we land and take the port, I want you both protected. No risks. Not until we hold the port in our hands." I intended to be the first over the bow, with the pair just behind me. Normally, I¡¯d have Ymir, Bronn, or Jaeronos stay close to them as I didn¡¯t want to lose either of them. Especially not on my first campaign with them as my squires. Since I didn¡¯t have that option, they had orders to remain close to me, which while I intended to be in the thick of battle, shouldn¡¯t be a major problem. They were well-trained, likely more so than ninety per cent of the pirates in the Stepstones, and their armour was generally superior as well. The surcoats they wore, much like mine, would mark them as men of standing. Theirs, however, bore the sigils of more recognizable families, at least to those familiar with Dornish nobility. Mine, while brighter in design, was unknown, a sigil that would draw more eyes, especially as I led the assault. Having them close by, bearing their familiar coats of arms, was the best option I had for keeping the attention off myself. My eyes tracked the arrow¡¯s flight, and even as I instinctively drew another, I allowed myself a smirk. The shot flew true. The man I had targeted, a pirate with a bow of his own, was struck square in the chest. He toppled backwards, arms flailing, the bolt he had been preparing for the ship¡¯s scorpion clattering uselessly to the deck. His companion at the naval artillery paid him no heed, moving quickly to retrieve the fallen bolt. As he rose, the second arrow I had nocked struck him in the shoulder. It was not a killing blow, but the force of it sent him stumbling, his balance lost. His momentum carried him over the railing, and he disappeared into the sea below. Either side of me the four scorpions mounted on the Red Kraken¡¯s bow opened fire on the port directly. They had targeted the two docked galleys, but I¡¯d ordered them to concentrate on the port as I wanted both ships sea-worthy as soon as the battle was over. The men who had tried to load one of the pirate scorpions had been my targets as we neared, and by the time the dozen other archers on the Kraken were in range to help, I¡¯d taken out most of the pirates I needed to target. The one who¡¯d just gone overboard was the last to remain on the galleys, and already the archers had joined the scorpions in targeting men in the port. My gaze slid down the galley and along the dock toward the port. There men were readying themselves for battle. Several crates and an upturned cart were the only shelter at the edge of the docks, and the men there were either pinned down by incoming fire or in the case of the cart, forced from cover as that was struck by two of the Kraken¡¯s bolts. I loosed an arrow, striking one of the men forced from cover, the others were soon struck by arrows from my men. The pirates had about twenty men ¨C at least from my quick scan of the port ¨C who were returning fire with bows, but with the scorpions peppering wherever the pirates took cover, they either had withdrawn for better cover or where they hadn¡¯t they couldn¡¯t fire in sufficient numbers to be much of a threat to me or my men. Seeing one of the pirate archers further back from the main line, feeling safe in the meagre shelter he had found, I drew my bow and let an arrow fly. Two more followed in quick succession. The first struck true, driving the man from his cover, and the second embedded itself in his gut. As he crumpled forward, a third arrow found a nearby pirate, who froze in place, staring wide-eyed as his companion fell. The men around them hesitated, fear creeping into their movements. They pulled back from the dock, exactly as I had intended. I shifted my focus, eyes scanning for others who might be closer to the shore¡ªthose who would be the first to face me once my boots touched solid ground. I spotted a pair poorly hidden and loosed another small volley. Two arrows found their mark. The first struck a man in the shoulder, and the second caught another in the throat. I had not aimed for the neck, but as the pirate dropped, clutching at the blood pouring from his wound, I felt no need to complain about the shot. Before lowering my bow, I fired another half-dozen arrows. Five found their targets. The last missed by a hair¡¯s breadth, thudding into the building behind the retreating pirate. With that, I handed the bow to Edric. The squire turned without a word, carrying it back to my cabin. There was no sense in leaving the weapon at the bow when the time came to charge into battle. I stepped back, away from the prow, and raised my arms, my eyes carefully avoiding the rising sun emblazoned at our bow. Trystane moved forward to secure my gauntlets, his hands quick and sure. Once they were fastened tightly, I slid my arm through the hoop on my shield and grasped the handle. Trystane pulled the strap tight, pressing the shield firmly against my forearm. With that done, I turned back toward the rapidly approaching port. Trystane, and the now-returning Edric, would have the others help them don their armour soon enough. Movement in the air caught my eye, and I raised my shield just in time. An incoming arrow struck it harmlessly, clattering off the metal surface. It did no damage at this distance, but as we neared, that would change. Still, with our metal shields, it would take more than a pirate¡¯s bow to lodge an arrow deep enough to trouble us. As the dock loomed closer, the path down it becoming clearer, I lowered my head behind my shield and turned to my squires. "Stay close," I ordered, my voice steady. "Both to me and to each other." "Yes, Ser," they replied in unison, nodding. They understood well enough. Like me, they would be prime targets. Most of the pirates would see only armoured figures, but the clever ones might recognize their surcoats and see the coin behind the steel. Trystane would fetch a higher price in ransom, but both were worth their weight in gold to their families. There was no trace of nerves in their voices; they believed they had seen battle before. Perhaps they had, but this would be nothing like the taking of Vaegon¡¯s ports. During that campaign, I, and by extension my squires, had been on the outskirts of the fighting. Here, things would be different. We would be in the thick of it. I wondered how long their confidence would hold once blood began to spill. As the Kraken reached the edge of the docks, pulling alongside one of the pirate galleys, I gripped the railing at the bow with my free hand. Peering over, I could see the dock not far from the ship''s hull. The planks looked sturdy enough, though weathered by salt and sea. Lifting myself onto the railing, I leapt down, landing with a heavy thud. The wooden planks groaned under my weight but held firm. Glancing to the side, I saw the water wasn¡¯t deep¡ªfortunate enough, as I had no desire to slog through chest-high waves with battle raging around me. I wanted to be where the action was, not floundering in the sea while the fighting passed me by. I moved swiftly, charging past spots where a pirate might have ambushed me. None appeared. Either they had shown some intelligence by avoiding the exposed dock, or they had been killed aboard the galleys before we arrived. No matter. The real fight lay ahead. As I neared the port, movement stirred. Pirates began to ready themselves, weapons drawn and eyes scanning for threats. Sensing an opportunity to strike first and craving the reaction it always brought, I swirled my blade in an exaggerated arc. The sunlight caught the ripples in the red Valyrian steel, drawing the attention of many of the pirates. Some faltered, while others froze in place as flames suddenly erupted along the length of my sword, summoned by my magic. I lunged, the fiery blade cutting through the air. My target¡¯s eyes went wide with shock as the steel pierced him. I pulled the blade free and stepped aside, slipping around him as he crumpled to the ground. The flames still danced along Red Rain¡¯s edge, and I knew before the sun had fully risen, the blade would live up to its bloody name once more. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ The Water Runs Red 4b As the former pirate ¨C one of the many who¡¯d just bent the knee to me after my taking of the port ¨C opened the door to the building, I considered how the battle had gone. On the whole, it had been successful as the port and both galleys had been taken relatively intact. Around ninety men in the port had bent the knee, the majority surrendering not long after I killed my fifth pirate. So far the count of the dead stood at nearly eighty, with about three of every four being a pirate in the port. The loss of around two dozen of the men I¡¯d attacked with was less than ideal, but as only one of those who¡¯d died had been a sellsword ¨C one who¡¯d been with me since the taking of Dustspear ¨C it wasn¡¯t a huge overall loss. With the new men under my command, I nominally had crew for the two captured galleys, meaning the option to abandon the port and take everything of value ¨C including the handful of slaves so far discovered ¨C was on the table. That wasn¡¯t something I felt I¡¯d have to do, as based on my recon flights over the bay, Rakakz had about the same number of men left as I did in this port. Even if the newest men to bend the knee weren¡¯t loyal, Jaeronos was a day at most away with nearly two hundred more men ¨C most more reliable than the rabble here. That would grant me overwhelming numbers to engage Rakakz while not leaving this port and the fleet undefended from any raids by Allerion, The Lotus Prince or another pirate. I didn¡¯t expect either to attack as, from what I¡¯d seen before controlling the gull attack on the watchtower, Allerion had no vessels in range to attack with, while the two galleys baring the green sails of the Lotus Prince were far enough away that by the time they reported back to their lord, I¡¯d have too many ships here to make anything beyond an all-out assault viable. Regarding the Lotus Prince, he and Salladhor Saan were two of the pirate lords I felt might be reliable enough to ally with. Or at the very least, reach an agreement to not attack each other. Setting that plan into action would have to wait until after Rakakz was at my feet: either dead or on his knees. ¡°This way, mi¡¯lord,¡± the pirate who¡¯d opened the door said, gesturing for me to enter. ¡°What you asked about is in here.¡± The pirate who had volunteered that this was the port commander¡¯s office ¨C well former commander as the man had, amusingly, been struck down by my squires ¨C wasn¡¯t one I felt was even remotely trustworthy. Offering up everything he knew within minutes of bending the knee made clear he was nothing more than lickspittle seeking reward. The man had been searched extremely carefully before I¡¯d allowed him to lead me and others to the commander¡¯s office. I glared at the man, my shield still attached to my arm and the other hand resting on the hilt of a sheathed Red Rain. The gesture had the pirate scurrying back, fear raging in his gaze. Secure that he wasn¡¯t going to try anything as I crossed the threshold, I entered the building. Inside was a large room, one that reminded me of my solar in Northpoint though with far less impressive furniture and decoration. Given this office was only for a port commander and not a pirate lord, that made sense. What I was pleased to see, as my eyes adjusted to the limited amount of light entering the room, was that there was a decent-sized desk with a large chair behind it, along with a bookcase that held a handful of tomes. There was a table in one corner with three tables around and on the opposite side of the room from the desk was a bed. However, given the rather rank smell coming from there, I knew I¡¯d sleep on the Kraken and that those sheets would be taken away and either burnt ¨C which might be the best choice ¨C or used to repair the sails of any of my fleet in-port. I turned back to the door, watching as my squires moved past the pirate. ¡°Get in here,¡± I ordered the man. He glanced at Horden, who along with two of my men was acting as my escort. ¡°Now!¡± The pirate flinched at the growl I attached to my command and scurried inside the room. ¡°You said there were missives?¡± ¡°Yes, mi¡¯lord.¡± The pirate pointed at the desk. ¡°In there.¡± This pirate was one of the few to speak the Common tongue in the port, which might be why he offered up the information about the former commander¡¯s office and his contact with Rakakz before others could. His accent meant unless I was badly mistaken, that he¡¯d come from Tyrosh originally. While my Valyrian ¨C both High and Bastardised ¨C was more than sufficient, forcing the man and the others who¡¯d bent the knee to speak to me in Common made clear, if the recent battle failed to do so, that I was in command. That these men served me and would do as I wished. When combined with my display of Fire Magic in battle, I hoped my actions would ensure that, at least until he was dealt with, these men feared me more than Rakakz. At least until the rather ballsy plan I was quickly formulating in my head was enacted. Reaching the desk, I pulled open the first drawer and found a pile of papers crammed inside. Getting them out was more of a struggle than I would have liked, thanks to the gauntlets making such tasks a chore. Eventually, I managed to spread the papers across the desk. Most were in poor condition, worn and stained, but two distinct sets of handwriting stood out. I could make out enough to realise these were communications between Rakakz and the commander¡ªinformation not meant for the average pirate''s eyes. I glanced over at the pirate who had brought me here. "My thanks. Now get out." He blinked, clearly startled by my blunt dismissal. "Are you deaf as well as dumb?" I asked, my tone sharp as I lifted a hand from the documents, summoning a fireball to hover over my gauntleted palm. "Get out!" The pirate stumbled back, tripping over himself and landing in a heap on the floor. "F-forgive me," he whimpered, his voice shaking. Horden, standing nearby, rolled his eyes at the pitiful display. The pirate shifted, scrambling to his knees as if about to start praying. ¡°If you so much as utter a single word tied to R¡¯hllor, I will personally send you to meet the fool!¡± I snapped. I had about fifty followers of the Lord of Light among my ranks, though after the bloodshed further south, that number had dwindled. I was not keen on adding any more. Whenever one of them was identified, I threw them into the front lines, hoping they would die before they could infect the rest of my men with their deranged beliefs. The last thing I needed was rumours spreading that I was Azor Ahai, drawing attention from the temples in Essos. The longer those fanatics remained ignorant of who I was and what I could do, the more time I had to enact my plans. The later I had to deal with a fleet from Volantis¡ªor one of the other Free Cities, Braavos aside¡ªthe better. The pirate turned, and while still on his hands and knees, scampered from the building. For a moment, I thought Horden might kick him to help him on his way, but the captain of the Kraken merely moved back, as if disgusted by the man at his feet. Horden turned to me, his eyes glancing at the fireball I had floating above my palm. He didn¡¯t say anything about it, but I knew he, like many, was uncertain about how to regard my magic. At least beyond the fact that it helped me win battles quicker and thus increased their odds of survival. When combined with the fact I¡¯d only lost one battle ¨C the ambush in The Whores and which I¡¯d escaped with the loss of only one ship of the six I¡¯d had when the trap had been sprung ¨C and the fact I paid them better than they¡¯d earned as simple pirates, meaning that for now, I had their support. In time, I planned to turn their support to me through fear and coin into servitude and loyalty, but for now coin, fear, and winning battles would suffice. Horden pulled the door closed, the men with him already instructed to remain outside as guards while I was inside. "Come closer," I said, waving over my squires. Trystane moved gingerly, the result of the commander striking him on the shoulder with a hammer. The blow had dented his pauldron, which would make removing it difficult, but since he still had motion in the arm, he seemed otherwise fine. I would keep an eye on him for the next few days to ensure that the lack of pain was not just due to adrenaline, but I believed he would be fine. "First, well done to both of you. You fought well against men bigger, stronger, and more experienced than you." The pair nodded, their faces still covered by their helms, which offered more protection than the one I wore. "Also, Edric, thank you for protecting Trystane." The heir to Starfall puffed out his chest at the praise, while Trystane turned to him. When the port commander had dented Trystane''s armour and driven him to the dirt, Edric had rushed forward, his blade slipping into the commander''s back. The commander had knocked Edric back with an arm, but in doing so, had left his front exposed. Trystane had finished the man off by driving his blade up into the pirate''s stomach. The blood and entrails that spilt from the wound had stained Trystane''s surcoat, but I had already told him and Edric¡ªwho bore the blood of another pirate from the battle on his surcoat¡ªthat such marks were signs of their prowess. Once back in Northpoint, I would want the surcoats cleaned, but for now, they could wear their battle marks with honour. As the pair approached, both having the sense to bring chairs from the table toward the desk, I settled into the chair already there. "How are you feeling?" I asked Trystane, working to remove my gauntlets. I needed my hands free for what I planned to do. "I... I am well, My Lord," he replied as they reached the other side of the desk. "What have I said about titles when we are alone?" I gently teased, focusing on getting my right gauntlet off after freeing my left hand. "Sorry, My... Cregan." I chuckled at his response. Getting the pair to break from the rules they had spent years learning as nobles was a challenge, but I wanted them to view me less as their knight and more as their friend, and in many ways, their older brother. In formal settings, honorifics were fine, but in private, I had no need to feed my ego by having the heir to Starfall and a Prince of Dorne call me Lord. "If anything hurts later today or even tomorrow, you will tell me immediately." Trystane nodded. "That goes for you as well, Edric." "Yes, cousin." "Good. Now, with the port taken, perhaps you might offer suggestions for what we should do next?" I placed the second gauntlet on the desk and flexed my fingers, rolling my hands and wrists. Though my armour allowed for full movement, it was always a relief to be free of it. As the pair considered my words I looked down at the missives between Rakakz and his commander, wanting to try and get a read on the pirate lord. I already knew what my next step would be, but knowing more about the Gilded Hand would be useful, and having my squires offer suggestions would help with their education. There was more to being a knight than simply being good at fighting. Particularly for trueborn sons of old and important Houses. While I was a bastard, Oberyn had taught me ¨C and Daemon as well ¨C as if we were trueborn. At the time, I¡¯d hated the political lessons, finding the intrigues of the Game annoying at best, but I¡¯d known even then that I needed to know about it. Now, before I had to truly draw on those lessons, I could use them to teach the pair before me. ¡°We need to check the defences of the port and secure them,¡± Edric offered confidently after about half a minute. ¡°The Gilded Hand will soon know of you taking this port. In his place, he will be forced to move to retake it, otherwise, his men might consider him weak.¡± ¡°An accurate assessment,¡± I replied, pleased with my cousin¡¯s words. ¡°Trystane?¡± ¡°Edric is right, My¡­ Cregan.¡± I chuckled at Trystane struggling to break from formality. ¡°However, we cannot expect the men who just surrendered to stand and fight against Rakakz. They would have friends amongst his ranks, and would likely turn their cloaks on you in battle. Because of that, I think it wise that we keep the men we arrived with near the galleys. That way, if the new men do turn, we have the greatest chance to escape. And it means once Ser Jaeronos arrives, your forces will be able to face off with the new men.¡± The last I saw he¡¯d split his forces. Two galleys had stopped at the southern port, no doubt to take anything of value. The Howl and the remaining galley continued onward and provided the weather holds, they should be here by noon tomorrow. The pair took in my words, considering the extra information. ¡°What are we to do?¡± Edric asked, leaning forward and placing his gauntlet-wearing hands on the desk. ¡°Fortify the defences, remain near the ships for safety, or both?¡± The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Both,¡± I replied as I pulled out the quill and inkwell the commander had stored in the bottom drawer. Already a mainly empty sheet of paper had been selected from the pile. ¡°However, there is a path we can take that if it even partially works, lowers the chances of battle before Jaeronos arrives considerably. Which is why I need these.¡± I pointed at the inkwell and sheet of paper I¡¯d pulled from the missives. My squires looked at the objects, and I knew both were frowning even as I dipped the quill into the ink and used that to score out the short series of messages at the top of the paper. ¡°You¡­¡± I paused just before adding new ink to the quill as Trystane spoke up. ¡°You intend to inform him you have taken the port?¡± ¡°Along with taking the southern port, yes that is my intention,¡± I smirked at the pair, dipping the quill into the ink. ¡°The question I want you to answer is why?¡± I began writing my missive, the words and tone set after a quick review of Rakakz¡¯s missives with this port¡¯s former commander. This was a risk, but a calculated one that I felt had good odds to at the very least, weaken Rakakz¡¯ forces before we moved to take the bay port. ¡°You want him to attack. Particularly tomorrow around when Ser Jaeronos arrives.¡± I shrugged at Edric¡¯s reasoning as I continued to write. ¡°Perhaps.¡± ¡°What if he chooses to fortify his position?¡± The heir to Starfall continued. ¡°Will that not make taking the final port more troublesome?¡± "It would, and that is one outcome of my letter. However, there is perhaps one thing you are forgetting about our opponents." I looked up from the paper, smirking wickedly at my squires. "They are pirates. When faced with overwhelming odds, such men generally take one of two paths. Either they fight in the hope they might escape the battle, or they run and find safe harbour elsewhere. The only place that exists is with Allerion, and given how long the three pirate lords on Redwater have been in conflict, it is unlikely Allerion would take any man from Rakakz into his service. Going any further is folly in longboats, especially for sailors who have spent most of their time only moving around the bay." I brought the quill back to the paper, having reapplied ink to it. "That means the men in the bay port, either with Rakakz''s support or without, have one clear choice." "You expect them to bend the knee?" Trystane''s tone was a little higher, revealing his shock at what I was aiming for. "I do not know if they will," I replied, not lifting my focus from the paper. "Or at least not Rakakz. However, his men are another matter. When word reaches them that not only have I taken both the eastern ports of their lord, but that Vaegon''s holdings and men are under my banner, they will want to survive what is coming. The best way to achieve that is to bend the knee." "What about Rakakz?" I shrugged again. "There are two ways I can see things going for him. Either he will see which way the wind is blowing and bend the knee to save his skin. In that case, I would accept him into my forces but trust him half as far as your children could throw him..." "We do not have children!" Edric complained, prompting me to point the quill at him, spilling some ink on the desk. "Exactly." I dipped the quill in the inkpot once more. "Or, and this, in my opinion, is the more likely outcome, he will have to face a potential mutiny. Either he puts it down, costing him men in the process, or the men take him out for us and then surrender the port to me." "If they betray their lord, they cannot be trusted!" "No, Edric, they cannot. However, the same is true of the majority of the men now fighting for me. Those who bend the knee after the Grim Prince fell have, so far, proven capable, but even there I have reservations. In time, I hope to ensure their loyalty¡ªat least those who survive my coming battles¡ªbeyond coin, but for now, the promise of better pay than they make as pirates will have to suffice." In my former life, if I had been told I had to have pirates obey my commands to achieve a goal, I would have questioned the sanity of the men giving those orders. Placing any trust in such scum only resulted in death, and it was why military policy was against using former enemies as cannon fodder in high-risk operations. In this new life, such ideals¡ªeven when espoused by former operators such as myself¡ªwere the reserve of high-minded fools with ideas about honour that only existed in fables. Or in men who were among the first to die in war because of their ideals. War was a bloody mess, especially when one had to kill the enemy up close and personal, and the more bodies one had on their side, the more flesh there was to distract those trying to kill them from getting in a lucky strike. "Why would Rakakz detail your offer to his men?" I smiled, pleased to see Trystane spot the issue in what I had said. "If the letter was sent directly to him, then I would assume he would not. However, to ensure that my offer is known to the men under Rakakz''s command, six of my most recent followers will deliver the letter. All will know the contents and be shown Jaeronos'' approaching ships." "Will they believe you?" "I have no idea," I replied with another shrug. "However, they will not stay quiet about what happened here, and they have little reason to believe I am lying about taking the south of Redwater. Deciding what to do about both the message and the men delivering it will cost Rakakz time; and the more he wastes dealing with my offer, the less time we have to fear an attack before Jaeronos arrives with reinforcements." "How will you know what he decides to do?" "Rian is already flying above the bay port. Once I have prepared new gulls, I will help with that watch. While words will not reach the eyes of the birds, they see everything that happens in the open below, so there is almost no move Rakakz can make that I will not be aware of before it becomes an issue." Even as I finished the letter, I was not expecting Rakakz to bend the knee. The man had ruled as a lord for nearly a decade on Redwater. He had fought tooth and nail against Vaegon and Allerion to hold that territory or expand it. The idea he would simply give up when faced with a new external overwhelming force and having lost two of his three holdings was slim. However, as I had told the squires, dealing with my offer and the men carrying it would cost him time. That, as much as he might not realise it until the offer was given, was his most precious commodity. Once Jaeronos was here and my forces were bolstered, I would send a message via gull to Daemon and Bronn. What they would be ordered to do, beyond moving their men and ships to the bay, was not set yet, but already the next stage of my assault on Redwater was forming in my mind. The attacks were not progressing as quickly as with Dustspear or The Whores, but the basic principle of speed and surprise was working remarkably well. Eventually, it would cease to be an option, but as the saying went, no matter how simple or stupid a plan might appear, if it worked, there was no need to change it. Of course, before Allerion could be targeted for swift strikes, Rakakz and his final port had to fall. All I could hope was that the cost in manpower to achieve that was as low as possible. I would need every man and ship I had to take Allerion out in the manner I was considering. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ The day after taking the port, I stood at the edge of the dock, watching as the Coral Howl and its escort galley closed the final distance between us. Jaeronos had made good time as the ships were here not long after I¡¯d had my breakfast, though thankfully the sun was high enough that looking at my approaching ships didn¡¯t require me to squint. Those reinforcements would be useful as, via Rian and the gulls, I¡¯d yet to see a response from Rakakz. Or at least one involving leaving his remaining port. The six men who I¡¯d selected at random had left yesterday escorted part of the way by an equal number of men who had come with me. That group had stopped at the watchtower, taking up the position with orders to remain until a significant force left the bay port. The six I¡¯d sent back to Rakakz had known the contents of my letter, that Jaeronos was arriving with reinforcements ¨C something I¡¯d proven via my Myrish Eye ¨C and that I could ignite my blade. They¡¯d arrived before sunset, and via Rian, I¡¯d watched as they were led to the central building near the docks, and taken inside. About an hour later they had emerged and been left to move freely around the port. That meant either Rakakz didn¡¯t know they knew what my letter said, or he was aware but had made the odd choice to not limit control of information. From above, I¡¯d watched where the men had gone, specifically into which buildings they¡¯d headed before sunset. Those had to be barracks, and along with Rakakz¡¯s command post, were priority targets if I had to assault the port. Before settling down for the evening, I¡¯d had a letter delivered to Dameon via gull detailing my intentions for him, Bronn, and the men at the south of the island. They were to take all but a handful of men to the bay port formerly controlled by Vaegon. The ships would travel around the coast to that port as well, save for the Pride of Saltbrook and one galley. Those two would take everything bar food and drink from Vaegon¡¯s ports, along with the freed slaves, back to Northpoint. Once there, the ships were to return along with either the Windchaser or Ilaerah¡¯s Luck and move to the island in Redwater Bay. By the time the transports arrived, I hoped to have taken most, if not all of Allerion¡¯s ports and would need the ships to transport my haul of goods and men back to Northpoint. From the bay port, Daemon would command nine galleys and four longboats, however, I wasn¡¯t sure yet if they would move to attack Rakakz¡¯s remaining port or move beyond to target Allerion¡¯s holdings. That would be detailed in another letter, but only after I was sure of Rakakz¡¯s response to my offer. In preparation for whatever I planned, Daemon was to take the entire fleet, and all but a handful of men, to the bay island. They weren¡¯t, however, to land there. According to those formerly loyal to Vaegon and Rakakz, the island was cursed. Normally, I¡¯d not place any importance on such a thing, but given I knew that some of the worst monsters of legends were real, I wasn¡¯t going to risk losing my men on the chance there was more to the stories than just the words of former pirates. From their gathering point at the island, the plan for Daemon would depend on what Rakakz and his men did. I expected a response by the end of today or early tomorrow, but until then, I, and by extension my men spread across the island, were in a holding pattern. However, such things could wait, and I moved down the dock as the first mooring lines were tossed from the Howl. By the time I reached the ship, the ramp had already been deployed and Jaeronos was marching down it, a wide smile on his face. ¡°About time you got here,¡± I challenged jovially as we clasped arms. The large Essosi laughed deeply. ¡°Unlike some, we had to stay and mop up Rakakz¡¯s fleet after the ambush, which worked perfectly by the way. Then we needed to slow down and secure the other port. However, I suspect you already know that.¡± ¡°I saw the battle unfold,¡± I replied as we broke the arm-clasp, ¡°however, I did not hang around or use Ymir to get details. My focus was on this place and Rakakz¡¯s movements.¡± We turned and began moving down the dock as other men on the Howl began to disembark. ¡°For the record, all six galleys were taken. One suffered minor damage to its sails from an errant bolt, and two others needed minor repairs to their hulls after beaching themselves during the attack. All that should be fixed by now, and along with most of the men onboard those galleys bending the knee, await your orders.¡± ¡°I sent a gull to Daemon last night,¡± I said, drawing another laugh from the Essosi. ¡°You and your beasts,¡± he said, slapping my back hard enough that my next step was a longer stride than normal. ¡°An unusual ability, but one that has served us well on this campaign. This is what? Half the ports on the island are under our control?¡± ¡°Four of nine. On the voyage here I discovered a fifth port under Allerion¡¯s control. a minor one, but it does mean some changes to the plans I had for engaging the last pirate lord of Redwater." As we reached the end of the docks, a group of three men ¨C all having joined by force on this island ¨C stopped and bowed. ¡°Fucking R¡¯hllor¡­ That cunt can kiss my arse.¡± Jaeronos chortled loudly. ¡°That, my friend, I would pay greatly to see. The reaction of the High Priest and his flock would be priceless as you bent their holy flames to your will.¡± ¡°Ignoring that I suspect they can do what I can with magic, at least where it concerns fire, I would be more concerned about their slave legions.¡± ¡°Yes, the Fiery Hand are a dangerous lot. More for their devotion to R¡¯hllor than skill I say. The only upside is that there are only ever a thousand of them.¡± ¡°A mistake, but one I hope they never correct,¡± I muttered as we moved into the port proper. Around us, the men were working on preparing the last of the loot for transport to the Howl. While I hoped we wouldn¡¯t be forced to abandon the port before I was ready, until Rakakz was dealt with, I wanted anything of value on my ships. That included not just coins, gems, and jewellery from across the Narrow Sea, but the nearly two dozen slaves we¡¯d found in the port. Like those found in Vaegon¡¯s former ports, these people had been captives for so long that their minds were shattered. While I knew they¡¯d never be capable of living truly free lives again, I intended for them to serve on Northpoint, and be paid accordingly for their service. ¡°On that, we agree. As for them being able to control the flames of their god, to do that each of them, even the High Priest appeared to need to use chants to carry out their parlour tricks. You need not do that, nor can I recall any of them creating works of art with fire.¡± ¡°They likely can do what I do, and without the chants. However, they choose not to as it projects the aura that it is their fucked-up deity that is shaping the flames and not them. That helps ensure the fealty of the sheep that follow them, and makes the more deranged elements of their faith acceptable.¡± Jaeronos sighed deeply and shook his head. ¡°Yes, that. Abhorrent practice, but one the ruling families, including mine, allow. Not because we worship the Lord of Light ¨C I myself place my faith in the Gods of Old Valyria ¨C but because slaves outnumber the freemen by around five to one. Even in the Old Volantis, protected as we are by the Black Walls, around half the slaves bore the mark of R¡¯hllor.¡± ¡°Shame there be no dragons to teach R¡¯hllor¡¯s minions the truth of who controls fire.¡± Jaeronos laughed at the image and slapped my back again. This time, however, I was ready and didn¡¯t stumble forward. ¡°And that is another thing I would pay to see. Just so long as I was nowhere near the dragon''s maw.¡± He looked around and leaned closer. ¡°Hells, if any man could bring a dragon back, I suspect my father and the heads of most of the Tigers would offer up every female in their family to such a man.¡± ¡°I like you Jae, but I do not think I want to call you brother,¡± I retorted, drawing another booming laugh from the man. ¡°Besides, my bed, when I have time to use it, is already full.¡± ¡°True. Very True. Thankfully for you, the last I heard, all my sisters are married to other nobles, meaning you would have to fight their husbands and fathers for their hands.¡± His expression soured and he snorted as we neared the port commander¡¯s office. ¡°Though for a few of them, I may stand at your side in such a fight.¡± ¡°Good to know, though I hope not to have to face the legions of Volantis for a long arse time. Preferably never.¡± Jaeronos nodded in agreement. ¡°Now come,¡± I continued as I pushed open the door to the office I¡¯d taken over. ¡°While there may be little wine of quality, the former commander has a decent supply of rum.¡± ¡°Thank the Gods, and your gifts, for that.¡± I chuckled as we stepped inside the office. My squires opened their eyes, the pair having been meditating on the floor. ¡°Ser Jaeronos,¡± Trystane said as the pair stood, ¡°it is good to see you again.¡± ¡°You two, young ones. But should you not get back to your studies?¡± ¡°Head to my cabin on the Kraken,¡± I offered, knowing it was easier to focus on whatever internal magic one had in a quieter location where they¡¯d not be disturbed. That was why they generally used this office as I¡¯d spent most of the time since taking the port elsewhere, and their studying inside didn¡¯t draw too many questions. The pair nodded and moved toward the door while I headed over to the small stash of rum I¡¯d mentioned as I¡¯d entered. ¡°I understand that the Martells have links to the Rhoynar, but what chance does the Dayne boy have to wield magic?¡± I turned to Jaeronos, a bottle in each hand and gestured toward the desk. ¡°While skinchanging came from my father, the rest likely did not. That suggests my mother''s house has some capacity for magic. I am not sure if Edric will ever have the control of the elements that I do, but it is worth exploring.¡± ¡°True,¡± Jaeronos replied, settling into a chair on the other side of the desk from me. ¡°I just wonder how his family and those who serve them will react to him if he unlocks such ability.¡± ¡°That, my friend, is a bridge Edric will have to cross if he comes to it.¡± Jaeronos nodded as I passed him a bottle, and I considered him. The Essosi, because of his upbringing, was the most open-minded and accepting of my captains when it came to magic. That said, the ability I had to control the minds of weaker men was something he feared, which was entirely understandable. It was that, and the lies the Septons spoke of about how skinchangers became more animal than men, that turned many in Westeros against magic. The Seven was, of what I knew of the many religions in Essos, the most anti-magic of any on this world, which was why I was fighting in the Stepstones and not Westeros. After taking a long drink from my bottle, I leaned back in my chair pushing thoughts about magic, R¡¯hllor, and the Faith away. With Jaeronos here I finally had someone to run my ideas for how to finish Rakakz and then engage Allerion past. While I felt what I had laid out made sense, I wasn¡¯t foolish enough to think I was some sort of savant with battle plans. Skinchanging, and in particular aerial recon, granted me insights that few others could ever hope to use. However, it wasn¡¯t anything that guaranteed victory, just a way to stack the odds in my favour. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ The Water Runs Red 4c ¡°Ser Cregan!¡± The shout from Edric, who was outside the office, had my attention instantly. As he pushed open the door, I was already standing, securing Red Rain to my waist. The documents I¡¯d been looking over scattered chaotically by me leaping to my feet. ¡°Ser Cregan!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Scouts are back from the tower. Men approaching the walls!¡± I moved forward, picking up my helm, sliding it over my head and then grasped my axe. Normally, I¡¯d wait and get my gauntlets and shield secured, but from the tension in Edric¡¯s voice, I doubted there¡¯d be time to secure them properly. As I stepped outside, I saw men moving around, preparing for battle. ¡°Ready the ships for sail!¡± I ordered. It was unlikely that we¡¯d be forced to abandon the port, but with everything of value on the ships, the option was there, and I wanted it to remain open until I knew what was going on. Men snapped too, obeying my orders even as I turned and moved toward the main gates of the port. The ones connecting the path between this port and the one in the bay. As I neared the gates, I cursed the condition of the walls. Since an attack overland was unlikely ¨C given the hills and mountains that lay to the south and north of the port, cutting off easy access from lands held by Vaegon and Allerion, Rakakz hadn¡¯t spent time ensuring the land-based defences were up to scratch. A failure that I and my men might now have to endure. As I neared the gate, I saw Jaeronos slipping out of a building. Like me, he was armoured in a mix of half-plate and mail, though it seemed he¡¯d had time to get his gauntlets on, whereas I had yet to do so. ¡°Report!¡± I shouted as I came into sight of the gates. Horden, who it seemed had reached the gates first and taken command, turned at my call. ¡°Scouts from the tower reported a large group of men moving from the bay port, Mi¡¯lord.¡± ¡°How many?¡± I asked, seeing the group of men sent to monitor Rakakz¡¯s movements from the tower between the ports nearby. The group were breathing heavier than the rest of my men, but not hard enough that it suggested they¡¯d run all the way back. That, in of itself, was encouraging that this wasn¡¯t an all-out attack, but I wasn¡¯t going to take any chances. ¡°We counted close to a hundred before we abandoned the tower, mi¡¯lord.¡± The report came from one of the pirates who¡¯d bent the knee in The Whores. So far, the man had proven himself dependable, but I wasn¡¯t trusting him or the others who¡¯d joined during that campaign just yet. ¡°I see them!¡± the call came from a man on the wall next to the gate. ¡°Just passing the tower now.¡± ¡°Close the gates and man the walls!¡± I ordered before turning and moving toward a building slightly back of the walls. Jaeronos saw me moving, and after I pointed upward, he nodded and stepped forward. ¡°You heard him! Get ready you fuckers!¡± While he took command, I slipped away, moving to a quieter section of the port. Edric and Trystane, who¡¯d arrived while I¡¯d been getting the situation report, came with me. Once out of sight of the majority of my men, I turned away, leaned against a wall, and closed my eyes. A moment later, I took in the port and men approaching it through Rian¡¯s gaze. As I¡¯d asked him, he was holding position over the island between the two ports. Below him, I saw the men ¨C which looked to be a hundred as the scout had reported ¨C moving forward slowly. At the head of the force was the gauntleted left arm of Rakakz, meaning this was either an attack or a recon in force. The latter was unlikely, as even if the men he¡¯d formerly commanded before I¡¯d take the port turned their cloaks against me, I still had a clear numerical advantage. Using the sharpness of Rian¡¯s eyes, I scanned the forest on either side of the path, looking for movement. It was hard to make out much, as the canopy on both sides was thick; the forest growing wild and untouched for so long. However, through the small gaps that did exist, neither Rian nor I spotted anything that suggested men moving in the woods. Turning our attention to the bay port, I quickly counted around forty men moving there along with two longboats at sea. That meant the force coming toward me and my men was all there was. Or at least the overwhelming majority of them, as based on earlier flights, I knew the bay port seemed to hold less than two hundred men. Turning Rian, I had him look out to sea, wanting to be sure there was no threat coming from that way. While two galleys bearing the sails of the Lotus Prince lay far to the east, there was no hint of ships moving southward down the coast of Redwater. Indeed, it seemed Allerion¡¯s north-eastern port had deployed most of its ships, including what appeared to be a war galley if not something slightly larger, toward the sea between Redwater and Misthaven. There, ahead of the fleet of four, three cogs were moving as quickly as they could trying to outrun the pursuing pirates, and entirely unaware of other galleys, though ones not aligned with Allerion. The fate of those traders was out of my hands, and as I slipped from Rian¡¯s mind back to my body, I refocused on my situation. ¡°Near a hundred men,¡± I whispered to my squires as I shook my head, adjusting to the weaker eyes of my body. ¡°Forest appears clear, but there might be a handful in there.¡± The boys shared a look before Trystane turned and rushed back to the gates. He¡¯d pass the intel to Jaeronos, meaning any changes in the defensive positions would be in effect before I returned. Finding my balance, I moved toward the gates, my mind playing, readying myself for whatever game Rakakz was about to begin. The fact I knew how many he was coming with, and that there weren¡¯t significant men in the forest was a trump card I enjoyed having. Most of my men knew I could wield magic, but the abilities granted to me by Rina, Ymir, and Kaa weren¡¯t public knowledge, and I had no intention of revealing them. Many of the men with me, while pirates and sellswords, had grown up in Westeros and the Faith had done its utmost to demonise the ability linked to the First Men. Being able to ignite my blade was a, to most, parlour trick but the truth of what I could do, and how I did it, was kept hidden or, via the necklace I wore around my wrist, misdirected. ¡°Send orders to the galleys,¡± I heard Jaeronos call, ¡°stand down and bring the men here.¡± He was countermanding my earlier orders, but with the intelligence gained via Rian, there was no need to keep half our forces at the docks. Even with the men here, I felt we could take Rakakz and those with him if they attacked, but there was nothing wrong with overwhelming force to either end a battle quickly or convince the enemy to surrender without a fight. Once at the gates, I joined Jaeronos waiting for Rakakz and his men to arrive. Knowing I had enough time, I turned to Edric. I gave him a look over, making sure his armour was on and then, as my hands were uncovered, securing his shield. As I was securing his shield, Trystane returned, along with three dozen men, and my gauntlets. Edric had, in our haste to reach the gate, forgotten them. Something that he would be punished for later as such a mistake was unacceptable of a squire. My shield wasn¡¯t with Trystane, but as I had my axe I could allow that mistake to slide. Turning back to the gates, I pulled Red Rain and my axe from their sheath and my belt. ¡°Wait for my signal,¡± I ordered firmly but without shouting. Rakakz would know we¡¯d know he was approaching, but there was no reason to tip my hand about the number of men awaiting him. ¡°Oi!¡± A gruff voice called out from the other side of the gates. ¡°You so-called Bloody Wolf! Get your arse out here!¡± The man spoke in bastardised Valyrian, though there was no hint as to where on Essos he originally came from. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Thanks for the invite, but I never swallow swords,¡± I shouted back in Valyrian. Those around me who knew the tongue chuckled at my dismissal. ¡°Besides, I do not even know who is propositioning me.¡± "I am Rakakz, the Gilded Hand of Redwater! Scourge of the Stepstones, and Lord of Redwater!" His voice boomed like thunder, cutting through the salty air, the bravado of a man who had long sought to carve his name into the annals of infamy. "I wonder if there is more to the Gilded Hand title than just the gauntlet," Jaeronos remarked, a smirk dancing across his lips. The jest ignited laughter among my squires and a few of our men, the camaraderie infectious. I turned my gaze to Jaeronos, unable to suppress a grin. "What?" he asked, feigning ignorance. "We both remember the suggestions from Bronn and Cayde." "Yes," I replied, the smile turning wry. "But I was trying my hardest to forget them." I raised my voice, directing it at Rakakz, cutting off any retort from Jaeronos. "Lord of Redwater?" I scoffed. "Even before my arrival, you were not the most powerful of the pirates here, let alone worthy of the title you claim." "Allerion and Vaegon are false lords!" Rakakz shot back, ire flickering in his dark eyes, either oblivious to or choosing to ignore my slight on his claim. I had used the term merely to denote the power players among the swarming piratical rabble, for I held no pretence of nobility. "Only Rakakz can rule Redwater." "Funny," I retorted. "I think Vaegon thought the same, at least until one of my men removed his head!" The air hung thick with tension before Rakakz''s raucous laughter broke the silence, echoing off the craggy cliffs. "Vaegon¡¯s dead?" "If you seek proof, I can send you to meet him," I snapped, impatience gnawing at my gut. The chatter was a distraction, a delay of the violence I craved. "Based on his voice, you would be doing us a favour," Jaeronos muttered, prompting more laughter from the gathered men. "Shame," Rakakz said, amusement flickering across his features. "I would have preferred to send him to Hell myself. Still, you saved me the effort, along with the bounty I had offered my men for dealing with that fucking cunt. Unless your man wishes to change his loyalty." "That is about as likely as a fucking dragon sucking your cock!" I spat, unable to contain the disdain in my tone. Again, Rakakz barked an irritating laugh. "Now that is some image there. You certainly have a mouth on you, Wolf." "What the fuck do you want, Rakakz? If it is death, my men and I will be more than happy to oblige." "Oh, I know that one day I shall die. As will you. All men must die." He paused, savouring the weight of his words. "But today, I came to talk." ¡°Last I checked, you did not need a hundred men with you to talk.¡± ¡°Look, just open the fucking gate!¡± Rakakz snapped, his irritation bubbling beneath the surface as if he were a cauldron on the brink of boiling over. He seemed vexed by my unwillingness to meet him eye-to-eye. ¡°As you just said, I do not have the men to take your port.¡± ¡°Or so you claim,¡± I shot back, my suspicion thickening the air between us. While I knew there were not significant numbers of men lurking in the forest, it would only take a few dozen slipping through the gaps in the wall elsewhere to sow chaos in our rear, turning my numerical advantage into a precarious weakness. ¡°For fuck¡¯s sake, you paranoid fucker!¡± I heard something clatter to the ground¡ªhis weapon unless my ears deceived me. ¡°There! Your men can see I have dropped my blade. Now open the fucking gate so we can talk like men!¡± I glanced at the men manning the wall to my left. Several nodded, confirming Rakakz had indeed tossed down his blade, but I was not foolish enough to believe that was his only weapon. My mind churned over the myriad reasons Rakakz had come in force to speak with me. While a suicidal battle was a possibility, this man, as annoying as he was, did not strike me as a fool. If he had wanted a fight, he would have brought more men and committed to battle rather than walking directly along an exposed path toward the walls of the port. ¡°Open it.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Jaeronos snapped, spinning to face me. ¡°This is a fucking trap!¡± ¡°If it is, it is the dumbest one I have ever heard of or seen,¡± I shot back. ¡°Even if the men who surrendered to me turn on us, we have the numbers.¡± Looking around at many of those who had, until a few days ago, served Rakakz, I saw a mix of shame and defiance; a few scowled at me for questioning their honour, but given their past as pirates, they had little enough to begin with. ¡°Besides, I half want him to attack,¡± I added, flicking my wrist to summon flames that danced along my blade. ¡°Better than listening to him keep talking.¡± Jaeronos shrugged. ¡°Fair point.¡± He nodded to the men at the gates. ¡°You heard your lord. Open the gates.¡± As the men moved to remove the plank from the back of the gates, I stepped forward, holding Red Rain to my side. The flames along the blade flickered and leapt, granting the weapon an almost demonic quality. As those outside came into view, I tensed, expecting a surge forward. However, no such thing happened. The eyes of many flickered to my blade, a good portion of Rakakz¡¯s men taking a step back. I hoped their retreat stemmed from fear of the flames rather than any fervent devotion to the Lord of Light. My focus remained on the man at the front of the group. Rakakz stood out, the gauntlet he wore on his left hand and forearm drawing the eye. Crafted from dark steel that gleamed with an unnatural lustre, it was adorned with intricate engravings that twisted like the roots of ancient trees. The fingertips were elongated, tapering to sharp points, designed not merely for grasping but for inflicting pain. A band of gold encircled the wrist, glinting in the torchlight, a stark contrast to the grim metal and hinting at the wealth he had amassed through his piratical ventures. ¡°Ah, so you are the fuck that has taken my ports and killed Vaegon?¡± Rakakz asked as he took a step forward. Behind me, I sensed my men readying themselves while Rakakz¡¯s did likewise. Both of us held out an arm, stopping our men from acting rashly. ¡°Yes to the first. The honour, if one might call it that, for the second went to the man who holds Vaegon¡¯s ports in my name.¡± I held my ground as Rakakz continued to advance, now a good five metres from his men and exposed to my archers along the walls. ¡°Eh, I shall meet him soon enough,¡± Rakakz stated, making me ready myself for battle. I could feel my muscles demanding the chance to surge, to strike at the challenger before me. However, I stayed my hand. Rakakz, who had now stopped about three metres from me, had dropped his main weapon before we had spoken. While the man had little honour, I would not strike him down without cause¡ªnot just yet. ¡°Still, you are not what I expected of someone called the Bloody Wolf.¡± ¡°Why are you here?¡± I asked, my eyes glaring at the pirate as I fought back the urge to see if I could command my magic to burn him alive where he stood. Rakakz held my gaze before throwing his arms up in exasperation and sighing loudly. ¡°Gods, you are not the trusting type, are you?¡± ¡°Trusting a pirate is a good way to end up dead or in chains,¡± I replied, my voice steady. Rakakz chuckled, the sound low and sardonic. ¡°True enough. However, as you can see, I am far from an average pirate.¡± He extended his arms and turned slowly as if posing before an imagined suitor. ¡°Nor, it seems, are you,¡± he continued once he had completed his twirl. ¡°Your Valyrian is commendable, but that accent¡­ You are a gods-damn Westerosi. Which, given the sigils of those two boys behind you, makes perfect sense. A band of false gods-fearing heathens.¡± ¡°Says the man from a land that harbours literal goatfuckers and gods know what else,¡± I shot back, my irritation flaring. ¡°Ha!¡± Rakakz roared in delight. ¡°Do not think the Qohorik would like to hear that.¡± ¡°Probably not,¡± I admitted, my patience fraying. ¡°Now, I am a busy man with ports to capture and pirates to slay. So again, why in the seven hells are you here?¡± ¡°Yes, busy fits you well. This is what, four ports in five days?¡± he inquired, an amused glimmer in his eyes. ¡°Five in seven, actually,¡± I grunted, my patience nearing its end. The urge to run this insufferable prick through with my blade growing stronger by the moment. ¡°Last time. What. The. Hell. Do. You. Want?¡± The smile that had been almost permanently plastered across Rakakz¡¯s face since my emergence from the port slipped, revealing a more serious countenance. It appeared he understood that I had grown weary of his antics. ¡°I am here, you dim-witted fool, because of you!¡± he snarled, one hand reaching into the depths of his armour. ¡°You took two of my ports, killed hundreds of my men, and then had the audacity to send me this!¡± He brandished a sheet of paper, and I quickly recognized it as my demand for his surrender. ¡°Just how large are your balls?¡± ¡°You would have to inquire with the various women who share my bed,¡± I retorted, cursing myself inwardly for the slip. That was far too much a product of my father and my upbringing. While rubbing the fact that I had many bed companions in the faces of my friends was one thing, Rakakz was not worth the breath to boast of my exploits. Rakakz held my gaze for a moment before the smile returned, his laughter echoing with an annoying mirth. ¡°You are a funny fellow. A right pain in my arse, to be sure, but funny.¡± He shifted suddenly to one side, and I tensed, bracing for an attack. ¡°Now,¡± he said, moving to my right, apparently oblivious to my reaction, ¡°how should I respond to this demand?¡± ¡°I believe I was clear about your choices,¡± I replied, swirling Red Rain in a graceful arc. The flames danced in the air, mesmerising in their hypnotic flicker, drawing the attention of Rakakz and his men alike. ¡°Nice parlour trick,¡± Rakakz remarked, seemingly unfazed by the flames. ¡°I saw priests performing such feats in Essos. Did not expect to see a Westerosi pulling it off, though.¡± ¡°I have my methods,¡± I responded cryptically. ¡°Your choice?¡± Rakakz¡¯s expression darkened, annoyance flaring as he realized I had grown tired of his games. ¡°You are a young lad, too eager to rush matters,¡± he stated, a hint of condescension creeping into his tone. I held back a retort about knowing when to press forward and when to hold back. ¡°You may miss out on moments you ought to savour. Such as this one.¡± He took another step toward me, and I remained tense, readying myself for combat. Rakakz noted my stance and sighed, shaking his head. ¡°As I said, young. Brash too. But by the gods, you have made it work thus far.¡± To my astonishment, he fell to one knee, lowering his head to the ground in an unexpected gesture. ¡°I yield. My remaining port is yours. My men, my ships, and myself are yours to command. All that I ask is to retain some power in your ranks and that my past actions be overlooked while I serve you.¡± I remained where I stood, scrutinising Rakakz carefully for any hint of deception. This man had commanded ports and ruled over men with an iron fist. His swift kneeling felt far too easy, a tactic perhaps too transparent for my liking. ¡°Well,¡± he said, lifting his head to meet my gaze, ¡°do you accept my fidelity?¡± ¡°I am considering it,¡± I replied honestly, even as I remained poised to act the moment he made any move. While the idea of him kneeling had been one potential outcome of my letter, it had been the least likely. Indeed, I had dismissed it as improbable even before the missive had been sent. Yet now he was here, barely two days since I had sent the letter, kneeling before me. His men watched with bated breath; the lack of shock on those closest indicated they were aware of the plan. The rest of the men, however, did not hide their astonishment, a few even looking as if they might try something that could ruin Rakakz¡¯s gesture. Should they act, they would be put down¡ªeither by me or by Rakakz. That was a side issue, however. The main concern was how to handle the fact that one of the pirate lords of Redwater was submitting to my rule. I could either take him at his word while remaining distrustful, or I could strike him down and appear a tyrant to both his men and my own. What a cursed choice I had to make. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ The Water Runs Red 5a The room was dimly lit, with shadows cast over the map sprawled on the wooden table between us, rough lines and symbols marking the island''s ports and harbours. The Redwater Bay, with its winding shores, was drawn in crude strokes on the parchment, littered with pebbles to signify ships and garrisons. I gestured toward the eastern port, my finger tracing a line down to the bay. ¡°You¡¯ll take what men and ships you¡¯ve got here and sail straight into the bay. There, you¡¯ll meet one of my senior commanders aboard the longboats we seized from Vaegon.¡± Rakakz gave a low chuckle, a sound I¡¯d become accustomed to. ¡°Hard to believe you managed to take him down. I¡¯d been hoping to kill the bastard myself for years now.¡± ¡°Technically it was my second who killed him, but once Allerion¡¯s dealt with, I promise you will see Vaegon¡¯s head beside Allerion¡¯s. At least before the flesh is burnt from them.¡± I¡¯d initially kept the head as a way to dissuade any of Vaegon¡¯s former men from rebelling, but after some time, and remembering how I¡¯d presented the Grim Prince¡¯s skull to Doran, I figured I could continue the practice with Vaegon and potentially Allerion. It would make clear that I despised pirates, but amusingly, because he bent the knee, Rakakz would help show I was merciful to those who agreed to follow me instead of challenging me. The thought of displaying the skulls of my defeated enemies¡ªcleaned, polished, and prominently placed¡ªwould, to some, appear morbid. Perhaps, in my former life, I might¡¯ve seen it that way, too. But here, it held a certain logic, a grim symbolism I found myself increasingly drawn to. My holdings were modest now, though I intended for them to grow, and instilling fear in those who dared oppose me was a powerful tool. The notion that defeat meant not just loss, but the finality of losing one''s head, would make many think twice before crossing me. They would either kneel or flee, sparing me the trouble of needless bloodshed. And then there was the peculiar appeal of it¡ªthe thought of drinking from the skull of a vanquished foe, of toasting to victory with their life¡¯s remains. It was a strange indulgence, I admitted, yet it resonated with the darker edge of my ambition, the desire not just to conquer but to leave a mark, a legend that would give any rival pause. This land, these holdings¡ªone day, I would be remembered not just as a ruler, but as a figure to be feared, an example of what awaited those who stood against me. Rakakz gave a half-grunt, half-chuckle that over the last few days, I discovered was a common occurrence for the man. ¡°Lookin¡¯ forward to it.¡± He had an amusingly morbid sense of humour, and if he hadn¡¯t been a pirate and instead been born a member of Sunspear¡¯s guard, I might well have become friends with him. I moved on, ignoring that because of him I was conducting this meeting in what the Interface termed Bastardised Valyrian. That skill had spun off from High Valyrian over the last few days as I was forced to use it more to interact with the men here, and what was interesting was that there was no Reading/Writing component, just the Speaking/Listening part. I wondered if the Interface would grant me separate languages for each of the Free Cities as they all spoke variants of Valyrian, but that was a matter for far into the future. I pushed four pebbles, representing Rakakz¡¯s ships, toward Allerion¡¯s port. ¡°I want you to show that you intend to attack the port in force. At the same time, my man from the south will move north, as if either moving to attack you or the port.¡± I pushed forward the five pebbles standing in for Cayde¡¯s ships. ¡°Once closer, both fleets will turn and race toward the port. Allerion might send some ships out to engage, but with nine ships with full crews, you will be able to overwhelm any ships and the port.¡± ¡°Once the port sees us coming, they will call for help,¡± Rakakz said, pointing over the island to the nearest point of coast on the map. ¡°I know that bastard¡¯s got a port there, but I do not know where.¡± He then drew a finger down from that coast to the bay port. ¡°I know of the path, however, and men will move down it to support the port. He might even send for ships from the port to the west, and that one has his larger ships.¡± ¡°If he calls for those ships, they cannot make it to you in time,¡± I countered as I placed three pebbles near the tip of the coast that turned into the bay. ¡°My men will have a small force here, acting as lookouts.¡± I then tapped at the bay port. ¡°You say Allerion will send men to support this port, but the question is if they can get there in time. If you time your move well, they will not have it, meaning any reinforcements can only arrive after your men are onshore and most, if not all of the port is yours. At that point, what will Allerion do?¡± Rakakz snarled. ¡°Pull back. The cunt never stays to fight if the odds are not in his favour.¡± Rakakz had already indicated this multiple times over the last few days while we¡¯d spoken, but I wanted him to confirm it one final time. This plan, or at least what Rakakz knew of it, hinged on the Gilded Hand being honest in his appraisal. While I wasn¡¯t as skilled at finding lies as Bronn, nor had the advantages Ymir and Kaa did, I was decent. Between myself and Jaeronos, we felt Rakakz was being truthful with his knowledge, at least where it came to Allerion. The plan I was detailing was one I¡¯d been conceiving of ever since taking Rakakz¡¯s eastern ports, and Rakakz¡¯s words only made it clearer that bold action on multiple fronts was the way to go. If I could have, I would¡¯ve launched this attack two days ago, but a storm had drifted over the island, which was finally starting to clear. The storm had granted me more time to grill Rakakz for intel and refine my plan. While it was hard to fly in the storm, it wasn¡¯t anything major, and I had managed to relay orders to Cayde and Daemon about their part in the plan yesterday. They¡¯d held at Vaegon¡¯s bay port when I¡¯d first warned them about the approaching storm, and would, if it cleared tomorrow, set sail. Rakakz would return to the bay port while I would set sail for my part of the attack at the same time, and everyone should arrive where they needed to be at roughly the same time. If, after Allerion was defeated and either on his knees or missing his head, the intel from Rakakz proved accurate, then he¡¯d have gained some trust from me. However, it would only be extended about as far as either of my squires could throw him. ¡°Good, because by doing that it means taking the bay port will be easier. Once that¡¯s done, my man will signal the galleys there to move toward the port. With the port secured, half the men ¨C which will include those who surrendered as I am not turning down bodies for this or future battles ¨C will search the port, gathering everything of value at the docks. The rest of the men will move overland so that by the following morning, they will appear to be moving on Allerion¡¯s northern port.¡± Rakakz nodded as I spoke, and I saw the spark in his eyes suggesting he could see what I was planning. ¡°You put pressure on that port, Allerion will call ships from the west, removing the threat of them targeting the bay port as we ransack it.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± I replied with a smirk. ¡°While I¡¯m dealing with all this,¡± he gestured generally at the map, ¡°what will you be doing?¡± My smile widened as I placed eight pebbles at our current location. ¡°After transferring most of the trade goods in this port to your bay port, Jaeronos and I will sail north with all the coin. Our intent is to target Allerion¡¯s eastern port, and with the manpower we have, we should be able to take it.¡± Rakakz stared at me for a moment. ¡°You are going to send the goods to me and then abandon this port?¡± I nodded, which seemed to increase his confusion. ¡°What¡¯s to stop me from not attacking the bay port and retaking my ports?¡± ¡°Your word,¡± I replied with a smile, though it slipped a second later as I glared intently enough that if I knew how he might well spontaneously burst into flames. ¡°And the fact that, if I discover you have betrayed me, when I return I will turn the sands red with the blood of traitors.¡± I shifted the fingers on one hand and summoned a small serpent of flames that slithered slowly over the back of my hand. ¡°At least once I¡¯ve made sure you understand the depth of your folly.¡± As I finished, the serpent moved slowly onto the table, taking a lazy path towards the former pirate. Rakakz¡¯s eyes drifted to the small necklace I wore around my wrist, suggesting he¡¯d heard the growing rumours that it was the source of my power. I couldn¡¯t show my delight that was happening, but I would admit that I was looking forward to the first person who took it and felt they were then safe from my magic. ¡°Fair.¡± The single word, along with a nod, was enough for me to be sure my warning had been understood, and I lowered my hand, dismissing the flames that danced around it. ¡°Once we have taken Allerion¡¯s eastern port, I plan to strip the place bare of anything of worth, and then sail west with every man and ship now loyal to me.¡± I wanted the war galley there and in the westernmost port, but I wasn¡¯t crazy enough to think it wouldn¡¯t cost to take them down. Nor that they might well be out on patrol. Much like myself, the passing storm had forced Allerion to keep his vessels docked but with it passing by the end of today, I expected he¡¯d have raiding fleets out. While that would make taking the ports easier, it would lower the take in terms of warships. ¡°Going to take you a few days to get there, never mind take the port and then sail west.¡± ¡°It will, but while I am sailing along the northern coast, I want you and my second to move to the next stage of my plan.¡± As I spoke I placed my hand on his bay port. ¡°I want everything moved from your port ¨C coin, goods, food, and slaves ¨C to the port you¡¯ve just taken from Allerion. And then wait there. The men in the mountains will camp out, watching Allerion¡¯s command port for movement.¡± Rakakz¡¯s nod was slow, thoughtful, his gaze fixed on the pebbles marking his ships as they curved toward Allerion¡¯s port. ¡°The men in the bay will be ready to signal me the moment your fleet rounds the coast,¡± he said, his hand hovering over the makeshift map. ¡°Precisely,¡± I replied, shifting the stones in place. ¡°Allerion¡¯s eastern port may be tempting, but the real danger lies in the west. My men in the mountains will approach from above, while half my fleet assaults from the sea. The rest will stay on guard, watching for any movement from the western port. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Allerion flees west once he catches sight of our ships advancing.¡± This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Rakakz grinned, his teeth flashing. ¡°He should. The bastard''s nothing if not a coward.¡± He rubbed his chin, eyeing the map warily. ¡°You¡¯re gambling a lot, splitting your forces, and leaving Vaegon¡¯s and my ports open. But I see your point. This isn¡¯t the first risk you¡¯ve taken.¡± I leaned forward, holding his gaze. ¡°And yet, here we are.¡± I allowed a small, half-crazed smile to creep onto my face. ¡°Besides, who¡¯s to say I couldn¡¯t order my second to pull his men back as you approach Allerion¡¯s port, leaving you both to tear each other apart?¡± Rakakz¡¯s eyes widened slightly, but I raised a hand, the same hand that had summoned fire in past skirmishes, to quiet him before he could speak. ¡°Not that I would,¡± I continued calmly. ¡°But I want you to understand that this alliance depends on trust. You and your men signed my charter, after all, and I made you a commander. I expect loyalty in return.¡± ¡°Still don¡¯t believe you¡¯re treating all this like a sellsword company,¡± he muttered, though he didn¡¯t press further. ¡°As I said when you joined, this is just the beginning,¡± I said, letting my gaze bore into his. ¡°Redwater is merely the start of what I have planned. Stand by me through this, and you¡¯ll hold more power than you could ever dream of on this island.¡± Rakakz scoffed, though his expression softened. ¡°You¡¯re asking a lot, lad. I ruled my ports for seven years by playing it safe. But I see you¡¯ve got something different in mind.¡± ¡°Better to die in battle than grow old and fat with regrets,¡± I shot back, leaning on the table. I knew the risks, but I also understood the need to press forward, to carve my name into history rather than waste away in the shadows. Legends like Daemon Targaryen and Corlys Velaryon didn¡¯t earn their fame by standing still, and I had no intention of following a quieter path. Rakakz let out a dry chuckle. ¡°No pirate dies of old age. If they¡¯re lucky, they die quick in battle, not stabbed in the back when they can¡¯t lift a sword.¡± He rubbed his bracer, that worn piece of castle-forged steel that had been forced onto him long ago, a reminder of a past he¡¯d yet to reveal fully. ¡°Exactly,¡± I said, tapping Allerion¡¯s western port on the map. ¡°Now, is there anything else¡ªtactics, knowledge of Allerion¡¯s men¡ªthat might help us win and ensure we¡¯re all here to celebrate with a cask of rum?¡± Rakakz let out a small laugh. ¡°I¡¯ll see what your¡ªmy¡ªcaptains know of the bay. They¡¯ve sailed these waters for years.¡± He glanced at his bracer again, and I couldn¡¯t help but think there was a story there, waiting to be told. ¡°Good. Bring them to me when you¡¯re ready.¡± Trust would come in time, perhaps, but for now, he would work under close watch. He grunted in irritation but nodded, turning to leave with my two squires and sellsword guards flanking him. As he walked out, I felt a flicker of satisfaction. It would take time to truly earn Rakakz¡¯s loyalty, but he would learn, as all those before him had, that I intended to see my ambitions through. At first, Rakakz didn¡¯t like the minders, but after four days he had learnt to accept it. He had even gone so far as to compliment me on doing so and the fact that I changed the pair assigned to him regularly and not having any man do more than a single shift watching the former pirate lord. ¡°So,¡± Jaeronos said for the first time in this meeting, turning back to me as Edric closed the door, ¡°what¡¯s the real plan?¡± ¡°I told Rakakz the truth, from a certain point of view,¡± I replied with a smirk, one Jaeronos matched as he heard my words. My hand opened a drawer in the table, pulling over two dozen more pebbles out. With the Gilded Hand gone, I could add the ships he didn¡¯t know about to the map; mine and Allerion¡¯s. The storm had made it hard to recon Allerion¡¯s forces, but Rian had still gone out at times, and I¡¯d taken a few gulls on closer looks. One had not returned ¨C a strong gust catching me out and forcing the bird into a cliff face. I¡¯d slipped from its mind before the bird fell to its death, but it was a gentle reminder that I had no interest in sharing the mind of any animal as it died. While I placed the pebbles around the map, even indicating a port that Rakakz knew nothing about, my thoughts drifted. While my ability to scout via beasts and my bonded companions was insanely useful, I knew I wasn¡¯t the only skinchanger. From his letters, at least up until I¡¯d least left Sunspear, Robb had hinted enough to suggest he had formed a bond with Quicksilver, and I had no doubt some Wildlings could skinchange. However, based on my current location, I felt reasonably safe in saying I was the only skinchanger in a thousand miles. After the Wildling and Others were defeated, and if I survived those two events, I planned to head east. The ruins of Valyria held, as they did for many, an appeal to explore. While I knew the dangers, I suspected using tens of gulls and other expendable birds, I could scout the ruins from the air. If anything of interest appeared, it might be possible to then use other beasts to recon the ground, though I wasn¡¯t holding out much hope toward the idea, at least not as present. With the last of the pebbles added to the map, I looked at Jaeronos and smiled. Time to reveal the extent of my plans that, if the dice rolled in my favour, would end the battle of Redwater inside half a moon at worst. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ (Cayde POV) He stood at the bow of the lead longboat taking in the scene before him. As Cregan had said would happen, Rakakz the Gilded Hand was leading his small fleet on a general path toward Allerion¡¯s port, suggesting the former pirate lord was truly now part of their company. However, even though he would obey his orders and fight beside the former pirate against Allerion, Cayde hated his orders. To be clear, he did not dislike commanding a force in battle, as this was a chance to prove he was as worthy as Bronn or Jaeronos in Cregan¡¯s forces. Nor, it should be said, did he dislike that the men under his command ¨C bar the thirty manning his longboat ¨C were a half-moon ago pirates themselves. What he hated was that he was being ordered to place his trust in a man who meekly surrendered to Cregan. Rakakz doing so was the smart choice to make, but it was that very intelligence, and what Rakakz¡¯s long game might be, that had Cayde hating his orders to fight alongside the former pirate lord. Cregan had explained in his missives how and why Rakakz had bent the knee, and Cayde saw the logic in accepting it. Yet he could not shake the feeling that the Gilded Hand was simply biding his time, waiting for a moment to betray Cregan, and as the upcoming battle would be an opportune time to do so, Cayde hated his current position. Barely a quarter-moon ago, Rakakz would have happily slit every one of their throats if he felt it would serve his interests. Yet now, he was expected to fight beside and trust the pirate to not do so, and that was the source of his hatred of his assignment. Now, provided the Gilded Hand did not take the first chance to betray them, Cayde felt as assured as he could about the upcoming battle. With nine longboats carrying slightly more than three hundred men, his forces outnumbered the expected enemy by around two-to-one. Add in that, until Cayde and Rakakz could no longer hide it, those in the port would not know what was coming until the combined fleet moved to attack, and it should be possible to take the port with a low loss of life. The trick was going to take most or all of the port before reinforcements. Cregan had detailed how, via the magic connecting him to his beasts and intelligence from Rakakz, word of the attack would be sent to another port. That lay along the north shore of Redwater, and like Vaegon¡¯s ports, was connected by a path. If every man from that port moved to help the men in the bay port, then Cayde¡¯s forces would be outnumbered. Allerion should not send that many, but even a hundred men arriving too early, and the assault on the port might end in a very painful defeat. After events in The Whores, Cayde did not want to be responsible for the second defeat Cregan had suffered. Not when he had commanded an element during that first defeat. He could not help but think that perhaps that defeat was why it had taken until now for Cayde to again be given command of a large group of men. Even if it was not the reason, a second loss under his command would cost him position alongside the others who shared Cregan¡¯s confidence. Daemon was set to command the galley force that lay somewhere to the west, meaning the choices for command of this attack had come down to Cayde and Bronn. Cregan had offered a bonus of ten Galleons to whoever took command, making clear he understood the risk the position carried, but even that had not been enough for either him or Bronn to volunteer. In the end, Daemon had tossed a Dragon and Cayde had gotten the call right. As expected, Bronn chose to head with Daemon leaving Cayde in command of the bay assault. Provided everything went as intended, this was the last battle Cayde would face on Redwater, and he would enjoy waving the extra coin in Bronn¡¯s face. Hells, if there was time to return to Sunspear, he might well find this YiTi whore Bronn had talked about and see if she was as good as advertised. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ (Daemon¡¯s POV) Holding up a Myrish Eye, Daemon looked eastward. Toward where Cayde was with his ships. The group of longboats was bearing down on Allerion¡¯s port, with those under the command of the pirate Rakakz the Gilded Hand further away but moving in support. Daemon held reservations about having a pirate as an officer in the force Cregan was building, or more accurately, that a former pirate lord had been granted a position of such power. Yes, to keep the former pirate lord happy, he would need to be granted some power in the force, and Rakakz was far from learning of Cregan¡¯s gifts, but it still annoyed Daemon that, provided they all survived the coming battles, he would be forced to treat a man who raided, raped, and enslaved as an equal. Or at least pretend to consider him an equal. Yes, Bronn, Cayde, Jaeronos and many others who served Cregan had no doubt done despicable things, but they had done so as sellswords. They, like Prince Oberyn for a few years, had been paid to fight in foreign lands. They had not chosen to do so because they felt like it as any pirate did. He shifted his gaze slightly, taking in what he could see of Allerion¡¯s port. Most of it was hidden from him as the galley he was on moved north along the coast of Redwater, but from what he could see it appeared no longboat was leaving the harbour to engage the two small fleets bearing down upon them. Also, as he could not see the men on Rakakz¡¯s vessel clearly even with the Eye, it meant the fleet he was commanding was far enough east that Rakakz would not learn today that Cregan had deceived him. Instead of three galleys acting as a blockade for any possible pirate force that sailed down from Allerion¡¯s westernmost port, the nine galleys under Daemon¡¯s command would push toward that port, taking the fight to the pirates. Perhaps, depending on what the strength of the port was, they might even strike at it before the next step in Cregan¡¯s bold plan was enacted. The last missive from Cregan, delivered by Rian ¨C whom Jekar had rewarded for his service with a large whitefish before he departed ¨C spoke of there being six vessels present in the port. With the storm passing, Cregan expected some if not most of the fleet would sail out, seeing to raid trade vessels attempting to slip through the sea between Redwater, Grey Gallows, and Misthaven while avoiding pirates. Daemon agreed that was likely, but he would wait for the next missive from Cregan, which was due to arrive later tonight via gull. If more than half the pirate fleet had sailed north, then Daemon would attack the port, borrowing tactics used against Vaegon for the strike. Bronn would land on the coast with fifty men and Ymir. The group would make its way through the forest, so that, as Daemon¡¯s fleet attacked from the sea, the men could sneak in from behind. With the pirates focusing on the fleet, the strike from behind should help take the port quicker with far fewer casualties. At least if they chose to fight back, as most pirates when faced with such odds would choose either to run or if unable to do so, often surrender in the hopes of leniency or being forced into the service of the attacker. Which was how Cregan had swelled his forces so much in less than a half-moon. As the view of Cayde¡¯s fleet slipped from view, the coast of the island blocking the view, Daemon lowered the Eye. The plan for Allerion¡¯s western holdings was active, and should if all went well, result in a swift and overwhelming victory for them. Cregan had not laid out the entire plan, but after either securing or blockading the port he was bound for, Daemon was to send at least three galleys east, bound for what Cregan referred to as Allerion¡¯s command port. As they neared, Cayde would advance overland, attempting to trap the last pirate lord of Redwater between them. Ideally, that would work, but if it didn¡¯t Cregan would know and adapt how his fleet moved. If he could, Allerion was expected to slip from the port and head northeast, intending to head to the two ports on that section of the island. However, with Cregan leading a fleet around to strike there, Allerion would sail directly into a trap. One that reminded Daemon heavily of the one they had experienced in The Whores, which showed Cregan was learning from his mistakes, and with the abilities Rian and those damn gulls granted him, applying them to his attacks. All things being equal, Allerion would sight Cregan¡¯s fleet somewhere near a fifth port that none would have known about if not for the birds Cregan used. There the pirate lord would have four options, though only the one that involved turning north and running from everything he had built over the years offered Allerion any hope of survival. Even then, Daemon suspected Cregan had plans ready for such a move, meaning that with Cayde¡¯s attack on the bay port, Allerion¡¯s days as anything more than a minor footnote in history were drawing to a close. Daemon was glad of that as he wanted to head back to Sunspear and see Alysanne. He had collected several pieces of jewellery that he felt his Winter Rose would like, and he looked forward to seeing her reaction to both his return and his gifts. The only rumble of doubt he felt was the chance Lord Eddard Stark would deny him the hand of his bastard daughter, but unless a trueborn son in the North came forward, Daemon could think of no match better than himself for Alysanne¡¯s hand. Of course, even if Lord Eddard granted his permission, Daemon suspected that Cregan would not return to Sunspear after this campaign. With over a thousand former pirates under his command, it would be foolish to leave them in Northpoint. The settlement was still new, and men such as those Cregan had, if Daemon was being generous, recruited there would see the place ruined before they could return from the Dornish capital. No, it was more probable to Daemon that Cregan would stop in Northpoint only long enough to unload the bounty taken from Redwater, those freed of the horrors of slavery, and resupply their rations before heading out again. The question would be if Cregan returned to cleanse the Whores and then on to the Shrouded Isle, or if he moved to target Grey Gallows. ¡­ ¡­ The Water Runs Red 5b (Cregan¡¯s POV) The rush of wind over feathers, the weightless glide high above the land, was a thrill that never dulled. Every time I took to the sky through Rian¡¯s eyes, I felt a primal joy, a sense of freedom that mere human movement couldn¡¯t rival. But I couldn¡¯t indulge in the sensation now; my purpose was to observe, to keep a close eye on the chaos brewing below. I could have used one of the gulls circling the coast for this reconnaissance, but Rian¡¯s distaste for such lowly birds was always palpable if he happened to be nearby. Besides, there was something distinctly satisfying about sharing the mind of a fellow predator. Rian was sharp, his instincts honed, unlike the dull, almost mindless gulls that seemed barely aware of their own existence. When guiding Rian, all I needed was a slight nudge, a subtle direction, and he understood. The gulls, in contrast, required constant redirection, their limited focus waning quickly. I¡¯d have to fly them back to a location, their simple minds struggling to hold even the faintest memory of their path. Below me, the island of Redwater spread like a jagged tooth in the ocean, and the Red Kraken cut its way north along the coast, my body resting in my cabin with Edric and Trystane nearby, deep in meditation. Our fleet clung to the shore, seeking shelter against the cliffs as it made its way toward Allerion¡¯s easternmost port. Despite the northern port¡¯s allure, it was all but certain Allerion had men stationed at the headland, keeping an eye out for any approach from Rakakz¡¯s side. Once I¡¯d finished surveying the island¡¯s western shores, I would send one of the gulls to scout that area, a lowly but useful tool. If there was a lookout point, I could use the gulls in much the same way I¡¯d toppled the watchtower between Rakakz¡¯s ports. Hundreds of gulls flitted around this isolated island, each serving as an unintentional guide to the scattered settlements below. Rian, though, provided me with an experience as close to flight as my own skin could feel, a merging of instinct and purpose that even the magic of my world could rarely replicate. When Rian had taken flight, through his eyes I¡¯d spotted four of the six galleys in Allerion¡¯s Easternmost port heading out to sea. No doubt they were a raiding party that, like my forces, had set sail as soon as the storms had passed over the island. While that raiding fleet was moving north-east, bearing for open waters between Redwater, Misthaven, The Coral Isle, and The Disputed Lands, and thus would be too far away to protect their port once my fleet came into sight, I knew they wouldn¡¯t have a successful hunt. Heading in the same general direction were two cogs that, while they would normally be easy pickings for pirates. However, these cogs had four galleys with them as escorts. Thanks to the sharpness of Rian¡¯s eyes, even at several hundred leagues, the distinctive green that marked them as belonging to Salladhor Saan was visible. Since the galleys were moving in formation with the cogs, it was clear that they were escorting the trade vessels; something that once I held more of the Steps, I planned to do. Raiding was profitable, but the stronger the raiders became, the less likely traders would be to sail near the areas the raiders patrolled. It was more sustainable to have the traders pay for safe passage and escort through the waters I controlled, which was clearly how Saan felt as well. Seeing his ships escorting traders made me certain of my intent to send a missive to Saan once I¡¯d defeated Allerion and had his men, ships, and bounty under my control. Even if every possible man that Allerion had currently bent the knee without a fight, I knew I didn¡¯t have the manpower to take islands like The Shrouded Isle, Bloodstone, or The Coral Isle, never mind the entire Steps. While Sann and the Lotus Prince were far from where I intended my next move to take place, they apparently had ideals that aligned with many of mine. That meant there was the potential for if not a full alliance, then an agreement to stay out of each other¡¯s territory. Of course, the problem was that while I should by the end of the moon, have more men than the Lotus Prince, Saan had me outnumbered in men and ships. I had not scouted the entirely to The Coral Isle, but from the five ports I had seen, it held an equal number of vessels to everything currently around Redwater. And several were the size of the Kraken. Thus, any agreement with Saan would have to wait until I could match his strength as I would not negotiate with any pirate, even one about as noble as a pirate like Saan appeared to be, from weaker ground. The port my fleet was heading toward because its raiding party was at sea, was now at half strength. Yes, only three vessels remained, but one of those was a war galley similar to the Kraken and the Howl. Based on that, the presence of the two other galleys, and the expectations the port held a decent number of men to protect it if all ships were at sea, I figured my fleet had the pirates unnumbered by a nearly two-to-one margin. If the four galleys at sea turned back now, it would cause me issues and mean altering my plans ¨C including moving to trap Allerion before he could reach the supply port to the west of my current target ¨C but as things stood that wouldn¡¯t be happening. A gentle nudge from Rian brought my attention back to where I currently was, high above the western side of Allerion¡¯s holdings. Cayde and Rakakz had secured the bay port, though not without a few moments of concern. Allerion had dispatched a large force ¨C somewhere north of a hundred men ¨C to counter the attack in the bay. They had moved quicker than I had expected as I had somehow missed a watchtower that lay between Allerion¡¯s command and bay ports. A signal for the bay port had been sent to the watchtower, as a runner had left for the command port as the first of Cadye and Rakakz¡¯s ships beached into the port. That meant the reinforcements moved out quicker than had been expected and were at the port before it had fallen, though the battle had shifted almost decisively in Cadye¡¯s favour. In an unexpected move, the commander of the reinforcements had pushed forward, clashing with my men on the edges of the port. That had pushed my men back for a while, but numbers began to tell, and eventually, the reinforcements withdrew, surrendering the port to Cadye. From what Rian saw, including stragglers from the port who managed to escape the battle, the reinforcements were returning with only sixty to seventy men. While that would mean more men had fallen in taking the port than I would have preferred, it would make Allerion¡¯s choice between staying to fight in his command port or bugging out for another base easier to determine. Especially once Daemon¡¯s strike force came into view and displayed their sails, which bore Vaegon¡¯s and Rakakz¡¯s sigils. Turning my focus to Daemon¡¯s fleet, I saw them moving slowly northward. Much like my fleet, Daemon had his forces hugging as close to the coast as they could manage to delay their target being alerted to their arrival. While the coast they were moving up didn¡¯t have the sharp point as in the east, their target seemed less prepared for an assault from the south. I hadn¡¯t seen a watchtower along the coast, and the walls of the port were, to be blunt, almost non-existent. What was there appeared to be designed for nothing more than keeping out any beast in the forest than stopping attackers. Even without me having delivered that intelligence to Daemon, he had deployed men to the forest. Or I assumed so as I could sense Ymir down there instead of upon one of the galleys. More than likely Bronn was leading a force of men ¨C at a guess, around fifty ¨C who would strike the port from behind while they focused on Daemon¡¯s fleet, which given their situation, they most certainly would. At full strength ¨C with a war galley and five galleys ¨C the port had the strength to make any battle very costly for Daemon. However, like with my target, the pirates here had sent out a raiding party. A group of three ships, led by the war galley, were heading toward Grey Gallows. They wouldn¡¯t be attacking the island, but as I could see around a dozen trade non-warships moving around in the open waters of the Steps, the odds were good they would find a target to chase and potentially capture. Three galleys in the port, adding in men to secure it if all ships were gone, meant a force of two to two hundred and fifty men. Daemon¡¯s nine galleys carried nearly double that number. Even with a strike element in the forest, the fleet would be able to overwhelm the port if they decided to attack. That choice to do so, or simply wait and blockade it was up to Daemon, but knowing it would help his decision-making, I gave Rian an order to head to the galleys. He could rest there while I wrote a short missive detailing the pirate positions and then sent it via gull to Daemon. After that, I would leave the decision in Daemon¡¯s hands. ¡­ ¡­ Several hours later, with the missive delivered to Daemon detailing the actions taken by the pirates he was targeting, I found myself in Ymir. As I¡¯d suspected, he was moving with a force of men through the forest near the westernmost port. Rian was still with Daemon, enjoying some fish Jekar had given him, and when he returned to the skies, I¡¯d return to his mind, watching events from far above. Until then, I was enjoying moving silently through the forest with Ymir. Not far behind the massive, but incredibly quiet-moving direwolf was Bronn. The experienced sellsword commanding the strike force. He and the men with him were moving very cautiously through the forest as unlike with the woods near Vaegon¡¯s ports, here it was much denser and less travelled by humans. If it weren¡¯t for the need to move slowly and quietly, the men could cut a path through the woods and undergrowth. However, with no hint of where, if anywhere the pirates had hunting camps, they couldn¡¯t take the risk. Ymir wasn¡¯t a great use here either as the wind was blowing north-westerly, so he could catch the scents of humans ahead of him. He had, rather interestingly, caught hints of what I thought were deer or a similar beast somewhere inland, but that wasn¡¯t important to his current intentions. Also, unlike before, Ymir wasn¡¯t yet wearing his armour. The mail of it would catch easily on the undergrowth, and that would be an issue. Two of Bronn¡¯s men had it with them, and the sellsword would, provided Ymir allowed him, attach it before any attack on the port took place. I didn¡¯t know Daemon¡¯s intentions on the matter, but in his place with the intelligence I¡¯d given him, I would make a move to take the port. Overwhelming force against pirates would have most choosing to either surrender or run. With Ymir and Bronn in the woods, those who ran in panic would meet quick and, for those Ymir directly took out, painful ends. ¡­ ¡­ As the sun slowly set on the day, and after a handful of hours using a gull to watch the behaviour of the raiding fleet from Allerion¡¯s easternmost port, I was once more back in Rian¡¯s mind. Below me was the western edge of Allerion¡¯s holding, with ships moving in the water, men upon them and the land looking little better than ants scurrying around some giant board they didn¡¯t realise they were part of. The bay port was secured, men there moving in groups as they searched the buildings, carrying anything and everything of value to the docks. As the first light of a new day dawned upon Redwater, Cayde would send half his men toward Allerion¡¯s command port, with orders for those men to hold position about halfway there. Amusingly, that would be close to the watchtower that I had missed. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. They would stay there until Daemon led an element of his fleet toward the port and unfurled their sails, revealing they weren¡¯t Allerion¡¯s ships coming to support his position. The issue with that was that currently, Daemon¡¯s forces were attacking Allerion¡¯s westernmost port. As I¡¯d expected, using the intel I¡¯d provided, he had chosen to attack, and from high above the battlefield I watched the chaos unfold. Seven galleys had committed to the assault, the final two moving further to the north, acting as watchers for the pirate raiding fleet. They weren¡¯t needed, as I could see those three ships far to the northwest, bearing down upon a long cog that had fallen behind a group of four who¡¯d been racing through the open waters of the Stepstones. From the way the galleys were closing, it was only a matter of time until the cog was run down, and I was curious if the pirates would simply take the cargo as bounty, or if they might press the ship and crew into their service. Either way, those pirates would be of no help to their brethren in their home port, and when they returned, if Daemon was smart, he might well be able to capture one or two if they could be coaxed into sailing into the port before they learnt the truth. Returning my focus to the battle below, it was obvious even with the battle being barely an hour old, that it wouldn¡¯t last much longer. Daemon¡¯s men were pouring out of their ships, smashing into the weak defensive line the pirates had formed near the docks. They might well be able to hold the line long enough that some of Daemon¡¯s men might waver, however, at the southeastern edge of the port I could see men emerging from the forest. The large shape of Ymir joining them confirmed that Bronn and his team were about to strike from the rear, which would crush the pirate¡¯s will to resist. The challenge that awaited my friends was securing the port without the loss of too many men; both in those attacking and those defending. Three more galleys for my fleet were helpful, but I needed the men to crew them back to Northpoint. The faint echo of Ymir¡¯s howl lingered in my mind, though my ears had not heard it. I¡¯d watched through Rian¡¯s eyes as Ymir¡¯s stance shifted, a predator in motion, and saw the fear ripple through the ranks of the pirates, the sound scattering their resolve. The line wavered, men fleeing both from Daemon¡¯s forces and the unseen predator in the distance. The battle was all but decided, the chaos tipping in our favour. Knowing the time for my own fight was drawing near, I began to withdraw from Rian¡¯s mind, willing him to remain vigilant over Daemon¡¯s skirmish. I nudged him to stay nearby and land there once the field was clear. If all went well, I could slip back into his senses when my fight was done and gather a clear view of the western situation, which would play a crucial role in my plans for the supply port and the ambush on Allerion. My eyes snapped open, and the familiar haze of human sight returned, narrow and comparatively dull. The shift from Rian¡¯s heightened perception to my own always required a moment¡¯s adjustment, a recalibration of focus. In time, I hoped the bond between us would deepen enough to bring even greater clarity to my vision, though for now, I was back to the simple reality of human senses. Sitting up, I swung my legs over the side of the bed, feeling the coarse rug beneath my feet. I strapped on my sabatons and glanced around, noticing Edric and Trystane were no longer in the cabin. With my greaves secured over my shins, I moved to the desk where my gear lay ¨C Red Rain and my axe, polished and deadly, rested beside my shield. Fastening them to my belt, I lifted the helm ¨C styled like a Viking helm from my old world ¨C from the desk, the steel gleaming, barely marked ¨C a testament to the care I¡¯d put into maintaining it. The rounded dome and Y-shaped guard left my lower face exposed, allowing the cool breeze to brush against my skin even as the helmet settled over my head. Turning I grabbed my bow and quiver as I moved to leave the cabin. Ready for battle, I stepped out of the cabin, the ship¡¯s timbers creaking underfoot as I joined the crew in the wake of the coming clash. I gave the man outside, Jeffary, a nod as I passed, and I took in the sights that greeted me. Most of the men were manning the oars, powering us forward, toward Allerion¡¯s port. The rest were preparing for battle with a dozen archers on the foredeck along with the crews for the scorpions. Beyond them, the port was coming into view, and all three vessels were facing toward land, meaning any scorpions they had ¨C unless they could be quickly moved to the quarterdecks ¨C wouldn¡¯t be usable during the upcoming assault. The raiding force was far away, and while they had turned back to port ¨C their pursuit of the cogs protected by Saan¡¯s vessels proving as fruitless as I expected ¨C they wouldn¡¯t arrive back until tomorrow at best. That meant I had time to take the port and then move out with a smaller force to spring the trap intended for Allerion, or if he failed to fall into it, take over the supply port. Turning, I took the short flight of steps to the Kraken¡¯s quarterdeck in two bounds. ¡°Glad you could join us,¡± Miltar called out from the wheel as he guided the ship toward the port. ¡°Fleet¡¯s in position to attack, though because we¡¯ve taken our sweet time about it, they¡¯ll know we¡¯re coming.¡± ¡°Good.¡± The pirates would understand they were going to lose and would have three options. Fight to the death, surrender after some skirmishing, or turn tail and run into the forest. The first was the least likely, and while the latter was what I wanted to avoid, Jaeronos would have enough men left with him to hunt down any who ran. Such men, to make a point, would be put to death for not having the courage to stand and fight, even if just for a few minutes. ¡°Have the orders been distributed?¡± I asked Edric, who was standing near Miltar, already in his armour. ¡°Yes, My Lord,¡± he replied with a nod. Turning at the sound of footsteps approaching, I saw Trystane racing up the steps. ¡°Ser Jaeronos reports his men ready, My Lord,¡± He said slightly breathlessly. I smiled widely. ¡°Excellent. Signal him to begin the assault.¡± Both squires nodded. Trystane leapt down the steps to the main deck while Edric turned and moved to the stern so they could signal the ships around us. Normally I would place the Kraken at the centre of my lines. However, with my intent being to break as soon as the battle was over and head west with two escorts, Jaeronos would be leading the assault, and as such the Howl held the centre position. His orders were to take the port as cleanly as possible, and with as little damage to the ships docked there as was manageable. Above all, I wanted the war galley intact, as it would grant me a third flagship for my forces, making it easier for when the fleet had to split apart. While simply blockading the port until Allerion was an option, with the Howl and four galleys, Jaeronos would¡¯ve been outnumbered and flanked by the pirates once their raiding party returned. Thus, I had determined it was wiser to take the port. With that done, he could turn his focus to finding a way to get the returning galleys to either run away or surrender without any major fighting. I doubted the latter would happen, and if the raiders turned, I didn¡¯t want them turning west, which was why the Kraken and her escorts would set sail before the sun could set. With luck, we¡¯d be out of sight before the returning pirates realised what had happened to their base. While I wasn¡¯t intending for the Kraken to enter the thick of the fighting, part of me wished we would. After watching Cayde and Daemon have their fun to the west, the urge to jump into the fray, to hear my blood pump and my heart sing in the chaos and carnage of battle was growing strong. I knew I would get the chance for Red Rain to taste flesh when I confronted Allerion, but that would be at least two days and the desire for battle was growing stronger with each passing minute. What I had to be mindful of was not losing myself to that desire, and remembering the bigger picture. Still, I could hold out hope that some dumb pirates decided to assault the Kraken and let me lessen some of my bloodlust. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ (Daemon¡¯s POV) Looking east through his Myrish Eye, Daemon was just able to make out Allerion¡¯s port, which had him smiling. The four ships under his command had made good time since leaving port this morning, and while they had yet to unfurl their sails, when they did Allerion would understand these ships were not reinforcements, but part of the same element that had attacked and captured his bay port. What made Daemon¡¯s smile widen was knowing Allerion would think Vaegon and Rakakz had allied to attack him when the former was dead ¨C Daemon taking his head ¨C while the latter had, like most of the pirates on the island, bent the knee to Cregan. By the time the last so-called pirate lord of Redwater fell, he might still be unaware of the truth. Lowering the Eye, Daemon turned and looked behind him; toward the port he had sailed from this morn. The battle for Allerion¡¯s port the previous evening had gone about as well as he could have hoped. Nine galleys carrying nearly three hundred and fifty men, plus the small flanking force Bronn and Ymir had led in the forest had overwhelmed the pirates in the port. Before the sun had set, the port was theirs, and nearly a hundred and forty men had bent the knee in servitude. Like many that followed Cregan¡¯s banner, Daemon trusted this lot about half as far as his page Morsh could throw them, but given their former and future battlefields, he could see why Cregan was taking all this scum into his service. Quantity had its uses when what quality you had was extremely limited. That opinion was why Daemon was not concerned about the loss of all but two of the men lost in taking the port. Twenty-three former pirates were barely worth the death of two half-decent sellswords. Bronn remained behind with most of the enlarged fleet, working to strip the port bare of anything of value. That, as with each port Daemon had entered, included slaves. The only upside to those he had personally freed from their chains was that most of those here were not as transited by their capture and might be able to be free and productive members of whichever settlement they moved to once rescued from this accursed island, and if all went well, they would not be the only ones freed from captivity. Daemon had known that half the pirate force from the port to his stern had been at sea when he attacked, and during the night he and Bronn had worked on a plan to trap the others when they returned. A gull-delivered missive from Cregan had confirmed the pirates were returning, along with a captured cog. He shook his head, still trying to come to terms with the fact Cregan could use gulls and Rian to deliver missives in the same way Maesters and Lords used ravens. It had helped them plan out the three-pronged strike against Allerion ¨C something Cregan had termed a ¡®lightning strike¡¯ ¨C but having to wonder if any gull he saw might be Cregan watching him unnerved Daemon. He knew Cregan had no reason to do such a thing, bar perhaps the chance that they might soon be cousins through marriage, but there was always a nibbling voice at the back of his thoughts that wondered if any of the dozens of gulls that he even now could see were more than they appeared. Turning his thoughts back to matters he had more control over, Daemon wondered how Bronn¡¯s preparations for luring in, and then trapping the returning pirates and their bounty. The three new galleys had remained in port while the other five that Daemon had attacked with had moved south. While there was no inlet on the coast where they could easily hide the vessels, if they stayed close to the coast, they should remain unsighted by the returning pirates. Most of the crews of those vessels would return to the port via the coast and forest, but the majority would remain hidden. At least once the pirate fleet was sighted. Until then, they would work with the others there to clean up the port to hide the fact a battle had just been fought in it. To limit how many of Allerion¡¯s former men had the chance to turn their coats, most had been removed from the port. About thirty were spread through the four ships Daemon had, the rest who were not staying at the port to sell the appearance that everything was well had gone with the galleys. Those men would be on the island now, their hands bound, and their mouths gagged to ensure they could not betray Bronn, Ymir, and the men there. Hells, if Daemon knew Bronn, he would have ensured one man stepped out of line for Ymir to deal with. The direwolf might be on their side and could come across as far more docile than one would expect for a predator, but that was a ruse brought on by his bond to Cregan. When angered, neither he, Bronn, or anyone else wished to face the massive hulking form of the direwolf, and if one pirate tried their luck, their remains would be a useful warning to others to stay in line. Some of Allerion¡¯s men would remain in the port, to help sell that it had not fallen, but with the majority of the men under Bronn¡¯s command having no loyalty to the pirate lord, Daemon felt the trap should snag at least one of the approaching pirate vessels. Once the battle for them began, the galleys waiting to the south would move, in the hope they could catch at least one of any pirates that escaped the port. However, even if they failed to do that, it would be enough to have those pirates turn and run, and if they moved in the direction Daemon was currently sailing, they would find themselves sailing into another trap. Turning back around, Daemon gazed towards the island, south of where Allerion port was located. With the run of hills rising into mountains that ran almost the length of the northern section of Redwater ¨C all of which was, until yesterday under the control of Allerion ¨C he could not see Cayde, but Cregan¡¯s missives had said the sellsword would lead a force through a mountain path. Combining those men with those Daemon had with him, Allerion, with perhaps two hundred men at his disposal, would have to either fight on two fronts or abandon the port. According to Cregan, via intelligence from Rakakz, the port Daemon was heading toward was where Allerion kept the majority of his ill-gotten gains and most treasured slaves. Abandoning that would be a dangerous move for Allerion as it would show weakness, but choosing to stand and fight on two fronts against a numerically superior force only ever worked for the defenders on the rarest of occasions. The only odd order Cregan had given regarding Allerion if he chose to stand and fight, was that like with Vaegon, his head was to be removed from the body and kept. The body, along with any who died in the fight, after the ports were taken, were to be burnt; an order Cregan had insisted upon before the fleet had moved out from Vaegon¡¯s ports and one Daemon suspected would be enacted in Allerion¡¯s ports before they sailed back to Redwater. It was odd that Cregan insisted on burning the bodies of the dead, and when asked about it, Cregan had yet to explain his reasoning. At least when sober. There had been one night in Sunspear, not long after the taking of Dustspear when a very drunk Cregan had mentioned, if Daemon recalled the night clearly, that there were forces that could raise the dead. The idea of such an act sent shivers to Daemon¡¯s very core, but knowing that magic existed and having seen it in action, Daemon was willing to go along with the body burning. As well as keeping the slowly rotting skull of Vaegon in a sealed cask. Remembering Dustspear, Daemon suspected that Cregan intended to have the skulls of the defeated pirate lords burnt clean of flesh and then polished. Cregan had presented the Grim Prince¡¯s skull to Prince Doran, and if Cregan intended to continue that practice, it was one Daemon could accept. Even if to Daemon it seemed an unnecessary waste of time and effort. ¡­ ¡­ The Water Runs Red 5c (Cregan¡¯s POV) As had become standard over the last week, I once again found myself inside Rian¡¯s mind, watching the men and ships below move around like ants. Even those who served in my forces moved with purpose; my orders to Jaeronos, Bronn, Cayde, and Rakakz being followed by them. Four of Allerion¡¯s five ports were under my control, the only one being the small supply port ¨C with only a single galley and perhaps fifty men there ¨C which lay to my southeast. My fleet was moving toward the turn in the coast, readying for the moment Allerion¡¯s two galleys came into sight and saw their path forward blocked by a small force of vessels. While I and Daemon dealt with the last pirate lord of Redwater, I had sent a simple missive to each of the others. They were to take everything and anything of value and transport it to the westernmost port now under my command. Bronn had done an excellent job there as while the two galleys of the pirate raiding force from the westernmost port had escaped his trap, the war galley and cog had been taken. A fourth war galley would greatly improve my ability to both project power and split my fleet up into smaller elements with clear command vessels. There was some damage to the vessel, but from what I¡¯d seen through Rian¡¯s eyes, that would be repaired at least enough so the vessel could make the journey to Northpoint before I reached the port. The cog was an interesting one which I¡¯d have to deal with once Allerion was defeated and I could speak to the crew. Working on the assumption that most of the crew had been forced into service ¨C with the others likely placed in chains if not killed as a warning to the others ¨C it wouldn¡¯t be right to make them retain their service to me. However, they had lost their vessel, and I had now taken it from Allerion¡¯s men, so by right of conquest it was mine. I would just have to see where they sailed from, and who, if anyone sponsored the vessel before enforcing that rule or not. It wouldn¡¯t be helpful for some powerful noble on either side of the Narrow Sea to learn that I¡¯d taken one of their vessels and hired sellswords to deal with me. Cayde had secured Allerion¡¯s command port without any fight. The handful of men left behind had apparently surrendered without incident. Cayde should now be working to gather everything of value from that port for transport to the westernmost port, and to help with that I¡¯d seen three galleys set sail from Bronn¡¯s location to Cayde¡¯s. Provided the men onboard didn¡¯t attempt to mutiny and run away with my vessels, they would be used to move the valuables. In the bay, Rakakz was shifting items around from his former port to the one taken from Allerion. It was going to take time for him to get the longboats loaded and around the coast to Bronn¡¯s location, but it appeared that he wasn¡¯t yet moving to betray me and take my goods for his own. That, honestly, was a touch surprising but it suggested Rakakz had, in some twisted way, a sense of honour. If so, he might just prove a useful subordinate, however, it was far too early to be certain of that. To the east of my fleet¡¯s location, Jaeronos was working to prepare his ships ¨C which included the other captured war galley ¨C and bring them west. The four galleys from that port which had been out raiding hadn¡¯t, unfortunately, made the mistake of their brethren to the west, and having sighted the larger fleet in their home port, turned and headed back to sea. For a while, I had been concerned they might turn west and try to rally with Allerion, but the commander of that group had instead chosen to break north. So far, they remained on that heading, making a beeline for Misthaven which, while I would have preferred the men and ships to be taken, wasn¡¯t the worst outcome. Not only would they not be attacking my fleets as they moved, laden with coin and goods, to the rendezvous point, but they¡¯d be spreading rumours of the situation changing on Redwater. Misthaven, according to Rakakz and several of his ship captains, was unlike the other larger islands in the Stepstones. There was no single or group of pirate lords holding power over the island. Instead, it held nearly two dozen ports. Those ports were, for the most part, unaligned with each other, meaning the island was a chaos-filled backwater. The four ships that had sailed toward it would, in theory, be able to take over one of the smaller ports with ease, which would potentially allow them to become semi-major players on the island. From rumours Rakakz and others had heard, Whisperwind was heading in the same direction as both the ¡®lords¡¯ on the island had perished at some point in the last few years. That left the island in a state of anarchy; or at least more so than when the pirate lords had ruled there. Neither island was important to me currently, and potentially never would be as they lay close to the Disputed Lands and Whisperwind was less than a half-moon¡¯s sail from Tyrosh, but the stories that I¡¯d heard of how and why the pirate lords of Whisperwind had fallen was interesting. At least from a certain point of view. The ideas seemed to range from the logical to the absurd. The idea that Tyrosh had moved against the pirate lords was credible, particularly when I considered that Jaerenys Tarlarys on Obsidian Sands was believed to be backed by the Free City. The more unlikely ideas as to why the pirate lords of Whisperwind had fallen ranged from the Dothraki ¨C unlikely as fuck given their fear of water ¨C to the idea all three lords had been killed by a fucking kraken. While I wasn¡¯t discounting that such a beast might exist in the seas of this world, the idea that it would be moving around the relatively-speaking, shallow waters of the Stepstones was improbable. A gentle nudge from Rian refocused my thoughts on my current location and intentions. Looking down through his eyes, I saw Allerion¡¯s two galleys. They were closing fast on the turn in the coast and soon would be greeted by the sight of my three vessels. Each of my ships had its sails unfurled enough that my sigil could be clearly seen, so Allerion would be left with no doubt that I wasn¡¯t there to help him. The moment he saw my ships and their sails, he would have three options. Break toward the open sea, risking being chased by a fleet three times his. Turn and engage Daemon¡¯s force in the hope they could break through before my ships got to him, or push forward and try and break through my fleet before Daemon reached him in an attempt to reach his supply port. Given the prevailing winds, turning north would be a mistake as he would be tacking with it, while my vessels would have it directly at our stern as we gave chase. Even without considering the use of gulls and flaming ropes, his chances of escaping my ships were slim. Turning to engage Daemon was the next biggest risk, as my ships could close the distance between my two fleets quicker based on the wind. Plus, Allerion knew he had no support from where he had come. That, if he had any balls, left him with but one choice: To engage my fleet. While there was still time before Allerion saw my ships, and thus had to make his decision, I wanted to ensure my men were ready. After asking as best I could for Rian to alert me if Allerion¡¯s ships changed direction before I saw them with my own eyes, I slipped from his mind and returned to mine. Adjusting to the sensations of my own body, I noticed a small alert from my Interface: Skinchanging had levelled up to 96, just four away from unlocking an additional bond slot and perhaps reaching its peak. Turning in bed, I saw Edric and Trystane seated on the cabin floor, both deep in meditation. While my men might assume I was teaching them solely the arts of knighthood, our focus now was on unlocking their magical potential. Trystane seemed closer to that goal, his Rhoynish bloodline giving him a natural advantage. Yet, I suspected that some latent magical ability might also lie dormant within Edric, given our shared lineage through my mother¡¯s side. Trystane meditated with a mug of water before him, tapping into the Rhoynish legacy, while Edric focused on a small candle, hoping to spark some affinity for Fire Magic. Fire was the element I¡¯d been strongest with upon my rebirth, though it wasn¡¯t tied to the ancient magic of the Starks and the First Men. If Edric couldn¡¯t unlock a magical affinity, I was prepared; as Heir to Starfall, he had the rare potential to become the next Sword of the Morning. Once he was a little older, I would begin his training toward wielding Dawn, a path that would not only deepen his loyalty but fulfil the goals of the A Morning Blade objective. And when the Others came, I intended that Dawn be wielded by one trained to face them. Moving quietly, I rose from the bed, not wanting to disturb their concentration. I secured Red Rain and the axe at my hips but left my bow and helm behind. The ships were still some distance from being spotted by Allerion¡¯s lookouts, and the battle remained on the horizon. For now, I intended to find Miltar and confirm that both the ship and our escorts were ready for the clash ahead. ¡­ ¡­ I leaned back, letting the pirate¡¯s long axe whistle past my chest, cutting nothing but air. Turning smoothly with the missed swing, I brought Red Rain around in a deadly arc, the Valyrian steel slicing cleanly through his meagre armour and sending another flash of crimson spilling onto the deck. The pirate staggered; his torso gashed but still alive. His grip on the axe faltered, and he tried to swing again, desperate to regain his stance. Before he could find his footing, I drove my shield forward, smashing it into his jaw. Over the din of battle, I caught the crunch of bone as he crumpled, dazed and bleeding. Another pirate stepped in before I could finish him off, a cutlass flashing toward me. I turned Red Rain in a swift arc, catching his blade and forcing it aside. A quick rotation of my arm brought the tip of Red Rain down onto his thigh, opening a small but bloody wound that would slow him. With his balance thrown off, I pressed forward, ramming my shield into the arm holding the cutlass. His defence faltered, and my blade found its mark, plunging deep into his gut. He groaned as I twisted the blade on the withdrawal, widening the wound until more than just blood splattered to the deck. With the dying man staggering away, I stepped clear, surveying the chaotic skirmish raging across the galley. My men were making headway, driving the pirates back as they sought to claim Allerion¡¯s ship. Near the quarterdeck, I glimpsed a figure in heavier armour swinging a mace that sent one of my men crashing down the stairs, scattering those fighting on the main deck below. Given his position and equipment, it had to be Allerion. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it I moved forward, clearing a path with Red Rain. I wore lighter armour today, a compromise for the mobility needed aboard a ship. Mail covered my torso, while plate reinforced my shoulders, forearms, and shins. My shield bore my sigil, and my surcoat, now darkened with blood, left no doubt as to who led this assault. Allerion¡¯s men turned toward me, their faces twisted with fury and desperation, eager to be the one to take my head. They met only death, each strike fuelling the fire within as I cut them down, a blend of grim purpose and fierce delight. Four more fell beneath Red Rain, and as I reached the base of the quarterdeck stairs, I called out. "ALLERION!" He looked down, his face twisting into a snarl as he took in the blood-streaked visage before him. I let a smirk play across my lips and mounted the steps, another pirate attempting to block my way. He was rewarded with my shield ramming into his gut, then crashing upward into his face, sending teeth and blood spraying as he toppled back. My gaze fixed on Allerion. Here, at last, stood one of the so-called pirate lords. Vaegon had fallen to my second, and Rakakz had bent the knee, but Allerion would face me blade to blade. The thrill of the challenge was a pulse of heat in my veins¡ªa chance to prove myself against a man whispered about with fear. I advanced, my grip tightening on Red Rain, hungry for the fight that lay before me. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°That¡¯s the last of the goods being loaded,¡± Bronn said as he stood with me and Daemon watching men carry various crates, chests, and barrels onto the four ships that were docked in the port. The rest of the fleet was holding position just out at sea, currently working with lower crews. The majority of the men were onshore helping shift everything of value that we¡¯d taken from Redwater onto the docked vessels. Around a hundred and fifty former slaves were waiting for boarding as well, with most being transported by the Little Valyrian. The rather amusing name was the one for the cog Allerion¡¯s men had captured even as their lord fell into my trap. The crew, or what remained of them, had returned to the vessel and agreed to sail it back with the fleet to Northpoint, though I had taken time to speak with them and make clear they wouldn¡¯t be placed into chains. Rather amusingly, the First Mate of the Valyrian recognised my name and was able to assure his captain and the rest of the crew that my intentions were honourable. It seemed the ship was a private venture with the crew sharing in its profits and while they wouldn¡¯t be making a profit on this voyage from Volantis, I had agreed to pay them for their service in transporting people and goods to Northpoint. I¡¯d probably also pay for them to take my goods to Sunspear, but while I wanted a third cog to add to my fleet, I wasn¡¯t going to press them into service, nor was I going to pay over the odds for their services. ¡°I want you two to head to the Howl and Ravager and take point. Cayde, Rakakz and I will follow along in the Kraken and Dragon. Make sure the fleet knows the Valyrian, and the longboats are to form the centre of the formation.¡± ¡°Aye, we heard you the first ten times you said it,¡± Bronn responded snidely. I would prefer if he showed me some respect when around the men, but he wasn¡¯t going to. At least not until I was able to defeat him in two out of three spars, which I was fine with. I was training myself to reach his and Daemon¡¯s level, so the idea of a polite ¨C at least for him ¨C Bronn as a bonus to defeating him was a nice extra. Daemon nodded in acceptance of his orders and moved off with the sellsword leaving me alone with my thoughts. The Red Ravager and the Sea Dragon were the names of the two war galleys my men had captured, and for now, those names would remain. Hells, they probably would remain until the vessels were sunk as even though I disliked the Red Kraken it still went by that name. They were the jewels in my assault on Allerion¡¯s ports. Well, those and Allerion¡¯s head. The man had proved unworthy, and after a short duel, I¡¯d found an easy gap in his form and driven my blade deep into his gut. After savouring the moment where he understood he¡¯d been bested and was about to die, I¡¯d removed my blade and then taken his head from his body. Before I¡¯d even managed to hold it aloft, the fighting aboard his galley had been dying down, but the sight of me holding the head of their commander had convinced those yet to surrender to do so. Seventy men across two galleys had survived the battle with my forces and bent the knee to me, as had the fifty men in the supply port. The commander there, a Myrish man named Adronos, upon seeing me standing on the bow of the Kraken holding Allerion¡¯s severed head, had dropped his blades, and fallen on my mercy. As he had shown some intelligence, Adronos had kept his position as commander of the galley taken from the port, but the crew had been switched with men from other ports. I would bring them into my ranks, but I wasn¡¯t idiotic enough to trust any of them until they proved themselves; something even men formerly loyal to Vaegon had yet to do. Still, even if I didn¡¯t trust what was now the majority of my forces, Redwater had been good for my cause. Including the men and ships back in Northpoint, I now had four war galleys, twenty-six galleys, and sixteen longboats, along with the Windchaser, the Pride, and the Ilaerah¡¯s Luck to command, along with what should be a touch over two thousand men. If more sellswords, or those willing to fight for riches had arrived in Northpoint in the Moon-plus while we¡¯d been gone, then that number would swell further, but I¡¯d not know the exact number of men at my command until we returned. Once we did, I had to pay everyone, with a focus on those who¡¯d sailed from Northpoint and survived. They¡¯d been paid half a moon¡¯s wages before we¡¯d sailed, and after being stuck on the island an extra half-moon because of storms and gathering everything in a single port, I owed them a full moon¡¯s wages. Yet, even counting hazard pay, and extra bonuses for those like Daemon and Bronn, the total cost of my army ¨C if I could call it that ¨C came to less than four hundred Dragons a month. Even if the bounty on Redwater had been less than what I¡¯d taken from the Grim Prince, I¡¯d easily have been able to pay everyone. Nearly a thousand Dragons were in Northpoint for paying my men and improving the settlement. Yet from Redwater, I was now far richer. Perhaps on par with powerful landed knights and maybe even some minor, unimportant Lords. While it was hard to convert coin from the Free Cities ¨C and even beyond as Bronn had mentioned finding some Yunkai''i gold Marks ¨C at a rough estimate, I was looking at somewhere from six to eight thousand Dragons. That alone was impressive, but it was the various trade goods that, for those not spoilt by the weather ¨C which most weren¡¯t ¨C represented the greatest collection of wealth. Beyond the jewels and gems, from which I, my commanders, and the various captains ¨C be they ship captains or leaders of men ¨C had picked out various pieces, the other trade goods the pirates had seized over the years were impressive. So much so that, according to some rough estimates, the lot could be sold for anywhere from twenty to thirty thousand Dragons. I couldn¡¯t simply sell all of that in Sunspear in a single go, as dropping that much into one location would lower the price the locals would be willing to pay ¨C simple supply and demand ¨C but over a few voyages, or perhaps sailing along the southern coast of Dorne to Starfall and into the reach, I figured everything taken could be sold for at least the lower estimate. That would take time of course, but it would allow me to easily replenish my treasury ¨C both in Northpoint and Sunspear ¨C to the point that simply holding what I had was doable for two to three decades. Of course, I had no intention of resting on my laurels. Not only because the idea of dropping two thousand former pirates into a small but developing village was a recipe for disaster, but because I didn¡¯t want to stop. Hells, even staying on Dustspear for a half-moon was going to be problematic. To help with that issue, I had an idea I wanted to implement before we sailed for my next target. Any former pirate in my ranks, which was most of them, might well hold grudges with those who¡¯d served other lords before bending the knee to me. To try and mitigate the potential for those grudges to cause problems in future battles, I wanted to create a brawling ring. The idea behind it was simple, two men entered and handled their issues. No weapons would be allowed, and the moment anyone was seriously injured the brawl was over. If anyone broke those rules or intentionally killed their opponent, then their life would be forfeit, with Ymir handling the sentence as men unwilling to obey my rules were unworthy of a clean death. After a brawl, regardless of the outcome, the matter between the men would be settled, with similar rules and punishment regarding retaliations taking place after a brawl in place. I¡¯d run the basic idea past Daemon, Bronn, and Cadye, and all three had given their backing ¨C Dameon he most reluctantly. They had time on the voyage back to consider the matter, potentially seeing loopholes that I needed to close, but so long as there wasn¡¯t a massive number of brawls, which would severely deplete my force, then I felt the brawling ring was the best way to handle the matter. Once the fleet and forces were ready, I planned to head out again, Though I knew that even with luck continuing to be on my side, the idea of taking all the Stepstones was so far beyond me that I¡¯d have more luck marrying an Other. However, that didn¡¯t mean that I couldn¡¯t carve out a good-sized empire here, and how to run it came from ideas of how Saan, The Lotus Prince, and Marys Valtaris operated. The first step in holding more than Dustspear was The Whores. While I had done a decent job of razing the islands ¨C a gull I¡¯d sent there to test the limits of my control over a mind-broken animal showed the place in chaps just before I¡¯d left for Redwater ¨C I wanted to finish the job. Perhaps even establish control over some of the islands. I knew holding them all, at least currently, would not be possible. The pirate lords of The Shrouded Isle, Bloodstone, and Grey Gallows wouldn¡¯t stand for me taking that location without major fights and I knew I didn¡¯t have the manpower to hold the place against even one of the major pirates, never mind all of them. However, if I wanted to push on to The Shrouded Isle, as intended, I needed a base closer to there. While I could use the holdings of one of the minor Dornish Lords along the broken arm, they would demand an unfair cut of my takings. That wasn¡¯t something I wanted, because if Redwater could bring me a combined haul of at least twenty thousand Dragons, The Shrouded Isle would be far more valuable, and not just in terms of coin, gems, and other goods. With at least the western half of the Shrouded Isle, some of The Whores and Dustspear under my influence, I would control the trade routes along the Dornish coast. As Saan seemed to prove, there was immense potential in taxing travel through waters under my control. Thinking about Saan again, I pulled a letter I¡¯d written for him from my pocket. Once the fleet was underway, I would attach it to the leg of a gull and fly the bird to The Coral Isle. The letter was a brief explanation of who I was ¨C without mentioning where I came from ¨C what I had done on Redwater, and my plans for the Western Stepstones. There was some risk in detailing my plans to a pirate, but from all I had heard, Saan was as honourable a pirate as one could meet. Given some of the lords and knights I¡¯d met in the Seven Kingdoms, he sounded a more appealing ally than many of them. What I wasn¡¯t going to do was request an audience with an envoy of his, as while I was growing more powerful, I was far from having the resources he had. Saan was one of the more powerful pirates in the Stepstones, though his holdings, wealth, manpower, and fleet were supposedly dwarfed by those of the major pirates on The Shrouded Isle and Bloodstone. Trying to speak to him now about an alliance, or at least a treaty of non-interference, was a mistake as I was negotiating from a far inferior position, however, at least reaching out to him now created an impression in him, as would the idea that I had trained gulls to deliver missives. That, I expected, would keep him occupied, as would securing, if he wished, the eastern shores of Redwater. Since the ports there, along with every other one on the island, had been picked clean, it would take a lot of time and effort to establish control of the seas. Something that, thanks to a few secret orders to Cayde and Jaeronos, would be even harder for the ports nearest the Coral Isle. Those ports had seen their buildings damaged or ideally set alight or hacked apart with axes. The whole ports wouldn¡¯t be gone, but the damage done by damaging and destroying key buildings would make it harder for anyone to place large forces in the ports any time in the near future. ¡°Hey boy,¡± I said as Ymir came walking up to me. The fur around his maw was soaked red, which confirmed the howl I¡¯d heard earlier was one of delight at a successful hunt. I didn¡¯t know what he¡¯d killed, but it would have to sustain him until we reached Northpoint. Thinking of the direwolf, my thoughts drifted far to the north, to Winterfell, the Starks, and events that should start spiralling into place over the next year and a bit. I wasn¡¯t sure how I could prevent Ned from heading to King¡¯s Landing, from Sansa being betrothed to the mad cunt Joffrey, or for Arya to head with them, but I had time to think things through. It was a long shot, but perhaps by building a force in the Stepstones, I might be able to influence events in King¡¯s Landing so that Robert wouldn¡¯t be able to head to Winterfell following Jon Arryn¡¯s death. Perhaps even going so far as to draw the attention of the crown. That would likely put some restrictions on my plans, but if it helped ensure the realm remained united when first the Wildlings and the Others rose to strike at The Wall, it was something I knew I was willing to accept. At least until those threats were dealt with. ¡­ ¡­ Lifting the Shroud 1a I slid my front foot back, ensuring the thrust of Edric¡¯s blade wouldn¡¯t strike my shin. At the same time, the blade I was holding ¨C blunted for training purposes ¨C crashed against Trystane¡¯s shield. The Martell boy had seen the attack coming early enough that he could get the shield up to defend himself, but the angle wasn¡¯t ideal as it allowed my blade to slice across the front of the shield. As the blade was blunted, no mark was left, but that was something I could exploit. Pushing my weight into the blade, I drove Trystane¡¯s shield, and the arm holding it down toward the deck of the Kraken. Around us, as we engaged in the training spar, the crew of the war galley went about their business. The blades might not be sharp, but after the first day when one deckhand had drifted too close and taken a smack from Edric¡¯s blade, they made sure to maintain their distance. Edric moved forward, trying to help his friend but my shield came around, slamming into the side of his blade and pushing him away. With that done, I moved toward Trystane, the shield coming around to strike at him. His blade was trapped behind his shield, unable to get around to help and as the flat of my shield rushed toward his shoulder, I saw his eyes widen under his helm. I pulled my blow so it wouldn¡¯t do lasting damage, but the force of it was still strong enough that the Prince of Dorne was forced back, stumbling badly in an attempt to keep his balance. As he worked to recover from my blow, I spun to Edric. My blade flashed out, cutting the air to keep him back just far enough that he couldn¡¯t exploit the fact I was moving and exposing my back to him. That had been an intentional flaw as I fought, wanting to grant Edric the chance to see it, but not leave him enough time to exploit it. As much as skill mattered, reactions were just as important which was what these training sessions were about more than teaching the pair to work together in battle, though that was the focus I told them to work on. Edric kept his distance, having learnt to not overcommit against a bigger, stronger, and faster opponent who also had greater reach. My blade crashed against his shield, the Dayne boy doing a better job of angling his shield to deflect the attack. However, my shield came crashing into his shield moments after my blade slid away, driving Edric to the side, and right to where my blade was. ¡°And you¡¯re dead,¡± I said gently, the blunted edge of the blade resting against Edric¡¯s neck. The armour he wore ensured the blow didn¡¯t do any damage, but the pain from the strike would serve as a reminder to keep his focus on both sword and shield at the same time. It was a difficult lesson to master, but one that mattered greatly in battle. Edric¡¯s shoulders slumped and I caught a slight grunt of annoyance. ¡°There is no shame in losing to your better in training,¡± I said as I pulled my blade back, ¡°only in not learning from your mistakes and continually seeking to improve yourself.¡± I turned to my side, seeing Trystane had recovered from my blow driving him back, but hadn¡¯t managed to move to help Edric. ¡°You both fought well, and you¡¯re learning the keys to fighting beside the other to engage larger and more dangerous foes. That is what I wanted, and the more you focus on that, the greater your chances are of surviving the coming battles.¡± Trystane nodded, taking in my words but it was clear he was as unimpressed with his performance as Edric was with his. I moved toward him, planning to go into detail about the things they¡¯d done well in the most recent spar and discuss ways they might improve. ¡°Land sighted!¡± The call had my head turning upward, toward the Crow¡¯s Nest. There, the barrelman was extending his arm forward. I looked toward the bow, though even with my enhanced sight, I struggled to make out anything more than a faint ripple on the horizon. I already knew we¡¯d be coming into sight of the southernmost of the islands that made up The Whores today, but it seemed that during the spars with my squires, I¡¯d lost track of time. After giving the boys a nod, I moved toward the foredeck, wanting to think about how I was going to handle matters in the next day or so. The fleet, numbering over thirty ships and a little north of twenty-two hundred men had set sail from Northpoint about a quarter-moon ago. We¡¯d spent about the same amount of time in the small but growing settlement as while I wanted to push on to The Whores and then The Shrouded Isle, I had matters to take care of first. Everything of value, bar around a thousand Dragons, had been taken into Northpoint, and the Windchaser and Ilaerah¡¯s Luck had departed for Sunspear with escorts the day before the fleet had set sail for The Whores. They¡¯d not been able to take everything, but anything that was potentially perishable was gone, along with a few samples of other items such as rolls of Myrish silk, porcelain from Volantis and even a few casks of wine from YiTi. It would be interesting to see what those brought, but I suspected that much of it wouldn¡¯t sell for as much in Sunspear as it might in other locations in Westeros. While sending my cogs on further to trade, there was too much risk in that for my liking. At least so long as The Shrouded Isle was under the control of pirates. The goods that remained in Northpoint, including all the coin and the overwhelming majority of the gems and jewellery, were secured in the building I¡¯d taken as my office and solar. I¡¯d given Irryl Phenias leave to increase the size of the settlement¡¯s watch, leaving four galleys and eight longboats and crew for most of them as a permanent defence fleet. All told, nearly four hundred men were staying in a settlement with a population a little north of two-fifty to protect it and my treasure. Yes, it might be wiser to have most of it transferred to Sunspear, but with only three vessels capable of trading under my control, I had to move the larger goods first and hope that none of the men left in Northpoint felt like helping themselves to my bounty. If I¡¯d just been using the men I¡¯d acquired on Redwater, along with those who¡¯d sailed there with me, for my forces, leaving four hundred men ¨C that included the trade fleet ¨C I¡¯d have been shorthanded for assaulting elsewhere in the Stepstones. Thankfully, in the nearly two months that had passed since I¡¯d set sail for Redwater, around two hundred sellswords and men interested in fighting for coin had arrived on Dustspear. Like everyone else who joined me, they had the charter read to them and then made to leave a mark beside their name. With the new men, I had the crew for the thirty ships heading with me, but none was as fully crewed as it could be. Taking a fleet that could easily become short-handed if we suffered a few defeats was a risk, but the sight of so many ships moving as one would have most pirates turning tail to run, or where they couldn¡¯t, dropping to their knees and begging for my mercy. Now, I knew that others in the Steps would have larger fleets, something confirmed by scouting out Saan¡¯s holdings as best I could with a few gulls I¡¯d flown until they¡¯d basically fallen from the sky, but those were generally spread out through various ports. I had the advantage, at least for now, of being an unknown factor and being able to concentrate my forces into a handful of larger forces that would overwhelm most ports in the region. I just had to be cautious to not spread myself too thinly. Beyond the obvious danger of my forces being too far away from each other to offer support, my forces were by and large, pirates that had until recently fought against each other. The only upside to them, and one I was planning to exploit, was their number. What lay before me was the choice of moving against The Whores and finishing what I started here several moons ago, or sailing beyond them and striking at The Shrouded Isle, starting with Lucian Koros. The Whores stood out simply because I disliked the fact I¡¯d failed to cleanse them fully the first time around and wished to remove the small stain on my record of losing to whoever commanded Aeron Indarys¡¯ forces in the chain. The problem with those seven islands was that even if I took them, I¡¯d spend time, men, and vessels brawling as if in the fighting pits in the darkest sections of The Shadow City to not lose them. The Whores were, in every way, a death trap for any who entered, yet controlled a vital section of the sea near the Dornish coast. The same was true of The Shrouded Isle, though while the island ¨C one of the largest in the Stepstones ¨C was closer to the Broken Arm than The Whores, it was also further from locations that might contain fishing villages. The coast of the Arm was jagged rock, which while useful for hiding a handful of vessels for ambushes, offered precious few targets of opportunity for pirates. Countering that was the fact the narrow stretch of sea between the southern tip of The Shrouded Isle and Dorne meant it was often ripe for targeting trade vessels heading through the passage to either the Narrow Sea or the Summer Sea. That land was controlled by Lucian Koros, who would be the first target I moved against on the island, but both he and The Bloodhawk ¨C along with the two minor pirate lords of Crann Snow and Garvy Pyke ¨C would be more vicious fighters, used to regular combat not just with each other but any vessel, be it trade or military, that sailed through the waters they claimed. Both men had numbers roughly equal to mine, with the Bloodhawk supposedly having fewer men but more vicious fighters. He and those men would be a challenge, but perhaps Koros and the disposition of his forces would work in my favour. I knew where his ports were from the men who¡¯d bent the knee when I¡¯d blitzed The Whores earlier this year, and once closer I¡¯d be using Rian and the gulls to scout those locations and the rest of the island on the chance he had a hidden port. Yet, for all that I knew I could take my first two or three targets on The Shrouded Isle, doing so would commit me to a wider battle. The moment I made landfall on The Shrouded Isle, I¡¯d have to take the whole island, by the end of that I¡¯d be under threat from Bloodstone, and the three pirate lords there. I had a score to settle with Aeron Indarys, but I was concerned that pushing onward to take Bloodstone as well, or at least clear it of pirates enough that settling up a permanent settlement on the west of The Shrouded Isle would place me in the crosshairs of Tyrosh at the very least. In theory, provided the pirates on The Shrouded Isle and Bloodstone bent the knee at the same rate as one Dustspear and Redwater, then I¡¯d be looking at a force of six or seven thousand men by the time the latter island fell. That was decent, but against the might ¨C military and financial ¨C of a Free City, it was nothing but a bump in the road. There was a chance I could pull back after Bloodstone was cleared, and leave the island unclaimed, but that was only a temporary solution to avoid drawing the wrath of a Free City. Regardless of which target I moved against fully, and what my actions brought forth, I had to consider the new men under my command and ensure they remained loyal. The biggest example of that was Rakakz the Gilded Hand. The former pirate lord on Redwater had, in the moon since bending the knee, not given me any inclination to not doubt his sincerity in his loyalty, and had obeyed my orders well. Yet, for all that I trusted him about half as far as either of my squires could throw the man. At best. I wanted him to prove himself in battle, but having him at my side created a problem as I found myself unable to trust one of my captains, which was what I¡¯d had to make him to ensure he and his men came into my ranks peacefully. Having to place a man I didn¡¯t trust in a position of command was a dangerous proposition, but it was one I was now faced with. I had no intention of becoming yet another name forgotten to history who died in the Stepstones, yet if I granted Rakakz too much, or even too little, rope, that was what I risked happening. I just had to hope I could find that balance point and deploy him into battles where he wouldn¡¯t have a great chance to betray me. That should be more achievable as I had Rian and a dozen mind-broken gulls with me. Through them, I¡¯d have every chance to scout The Whores, The Shrouded Isle, and the rest of the Stepstones without others learning how I knew of their positions. I¡¯d already scouted The Whores, which was why we were sailing without much fear for the southernmost island. The fighting in this group of islands was focused on the northeastern corner and no pirate had moved to reclaim the southernmost island, or even those that lay closest to the Dornish coast. That granted me a few options that I¡¯d be considering over the next day or so before I decided on the path forward with my captains. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I stood on the quarterdeck of the Kraken looking southeasterly toward The Whores. The war galley was the last of the ships I had that was leaving The Whores, though some would be remaining behind. The longboats would be staying with three hundred men under Bronn¡¯s command. His orders were to secure the island and thus hold a fallback and relay position for my forces in the event I had to either send the Pride of Saltbrook and other ships back to Northpoint or if I was forced to withdraw from my planned assault on Lucian Koros on The Shrouded Isle. Bronn¡¯s secondary orders were if it wouldn¡¯t threaten his position, he was to move against the pirates in The Whores, either bringing them under his command or damaging their positions and forces enough that when I returned they¡¯d be easily swept aside. From my recon flights of the islands, there were somewhere between four and five hundred men in The Whores. They were grouped on the northern, central, and eastern islands of the chain, controlling eight ports. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Those were the same eight ports that I¡¯d failed to assault in my raid on The Whores earlier this year, however, I had no idea if the ports were still held for the same pirate lords as they were back then. Things were always fluid in the Stepstones, and in The Whores more so, but even so, I suspected that the biggest player in The Whores was Aeron Indarys. It had been his forces that had attempted to trap and destroy my fleet nearly half a moon ago, and as four of the ports were meant to have been under his control, that left him in a position of power. I knew he¡¯d not managed to take all the active ports, as through Rian¡¯s eyes I¡¯d seen ships clashing both inside The Whores and in the seas to the north and east. Those clashes had been minor skirmishes, as pirates were reluctant to commit to open battle unless they had overwhelming advantages, but the fact skirmishes were taking place suggested Bronn had a good chance of at least harassing and weakening the pirates near him. Even if he couldn¡¯t do much damage to the pirates in The Whores, I now, in theory, had a location to relay through and fallback to, and that was something I knew I¡¯d need given the distance between The Shrouded Isle and Dustspear. I heard footsteps behind me, and from the gentler sound of them, suspected it was one or both of my squires. ¡°My Lord,¡± Edric began even as I started turning to greet him. ¡°Wa¡­ was it wise to leave command to a sellsword? Would not Ser Daemon have been a better choice?¡± As he asked that, I looked at Trystane, and the Prince of Dorne nodded in agreement with his fellow squire. I chuckled, amused that Edric now felt comfortable enough to ask such questions openly. I had been teaching them that even as squires, they had the right to ask questions of my decisions ¨C as it was a great way for them to learn the logic I was using and prepare for commanding men themselves ¨C but this was the first time the heir to Starfall had done so. Some men might dislike having others question them in front of the common men under their command, but I had some trust in the crew of the Kraken. Almost all of them had been with me since the raids on The Whores and had proven their worth in battle. ¡°I have my reasons,¡± I replied with a warm smile, my eyes drifting from the boys to the men moving about the main deck and then returning to the squires. ¡°Something I am willing to explain over a drink.¡± The pair nodded their agreement, not that they had much choice in the matter if I wished to push, and I walked toward the short flight of stairs leading to the main deck. My squires fell into step behind me, though they stayed silent as we moved. After a nod to Miltar, as he manned the helm and a few more to other members of the crew, I reached the door of my cabin and pulled it open. Inside, Ymir raised his head, though that was the extent of his movement. He¡¯d enjoyed a few short runs on the islands we¡¯d stopped at, but that was all the time off the Kraken he¡¯d had. With there being little wind today to generate a breeze, he was staying in my cabin out of the sun. ¡°Hey boy,¡± I said as I moved past, running my hand along his back. The fact that I could do that, even with my height, while he rested on a rug in the centre of the cabin was another small reminder of just how large he was. Yet, when I compared the image of him now to the body of his mother when I¡¯d found him and Quicksilver, I knew he still had some room to grow; perhaps more than a little if the males of the species were the larger of the pair. As I moved toward the table in the cabin, my thoughts drifted to Quicksilver and Robb. The last missive I¡¯d received from my cousin stated that many in the North saw the direwolf as a sign Robb was destined for greatness, even before he became Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North. So much so that he and Ned had received offers of marriage from several of the Great Houses in the North, and even from a few south of the Neck. Remembering the hints of desperation in his words brought forth a chuckle, and I wondered which of the houses had offered daughters for him. The only ones unlikely to do so were the Manderlys, as they already had Wylla betrothed to Beron, but I could see Lord Wyman chancing it and offering Wynafryd as a bride for Robb. The girl¡¯s uncle, Ser Wendel was the spare to House Manderly after Ser Wylis, but having options for others to take over White Harbour if the worst happened would be a smart move. Each time a letter came in from Robb or one of his siblings, I wondered if there was any way I could warn my northern family of the dangers slowly growing on the horizon. However, I had yet to determine any way that I could do so without sounding like a madman, or if someone intercepted my letters, drawing attention to myself from threats I wasn¡¯t yet ready to engage. The best I¡¯d managed to do was hint at the idea that with Jon Arryn getting up in years when he died it was likely that Robert would seek out Ned to become Hand of the King. Robb had said his father would consider that an honour so in my last letter, sent before moving against Redwater, I¡¯d made clear the dangers of what happened when a Stark headed south. I knew Ned would accept the offer from Robert, seeing it as his honour and duty to replace the man that they had fostered with as Robert¡¯s Hand of the King, however, that enraged me. Ned was acting like a Gods-damn Andal from the Vale instead of a wolf of the North. As I reached the table, I pushed thoughts of the North and elsewhere aside because, as things stood, there was little to nothing I could do about future political events in King¡¯s Landing. Perhaps, if my actions in the Stepstones went better than even my most optimistic projections, then I might be able to intervene as an outside force, but that was a pipe dream at best. ¡°Be seated,¡± I said to my squires as I moved to a side desk. There, I pulled the cork from a flagon of ale and began pouring three mugs. There was some fresh water onboard, but I saw no need to drink that, nor the watered-down ale and rum that the crew had. While young, my squires were used to drinking to some degree, and with little to do until after lunch, I saw no harm in letting them have something to drink. I did, however, only fill their mugs about halfway whereas mine was filled close to the brim. After passing the mugs to the boys, I settled a chair at the table and took a long swig of the ale. While not as tart as a Dornish red, it was a decent drink and far less offensive to the senses than the rum onboard and nowhere as sickly sweet as anything from the Reach. ¡°I have many reasons for choosing Bronn to command the garrison over Daemon, Cadye, or Jaeronos. Can you, perhaps, determine what those are?¡± The pair frowned. As they considered the matter which was what I expected. Since taking them on as my squires, I¡¯d spent regular time in a cabin discussing my decisions. I was training them to be more than simple knights, but commanders for the wars to come. Edric would one day inherit Starfall, so the lessons on command would filter over into how he ruled, and while it was uncertain what Trystane¡¯s fate would be, I made sure my words and reasons were clearly defined so that they could learn and adapt my thinking on how to lead and rule. There was nothing wrong with being kind and considerate, but that should only be applied at the right time and in the right way. In war, command had to be hard and clear, though room for spontaneity should also exist; at least among knights and those of similar skill as one didn¡¯t want a common foot soldier or levy acting out in ways that might compromise the entire force. ¡°Do you not trust him and thus wish him left behind?¡± I chuckled at Edric¡¯s suggestion and shook my head. ¡°If I did not trust him, I would not leave him with three hundred men and eight vessels under his command. No would I have tasked him with leading strike forces on Redwater.¡± ¡°The vessels you left with Bronn are the smallest you have, and best suited to combat in The Whores. I raised my mug, conceding Trystane¡¯s point. I didn¡¯t respond otherwise, choosing to take another sip of the ale and letting the pair think on the matter further. As the silence stretched out, I took a long drink of the ale, downing perhaps half the mug. ¡°You trust Bronn, but you also do not.¡± I leaned forward. ¡°Go on,¡± I said to Edric who had offered that comment rather hesitantly. The heir to Starfall glanced at his fellow squire before doing as I asked. ¡°Ser Bronn is a good fighter, better than either you or Ser Daemon,¡± I grunted, disliking that fact. ¡°That makes him good to have at your side in battle, but you are uncertain about him as a commander. At least of any force large enough to not be under the command of another.¡± ¡°Bronn is a good battlefield commander, Edric. He spent over a decade as a sellsword before I hired him learning how to fight and lead men in Westeros and Essos. That is not a factor in why I left him in The Whores. Or at least any perceived distrust of his battlefield command skills. I¡¯m testing him in another way.¡± Bronn had hinted when we¡¯d talked before I¡¯d left him behind that he understood my logic on the matter, which meant the ball was now in his court as to how to respond. He would suspect that I might keep tabs on him via Rian and the gulls, but he had no way to be certain, so I was looking forward to seeing how he beached with the long leash I¡¯d granted him. I hoped he wouldn¡¯t betray my trust, but if he did, then I would handle the matter once I returned to The Whores. Silence once more fell over my cabin, and I enjoyed some more of my ale. ¡°Your plans go beyond just clearing the Stepstones,¡± Trystane said slowly as if unsure of his words or at least the idea behind them. ¡°You plan to hold some of the islands, and for that you need men to rule in your name. The Whores is a test for Bronn to see if he¡¯s worthy of being one of those men.¡± ¡°That is the biggest reason why I chose Bronn to command the outpost, yes, however, it is not the only one.¡± I leaned forward, putting my almost empty mug down on the table. ¡°Controlling all of the Steps is beyond me. Hells, it was beyond even the Targaryens, though Daemon Targaryen came close holding the area for two years before returning to King¡¯s Landing. No, what I hope to achieve is to take every island near the Dornish coast, thus controlling the passage of ships through there. The problem exists in that it is a rather large expanse of water. If I rule from Dustspear, then that leaves The Whores and The Shrouded Isle alone; free for others to claim and disrupt my plans. The same is true if I rule from either of those places instead of Dustspear, and none of that considers what to do with Redwater.¡± ¡°If you intend to hold The Whores, then why not move to claim them now?¡± I smirked at Edric¡¯s question. I suspected he already knew the answer but wished to hear me voice it. ¡°Because doing so would expose me to attacks from pirates on The Shrouded Isle, Bloodstone, and Grey Gallows. So many in fact that I suspect I¡¯d be ground to dust by them.¡± ¡°Have you given any thought to who would rule where?¡± I looked at Trystane, wondering if there was more than a passing interest in the question. As third in line to Sunspear, it was unlikely he would inherit anything. He could become like Manfrey Martell, and serve in the household, or become a wanderer like Oberyn, but I felt neither path held much interest to him. Perhaps, once he was knighted and experienced in command, he might have an interest in ruling somewhere in my name. If that were to be the case, I would not complain. By then he would be a skilled water mage and warrior, and finding land for him would secure support from Dorne regardless of whether it was Doran, Arianne or another of their family who sat in the Spear Chair. ¡°I have not, though if either of you have thoughts both on who should rule and where they should base themselves, I would be open to hearing them, though not today. For today, we will stay focused on Bronn and the other reason for my choosing to leave him in command of the outpost in The Whores.¡± A third silence fell over my cabin, this one only punctuated by Ymir as he started snoring. It wasn¡¯t loud, but with nothing bar the sounds of the men on the deck and the waves lapping against the hull to fight against, it was easy to hear. As the boys thought about what other reason I might have for my choice, I looked at the direwolf, the amusing idea of him acting as a steed for either of my squires. For all he liked children, Ymir had yet to allow any bar my younger sisters ¨C by blood or marriage ¨C to rest on his back while he moved. Aliandra was his favourite to allow to ride him, which was something she enjoyed holding over our half-sisters, but he never denied any of them a short ride upon his back when they came looking. At his current size, he would be capable of carrying both my squires with ease, and while the idea of riding a direwolf into battle would be one I¡¯d never let go of, I knew it wouldn¡¯t happen, not even for the boys. Having something that much taller on his back would mean many of the paths Ymir took through the forests would be lost as he¡¯d have to watch for overhanging branches that would be an issue for his passenger but not himself. The other issue was that either of the squires would be in armour if they rode him, adding more weight to go along with the chainmail I had for the direwolf; armour that was slowly becoming too small as Ymir continued to expand. ¡°Is it because you trust Bronn less than Ser Cayde or Ser Jaeronos?¡± I chuckled as I turned back to the table. ¡°For all their skill, neither of them had been knighted,¡± I said as I responded to Edric¡¯s question. ¡°That said, you are correct in that they feel more trustworthy than Bronn simply based on their station of birth. Still, just like Bronn, their loyalty is secured currently with coin, meaning if someone offered them a large enough purse to stab me in the back, they would consider the offer. Something they know that I know, and we are comfortable with. At least for the time being. ¡°Leaving Bronn behind is more than just a test of his effectiveness as a commander. It¡¯s a challenge for him to prove his loyalty extended beyond coin. He has enough men with him, men that for the most part had formerly served Rakakz, that if he wished, he could attempt to sail off and establish a pirate haven for himself. Hells, he could in theory even sail back to Dustspear and attempt to take it over and abscond with everything we took from Redwater.¡± That was unlikely as not only had I left orders that if anyone bar myself and Daemon returned in command of a fleet it was to be considered hostile, but that if I saw him sailing southward from The Whores, then I¡¯d push a gull to its limits to get a warning to Phenias of the treacherous inbound attack. What I wanted from Bronn, and I felt he knew this, was for him to prove his loyalty could extend beyond his next payday, into seeing value in staying loyal to my cause. I wasn¡¯t expecting personal loyalty from the sellsword currently, but I hoped that developed in the future. ¡°What if he does not move, knowing that you are challenging him in this way?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sure he is aware of most of what I expect him to do, or not do as the case may be. That, however, is part of the test in of itself.¡± Both squires frowned, slightly confused by my logic. ¡°He will know I am testing him, possibly in every way I intend. The trick will be him showing me that I can trust him to command in my name without doing too much thus making it seem he is pushing too fast to gain my loyalty. I expect him to harass the pirates in The Whores, however baring something impressive, I see no way that he can take out all of them. If he does, or gets them to bend the knee, then I will be unable to trust him entirely; expecting a betrayal further down the road.¡± The eyes of both boys widened as they understood my twisted logic. I chuckled at that and finished off what remained of the ale in my mug. ¡°Now,¡± I continued as I moved to stand, ¡°with that over, I believe it would be a good time for you to resume your extra training.¡± They groaned at that, knowing I meant magical training in this cabin. Neither enjoyed sitting on the deck for hours nor had they managed to draw forth any magic that might flow through their veins. However, I was confident that before the year ended Trystane would unlock his affinity toward Water Magic. I wasn¡¯t sure if or when Edric would learn to harness magic, but I felt he had to have some potential and even if that were to simply focus it inward, making him a better fighter, it was worth pursuing. As the boys, after finishing the last of their mugs stood, and I poured myself another full mug of ale, my thoughts returned to Bronn. I expected Bronn to pass the tests I¡¯d placed before him, even a few that I hoped he didn¡¯t know existed and that I¡¯d not mentioned to my squires. If he could, then he¡¯d join Daemon, Jaeronos, and Cayde on the list of potential lords to rule in my stead across the western Stepstones. Yes, the latter two were sellswords like Bronn, but both had been born with some standing and thus received an education comparable to myself and Daemon. Still, even Daemon, if offered a title and control of an area of the Stepstones, wouldn¡¯t be immune to the offer to turn their cloak if a more powerful and better-financed player entered the picture. I didn¡¯t fear any issues with King¡¯s Landing, at least until Robert¡¯s death, but the potential threats from Essos always loomed large. The Archon of Tyrosh, followed by Magisters in Myr and Lys could pay almost any amount to buy the loyalty of someone serving me, and even if those I hoped to name lords stayed at my side, those beneath their command might not. That was why I intended to not move beyond Bloodstone and Redwater. If I stayed in the western and central areas of the Steps and made no move to take over the east ¨C even offering favourable terms for vessels from the Free Cities to pass through waters under my control ¨C then I hoped the Free Cities would accept my presence and the safer transit I would be offering. That said, even if I hoped for that, I expected any, if not all, of the trio of cities to move against me. Each had a direct fleet numbering, according to rumour, of over a hundred warships. The smallest of those front-line vessels would match the Kraken and her sister ships, and that was ignoring that any or all of those cities could pay bands of pirates or sellsword companies to fight on their behalf. Still, I had committed to this plan not long after defeating the Grim Prince and would see it through to wherever it ended. After all, if I couldn¡¯t defeat a bunch of pirates, what hope did I have against a Wildling force that could number in the tens of thousands, to say nothing of the threat posed by the Others? ¡­ ¡­ Lifting the Shroud 1b As had become a daily occurrence since the fleet had set sail from Northpoint, I found myself high above the Kraken taking in the world through the eyes of Rian. The sun was slowly setting to the west, bathing the Broken Arm and the sea of the coast in slowly growing shadows. Those didn¡¯t reach my fleet, nor were they the focus of my attention. That honour belonged to the holdings of Lucian Koros as Rian circle high above The Shrouded Isle, and in particular a hidden sixth location under Koros¡¯ control. Unlike what I had expected, this was not another port by an inland settlement. Located near a small range of mountains in the centre of the land Koros claimed and at a point where two rivers flowed into the sea of the Stepstones, the settlement appeared three to four times the size of Northpoint with better defences and a larger population. Through several flights over the last day or so, I¡¯d discovered that while there were potentially over five hundred bodies in the settlement, not all were pirates. Perhaps half, based on the work they were doing and the way others treated them, were slaves. Those bodies worked fields, gathered water from the rivers, and other menial jobs to keep the settlement tiding over, and seemed broken down by the actions of Koros and his men. I wasn¡¯t sure if Koros was in the settlement, but given it had roads leading to three of his five ports ¨C the two major ports also at the end of the rivers that flowed past this inland settlement ¨C it would make sense he would rule from there. With the well-established paths, he could move men reasonably quickly from one side of the island to the other to reinforce a port under attack or increase the men that would sail from said port to attack other pirate lords or raid passing vessels. That ability was further enhanced by the placement of several watchtowers along the paths, ensuring that even if the settlement weren¡¯t able to see each of the connected ports clearly, it would be aware of what was going on via those towers. With all that in mind, I¡¯d spoken with Daemon ¨C via quick messages sent by Rian ¨C about slight alterations to the plan we were going to use against Koros. The initial plan had been to split our forces equally, with him striking a small supply port nestled in the crook of the island. A port that I now knew was connected to the settlement, and by a short, thinner path to another supply port. At the same time, I was to take the other half of the fleet and attack one of Koros¡¯ three main ports. This port rested at the very southern tip of the island, allowing the ships based there easy access to any vessel sailing around the Broken Arm. From what I¡¯d seen through Rian¡¯s eyes, that was Koros¡¯ second-largest port; the largest being the most easterly one and thus closest to territory under the control of the Bloodhawk. That included three war galleys under Koros¡¯ control, though those hadn¡¯t yet sailed far from the port, serving more as defensive forces to deter an attack from the Bloodhawk. The port I was going to attack, once taken, would grant me control over almost all of the Dornish coast, and once my rule was secure, I could see about insisting on toils for vessels travelling through those waters. I wouldn¡¯t demand anything excessive, but just enough so that they could pass through freely and without the threat of harassment. In theory, the Dornish Lords along the Broken Arm, such as Ser Symon Santagar who ruled from Spottswood, might object to me all but assuming control of their coasts. However, ignoring that I was close to House Martell, none of those houses had made any move to counter Koros or the Grim Prince when the pair had run rampant along the Broken Arm, nor even after Doran¡¯s fleet had driven most of the pirates back and offered escorts to trade vessels sailing through the Stepstones along the Dornish coast. Doran¡¯s fleet had made Koros more cautious, not least when he¡¯d lost four vessels in an engagement with the Dornish fleet. However, he still kept six galleys in the port I was to take, using them to target long vessels or small fleets of traders that passed by the island. With six galleys, possibly around four hundred men, and few options for falling back when faced with a threat, I expected the battle to take the port would be difficult, but I was looking forward to it. I longed for the thrill of battle again and hoped the pirates didn¡¯t just roll over and surrender, nor flee northward, toward Koros¡¯ port on the western coast of The Shrouded Isle. With the reveal of the settlement, I expected them to fight as I was only taking a quarter of the entire fleet with me, the rest sailing with Daemon. Most should stay back, hiding their strength until after the supply port was taken. That would mean Koros received a false report of the strength of men that had taken his port, and thus responded with a force able to take the initial assault wave, but not the entirety of the men under Daemon¡¯s command. Daemon was going to hav¡­ My thoughts on the coming battles were pushed aside as Rian alerted me to something that had caught his attention. Looking eastward, to the sea that lay between The Shrouded Isle, Bloodstone, and Grey Gallows, I saw five vessels engaged in a skirmish. This was the sixth time since we¡¯d first reached The Whores that Rian had seen combat vessels moving in the sea of the Stepstones. What made this one different enough that I had Rian angle toward it, was that the ships weren¡¯t just skirting around each other, but about to engage in boarding actions. As Rian glided closer, the winds high above the pirates and ships below, I picked out that two of the vessels, those being chased, bore sigils for Alequo Ryndoon. The trio chasing belonged to the Bloodhawk. One of Ryndoon¡¯s vessels was falling behind the other, slowly being reeled in by the Bloodhawk¡¯s forces. As the distance between the vessels slowly grew smaller, and Rian glided gracefully toward them, I saw that none of the vessels were deploying scorpions. There was at least one on each vessel, but none of the pirates seemed willing to use a bolt against other pirates. That, perhaps, might be useful as while I had fewer bolts per ship than when I¡¯d set sail for Redwater, extras had been collected from Northpoint ¨C along with more bows, axes, hammers, and blades ¨C so each of my ships held enough for fifty bolts for each scorpion. If I were forced into a serious naval engagement, it would add another option to my arsenal that the pirates would be unwilling to respond with in kind. Time passed slowly until Ryndoon¡¯s vessel was within range of arrows from the led Bloodhawk vessel. Ryndoon¡¯s men had to remain at their oars, trying to power themselves forward in the hope of escaping their pursuers. Ryndoon¡¯s other vessel continued to pull away, leaving their compatriots to their fate and I watched them go, curious how the battle for the other galley would go. The Bloodhawk¡¯s other vessels slowly closed as well, arrows from those galleys joining those from the first and raining death upon Ryndoon¡¯s galley. Men close to the railings were pushed overboard, shifting the deadweight in the hope it would help them escape their pursuers, yet the distance between the slowly being whittled-down galley and her pursuers continued to shrink. As the bow of the lead galley came upon the stern of Ryndoon¡¯s vessel, grappling hooks were tossed over. The men on Ryndoon¡¯s vessel abandoned their oars, grasping whatever weapons they had to prepare to repel boarders. They were going to lose ¨C they knew this, as did the Bloodhawk¡¯s men and myself ¨C yet it seemed they were prepared to fight first. That hinted at some animosity between the two pirate lords these men fought for, which if the case was something I might be able to use to my advantage once I turned my attention to the Bloodhawk. While the battle raged for the moment between the pirates, my attention was distracted by movement in the sea about a mile from the galleys. Under the surface three dark shapes were slithering toward the battle and while it was hard to be certain as to what species they were, the way their bodies slipped through the water had me certain they were a trio of sharks. The first of many that might be drawn by blood in the water from the battle. I guided Rian toward the sharks, curious about the creatures. Much like each of my companions, sharks were apex predators; kings of the area they lived in. Yes, there were supposedly far larger creatures in the various seas of the planet ¨C things such as krakens and leviathans ¨C but such creatures were unlikely to travel the relatively shallow waters of the sea in the Stepstones. I was close to maxing out Skinchanging; or more accurately, reaching level 100 which I assumed was going to be the limit of where I could take the ability. At least without doing something that I felt unlikely to ever discover. As such, based on the fact that the slots for bonded companions had come at levels 25, 50, and 75, I wondered if perhaps I might take a shark as the final companion. Or failing that, learn how they moved through the water if there was ever a need to scout from beneath the waves. Judging the gender of the sharks was impossible, while gauging their sizes was just as hard without a point of reference, however, it was clear the trio were a family unit of some form. Two were far larger than the third, which moved along a few body lengths behind the adults. Feeling this was an opportunity, I focused my thoughts on the smallest and youngest of the group and slipped from Rian¡¯s mind intent on taking over the mind of the shark. That plan ran into trouble within an instant as, for a brief moment, I lost sight of the shark I was trying to mentally dominate and the link I was attempting to forge weakened. When I strengthened the link, the mind I crashed against was foreign to me in ways I had little understanding of and far, far more violent. It reeled back, knowing it was under assault and thrashed ¨C mentally and physically ¨C as it fought against my attempts to assimilate its thoughts into mine. As it did I realised that, while not as complicated as a human mind, the shark¡¯s thoughts were far more ordered and backed by a greater will than I¡¯d destroyed in the two pirates I¡¯d mentally broken. I pushed forward, bringing all my experience as a skinchanger to bear against the shark¡¯s mind, seeking even the smallest of cracks in its defences to burst through. One such crack was found, and I slammed into it, destroying the animalistic protections of the shark¡¯s mind enough that I was able, for a moment that was both shorter than the time it took to blink, and longer than the passing of a day, experience the world through the senses of the silent seaborne predator. Sights in shades of blue, green, and yellow filled my vision even as my mind almost shattered at eyes moving independently of each other. An unknown taste on the tip of my tongue drove me wild trying to figure out what it was, and my brain turned inwards, rejecting the insanity of what it was experiencing. Other odd sensations that I couldn¡¯t even find words to describe assaulted my mind, enhancing the primal, ferocious anger that fought to drive me from this foreign domain. The processes crashing against my thoughts were young, yet it was backed by something ancient. Older than the First Men, and perhaps even dating back to the formation of this world. I pushed back, scratching for every figurative inch I could, yet I knew this was a battle I would lose; the sensations my mind had experienced for the longest second in my life already fading away. There was no reason to continue to fight this battle, yet I continued to do so. Perhaps, just perhaps, I might learn something from this that would help me in the future. As the ground I¡¯d claimed with my initial unexpected assault of this primal mind rapidly failing, and concerned of the damage being forcibly expelled from the thoughts of a beast might do to me, I pulled back. Not to Rian, fearful that the blowback of this lost contest might hurt him, but all the way to my body, leagues away in my cabin in the Kraken. Even though I¡¯d lain down before first shifting in Rian, when my eyes opened back in my body, I struggled to orientate myself. The world spun in colours my mind struggled to process properly. Left felt right, right felt left, up was down and down was up. My body lurched, reacting to my thoughts being garbled and I felt as if every nerve in my body was running hot and cold, reporting pain and pleasure all at the same time. Fighting with myself, as I felt my stomach turn, I pushed myself onto my side, barely getting there before my throat constricted and lurid green bile was expelled from my mouth. Whatever I¡¯d ejected from my body splashed to the ground, drawing a whine from somewhere else in the room, but I dared not look for the source of the new sound. Every inch of my body burnt and ran cold as my mind was overwhelmed with a myriad of sensations and emotions all of which fought for dominance. I closed my eyes, removing one confused sense in the hope it would allow my thoughts to coalesce into something that didn¡¯t have me feeling as if every fibre of my being were aflame. The slightest shift in my body sent new, ever-rising waves of pain rushing through my body; overwhelming my feeble attempts to gain control over my body. I didn¡¯t know how long I stayed there, my eyes closed, my mouth tainted by vomit, and my body wracked in pain while I fought to realign my mind, however, eventually I felt things slowly, torturously slowly, begin to recover. Once my head didn¡¯t feel as if someone was continually cracking it open with a mace, I opened my eyes taking in my surroundings. I was still being assaulted by the stench of the bile that now soaked the rug near my bed, but that was at last manageable. Nearby I saw Ymir watching me, his head tilted to one side in concern. Further back, in his cage in which he¡¯d spent almost the entire time since leaving Redwater, Kaa had lifted his head. His tongue flicked out tasting the air and I could sense his confusion about my condition. ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± I said to the pair slowly, my voice hoarse and brittle. ¡°I did something stupid. Now I¡¯m paying for it.¡± Ymir whined gently, drawing a chuckle from me. However, that quickly turned into a cough wracked with agony. ¡°I know, I know,¡± I muttered as he whined again and took a tentative step toward me. I stayed where I was, lying on my side on my bed, for perhaps another minute. While I was able to process my senses, I still had to recover from my failed attempt to dominate the mind of a shark. The experience had been, even for the body-terrorising pain that came afterwards, illuminating. Seeing the world through the eyes of a seaborne creature was something entirely foreign and yet now that I had seen a brief glimpse of it, I wished to learn more. However, I knew that trying to take over a shark wouldn¡¯t be something I attempted again soon. Not only was its mind far more aggressive and alien than I¡¯d expected, but I felt that brief moment where I¡¯d lost sight of the beast as I¡¯d slipped from Rian¡¯s mind had caused my attempt to fail even before I¡¯d begun my assault. Next time, and there would be a next time, that I attempted to take over a seaborne creature, it would be within sight of my body and something far less powerful than a shark. Trying to overwhelm the mind of such a beast had been an act of hubris, of arrogance that because I had an eagle, snake, and direwolf bonded to me and had shattered the minds of dozens of gulls, all creatures were little more than playthings for me to use as I wished. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. This lesson, while a painful one ¨C and potentially one that could¡¯ve been far worse ¨C was one I would take on board. I was not all-powerful, and even after the Red Comet came, which I hoped would remove the restrictions on magic in this world, nor would I be. Slowly, with that revelation discovered and my body no longer assaulted by pain, I lifted myself up. My muscles hurt, fighting against my actions, but I knew that the longer I stayed lying down, the harder it would be to recover fully. I was cautious of where I placed my feet on the rug and breathed a sigh of relief at seeing none of the vomit had landed on, or worse in my boots. As my feet slid into the boots, Ymir came closer, making sure to approach from my other side to avoid the stained and stinking rub. ¡°Come on,¡± I said, giving him a gentle scratch behind an ear after I finished lacing my boots. ¡°I need some fresh air,¡± Ymir whined; his snout pointed at the ruined rug. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll get someone to toss that overboard.¡± It was a waste to get rid of the rug, but there was nowhere to easily clean it at sea ¨C seawater would simply stain the rug with the stench of salt while the supplies of freshwater onboard were limited ¨C and it wasn¡¯t anything expensive. Moving toward the door, I stopped and shifted towards Kaa¡¯s cage. The viper hadn¡¯t been outside much since we¡¯d left Northpoint ¨C the crew unnerved by the size of the snake and fearful that it might bite one of them ¨C but it would do him some good to leave the cage. Plus, with him wrapped around my neck and arms, few if any would question why I might seem pale and unsteady on my feet. Once we made landfall, Kaa would get more room to slither around, while Ymir would enjoy fresh hunting grounds. However, neither of them nor Rian, would be granted the time to wander to their heart¡¯s content. At the first landfall on The Shrouded Isle, time would be a factor in everything I did. Not just with regards to Lucian Koros, but to the other pirate lords in the Stepstones, and other, far more powerful figures further afield. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I stood at the bow of the Kraken, watching almost disinterestedly in the three galleys that lay ahead of us. The trio had set sail from the port under Koros¡¯ control that I intended to assault personally about a day before my ships would¡¯ve been in sight of the port. Thanks to Rian I¡¯d seen them slip their moorings and depart, seeking to run down a pair of cogs that had travelled from the north, bound for Sunspear. On closer inspection, I¡¯d seen flags bearing the mark of House Tarth on their foresails, marking who was supporting their voyage. That they were risking a voyage along the coast of Dorne wasn¡¯t unexpected, but their drawing the attention of Koros¡¯ pirates had granted me an opportunity. Striking directly at the port with half its manpower gone would ensure an easy victory, however, it would leave the three galleys at sea, and thus able to fallback and reinforce another location. Since none of the pirates had been able to sight my fleet before the raiding party had set sail to hunt the Stormlander cogs, I¡¯d decided to attempt and take the ships at sea before assaulting the port. Knowing the galleys would, once they sighted my fleet, seek to withdraw to their port, I¡¯d let them sail far to the west of my fleet before circling round to strike at them from behind. We¡¯d sailed through the night, tacking with the wind to close on the pirates while they moved stealthily to sneak up on the cogs they were preying upon. When the sun had risen this morning, the pirates had spotted the Kraken on their stern, and while only two of the escort galleys with me we resailing alongside ¨C the others slightly further back to keep them hidden for as long as possible ¨C it had been enough to set them to break from their attack. They understood they had gone from predator to prey during the night, and with their path home cut off by my forces, sailed hard to escape us, banking toward a section of the Dornish coast that they likely hoped to slip into and hide from me. Even without Rian at my command to scout from the skies, they weren¡¯t getting away from me, but I was enjoying the thrill of watching them work desperately to escape me. Rian wasn¡¯t watching over this pursuit, instead, he was further north, keeping watch on the port these pirates had sailed from and on Daemon¡¯s fleet as it approached his target. Daemon was sailing as I¡¯d hoped, his war galleys leading the assault with a galley to either side of the trio of larger warships. The rest of the galleys, along with the Pride of Saltbrook which carried most of our supplies, were further back, hiding in the wake of the larger vessels. He had enough men in sight to guarantee victory if the pirates in the port he was moving to assault, perhaps two hundred at most, decided to stand and fight, but had his true strength far enough away that if those pirates ran, they¡¯d not know of the true size of the force that had taken the port. At least not without leaving scouts in the nearby woods, but Daemon would work to ensure those men were taken out, so Koros remained as unaware as possible of the size of the invading army. I¡¯d have Rian or a gull scouting overhead once I¡¯d taken the port I was to target, offering as up-to-date intel as I could to Daemon, but how he, Cadye, and Rakakz set up their ambush and then sprung it would be up to the Dornish knight. My focus would be on the ports I intended to assault. Or it would be once the pirates only a handful of lengths head of the Kraken fell to their knees. The pirates in those galleys were rowing hard, but with damage to their sails ¨C brought forth by me using gulls carrying oil-soaked sections of rope that were alight before the birds left the Kraken ¨C meaning they couldn¡¯t fully draw upon the wind for speed, this was a losing battle for them. The hand holding my bow tightened as I sensed that we were almost within range of the trailing galley. Wanting to test the distance and judge the wind, I nocked an arrow. I aimed to port, since that was where the wind was blowing from, and loosed the tracking shot. It soared high, sailing far wide of the pirates, yet as it reached the apex of its arc, its flightpath started to shift. As it fell, it drifted toward the galley, though as it splashed into the sea, it landed several yards to starboard and about twice that behind the galley¡¯s stern. ¡°Almost, my lord,¡± Trystane commented. He was standing to my right, my Myrish Eye in his hand so that he could watch the pirates, and now judge how far off my shot had been. ¡°Another few yards to port and perhaps another five or ten yards before you will be in range.¡± He paused and laughed gently. ¡°It seems someone saw the arrow splash down. There are some panicked movements at their helm.¡± ¡°I wonder why,¡± I offered back with a wide smirk. That drew laughter from Trystane and Edric, who was a yard behind his fellow squire. ¡°Edric,¡± I said, addressing him as I nocked another arrow, ¡°tell the drummer to increase his speed.¡± Edric turned and headed away, carrying my orders without feeling a need to verbally confirm he received them. That was fine as in battle, his needing to confirm them verbally might distract one or both of us and cost us dearly. The drummer was only just down the steps to the main deck, pounding out the beat that kept the men at the oars in time. Those beats would carry to the other vessels, letting their drummers know to increase the speed of their beats as well. Not all the men were at the oars. Some had to man other stations, such as Miltar at the helm, or handling the sails as we tacked with the wind. Others were nearby me on the foredeck, readying the four scorpions there in case there was a need to convince the pirates to heave-to and surrender. I hoped they needed such a reminder, and that, even faced with the odds against them, some at least stood and fought. I could feel the battle approaching, my blood pumping heatedly through my veins in anticipation. However, even if any of these men did decide to fight, it would be nothing but a brief skirmish, though that would serve as an appetiser for the battles to come upon The Shrouded Isle. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°Fuck you, you dumb Westerosi cunt!¡± I looked down at the man who¡¯d just shouted that insult at me. The man, like the rest of this galley¡¯s crew, was on his knees, weapons removed, and arms tied behind their backs. Well, this man only had one arm tied up, and that was against his chest. The other arm was nothing more than a stump, from which blood was pouring onto the deck of the galley. What had formerly been attached there was currently Ymir¡¯s latest chew toy. ¡°Fuck your whore of a mother as well!¡± I didn¡¯t respond to the men, instead that came from Edric who took offence at the insult toward his aunt. Now, I was raging at the remark, but I wasn¡¯t going to lower myself to this fucker¡¯s level and respond as he wanted. The man glared at Edric as if daring my squire to clock him again. ¡°What?¡± He snapped at me, resuming his rage-filled glare. ¡°Have to get boys to fight and beasts to fight for you?¡± I sighed and shook my head, annoyed that armless and beaten this man still refused to accept the reality of the situation. A glance to my right showed me Jaeronos moving on the deck of another of the galleys. He¡¯d be doing what I had been planning to do and explaining the situation these pirates found themselves in and the expectation that they signed my charter or were put to death. However, the one-armed man before me had not stopped shouting since he¡¯d lost his arm, preventing me from explaining the choices that lay before him and his crewmates. ¡°I take it this means you won¡¯t serve me?¡± I asked calmly, keeping my rage at his comments about my mother out of my voice. The rage was there, but I wasn¡¯t going to give this scum the pleasure of seeing me riled up by his pathetic, but entirely unacceptable, insults. ¡°After your fucking beast did this!¡± He swung his arm out, sending blood spilling everywhere around him. The man to his right flinched, getting a squirt of blood in the face even as the one-armed man continued. ¡°Not even if you let me fuck your bitch-whore of a mother for an entire moon!¡± Ymir stepped forward, a growl slipping from his jaw even as he continued to chew on the man¡¯s arm. ¡°Easy there,¡± I said to the direwolf, placing a hand on his head, ¡°this¡­ man had chosen his fate. All that matters now is to determine the manner of it.¡± I wanted to pull Red Rain from its sheath and behead this fucker for his comments. However, I knew that was what he wanted. A quick, clean death. No, this fucker was getting something far worse, and just what that was slowly formed into a downright evil concept in my mind. ¡°What? Not got the balls to defend your family? What sort of weak-arsed cunt are you?!¡± ¡°The sort of cunt,¡± I snarled slightly at the use of the word, ¡°who has already wiped clean the infestation of pirates on Dustspear, Redwater, and most of The Whores, and who¡¯ll now do the same to the Shrouded Isle. Starting with your lover, Lucian Koros.¡± ¡°HAH!¡± The man spat back, blood dripping from his mouth as he did so. ¡°You¡¯ll never take Lucian out. He¡¯s too smart for you.¡± While there was still venom in his tone, it was clear the man was slowly succumbing to blood loss. Letting him die slowly to his wounds was appealing, but the idea I had in my head was far more interesting and would serve as a warning to the other men about what happened to those who dared anger me. ¡°Hold him,¡± I said to my men, and three stepped forward, grasping the men as I moved toward him. I raised one hand, the one around whose wrist a small necklace hung. I caught sight of a few of my men looking at that, either in fear or temptation, but paid them no more thought. My focus was on the man before me, and as I turned the palm of my now outstretched hand upward, I summoned a ball of fire into it. ¡°Demon!¡± The man called out, his eyes like that of many others, widening as the flames rose from nothing above my hand. ¡°False i¡­ Arrgh!¡± whatever he was about to say was cut off by my commanding the flames to leap toward him. He tried to move back, succeeding a little as some of the men holding him froze in fear at seeing the flames moving in their direction. Yet, for all his movements, and the failure of my men which I would address after this was handled, he wasn¡¯t able to escape. He tensed in terror as the flames moved toward his ripped shoulder, and I saw a dark stain appear on his trousers, which drew a smirk of amusement from me. ¡°Stay still or this will hurt worse,¡± I said as I twisted my hand, shifting the direction of the flames. This man¡¯s life was already forfeit, but at least now he could serve some purpose in ensuring the rest of the pirates before me understood the danger of angering me. They would also, once they had signed the charter, know what fate awaited them if they betrayed me. It would be better if their support came from loyalty of the heart than love of coin or fear, but I was on a timetable, and with my ranks enlarged, and continuing to swell, with former pirates, I¡¯d take what I could. ¡°AGH!¡± The pirate screamed as I commanded the flames to assault his wounded arm. He fought to escape, to get as far from the pain I was inflicting upon him as he could. However, my men ensured he couldn¡¯t, and I kept focusing the flames on the wound. His screams carried to the other vessels, of that I was sure, but as my flames worked their magic, his struggles and shouts lessened. His head drooped toward the deck after a while, and as the smell of burnt flesh spread to everyone on the deck, I dismissed the flames under my command. The wound had been cauterised, though the flesh was still smoking. Many were looking on against, some even close to losing the contents of their stomachs. ¡°The first man to be sick will join this one!¡± I called out, not wanting the newest ship in my fleet soaked in bile and vomit. With that order given and taken in, I moved toward the man. Once close enough, I knelt and heard the faint, pitiful sobs coming from him. His mind had retreated inward, unable to process the sensations of feeling, hearing, and smelling his flesh being cooked but flames that floated without a source to work from. Perhaps what I¡¯d done, and would soon do, was inhumane, but a man who made his living prying on the suffering of others deserved this and a hundred things far worse as punishment. I would do the same to every pirate I encountered, yet I knew I couldn¡¯t as I needed the manpower. ¡°Perhaps, in whatever time you have left, you will learn to hold your tongue when confronted by those above you,¡± I said to him as I stood, making sure my voice carried to the others beside him who would soon sign my charter. Looking at them, I saw few able to meet my gaze and those that did had lost almost all their fight against their situations. Hells, many of the more recent members of my men seemed pale and uncomfortable with my actions. That might be an issue going forward, but I doubted it as few would have the nerve to challenge me having seen what I¡¯d just done. Still, to be sure the message was heard and understood, I had one more action for the man before to experience. ¡°Bring him.¡± I moved toward the stern of the galley, men under my command and pirates on their knees shifting to quickly get out of my way. That fear would only grow in a few minutes once it became clear what the one-armed man¡¯s fate was to be. Keelhauling was a brutal punishment only reserved for the worst of the worst, which that man was. He deserved a slower and more painful death, but this would have to do as I couldn¡¯t drag this out too long, otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t be able to strike the port I intended to take before Daemon had secured his position. Still, it was going to be slightly enjoyable to watch the one-armed man panic and struggle to escape his fate once he understood what it was. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°The port is yours, mi¡¯lord.¡± The words came from the man kneeling at my feet. I¡¯d barely reached the sands of the Koros¡¯ port before the men there, knowing they faced death if they fought or fled, had dropped to their knees, and let go of their weapons. This man had been at the front of the lines, suggesting he was the port¡¯s commander, and with three of his galleys at sea ¨C or so he thought ¨C and his men vastly outnumbered, it seemed he had chosen life over death. While logical, that irritated me as I¡¯d looked forward to battle as the one taking the galleys that had set sail from this port two days before had been unsatisfying. Some men, perhaps two or three dozen based on the numbers kneeling on the sand and pebbles around the dock and my estimates of the port¡¯s manpower, had turned and ran. Those men had headed into the forests near the port and already Jaeronos was readying parties to move after them. However, before they did that I wanted these men secured. I stepped forward, keeping Red Rain unsheathed in the event of a trick. ¡°Name,¡± I stated bluntly from under my helm. The man raised his head, his eyes travelling up the Valyrian steel of my blade and then over my armour until his gaze found my eyes. ¡°Lartel, mi¡¯lord.¡± There was a faint accent to the man¡¯s Common; Stormlander if I was correct. The lack of proper words for my title, or perceived title at any rate, made it clear he was lowborn, or perhaps pretending to be lowborn on the chance I might dismiss him as competent. Lartel was the name given to me by those who¡¯d bent the knee at sea for the commander of this port, so at least that checked out. Yet, while I had no hang-ups over the idea of a lowborn commanding a port, something about this entire situation felt off. A feeling shared by Ymir if the way his ears were pulled back and his teeth bared, ready for trouble. ¡°Is it now?¡± I asked, lifting my blade so that it touched his chin. ¡°Are you certain of this?¡± the blade pressed gently against his flesh, the sharpness of the ancient weapon drawing blood with ease. The man gulped as his eyes shot back to the thin trail of blood that slid down the edge of Red Rain. He opened his mouth slowly, careful to not push his jaw into the blade any further, only to stop when Ymir moved forward growling. ¡°My friend here,¡± I placed the arm holding my shield over Ymir¡¯s back, which was hard to do because of the way the shield was secured against my forearm and Ymir¡¯s vast size, as I spoke, ¡°dislikes liars and conmen.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± the man gulped, increasing the flow of blood down the edge of my blade. ¡°I¡­ I am not, mi¡¯lord.¡± He lifted his right arm and pointed to my left. ¡°Lart¡­¡± ¡°Fool!¡± The shout came from one of the men in a group the man had pointed at. This new man pushed his way to his feet, slamming into the gut of one of my men. The move caught my man unprepared, and before he could recover, this pirate ¨C who I assumed was Lartel ¨C had pulled a dagger from the man¡¯s belt and driven it into the man¡¯s gut. ¡°Kill them all!¡± He called out as he pulled the weapon free of the flesh it had been embedded in. At his shout, dozens of other pirates stood, rushing the closest of my men while from behind various buildings, those who¡¯d seemingly run into the forest as my fleet had reached the docks emerged, seeking to take advantage of the chaos. Turning to the true Lartel, I couldn¡¯t help but smile even as my blade slid through the man who¡¯d attempted to deceive me. A gurgled shout came from the pirate as he fell dead to the ground, but I paid it no heed, focusing on Lartel as he charged toward me, dagger in one hand, cutlass in another. I moved to engage him, my blood pumping in delight. A giant black shadow rushed past me, surging through the air. As Ymir crashed into two of the pirates at Lartel¡¯s side, the port commander faltered; fear flashed in his eyes at seeing an enraged direwolf and teeth longer than my hand sink into another man¡¯s flesh like a hot knife through butter. Before he could recover, I was upon him, Red Rain slicing through one arm while my shield slammed into his chest. The dagger-holding hand fell to the ground as he stumbled back, and before he could counter, a grunt came from him. For the first time in over a moon, Red Rain was tasting blood in combat once more. The pirate¡¯s trap had failed, and Lartel and those with him who¡¯d attempted to spring it were meeting death all over the beach, as were many of the others as my men took no chances with those still kneeling. This incident would be over in a few moments, but at least I now had a prelude for the battles to come on the Shrouded Isle, and blood had been shed at the first port to fall under my banner. ¡­ ¡­ Lifting the Shroud 2a 42: Lifting the Shroud 2 (Daemon¡¯s POV) Daemon moved around the port, taking note of the men doing various jobs. While most were focused currently on scouring the buildings for coin, supplies, and weapons, some were moving anything and everything that could be used, but that wasn¡¯t likely to be used in the coming days, outside. The reason they were doing that was because of the missive from Cregan that Daemon held in his hand, one that was delivered by Rian this morning. The taking of the port had gone exactly as Daemon had expected, though he would have preferred if that had not been the case. Approaching with just the three war galleys and two regular galleys had convinced the men in the port that they could not win the coming battle, thus the majority of the men had chosen to run instead of staying and throwing themselves at the mercy of the attackers. Twenty pirates had been in the port when Daemon had led the first wave of men ashore, already on their knees or in the process of tossing down their weapons. Daemon had hoped that more might have chosen to surrender, or even stand and fight as he was itching for battle, but the majority of the pirates had shown intelligence and instead chose to withdraw to Koros¡¯ inland settlement. The ones who had surrendered had explained that not only did Koros, as expected, rule from that settlement, but that it was fortified. Cregan had already provided much in the way of intelligence on that fort ¨C though it was more a walled village than a fort from how Cregan described it ¨C thanks to his flights with Rian, but the fact Koros had a central, defended position from which to control the island was an issue. One that had influenced why Daemon had only attacked with five vessels instead of the full might of his fleet. Those who ran would only report on the ships they saw, giving Koros a rough count of about four hundred men if each of the ships was close to fully crewed, which would require Koros to gather men before he could counterattack. The missive Daemon held in his hand confirmed this was the case as Cregan had seen large groups of men moving from Koros¡¯ eastern and western ports to his capital; a clear gathering of a force designed to engage and likely overwhelm the men that Koros believed had been the entirely to take the port Daemon was now walking in. Daemon would send a return letter to Cregan via Rian later today, once he had assessed the situation in the port more closely, and until then the Sunfyre eagle was resting aboard the Howl, using the rigging as a perch from which to watch the comings and goings of the men. Daemon knew the bird disliked acting as a raven, but from how Cregan described it, Rian disliked even more when Cregan used gulls for anything related to flight. The Howl, along with most of the fleet, was anchored slightly out to sea as the dock of this port was barely long enough for four galleys to moor at, and as he was not going to risk beaching any of his warships simply to make for easier transporting of goods to or from the vessels, the fleet had to maintain its distance and ferry supplies, goods, and men via rowboats. ¡°How long do you think we have?¡± Daemon asked as he exited the port and stood on the path that led to Koros¡¯ capital. Given the hill that the path ran toward rose over perhaps a mile from him, that fortified village was out of sight, but the mountains which it sat in the shade of were easily visible. ¡°Hard to be sure,¡± Cayde said slowly from his left, ¡°the island¡¯s big enough that given the distances between his ports, it¡¯ll take Koros time to gather his men. I¡¯d say at least a quarter-moon before our scouts spot them.¡± ¡°Aye, I¡¯d agree,¡± added Rakakz from his right. ¡°He cannot pull too many men from the eastern port, otherwise it would leave him weak if The Bloodhawk learnt of the shift in men and attacked. Still, from what you¡¯ve told me, the western port is secure, so I¡¯d say he takes most of the men from there, which based on the location the prisoners gave us, is going to take him longer. We might get close to a half-moon before he¡¯s ready to move, but I¡¯d not count on it.¡± Daemon nodded, aware that unlike him and Cayde, Rakakz remained unaware of the additional intelligence they had from Cregan via Rian. ¡°Working on the approach that those two ports are where he keeps the majority of his fleet,¡± of what was left after Cregan had taken the southernmost port, ¡°and working on the idea that he has at least as many ships as those who bent the knee in The Whores said he had, then we could be looking at six to seven hundred men moving against us via land, perhaps a further two via the sea.¡± ¡°You think he¡¯d send a small force to attack our flank?¡± Rakakz asked. ¡°He will consider it. However, without knowing more about his character,¡± something few of the men in The Whores who¡¯d formerly been loyal to him could offer much intelligence about, ¡°I cannot say for certain how he will act. All I can do is think about what I might do in his place.¡± He turned to Rakakz, ¡°Begin working on a plan to defend the port from sea and land by a force close to our size. I do not expect an attack of such size, but it is wiser to over than underestimate what our enemy can do.¡± Rakakz nodded, and then with a grumble ¨C something, if Daemon caught it clearly, about not being trusted or made to do menial jobs ¨C the former pirate lord walked off. Daemon and Cayde watched him go. ¡°What did the missive say?¡± Cayde asked once the former pirate was out of sight. Daemon handed it to Cayde even as he offered a brief summary. ¡°One to perhaps two hundred men from the east, double that from the west, and the village seems to house three to four hundred, though he feels at least a quarter of those are slave labour who would not be expected to fight.¡± Cayde took a moment to reply, browsing Cregan¡¯s missive for anything Daemon had missed out. ¡°Assuming he leaves at least a hundred men to hold the fort, then seven hundred should be about what we face.¡± ¡°Yes, and if the attack is entirely overland, then we can outnumber them by around two to one. If, however, they send any ships, our advantage will slip considerably.¡± Cayde grunted. ¡°We will need to prepare the port for an attack and determine how best to deploy our men so that Koros remains unaware of our true strength of arms until he has committed to attack. Not going to be easy given he and his men will know this land better than us.¡± ¡°No, it will not, however, I have a few ideas on the matter,¡± Daemon replied as he took back Cregan¡¯s missive. ¡°How goes the search of the port and interrogation of the prisoners?¡± he asked as he slipped the missive into his armour. Normally, Daemon would destroy the missives, not wanting others outside a small circle to learn that Cregan was able to give them better intelligence than should be feasible, but this one he would be hanging onto. At least until he could make rough notes he could claim as his own when speaking with Rakakz and others of the plans he was formulating for defending the port. ¡°Last report I received suggested the search of the port was almost complete, however, there is not much there. Perhaps enough supplies to a day or two at most, and the odd pouch of coin or weapons caches. Seems when most ran, they took what they had with them, though from what the prisoners have said, there was not much here to begin with. It seems Koros is smart and keeps the majority of his riches in his fort, far from any of the ports in case something like this,¡± Cayde gestured around them, indicating their men at work, ¡°happened. The same¡¯s true of slaves as we are yet to find a single one in the port yet Cregan¡¯s last missive on the fort suggested upwards of a hundred there.¡± Daemon grunted at hearing all that. He had hoped Koros was at least a little lax in his security, but it seemed he was not, and if the roles were reversed, Daemon would do the same as him in keeping most of his valuables away from locations that could be easily raided or taken. Ports, as had been proven on Dustspear and Redwater, were easy enough to take with a large and determined force, whereas an inland settlement, only reachable via paths from various ports made it hard to take with a lightning strike. ¡°It is a good thing we expected this campaign to be hard and prepared appropriately,¡± Cayde continued, trying to put a positive spin on the matter. ¡°The Pride¡¯s stores are still full, and some of the other ships still have supplies left over.¡± ¡°That is all well and good, but I fear it will not be enough if taking our Koros and The Bloodhawk draws on longer than we would prefer,¡± Daemon countered, his eyes gazing over the forest on either side of the wide path that led to Koros¡¯ fort. ¡°I want the men to head out in search parties, no more than eight to a group. We need to see what, if anything, we can harvest from the forest. Also, send out galleys with extra rowboats and wee what bounty the sea might offer us.¡± Cayde nodded. ¡°The map Cregan provided suggested a stream to our east. Perhaps a day¡¯s hike there and back. I will have men head out to confirm its existence and if so, we can begin transporting some here. While we cannot water down the rum anymore, a secondary source of liquid would not go amiss.¡± ¡°Yes, and the use of water would ensure that the men are not drunk if Koros¡¯ forces somehow manage to approach us unawares.¡± Daemon turned and gave one final glance toward where Koros¡¯ fort was located. ¡°Still, I want the majority of the men working on defences. I know we cannot wall it all before the attack arrives, nor could we hold anything too ramshackle against such a force, but I think we can alter the battlefield to control where the battle takes place, and perhaps offer us a chance to ensure the battle goes as I might hope. Cayde nodded and then slipped away, leaving Daemon with his thoughts. Daemon knew that he should have the advantage of numbers for the coming battle. The challenge was going to not just be using those numbers to win, but doing so to both minimise the casualties his men suffered while breaking the back of Koros¡¯ force. Men would have to be left on a few galleys, so that they could watch for an attack from the sea, but the war galleys would be moored or anchored close to shore. That way their scorpions would be usable as a heavy strike option if Koros¡¯ men could be led to the docks. The trick was going to be getting them there. Hiding the true size of his force was the only way to do that, but there were few options as to where to do so. The forest on either side of the port and path that led to Koros¡¯ fort was the only choice for such a move, yet Koros would no doubt have scouts searching those forests to seek out hidden enemies. If any flank force was too far from the port, then it might not be able to engage before Daemon and those with him in the port ¨C he would be leading the defence ¨C risked either heavy casualties or being overrun. Yet, by drawing Koros and his men into the port and the intended trap would grant Daemon the chance to not only crush the pirate army, and thus have them either forced to run or surrender, but perhaps grant him the chance to remove the head of the snake. Koros would lead the attack, if he did not his men might think him craven, so the opportunity to engage and kill in his combat sparked a fire in Daemon¡¯s blood. Not only did he expect the pirate lord to be one of the few worthy challenges to him on this island, but taking down Koros would if not destroy the resolve of his men but perhaps shatter the entire force and have them bend the knee. That latter option was unlikely as Daemon expected that even if Koros fell, one of his lieutenants would step up and assume command, but the chance for it to happen would influence the design of the trap forming in Daemon¡¯s mind. The odds were, however, that even if Koros led the assault, he would escape and retreat back to his fort. There, secure behind its walls, with the potential to call on more men from his remaining ports, he would be an issue. Daemon would not be able to commit the men needed to take the fort without leaving the port he stood in now undefended. Such a move was folly of the highest order. No, Daemon would have to wait on Cregan, hoping his friend could move around the western coast of The Shrouded Isle and take Koros¡¯ port on that shore. With that done, and coordinating via gulls and Rian, they could move against the fort, but until then, regardless of how the coming battle went, Daemon knew he was stuck in this port. Moving toward the docks, he sought out his squire. He would need to begin preparations for the defences and traps he intended for Koros soon, but he could spare a few hours to further train Jekar. The boy would be at his side during the coming battle, and as this would be the first engagement where victory was far from assured ¨C though still likely ¨C he wanted his squire as ready as possible for the chaos that would be unleashed. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ (Cregan¡¯s POV) I stood at the end of one of the docks in the port I¡¯d taken, one of Koros¡¯ more powerful holdings, and watched as two of my now twelve galleys sailed east. The pair were heading to support Daemon¡¯s position as while he already had most of my men and ships, his position was the more precarious, hence why I was removing them from my service and transferring them to Daemon. Koros couldn¡¯t commit the entirety of the fleet in his eastern port, as it would leave him vulnerable to The Bloodhawk or others, but even a few galleys would cause Daemon issues and force him to split his forces. The pair I was sending would take his numbers to somewhere near thirteen hundred men; more than enough to counter both the army Koros was gathering and whatever he might send from the eastern port. Nearly seven hundred men had gathered at the fortified settlement, not nearly enough to overwhelm Daemon¡¯s numbers, but it showed that not only had Daemon¡¯s ruse in taking the port he now held worked but that Koros remained unaware of the true size of the army he was about to face. Now it was up to Daemon to win the coming battle, and ideally ensure that Koros didn¡¯t escape back to his fortified settlement, nor with many of the men he brought to the battle. Turning around, I walked back toward the port I now controlled, considering my next moves. With ten galleys and the Kraken at my command, I had the ships to sail on and crush both ports Koros had along the eastern shore of The Shroud Isle. However, I wouldn¡¯t be taking all my vessels with me. Jaeronos would remain at this port with the six captured galleys ¨C and a mixed crew of men formerly loyal to Koros and those I¡¯d sailed here with from Northpoint. Along with Dustspear and eventually The Whores, this port was key to my plans for control of the Dornish side of the Steps. On a clear morning, one could see the Broken Arm from the end of the docks in this port, as this was the narrowest point of the sea that passed between Dorne and any island in the Stepstones. Trade vessels had to sail through this gap to head north to Storm¡¯s End, King¡¯s Landing and beyond or south to Sunspear and then around Dorne to Oldtown and the Sunset Sea. Already this morning, through Rian¡¯s gaze after I¡¯d scouted out Koros¡¯ latest actions, I¡¯d seen over a dozen trade vessels moving along the Broken Arm, skirting as close as they could to avoid The Shrouded Isle. Those ships moved in groups ¨C from two to six ¨C seeking protection in size as they sought to avoid the pirate haven I now controlled. For the time being, Jaeronos was either to ignore the ships or approach them under a flag of truce. Most would likely not accept the truce and sail away, but if we could get word out that the port was now controlled by those not seeking to attack trade vessels and instead guide them through the passage, it would help develop the area and prepare things for my plans for this side of the Stepstones. Eventually, ships sailing through this section of the sea, and elsewhere around lands I wanted to control, would pay a toll to pass. I¡¯d have to be careful about how I handled that so as to not antagonize powerful figures in Westeros and Essos, but Salladhor Saan had shown the idea had merit, though I was talking about using it on a far larger scale. Eventually, I hoped this port could develop like Northpoint was. While not as naturally sheltered as there, the strut of land the port lay at the end of had potential. A small river had been discovered emerging from the hills to the northeast, providing fresh water, while forest and foliage on the sides of the hills showed that the land was fertile, and due to the way it was shaped, ensured that storms which passed over the strut of land helped nourish the land. Regular rainfall helped the land, and given that both Tarth and Estermont in the Stormlands suffered regular storms but were bountiful and supposedly beautiful islands, then I hoped the same would hold true of The Shrouded Isle. Estermont was about the size of The Shrouded Isle and Redwater, which gave me an idea of the population those islands could support over time, and both Estermont and Tarth generated a lot of food for the Stormlands. Not enough to make it independent of the Reach, but such that they could ensure that they weren¡¯t enthralled by the other kingdom. With time and effort, The Shrouded Isle and Redwater could become something similar. It was just going to need me to survive the coming few years to take the former island, secure my position against threats from east and west, and survive the looming danger of Others, to be possible. Hells, if I could do that, then along with Dustspear, I might make the area into something akin to a new, rising power of trade and sea. As I reached the port proper and stepped off the dock, men nodded at my passing. It was simple to tell ¨C even without Emotionless Recall ¨C which of the men had been with me for how long. Those new to my ranks held large amounts of fear and distrust in their gazes, while those who¡¯d fought for me since the taking of Dustspear, had that loyal, almost trusting gaze I hoped to develop in all my men. The ones who I watched most carefully were those who¡¯d until just a few days ago been loyal to Koros. Their gazes always carried hints of anger and terror, but none showed a hint of the bravery needed to be a threat. The presence of Ymir, who was currently in the forest nearby seeking those who¡¯d chosen to run instead of surrender, helped convince many that servitude was better than treachery. Especially after the failed attempt to trick me when I¡¯d first landed in the port. In time, these new men would learn to follow me because they wanted to, but for now fear would have to do. The problem lay in that I had nearly three hundred new men in my ranks; men who might still be loyal to the very man I was fighting. Now, the same issue had existed on Redwater, but Koros was going to take longer to take down, and these men had fought longer and harder for him than any had for the three former pirate lords of Redwater. For now, the new men were manageable, but once more of Koros¡¯ locations fell, his former men were going to represent a significant percentage of my ranks. Most would be staying with me, about a hundred of the number would be staying with Jaeronos or had sailed with the two galleys bound to Daemon¡¯s location. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°My lord,¡± I turned to see Edric moving toward me quickly. Like me, he was still in his armour, not trusting the men who¡¯d bent the knee to me yesterday. The only difference was that he kept his helm close, currently carrying it under his arm. Mine rested in my cabin aboard the Kraken as I wished to show the men that I was willing to trust them to a small extent. ¡°The Kraken and the other vessels are ready to set sail.¡± ¡°Good. Order the other ships to set sail, the Kraken will depart last.¡± Edric nodded and then turned and jogged away to relay my orders. While Jaeronos would be staying here to secure the port, and protect our supply lines back to Bronn in the Whores and then Dustspear, I wasn¡¯t going to slow down. Koros had another small port slightly northeast of here, on the other side of the strut of land that this port was at the end of, close to where Daemon was holed up. I wanted that port taken out before Koros moved to attack Daemon¡¯s position, both to remove the threat of the men there ¨C as few as there were ¨C from striking without Daemon being aware of them, and to gather more ships and men for my force. The port was minor, but it was the next stepping stone on my voyage around the eastern coast of The Shrouded Isle, and the last port to take before I targeted the next of Koros¡¯ major ports. Most of the men in that port had already moved to the fortified settlement, preparing to assault Daemon, so the port would be weakened even if all ships remained docked. Ideally, through Rian I¡¯d see ships setting sail from that port, letting me bear down on them in the Sea of Dorne, and thus bringing them to heel before I struck the port. If that didn¡¯t happen, I wasn¡¯t too concerned. With the ships and men at my disposal, taking Koros¡¯ eastern port would be relatively easy. However, I knew that no matter how many men were present when I assaulted it, the majority would turn and run, seeking safety at Koros¡¯ capital. That would bolster Koros¡¯ forces there, along with however many survived the upcoming battle with Daemon¡¯s men. However, with there being little threat of a major attack from the expanse of sea between The Shrouded Isle and the Stormlands ¨C Crann Snow, who was supposedly loyal to Koros had one port far to the north of my target ¨C I could commit most of my forces to a land assault, meeting up with whatever men Daemon pushed inland. Taking that settlement was going to be an arse, but it had to fall before I moved forward with taking the rest of Koros¡¯ holdings and then pushing against The Bloodhawk. Rumour had it that while he had fewer men than Koros, the Bloodhawk¡¯s men were better and more aggressive fighters, meaning the less manpower I had to expend taking out Koros, the stronger my position would be to engage someone who had been in command of his ports for over a decade while at almost constant war with the pirate lords around him. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ (Daemon¡¯s POV) Repeating a pattern that he had developed over the last six days; he walked around the port taking a look over the defences. Today the seemingly hastily constructed walls, blockages and barriers would be put to the test, and in theory, guide the majority of Koros¡¯ force toward one specific point near the dock. The outer line of buildings was left, for the most part, clear near the path running to the fort at the centre of the island, but those on the edges had seen the gaps between them blocked off. Those blockages would not hold against a concerted attack, but it would make it harder, at least initially, for the pirates to flank where Daemon and his men would prepare for the battle to take place. The next row of buildings had more blockages placed between them, in theory, filtering anyone who entered the port together, and hopefully have them arrive at the dock along two specific paths. There, the men with him would engage the attackers, supported by the scorpions on the three war galleys. Two were moored to the dock, the other was anchored in the bay, their bows aimed toward where the pirates should emerge from. The two galleys Cregan had sent him were further out, acting as a screen for the rest of the fleet that was manned only with skeleton crews. Every other man was on land. Daemon had about seven hundred men with him, and while that was a force equal to Koros'', their job was not to win the day. No, the plan called for them to simply hold the line at the dock. Once the majority of Koros force was engaged, and at Daemon¡¯s signal, Jekar was to give three long blasts on a horn he had been given. That would be the signal for Cayde and Rakakz to spring the trap. Each man had around a hundred and fifty men with them and would rush from their positions deeper in the forest. Their intent was to push into the sides and rear of Koros force, though a gap to allow those who wished to run would be left if possible. The anvil of Daemon¡¯s force would combine with the hammers from Cayde and Rakakz to crush the pirate army. However, Daemon had to be cautious. When faced with a trap one could not escape from men did one of two things, surrender on the spot, or more likely with men who had spent years or even decades acting as little more than thugs, fight to the death. That, along with Daemon assuming Koros was at least as intelligent as he was, and thus understanding the trap he had walked into early on, was why the intent was to leave the gap in the trap. Leaving the gap in the lines was not ideal, but it would, he hoped, ensure that the casualties suffered by his men were not as high as they would be if Koros and his men discovered they were trapped with no chance of escape and then fought like cornered animals. Of course, the issue with the trap, beyond the need to leave a gap for those who wished could escape through, was placing trust in Rakakz to lead one of the flanking forces. The former pirate lord from Redwater had fought in battle with Cregan before, but that was early on, and not at a time when Daemon had to rely upon him. Daemon trusted the Gilded Hand about half as far as his squire could throw him, yet he could not deny the man the command. Cregan had made him a captain in their ranks, meaning he stood behind Daemon and Cayde in the chain of command. With the flank forces needing the most senior commanders, and no other position requiring anything of the same importance, Daemon had to place Rakakz in command of one of the flanking forces. The only upside was that the men directly under Rakakz¡¯s command in the force were the ones Daemon trusted. ¡°Mi¡¯lord!¡± The call had Daemon turning, pushing thoughts on the coming battle to the side for a moment. ¡°They¡¯re coming!¡± The man rushing toward him was tired, and Daemon remembered as he neared that this one was part of the group camped out near the top of the hill about a mile away to watch for when Koros¡¯ army approached. ¡°How many?¡± Daemon asked, though he already knew better the answer that whatever this man might say thanks to Cregan, yet he had to pretend he did not. ¡°Hundreds, mi¡¯lord,¡± the man replied. ¡°Many hundreds.¡± Daemon grunted at the lack of anything approaching useful information. Even if he knew the truth, it did not help to have such useless intelligence. ¡°Get you your position,¡± He said and then walked away, not wanting to deal with someone so abjectly useless. He heard the man¡¯s footsteps on the ground as he obeyed Daemon¡¯s orders, but already Daemon¡¯s mind was elsewhere. ¡°Jekar,¡± he called out, summoning his squire to his side. The boy was in full armour, helm down in readiness for the coming battle. ¡°Signal the men.¡± Jekar nodded and pulled the horn from his side. A single long blow of the horn had many in the port stop what they were doing. A second later, the men started to rush around, getting into their positions for the coming battle. While they did that, Daemon moved toward the buildings, intending to step through the port and see the size of the army, if one could call it that, he was facing. Twelve men, all preselected for this, fell into step around him. None of the men were comfortable with escorting Daemon to greet the attackers, but all did as commanded. It took them a few minutes to reach the start of the path, the diversions created for this battle forcing them to take a slightly indirect line. During that time, Daemon considered the wisdom in this part of the plan, as while irritating Koros into attacking rashly was the intent, pushing an opponent into such an act was not always desirable. However, he needed Koros to commit, to push his men directly at the port instead of spreading out and striking it from multiple sides. As he emerged through the last row of buildings that marked the edge of the port, he stopped and looked along the path. At the peak of the hill, a little more than a kilometre away from him, he saw a mass of bodies slowly passing over the crest. The path was barely wide enough for four men to walk side by side, yet Koros had men moving in rough rows of six. Either the rest were spread out slightly into the forest, intending to hide their numbers, or those at the front were expected to bear the brunt of any defence Daemon had prepared and die to ensure the rest of Koros¡¯ force could overwhelm the men who had taken his port. If not for the missives from Cregan, Daemon would be unaware of just how many men he faced, but he was and had designed his defences accordingly. He took a few steps forward, the men who had come with him, remaining behind, and then shouted. ¡°In the name of The Rogue Viper, this port is now claimed as part of his territory! You find yourselves with two choices: Die here, staining the soil with your pathetic blood, or throw down your weapons and bend the knee to your new overlord!¡± The men moving slowly down the hill paused, Daemon¡¯s words catching them unprepared, which was partially the point. The other was to throw some doubt into the minds of Koros¡¯ men. Now, he did not expect that doubt to develop until after this attack with rebuffed, and the survivors retreated to the inland fort, but just a few whispers of Koros¡¯ failure against The Rogue Viper, and possibly even the pirate lord¡¯s death at the battle soon to begin, would be enough to at least weaken, if not crush, the resolve of those manning the fort. The only downside to making this rather dangerous challenge was that it forced him to stand before Koros¡¯ army, exposed and marked out. Every member of Koros¡¯ forces would soon know what he looked like, and seek him out in battle, if not target him with arrows where he stood. The latter was a minor issue, as his armour could more than withstand an arrow from the current distance without it impeding his movements. As for the former, that was fine with Daemon. He intended to be in the thick of the fighting, and if that meant taking on the more skilled warriors in Koros¡¯ ranks, then the better. Not only might he find someone worth the effort, but each officer that fell to his blade weakened Koros¡¯ ability to lead his men if he escaped, and if he did not, it removed possible figures who might move to replace him. After a few seconds, the ranks of approaching pirates split, and a figure dressed in green ¨C the same green as the leaves of the forest around them ¨C stepped out. With the distance between them, Daemon couldn''t determine anything more about the figure, but the colour of the armour alone was enough to instantly have them marked as a target of value to Daemon. ¡°Tell the Rogue Viper to fuck off!¡± The Green-armoured figure called out. ¡°This is my island!¡± Under his helm, Daemon smirked, now sure this was Koros. ¡°It was! Now it belongs to the Rogue Viper!¡± Daemon was using that moniker as it was the same as the one Cregan had used when they had raided The Whores, and thus might be known to Koros and other nearby pirate lords. ¡°Kneel and live or stand and die!¡± Koros moved slightly from side to side, though what he might be saying or doing ¨C beyond gesturing toward Daemon ¨C was unknown until he shouted his response. ¡°Fuck the Rouge Viper! Though perhaps, given how you speak of him, he fucks you, you dumb fuck!¡± The faint sound of laughter from Koros¡¯ men travelled to Daemon, but he ignored the rather pitiful insult. He had heard far worse while training as a squire and knight, and on battlefields since gaining his spurs. ¡°You have chosen death!¡± He called back. ¡°Enter the port and we shall send you to whatever hell accepts such scum!¡± Without waiting for a response, he turned his back on Koros ¨C an act he suspected might rile up the pirate ¨C and moved toward the port. The men who had come with him watched as he approached, their eyes scanning the trees and skies for any threat. While an arrow was highly unlikely to do any damage to Daemon¡¯s armour, few of these men with him wore anything that would be able to stop such an attack. Their only real defence currently was distance, but that only worked if one was alert to the danger. As he passed them, they shuffled back, eyes remaining on the pirate horde gathering at their door. ¡°Get to your positions,¡± Daemon ordered once he entered the port, his blood beginning to pump. Two ports on The Shrouded Isle had fallen to Cregan and him, just like the ports on Dustspear and Redwater. Yet, for the first time in the campaign in the Stepstones, there would be something approaching a proper battle. One fought on firm ground, and Daemon longed to test himself in such a crucible. ¡­ ¡­ Daemon grunted as his blade came up, clashing against the steel of the latest pirate to challenge him. A shift of his wrist, and then a push with his arm had the blade aimed at him driven away. The movement caused the man¡¯s body to turn, exposing his side and into that opening Daemon thrust his other arm forward. The edge of his shield crashed into the man¡¯s chest, driving him back as his other hand, one holding a dagger, came up. The wound didn¡¯t draw blood, but Daemon smirked as he heard something crack under the strike, though he understood this pirate was not yet defeated. A flurry of strikes, each attack flowing into the next, forced the man back. The pirate moved to block with one of his blades or avoid the edge of Daemon¡¯s blade, yet it was for nought and Daemon soon felt his blade dig into the man¡¯s armour. The material used ¨C likely nothing more than thick padding ¨C held for a moment, but as Daemon stepped into the strike, the tip sliced through the armour. A grunt came from the pirate and as he staggered away, Daemeon saw fresh blood on the tip of his sword. The wound wasn¡¯t deep, but it was enough to distract the pirate, which was enough. With a shifting of his feet, along with a lowering and turning of his shoulder, the pirate fell to a knee, one thigh sliced deeply and blood splurging from the wound. Daemon¡¯s shield came forward, the centre of the metal crashing into the pirate¡¯s face. The sound of bone breaking reached Daemon¡¯s ears, followed by, as he pulled the shield back, the sight of the pirate crumbling to the ground. Yet, even then, Daemon knew the man was not yet out of the battle, and even as he turned, seeking a new target, his blade drove down. A roaring groan of pain came from the downed pirate, Daemon¡¯s blade slicing clean through the man¡¯s balls and cock. The wound was not an instant kill, but the searing anguish of the strike, along with the gushing of blood onto the pebbles beneath him, ensured the pirate was out of the fight, and not long for this world. Daemon¡¯s blade came up, his eyes seeking out his next target. A flash of green drew his focus for a moment, but he discarded it as it was not Koros. Daemon wanted to test his steel against the pirate lord, to claim the head of another such fool. Cregan¡¯s need to clean the skulls did not hold Daemon¡¯s appeal, only defeating them in battle did. Around him, men in mismatched armour and with seemingly random weaponry clashed against each other, the only way to stand a chance of discerning who was an ally and who was a foe was a recently added splotch of dye added to the armour. Even then, the marks were not universal, nor was the colour, making it hard to be sure which of the men moving around him was under his command, and which might seek to end his life and deny him any chance of seeing his love again. A flicker of a small figure in metal caught his attention. Jekar was engaged with a pirate ¨C a man with worn features and a disturbed snarl on his face. Daemon stepped toward them, fearing for his squire, yet before he could take more than a few steps, two more men moved toward Jekar. For a moment, Daemon tensed, fearing for his squire, yet the new men moved to engage the pirate, a splash of blue on the armour of one revealing them to be allies. Daemon could barely let his fear for Jekar go before he turned, catching sight of two pirates rushing toward him. He did not have time to confirm if they were friend or foe, but the way the one on the right raised a cutlass high, ready to slash down while the other grasped twin axes. One axe came forward, forcing Daemon to slide back, mindful of the dying eunuch pirate near his feet. The pirate with the axes brought the other weapon around. An angling of his shield had Daemon pushing that strike away, guiding the pirate toward his partner. The other pirate moved to one side, eager to avoid his partner, which left him exposed to Daemon¡¯s blade. The wound was shallow, barely nicking the arm, but it would hamper the pirate¡¯s ability with his blade. Daemon never gave the man a chance to see how the wound would hamper him, as with a rolling of his arm, Daemon brought his blade back around, slashing the pirate¡¯s stomach just below his armour. The pirate shuffled to the side, seeking to get away from Daemon, though through the slit of his helm, Daemon saw the pirate fall; his feet catching the now-dead pirate Daemon had taken down by removing his cock and balls. Turning, Daemon faced off with the man with two axes. He was forced back, turning his body and angling his shield to avoid the bit of the axes, and ensuring they did not catch the edge of his shield. Sensing a chance, Daemon stopped dodging and moved into one attack. The pirate was caught unawares, and his axe clattered off Daemon¡¯s shield, unable to get a grasp on the edge before Daemon had pushed away with his shield, driving the arm with that axe out of position. The other axe came around, but the unexpected shift of the pirate¡¯s body made it easy for Daemon to avoid, and as the arm swung in the gap between them, Daemon¡¯s blade flicked out, causing a deep laceration in the pirate¡¯s forearm. The axe fell from his grasp, the wound deeper than Daemon thought, but he was not going to overlook the opportunity it presented. Stepping forward, Daemon drove his blade into the pirate¡¯s side. The pirate grunted as the blade sank deeper, slicing its way through the man¡¯s innards, before, with a turn to widen the wound, Daemon pulled his blade free as he turned. The man fell to his knees, his arm dropping his weapon and going to the fatal wound. Daemon had no chance to savour another kill as he saw a pirate rushing at him. The newcomer was close enough that Daemon knew he would not be able to set his feet properly, though he turned to face the onrushing pirate anyway. He would not present an exposed side to an enemy. Yet, before the pirate could reach him, he stumbled and fell. Daemon blinked as the man crashed at his feet, though as the pirate did, Daemon saw Jekar there. The squire¡¯s blade was bloody, a trail of it running to the leg of the downed pirate, and the boy¡¯s shield while strapped to his arm was badly damaged, and he was breathing heavily, yet he was still fighting. As he gave Jekar a nod of thanks, Daemon turned his blade around and drove it down, severing the man¡¯s spine just below the neck. As he stood, Jekar moved off, seeking a new opponent and Daemon felt a swell of pride at his squire¡¯s desire to keep fighting. Doing the same, Daemon turned, desiring the next victim to sate his lust for battle. Another flash of green drew his attention, though this time Daemon saw it was Koros. The man was close, no more than a hundred metres from him, and with a need to test his steel ¨C and potentially take half of the island with a single stroke ¨C Daemon advanced. Moving toward the pirate lord, Daemon dodged an attack and then slashed at the fool seeking to delay him from his target. The pirate lasted only a few moves before falling, but in that time Daemon saw that Koros had taken down two of his men. The men he had fought had been former pirates, but Daemon could respect that by taking down three men so quickly, he had some skill. Daemon moved toward Koros, the man turning to face him, yet before they could meet two of Daemon¡¯s men were upon Koros while Daemon had to turn and face three new pirates who were rushing at him. There was a spike of anger towards the trio, but Daemon did not dwell upon it, instead, he focused that rage into his actions; using them to strengthen his resolve. The trio spread out slightly, seeking to flank Daemon, but he was alert to this. Sliding to his left, he moved his shield up, deflecting a strike from the pirate on that side, even as he used a downed cart ¨C one that had been placed to help filter the attackers during the initial surge of battle ¨C to his back. As the pirate¡¯s blade bounced away from his shield, Daemon pushed forward with his shield, driving it into the pirate. The man stumbled back, blood seeping from a likely broken nose even as Daemon turned to face the others. The pair had shifted their approach, angling to overload Daemon¡¯s blade side. His blade flashed out, blocking and then deflecting the attack from the left of the pair, pushing him to the right. That forced the last of the trio to break from their attack, needing to shift so he avoided his partner¡¯s blade as it angled toward him. As the pair recovered, Daemon brought his shield up, turning away a thrust from the first pirate. The blade slid in front of him, allowing Daemon to bring his blade around, the edge slashing the pirate¡¯s forearm, causing the blade to clatter to the ground. He pushed out his shield, driving it into the pirate again, this time striking the man¡¯s chest, and sending him careening back, tumbling over. Daemon slid toward that pirate, avoiding a strike from one of the pair who had by now recovered. His shield came around, the edge crashing into the pirate¡¯s arm at the elbow. A grunt came from the man as Daemon heard the sound of something cracking, and the blade he¡¯d been carrying fell to the ground, joining the weapon of the first. As he pulled back his shield, Daemon¡¯s sword drove forward, finding purchase in the man¡¯s gut. Another grunt came from the pirate as his hands went to his stomach when Daemon pulled the blade free, and he fell to his knees as blood poured forth, covering the now discarded weapons on the ground. The other of the pair, enraged by the coming death of his compatriot, rushed at Daemon, though the knight moved easily, using the downed body to keep the third pirate away. As they shifted positions, the pirate now with his back to the cart, Daemon grinned ferally. Alone, these men were no challenge, but at least together they were forcing him to think and act quickly. The first pirate, a dagger in the uninjured arm, rushed in, seeking a weak point in Daemon¡¯s armour. Daemon lowered his arm, letting the thin blade crash against his vambrace and then bounce harmlessly away. The man¡¯s move had brought him in close, the dagger¡¯s lack of length forcing him to commit to an attack. Daemon took advantage. The man tumbled and fell, Daemon¡¯s blade slicing him under his arm, slicing through the weakest point of whatever armour the man wore. As he fell, Daemon¡¯s full attention turned to the remaining pirate. A rush of delight came over Daemon as he saw the fear in the pirate¡¯s eyes. Terror that his companions were dead and that he was soon to join them. Yet before Daemon could finish this pitiful man off, a long, drawn-out blast of a horn echoed around the port. Daemon¡¯s mind wondered why a horn was sounding. Jekar had long ago sounded for Rakakz and Cayde to spring the ambush, and that was three short blasts, not a single long one. The confusion passed in an instant as, all around them, men either threw their blades to the ground or ¨C and this seemed the more common choice ¨C turned and ran. The man at the cart moved as if to run, though Daemon sensed the shift in his body and was already countering before the pirate could attack. Daemon¡¯s blade slid along the man¡¯s stomach, cutting into flesh. As the man shifted past him, Daemon¡¯s arm rotated, and he brought the edge of the blade down on the man¡¯s back, cutting deep enough that the pirate fell to the ground as if his strings had been severed. The blade in his hand clattered to the ground, joining countless others in the port and along the dock, though Daemon barely cared about taking down another foe. His eyes scanned the chaos, seeking the flash of green armour in the panic that was spreading through Koros¡¯ ranks. The pirates were running, the horn the sound of their retreat, yet Daemon wanted to find Koros, to ensure he had not escaped. If the man had fallen, then Daemon expected that many of Koros¡¯ men would break when Cregan and he assaulted the fort. Yet, for all that hope that Koros might have been killed, Daemon knew better. He sighed loudly, though he did not lower his guard as he watched the last remnants of the pirate force flee. Koros had escaped along with, at an early estimate, about half his men. The lack of green on the ground anywhere near where Daemon last saw the pirate lord removed the last vestiges of hope Daemon had held that the man might have fallen to another¡¯s opportune strike. As the last of the pirates slipped away, and his men began to cheer, savouring the victory, Daemon grunted. The trap had worked, the bodies on the ground testament to the grinder it had become, but the primary objective had failed. Koros lived and would marshal his defences in his fort, hoping to wait out Daemon¡¯s men. He would be able to do so, at least for a time. Daemon would need to take stock of the battle, see how many men he had lost, and potentially gain if those few who had surrendered chose to sign the charter, and then wait. He lacked the men to strike the port and keep his fleet crewed and this port protected. Koros would think that would allow him to wait out Daemon, but he was wrong. All it bought him was time until Cregan was in the position to move on the fort as well. All Daemon hoped was that he would be granted the honour of ending the pirate lord¡¯s life. Moving toward the docks, he gestured with his sword. ¡°Secure any prisoners!¡± The men around him paused, snapping from their reverie, and then moved to obey. ¡°I want bodies searched and everything of value, be it weapons, food, or coin, brought to my solar!¡± He added, walking around the bodies that littered the ground. As he spotted Jekar nearby, he moved toward him, pausing only to end the pain of one poor wretch who lay on the ground. Daemon did not know nor care on which side the man had fought, all he was certain of was that the man was dead; Daemon simply ended their suffering with a mercifully quick death. There would be others like that man around, though they would be granted the embrace of the Stranger once wound. Yet it was those who were wounded yet not close to dying that concerned Daemon. Such men, unless their wounds were minor, were going to place a strain on their resources. Not only in terms of supplies and the loss of blades in future battles but also in the need to treat their wounds and determine their fates. That was a common occurrence after a battle, but this had been a far bloodier one than any Daemon had fought in the Stepstones so far. Yet, while he knew this battle had been won at a potentially decent cost, it would not be the last. Nor the bloodiest. ¡­ ¡­ Lifting the Shroud 2b (Cregan¡¯s POV) I barely managed to suppress a growl of annoyance as I looked down at the man kneeling a few metres before me. The man had stated that he was the commander of the port I¡¯d just taken, and along with what appeared to be nearly a hundred others, bent the knee the moment I stepped onto the dock. Given my fleet, led by the Kraken ¨C carried around four times their numbers, there was logic in their choice, but it irritated me to be once more denied the chance to test my skill against others. Or that I might watch as life left the eyes of those brave or dumb enough to challenge me and then fall to my blade. I took a second to inhale, settling my annoyance as I moved closer to the man, my eyes wary of treachery after what had happened in the last port. ¡°There are two galleys docked here, yet the men present would not be able to man them and retain control of this port. Where are the rest?¡± When I¡¯d scouted the island via Rian, I¡¯d placed the count of men here at over one-fifty. It was clear that many of the men, perhaps over a third, were missing, and that was a problem I disliked having to waste time fixing. The port¡¯s commander lifted his head, blinking at my statement. For a moment, I wondered if he might choose to lie, though a growl from Ymir as the massive direwolf came to my side, drew the pirate¡¯s attention and he gulped loudly. ¡°M¡­ mi¡¯lord,¡± he began slowly, his fear soaking into the air around us. ¡°We ne-never had m-many men. B-but when we s-saw you co-coming, s-some ran i-into the forest.¡± ¡°How many?¡± ¡°Pe-perhaps thirty.¡± A grunt slipped from my lips upon hearing that. While I had little intention to hold this port, and would take everything and anything of value with me when I left, thirty men wandering around the island could be an issue. Particularly as the closest allied port ¨C or so they would think ¨C was the one Daemon now operated from. I looked at Ymir and nodded, the giant direwolf bounding off through the throng of kneeling pirates, making them scamper to avoid being crushed under Ymir¡¯s paws as he hunted those who¡¯d chosen to flee. ¡°Koryn, Myles,¡± I call out to two of my sergeants, ¡°gather eighty men and help Ymir track those who chose death over servitude.¡± As I heard the pair turn to the men and gather up the numbers I told them to take, I considered my choice. It was risky sending so many into the forest after so few pirates, but I wasn¡¯t going to leave them free to run around and cause havoc. With the men Daemon had, thirty pirates weren¡¯t going to be an issue, but he had no idea they were in the forest to his west, and that could be an issue. As it would take time to gather anything and everything of value from the port and ensure the two moored galleys were seaworthy, most if not all of the pirates who¡¯d chosen to run instead of surrender should be handled. Plus, it would sate Ymir¡¯s bloodlust as while he had fought when I¡¯d captured three pirate galleys at sea, his large frame made it difficult for him to move around as he wished. In a forest, tracking fleeing prey, he was in his element. As for Daemon, I¡¯d watched the battle through Rian¡¯s eyes yesterday, impressed with his tactics and how, based on how it appeared only about half of Koros'' force had retreated, successful the trap had been. Using his extra men to flank from deep in the forests was a smart move, one I¡¯d likely have made as well, and while I had at the time been irritated by his choice to not seal the flanks and prevent Koros and some of his men escaping, I had come to see Daemon¡¯s logic. Men without hope of survival or escape, often fight harder, wanting to take down others with them. By leaving the gap in the lines, Daemon was ensuring that the pirates wouldn¡¯t fight like that. Yes, it seemingly cost him a complete victory, but it ensured that my men under his command weren¡¯t decimated in the battle. That would¡¯ve placed constraints on my actions to finish off Koros and then move on to The Bloodhawk. There was a small chance that Koros fell in the battle, but I wasn¡¯t expecting it. One didn¡¯t become and then rule as a pirate lord for a decade-plus by being foolish. Even if, by some miracle he had fallen, one of his captains would take command of the remaining forces under Koros¡¯ banner and rally them at the fortified settlement. Regardless of who was in command, they would call men from the remaining ports to the settlement, with most coming from the western port. Taking too many from the east would leave him vulnerable to either Daemon¡¯s ships or one of the Bloodhawk¡¯s fleets. That meant the majority would come from the western port. Part of me was angered that this would happen, as it would deny me battle when I sailed for that port with my enlarged fleet, but even if not many men were recalled to the settlement, the odds were good that once it became clear my fleet was going to attack, most of the men would fall back to the settlement anyway. Once that port was taken, regardless of how, I could consider my next move, but for now, I had to focus on the present, and ransacking the port I stood in for anything of any remote value. I gestured to my squires to approach. The pair came forward, and with another gesture, they pulled the port commander to his feet. ¡°You will tell me everything about this port,¡± I said firmly as I stepped toward him, using my height and frame to intimidate him. ¡°I want to know where every ration, every weapon, every spare supply, and coin in this port is. You and your men will then, after signing your souls to me, bring those items to the dock. If my men discover anything you failed to mention, for whatever reason, someone will be punished severely for the mistake.¡± The pirate nodded his desire to live overriding any notion of rebellion. I watched as he moved away, my squires joined by others as he led them toward what I assume is the main storehouse of the port. Turning back to the other pirates who remain on their knees I grunt. Another hundred bodies to sign my charter, and in theory swear themselves to me. Yet, like those in the port where I¡¯d left Jaeronos, and where Daemon was stationed, those who¡¯d joined my ranks on The Shrouded Isle, had been loyal to Lucian Koros but a day before. More would bend the knee in the next port I took ¨C unless all abandoned it for the settlement ¨C meaning I could be looking at several hundred bodies I¡¯d need for taking the settlement that had until very recently been loyal to the man commanding that settlement. Until Koros was dead, and possibly for a few moons afterwards, I would remain reluctant to trust many of them. The same was true of those who¡¯d formerly served Vaegon, Rakakz, and Allerion on Redwater, and while the middle of those three served me now, I wasn¡¯t certain of him or any of those former pirates. Yet, with my moves against Koros, and the near-future plans for taking out The Bloodhawk, the uncertainty that festered in me over the true loyalty of my men continued to grow. So far, nothing had gone wrong regarding the presence of so many former pirates in my ranks ¨C save one instance in Northpoint where I¡¯d been forced to execute a man for raping one of the former slaves ¨C but I knew that it was only a matter of time, possibly my first major defeat before questions were asked by them about my intentions. Once they learnt of them, it was probable that many, if not most would disapprove of my plans, though so long as I was paying them well, better than those from Redwater had done as pirates for certain, then I expected them to stay employed by me. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ (Daemon¡¯s POV) Daemon walked down the plank from the Howl moving toward the port. While he might have spent the night in the port, he felt it safer to remain in his cabin aboard his flagship. Cayde and Rakakz had slept in the port, taking turns along with Entan and Ballar in command of the men during the evening and night. The latter two were sergeants in Daemon¡¯s forces, serving directly under his command to relay orders to the men, and while paid less than The Gilded Hand, Daemon trusted both more than he did Rakakz. All four waited for him at the end of the dock, though Ballar looked tired, suggesting he had taken the final shift before morning. The sound of metal on wood behind him ensured Daemon that Jekar was flowing in his wake. ¡°Report,¡± he said as he reached the end of the dock and the gathered figures. ¡°We took near three-and-eighty prisoners at the end of the battle,¡± Cayde began, looking down at a scroll of parchment he held in his hand. ¡°Ten-and-two succumbed to their wounds during the night while six more will soon join them. Based on bodies, we estimate that over two hundred of their men fell in the battle. As of this morning, scouts can add two-and-thirty to that number; their bodies lying on the path back to Koros¡¯ fort, though we did not push beyond halfway to the fort so others might be lying elsewhere. In the forests, the men have only found eight bodies, but they expect to find more during the day.¡± Daemon nodded at the numbers, getting a rough picture that of the roughly seven hundred men Koros had brought, less than three hundred had returned to his fort. ¡°And our numbers?¡± He asked, hoping the figures were far lower. Yes, they had superior numbers, but the men on The Shrouded Isle should, in theory, see more battle than any from Redwater. That was not to say the men from Redwater were craven, just that it was harder to replenish ranks there than here as this island saw more passing ships from which pirates could forcibly recruit. Cayde shared a look with Entan and Ballar. ¡°In the battle proper, we lost one-hundred, four-and-eighty. Another four-and-forty succumbed to injuries during the night. A further nine-and-twenty are injured but unlikely to be able to fight or man a ship going forward.¡± Daemon grunted at hearing that. Injuries were common in battle, but so far, thanks to the lightning speed of Cregan¡¯s attacks, they had avoided major casualties. This time they had not been as fortunate, but overall, the numbers were nowhere near as bad as Daemon had feared. Sadly, those unable to fight were going to be a problem. ¡°Can they still work in other ways?¡± He asked, hoping to find a use for them. ¡°I cannot say for sure, but I will check.¡± Daemon nodded. ¡°See to it. If they can, then find work for them around the port. If not¡­¡± He sighed and shook his head. ¡°We might have to¡­ remove them.¡± ¡°Aye. No need to waste supplies on those not worth the effort,¡± Rakakz commented, drawing an irritated look from Daemon. ¡°If they cannot fight or sail, they serve no purpose.¡± Daemon did not like the idea of simply killing off the wounded, but he understood it might need to be done. Ideally, if they could spare the vessels, he would suggest to Cregan sending the injured back to Northpoint, and then onto Sunspear with their wages for this moon paid in full. However, with only the Pride capable of doing that, and the cog full of their spare supplies and weaponry, it was not an option. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°Talk with the wounded. Find out where they came from and if they have any family. It is unlikely that we could get their outstanding pay to their families if they have one, I feel Cregan would wish to attempt to do so.¡± The odds that any of them lived near Sunspear, or even in Dorne, were slim, but by making the offer Daemon hoped it might please those who had signed on from Westeros; letting them know that even in death they might be able to earn coin for their loved ones. ¡°I think most are former pirates,¡± Cayde replied, touching on another issue with the idea, ¡°but I will look into it.¡± He made a scribble on his parchment. ¡°What of the prisoners?¡± ¡°We offer terms as normal,¡± Daemon replied calmly as he started moving toward the port, the others falling into step at his side or in the case of Jekar and the sergeants, behind. ¡°If they accept, then they go to the lowest rank. If not,¡± He shrugged, ¡°add them to the casualty roll.¡± It was a harsh option, but the only one that made any sense in war. ¡°I say we just kill them all, but I know if that was what the Wolf wanted, I would have died back on Redwater,¡± Rakakz muttered, with what sounded like admiration at Daemon¡¯s coldness in his voice. Daemon did not need the former pirate lord¡¯s admiration, though he did wish that Cregan had done as Rakakz suggested on Redwater. He knew Cregan could not then nor now, however, as the most pressing issue they faced was manpower. ¡°How are repairs to the defences progressing?¡± He asked, changing the topic. ¡°We¡¯ve repaired what damage was done to the various buildings, and removed the blockages put in place to guide the attackers into the trap,¡± Entan responded from behind Daemon¡¯s right shoulder. ¡°Nothing major seems to have been destroyed or taken, but we¡¯ve got men moving the blockages out to the edges of the port.¡± ¡°A rough wall will do for now, but if we have to stay here longer, we might have to consider cutting down trees to make something close to a proper wall,¡± Ballar added. ¡°Koros¡¯ fort means we cannot simply abandon the port and move on to the next as we did often in Redwater,¡± Daemon glanced at Rakakz, wanting to catch a hint of annoyance or anger at how easily he had lost his power because of Cregan. The slightest hint of betrayal was all Daemon needed to feel justified to remove The Gilded Hand from their ranks, but sadly for him, Rakakz showed no outward sign toward the mention of his defeat and submission to Cregan. ¡°And with Koros¡¯ main fleet to our east, to say nothing of whatever numbers The Bloodhawk possesses in his southern ports, we cannot push inward with the men needed to take the port and expect this place to remain under our control.¡± ¡°What of Cregan¡¯s movements?¡± Cayde asked. ¡°I received a missive from him last night. By now he should have taken the small port to our west. From there, I expect him to sail north and take Koros¡¯ major port facing the Sea of Dorne, though I have no confirmation yet that this is still his plan.¡± ¡°Bold plan,¡± Rakakz offered, this being the first time he had heard of Cregan¡¯s intent. ¡°Taking his fleet there now, when so many of the men from that port fought in the battle yesterday means that not only would it be an easier capture for him, but with the port taken he would control the sea towards Westeros.¡± He grunted. ¡°Add in that Koros will likely call more men from the west than the east to reinforce his fort, and that damn wolf will possibly take his target without much bloodshed. Though the men there, once they see his fleet approach, could easily fall back to the fort as well, granting Koros a larger defence than we would like.¡± Daemon nodded. ¡°I expect them to do the latter,¡± He said slowly, ¡°however, with Cregan having taken that port, and there being no true threat to it from other pirates, he can commit most of his men towards the fort. That would allow us to not send as many as we might otherwise have to, granting us the ability to keep this port secure while putting pressure on Koros¡¯ position. Unless, of course, he decides to withdraw entirely, but I do not think Cregan will do that.¡± Nor would Cregan based on the missives Daemon had read. Still, a wise commander considered the most probable options when planning for war. ¡°If not for that Gods-damn bird, none of this assault would be possible,¡± Rakakz muttered though Daemon stopped and turned to look at him as the former pirate lord grunted. ¡°That¡¯s how you fucking did it, right? You used that eagle to prepare for my attack on Vaegon¡¯s port when Cregan saw them at sea, and he then sailed out and around them to target my ports while my men were led into an ambush at the port.¡± Daemon nodded, keeping Rakakz¡¯s gaze on him even as Cayde smirked from the other side. ¡°More or less,¡± he replied. There was more to it than just luck, but that was Cregan¡¯s secret to reveal, not Daemon¡¯s and The Gilded Hand was far from being trusted with that knowledge, nor the connection Cregan held with Rian, Ymir, and Kaa. Now, there were rumours among the men about Cregan, not only about the animals that he had, but his magic. Daemon felt that the use of the small necklace that he wore around his wrist was a smart misdirection, however, he wondered how long it would be before someone attempted to remove the necklace to see if it was truly the source of his powers. From what Entan and Ballar had told him, some of the men believed that Cregan had been trained in Sunspear by a warlock of Qarth. A few seemed curious if the connection between Cregan and his direwolf was a sign of some First Men magic as word of Robb Stark also having a direwolf had filtered to Sunspear during Daemon¡¯s last visit there. While Daemon knew that the rumours about Cregan¡¯s First Men blood being involved in his connection with Ymir, Rian, and Kaa, the rumour about a warlock from Qarth was ridiculous. Yet, with what limited information the men had; it carried some weight. Sadly, that was also true of the suggestions from a few ¨C no matter how much Cregan worked to dissuade such notions ¨C that Cregan was Azor Ahai reborn: That he would wield the sword Lightbringer, birth dragons from stone, and lead the followers of R¡¯hllor in battle against the Great Other. Only the first of those ideas had any merit, and that was due to Cregan¡¯s proclivity to ignite flames along his blade while in battle. The full truth of Cregan¡¯s extra abilities lay only with a select few. Not even Daemon¡¯s squire knew the truth, though both Edric Dayne and Trystane Martell did; something Daemon knew as Cregan had confided in him that Prince Doran had arranged the two squires in the attempt to see if his youngest son and the heir to Starfall might be trained to wield magic, thus strengthening Dornish power. ¡°How goes the search for extra supplies?¡± he asked, shifting the conversation. Rakakz grunted, his gods-damn gauntlet that gave him that title, caught the morning sun, and forced Daemon to squint. ¡°Good for the most part,¡± He said slowly. ¡°We¡¯ve found a few more streams and while the water we¡¯ve brought to the port so far is not much, it is helping. The same is true for game the men have found and killed in the forest, and, at least until yesterday, the boats were doing a fair job in hauling in fish. Numbers might be off, but we should be able to keep ourselves going for a good while before we need to draw on our main supplies.¡± Daemon nodded, pleased that the Pride¡¯s hold remained full, though he knew that over time they would be forced to remove that food and eat it, lest it turn foul. ¡°Once the scouts are sure we have no spies or saboteurs nearby, I can see about sending more men out to hunt and forage. Not to the north as I expect Koros to send out raiding parties, seeking out our scouts.¡± ¡°I would also be cautious to the west,¡± Cayde cut in. ¡°Some may run when Cregan takes the port over there, and we are the closest potential ally for them to head to.¡± Rakakz chuckled. ¡°Aye. Already got a few groups ready to head that way to hunt for deserters.¡± He looked at Daemon. ¡°Do we capture or kill them?¡± ¡°I will leave that up to the men,¡± Daemon responded. ¡°However, do not take risks to see if a handful might join us, and tell the men to be cautious. If I know Cregan, he will send men of his own into the forest, along with Ymir.¡± Rakakz tried to hide it, but Daemon caught the shiver that ran up the former pirate lord¡¯s spine. ¡°Not a pretty way to go that,¡± He muttered. ¡°No, it is not. But a direwolf is built to hunt in a forest and Ymir is well used to southern climates now,¡± Daemon said with a chuckle. ¡°He is very good at what he does.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Rakakz shook his head. ¡°Anyway, once we are sure the west is clear, we can push further that way to water and game. Might even send a squad to the port once the Wolf¡¯s left it behind.¡± Daemon nodded, seeing logic in that though he doubted there would be anything left. Might be worth a quick look.¡± Cregan was remarkably thorough in ensuring every building was turned over for all but the most well-hidden of prizes. Even then he has Kaa with him, and if he chose, he could and would use the viper to search into buildings for hidden places; ones even the pirate who had bent the knee to Cregan might not know about. Unlike Ymir and Rian, Kaa spent most of the time in his cage in Cregan¡¯s cabin. Cregan was unwilling to let the snake wander freely during battle ¨C for obvious reasons ¨C or allow the over-a-metre-long snake to explore his vessel. As they neared the building Daemon had taken as his solar, he turned to face the others. ¡°While it is important that we secure the port, and work on finding reliable food sources, I want you and those under you to think of ways we might scout and take out Koros¡¯ fort. Any we send to scout the location stands a fair chance of not returning, but it will eventually be something we will have to do. Koros knows this land better than we, and while some of his men are now in our ranks, I remain uncertain of how dependable their words and knowledge will be. Work on the assumption that the fort is more heavily defended and manned than anything the prisoners tell us, and if anyone has any ideas you think might be of use, report them to me when we meet at the end of the day.¡± ¡°It might be worth seeing if any of the men know how to construct weapons of war,¡± Cayde offered. ¡°It is unlikely, but until we ask we cannot be certain.¡± ¡°No, we cannot,¡± Daemon replied in agreement. ¡°If any such men are found, bring them to me at once.¡± Daemon knew of such weapons, and even the concepts to construct them, but the actual creation of such things was not the work of knights, and as such, his knowledge there was lacking. Taking Koros¡¯ fort was going to be a challenge, and unlike the battle yesterday, a true test of the men in a pitched battle. There would be other such battles in the taking of this island and other larger ones, but this was the first chance Daemon and Cregan would have to test what they had learnt as squires of Prince Oberyn¡¯s about the ways of war when assaulting a fort. Yes, Koros¡¯ fort was likely not comparable to even the keep of a newly landed knight, but it would be a challenge to take. Thinking of Prince Oberyn, turned Daemon¡¯s thoughts to Sunspear, and the Winter Rose that was waiting for him there. It was possible, probable even, that Lord Eddard might have replied to his request for Alysanne¡¯s hand, however, with no way to contact the Dornish capital, Daemon remained unaware of whether Alysanne would be his or not. All he had to keep him going in that regard, were the memories of their strolls together in Sunspear and the Shadow City, and the token of her affection. Even now, that was with him, secure under the gauntlet of his left arm. ¡°If there is nothing else that needs to be discussed,¡± he said, shifting his thoughts from Alysanne and waiting for a response from the men. When none came, he nodded. ¡°We shall reconvene this evening after dinner. Until then, dismissed.¡± The group turned to leave, though Jekar stayed nearby, the squire knowing he had not been one of those dismissed. He stepped into the building, closing the door once Jekar had followed along. ¡°I know that I have already spoken to you about your performance yesterday,¡± he began as he turned to face his squire. ¡°However, what I did not comment on at the time were the small issues I saw in your form. While they have not been exploited by an opponent yet, it is only a matter of time until they are. As time allows I will be overseeing your training to correct these flaws, and leaving orders with others to monitor your training if I am occupied.¡± Jekar nodded while staying silent and Daemon moved toward him, placing a hand on the boy¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Everyone has flaws to overcome as they grow and learn. I myself have yet to place any training regarding sieges into practice. However, that will be rectified over the coming days. While plans are made for assaulting the pirate fort, I want you to watch, listen, and learn how that planning is done, and if you have a suggestion do not hesitate to offer it.¡± ¡°Yes, Ser.¡± Daemon nodded and moved towards the desk in the room. ¡°The battles we are fighting here are nothing compared to what I have heard true warfare was like during Robert¡¯s Rebellion, however, unlike those knights and squires who confine themselves to Westeros during a time of peace, we are not some green men unskilled in experiencing true battle. Spars and tourneys, while enjoyable and offering gold, honour, and attention, are not a true test of one¡¯s skill in battle. No, that can only come in war.¡± ¡°Yes, Ser.¡± Daemon looked at his squire and stayed quiet as it appeared the boy was considering something. ¡°W-would it be possible for me to train with Ser Cayde and Rakakz when you are unavailable?¡± He asked slowly. Daemon¡¯s brow rose and Jekar moved forward, hands raised as he hastily added. ¡°It is not that I regret becoming your squire, My Lord. I merely wish to expand what I might learn so that I can serve you and Ser Cregan better in battles here and elsewhere in the future.¡± Daemon chuckled. ¡°I am not upset with your request, Jekar. Indeed, it is wise to seek knowledge from multiple sources, and that you would suggest it shows a wisdom beyond your years.¡± He moved closer to the boy again, and this time placed both hands on Jekar¡¯s shoulders. ¡°You are my first squire, and I know that there may be times when I forget some part of your training or am unable to teach something you wish to learn. In such cases, Cayde, Jaeronos, Bronn and others are worthy men to ask for that instruction. I would, however, caution you about seeking advice from Rakakz. He may have ruled over others for many years, but he was, and likely still considers himself, a pirate, and thus his words are not to be entirely trusted.¡± ¡°If you do not trust him, then why do you seek his counsel?¡± Daemon shook his head. ¡°I do not seek it, Jekar, but I cannot ignore it. Ser Cregan and it is a choice I agree with even if I fear it might one day cause us harm, was right to bring Rakakz into our ranks. It saved us unnecessary battles that would have weakened our numbers and resolve and ensured that our ranks swelled with new arms who chose to join us not were forced to. However, as he held rank as a self-proclaimed pirate lord, Ser Cregan had to grant him rank of equal stature within our forces. The only position of rank that was suitable was one below myself and Bronn. It does mean that Rakakz holds power, though few outside those who served him before he joined obey him without question.¡± ¡°Yes, Ser.¡± Daemon grinned and then patted Jekar¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Good. Now off you go.¡± Jekar nodded and slipped from the room. Once he was alone, Daemon pulled out the token Alysanne made for him. The small cloth held an image of his father¡¯s house sigil, though with red and black reversed and the open hand of House Allyrion had been replaced by the direwolf of House Stark. Daemon knew that, if the Gods were kind and Lord Eddard approved, then when he wed Alysanne this would become the sigil of their new house. They would have to speak on a name and words, but Daemon was set on the marking on Alysanne¡¯s token becoming the standard their family would carry forth. Turning, he walked toward a small window in the building, looking roughly southwest, in the direction of Sunspear. ¡°I will return to you, my winter rose,¡± he whispered to the wind, hoping it would carry his words to her ears. ¡°Until then, I will treasure our time together and do all I can to work on creating land worthy for you to live on with me.¡± As he kissed the cloth, he offered a prayer to the Gods ¨C Old and New ¨C that the future he dreamt of, that he fought for, would one day come true. ¡­ ¡­ Lifting the Shroud 3a (Cregan¡¯s POV) I barely managed to keep my fury down as I stood at the bow of the Kraken as we moved alongside one of only two free berths on the piers of this pirate port. My anger wasn¡¯t because the port was fighting back, far from it in fact. No rage was because there was no one here. The galleys of the port, six in total, were moored on other docks, and the port appeared fine, yet not a soul was present. Or at least not a soul was visibly present, though I doubted many if any were hidden inside any of the myriad of buildings that composed the port. Before we¡¯d moved towards the dock, I¡¯d spent time observing the port through my Myrish Eye. Rian had also flown over the port, and it was through his eyes I¡¯d seen somewhere around a hundred men move along the wide path to Koros¡¯ fortified settlement. While just a hundred men leaving the port might not be a major event, as the place should support up to five times that number, over the last ten days or so, I had watched as others had left. First, around two-hundred and fifty had left for the settlement to take part in the assault on Daemon¡¯s position. An attack that had failed spectacularly because of my bond with Rian and getting the intelligence to Daemon so he had time to prepare an ambush. After that, another roughly one-hundred and fifty men had gone to the fortified settlement after Koros¡¯ forces had been defeated by Daemon and his men. A further fifty had been pulled from the eastern port, but from the single recon I had done of that port, it appeared to be at near half-strength containing around four hundred bodies. Most of those would be pirates, but some might well be slaves or prisoners though if Koros had any of the latter, he would likely be holding them in his settlement. In other circumstances, I would have stopped a few days before arriving at this port and deployed a force of about a hundred men ¨C led by Ymir ¨C to move through the forest and prepare to cut off any attempted withdrawal. However, unlike previous battles where I had used that tactic, this port did not sit on a section of the coast that made such a move possible. As soon as my fleet had turned north toward this port, the coast was remarkably straight, and besides a few places that weren¡¯t large enough for anything more than the odd rowboat to put ashore, the coast was rocky and unsuitable for landings. Add in that I could see through my Eye the port after half a day¡¯s sail north, and the pirates there would know we were coming from them. Even sailing out into the Sea of Dorne, angling as if moving to simply pass their location had not been enough to lull them into a false sense of security. That was a sign the former command of this port was a smart man, as he understood that no fleet the size of mine could have arrived where we were without going past the port at the southern tip of the island ¨C whose port Jaeronos now controlled in my name ¨C and with knowledge of the failed battle, understood my fleet was hostile and chose to withdraw instead of throwing his men away in a battle they were very unlikely to win. The sound of the Kraken¡¯s hull brushed against the pier was the signal to drop my musings. I leapt from the bow, my armoured boots striking the pier with a crunch. The planks beneath me groaned, and in one place sounded as if they¡¯d cracked, but they held. I took a few steps forward before a far larger mass touched down with a grace I could never hope to match. That was Ymir who always insisted on being the first behind me, and as normal had his main coat upon him. It was growing tight around his midsection as he continued to grow, and might not stop an arrow at close range ¨C to say nothing of blades or other weapons of war ¨C but it offered him a layer of protection Which was what I wanted. I heard others land on the pier behind us. Some would be others moving to secure the port, the rest men mooring the war galley to the pier. On the bow, men would be surveying the port with the scorpions, seeking any hint of unexpected movement at which to fire. A faint cry from the skies above reminded me that Rian was there, keeping careful watch, though no hint of a need to show me anything helped reassure and annoy me that the port was deserted. Or at least the pirates had withdrawn, as the odds were that any slave unable to make the journey, or not worth the effort to bring and thus waste resources on, would be secured somewhere in the port. I moved forward quickly, reaching the docks in a few moments and then stood ready, prepared for any attack as Ymir and my men moved to join me. As expected, none came, but ever since the failed surrender-slash-ambush in the port Jaeronos now controlled, I refused to lower my guard until everywhere was secured. Hells, I was doing that before anyway, but ever since then, I felt my caution had grown. That ambush had failed, but the fact it had been allowed to take place at all was infuriating. As I looked around, I saw signs of recent occupation. Dice and cups sitting at a table, abandoned during the game the men had been playing. A still smoking fire under a pot that likely now held cold food. Nearby, plates rested on tables and the ground, flies beginning to gather at the exposed food. ¡°Spread out,¡± I said firmly yet softly to my men, ¡°and remain on guard. Do not discount the chance this might be an elaborate trap,¡± I added. Men moved off to my left and right as Ymir moved forward. Four men moved behind him, keeping their distance from the direwolf but staying close enough that if anyone attacked the beast they would be there to help. They might fear Ymir, but they knew better than to ignore my orders. I stayed on the dock, watching the men begin to spread out. Behind us, I heard one of the galleys move alongside the other side of the pier; the men there were quickly disembarking as my squires arrived at my sides. I might normally have them with me as soon as I jumped for the pier, but I was cautious about risking them on the small chance Rian and I had been wrong about the location of the pirates that should be manning this port. "Get those ships checked, now," I growled, my eyes scanning the docks. My men hesitated, sensing my mood, but they obeyed. Those galleys took up the other piers, meaning outside of the galley now mooring alongside the Kraken, the men had to come ashore via rowboats. Unlike some of the ports on Redwater, this one did not have the sandy beach that would allow a galley to ram the shore without anything more than minor damage. As Edric and Trystane moved away, both in full armour with swords drawn and shields high, men heading with them to obey my orders, my gaze continued to scan the port. Most of the dwellings were the same as in other ports: Single-storey wooden structures. However, three buildings were made of stone. Two were clearly storehouses based on their dimensions and large double doors that faced the dock. The other, however, wasn¡¯t and it was towards that building that I slowly moved. Given its position of prominence in sight of the docks and the better quality of its construction, it didn¡¯t take a Maester to know this would be the port commander¡¯s former office and dwelling. A glance behind confirmed that three men were coming with me, their roles to watch my back ensuring I wasn¡¯t moving alone around the potentially hostile location. As we reached the door to the commander¡¯s dwelling and office, I stepped back and let two of the men open the door. They entered cautiously, aware of the potential for a trap or ambush, though, after a half-dozen steps and no sounds of fighting or pain, I followed after them. While the commander would¡¯ve taken most of his valuables and treasure with him, I hoped he had left at least any books or maps he had. The maps might detail locations on the island or around it to explore or avoid while the books would give me something to read while the port was secured. The odds were good that I would have read anything I might find in this dwelling, but I was not going to allow my mind to grow blunt while I focused on combat against Koros and his men. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ The morning after taking the port, I found myself using the office in the building I¡¯d taken as my residence while here ¨C the former commander¡¯s dwelling ¨C listening to reports from my men. Right now, I was sitting with Edric, Trystane, Koryn, Myles, Clatton, and Miltar as they gave their reports. Clatton was a sellsword I¡¯d promoted to sergeant on the voyage to this port, his responsibility was the security of the port and the training and integration of the men under my command. Given most came from formerly serving pirate lords, and likely held grudges with others in my ranks, it was a thankless task even if, so far, there¡¯d been no scuffles or worse, but I knew that wouldn¡¯t last. Koryn had gone first, reporting that there¡¯d been no sign of pirates in the settlement, though about two dozen slaves had been found. All were, to be blunt about it, in no shape to do much of anything but remain subservient to others. They''re broken beyond help, their minds shattered by years of suffering. The fact that they are still alive is an insult to the gods. What the hell should I do with them? Well, save for letting them continue to serve, which was why one of them ¨C a man who could not remember his name ¨C stood in the corner of my room, keeping his distance from us and Kaa who was in his cage¨C I needed to get another cage soon as he was starting to get too big for his current accommodation ¨C and resting peacefully; pleased to be off the Kraken. Miltar had gone next, and he was still speaking. First, he had reported on the checks on the Kraken and the currently moored galley we¡¯d arrived with. As this was a larger port, and we would be here for some time ¨C Koros¡¯ settlement meant we couldn¡¯t simply sail on and engage Crann Snow ¨C I had ordered him and the other captains and crew of the warships to check each ship in turn while moored for any damage that needed fixing, or general cleaning of items like barnacles if possible. Snow controlled a single port on the shaft of land that extended north from Koros¡¯ territory. Nominally, he was subservient to Koros, but given the distances between their ports, and the fact that Snow¡¯s port lay far from any shipping lanes, I suspected that loyalty was weak. Something that the few of Koros¡¯ men who knew of Snow seemed to confirm. The Northern bastard would be if he chose to fight, little more than a road bump on my voyage around the north of The Shrouded Isle, but I hoped he might be persuaded to bend the knee without a fight. It would depend heavily on which Northern house he shared blood with, and how much of the North¡¯s almost instinctual need to serve the Starks was ingrained within him. ¡°The new ships are, from what we can tell, in usable condition,¡± Miltar continued as he seemed to be nearing the end of his report. ¡°However, we lack the men to crew them properly. At least if we expect to use them and the rest of the fleet in battle,¡± He added with a sigh. ¡°The lack of men here to bend the knee to you is starting to place a strain on our ability to man the vessels under your command.¡± I grunted, aware of the issue. ¡°Once the ships are checked for damage, and anything of value taken to one of the stores, we¡¯ll return to the matter.¡± I noticed Edric frown, as he was thinking carefully about something, but when he didn¡¯t say anything, I turned to Myles, so he could begin his report. ¡°No change to report since we spoke last night, mi¡¯lord,¡± he said slowly. ¡°Food and the like are well stocked, and one of the storehouses is three-quarters full of trade goods, but beyond that, nothing much new to report in the way of coin, gems, or jewellery.¡± I nodded, remembering the dozen giant rolls of silk ¨C possibly from Qarth or YiTi based on the style and quality ¨C that had a position of importance in the storehouse. Those alone would finance this expedition if I pulled back now, yet the other goods were almost as valuable as well. Yet anything small and valuable, such as coin and the like, hadn¡¯t been present. At least not outside of a few odd pouches found while searching the various buildings that had served as barracks for the pirates. The only thing of note had been a small chest ¨C about a metre long and a half in depth and height ¨C in the commander¡¯s private quarters. That had been half full of coin, though nothing more valuable than a Silver Moon. There had, based on the marks on the floor on either side of it, been two other chests there at one point, but I knew the commander had taken them ¨C and the higher-valued treasure within ¨C with him when he fled the port. ¡°Even then, I had doubted we would find much before we arrived,¡± I said slowly. ¡°The newest men to our ranks had been remarkably consistent in saying that outside the commanders of the larger ports like this one, and captains of a handful of warships, all the true valuables were taken to Koros¡¯ capital. Which just makes it even more important we take it,¡± I added, drawing a chuckle from the men present. ¡°Aye, mi¡¯lord. Still, we were lucky they did not spoil the food and wine left behind,¡± Myles commented, earning a nod from me. That had been a concern of mine as we¡¯d taken the port, as it would not have taken much to break the several dozen casks of wine and ale in one of the storehouses, nor to leave the food there ¨C such as it was ¨C exposed to the elements or ruined with sand and dirt. ¡°Probably because those they left will spoil quickly if we are not careful,¡± Koryn cut in, ¡°The drink is shit,¡± Koryn muttered, shaking his head in disgust. "Would¡¯ve been better if they¡¯d left us some decent food at least." I chuckled at that, agreeing with the assessment. Nothing in the storehouse was even on par with an Arbor Gold; to say nothing of a good Dornish Red or even a beer or stout from the North. ¡°Based on the tracks we found leading from the port along the path, it is clear they had carts to transport much of what they wanted, and with the open coast here, time to see us approach and thus move to take most of what they wanted with them.¡± ¡°There were no stables so how did they move the carts?¡± Trystane asked quietly. ¡°Slaves,¡± I grunted out, barely containing my anger at my answer. ¡°They would have used the slaves to pull and push the carts. At least those that could survive the journey and were worth taking.¡± ¡°Which is why those left behind are in such poor condition,¡± Miltar added with a shake of his head. The man had formerly been a pirate, but it seemed he either disliked the practice or more likely as he had once served The Bloodhawk, retained some hatred toward Koros and his men. ¡°Aye, and now we have to deal with them,¡± I responded. ¡°They probably expect us to kill them and be done with it,¡± I added in disgust. ¡°My Lord,¡± I turned to Edric to see him with a thoughtful expression on his face. ¡°Mi¡­¡± He paused and took a breath. ¡°Might we consider sending the slaves to Ser Jaeronos along with two or three of the galleys? He would be better placed to manage the former slaves and use the extra vessel than we would.¡± I nodded as I considered Edric¡¯s idea. ¡°Aye, that would work,¡± I said as I scratched my chin only to grumble at the stubble forming there. Not so much that I was growing a beard, but that, as I was still a fucking teenager, that it wasn¡¯t growing uniformly. Since we¡¯d been away from Northpoint for about three-quarters of a moon, the fact I had the stubble wasn¡¯t a surprise, but I hated how unevenly it was distributed. Ideally, I¡¯d get someone to trim it, but there were few men I¡¯d trust to hold a blade to my throat. ¡°If we send three of four galleys with skeleton crews, and then have one return we increase Jaeronos¡¯ ability to project power, get the slaves somewhere relatively safe, and ensure we do not have to leave vessels behind when the time comes to move on from this port.¡± I did plan to claim the port, the settlement, and the rest of Koros¡¯ territory in due time, but I wasn¡¯t yet near the point where I could start leaving behind significant numbers of men and equipment to secure every port I wanted to hold. Thus, I had to balance the desire to begin building the ports up like Northpoint with my need to wipe clean the island of pirate threats. Yes, sending the men away like that would leave me short-handed for a time, but they should be able to make the voyage there and back before Daemon and I assaulted the settlement. That battle was going to be bloody, but I¡¯d need to leave men in the port to secure the fleet so that, if things went badly, we could fall back and withdraw the fewer ships we might leave behind in that instance, the weaker Koros would be afterwards. I wasn¡¯t planning to fall back, but a wise leader had to consider the possibility of defeat if he wished to protect against it. ¡°How goes the search for Koros¡¯ scouts and saboteurs?¡± I asked the room, shifting the topic along while already considering when men to send to escort the ships and slaves to Jaeronos. ¡°So far we have yet to capture any, Mi¡¯lord,¡± Clatton responded slightly sheepishly. ¡°At least any in a condition that they might be persuaded to talk. ¡°Your beast is an excellent tracker, mi¡¯lord, but he tends to be rather¡­ brutal in his methods of taking down any who cross his path before we can return to the port with them.¡± I chuckled at the way Clatton¡¯s face paled as he spoke. ¡°Aye, he does prefer bloody takedowns: as one would expect of a direwolf. Still, while Koros¡¯ scouts will likely not provide anything of value, I will speak with Ymir so that he leaves those he finds in a condition that they might last long enough for at least some questioning.¡± Clatton nodded slowly, as if uncertain if I was being honest or simply stringing him along as the idea I could control a direwolf was one I didn¡¯t think many believed possible. ¡°Now, is there anything else that needs to be discussed?¡± I asked the room, feeling we had reached the end of the morning¡¯s meeting. When the men all shook their heads, I smiled and clapped my hands. ¡°Good. Return to your duties, though if something that you feel requires my attention arises, I expect to be found and notified immediately.¡± The four men stood, though Koryn froze as the action drew a loud, menacing hiss from Kaa¡¯s location. I bit back a chuckle as he eyed the viper nervously as, during the voyage to The Shrouded Isle, I had discovered that the man had a fear of snakes. Something that the presence of the nearly metre-and-a-half-long viper only made worse. Once the foursome had left the room, I stood and moved over to the cage. ¡°Hey there boy,¡± I said as I opened the door and extended my arm towards Kaa. ¡°You wanting out?¡± I asked as he moved closer and began to slide along my arm. I grunted slightly at the weight as he made his way to my shoulders and then wrapped himself around my neck. As he draped himself over my shoulders, his head shifting so he could see and taste the air about us, I turned to my squires. The pair had remained seated, knowing that I would be speaking to them more now the meeting was over. ¡°It seems that we now have time on land to kill. For now, I wish you two to head upstairs and find a quiet room in which to continue your meditations on magic, though make sure to avoid Rian as he was still resting when I came down. After midday, we shall spend time on the docks sparring as I feel it would serve you well to train on such uneven ground.¡± The boys nodded and stood, giving me a wider berth than normal due to Kaa¡¯s presence. While they understood I had complete control over the viper ¨C at least so long as neither of us was threatened ¨C they and others still felt it safer to keep their distance. Oberyn had made clear the danger of a bloodflower viper¡¯s venom, and with Kaa continuing to grow at an accelerated rate to our connection, that venom was even more potent. So much so that I suspected he could kill a horse with a single bite, if not an auroch: not that I had yet needed to test that theory, though I had a few ideas of how to use him during the siege. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I walked at the front of the long column as I led the majority of my men along the track that led from the port on The Shrouded Isle¡¯s western coast towards Koros¡¯ settlement. Of the roughly four hundred and fifty men I¡¯d taken the recently abandoned port with, I¡¯d left behind fifty to secure it under the command of Koryn. They would be joined by about sixty others who would return after dropping off three of my latest captured galleys and the dozens of slaves left in the port with Jaeronos to the south before they returned on a fourth galley that made up the small fleet. While a hundred-odd men were only enough to man the Kraken, they would be charged with making it appear that enough men to man the war galley and the nine galleys moored and anchored in the harbour could be crewed. While it was unlikely that anyone would come close to the port while we were besieging Koros¡¯ capital, I wasn¡¯t going to leave that many ships undefended. The rest of my men, around three hundred in total, were moving along the path behind me, or would be once it was their turn to depart the port. While some were moving out on the flanks along with Ymir, securing the forests so we didn¡¯t walk into an ambush, the majority would be travelling down the track. Daemon would be moving out from his port as well this morning, a missive sent a few days ago via Rian informing him of my intentions, to which he¡¯d replied and agreed to do the same as me. Like me, he would be leaving men behind to secure the port and fleet, though he had more men under his command to do that with, though the counter was it would take longer for his men to reach the settlement, and then create a camp large enough for his men. Clearing away part of the forest was going to be a fucking pain, but the downed trees could be used in the construction of the various equipment I expected us to need for assaulting the fortified location. Things such as ladders, battering rams, and even portable palisades were going to be needed to not just take the place, but limit our losses. As much as I would prefer to sweep through the island, if we chose to attack the walls of the settlement ¨C which I¡¯d seen via Rian were being rebuilt ever since Koros had lost his battle against Daemon ¨C the loss in men would render my plans to take and hold The Shrouded Isle null and void before I¡¯d even taken half the ports upon it. Koros might only have about half to seventy per cent of the men I had under my combined command, but with the high ground and behind fortified walls, and even with additional support possible from his remaining port far to the east, he could bleed us dry if we rushed into battle unprepared. While the preparations for the assault were underway, I planned to use Rian and the gulls to fully scout the settlement from above, Ymir in the forests and hills around it, and if the opportunity arose, slip Kaa inside to maybe take out the odd guard or two. However, I knew I had to be careful with Kaa as unlike Rian who flew high above, or Ymir who could take down any pirate with ease, Kaa had to rely on stealth and guile to both move around and attack, and as he was so long, it was getting harder for him to do so. Still, I knew I could find uses for him, and with a few days of marching, followed by more of creating the area for the camp, I suspected I¡¯d come up with ideas for how to use him in the prelude and afterwards of the siege and assault on the settlement. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ ¡°You look like shit.¡± I grunted at the comment as I approached Daemon. ¡°I would say fuck you, but you¡¯re not my type,¡± I shot back without any real venom as we clasped forearms. I saw a few of the people nearby give us looks as if we¡¯d suddenly grown second heads, but I ignored them. Instead, as we laughed at each other, we shared a manly hug. ¡°Well played with the battle,¡± I said as we broke the hug, still smiling. ¡°You led him in perfectly, though I¡¯m fucking jealous you had a proper battle. All I¡¯ve had was a small skirmish at sea and then a pathetic attempt at an ambush.¡± Daemon chuckled as he turned and guided me into his camp. ¡°You were the one who chose to sail to the west and then north, not I,¡± he countered with a grin. ¡°Still, you¡¯ll get your battle soon enough,¡± He added with a jerk of his thumb towards the north. There, just out of sight of his camp, lay Koros¡¯ fortified settlement. The front of his camp, unlike mine, was in clear view of the settlement though far enough back that it was safe from enemy archers. Both camps, however, had spread out into the forests around us, and while his men were still hard at work to expand the area to support more of his men. I glanced southwards to see men still filtering into his camp, making clear the disparity in the size of our forces. My camp was already coming along nicely by the time I¡¯d headed into the forest separating my camp from Daemon¡¯s, whereas this place had a long way to go before it was ready. Off to one side, I saw several men scamper back quickly as Ymir emerged from the forest. ¡°Attack him and I¡¯ll fucking end you,¡± I growled as I saw men I didn¡¯t recognize move to draw their blades. That, along with Daemon glaring and Ymir¡¯s head snapping in their direction, almost daring them to attack him, was enough to have the men back down and then move off. ¡°On you go,¡± I said to Ymir, ¡°see what you can find over there.¡± The direwolf snorted and gave a fractional nod before moving off, intending to head to the east to begin scouting there. He¡¯d already done some preliminary scouting of the forests to the north and east of my camp; enough that he¡¯d brought back the bodies of two barely alive scouts, along with something that might be nothing, but I felt was something. Now, he would track through the forest to the east of Daemon¡¯s camp with orders to alert me through our bond if he found anything of note. ¡°As for taking the settlement, it¡¯s not going to be as easy as you might think,¡± I said to Daemon as he led me deeper into his still-developing camp. ¡°Since my last missive, he¡¯s been working on further preparations for the coming battle. Daemon frowned at hearing this. ¡°That is troubling news,¡± he commented, ¡°though let us keep such discussions until we reach my command tent.¡± I nodded in agreement and walked alongside him. On each side of the camp, back from the front, men were working to take down trees. While those would be used in the construction of siege equipment, for now, the focus was on clearing a large enough area to house all the tents and other structures needed to house the men while the siege was taking place. Cloth was an issue, though it appeared Daemon had borrowed the sails from some, if not most of his ships, whereas I had been able to take some of the trade goods left the port where my fleet was docked for this purpose. Yes, it would mean wasting much of the rolls of cotton and linen there, but I was uncertain when we would have the ability to move the giant rolls from this isle to somewhere we might be able to sell them. Particularly when the rolls of silk were easily worth twenty to thirty times the price of the linen. I made a note to check, once my camp was complete and I had returned if there was any linen and cloth leftover, and if so, to have it transported through the forest to Daemon. Currently, there was no path between the camps, and with the paths only joining outside the walls of Koros¡¯ settlement, we would need at least a navigable track through the forest so that regular messages could be sent, to ensure scouts and saboteurs didn¡¯t slip between us to cause trouble, and to coordinate the assault once it was time for that. As we moved through the camp, the heads of many turned our way. Most, seeming to recognize me, lowered their heads or nodded in my direction, and I returned the second gesture. A small number didn¡¯t however, though I noted that most of those were men formerly loyal to Allerion who were, bar the relatively small number of men formerly loyal to Koros that I had in my ranks, the newest members of my forces and thus those most likely to not trust me. As I saw a group of men that had bent the knee with Rakakz, I turned to Daemon. ¡°How is our newest captain behaving?¡± ¡°So far he has not stepped out of line,¡± Daemon replied with a hint of annoyance. ¡°He fought well in the battle and obeyed my orders. However, I grow concerned that it will only be a matter of time until he attempts to wrest control of this army from your hands, and that your abilities are greater than he understands.¡± Daemon stopped as we reached the entrance to his tent. ¡°He has an inkling of how you managed to ambush his fleet not long after we landed on Redwater, though he remains unaware of just how you managed it, believing it to have been a stroke of luck for you at having a fleet at sea that his ships missed or ignored.¡± I grunted in irritation. ¡°I did wonder when he might start putting the pieces together or at least voice them publicly,¡± I said before shaking my head. ¡°Perhaps after Koros is defeated, we can hint to him privately about the bonds I share with Ymir, Rian, and Kaa.¡± ¡°I would be shocked if he did not already have suspicions,¡± Daemon replied with an amused chuckle. ¡°The men already talk about your connection to House Stark since you are one of only two in Westeros to have a direwolf at your side.¡± I snorted in agreement, remembering that Robb had Quicksilver. The fact he had named his direwolf after a Targaryen dragon still amused me to this day. ¡°There are even some who feel you are Azor Ahai reborn,¡± He added with a grin. ¡°Oh, for fuck¡¯s sake,¡± I grumbled as my head drooped and I shook it. ¡°I thought we had removed most of the followers of R¡¯hllor from our ranks in previous battles?¡± ¡°It seems that either we missed some, or the stories they told about you and your flaming sword travelled among the men and they have now taken that up.¡± Dameon clasped me on the shoulder. ¡°Do not worry. While igniting Red Rain is a simple action given your gifts, you have yet to lead us into battle with their Great Other. Nor birth a dragon from stone,¡± he added with a chuckle as he shook his head. ¡°Though if you do, I will pay a good fortune to see the faces of the Great lords who learn one not of Targaryen descent could do so.¡± ¡°Not helping,¡± I growled back, my thoughts turning to Alysanne. She was a daughter ¨C be it a bastard one ¨C of House Targaryen, and had a dragon egg. When we had last spoken, she assured me that none knew of it, but it was only a matter of time until someone in Sunspear learnt of it. I knew with The Price of Blood unlocking my ability for Blood Magic, and the dreams I was having about how there was some potential connection between that branch of magic and dragons, I did wonder if I could help Alysanne hatch her egg. She was not Jon, and that alone fucked up so much of how events at The Wall would go, first with the Wildlings and then, Gods help us when the Others marched upon it with their army of the dead. However, as she was also a girl, her ability to influence events was even smaller than the opportunities Jon had gained. She could not hold a title, not unless she married some minor, unimportant lord somewhere, nor would anyone take her seriously as a threat to the throne or care for her words. At least not without a dragon at her side. Yet, if I could help her birth such a creature ¨C the Red Comet was about two years from appearing in the skies above us ¨C the odds were good that many in Westeros and beyond would move to kill her and either do the same with her dragon or claim it as their own. As I was against marrying my cousin ¨C for a myriad of reasons ¨C I needed someone at her side who would not only know of her heritage but care for and defend her to his last breath. While a fellow bastard, Daemon was a good match in that sense, and from how he spoke longingly for her, he was genuinely falling in love with her, which was why I supported their union. However, short of joining the Night¡¯s Watch, and thus assuming the role that Jon had played, there was little I could do at The Wall to keep events on track. That was something I had no interest in doing as it would lock my fate into the Watch, which was something I couldn¡¯t do. Not when I had a child on the way ¨C bastard they might be, but they were my progeny ¨C and I wanted to do what I could to leave them something in whatever world came into being after the Others were, Gods-willing, defeated. About the only thing I had going for me that I had more than just a few years to prepare for the arrival of the Others, was that this timeline might not match the show or books ¨C though I had only read the first. I recalled, though slightly unclearly for some strange reason, that GRRM had spoken of wanting there to have been five or so years between the Wildlings and the Others attacking The Wall. While I wasn¡¯t working on that being the case, I did hope there was some sort of gap of at least a few years, so that I and all of Westeros had time to prepare for the coming second Long Night. Daemon seemed to grow concerned as I remained silent, lost in my thoughts, and with his hand on my shoulder, guided me into his command tent. It was a minor thing, but his tent was bigger than mine when it should be the other way around as all men in this camp were sworn to me not him. However, as he had more men to command here than I did in my camp, I could accept the need for him to have a larger tent. Plus, as I looked around, I understood this tent had been brought aboard the Pride when we¡¯d first set sail for Redwater. The tent, and most of the others, had never been needed there, but at least now it and others were seeing use, even if I wished we could blitz The Shrouded Isle as we had Redwater. as the inner flap of the tent was pulled back, I saw a familiar face standing there. ¡°Jekar,¡± I said to Daemon¡¯s squire. ¡°My Lord,¡± He replied with a bow. I still disliked being called a lord by my men but had learnt to accept it as to them, even if none in Westeros or Essos recognized me as one, I held domain over an island. Well, technically two but Redwater was currently abandoned whereas Dustspear was little more than a single growing village. ¡°I see you are getting used to your title,¡± Daemon said with a chuckle as he moved toward a large rectangular table that had been set up in the centre of the tent. ¡°Your title might only exist in the minds of your men, but that is enough for many.¡± ¡°How honoured I am that a group of sellswords and former pirates consider me their lord,¡± I grumbled as I moved toward the table as well. The table was one I knew came from the Howl as I had a similar table on the Kraken ¨C having taken them both from Redwater. As I approached the table, I saw a small stack of parchment near where Daemon sat, a longer look confirmed those were the missives I¡¯d sent him via Rian since he had landed on this isle. ¡°We all have to start somewhere,¡± he shot back as he sat. ¡°Remember that there is also the population of Northpoint and the rather impressive haul of coin and treasure you have collected from Redwater. I suspect you have enough to purchase the hand of a trueborn daughter of many houses in Dorne and beyond.¡± I grunted as I sat, uncomfortable with his comment even though there was truth in it. Bride prices were common enough that, even though I was a bastard, with the treasure I had, I could probably purchase a trueborn lady as my wife, but I had no intention of doing so. As for Northpoint, there I had no issue with the matter. While small, being around six hundred villagers and about a third that in Watch and seamen, the settlement was mine, though I seemed to spend half a moon away for every day I was present. ¡°Where are Cayde and Rakakz?¡± I asked, turning the conversation back to current matters. While Cayde being present would not require us to watch what was said and revealed, Rakakz¡¯s presence would cause an issue. ¡°Cadye remains in the port. Even though it costs us a skilled blade, I felt it wise to leave him there to oversee the defences on the chance Koros sends some of his vessels to test our rear. As for The Gilded Hand, he is gathering about fifty men to scout the forest to our east and the path from the fort to the remaining pirate port. Ideally, I will create a camp near that path so we can intercept men and supplies moving between them, but I need to determine the lay of the land first.¡± ¡°That makes sense, though I would suggest you alert Rakakz before he leaves that Ymir is now in the same area he intends to scout. I would hate to lose men to a misunderstanding,¡± I add, not fearing any of them bar perhaps The Gilded Hand himself, from being able to threaten or hurt my direwolf. ¡°As would I. Jekar, would you see that Rakakz is alerted to the issue.¡± The boy nodded and then raced from the tent leaving us alone. ¡°Now, would I be correct in assuming you have already scouted the surrounding forests?¡± ¡°Aye. Both with men and via my companions.¡± I reach into a pouch I have brought with me and pull out two rolls of parchment. ¡°This is the one using information from my scouts, with a few added details as possible things,¡± I said, sliding the first roll onto the table. ¡°This one, however, includes everything Rian and Ymir had discovered.¡± I unroll that parchment, which contains a simple map of the island along with details I have been adding to ever since leaving Bronn in The Whores. The first parchment would remain with Daemon, granting him knowledge of what my scouts had so far discovered, and what little I had learnt from men formerly loyal to Koros that had bent the knee to me at the first two ports I took, but what was on the currently unrolled map he would have to commit to memory, and I could see his eyes studying it intently already. Before I returned to my camp, I would ask Daemon, if he had not already, to add details about the island from those he had captured and had bent to the knee to him after the battle at his port. While it was unlikely they could add anything major to the map that I didn¡¯t already know, I hoped one or two might know something of the internal layout of the settlement. For the siege to not only succeed, but ensure no damage to the supplies and treasure within, I needed to know the locations of the barracks, slave quarters, storehouses, armoury, and treasure room. I already knew a few of those locations, but until I could confirm the locations of all of them, I remained hesitant to mark my suspicions on the map. If the men now in Daemon¡¯s ranks could not offer anything of use, I was considering sending Kaa in for a few night-time scouting missions. He could move through the settlement better than most and should be able to take out the odd guard or two if the chance arose. ¡°Is this a hidden path?¡± Daemon asked, pointing at a faint wavy line that was heading northwest from the settlement. ¡°Aye. Ymir found it last night and while I would not let him explore it fully, based on the way it winds around the hills and near the settlement while generally moving towards the nearby coast, I suspect it is an escape route Koros had created. Or perhaps one made by one of the pirates who ruled here before him.¡± ¡°Logical,¡± Daemon commented, his gaze on the little section of the coast where the land suddenly jutted north. There was a very slight inlet there according to the map I had. ¡°A way to fall back if the worst happened makes perfect sense. If there is a hidden port or cave large enough for a galley, he could move his most valuable treasures and loyal men there and depart, either to regroup or live out his life in luxury until the end of his coin or life.¡± ¡°that is my thinking on the matter as well,¡± I said with a smirk. ¡°I do not think he has anything bar one or two vessels there if he is even aware of the location, but the longer the siege goes on, and the more desperate he becomes, the greater the chance he tries to slip away in the dark of one moonless night.¡± ¡°You are set on a siege then?¡± Dameon asked, looking up at me. ¡°Aye. I would prefer to smash through the place, but the loss of life would be too great for us to continue the campaign,¡± I explained slowly. ¡°Add in that this settlement, if taken intact, will bring us almost all of Koros¡¯ bounty, which given what was left in the port where my fleet is berthed has to be impressive, and also a logical place to begin development of the island like with Northpoint, and I have little choice but to slow the assault of the isle.¡± I tapped the port where my fleet was based. ¡°Entan remains in command of my fleet, though with orders to have eight scorpions removed from the galleys ¨C not the Kraken ¨C and brought to my camp. They will be useful for both the siege and the assault.¡± ¡°I will have orders sent to Cayde for him to do the same,¡± Daemon said, drawing a nod from me. ¡°It will cost us much to take the fort after a siege, but I concur that we cannot assault it early.¡± He smirked as if enjoying some private jest. ¡°If we take it intact, and Jaeronos and Bronn can hold their positions, then you will control trade along the Dornish side of the Steps, from which your true plans can develop.¡± I tilted my head, wondering what he thought my plans were. ¡°I was there when you crafted your missive to Salladhor Saan,¡± He continued, ¡°when you offered the potential for a future alliance between you, him, and The Lotus Prince. Saan and the Prince are two of the three pirate lords we know that do not engage in piracy, and instead earn their living offering ships safe passage through the waters they control, even supposedly attacking ships under the banners of other pirates. It does not take a Maester to determine your intent is to offer the same passage to any ship that wishes to travel along the Dornish coast from Sunspear to the Broken Arm. ¡°If it works, you will control trade around the sea of Westeros from White Harbour to Lannisport and across the Narrow Sea.¡± I chuckled and shook my head, impressed that he had determined my goals. ¡°You are correct,¡± I said slowly. ¡°It will take years, if not decades, to develop that sort of power, however. Still, if I make no further move than Bloodstone, I will control the three largest islands in the Stepstones and as word gets out of my efforts to develop the islands, I expect more and more people will wish to move here, and that is just as valuable. ¡°If I moved to simply control the trade routes, then I would be facing constant threats from other pirates, and potentially the former Triarchy and Volantis. By developing the islands into settlements and ports under my control, I can use their presence to buy myself time to build up my fleet and prepare to take control of the seas around most of the Stepstones; something that Sann, The Lotus Prince, and Marys Valtaris already do on a far smaller scale.¡± ¡°This is true, but at least now, going forward I understand the full scope of your intentions in the Steps. That will make it easier for me to consider any moves I make on your behalf. I would also consider explaining this to Cayde, Jaeronos and Bronn when you can. All three, while below me in the chain of command, might already have some inkling of your true motivations and could make good governors of your holdings.¡± ¡°Fair enough,¡± I replied with a chuckle, ¡°though for now, we should focus on the settlement ¨C the fact it lacks a name is irritating ¨C and the best ways we can take it with as little long-term damage as necessary. Not at the expense of our men though.¡± I leaned forward and pointed at the wall of the settlement. ¡°Koros has worked to fix and reinforce the walls, building a handful of new watchtowers around the walls. The rest of the wall, however, has no walkway meaning that anyone inside and not in the watchtower will have to either be in another building to see over the walls or, if they have the arrows for it, fire blindly in our general direction. ¡°He¡¯s been sending out teams to cut down trees and gather resources for a siege, though three of those teams have been intercepted. The four slaves we captured haven¡¯t yet revealed much as they remain scared to cross their masters,¡± I growled out that word with enough venom that Daemon¡¯s brow rose, ¡°however the two pirates we took alive confirmed the locations of all the watchtowers, the main barracks and Koros¡¯ residence.¡± I pointed to those in turn, knowing they were marked on the other less accurate but more public map I¡¯d quickly created. ¡°It seems that I arrived quicker than he expected, and with Ymir being¡­ well, Ymir, we were able to intercept his teams before they knew we were there.¡± ¡°With you having cut off teams in the west, and aware my men would be coming from the south, he will focus on the east and north,¡± Daemon said, tapping the approximate places on the map. ¡°While there is little we can do to stop him sending teams here,¡± He pointed at a section of the map northeast of the settlement, ¡°we can limit his ability to roam to the east while, assuming Ymir¡¯s up for it, you can send men to the northwest.¡± ¡°I expect he¡¯ll pull back all but a handful of teams once he knows your camp is here. Even then, they would only operate if they could slip from the settlement without being seen. I will also have to be cautious of any scouts he sends out. If he learns my force is only a few hundred strong, he may choose to sally forth in strength with the intent to overrun me before you are aware. ¡°To make it worse, he has cleared the ground around the settlement back about fifty metres, making it hard to get close to the walls without being seen and as the paths merge at the walls, we will have to clear a track between the camps to ensure we have easy lines of communication.¡± ¡°The track will have to be far enough back that they do not know what we are doing even if they hear us taking down trees.¡± Daemon paused and grunted. ¡°It is a shame that we have encountered a pirate with a basic understanding of land warfare,¡± He muttered. ¡°Aye, and it gets worse,¡± I added, pointing at the area just outside the walls of the settlement. ¡°There has been no effort to strengthen the ground, so it is nothing more than loose dirt. Any attack at the walls is not only a dead man¡¯s run but carries the risk of battering rams for the gates might get caught in the ground, to say nothing of the dangers of even a light squall turning the area into a mud pit and forcing us to delay an attack.¡± ¡°Beyond two rams, we should not need much more in the way of equipment,¡± Daemon said, pondering the matter. ¡°The walls are but a few stories high?¡± I nodded. ¡°Then ladders and grapples will be enough, though if as you say there is no walkway behind the wall, then the only places to attempt to get over would be at the watchtowers. No doubt Koros will have a second line of defence prepared for any such breach.¡± ¡°He does,¡± I said pointing at a few small buildings just back of the walls. ¡°New watchtowers further back, along with a few other potential surprises. However, I have a few ideas on how to deal with those before we assault the place,¡± I said with a vicious smirk. Daemon leaned closer, curious about my thoughts. Koros was preparing for a long siege, but I could do so as well. As long as The Bloodhawk in particular, and other pirates elsewhere in the Steps, remained unaware of Koros¡¯ predicament, and the false strength in manpower of my fleets, then I could take my time as well. However, I knew that this siege could not keep us bogged down too long. The longer we dallied, the greater the chance someone would realise what was going on and either target Daemon¡¯s port or those controlled by Jaeronos and Bronn to cut my lines. While we could handle the loss of the latter two, losing the fleet under Daemon¡¯s command would cripple my plans worse than tossing men at the settlement in a blind rush. Neither option was one I wanted to occur, but I knew the Gods were a bunch of fickle fucks, so all I could do was hope they if they truly existed, were backing my actions. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ Lifting the Shroud 3b I woke to the sound of rain clattering into the tent and barely managed to restrain a roar of anger. ¡°Fucking rain,¡± I muttered as I rolled from my cot and stood on the rug beside it. Stretching my arms and then working out the kinks of having to sleep in the cot, I let my mind play over the last roughly quarter moon. After speaking with Daemon and developing our strategy, I had returned to my camp. The day after arriving, we had finally cleared enough of the forest to get tents placed out for everyone to bunk in. Some of the men were jammed in a little, but it hadn¡¯t seemed like a major issue as the construction of the various pieces of equipment we¡¯d need for the assault shouldn¡¯t take long to create, nor had they. However, eight days since the camp was completed, we hadn¡¯t yet begun the assault as, as work on the battering ram was nearing completion, Rian had alerted me to an issue. To the north, forming in the Narrow Sea but barrelling our way was a stormfront. With the knowledge it was coming before anyone spotted it, I began preparations to weather the storm and alerted Daemon to the issue. Yet by the end of the first day of the storm lashing the island, it became clear that this wasn¡¯t going to be a simple storm that blew over us. By that first night, we had been forced into emergency repairs as, because we had chosen a relatively flat section of ground to base the camp in, it turned out that some of that was part of the forest floor that was prone to flooding. Half the tents had to be moved and even as the rain and winds lashed the camp, everyone had been forced into emergency work to recover the tents that had been flooded and clear new ground to move the tents to. We¡¯d done what we could to dry out the tents before putting them back into use and rotated men in and out of the other tents, but already we¡¯d lost three men to pneumonia with another dozen likely to pass away in the coming days if the weather didn¡¯t ease up. To make matters worse, the path back to the port was now all but blocked as a cart we¡¯d found in the port and repaired had become stuck in the mud. While the supplies it had been carrying had been salvaged, the cart was now stuck in such a place and way that it was only possible to pass by in single file. Add in that the ground was a fucking mire, and it meant we¡¯d been cut off from the port for the last three days. The track through the forest to Daemon¡¯s camp was just about still passable, but with no ability to send anything but runners along it, it was barely used currently. The last message I¡¯d received from Daemon said his men were coping as well as they could with the storm and that he had sent many back to the port for better lodgings, which at least meant his route to a port remained, for the time being, passable. Once I¡¯d finished stretching, I pulled on extra clothes to fight off the coolness in the air because of the rain and wind outside and then my boots. With that done, I moved to Kaa¡¯s cage. The viper lifted his head as I neared and hissed irritably. ¡°Yeah I know,¡± I said as I opened the door of the cage and slid my hand inside. ¡°Rain fucking sucks.¡± Unlike even Rian and me ¨C forgetting Ymir who was already outside wandering in the rain-soaked forest ¨C Kaa was built for warm, dry climates, not the almost tropical rainforest we were currently experiencing. Kaa slithered forward, moving over my arm, taking the chance to get out of the cage for at least a short while. He needed a new one, yet I wasn¡¯t sure when or where I could find something that would be big enough to hold him and the items in the current cage without the bars also being too wide, meaning he could slip out whenever he wanted. Once he was out and had settled around my torso, I turned and moved slowly. He was no longer a small, and thus light, viper but his weight, girth, and size weren¡¯t yet at the point where I struggled to move with him wrapped around me. As I turned, an irritated chirp-slash-whistle came from Rian. Currently, the Sunfyre eagle was resting on a stand that I¡¯d brought from the Kraken when I¡¯d returned to collect Kaa. Rian had gone out a few times each day since the storm had made landfall, however, he was never out long and always returned infuriated at having to dry off again. It was so bad that he actively fought against me the one time I¡¯d wanted to take him up to scout Koros¡¯ settlement. Well, fort. Now, I didn¡¯t consider it a fort, but Daemon did as did the other men, so I¡¯d altered my opinion on the matter. Anyway, because of Rian¡¯s reluctance to go out in the storm for any length of time, he¡¯d accepted me using the gulls I had with me. I¡¯d lost one of them when I¡¯d misjudged flying in the high winds of a storm and had been lucky to slip from the bird¡¯s mind before it slammed into the unfortunate pirate on guard duty at the fort at that time. Since then, I¡¯d not used the gulls often, only going out for a short burst to confirm Koros and his men were remaining bunkered down in their fort, though I was cursing him as the fort had proper buildings designed to withstand the elements if not potentially a cave they could shelter in while my men and I remained exposed to the elements. The only thing I was sure that was not going Koros¡¯ way was that he was no longer sending out scouts towards either my camp or Dameon¡¯s. Ymir, along with a small detachment of men who rotated the duty, had done a wonderful job of taking out any scout before they could report back to Koros. Hells, Ymir was so successful that my men refused to move in the same section of forest as him on the chance they might meet the fate of Koro¡¯s scouts. However, some of that might be because Ymir often left the scouts in rather bloody conditions after he found and took them out and I suspected that, when the men gave him a wide berth as he moved around the camp, Ymir enjoyed the fear he sensed from my men. ¡°Mi¡¯lord.¡± I turned at the call from the flap leading to the outer section of the tent where my guards stood. ¡°Yes?¡± the flap lifted, and I saw Ballar enter. He stopped after a few steps, just enough that the flap could drop without striking his wet person. His eyes widened as he saw Kaa resting on my shoulders, the viper hissing irritably at the interruption. ¡°M-mi¡¯lord. Two of the scouts you sent north have returned with news.¡± I nodded at his words, remembering that before the storm had arrived, I¡¯d sent four men north with instructions to locate and then follow the hidden path to see where it led. Through Rian¡¯s eyes, at least before the storm struck the isle, I¡¯d failed to discern what was there, seeing no hidden port along the coast, so I hoped the scouts had encountered better luck. Ballar turned back and pulled open the flap. One of the guards on the other side ¨C men kept dry by the extra entranceway to my tent ¨C pulled it fully back. A moment later, a short, wet, and very muddy man entered. ¡°Tranis, was it?¡± I said softly, one hand scratching Kaa under his jaw to calm him at the new presence in his domain. I knew I had the name right as thanks to Emotionless Recall, I remembered every name and face I had ever encountered. Thanks to that, it was easy to convince the men that I was interested in them, their lives, and their goals whenever we talked. ¡°Yes, mi¡¯lord,¡± Tranis said, his eyes keeping low as I saw him shiver though there was a spark of something ¨C possibly amazement ¨C when I guessed his name. ¡°You and your team managed to find the destination of the track?¡± ¡°we did, mi¡¯lord. However, only Aren and me came back. The other two stayed to keep watch.¡± He paused and grimaced. ¡°I do not know how they are doing mi¡¯lord as the weather¡­¡± ¡°Aye, it¡¯s bad,¡± I finished for him. ¡°Hopefully they found somewhere to shelter and wait out the storm.¡± Tranis nodded. ¡°Now,¡± I continued, moving a chair over for him to sit in, ¡°while Ballar gets you some clean clothes and fresh food, tell me what you found.¡± I¡¯d have him look over my maps later, once he was dry and rested, but for now, an oral report would be fine. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ Three days later, after the storm had finally broken itself on the island, I was walking through the track toward Daemon¡¯s camp. The path was, to be kind, a bog, and if not for the fact I was wearing my sabatons, I was sure my feet would already be damp and caked in mud. Though given the way I struggled to not sink into the ground with each step, I knew it would only take one misstep and I¡¯d be covered in mud. I¡¯d already passed by the small stopover that we had created along the forest track linking our camps, along with a handful of lookout points to monitor for scouts. However, after over a quarter-moon of almost non-stop rain, the points and stopover were all but washed away. Thankfully, the weather had prevented Koros from sending out many if any scouts. The stopover and lookout points would have to be rebuilt soon, as would those to the north of my camp and whatever Daemon had placed to the east of his camp. However, for that to happen we needed the weather to hold for a few more days, which was sadly looking unlikely as Rian had already spotted another storm to the north. While not as large as the one that had nested on this island, from its current size, it would further delay the siege, which left us in a race of hoping the ground dried up enough that we could assault the fort before it arrived over the island. Failing that, we would have to hope it was nowhere near as strong as the storm we¡¯d just endured, or that it moved to the east or west of us, saving us from the worst of its ravages. ¡°Fucking bloody Gods-damn mud!¡± I snarled as my boot slipped and only getting a hand onto a nearby tree stopped me from face-planting into the ground. ¡°And fuck the rain that caused it!¡± I snarled at the skies. My head snapped to my right as I felt a burst of amusement. ¡°Oh, fuck you too,¡± I spat at Ymir. He was a good fifty metres to my south ¨C at least I thought it was south as I couldn¡¯t see the sun to be sure and was just working on the idea I was heading generally east ¨C and while hidden in the darkness of the canopy of the forest, my enhanced eyesight and the bond I shared with him allowed me to find him in an instant. The giant direwolf was no doubt had mud up to his knees, yet unlike me and any of my men, he seemed to almost be revelling in the damp, muddy conditions. Now, he wasn¡¯t moving with the same grace as he normally would, nor I suspected as quietly as the ground squelched whenever anything was pushed into it. However, he was still built for these conditions better than I was. He gave me a snort, or at least I thought it was a snort, before turning and heading further south. Based on what I could sense from him, he was hungry and wanted to see what he could find to hunt and eat. Given he¡¯d spent perhaps too much time over the last nearly half-moon since we¡¯d left the port eating human flesh, it would do the men good to learn he still ate other forms of meat. I resumed my trek to Daemon¡¯s camp, cursing every few steps at having to fight my way through the mud. Next time I was just going to send Rian or a gull with a message for him to come to me. As I neared his camp, two men shifted. ¡°Who goes there?¡± One called out as they drew their blades. ¡°Get the fuck out of my way or I¡¯ll burn you alive!¡± I snarled as I came into sight. Yes, they were doing their assignments and were alert to threats, but after taking nearly an hour to trek along a path that had taken me barely twenty before the storm had struck the island, and with mud covering south of my knees, I had no patience for anyone trying to get in my way. ¡°M-mi¡¯lord,¡± the one who¡¯d challenged said as he recognized me and sheathed his blade. ¡°F-forgive me.¡± I growled as I emerged fully from the forest and made my way towards the camp, ignoring the two fuckers. The first thing I noticed was that there appeared to be less damage to the tents I could see than those in my camp and then that two new large tents ¨C the same size as the ones Daemon and I used as command tents ¨C had been set up near Daemon¡¯s since I was last here. ¡°Ser Daemon is not there, mi¡¯lord,¡± The guard called out as I moved toward Daemon¡¯s tent. I turned back to him and his companion with a snarl. ¡°He is currently with the newcomers.¡± My anger brought forth by the muddy trek fell away as I turned in the direction the guard had pointed. A second later, my ears caught the sound of steel clashing against steel, followed by what sounded like shouting and cheering. I gave the guard a nod of thanks, figuring he deserved that much, and then moved towards the sounds. The idea that there were newcomers here was unexpected, as was the fact that no one seemed concerned about it, nor the sound of weapons clashing against each other. As I drew closer, the sounds of the voices became clearer, I confirmed the men were cheering on whoever was fighting, though as I neared, I had to slow. A crowd had gathered around whoever was fighting, making it hard to who was fighting. ¡°Move,¡± I growled out at those in front of me. The men either didn¡¯t hear me or chose to ignore me, though they failed to do so when I grasped the shoulder of the closest one and pulled him back. ¡°I said move,¡± I snarled. The man I¡¯d pulled stumbled back while his comrades, after realising who I was, removed their hands from their blades and stepped back to let me pass. The next rank of viewers, having heard the commotion behind them, turned and shifted to let me step near enough that I could see two men fighting in full armour. One of them was Daemon as I recognized his sigil, though the young man ¨C or possibly just a small man ¨C wore one I¡¯d never seen before. The standard of House Fowler seemed to be the base of the sigil, though instead of the white background behind the eagle of House Fowler, this man had chosen black. As the newcomer moved around, his blade clashing with Daemon¡¯s as they tested each other¡¯s defences, I saw perhaps a dozen other men standing around the circle watching this spar ¨C it was clear after a few moves that neither combatant was trying to kill the other ¨C all with sigils on their surcoat or armour. Some I recognized from tourneys and jousts around Dorne over the last few years, but why these knights were here was still unknown. Along with the dozen or so knights, there appeared to be about three to four times that number of men I¡¯d never seen before. Some had armour close to the standard of a knight, but most didn¡¯t. However, each of them was better armed and armoured than any former pirates in my ranks confirming they were sellswords, though again, it remained unclear who they were and where they had come from. Watching the spar more closely it was clear that the newcomer Daemon was sparing with was while skilled, young, and prone to mistakes I remember having in my style. At least until I was thrown into the crucible of actual combat. Yes, I¡¯d yet to face off against armoured opponents on the battlefield, but with Daemon, Bronn, Cayde, and Jaeronos around to spar with ¨C for the most part ¨C I knew I was still improving rapidly. So much so that only Daemon and Bronn remained above me, with me feeling I was close to taking the former. Or I would be once I was sixteen and my Agility and Strength limits increased again. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. I hoped that would be enough to give me the edge to defeat Daemon, as I¡¯d rather be able to do so before I turned seventeen and the restrictions on those physical stats were removed. While I understood the logic of the restrictions when I was younger, getting stuck at a limit over the last year or so, particularly now I was actively involved in a war of my own making, was irritating. Yes, both current maximum values (24 for Strength and 28 for Agility) were comfortably above the average of this world of 20, but not enough that they granted me an immense advantage against others; particularly not those who were better skilled than me. The newcomer, thankfully, wasn¡¯t one such fighter, and with a deft move ¨C a shuffling of his feet, a rolling of his shoulder, and a twist of his wrist ¨C Daemon had his blade to the newcomer¡¯s throat. While in full combat, with them in their armour, such a blow would not necessarily be a kill strike, it seemed that for this spar it was enough to signal victory as cheers and groans went up from the men gathered around the pair. As Daemon moved back and sheathed his blade, I saw men exchanging coin for whatever bets they had made. The newcomer copied Daemon¡¯s move and the pair then clasped arms. Taking that as the signal this was over, I moved into the circle that had formed around them so their spar could take place. Some of the sounds from the nearby men fell away, while others whispered to each other: those who served with me telling those new to the camp who I was. I paid none of that any mind, choosing to focus on Dameon and his sparring partner as the pair turned to me. Once their helms were off, I saw the face of the newcomer and blinked in surprise. ¡°Barrian? I had not expected to see you here,¡± I said as I clasped his arm. Barrian Fowler, third son of Lord Franklyn Fowler ¨C which explained the sigil ¨C smiled back at me. ¡°As a newly spurred knight, with little chance to inherit, and even less opportunity for glory in tourneys and jousts, where else would I head but to fight alongside a friend?¡± I chuckled at his words as I looked him over. Barrian was about half a head shorter than me and about half a year younger from what I remembered. His hair had darkened a touch, removing some of the blond, while his eyes and face had that look of innocence I remembered; one I wasn¡¯t sure I¡¯d ever born. Certainly not since the Greyjoy Rebellion and my claiming of Red Rain via, as King Robert put it, the Iron Price. ¡°I had not expected this,¡± I said as we broke the clasp before I clapped him on the shoulder. ¡°However, I am pleased to see you.¡± Barrian chuckled. ¡°You do not realise the way word of your exploits has spread throughout Dorne, do you?¡± He remarked with a chuckle. ¡°You have the ear of both Prince Doran and Princess Arianne,¡± He smirked there, ¡°and others sing your praises across the sands. Of how you are working to bring order to a lawless place.¡± ¡°To say nothing of the coin you have earned.¡± I turned at the new voice to see a large, stout older man approaching, his hand extended. ¡°Ser Jedric Shore,¡± He continued as we clasped arms. ¡°I,¡± he gestured with his other arm to the crowd around us, ¡°my fellow knights, and fivescore of experienced sellswords, left Sunspear when one of your trade vessels made port in Sunspear. We had hoped to join you on your campaign to liberate Redwater, yet imagine our shock when we met your mayor of Northpoint, and he told us that you had already cleared the island and had set sail with a great fleet for The Shrouded Isle.¡± He laughed as we broke the clasp. ¡°If you had told my grandfather he would have provided men and ships for the campaign.¡± ¡°And then, as with Prince Doran when I took Dustspear, I would be forced to hand over the greater share of my spoils to one not actively fighting,¡± I replied with a smirk. ¡°Yet, while your grandfather might demand a similar share as the Prince received, Prince Doran provided me with much of the initial coin to hire men, ships, and arms. Something I no longer need help with acquiring.¡± House Shore was a minor house in Dorne, one based along the Broken Arm and about the second or third closest to The Shrouded Isle ¨C the exact order would depend on where I was on this isle ¨C so Lord Dilron Shore would benefit from my actions here was not a surprise. When he had revealed his name, I had wondered if Ser Jedric had been sent by his grandfather, but that concern was minor as I remembered that he was the third son of Lord Dilron¡¯s heir, and thus unlikely to be here for his grandfather. At least not in any meaningful way. Still, it was something that I would have to keep an eye on going forward; not just with Ser Jedric and Ser Barrian, but with other knights with trueborn connections to noble houses of Dorne and beyond. After I replied to Ser Jedric, I looked over the other new knights as they came closer. Many bore sigils that I recognised and remembered, though some did not. However, one sigil was more familiar than the rest. ¡°I remember you Ser,¡± I said to one older knight who had greying hairs at his temples. ¡°You jousted against my father in the final for Princess Arianne¡¯s ten and eighth nameday, did you not? The knight in question, who was slightly shorter than me, nodded. ¡°I did indeed, My Lord.¡± I push aside the unneeded referral to me as a lord. Each of these men were knights like me, and in Westeros, I bore no title. ¡°Ser Warrek of the Black Sands.¡± As he finished I clasped arms with him. ¡°What brings you to these shores?¡± I asked gently, wanting some sort of read on him ¨C something I¡¯d be doing for all the new men. ¡°As Ser Jedric stated, the chance to earn coin and glory fighting at your side.¡± ¡°You are not concerned about taking command from someone easily half your age?¡± I probed as we broke the arm clasp. He chuckled, as did a few of the other new knights and sellswords ¨C though they were holding back a little further. ¡°Young you might be, Ser Cregan, but your name is one with power and connection. Not just in Dorne, but in the North.¡± ¡°I have even heard whispers in Storm¡¯s End of your exploits,¡± another knight added. ¡°Though those rumours say you stand as tall as two men and command a beast of legend.¡± I shared a look with Daemon, my friend chuckling as he replied. ¡°Ymir is a great beast, Ser Garhar, but he is not one of legend. Just a creature not seen south of the Wall in centuries.¡± There were a few confused looks among the knights and sellswords, bar the few who had spent time in Sunspear and knew of me before I had set sail for Dustspear. ¡°Ymir is a direwolf,¡± I explained, drawing gasps from several of the men, ¡°and easily the best tracker in my forces.¡± I saw a few of the sellswords grumble at that. ¡°If you think your senses can match that of a wolf as tall as me, then you are welcome to try. Ymir enjoys the challenge.¡± ¡°And winning,¡± Daemon added with a chortle. As the new men looked at each other, some laughing along with Daemon and me simply to fit in, I turned to my second in command. ¡°When did they all arrive?¡± ¡°The morning of the storm,¡± Daemon replied. ¡°It seems they hired two cogs to carry them to Northpoint, and once there, your mayor paid the crew for three more moons of service. The ships are now docked with the rest of my fleet.¡± ¡°Along with supplies for the war effort that Mayor Phenias paid rather handsomely for. At least what he did not purchase for the development of Northpoint with the latest group of settlers choosing to move there,¡± Barrian added. ¡°In my tent, I have a missive from him, along with ones from many in Sunspear, for you, Ser Cregan.¡± I nodded at hearing that, looking forward to hearing news from home. Asha would be well along in her pregnancy, and while I hoped I might be able to return for the birth ¨C Maester Caleotte had said she would be due early in the eleventh moon of this year ¨C I was feeling that would be unlikely. I wondered how Ari, Nym, my parents, and sisters were doing as well, and wondered if there might be a missive from my cousins. I glanced at Daemon, wondering if there had been news from Lord Eddard regarding the idea of betrothing Daemon to Alysanne, but regardless of if any letter for me bore such information, I would speak with him later about the matter. I could see no reason for Ned to not allow the union, bar perhaps not wanting the daughter of his sister Lyanna married to a Dornish bastard, but in the end, the matter was out of my hands. ¡°I thank you for delivering the missive, Ser Barrian, and for all of you for choosing to sign on with me and my men,¡± I added, speaking to all the newcomers. ¡°Has Ser Daemon spoken to you of the terms of your employ?¡± I asked, referring to the charter I had. The knights were going to be paid better than any bar my council ¨C Daemon and the others who had served me since the beginning ¨C but it would not place any strain on my coffers. I had a chest full of coin aboard the Kraken to pay any man their wages for each moon, if they wished to carry it into battle, and it was more than enough to pay for every man I¡¯d set sail with for half a year. The cost of a dozen knights and four times that in sellswords, while a large increase in cost, would not strain my reserves, and that was before considering the trade goods being held in the port where my fleet was moored. ¡°He has, and we have already signed your charter,¡± Barrian replied. Jedric snorted. ¡°Some odd choices there, but Ser Daemon has explained the logic behind them. They make particular sense when considering that most of the men here are little better than rabble.¡± ¡°Aye,¡± I replied, though already I was curious which parts of the charter he and the others found odd. I knew that many of the actions that happened in war were done by knights and nobles just as much as the smallfolk in their armies, but that didn¡¯t mean I had to accept or condone such behaviour. So far, there hadn¡¯t been any major issues regarding my rules, but I knew that eventually there would be. I just hoped that the first to break my charter was one I could deal with as otherwise it would undermine my leadership, which would be an extremely dangerous proposition. ¡°Now come, I suspect that Daemon has already told you of my intentions for the fort before us, and then after that, but I would be pleased to hear the thoughts of my fellow knights.¡± I turned and moved towards Daemon¡¯s tent, as he fell into step at my right. Barrian moved quickly, just cutting Jedric off from walking on my left. That made me chuckle, and while I knew that we could have taken the fort without their presence, having a dozen heavily armoured knights to throw at the defences, and in all likelihood breach them, would be extremely useful. To say nothing of the sellswords that came with them. Each of the new men was worth at least a dozen former pirates, though I did hope none of the knights had odd senses of honour that some had. Such... civility in warfare only led to the death of the one involved, and often those around them. The other issue was that I would now have to be cautious of how I displayed my abilities. The knights would soon hear stories from my men about what I had done, and if any were devout in their support of the Seven, they might well be an issue. However, that was a bridge I knew I would always have to cross at some point, and for the time being, with a fort to assault, an issue for the future. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I sat at the table in my tent, the patter of light rain outside as another barely registering with me as I looked at the letters and missives from home before me. The letters from my parents were nice to have, as was learning that both my mother and Lady Ellaria were again with child ¨C I swore Oberyn wanted a blood son but was cursed to never have one so he lived vicariously through me ¨C while Nym and Arianne were quite¡­ insistent that I return to Sunspear so that I might once again grace their beds. The pair hinted that they had not taken another man to their bed since my last visit, but I would not begrudge them if they did. There was nothing formal between myself and Arianne, and I knew that Doran intended for her to one day marry Viserys, but the fact she seemed keen to stress that she had only lain with women certainly stirred a fire in my loins. My younger sisters ¨C both through marriage and blood ¨C missed me as well and looked forward to seeing what gifts I would bring them when I returned home, though, in the case of Dorea and Aliandra, they wished for me to bring them weapons. It seemed that the pair had yet to grow out of their desire to wield weapons like a man, nor had Elia who it seemed was, according to Oberyn, as comfortable in a saddle as knights thrice her age. Beron was doing well, though he did complain about Oberyn¡¯s training as his squire ¨C something that made me laugh. He also spoke of his growing happiness that, in the coming years, he would marry Wylla Manderly. They were both wilful, spirited, and adventurous and already it seemed he and his betrothed wished to join me on my adventures. I was uncertain of if either might one day do so, but I wondered if I could find a creature to take to Beron so that he might bond with it in preparation for when Ned discovered the direwolf pups about a year from now. If that event would still happen. It seemed that while she had not yet ¨C and might not ever ¨C meet Ghost, Alysanne had already displayed her potential as a skinchanger. She had bonded with young Talon, Rian¡¯s chick with Riona, and spoke in subtle terms, or as subtly as she could, of her wonder at seeing and experiencing the world through the eyes of the bird. I was angered at myself that I was not there to help guide her; to work with Rian to help her and Talon understand and grow the bond they shared. I had a letter written for her ¨C along with everyone else ¨C that I hoped to send back to Sunspear once Koros was dead and his fort mine, but that just didn¡¯t feel like enough. When the letters were written, no response had come in from Ned regarding her betrothal to Daemon, though it was clear that Alysanne cared deeply for him, and had asked me to do all I could to keep the man she loved out of harm¡¯s way. That had made me chuckle as, while not as animalistic as I, Daemon was growing to enjoy the battles almost as much. So much so that, after our earlier talk about him knowing my goals for the future, my feeling about offering him one of the islands to rule in my name only grew stronger. Not only would it tie him and Alysanne firmly to me, but if the chance to hatch her egg ever developed, then I could do so. I hoped that she might be able to bond with such a beast, but if not, I felt that I could. Or at least I could if, as I expected, when I reached Level 100 of Skinchanging, I gained a slot for another Bonded Companion. Yet, for all I enjoyed hearing how everyone was doing in Sunspear, upon learning who the various letters had come from last night, my focus had been on two senders. The first, and the one that had cost me much of my rest through the night, had come from Asha. While I wouldn¡¯t say I loved her, she was carrying my child and I wished I could be there with her. From her letter, it wasn¡¯t hard to tell that she was upset ¨C to put it gently ¨C that I had left her high and dry with a babe in her oven and was quite insistent, with a rather interesting selection of vocabulary that I would be making this up to her when I returned to Sunspear. Already I had offered a prayer to the Old Gods that our child, regardless of their gender, would grow up healthy, strong, and powerful. Yet, I was also concerned as bar The Price of Blood, every magical ability I had carried the potential to be carried to our child. This was shown with the Martells, and their strength with Water Magic; a bloodline that had lain dormant in them since Princess Nymeria had arrived in Dorne with the survivors of Rhoynar. That meant that, in theory, my child with Asha, and any I had later in life, carried the potential to use any of the magic I had the capacity for when the child had been conceived. The fact I could birth new generations of skinchangers, mages capable of wielding elemental magic ¨C with a focus on Fire Magic ¨C or even potentially, future dragon riders was a scary concept. Hells, if the child¡¯s mother had a magical bloodline, such as an example Ari, then the child might gain even more magical potential. Or the bloodlines could cancel each other out, weakening the child¡¯s potential to manipulate various powers. It was also possible that one parent¡¯s genes would carry more strength, overriding any benefit that the other might carry. I¡¯d spent a long night thinking on the matter, trying to determine what, if any clues, existed on the matter and outside of the Martells, and before they were reduced to two trueborn children somewhere in Essos and one currently living as a bastard in Sunspear, the Targaryens, I had no bloodlines to consider. Perhaps, just perhaps, this was why the Targaryens had been so keen to marry brother to sister and cousins to each other, or in the first half of their rule over Westeros when dragons still ruled the battlefield, intermarried with House Velaryon ¨C another, if minor, Valyrian house. Yet, I recalled that the marriage of cousins was not limited to just the Targaryens. Tywin Lannister had married his cousin, Joanna, while Ned¡¯s parents had also been cousins. That the practice existed through First Men, Andal, and Valyrian blood suggested there was some logic to the idea of keeping bloodlines pure, or at least clear so that certain traits ¨C be they magical or other ¨C remained strong in the family. Sadly, without a detailed examination of bloodlines of families, houses, and others from times before such records existed or from places where such records were destroyed, there was no way to be sure of what, if any effect keeping a bloodline pure had on the magical potential of the house in question. I had put that matter to one side this morning after a rather fitful night¡¯s rest considering the matter. For now, my focus was on the final letter to come from Sunspear, and the only one I left until today to read sat open in my hands. I¡¯d already read it twice, yet I found myself reading it a third time as I processed everything connected to the sender and myself. My dearest Cregan, When I finished my term of punishment with the Silent Sisters, I had both dreaded and longed to return to Sunspear. It had been a year since we had last spoken since my mistake had risked harm to the links my uncle and yours had created between Dorne and The North. In my time away, I learnt that my actions, while done with the noblest of intentions, were badly judged. Helping Alysanne sneak from Winterfell with the intent of escorting her in secret to Sunspear risked great harm to the links between Dorne and The North, though I still feel, not to the degree that you seemed to fear. Yet, when I returned to Sunspear, my heart yearning for you while not knowing if you still cared for me as I do for you, I was surprised by what I discovered. I had missed you by mere days ¨C I curse the Gods for their timing ¨C as you sailed out into the Stepstones to seek fame, adventure, and coin once more. Learning I had missed you by such a small passage of time hurt me deeply, though less so than discovering that Lady Asha was carrying your child. Do not misconstrue my words. I am happy for you both, and I look forward to helping Asha raise and care for your child. However, I had hoped, as foolish as it might be, that I might bear you a child; that we might one day be wed and live our lives serving my cousin when she became Princess of Dorne. I now know that with your taking and developing of Dustspear that part of my hopes is no longer possible, but I wish you to know that, for all my mistakes, for all the time we have spent apart, I miss you dearly. I hope that you might still feel a glimmer of something for me so that when you next return we might see if what we once had could be rekindled into the flames I wished to once grow into a great and happy family. With care and love always, Tyene. I closed the letter and sighed deeply, letting my emotions wash over me. Ty¡¯s actions with Alysanne had been flawed, yes, but my reaction to that, to her and others¡­ I shook my head and growled. I¡¯d acted like a fucking moron; scared that the prepubescent plans I had been developing for the future had been ruined by the actions of two silly girls. I knew now that their actions had not damaged my goals; instead, helping forge stronger links between The North and Dorne. With Beron Stark and Wylla Manderly not only now betrothed but forging bonds of friendship with the children of Dornish nobles, and the trade fleets travelling between Sunspear and White Harbour growing more numerous and profitable with each passing year, the chances of Dorne being drawn into the War of the Five Kings on the side of House Stark were greater than they could be without having Robb betrothed to Ari. A chuckle escaped my lips at the idea of that pairing. Robb was no pup, but Ari would eat him alive if her eye ever turned to bedding him, to say nothing of a union between the two. The moment of levity passed, and I found myself cursing myself once again. I should have spoken to Ty before she was sent to the Silent Sisters in the Reach. I should¡¯ve offered an olive branch to her. Yet instead, I had kept her distant, not writing to her while she was gone; my irrational anger never truly faded. Not until I found the outlet of combat for it. Now, with a clearer head and good distance between the incident, I knew that while Ty might feel she had much to apologise for, I had the same, if not more. As I lifted the letter to my lips and gently kissed her name, I swore to the Gods that I would see her again one day and make things right between us. I didn¡¯t know if we could rekindle what we once had, not least as I now had to balance Nym and Asha as lovers and soon have a child with the latter, but I would try. She¡­ we deserved that much. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ Lifting the Shroud 4 44: Lifting the Shroud 4 I stood near a portable palisade about three hundred paces from the wall around Lucian Koros¡¯ fort with my bow in hand. Around me, behind similar mobile defences were many of my men, most carrying bows as well. We were all firing on any movement we saw at the walls of the fort, offering cover to the men using the large battering ram, one covered by a simple but effective roof and walls, to clatter at the gates in an attempt to bring them down. The storms had finally stayed away long enough that, as the year entered its final moon, with the ground dry enough to allow the battering rams to move ¨C Daemon had another at his camp that was crashing against another gate in the walls of this fort ¨C I had given the order to attack. We had moved to surround the fort during the eighth moon of the year and now, as the twelfth and final moon of 297AC began, the final battle against Lucian Koros was taking place. While I was glad the attack was finally underway, it irked me that the lack of understanding of the weather that struck the Stepstones from the Narrow Sea had cost me around a third of a year. The Maesters in Sunspear and the Water Gardens had given me details of the way storms moved from the Summer Sea to Westeros, the Steps, and Essos, but detailed specifics of how the weather behaved in the Narrow Sea was lacking. That was understandable given that storms slammed into the Stormlands for eight or nine moons every year ¨C and how the land had the name it did ¨C but the lack of advanced knowledge had cost me time. Something that, as the approach of canon events and the Red Comet grew closer, I felt I was running out of. Still, the storms were over for now, and while there were clouds to the north, from what I¡¯d seen through Rian¡¯s eyes, nothing should arrive on the island, or elsewhere in the Steps for at least another quarter-moon. That was why the attack was happening now. Once the fort was taken, plans were already in place to begin moving everything of value to the port where Daemon¡¯s fleet ¨C along with the Pride and the cog hired by Mayor Phenias of Northport, the Lazy Alyn ¨C and have them transported back to Northpoint for safekeeping, or onwards to Sunspear for sale. Hells, the dozen giant rolls of silk from the east were already on the move, though until the fort fell they would have to wait at my camp before continuing to the cogs. Movement at the wall drew my focus, and as I raised my bow, my eyes picked out someone climbing into one of the towers near the gate. My arrow was away before the pirate reached the level, and while the strike wasn¡¯t centre mass, it was powerful enough to knock him from the ladder. The wound was likely not fatal, but the fall may well have been depending on how he landed. Regardless, that was one less pirate in the fight. The sound of the battering ram crashing into the gate, along with the shouting of the men rocking it back and forth could be heard over an otherwise silent battlefield. Men were using their bows to shoot at any movement along the walls or in the towers, which was keeping the defenders from fully engaging the ram or returning fire in sufficient numbers to be troublesome. Most of my men were all slightly closer than me, their palisades about two hundred paces away from the wall, granting them a better shot for those with bows, while the vanguard of the assault stayed in cover, waiting for their orders to move. That leading element was composed of those who wanted greater glory ¨C I offered hazard pay for the role given it was the group with the highest chance of death ¨C and those I considered untrustworthy. That group consisted of men who¡¯d most recently bent the knee or openly expressed worship of R¡¯hllor. Three of the new knights, including Ser Jedric Shore, were in the group as well, commanding the vanguard in my stead. Two other knights were a part of my forces, but Ser Barrian and Ser Warrek had a different task; one that was both less likely to see combat, but if it did, carried more danger. They, along with thirty men and Ymir would now be at the small, hidden harbour where the path from the fort led. Ymir had tracked it most of the way, though the discovery of the harbour was made by four of my scouts, who had left with Barrian and Warrek this morning when I sent them there to take the hidden location. According to the scouts, during the short periods of time when the storms didn¡¯t strike the island, crates and chests had been spotted moving to the alcove, making clear that Lucian Koros was expecting to lose this battle. While I had no idea what his plans were if he escaped, though I suspected that he would head to Essos and try to either hire sellswords to reclaim his land or live a life of luxury until his gold ran out, I knew he would never see them come to fruition. By now those containers, and whatever riches they held, would be under the control of my men who would now wait patiently for Koros if he managed to slip away during the coming battle. The rest of the knights were with Daemon¡¯s forces, either acting in similar roles to those that commanded my vanguard or in the case of Ser Garhar, leading along with Rakakz, the element of Daemon¡¯s forces controlling the path between the fort and Koros¡¯ last port to the east. During the various storms, I had considered gathering the knights, along with the roughly fifty new sellswords into a single unit, to smash through Koros¡¯ line. They were all better armoured and trained than any man Koros had under his command. I rejected that idea for two reasons. First, because if Koros had anything that could break through plate that I had missed during the dozens of recon flights with Rian, then I would see most of my strongest warriors fall in a single engagement, and second, and perhaps more importantly, as I needed the knights to lead my growing forces. While many of them had fought battles before, they were, to be blunt, undistilled rabble barely useful for anything beyond mass assaults and terrorising others into surrendering by sheer weight of numbers. Against a group half their size of trained men-at-arms, my forces would be slaughtered to a man with ease. My sight caught more movement in the towers along the wall, though the men there were being smart and staying behind cover. Any time one of them emerged from behind cover, their position was peppered with arrows from my forces. Initially, that approach had decimated the men in the towers and then any who were sent up to reinforce the positions. Those that remained were the smarter ones, or at least those who learnt the lessons of their dead comrades, and rarely stuck out anything more than the front of their bows or whatever weapon they had as they tried to target the crew of the battering ram. Yes, this tactic was costing me arrows, more than I might wish to expend, but it was ensuring the men at the battering ram could focus on taking down the gate and allowing the vanguard to surge forward. What sounded like a cheer echoed to me from the east. After slipping behind the palisade being manned by my squires, I knelt and closed my eyes, shifting my thoughts into Rian¡¯s mind who circled high above ever watchful. Through his gaze, I saw that Daemon¡¯s men had breached their gate, or at least done enough damage that men were surging forward over the empty ground between his lines and the fort. The armour of Daemon and the other knights was easily detectable among the mass of movement far below. Looking at the fort, I could see men inside flooding toward the gate, confirming the damage was enough that Daemon¡¯s men could get through. It would be a fight and take, but expected them to widen the breach, though perhaps not before my men broke through the gate they were attacking. My focus then shifted to the fort proper, or more accurately the large stone building that sat at the back of the fort, elevated slightly above the rest and since my men had first sieged the place, seen the raising of a secondary wall. The wall wasn¡¯t high, nor as secure or with towers as the main wall, but its rapid construction ¨C much of which must¡¯ve taken place during the storms of the last few moons ¨C made it clear Koros expected to lose this battle. It also added to my feeling that once the outer wall was properly breached, Koros and a select few would try to slip away to his hidden ships and make their escape from the island. That path was already covered as through Rian¡¯s gaze I saw hints of movement where the hidden harbour was located. The ships remained blocked from my sight, but I knew where the place was thanks to first the scouts locating it, and then me using Ymir to approach it during one of the days when the rain and wind weren¡¯t at their worst. Any further thoughts on Koros and when he might retreat were pushed from my mind as I saw movement on the walls near my location. I slipped from Rian¡¯s mind, taking a few seconds to reorientate myself to once more being back in my body. Once that was done, I lowered my bow and grasped my shield. I then slipped from behind the palisade, drawing Red Rain as a cheer went up from my men as the vanguard rushed toward the battering ram. This gate was now breached and finally, after moons of inactivity, I would feel the rush of battle again. Hopefully, one that lasted more than a few short exchanges. ¡­ ¡­ I leaned back, ensuring the blade being swung at my face sliced nothing but air. The attack was a rash one by a random pirate I was battling inside the fort and left him exposed to a counter. Something I took advantage of by driving the tip of Red Rain through the padded armour he was wearing, and deep into his side. The pirate grunted, causing the smile I wore to grow, and a twist of my wrist had my blade shift around inside his guts drawing another grunt. Pulling the blade free caused blood to slosh out of the wound into the air, invigorating my enjoyment of the chaos of battle. The pirate fell to his knees, the wound I¡¯d given him was fatal, though to ensure he didn¡¯t try anything as he died, while I turned seeking a new target, I made sure my shield slammed into his skull sending him fully to the ground. My eyes found my next target; two pirates rushing at me from my side, hoping to overwhelm me together. I braced, readying myself for the next engagement, though just as I did so, one of the pair stumbled and fell into his compatriot. As the pair crumbled to the ground, I growled in annoyance as I saw an arrow sticking out of the first man¡¯s side. The urge to locate the bowman and reprimand him for stealing my kill flashed through me, though I pushed it aside. This was war, and in battle, it didn¡¯t matter who killed the enemy, only that they fell. Still, I wouldn¡¯t be denied the second kill, and as I moved toward the pair ¨C the second man pushing the first off him ¨C Red Rain flicked out, slicing the throat of the second man before the tip sliced over the face of the first. A gargled cry was joined by a pained screech as I moved past the pair seeking new targets. Around me, chaos reigned as men clashed with little rhyme nor reason as to who was fighting on which side. Now, those fighting under my command fore dye marks on their armour, but the colour and pattern of those marks were almost random and only in the heat of a larger pitched battle like this, played into the sense of chaos and confusion that engulfed many battles. What didn¡¯t help the matter was that, with the rain over the last few moons the dye on the armour of many had faded, and in this small moment of solitude as carnage roared around me, I once more lamented that my men were little more than a directed rabble and not a trained and coordinated army. Yes, the majority of my men were former pirates and only knew how to skirmish and terrorise others to get what they wanted, but I was growing infuriated at the mish-mashed nature of my forces. In that moment I resolved that once Koros was defeated and his men, ships, and treasure mine, I would work on a method to at least add some uniformity to my ranks. Perhaps something as simple as having the men wear the same colour of shirt or a sash of a single colour and style. There was linen available for that, and potentially enough dye in the goods already seized so it should be possible. The moment of clarity ended as a man rushed towards me, and once he was closer he turned while bringing his blade with him. I reacted instinctively, leaning back to deflect the attack, and then thrusting my blade into the man¡¯s gut. As a grunt slipped from his lips and I pulled my blade free, I saw the faded dye mark over his shoulder. ¡°Fuck!¡± I spat out as the man fell to his knees, the victim of friendly fire. ¡°Fuck!¡± I cursed again even as I turned, putting my mistake aside. There was a battle to be fought and the death of one of my men by my hand only fuelled my intent to create some sort of uniform marking and dress for my men. As my eyes took in the battle around me, the glint of sunlight off armour helped me spot the various knights in my ranks. Each of them, resplendent in full plate, was cutting swathes through the lines of the pirates; their armour ensuring that few of the weapons the pirates were using were an instantly fatal wound if they struck the plate. Elsewhere I spotted my squires, the pair moving almost as one to slice a path through the various pirates that felt they, as smaller and weaker armoured foes might be easy targets. My blade swooped around me as I danced between the attacks of two pirates. The pair, while working together were no challenge and my shield crashed into the skull of one while my blade sliced a deep wound over the stomach of the other. As I finished the pair off, my gaze shifted back to my squires, noting the way the pair were moving; the moons trapped by the storms had allowed me time to train them intensively when I wasn¡¯t busy keeping the camp in order and getting everything ready to strike once the weather improved. During that time Trystane had unlocked the magic of his bloodline. While he could only do simple things with water, I had at least helped him discover the magic and in the process complete an unstated goal Prince Doran had given me when I¡¯d taken his son as my squire. Edric, while understandably irritated that Trystane had discovered magic before him, wasn¡¯t anywhere near as angered as I had feared. The reason for that was that Edric was the better fighter, winning nine out of ten spars with his fellow squire. While I knew that would ease any issues currently, the longer it took Edric to unlock any magic he might have ¨C which I felt he had to have due to some of my magic in the build I created for this new life coming from a non-First Men source ¨C the greater the potential for animosity to develop between them. I pressed on, blood pounding in my ears., my blade clashing with the next pirate dumb enough to challenge me. He lasted no more than three moves before Red Rain once more lived up to its name and I resumed my slow advance into the fort, making sure each step took me in the direction of the inner walls, and Koros¡¯ command post that lay behind them. The building was little more than a poor, rather shoddily maintained large house, but with three floors and stone walls, it towered over everything but the three storehouses ¨C each also made with stone walls ¨C in the fort. More pirates came at me with each step I took, drawn no doubt by my distinctive armour and the sigil I wore proudly on my shield and armour. The same sigil flew over the camps where Daemon and I had our men, so Koros and his men knew I was the commander of the attackers. The men that rushed me foolishly thought that if they killed me then my men would break and Koros would reward them greatly. Instead, all each of them earned was death at my hands. Yet, as I cut my path of blood and death deeper into the fort, I grunted in irritation. The green armour of Lucian Koros isn¡¯t present. He was either hiding in his command building, or the craven cunt had already chosen to run for his hidden ships. Eventually, I rounded the last corner before the inner wall, though as I did I stopped and lifted my shield. As I scampered to the cover of the nearest building, I felt several arrows strike the metal. A few also struck my armour, though thankfully most hit sections of plate and those that hit elsewhere failed to pierce the mail. ¡°Cover!¡± I called out as I slipped behind the wheel of a cart and heard a new volley of arrows slam into the wooden frame. I looked back at the men who had followed behind me, spotting one man on the ground with an arrow lodged in his groin. ¡°Bring the palisades!¡± I called out, ignoring the downed man. The wound was painful and potentially fatal, but there was nothing anyone could do until we had defeated Koros. It was going to take my men time to bring the massive wooden shields here, as all had been abandoned at or just inside the gate we had broken through. However, they would allow us to approach the wall with protection for the archers behind it. Now, I could have ordered my men to rush the wall. It wasn¡¯t anywhere near as high or secure as the outer one. However, doing that would cost me men, and as much as I despised the rabble I commanded, I needed every able body I could get to keep up my offensive. The Bloodhawk still ruled about forty per cent of this isle, while Crann Snow and Garvy Pyke held ports here as well. The more men I lost in this battle, the harder it was going to be to take out The Bloodhawk. He had fewer men than I did, or than Koros had controlled before I¡¯d arrived on The Shrouded Isle, but his men were regarded as the fiercest fighters in the Stepstones; potentially to the point that one of his pirates was worth two or three other men. As I looked back at the fort, I saw that the battle for it was almost over. Koros men, at least those still standing, were being overwhelmed by my men. Many were now tossing down their weapons and falling to their knees, showing the craven nature of pirates to lack the stomach for fighting for long from underfoot. I couldn¡¯t be sure how many men were surrendering, but I hoped it would at least be enough to cover any losses I¡¯d taken in the battle for the fort and those that would fall when we assaulted the inner walls and Koros¡¯ command building. Hells, even if two pirates surrendered for each man I lost or my men had killed, I feared I would be left shorthanded. I had all but one port¡¯s worth of Koros¡¯ fleet and even before this battle had reached a point where I¡¯d had to divert some galleys to Jaeronos simply to put them to use as reserve vessels for the port he commanded from, and the sea I wanted him to secure nearby it. That issue, however, could wait until after the battle was fully over. When it was, and Lucian Koros was found, I hoped he was taken alive. Oh, he would be executed, that was certain, but the question was if his actions, and those of the men under his command, would earn him an honourable death or something slower, more painful, and possibly for me, far more enjoyable to watch. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ I looked around the main chamber of the building that had until yesterday been Lucian Koros¡¯ command centre, Kaa resting on the raised chair Koros had likely ruled from while I stood near a large table looking at maps of this island and the rest of the Stepstones. The battle for the inner walls hadn¡¯t lasted long, with the men behind it throwing open the gates and surrendering as more men behind palisades had gathered in the open area between those walls and the rest of the fort. Those men, along with any other who had surrendered were being housed in several of the larger buildings in the fort. Said buildings had already been searched extensively to ensure there were no hidden escape passages or weapons caches in them. Anything that had been found in them, from the odd dagger to small bags of coins and anything in between had been brought to the chamber I was in for sorting. Those searches had been led by Rakakz and a few other senior former pirates in my ranks, as they were the ones with the most experience on where hidden stashes could be and how to find them. At current count, a little short of seven hundred men were now imprisoned in the buildings housing them. Those that had fallen on both sides, had been stripped of anything of value before the bodies had been moved outside the walls. Several large pyres, mainly composed of the remains of the battering rams and palisades, were now burning so that the bodies could be disposed of as cleanly as possible. There were simply too many to allow them to rot away, nor would I bury pirates ¨C or former pirates ¨C given the threat such actions might bring in the coming years if things in the North went tits-up. The current count of men I¡¯d lost ¨C from the battle and wounds sustained in it that hadn¡¯t killed them during the fighting ¨C was about two hundred and fifty. Which included one unlucky knight who¡¯d taken an arrow through the vizor of their helm. Along with the fatalities, another thirty or so with wounds which meant that they¡¯d never fight again. Those thirty would be shipped back to Northpoint and given three moon¡¯s wages. They would then be offered the chance to settle on Dustspear or be given free passage to Sunspear to be left to their fates. It wasn¡¯t the best way to deal with the wounded, but it was all I was willing to allow given where we were and what most had been before they¡¯d been gravely wounded. Still, the loss of around three hundred men to take the fort wasn¡¯t a bad outcome. Now the number of fatalities was higher than I would have preferred, but given we¡¯d started with over fifteen hundred men, a one in five casualty rate for assaulting a location with walls and defences and a garrisoned force about two-thirds our force was a good outcome. Great even if one considered that most of the men had no experience in such battles nor wore armour that was best for pitched combat. However, it did, as I had feared before and during the battle, make the manpower issue for my fleets slightly critical. Yes, I expected at least six hundred of the prisoners to bend the knee, something that would only be offered once Koros was found and killed, but wouldn¡¯t completely solve the issue, and that was before considering how to handle the last port that officially remained under Koros¡¯ command. That port. Which only had three-fifty to four hundred men in it, housed three war galleys along with six regular galleys. At a minimum, I needed six hundred men for those ships, a number that would be hard to gather without leaving other vessels close to being critically undermanned. Still, I would be moving on that port as soon as I had dealt with Koros, gained the loyalty of his former men, and then gathered my forces. I wouldn¡¯t be allowing them to either run away with the war galleys or for The Bloodhawk to learn Koros was gone and attempt to capture the port and ships before me. Currently, I had around three hundred men camped along the road leading from the fort to that port, with Rakakz and Ser Garhar in command of them. It wasn¡¯t enough to take the port, nor stand against an attack by everyone there, but the presence of such a force of men ¨C or at least a more visible presence as a group half that size had been camped out to cut off the fort and port from each other while we assaulted the former ¨C would deter the pirates from moving inland. I just had to get enough men gathered to cut off an escape by sea before giving the port commander and his officers a simple ultimatum. However, before I could do that I nee- ¡°My Lord!¡± The call from Edric as he rushed into the chamber broke me from my thoughts and I turned to face him as he stood in the open doorway. ¡°Ser Barrian and Ser Warrek have returned. With prisoners.¡± The words had barely slipped from my squire¡¯s mouth before, as I braced a large, black shape came bustling into the chamber forcing Edric to dart to one side to avoid a collision. ¡°Hey there boy,¡± I said as I was driven back by Ymir¡¯s bulk. He wasn¡¯t trying to knock me over. However, his sheer mass was enough that even after bracing I was knocked back a few steps even as he slid to a stop. ¡°Have fun?¡± I asked him, one hand moving to scratch him behind the ear. I instantly regretted the action as it gave him free access to my face, and his tongue came out and covered me in slobber. ¡°YMIR!¡± I pushed him back, even as he gave a laughing bark sound, and grabbed a cloth from a nearby table to clear the drool from my face. After doing so enough that I could open my eyes fully, I glared at the direwolf who simply looked at me with an expression that did nothing to hide his amusement. I snarled at Ymir, though he knew I didn¡¯t mean anything by it, and then, once my face was generally clear, I passed the cloth to a young girl, no more than twelve, who¡¯d come rushing over to collect the cloth. ¡°Thank you,¡± I said to, Cercilia. The former slave refused to look me in the eye even as she moved back, taking the cloth despite any issues she might have with the state of it or her clear fear of Ymir. The girl was one of around a hundred slaves that had been discovered in the fort, though she was the youngest. As she scampered back to the corner she¡¯d been standing in, doing her best to avoid attention, I bit back a growl of fury. That Koros had slaves here was hardly a surprise. We¡¯d found some in the two major ports we¡¯d taken, along with finding them one Redwater and Dustspear. However, it was the fact that Cercilia was but a child and, according to one of the female slaves who was willing to speak openly with me, had been used as any woman was. Which made it hard to temper my anger toward the former pirate lord and those who had served under him. That woman, along with a few others, had said they would be willing to point out the pirates who most often assaulted them. If the same pirates were marked out enough times, I would be executing them for their crimes. Any that had taken a turn with Cercilia had already sealed their fate, or at least they would if the girl was able to point them out or have someone do it for her. To protect the slaves from any of the men under my banner trying to enjoy the spoils of war ¨C which would violate my charter ¨C I had all of the former slaves housed in one of the storehouses. It was a pain to clear the supplies and trade goods there to other storehouses, but I wanted the former slaves to know that they were now free, even if many might never be able to recover and live full and happy lives after their ordeals. To further ensure that my men didn¡¯t try anything, I¡¯d taken the time to speak rather forcefully to them after the battle, making clear that any who attacked a former slave, or even a prisoner if they were that way inclined, would first be castrated by my blade before being released into the forests for Ymir to hunt. Some of the older hedge knights who had signed on with me had spoken privately about how such actions were common in the aftermath of battle, and while they understood my reasoning for making my threat, they worried that some of the men might resent my choices. My reply was simple. ¡®Any man that breaks the rules of my charter knows what punishment awaits them, and has no recourse to expect mercy when I¡¯ve been clear that any slave found would be freed and granted land on Dustspear. I do not care what was accepted in a war in Westeros or Essos. This is my command, and my rules are final.¡¯ So far it seemed the threat was working, but I wanted all the former slaves on the two cogs and bound for Dustspear as soon as humanly possible. There had been an incident in Northpoint before we¡¯d set sail for The Shrouded Isle, and I¡¯d dealt with the matter harshly, but I wanted to avoid any repeat of that incident, hence why the slaves were getting priority shipment ahead of the majority of the trade goods, coin, and gems we¡¯d looted from Koros. As my anger settled, I moved over to the main chair in the chamber, and once there extended my arm. A gentle prod through the bond had Kaa reacting. I placed my hand on the armrest of the chair, bracing as the massive snake slithered from the chair up my arm. At a metre and a half long, he was already twice the size that was common for his species, and I knew that he would keep growing. All snakes generally did, however, with my magic flowing through our bond his growth was faster ¨C relatively speaking ¨C and so long as I stayed alive, the chances of him being killed before passing anacondas and similarly large snakes in length and mass were high. It took a few moments but eventually, Kaa had not only slid entirely onto my shoulders but had looped his body twice around my neck, making it appear as if I had a massive snakeskin necklace. What ruined that image was his head. Which rested on my right shoulder as he watched everything going on, his tongue flicking out regularly to taste the air. With the chair now free, I slipped into it, settling down as I awaited the arrival of Sers Barrian and Warrek, along with ¨C I hoped ¨C Lucian Koros. I smirked as a man in green armour, missing his right arm from the elbow, was pushed forcefully into the chamber. He was then driven to his knees a few metres in front of the chair I sat in. The very chair that until yesterday he had ruled this fort from. ¡°Lucian Koros I presume?¡± I asked with a disinterested tone. Koros looked up at me and snarled, his remaining hand holding a cloth over the stump of his other arm. The cloth was soaked red, though at least there was no blood dripping onto the wooden floor. Glancing at the two knights who had brought in the prisoner, Ser Warrek gestured at Koros and then Ser Barrian. I took that to mean the younger knight was the one responsible for the missing arm. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°You¡¯re the Rogue Viper?¡± Koros spat out, drawing my focus back to him. ¡°Expected someone older,¡± he added with an Essosi accent on his Common tongue. I felt it might be from Myr, but I couldn¡¯t be certain. ¡°I get that a lot,¡± I responded with a smirk as Kaa¡¯s head came forward. As the pirate looked at the massive snake with a hint of terror in his eyes, I lifted my hand and gently scratched Kaa under his jaw. The viper¡¯s tongue flicked out at my action, and he lowered himself into the touch. As Koros kept glaring daggers at me, I stood from the chair before making my way down toward him. Kaa¡¯s head shifted forward and after tasting the air with his tongue, he hissed at Koros exposing his massive fangs. The pirate leaned back, unable to hide his natural reaction being faced with such a predator. Ser Warrek tensed behind the prisoner, as did many others in the room though both Edric and Barrian didn¡¯t. Given they¡¯d been around Kaa for years ¨C first in Sunspear and now here ¨C that made perfect sense. Barrian had commented on the increase in Kaa¡¯s size when he¡¯d seen him for the first time since I¡¯d taken the viper to Dustspear and founded Northpoint. He also mentioned that Riona had left Sunspear after her chick, Talon, was able to leave the nest. I already knew that as the wild female Sunfyre eagle had taken up residence in Northpoint, likely awaiting the return of her mate. Barrian had also mentioned that Talon was being jointly looked after by Ari and Alysanne, and I could see the spark of interest in Daemon¡¯s eyes when that was revealed. ¡°Well?¡± Get on with it!¡± Koros snapped as I stood before him, out of reach of his remaining arm, and the chance he might have a blade missed when he was searched before being led here. ¡°I lost and we both know you¡¯ll be killing me to assert your power.¡± ¡°That I will,¡± I said softly, not feeling any need to act tough when the man before me was beaten. ¡°However, the manner and time of your death is still undecided,¡± I continued as I knelt to better look him in the eye. ¡°What you did to the slaves, to the children, ensures you won¡¯t be dying honourably, but how painful your death is something I¡¯m still considering.¡± Koros spat, the gunk landing on the front of my armour. ¡°Fuck you!¡± He sneered, ¡°And whatever whore bitch gave birth to you.¡± Ymir growled and moved a few steps closer while I saw both Barrian and Warrek reach for their blades and Edric¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously. I raised my free hand, stilling everyone though Ymir¡¯s growl of fury lasted for a few more seconds; just long enough for a flash of fear to shoot through the former pirate lord¡¯s eyes. ¡°You had the chance to earn a quick, if painful death,¡± I said slowly as I lowered my hand. Before he knew what I was doing, the hand shot forward and I closed my fingers around Koros¡¯ throat. ¡°However insulting my mother, a lady of Dorne, was a mistake,¡± I added with a grunt of annoyance. Koros¡¯ remaining hand came up, attempting to pull my hand from his throat. ¡°Ah!¡± He grunted in pain as, before he could reach my arm, Kaa had lunged forward. Fangs had sunk deep into the man¡¯s flesh, but I was pleased when I sensed Kaa hadn¡¯t injected any venom into the attack; or at least not enough to grant this fool a quick and excruciating death. ¡°The last man to insult my mother, ironically one of your captains, was keelhauled,¡± I explained as my grip on his neck tightened even as Kaa refused to release the man¡¯s hand. ¡°As much as I would enjoy seeing you die in the same way, the time it would take to haul your useless arse to my vessel and then sail from the port where it¡¯s docked as you¡¯re dragged along in the water behind will delay the inevitable far too long for my liking.¡± I leaned closer as I crushed his windpipe further. ¡°It would also deny you victims the chance to see you suffer.¡± As I spoke, I summoned my magic, gathering flames in the palm of my hand that grasped Koros¡¯ neck. His eyes widened in terror as he felt the sudden, illogical increase in pain and the skin was burnt by my actions. He tried to use his other hand, but Kaa bit down hard enough that I heard bones shatter. A grunt of pain mixed with a whimper of fear managed to slip from Koros¡¯ lips, though he was wise to not try and say anything. I held my grasp until the faint smell of burnt flesh reached me. At that, I ended the flames, knowing that Barrian and Warrek, along with the other new knights and sellswords weren¡¯t aware that I had magic. Well, they might be as rumours of the necklace I wore on my wrist ¨C the same one that had just been around Koros¡¯ neck ¨C that supposedly granted me my powers, but they had yet to see me display my power. Until I was certain of how strong the faith of the Seven was in any of the knights and sellswords, I wasn¡¯t going to openly display my ability around them. ¡°Your death will not come today,¡± I said as I shifted back, Kaa releasing the now mangled hand, and stood. ¡°I still have use for you,¡± I added with a smirk. ¡°Well, your head at any rate.¡± I looked at the two knights. ¡°Secure him somewhere far from the other prisoners and make sure the guards are loyal to me and are rotated regularly.¡± The knights nodded, understanding that I didn¡¯t want any of Koros¡¯ men who¡¯d already bent the knee to me to stand guard over their former lord and gestured to two of the guards who had entered with them but remained at the doors to the chamber. Koros looked up at me, panic in his eyes as his remaining hand, as broken as it was, came to his neck. I smirked fractionally as he flinched when he felt the burnt flesh as the guards dragged the beaten fool away. As the beaten pirate lord was dragged from the chamber, I turned to the two knights. ¡°Forgive my reaction,¡± I said as I gestured toward the table I had been standing near earlier. ¡°I will not tolerate such comments towards a member of my family, nor House Nymeros Martell.¡± Barrian grunted as Warrek lowered his head before replying. ¡°I have met your mother once, Ser Cregan, and to suggest a Dornish lady such as her was no better than a common whore,¡± he paused and shook his head. ¡°Your patience was greater than mine would have been in your place. To say nothing of how Prince Oberyn would have reacted to such a comment.¡± Barrian nodded his agreement as we all sat at the table. ¡°With Koros I assume you were able to capture much of his treasure that he hoped to abscond with?¡± ¡°We did,¡± Barrian responded with a smirk, though before continuing he glanced at Ser Warrek. The older knight smiled and gestured for Barrian to continue. ¡°It was as you had expected Ser Cregan. Not long after we heard the horn to sound the battle, men arrived at the hidden port. They were quickly subdued, and the crates of coin and gems they brought with them were secured before the pirate arrived with more men. They too were quickly overwhelmed, and the chests he had brought added to our capture.¡± ¡°The crates have already been directed to storehouses by Ser Daemon,¡± Warrek cut in and took over. ¡°At a guess, there may be around ten thousand Dragons worth of goods in them. However, they are perhaps not the most valuable items we secured.¡± My brow rose at that, and I observed, considering my next move. As Barrian turned and gestured to the door. There, four men came in carrying between them two large chests. Each chest appeared to be about a metre long and a half in width and height. I waited as the men approached and placed the chests on the table, and once they had lifted the lids, the men withdrew allowing me to see what was contained within. ¡°Books?¡± I asked in confusion, not understanding why Koros would value them over more obvious sources of treasure. ¡°Ledgers,¡± Warrek countered with a smile as he reached in and pulled out a book, placing it on the table before me, and opened it at a page that had been marked. I leaned forward, reading the pages that were displayed, my brow rising as I saw what was listed there. Each page held a name at the top; one a merchant in Myr, the other a trader from Lys. Beneath the names and locations of the person was a flag with a specific sigil on it, and below that was what these men traded in. I growled as I saw both were slave traders, though I kept reading, noting the dates and number of vessels listed below, easily picking out the regular patterns of the fleets under the pay of these two men as they, I assumed, passed by The Shrouded Isle. There was also a value beside each time and listing of ships. Which was a monetary value in the currency of the city the men hailed from. ¡°We had one of the prisoners confirm that these ledgers were used to mark ships from various people, most in Essos but some in Westeros, that were paying for passage through the waters around this island so they could conduct their¡­ business.¡± My head came up as Warrek explained the situation further and I grunted in anger. ¡°Slavers.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Barrian responded with a smirk with a scowl. ¡°Well, many at least. Not all seemed to deal in such¡­ items, but many did and all paid Koros for safe passage.¡± He shook his head before continuing. ¡°Some of the pages¡­ They detail lords and nobles in Westeros who are trading in goods that are illegal in the Seven Kingdoms.¡± I ground my teeth together, keeping my anger in check as best I could at the indicator that many in Westeros were involved in the slave trade. ¡°The names of those from Essos are generally unknown to us¡­¡± ¡°I recognise a few from my time serving in Essos,¡± Warrek cut in. ¡°¡­ but those in Westeros are,¡± Barrian finished.¡± ¡°From looking over the numbers, the coin and treasure we found in the crates is but a fraction of what Koros has earned over the years,¡± Warrek explained, a glint in his eyes. ¡°Are you suggesting there is a hidden cache somewhere in the fort or beyond the walls?¡± I asked, masking my excitement as best I could. A larger haul of treasure, be that coin or gems, was never something to neglect and if there was something to hunt for, it would be a good way to keep Ymir and Kaa occupied. ¡°That is our suspicion,¡± Warrek responded with a smile making clear his excitement of finding such a cache. ¡°If it is beyond the walls, then we would expect it to be along the path to the hidden port or perhaps in a cave in the mountains to the north. However, we have yet to spend time seeking it out.¡± ¡°Hmm, perhaps Koros might be allowed to live a few more days. At least until he or one of his lieutenants reveals where this cache, or possible caches, might be.¡± I glanced at Ymir, sensing his excitement for a hunt. Yes, it was a different sort of hunt, but one that he would still be of use on. Returning my attention to the ledger, I closed it and returned it to the chest it came from. ¡°I want these carefully examined and the various flags flown by the vessels sorted out. Those who engage in legitimate trade can continue to pay for safe passage around the isle, but those who bear flags of slavers and the like are to be given to Jaeronos for targeting. I also want the names listed by their location with notes on which ledger and the page their records are on. If I am right, these will be of more use to us going forward than any hidden cache. Save perhaps one hiding coin equal to the royal treasury.¡± ¡°Should we alert Prince Doran or even King¡¯s Landing of the slavers active in Westeros?¡± I chuckled at Barrian¡¯s suggestion. ¡°No, not for the time being. Once the ledgers have been properly examined and the names, dates, and coin paid tallied, we can revisit the matter. For now, we should hold onto this information as all we have is the writings of one pirate; something any noble or lord would dismiss as slander at best, or demand a trial by combat for the perceived insult at worst.¡± I had no intention of passing along anything that came from these ledgers to King¡¯s Landing as Varys and Baelish would simply use the intelligence to gain control over the lords mentioned. While I preferred combat, I understood the usefulness of having influence over others and could see a few ways that such power could be used even by a bastard of Dorne. Now, if there were any Dornish lords and nobles listed, I would of course pass the news on to my father and Prince Doran. Not only would that be prudent as the Martells were my greatest allies, but it would strengthen their trust in me and, I hoped, remove any inclination Doran might have to one day remove or replace me. As for the names and businesses I would learn of in Essos, well if they engaged in activities that were against ideals I was standing for, then they were fair game. Coin, gems, and trade goods were always useful, but harming the slave trade, even if it was only a negligible thing, was something I would always support. Plus, those ships would not expect galleys bearing Koros¡¯ standard to board them, meaning I could easily gain more trade vessels for my fleet. Something I would need to advance the development of Northpoint and any settlements that formed on The Shrouded Isle. Yes, I did run the risk of angering figures of importance in the Free Cities, but as my activities would be focused on the Westerosi side of the Steps, I should be relatively safe from major retaliation. Plus, if they were willing to get into bed with a pirate like Koros, then they knew the risks that the winds of change were always probable to turn against them. Before Barrian could question my orders I offered him a vicious smile. ¡°However, just because we are not yet going to hand over this information to Prince Doran or the Iron Throne, does not mean we cannot act on it. Slavery and piracy are illegal in Westeros and if any lord there is involved in such behaviour their trade vessels will have to be¡­ inspected and impounded as recompense.¡± The pair smiled back though Barrian¡¯s was slower in forming and not as certain. That was entirely understandable as he was young and as a trueborn son of House Fowler, expected others to simply do their duty and serve their lord. What would get drilled into him over the coming moons was that we weren¡¯t in Westeros anymore, and if anyone in the Stepstones was a lord it was me. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ Standing at the head of a force of nearly seven hundred men, a number that included about a hundred men who¡¯d formerly served Lucian Koros, several hundred paces from the first buildings of the last port to swear allegiance to the now-dead pirate lord. While I would¡¯ve liked to have moved on this port almost as soon as taking the fort, I¡¯d not been able to. The number of prisoners that needed to be dealt with ¨C of which all but ten had chosen to bend the knee to me ¨C the fact I needed a naval element to take this port, and the sheer volume of coin, treasure, and trade goods that needed discovering before being moved around the island had delayed the action. Now though, after about a quarter-moon since Koros¡¯ fort had fallen, it was time to remove the last mark he had on this island. Or at least the last obvious mark as while the exact location of any hidden caches had been drawn from Koros before his death, information confirmed by some of his former captains, my men had yet to return from those locations with the bounty there. Somewhere far to the east, in the sea within sight of the port, Daemon would be stationed with a large fleet. Three war galleys along with ten regular galleys were intended to both ensure the men in the port I was targeting remained in place and that those that served The Bloodhawk in a port to the north of Daemon¡¯s location, wouldn¡¯t attempt to use any potential coming battle to strike at my fleet or the port I wanted to take. While I wanted to take that port from The Bloodhawk soon, as it was where he seemingly kept his largest fleet, that wasn¡¯t my intent for today. Now, Daemon¡¯s fleet was intentionally undermanned as I needed to keep men working to move everything from the fort and elsewhere on the island ¨C such as the giant rolls of silk that had been in the port where my fleet was anchored ¨C to the Pride and Lazy Alyn in the port to the south of the fort. Those two cogs, along with an escort fleet of eight galleys would be loaded as fully as was safe with the most valuable goods and all the slaves ¨C I wanted them safely away from The Shrouded Isle and any man that might¡¯ve once abused them ¨C then departing for Northpoint. Through Rian¡¯s gaze, I confirmed no storms were brewing to the south so they should have clear sailing. Once at Northpoint, everything onboard would be transferred to the small settlement and the slaves disembarked. A letter would head to Phenias ordering him to store the coin and gems and add the goods to the runs heading to Sunspear. As for the former slaves, they would be offered the chance to remain in Northpoint and try to find a purpose there, or offered free transport to Sunspear along with gold to let them try and make something of themselves. The odds were that many would either be dead in a year, or back working in industries that weren¡¯t far removed from slavery, but that was their choice to make. The Pride and Lazy Alyn would return to The Shrouded Isle with four of the galleys while the other four would remain behind. I lacked the men to crew every ship fully and felt dropping some of the extra vessels in Northpoint would not only increase the size of the settlement¡¯s defence fleet but allow them to store them until I had men to crew them fully. The ledgers that had been taken from Koros were back in the fort. My squires along with Jekar, Ser Warrek, and a handful of sellswords who could read and write were working diligently to tabulate everything from them and copy down the flags flown so that Jaeronos knew which ships to approach about taxes for safe passage and which to capture for engaging in slavery. The trick wouldn¡¯t last long, but until word reached Westeros and Essos that Lucian Koros was dead, then the men behind those fleets would keep sending them, granting me easy targets to both increase my financial stores and increase the size of my fleet. ¡°My Lord. Men approaching!¡± The call from Illadhor, one of my direct lieutenants, was unnecessary for me as I could see men emerging from the port even with the sun was not that high above the horizon behind them. However, I heard shuffling behind me, suggesting some of the men had been relaxing while we stood here waiting for a response from the port¡¯s commander. I took a step forward, separating myself from the lines. Ser Jedric and Rakakz did so as well along with two of the other knights, Ser Maxir Hallaw and Ser Tyral. Ser Tyral was a wandering hedge knight who, like Ser Garhar, had heard of my adventures in The Steps and wished to earn glory and coin. Maxir was the third son of a landed knight sworn, rather amusingly to House Dayne. While he was here like the others to earn fame and coin, I had noted that he spent as much time as he could around Edric and I wondered if he had been sent by Lord Aldric ¨C or more likely his wife, Lady Joenne ¨C though I¡¯d not yet asked Ser Maxir about it, but if his interest in my squire remained high in the coming moon, then I would. While I could understand why the Daynes might be concerned about their son, Lord Aldric would know that being a squire wasn¡¯t an easy or safe thing but something many young boys were expected to train to become. My eyes tracked six men emerging from the port: all armed and rough-looking. The walls around the port were, to be blunt, a disgrace, at least when speaking of those facing into the island. With Koros having ruled for so long, and the most likely attack directions coming from the sea to the east, or potentially an expedition that hiked around the coast from the north from The Bloodhawk¡¯s port, little concern had been given to walling the port bar the northern side. If we were forced to attack, the battle would be one-sided as beyond the lack of defences, the best fighting men would¡¯ve been brought to the fort by Koros to defend himself and what remained was outnumbered by my land force around three-to-two. Add in the fleet, and the advantage went up to seven-to-one or so. The port commander, who I assumed was in the group approaching me, would know this and if he had any sense surrender and bend the knee without a fight. While the fight would be one-sided, from what I had learnt from the newest men to swear themselves to me, the men in this port spent more time skirmishing with the forces of other pirates than raiding passing vessels. These were men who knew how to fight and if forced to do so would enact a toll on my men that I¡¯d rather avoid. I wanted them to bend the knee as not only would it prevent more acute issues with manpower for my fleets, but also gain me men who were more willing to commit to battle than the average pirate. Once The Bloodhawk was dealt with, which in and of itself might not be easy given where his ports were located, the time would come to take first the Bone Breaker Isles, and then Bloodstone. When that happened, I¡¯d find myself fighting The Blood Serpent and Aeron Indarys at the same time. That was going to be a challenge, both from a manpower issue and with the fact that neither would be happy to surrender the land they controlled in the Bone Breakers islands that lay between The Shrouded Isle and Bloodstone. Aeron was regarded as the strongest pirate lord in the Steps, commanding north of three thousand men supposedly. If the men approaching me from Koros last port bent the knee today, then I¡¯d reach that number. With my ability to track threats and targets via Rian or gulls, then I should in theory have enough men to target Aeron. However, if as I expected the Blood Serpent chose to attack while I was busy with Aeron, I¡¯d be caught between two forces and at serious risk of being overwhelmed and killed. ¡°Who the fuck are you?¡± The question came from the front man in the group that had come from the port. He was fractionally taller than me and considerably broader. The axes at his hips and the way his hands rested close to their handles without being close enough that they posed an immediate threat spoke both of how comfortable he was in battle, and how he expected the situation to turn hostile at the drop of a penny. ¡°Depends on who you ask,¡± I responded with a smirk with a smirk. ¡°The Rogue Viper or the Bloody Wolf are what my men call me,¡± I explained as my hands rested on my belt, not far from the sheathed Red Rain on one hip and an axe on the other. Neither of my hands were as close to my weapons as this man¡¯s were, though they were close enough that I¡¯d be able to draw them before he or anyone with him could reach me. ¡°As for the next question you¡¯re going to have,¡± I gestured to Ser Maxir. The knight stepped forward and lifted a sack he was carrying towards me. The bottom of the sack was soaked a dark, murky red though as I reached inside I did note that at least now there wasn¡¯t any blood dripping from the bottom. I observed, considering my next move, the faces of the six men as I pulled the severed head of Lucian Koros from the bag, his expression permanently locked on one of pain which given how he died was hardly a surprise. ¡°Your former lord is dead,¡± I said, stating the obvious. After Koros¡¯ comments about my mother, I had been content to allow men in my employ to interrogate him rather painfully for knowledge of the hidden caches. Once he gave up everything I felt he would, I had taken him to the centre of his fort, and in front of his former men, had him tied to the ground with his limbs spread out. There Ymir and Rian scratched and pecked at him, causing him to grunt, grumble, and eventually roar in pain. At that point, Kaa slithered out and wrapped his body around the pirate¡¯s chest. While not a constrictor, at his current length he was more than capable of crushing a target or weak prey. As his ribs were slowly shattered by the viper, I had salt water poured over the wounds created by Rian and Ymir. From that point on, he had become a mumbling, broken mess but his punishment was far from over. After recalling Kaa to my shoulders ¨C an act that put the fear of the gods into many of the men in the fort ¨C I¡¯d allowed the former slaves a chance at retribution. With a blunt club, each had been allowed to approach his body and strike him with the club. Some had been reluctant, including Cercilia, but others had helped them extract some justice for the one most responsible for their enslavement. Indeed, in a rather fitting sight even if I feared it might further exacerbate her mental state, I felt it had been the young girl¡¯s blow to Koros¡¯ chest that had been the killing blow as after that strike he had gone limp. The following morning, after leaving the body there as a warning of what happened to those who challenged and angered me, I¡¯d walked out and hacked off the head. The body had been tossed on the funeral pyres burning outside the walls, and while I would have the skull cleansed and burnt free of flesh so I could add it to my collection, for now, it was with me to help drive home the situation to the pirates before me. Of the six, two seemed unsettled while three more tensed, however, my focus remained on the one who had spoken, suspecting he was the ports¡¯ commander. ¡°You the one who Lucian lost to before the storm season?¡± the man asked calmly enough that he seemed unconcerned with the death of his lord. ¡°No, that was the man commanding the fleet to your east,¡± I responded with a smirk with a chuckle even as I dropped the head back into the sack. ¡°Though he did so on my order. Your former lord has joined the ranks of The Grim Prince of Dustspear, and Allerion Redbeard and Vaegon the Firetouched on Redwater in falling to my forces.¡± The other men in the group looked at each other, the names of the other pirate lords resonating with them to varying degrees. ¡°What of the Gilded Hand?¡± The gruff leader of the group asked, catching the missing name in the list. ¡°What about me?¡± Rakakz responded with a smirk, pulling the covering that I¡¯d asked him to wear over his arms back and exposing the gauntlet that he wore that earned him his title. Now, it was unlikely these pirates knew Rakakz personally, but the armour he wore matched what the stories said about the former pirate lord so they might be inclined to believe that the man moving to my side was Rakakz. ¡°You surrendered?¡± the gruff man asked. Rakakz grunted. Then glanced at me. ¡°I would not call it that.¡± I raised an eyebrow, amused by his need to save his honour over the matter and curious how he was going to spin things to make himself look better. ¡°This bastard, before I even knew he was on the island, had killed Vaegon, captured half my fleet and men and two of my ports. To save my skin, and that of my remaining men, I negotiated a merger of our forces, under his command.¡± ¡°Sounds like a surrender to me,¡± the gruff man shot back with a small smile. Rakakz grunted. ¡°Call it what you want, but you have a choice now. Join his ranks or join your former lord.¡± ¡°Will you punish us for anything we did in Koros¡¯ name?¡± The question came from another of the pirates; the man who stood out the most. At a good head taller than me and with skin as dark as a moonless sky, it was clear he was a Summer Islander. How he had ended up in Koros¡¯ ranks would have to wait as, almost as soon as he spoke, two of the other men grasped the hilts of their blades. While Rakakz and the knights with me did likewise, I stayed still. Both were curious how this was going to play out and to make clear I wasn¡¯t concerned about any of the men before me. Before the two pirates could draw their blades, the one closest to the gruff leader was slapped hard across the face, causing the pirate to stumble back. ¡°Stay your blades you fucking fools!¡± He snapped at the pair. ¡°I¡¯m not dying today because of your idiocy!¡± ¡°Zathras moves to betray us!¡± The one who¡¯d not been slapped shot back. ¡°No, he¡¯s just listening to the words of these fucks and getting more information!¡± The gruff man snapped back. ¡°As any man with a full head would do.¡± The man who¡¯d challenged the group¡¯s leader growled, but as I stared at him along with his leader, a grin of amusement on my face, he took a step back and removed his hand from the hilt of his weapon. ¡°Good choice,¡± I commented, drawing the focus of all the pirates back to me. ¡°If you had not done so, I suspect you would have been Ymir¡¯s meal for today.¡± The group all looked at me in confusion, though after I whistled and the large black form of my direwolf slipped from the forest, that confusion turned to fear. All six watched me with wide eyes as the massive beast moved between my men and approached my side, leaning into my hand when I lifted it from my belt. As I scratched Ymir behind his ear, he growled at the pirates, exposing teeth as long as my forearm to the group. ¡°By Pantera, what is that?¡± ¡°Ymir here is a direwolf,¡± I explained with a smile as my companion leaned more into my touch. ¡°I found him several years ago beyond The Wall at the far north of Westeros. While not a man, he is one of my most trusted companions, and perhaps the deadliest killer in my ranks.¡± Ymir snorted as if insulted that I wasn¡¯t outright giving him the title of deadliest. ¡°What are your demands?¡± The gruff man asked after about half a minute of silence. ¡°Simple really. You could return to your port and prepare to meet whatever gods you worship when my men and fleet attack.¡± My smile widened. ¡°Or you could surrender, and after reading the charter my men follow, and marking your acceptance of it, bend the knee and swear yourselves to my service.¡± Now, if there was a battle, I would accept surrender during it, but I wasn¡¯t stating that, so the choice felt like a live-or-die one. Such stark choices often brought the best outcomes. ¡°How long do we have to consider your terms?¡± Before I could reply, the Summer Islander stepped forward and once he was closer, dropped to a knee and lowered his head. ¡°Zathras pledges his blade to your service, my Lord Wolf.¡± The man who¡¯d been struck earlier moved forward, his hand once more on the hilt of his blade. ¡°Why you¡­¡± before he could draw the weapon, the gruff man slammed a fist into his side, driving him to the ground. The man¡¯s head snapped up at his leader in anger, though that turned to fear as he saw the leader had pulled his cutlass and was now holding it against the man¡¯s throat. The move had been fast, impressively so, and I knew that I wanted this man in my ranks as he not only had the fear and respect of his men but knew how to fight. ¡°Zathras has made his choice,¡± The man snarled at the fool in his ranks. ¡°Unless you wish for me to make yours for you, I suggest you let the matter lie,¡± he added as I saw a faint trickle of blood slide down the other man¡¯s neck. A nod came from the downed man, and he lifted his hands from his body, signalling his submission. At that, the gruff leader turned back to me, though his blade remained out and ready to strike the man who¡¯d challenged his authority. ¡°How long do we have to consider the offer?¡± ¡°Until high noon,¡± I responded with a smirk with a smirk. ¡°At that point, one of my men will blow his horn three times. Any who wish to surrender and hear the rules of service under me should exit the port unarmed. After that, at a time of my choosing, the horn will sound again. At that, my men will enter the port and any there will be considered a threat to be exterminated.¡± Daemon was already aware of the rules of engagement, so knew when to attack. Still, I would have Rian land on his command ship to confirm the battle, if there was to be one, would take place today. The port commander held my gaze for a few moments, and I wondered if he might make a choice here and now, trying to alter the situation to his advantage. Given I had a hundred men with weapons drawn not far back, and others with bows in hand with arrows nocked ¨C though not drawn ¨C there was little he could do to alter terms to his advantage. I hoped he would choose the wise path as in the short interaction we¡¯d had, he had impressed me. However, if he chose death then I would work to ensure he died a good death. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­ (Daemon¡¯s POV) As he stepped onto the dock of the port, Daemon allowed a smile to form under his helm. It had been less than half a moon since Lucian Koros had been defeated and executed, and already they were back moving at speed, this time targeting The Bloodhawk¡¯s forces. Specifically, the port the pirate controlled that was closest to those had belonged to Koros and held the pirate¡¯s largest warship. Now, Daemon was under orders to not remain in this port, instead to simply raid it for the ships, supplies and anything else of value and fallback to the closest port under Cregan¡¯s control. This port was where The Bloodhawk kept his largest ships, the two war galleys that were the prize of the pirate¡¯s fleet and placed her to counter the three that had formerly belonged to Lucian Koros in his port on this section of coast. That port had, only a few days prior, surrendered almost to a man to Cregan when given an ultimatum after learning of Koros¡¯ death. While that did swell their ranks and more vessels, including three war galleys that Daemon had used to strike The Bloodhawk¡¯s port, it was but another sign to Daemon that a pirate was little use beyond a body to throw into a fight, and only then a fight that one expected to win. Those captured ships increased the size of the fleet under Daemon¡¯s command. A fleet that dwarfed that commanded by Cregan. Six war galleys and three times that number of regular galleys, along with around fifteen hundred men were at Daemon¡¯s command, though only half that fleet was used to strike this port. While Daemon was taking the ships here, Cregan was moving to the west, heading to his fleet before sailing around the northern side of The Shrouded Isle. Extra ships would sail from where Jaeronos was controlling a port in Cregan¡¯s name, with those vessels replaced by others that had been captured recently. Daemon felt he could hold this port, particularly if he brought most of his men and ships here, however, Cregan was cautious about doing so. There was little currently stopping The Bloodhawk from striking back with men from his other ports, and while Daemon would hold the advantage in men, everyone claimed The Bloodhawk¡¯s men were better fighters than most of those who had once served Lucian Koros. Thus instead, he was taking the ships here, along with anything else of value they could find, and fallback to the nearest controlled port. That would weaken The Bloodhawk¡¯s ability to strike out against Daemon¡¯s fleet while forcing him to divert men to hold a port that had no value save for its location and connection to the track network the Bloodhawk had built between his various ports. As he reached the end of the dock and set foot on solid ground, Daemon looked around, cautious that men might be hiding elsewhere in an attempt to ambush them. While the men in the crow¡¯s nests of the ships of his fleet had assured him that the inhabitants of the port had abandoned the place, until the port was searched and secured, he would remain alert. Which was why he was, as with any port attack, in full plate. Based on the numbers Cregan had provided ¨C supplied via Rian ¨C five hundred men should see this port as home. When faced with an approaching armada that outnumbered them seemingly more than three-to-one, it was only expected that the port¡¯s commander would seek to fall back, or at least move to hidden locations from which to launch a counterattack. The former was more likely as while there was another of The Bloodhawk¡¯s ports no more than half a day¡¯s march away it had half the men as this port was meant to have. Even with every man from the two ports, Daemon¡¯s force was more than enough to outnumber The Bloodhawk¡¯s. From the other docks in the port, Daemon saw armoured figures lead men ashore. Those were the other knights under his command, acting as Daemon was an armoured figurehead for assault forces. Those same knights had, along with Cayde, been placed aboard a war galley each though they were expected to defer to the vessel¡¯s captain at sea and in combat. It was only for land assaults such as this that the knights had the authority to override the captains, though as such assaults would generally be led by Daemon they would be acting under his orders anyway. As men from the Howl surged out around him, forming into ranks at his sides, Daemon considered what would come after they departed this port. Cregan would need time to move along the northern coast of the island and deal with first Crann Snow and then Garvy Pyke. Ports were controlled by the two bastards ¨C one and three respectively ¨C that would likely need to be taken care of before Cregan was in a position to move against The Bloodhawk from the north, however, Daemon would not be idle in the time until then. Cregan had instructed him to send a large force, up to half his men, to The Whores. Cregan had not forgotten about either the defeat he had suffered earlier this year or that Bronn was there with three hundred men with orders to at least hold one of the small islands, if not strike at the pirate-controlled islands if an opportunity arose. There were, from what Cregan and seen as they¡¯d sailed towards The Shrouded Isle, fewer pirates in The Whores than when the group of seven islands had been raided earlier in the year, so Daemon expected that Bronn would have found some success in targeting the pirates. However, regardless of how well Bronn had or had not done in dealing with the pirates in The Whores, Cregan wanted the islands cleansed properly. There was, as far as Daemon knew, little intent by Cregan to hold the islands currently, but clearing them of pirates removed a weakness in the supply lines between Northpoint and The Shrouded Isle that made sense to remove. There was also the consideration that the eight longboats left with Bronn would be ideal for use around the Bone Breaker islands, and the channel they rested in between The Shrouded Isle and Bloodstone. However, for all that Daemon¡¯s thoughts lingered on Bronn. He had sparred with each of the new knights and sellswords in the moons while they were forced by the weather to siege Koros¡¯ fort and Daemon had defeated each of them at least once. That meant that Bronn, the lowborn, foul-mouthed prick that he was, was the only man in their forces that Daemon could not defeat. Now, in full combat, with his armour and chosen weapons, Daemon felt he could take the sellsword, but in spars where they were equally armed and armoured, Bronn remained undefeated. An issue Daemon was intent on correcting before they returned to Sunspear. Whenever that might be. As Daemon moved forward with his men, he had one last thought centred around the sellsword, and that was how he would react to the presence of so many knights in Cregan¡¯s ranks. Being forced to endure so many men used to moving and interacting with the trueborn sons and daughters of Lords and Ladies of Dorne was something Daemon knew Bronn would dislike, and he wondered how long it would take the devotedly brash sellsword to anger one of the knights into a spar or worse. That thought slipped from his mind as he reached the first line of buildings in the port, the large building that was situated centrally his first target. The odds were good that this was either the port commander¡¯s residence or a storehouse. Still, even if the port was abandoned as it should be, and the building was not anything important, he would approach it with caution, fearful of any trap that might lay within. To do otherwise was how one ended up dead in some nameless location, mourned by few and remembered by less. ¡­ ¡­
¡­ ¡­