Chapter 167: 166
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299 AC
Kingslanding
Cersei Lannister
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"What do you mean we have found nothing? We know who took them and we know where he went!" I throw the cup of wine that was just poured across the table and it hits the spider in the head. "You only have to find them!" I slap the table feeling anger boil inside of me at the lack of sightings of my children.
Eddard the 'honorable' wolf stole my children and likely already made it to Winterfell with the Northern armies risen and defending the neck. Jaime and Father have set off to get them back with the might of the Westerlands but it is going to slow. The Riverlands burned before they could respond but even with the late reaction, they have been snaring the feet of the men heading North.
Reports of the Vale rising and making the venture northward more and more dangerous as their backs are exposed. That or the Vale will head to Kingslanding while the Westerlands are off fighting the Nort, that whore Aemma is on the Targaryen's side. I even heard her newest babe born not long ago is a dragon's bastard, a whore through and through.
"I will find them." The bald master of whispers bows his head as the wine seeps into his clothes.
My son has called for the banners to retrieve his siblings and then plans to crush the Targaryens in Dorne afterward. But none other than the Westerlands have responded, all traitors willing to jump back into bed with dragons. The dragons burned people alive for fun and yet they are so ready to run to them at the first show of weakness.
If I knew this would happen I would have waited to set up my fool husband's death, I thought now was a good time for my son to rise up. But instead, things are falling apart in our hands and it looks hopeless with no one siding with us other than my family.
"Your Grace, there is always the potential of hiring the Golden Company." This damn fool Master of Coin has brought this up more than once with it being denied each time.
"The same Golden Company that was just building up support in Volantis before it went up in flames. The same one that wants to support the Blackfyres and put a black dragon on my son's throne?" I ask with no small amount of venom in my voice.
"The Blackfyres are dead once more, only two girls live and that is if the Targaryens showed them mercy. They had dragons which is a threat to the Targaryens so they likely got killed or turned into broodmares. Everyone has heard of Eragon Targaryen being the coming again of the Unworthy with the sheer amount of females he keeps at his side. The Golden Company has no cause with the death of Daemon, you could give them a cause and use them to kill the rebels. Then reward the loyal Golden Company with the lands of the traitors and the problems are solved." I bite the inside of my cheek as I think about his words and realize they have some sense to them.
"How many are even left after Volantis went up in flames?" The city is in recovery but apparently, the slaves killed everyone not a part of their 'holy order' for the god of fire.
"They lost a fourth of their number but they are recovering near the Disputed lands, I could go and speak with them on your behalf. If you entrust this to me I will see the Golden banners of the Golden Company flying on the right side of this conflict." I nod for a moment and finally decide we will need the men regardless if we want to survive the coming war.
"Good, I will let you handle hiring the sell swords but promise them no land until I speak with them myself." He bows low with that sick smile on his face and I feel my guts stir but I push it down.
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299 AC
Kingslanding
Varys Blackfyre
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I wipe the wine off my sleeves and withhold a frown as I see from the corner of my eye a servant watching me closely. Things have not gone according to any plan I have made but it looks like the Golden Company will show up regardless. Though I wish it was with my nephew spearheading and taking the Iron Throne, this will still work.
Old loyalties run strong in the company and if my niece can make it work then she can have an army delivered to Westeros. Though from what I have been able to tell she is likely in the Targaryen care and it would be hard. But I suppose if they ally she could be given more opportunities.
I have no clue how to come out on top in this game as the board is constantly flipped and thrown around. It seems almost hopeless to try anything and it would benefit the realm more to just side with the red dragon. If my nieces can at least pass on their blood then House Blackfyre can at least survive through blood. That alone will be better than everything falling apart and disappearing into nothingness.
Queen Cersei is one day from falling into complete madness and something needs to be done here in Kingslanding before it gets bad. Her son the King is wild and ambitious to smash all the Kingdoms as if he can bring back his father's glory with a hammer. Breaking open a few criminals' heads has given him a bloodlust like no other, he walks around with a wild look in his eyes.
I fear I might need to go into hiding like I thought I would a while back, there is nothing more I can do from this side. It is best to head to see what I can recover of House Blackfyre and the future steps I can take. If what I have heard about Eragon is right then maybe he would take one of them as a wife and replace one of the traitor's great houses with a babe of the union. If the tales of the three new dragons are true that could be exactly why he left them alive, to get a babe of their blood to claim their dragons. I know not what the answers are at the moment but I will seek them out.
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299 AC
Winterfell
Eddard Stark
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It is nice to see home even with war looming, I plan to drop these children off into safety before heading to the army. My son is leading the men in the neck to fortify the moat Cailin and keep the Westerlands men down south. It will be hard fought with the disarray of moat Cailin but she has stood against Andal invasion time and time again, this won't be different.
I also need to see if word has come from House Tully and their plans for the troops moving into their territory that Lord Manderly told me about. My actions dragged in thousands of people all because I promised my friend to do something for him. I need to put an end to this if I get a chance that will lower the amount of bloodshed for my actions.
This war was coming regardless, but I pulled the North into it and made the Riverlands the first to get hit. I need to make it up to the Riverlands by assisting in any way I can, I should also reach out to Lady Arryn and see what her plans are. I have no doubt she will want to get revenge on the Lions and this is her chance, I doubt she would miss it.
I have no clue what the other Kingdoms will do, the Stormlands and the Reach are going to be a problem for the Dornish wanting to march up toward Kingslanding. I just hope things settle quickly and the war is not a prolonged one, but I expect it will be long enough for many people to die and damage to be done that will last tens of years at least.
"I did not expect to come back here, not that it is not nice but I just was never expecting to see Winterfell again." The young Princess speaks up and I try to smile as I nod at her words, she is a Southern girl and should be in the South.
Any regret I have is meaningless at this point, it's done and it's time to move on and prepare for what is to come.
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299 AC
Winterfell
Stannis Baratheon
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I grit my teeth thinking about the traitors that refused the call after they all bent the knee to me at Dragonstone. I am Lord of Dragonstone and they are sworn to me and they ignore my summons as I prepare for war. I should first sail to them and kill them all off but I have no time to waste, I need to capture Storms End.
Renly is off in the Reach fooling around with the Tyrell boy and left 'his' seat of power for the taking. I will take Storms End and sit on the Storm King's throne regardless of who comes to take it from me. I won't waste away on Dragonstone waiting for the Targaryens to come and reclaim it as I know they will, it is their home and they will crave it as I do Storms End after all.
I am low on men and ships but it will be enough, especially since I am the rightful Lord of Storms End as the elder brother. The men will bend the knee and I will secure my hold over the Stormlands, if Renly comes I will tell him Dragonstone is free. He can take the barren rock and await death by dragon fire. Though I expect him to try and drag his Tyrell friend into the conflict to try and gain support from the Reach.
The Reach would not let one of their own die trying to take the seat of Storms End, not without support at least. Though I doubt the Queen of Thrones will let one of her own act so foolish, she will hold him back. If she can't then I will just have the men capture him and send him back as a show of goodwill and to potentially ally. To face the threat of Targaryens we both must stand strong, they will come from the south, from Dorne.
For Dorne to herald the return of the dragons after they stood strong against them for so long is an oddity. But even without Dorne's support the Targaryen in the Summer Isles will be sailing up, likely passing through the Stepstones. I would like to take hold of the small islands and prevent him from passing but I have neither ships nor men to do that and hold Storms End.
No matter, If the Reach stands with the Stormlands and my nephew on the throne stops acting a fool then we can at least put up a good fight. If not then I will hold my home until my last breath, I won't kneel and plead for my life if it means giving up what should be mine.
Though if the Targaryens let me keep Storms End I might would bend the knee, it's a difficult bite to swallow but I think I would. It would not be like Mance Tyrell outside my home telling me to yield it, it would be a real threat to the walls holding everything together. If the Targaryens wanted to they could turn Storms End into a new Harrenhal and I would bend before that happened.
I won't be the next Harren the Black.
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