5

Chapter 5 Arrivals

I do not own Harry Potter or Game of Thrones.

First off a special nod to VengefulMANonMission who was kind enough to give me permission to use his concept of rebuilding and developing King's Landing. And another special thank you to DragonsKing83 who was kind enough to let me use a story idea from his own story 'The Dragonborn'

And another big thank you to syed, BijuuDamaBomber who gave me a lot of ideas some of which I will touch on in this chapter. But syed also raised a valuable point, who should Jon be paired with? I would enjoy hearing your ideas and I am not against him having two wives like Aegon the Conqueror. But please no family members, I know it was common practice but I am not keen on it.

Also does anyone have ideas about Ygritte? I want to put her in the story but I am not sure where.

Warning - foul language and gore

Chapter 5 – Arrivals

Jon felt the brisk sea breeze against his face as he stood on deck. Ghost, his direwolf knelt at his side with Jon's hand petting the faithful animal guardian. The colossal statue at the entrance to Braavos harbour was an awesome sight. He had never imagined a statue that size and wondered to himself how they had managed to create such a monument. The ship carried him and the rest of the passengers and crew under the great icon and into the harbour. It was bustling with traders, sell sails and others rushing around going about their business. The twenty Northmen that his uncle although it was still very confusing for Jon to think of Ned Stark like that surrounded him with weary eyes as people rushed past. The strange designs of the buildings were so different to what they were used to they really felt uneasy here.

"Jon Snow?" A voice called out, Jon looked around and saw a gruff looking man in his mid-forties looking at him expectantly. His hair was distinctive shade of blue and while clean shaven his face was marked with lines and looked like leather. He was dressed in simple tunic and breeches with a red wolf cloak but it did not conceal the powerful muscles the man had. Then Jon saw met his gaze and the man's eyes were completely devoid of emotion and was studying him intently. He had been told a blue hair man was going to meet him when he arrived so Jon assumed this was the man that would take him to meet the rest of his family. Ghost growled at the man and the Northmen that stood with Jon, all keeping their weapons close at hand.

"I am. You are?" Jon asked the man who remained as emotional as a statue and he told him.

"You can call Griff in public. Now come the rest of your family is expecting you." Griff said sternly and started walking off leaving them without a backwards glance. Feeling annoyed Jon followed him but kept his sword at the ready and Ghost at his side with the Northmen around them both. Rylander their leader looked at him uncertainly but Jon just shook his head and kept on following the gruff blue haired man. Eventually they reached a walled private estate on the outer edges of the city where guards stood watch dressed in Westeros style armour carrying fearsome looking pikes. Griff nodded and they allowed them to pass but their eyes watched intently for any sign of aggression from the Northmen who likewise were weary of the guards but thankfully no-one started a fight. As they passed the gated entrance the impressive gardens dazzled the men but they did not have time to admire them properly as Griff just ignored the scenery and walked confidently ahead without even a backwards glance. They soon arrived at an incredible manor house that was made of white stone that shone in the sun while the windows were decorated with stained glass patterns. The main doors opened without Griff having to knock and the inside was no less impressive than the exterior. The white smooth stone continued throughout the building as far as they could see with tapestries and well carved wooden furniture decorating the entrance hall which split off into several passages revealed by sunlight cast in many different colours by the decorative windows. The Northmen were amazed at their surroundings, Northmen were usually very basic in their decoration due to the harshness of the North, it was better to be practical than waste precious resources on fancy art or elaborate furniture. Even in Winterfell, the so called capital of the North there was nothing even close to the luxury they had seen so far. Griff turned around and much to their alarm the doors were closed by two guards they had not noticed inside, sealing them in. Nearly ready to draw their swords in an attempt to escape they were stopped by a warm caring voice that echoed from down one of the corridors.

"Jon Connington! Did you at least explain some things to the poor lad before dragging him and his men in here?" Rylander reacted at the name having heard it from his father but could not explain to Jon Snow as they were greeted by a kindly looking woman in her mid to late twenties. She was quite beautiful the men noticed immediately with dark hair in gentle waves down to her lower back with a slender figure and very gentle light blue eyes. The woman walked over to Jon and gave a curtsy saying politely.

"Your grace." The title was still strange to Jon's ears. He had never had a title that merited such respect. The men were surprised too although they had been told the truth about his father as a matter of necessity. "Welcome to Peverell House, the current seat of House Targaryen although they have stopped using that name for now so that the Usurper does not find them. My name is Tysha, handmaiden to her royal highness the Dowager Queen Rhaella. I'm sure 'Griff', can show your men where they will be staying while I take you to see your royal grandmother?" She added casting a surprisingly stern look over to the blue haired man who was untouched and answered with a mocking bow.

"Of course Lady Lannister." Then he started walking off again without even a backwards glance, Rylander looked to Jon who nodded and somewhat reluctantly the men followed Griff and left Jon and Ghost alone with Tysha. Jon turned to her and asked incredulously.

"Lady Lannister?" She looked uncomfortable and as they started walking down the passage that she first emerged from with Ghost dogging their footsteps she explained to him.

"That is my…official title due to my marriage to Lord Tyrion Lannister. I was born the daughter of a crofter and saved from being raped by a gang of thugs by Tyrion and his brother Jaime. After Tyrion and I fell in love and were married by a drunk septon with pigs as witnesses." She said smiling in amusement at the memory. "But Tyrion's father Lord Tywin Lannister thought I was too common for his beloved house. He planned to have me condemned as a whore and raped by the entire castle garrison giving me a piece of silver for each man and gold for a Lannister as they are worth more." She said, her beautiful face twisting with distress at the near miss while Jon became alarmed at the very thought of such a thing. "Fortunately not everyone in his house was as cruel and judgemental. Lord Hadrian Lannister sent me here before his father could carry out his plan to be safe from his father's rage. Since meetings between Tyrion and myself have been sporadic so his father does not find me and our children have to be raised here." She said regretfully, she missed her loving husband dearly. But she could not deny that she was happy, serving the exiled royal family and allowed to rise her two sons and daughter here, conceived during rare meetings although she had had to conceal the true identities of her employers from her husband. It was not that she did not trust him but she was warned off by her employers who wanted to investigate Tyrion more closely before revealing the truth to him.

Soon however they arrived in a courtyard with a garden. A small table had been set up under a canopy, around the table there were two older women sipping tea, they were very different with years between them but apparently very comfortable with each other. The older woman was elegance incarnate, her dress was conservative but made of white silk and was decorated with golden jewellery. Her face was smooth with fewer lines that would have been normal on a woman her age, her silvery blonde hair was turning into a grey but her violet eyes revealed an inner fire that was not immediately apparent. There was a strong will and an incredibly sharp mind behind those eyes, of that Jon was certain.

The other woman was of dornish descent, she was younger by nearly a decade or more than the other woman. Her hair was still dark and ran straight down her back. She was very slim and had few curves but her delicate features would still have been enticing to most men. Her dress was more revealing than the older woman's too, made of orange coloured silk and her dark brown eyes were lit with kindness.

Jon was led over in somewhat a daze as he realised who these women were; his grandmother the Dowager Queen Rhaella and Princess Elia Martell. Both women apprised him carefully as he approached and Tysha announced him after curtsying to the two royal women.

"Your majesties, Prince Jon Targaryen." Jon frowned still not used to the idea of being a Targaryen Prince rather than a Stark bastard, after a month or so it was still too new for him to get his head around it. Ghost did not waste any time as he lay down in the shade watching carefully lapping up some of the cold water from a fountain nearby.

Rhaella nodded and said.

"Thank you. That will be all Tysha, leave us." Tysha curtsied again and made her exit, leaving Jon alone with the two older royal women. Elia smiled at him and said kindly.

"You have his cheekbones, his stance too like a burden is weighing you down."

Jon was taken aback as he realised that she was referring to his biological father Prince Rhaegar Targaryen that too was a hard pill to swallow as he still thought of Lord Stark as his father. Rhaella however kept her gaze cool and said.

"Sit down boy, you are making the place look untidy." Jon was intimidated by the older woman whose presence was so strong it made Lady Stark look like a young girl having a temper tantrum so did as he was told immediately. Rhaella poured him a cup of tea and pushed it in his direction. Taking this as his cue he carefully took hold of the cup and sipped it mindful of not scolding his tongue. The tea was hot but still drinkable and tasted sweet although the flavour was unknown to him. Rhaella was about to say something else when Elia stepped in.

"Please Rhaella you are making the boy nervous. This should be a happy day, finally a chance to get our dynasty back where it belongs…on the Iron Throne." Elia appealed to the older woman who remained aloof.

"The boy has yet to prove he has what it takes to rule a kingdom. There will be much he has to learn." She was aloof not out of dislike like Lady Catelyn although it felt that way to Jon who's heart was sinking at the thought of his own grandmother not liking him. Rhaella was merely protected herself from getting disappointed again. First her husband/brother who had started out so well as King only for Aerys to turn into a cruel and horrid monster that she had been hurt by many times like countless others. Her youngest son Viserys, she had such high hopes for him at first only for the boy to develop the same madness as his father and get himself killed in a drunken fight with some sellswords.

His death had really hurt her, regardless of what he had become he had still been her son and the wound that had been opened that day would probably never heal, just as her heartbreak the day her dearly beloved eldest son Rhaegar had been killed by that terrible lout Robert Baratheon had never gotten any easier to bare. Jon reminded her of Rhaegar and it was painful for the older woman to be near him but she resolved to pull herself above it. She cast her eyes over to the direwolf that was now having had its drink curled up at Jon's feet where he petted the animal. She was intrigued by the direwolf as she had never seen one before, the creature's white fur was soft looking but its red eyes were quite intimidating. Still the beast seemed well behaved so she ignored it and decided to get right to the point.

"I could not believe the contents of the letter sent by Lord Lannister when it arrived. We had long given up hope of finding a boy who would carry our family name. But here you are, I only wish we had learnt of you years ago, you have much to learn and not much time to do it." Rhaella said taking another sip of her tea while staring at Jon intently. But then she turned to Elia and asked. "And just where are Rhaenys and Daenerys? They should have been here to greet the newest member of our family." She said looking very annoyed at her daughter and granddaughter. Elia just smiled not as tough on the girls as the former queen and told Rhaella.

"Where do you think?" Rhaella sighed in exasperation and got up to walk away. Elia still smiling got to her feet as well followed closely by Jon and Ghost who all followed Rhaella. Elia seeing the boy's nervousness put a comforting hand on his shoulder and told him. "Do not worry about Rhaella, she is just worried about our family. Carrying this burden has been hard on her all these years. None where as eager for you to get here as she was." She reassured the boy looked uncertain but felt better at Princess Elia's words. They walked through a small passage that led from the courtyard into another but this one was bare of any decoration like the fountains and plants of the other. There were dummies for weapons training, targets for archery and racks of different weapons to train with. On the far side of the large yard there were two young women by one of the ranged targets practicing throwing knives into it if Jon could see them right while they were laughing and chatting. Next to them there was a tall man with light armour keeping watch. Although tanned he did have something of a Northern look about him but Jon's attention was taking away when the two young women who had turned around to face them.

They were both stunningly beautiful and again a huge contrast from each other. The older girl looked in her late teens and was clearly dornish by her olive skin and dark hair that fell wild down her back. She wore a golden dress that hung loosely over her impressive curves and was more revealing than any dress Jon had ever seen on a woman. The only thing that did not sing true with her apparent dornish heritage was her violet eyes showing her father's Valyrian heritage. The shape of her face looked much like a younger Elia Martell. So Jon realised this must be Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, his half-sister.

The other slightly younger girl must therefore be Princess Daenerys Targaryen, he thought to himself and he was again amazed by her beauty. She had stunning silvery blonde hair running straight down her back and pale skin as clear as white marble covered by white silk just like her mother although her figure was slimmer than Rhaenys. Purple Valyrian eyes shone with interest as she saw Jon as did those of Rhaenys. He suddenly found himself sweating for reasons other than the heat. While they were the most beautiful women he had ever seen he had no lustful feelings towards either of them and in fact felt slightly revolted at the thought of bedding them. Would that be expected of him? He wondered to himself. To marry his own kin as the Targaryens had done for so many generations. He certainly hoped not. But the girls it seemed were just glad to meet him.

"So you are my half-brother?" Rhaenys said looking him up and down intently before smiling a kind smile just like her mother. But before he could answer Daenerys said with a tremendous smile of her own.

"It is good to meet you." Jon found that he could not help but smile back and Daenerys then looked down at Ghost who was studying her intently. She put her hand out and the direwolf sniffed it gently before licking her hand as she scratched his chin. The direwolf acted more like a dog loving the attention the princess was giving him. Rhaenys then joined in and the older women just smiled as the two princesses made a fuss of the albino direwolf. Daenerys…Jon realised had an amazing quality to make people like her, he himself was already feeling like he wanted to protect her, she could figuratively charm the birds from the trees and Rhaenys was not that far off either as they reduced his fierce direwolf into a docile puppy.

Rhaenys eventually broke off as Daenerys continued making a fuss of Ghost and asked the two older women.

"Now we have a male heir how long before we retake our rightful seat in the seven kingdoms?" The young girl asked and Rhaella for the first time since Jon had met the woman smiled and told her granddaughter.

"First young lady, we are going to need an army of our own. Our allies like Lord Hadrian Lannister will go about reducing any opposition that we will face when we get there but when we first land any opposition we do face we will have to deal with on our own."

"How many soldiers do we have?" Jon asked wanting to know how many men they had to work with right now and to see how far they would have to go. Rhaella told him.

"Two thousand five hundred men at arms. Expert soldiers; Jon Connington and Ser Jorah over there has seen to that." The queen indicated the Northern man in the corner who nodded in gratitude at the passing mention. "And five hundred ships to move them without drawing too heavily from our merchant fleet. But we will need far more than that if we are going to try and conquer Westeros."

"Mother what the Slaver's Bay plan we came up with?" Daenerys asked as she gently rubbed Ghost's exposed belly. Rhaella thought for a moment and seeing the puzzlement on the face of her grandson told Jon.

"There is a bay in Southern Essos where slavery is the dominant driving force and has become known as Slaver's Bay. We thought that if we could liberate the area then we could turn the bay into a strategic launching point for the future invasion of Westeros and turn the freed slaves into an army." Jon was repulsed at the idea of slavery, it was illegal in the country that he had come from and he was disgusted at it being so apparently rampant here. Tales of the Unsullied which he had heard from Maester Luwin and how they were treated was enough to make him sick but then he had an idea.

"If we started in Astapor and got the loyalty of the Unsullied by freeing them that would give us the force we need to conquer the area and turn it into a kingdom we can use." He said and the four royals around him were silent for a moment before Elia smiled at him.

"You might make a good king yet. Ser Jorah will you get 'it' from the armoury please?" She said giving only the slightest hint as to what 'it' was. The knight nodded and left while Rhaella pondered over the plan.

"If Lord Varys can get up to date intelligence of the area then it is possible that it could work. But there is much that needs to be done. And we may need to try and hatch the three dragon eggs we acquired. They could make all the difference." She was interrupted by Ser Jorah coming back carrying a long wooden ornate box, presenting it to Jon who hesitated after looking very shocked at the mention of three dragon eggs for a moment before opening the box and marvelling at the contents.

It was a long sword made of exquisite Valyrian steel, it had an elaborate hilt design with a cross guard of two dragons with rubies for eyes and a larger ruby in the centre and another in the pommel. Jon was in awe of the great weapon and put his hand carefully around the grip almost as if it would vanished as he touched it. But it did not and he carefully lifted it out of the box. It was heavy but not so much he could not wield it two handed. Elia smiled as did everyone and she told Jon what the sword was.

"Blackfyre, the sword of kings and the blade which Aegon the Conqueror wielded when he took over the seven kingdoms. And the blade which you will use to reclaim them."

On the other side of the Narrow Sea completely unaware of the schemes being devised by the Targaryens, the Lannister party were approaching Castamere. Bran, Tommen and Myrcella were amazed as they came into sight of the impressive towers and walls of the formerly ruined castle.

"I had the castle restored about ten years ago, along with Tarbeck Hall." Hadrian told them as they stopped there for the night. Stewards and maids showing them the well-appointed rooms. "It made more sense to use them rather than simply leave them as monuments to my father's ruthlessness."

That night as his sons, daughters, niece and nephew slept Hadrian found himself unable to follow suit. He thinking about what the next couple of years would be like and thinking of plans to cover any potential problems. He was about to head in and ask the maester for something to help him sleep when he saw a young lad sitting on the castle walls looking out across the night's sky towards the North looking despondent. Getting closer Hadrian realised that Bran Stark. Worried about how close the lad was to the edge he came over and said.

"Brandon Stark come here. It is nearly a sixty foot drop from that wall." The boy sighed and slid himself backwards so he could clamber back down onto the safety of the ramparts. Hadrian said sternly. "Your mother warned me about your climbing. There will none of that from now on, understood?" He asked and watching the boy who managed to meet his eyes nodding without looking down at his feet first, another thing that the lad's mother had told him about. Hadrian glad they had got that sorted put a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder and asked him gently.

"You're homesick aren't you?" Bran looked sad as he admitted.

"I miss Winterfell, my father, my mother, my brothers and my sisters. I miss Summer, my direwolf." Being in the South would not have been so bad if his parents had let him bring his direwolf but Lady Stark was worried that the creature would be dangerous around the younger prince and princess so it had been kept with the rest of its pack at Winterfell.

Hadrian gave the boy a sympathetic smile, he remembered how it had been when his own father had brought him to King's Landing for the first time, he had missed his friends at the Casterly Rock and it had taken a while for him to get used the brutal pace of the capital. He told Bran gently.

"You will see them all again and if you really want to you can go home, I will not stop you. I'm sure you could squire for your great uncle the Blackfish Ser Brynden Tully." He reassured the boy. "Besides it will get easier as time goes on."

"Really?" Bran asked him looking slightly better about the situation and he then admitted. "I always wanted to be a knight, maybe even serve on the Kingsguard like Ser Barristan Selmy or your brother Ser Jaime Lannister." The boy was momentarily lost in a vision of him serving alongside the greatest knights in the land, protecting the king and doing great deeds.

Hadrian hated to burst the boy's bubble so he decided to do it gently.

"Serving the Kingsguard is for life, it is a decision that has to be made very carefully before you commit to it just like the Night's Watch. You can have a lot of freedom, to marry and have a family of your own if you find other paths in life. Besides I made a deal with your father when we betrothed my son to your sister Arya that I would assist in the repairs to Moat Cailin so maybe you could become its new lord." He suggested. As Northern lord Ned would have the first call over who gets to take over Moat Cailin when it was repaired and his second son once he was old enough would be a good political choice. It would also increase Bran's prospects of finding a good wife in the future. Already some of his men were at the ruined castle doing a full survey to see how much work would need to be done and he expected to hear from them soon.

Bran looked overwhelmed at the idea of ruling over his own castle, especially one with the importance of Moat Cailin. He was still in a state of disbelief that his sister Arya, who had long made her views on marriage known was betrothed to the future lord of Casterly Rock.

The Royal Baratheon/Stark/Lannister party meanwhile had arrived in King's Landing. The Lannister and Baratheon men and women were glad to be home but the Starks especially Ned were amazed at the sight that greeted them.

Since Ned had last been in the capital in the immediate aftermath of the Sacking someone had been redeveloping vast areas of the city. Flea's Bottom was no more, the slum had been cleared away as had other run down areas of the city and replaced with new districts of shops, taverns, new well-constructed housing and more. The port itself had also been rebuild and expanded now able to handle more than double the amount of ships that it would have done so before and was looking at near full capacity right now from what Ned could see as they rode towards the Red Keep. Public bath houses to improve the health of the population and parks had been erected and there seemed to be a new set of manor houses where the Dragon pits had once been. Also a large, round colosseum had been build where tournaments and other events could be held. It was often used by theatre groups as a place where they could perform and hosted many of Robert's tournaments since it was constructed.

As people in the city flooded out onto the streets as they rode onwards Ned saw the markets full of stalls they passed that were bustling with people, Robert explained the changes in the city to him.

"Hadrian Lannister again." The king said annoyed given how successful the man was in his endeavours. "He bought the slumps and other wrecked parts of the city off me and started…regenerating them I think was the word he used." Robert said pausing for a moment before continuing. "He's more than doubled the income of King's Landing and although he gets most of it he has increased the tax revenue the crown receives as a result by twice as much again. Built orphanages for the homeless children where they get a basic education and new sewers to help keep the streets clean, even got rid of that famous stink." Robert joked. "Relocated most of the poor and homeless to farming projects all around the Crownlands and the Westerlands. So fewer beggars and homeless mucking the streets up and increasing the amount of food we can produce. Can't help thinking that the man never sleeps with the amount he gets done." Robert remarked as the party arrived at the gates of the Red Keep. Ned himself was amazed and slightly intimidated by the scale of the redevelopment. The Red Keep and some other areas did look as they had before but those were areas with little value the Red Keep aside so the Lannisters were either waiting to redevelop them or simply not bothering for now. Sansa and Arya were wide eyed with the sights around them as they rode in on the cart having never seen a real city before. All too soon they had arrived at the gates of the Red Keep and they were met by a guard who informed him of a Small Council meeting that was taking place very soon. So Ned turned to his steward Vayon Poole, head of his guard Ser Jory Cassell and Septa Mordane as they reached the Tower of the Hand where they would be staying and said.

"Please get my daughters settled. I will be back later." They nodded and started leading his young charges into the tower's living areas while he carried on to the Small Council chamber. The last time he had been here was when they had been invading the city nearly seventeen years ago, he had been wielding his sword and cutting down soldiers then but now he had been chosen to take over the highest appointed political office in the land.

As he climbed the steps he reviewed all the things that Hadrian Lannister had told him about the different members of the Small Council and wondered how truthful the man had been. Entering the chamber he saw the four men standing or sitting around the table. Robert he noticed was not present and he sighed realising that Hadrian was probably telling the truth about his friend's rather hands off ruling style if you could call it ruling. Kingdoms he knew from experience in the North did not run themselves, if you wanted things to run smoothly then you had to take an interest and keep an eye on things and act when necessary. Stannis he also noticed was absent just as again Hadrian had warned him and was annoyed that the one member of the council he knew had enough honour to keep his word had abandoned his post with no warning and left him surrounded by the unknown.

Varys was the first to greet him with a wide smile and seemed genuinely pleased to see him.

"Lord Stark." He said extending his hand which Ned took, still weary of what Hadrian had said about the man and his unclear intention but decided since he knew little of the man to give him a fair judgement once he had seen more. "I grievously sorry to hear of your troubles on the King's Road. We are all praying for Prince Joffrey's full recovery."

"Lord Varys." Ned said taking the other man's hands as the other men in the room looked on. He would have been surprised that Varys knew about such a thing already but he remembered this man had a massive spy network at his disposal. He decided to act as if this was all new to him so they would not realise how much he knew. "A shame you did not say a prayer for the butcher's son." He snapped back at Varys, still quite angry at what had happened himself. He did not see what Varys did in response as he walked over to Robert's youngest brother.

"Renly. You're looking well." He smiled at the man as an old friend would not letting him know that he knew about his plotting with the Tyrells even going as far as to give the younger man a hug in greeting which Renly returned.

"And you look tired from the road." Renly said trying to be nice wanting the older man as an ally. "I told them this meeting could wait another day, but…" Before Renly could finish he was interrupted by another man, this one Ned had not met before so Ned assumed this was the infamous Petyr Baelish that Hadrian had warned him about.

"But we have a kingdom to look after. I hoped to meet you for some time Lord Stark. No doubt Lady Catelyn has mentioned me." Baelish said leaning casually against his chair. Ned decided to play to the man's ego for now so as to not arouse his suspicions.

"She has Lord Baelish." Ned assured him which brightened the man's expression no end but then decided to add something to convince him of his supposed naivety, a smarter man would not mention it so Ned did so knowingly hoping not to let them know he was on to them. "I understand you knew my brother Brandon as well."

Baelish seemed to take it in his stride and answered back.

"All too well. I still carry a token of his esteem from naval to collar bone." He gestured with his hand up his body where the wound that Brandon had inflicted on the man apparently marked him. But then again Ned thought sadly, Brandon was always to hot-headed for his own good.

"Perhaps you chose the wrong man to duel with." Ned suggested feeling a guilty sense of pride for what Brandon had done, given how the man had lusted after Catelyn. But then Baelish said something that confirmed that the man still did harbour feelings for his wife.

"It wasn't the man I chose, my lord." Baelish insisted giving him a strange look. "It was Catelyn Tully. A woman worth fighting for I'm sure you agree." And indeed Ned did agree but they were prevented from speaking further on the subject by Grand Maester Pycelle speaking up.

"I humbly beg your pardon, my Lord Stark." The frail old maester who had served on this council longer than any other member said drawing Ned's attention.

"Grand Maester." Ned said in respect although given what he had heard about the man he doubted he deserved it or would carry his title if the Citadel ever found out about him and his 'funny little ways'.

"How many years has it been?" Pycelle asked seemingly genuine in his joy to see him again and Ned had to admire the man's talent for hiding his true intentions. "You were a young man."

"And you served another king." Ned said again to make everyone think he was truly blind to what was going on around him, best that way so they would underestimate him. Pycelle had contributed considerably to the Sacking, without him the Lannister Army would not have managed to take the city without considerable effort and if he and Jon Arryn had gotten there before they breached the walls then maybe the Sacking would not have happened at all. That seemed to remind Pycelle of something.

"Oh, how forgetful of me." The old man said playing up his apparent frailty, reaching into his pocket and pulling out an ornate badge. "This belongs to you now." It was the golden badge wore by the Hand of the King. Ned pinned the emblem on his tunic and Pycelle then suggested. "Should we begin?"

Looking around Ned hoped that Robert might actually have shown up for at least one meeting as Ned had only just arrived and asked.

"Without the king?"

Renly gave him a regretful sigh before telling him as they all took their seats at the council table.

"Winter may be coming but I'm afraid the same cannot be said of my brother." So Robert truly was as lazy as Hadrian had said, Ned thought sadly wondering where all the fire in his old friend had gone.

Varys saw the look on Ned's face and feeling that he should at least put on a semblance of being loyal to the king said.

"His grace had many cares. He entrusts some small matters to us so that we may lighten the load."

"We are the lords of small matters here." Baelish said in jest as Ned reluctantly took his seat and Renly handed him a scroll. Ned took it and unfurled the roll as Renly explained the contents of the scroll.

"My brother instructs us to stage a tournament in honour of Lord Stark's appointment as Hand of the King." The rest of the small council looked uneasy at having to deal with the expense of another tournament. Baelish reluctantly asked.

"How much?"

"Forty thousand gold dragons to the champion, twenty thousand to the runner up, twenty thousand to the winner of the melee and twenty thousand to the winning archer." Ned read off the scroll and was in the same mind as many of the Small Council about the enormous amount of money being invested in this tournament and that was just in the prize money, not counting the feasts and any other costs. Pycelle looked over to Baelish in concern and asked.

"Can the treasury bear such an expense?"

"I'll have to borrow it." Baelish seemingly genuine in his regret and discomfort. "The Lannisters will accommodate, I expect. We owe Lord Tywin three million gold dragons already what is another one hundred thousand."

Ned was now genuine in his worry over the state of the kingdom's finances as more of what Hadrian had told him was confirmed. So he asked Baelish alarmed.

"Are you telling me the crown is three million in debt?"

"I'm telling the crown is six million in debt." Baelish said looking uncomfortable as Ned's eyes narrowed at him. "Three million to the Lannisters which is the biggest part of the debt, two million to the Iron Bank, one million to Lord Tyrell and the remaining million divided between the trade cartels and the faith."

"How could you let this happen?" Where was Jon Arryn in this?" Ned said angrily at the Small Council wondering how on earth they were going to deal with such a large debt. For Jon Arryn to have allowed this to happen beggared belief in his mind. Baelish however already had an answer.

"The Master of Coin finds the money, the king and the hand spent it."

"Lord Arryn gave wise and prudent advice my lord hand." Pycelle said quickly to reassure the man that this was not their fault. "But his grace has little sympathy for such matters and paid it little mind."

"Counting coppers he calls it." Renly said doing a fair imitation of his brother massaging his temple, grateful he did not have to try and find the money.

"I'll speak to him tomorrow." Ned said his mind made up. "This tournament is an extravagance that we cannot afford." The other members of the Small Council looked on him with near pity in their eyes and decided to go ahead with the plans anyway. Jon Arryn had made similar statements all the time and yet the King always seemed to have his way.

The Lannister party unlike Ned Stark spent a comfortable night at Castamere before moving on in the morning for the rest of their journey to Casterly Rock. They were riding along the proper made from rock from the exhausted mines to make trade easier, their journey took a lot less time than it might otherwise have done. Hadrian had started the road system as a way of increasing trade, maintaining it by placing tollbooths in areas where people could not bypass so they would have to pay a small tax to use the roads putting the money towards the upkeep of the roads and so far it was working well. Wagons often got stuck in muddy tracks or got lost if they were unfamiliar with the terrain but the road network was well signposted and made things much easier. The tax also paid for guards to patrol the area to keep bandits down.

By noon the next day they arrived at Casterly Rock. Bran, Tommen and Myrcella gazed on in awe as they saw the immense castle standing tall and proud on top of a large cliff overlooking the city/port of Lannisport below.

"Lords and Ladies I present to you Casterly Rock." Hadrian said proudly as they looked from the hill top. They rode the rest of the way with his young charges either glad to be home in the warm after the cold of the North or excited to see the ancestral home of the Lannister clan. Ser Raphael went his own way as he needed to return his own family's home of Riverspring. But as they rode through the gate otherwise known as the Lion's Mouth of the glorious old castle they were greeted by the castle's maester Creylen. The man's standing at the Citadel, home of the maesters had risen considerably after he had worked with Hadrian to introduce newer and better medical tools as well as surgical procedures and basic sterilization to keep the instruments clean as well as several other inventions. He was already despite his relatively young age on the way to becoming an archmaester and had added a few new links to his chain.

"Lord Hadrian welcome home. Your guests have arrived and are waiting in the main hall." Hadrian dismounted his horse and told the middle aged maester.

"Thank you Creylen, please show our new residents to their rooms while I go meet with our other guests." He said indicating the prince and princess but also the young Stark as well. Creylen nodded and went to deal with his young charges while Hadrian walked into the corridors of the castle where he had grown up. Arriving in the main hall he saw four people sitting around the long table with three more standing at the side. They all looked over as he entered the room.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I thank you for responding to my request at such short notice." He said taking his seat at the head of the table. His guests nodded Hadrian leaned back in his chair and asked.

"Is everything in readiness?"

"Of course." Answered Lord Willas Tyrell as he sipped his wine with his new wife Princess Arianne Martell sitting on his lap. "The troops will be fully equipped and prepared by the end of this week. The ships are assembling in ports all along the coast ready to deliver them to their destinations. The timing devices you invented have been distributed and the commanders have been given their targets." He then kissed Arienne and put his hand on her curved hip. The Dornish woman eagerly embraced her new husband. If her father was so eager to set her a side for her younger brother Quentyn then he would not deny her this she thought to herself as she deepened the kiss.

The only other man around the table Prince Oberyn Martell grinned as his paramour Ellaria Sand draped herself over him and used her hand to play with his cock gently just out of sight of the other guests at the table. Around them three of the infamous Sand snakes, Obara, Nymeria and Tyene stood guard.

This alliance between House Lannister/Tyrell/Martell was to say the least unusual and some would say insane given the complicated and often violent histories between each house in question but it had been a necessity given the situation. Pirate activity along the coast had risen alarmingly in the last year, the merchant ships were struggling to get through and despite it being the duty of the Master of Ships, Stannis Baratheon to deal with it perhaps due to his hatred of House Lannister and House Tyrell he had not bothered to try and alleviate the situation letting the pirates roam unchecked and now they were getting so bold as to raid major ports. So the men around the table had decided to take matters into their own hands and deal with the pirates themselves. As long as the pirates had the Stepstones island chain as a base they would continue constitute a threat but if they invaded and conquered the Stepstones and then turned them into a province of the Seven Kingdoms then not only would they increase the scope of their own holdings and reduce the pirates as a threat but also please the king by adding a new kingdom to his realm. Using their combined navies and armies they would launch a precise, co-ordinated attack on all the inhabited islands in the chain at night while the pirates were in port, trap them and then move in for the kill. The men at the table had been planning this for months so resources had already been stockpiled to construct or rebuild the infrastructure of each island. They had even had Varys dig up all the information possible to let them adjust their plan so it had the best chance of success.

"So to the Invasion of the Stepstones?" Hadrian said pouring himself a goblet of wine, with the others around the table doing the same to toast to the success of plan. Oberyn finished his drink and asked with his customary smirk.

"So any good whores in the North? There must have been a few fierce women worth bedding." Hadrian smiled used to his crude friend's talk, most would not believe it possible that a Lannister and a Martell could be friends but Oberyn was aware of Hadrian's actions to save his sister and although in public they would keep up the pretence of hating each other, in private they on good terms. And through Oberyn he had also befriended the Tyrell heir. Willas Tyrell was someone Hadrian could sympathise with, both men felt deep shame towards their fathers although it came from very different places and also both were secret Targaryen loyalists working towards their restoration. Hadrian said casually.

"If you are so interested in Northern women Oberyn surely it makes more sense for you to go up there yourself and find out?" Ellaria answered for Oberyn looking horrified at the idea.

"Oh gods no! It is too cold up there!" She protested only but she was stopped from protested further by Oberyn putting his hand on her breast and saying quietly in her ear.

"Not if I keep you warm." He whispered suggestively in her ear playing slightly with her nipples with no sense of shame at the fact they had an audience but who were used to the behaviour and ignored it and Willas who was relaxed in his chair with Arianne across his lap chuckled before saying to Hadrian.

"Indulging in whores may not be your thing but really Hadrian you should think about marrying again. Before you do get old and detached like your father."

Hadrian answered with a sad smile and explained his reasoning for staying a widower so far.

"Perish the thought. But I have six children to think about and the wrong woman could really mess our family up. The children are only just starting to get over their mother's death, I do not want to upset the balance by throwing someone new into the mix."

"True." Oberyn said grateful that his own daughters got on with Ellaria who looked at Hadrian with sympathy. She loved all of the Sand Snakes as her own daughters even the ones that were not her own blood. Despite the fact Hadrian was a Lannister she could not deny that she liked him, at least for his devotion to his children.

Meanwhile the younger Lannisters were keen to show their cousins and Bran a new addition to their home which their father had created.

"Our father thought that as Lannisters we should keep the symbol of our house close at hand like the Starks do their direwolves." Tyler said as he led them to an area near the castle while his sisters and even his usually very serious brother Richard looked excited. Bran, Myrcella and Tommen thought that they would see some kind of hall dedicated to lions or something like that.

They were wrong.

In a specially adapted kennel they were astonished to see real live lions dozing in the sun. A wall and a fence enclosed the entire kennel which had a purpose made environment for the lions to run about in when the mood took them. Tommen, Myrcella and Bran were wide-eyed in amazement at the sight. There were nearly seven lions both male and female either running around or sleeping inside the enclosure. What they did not realise however were these lions were nearly twice the size of a normal lion. The magic of the Lannister they were bonded with making them grow larger and more intelligent but also loyal to their Lannister.

And on a rock in the centre of the enclosure there was the largest of all, a male lion the size of a horse with a full mane of golden hair. He slept in the day's sun but the others could not take their eyes off of him.

"That is Raga. He's our father's lion. Mine's Sable, the younger female over there." Sabine whispered in Bran's ear pointing at a younger female sleeping the kennel as they looked on. He turned to face the girl and she added. "These lions are our animal guardians, just like the direwolves are for your family. We bonded with them using our magic. That's one of the things our father will teach you to do with Summer. The only reason we did not bring them with us to Winterfell was they do not like the cold and we did not want to spook the Northerners too much. And we have to keep them here because they frighten the servants too much to just let them roam free." She said with a smirk. Raga in the centre of the enclosure then seemed to wake up slowly and after a good long stretch roared. The sound was awesome if not terrifying to those who heard it.

While his younger children were showing off the lions, Hadrian was going to see his oldest son Leo. He arrived on the set of rooms at the top of the castle were his son could usually be found, having claimed the spot as his studio. When he entered the room Hadrian saw it was just as messy as it had been when he had last seen it over month ago with unfinished canvases, sculptures and Leo's art supplies all over the place. But on the veranda at the very top of the tower there was an incredible view of the western sea which had been the subject of some of Leo's first paintings.

But as he eyes fell on his oldest son Hadrian saw that the boy's brow was furrowed in concentration as he painted an older man sitting on a high backed chair. Leo was much like his father in looks although his build was far less muscular since he did not exercise his body like his father or younger brothers. His blond hair was down to his shoulders and his green eyes focused so much on his task that he did not hear his father enter. The older gentleman looked to be in his late fifties whose weathered face was marked with line coming from many years of stress with a goatee beard and hastily groomed grey hair on his head.

"I would have appreciated more of a welcome." Hadrian said casually. Leo did not even turn to look or answer but the older man did with a gentle smile.

"Welcome home Hadrian. I did intend to be there but apparently my portrait has to be absolutely perfect. How was the North by the way?" The older man asked him and Leo who still was ignoring his father's presence and continued painting which was his son's biggest flaw in Hadrian's mind. That Leo's entire focus was on his art as the world passed by around him. Nothing else mattered to Leo.

"Cold but otherwise a very fruitful trip Arthur." He said identifying the older man as his father in law, the now retired business tycoon from Braavos after the death of his daughter had come to live here to spend his remaining years with his grandchildren, it was his own way of coping with outliving his own child. He spent his days either reading in the gardens while enjoying a nice cup of tea, building up the already considerable library with interesting new books, playing cyvasse with Hadrian or Tywin whenever the latter man was at home or just spending time with his grandchildren telling them stories or just listening theirs.

Back in King's Landing, Sansa and Arya under the supervision of Septa Mordane were arriving at the manor which served as Tywin Lannister's home while he was in King's Landing. The head of House Lannister had invited the pair to lunch while their father was busy with his new duties. The manor was certainly an impressive buildings, far more modern than the ancient castles they had seen thus far. Made of tan coloured bricks with sand stone with elaborate tiles around the decorative windows it stood at three stories tall with towers flying the Lannister flag that would have looked grand on any castle. At its massive thick wooden doors there were statues of majestic lions and a steward bid them entry and they walked into an entrance hall with dark wood panels and art work spread decoratively around.

"Now you must be on your best behaviour around Lord Tywin." Mordane whispered in their ears with particular emphasis towards Arya who just smirked albeit nervously as she would soon come face to face with the infamous Old Lion of Casterly Rock. Sansa was looking nearly petrified and was recalling every lesson on courtesy she knew. Mordane to her own relief had not had to do anything with Sansa, the girl had made herself presentable without needing to be told putting on her best dress and getting her hair appropriately styled, much to her pride as the girl's teacher. Arya however had to be forced arguing all the way into wearing her nicest dress and her hair and face had quickly been washed and cleaned but there was no time to style her hair so it was hanging loosely down her upper back.

Mordane was about to say something to scold Arya for her cheek when a maid appeared to show them to the room where Lord Tywin would eat lunch with them. Mordane went to follow her young charges but the maid told her.

"Lord Tywin would prefer to dine with the young ladies without you present. You may wait in the lounge if you like, refreshments will be provided." Mordane wanted to argue but the maid's glare was enough to stop her, remembering who the woman served was enough for Mordane to realise she would not violate Lord Tywin's command for any reason. So Mordane checked Sansa and Arya over once more and to her exasperation realised Arya had somehow gotten her dress dirty but knowing there was no time to fix it she would have to let them go now and hope for the best. So the maid turned and walked down the passage with a nervous Arya and Sansa at her heels.

Moments later they emerged onto a sun lit veranda with an incredible view of Blackwater Bay. At a table an older man stood dressed in fine clothes of velvet with images of golden lions sewn into it. He was years older than their father looking in his mid-fifties and he was tall, easily as tall as Ned Stark maybe taller and his short hair was still blond but seemed to be going grey in some areas. But instead of the hard lines on his face what really made the two young girls nervous was the intenseness and cunning in his green eyes that were flecked with gold. His gaze seemed to burn into them as he turned to face them and studied them both in every visible detail.

"Please sit." He said gesturing to the two chairs on their side of the table while he took his own seat. "So you are to two Stark girls that are marrying two of my grandsons." He said but it was a statement of fact rather than a question although the girls nodded anyway. Arya despite being intimidated was determined not to cower so she plucked up courage to say back.

"And you are Lord Tywin Lannister. Did you really write the Rains of Castamere?" She asked him. The Old Lion of Casterly Rock gave a slight smile as he had been worried for a moment that the two girls did not have tongues in their heads to speak with. Seeing her sister look horrified at the audacity of asking such a question to a high born lord, he decided answer her question.

"No I personally did not write the Rains of Castamere although my actions did inspire it."

He poured the girls a drink of water each and sat back taking a goblet of wine for himself before asking them.

"So young ladies how do you see yourselves as wives of the future king and lord of Casterly Rock respectively?" He asked them wanting to know what kind of people they were. He had not be sure of how to take it when he had received word that his two most prominent grandsons would both be marrying the daughters of Lord Stark. He could not deny the usefulness of marrying into a powerful house with vast lands like the North but he did not know what to expect from them both. That was why he had invited them to lunch today so he could evaluate them himself and see if they were the sort of girls he wanted in his family. The older girl Sansa was the first to answer.

"To be his queen and bare his heirs. To be a good wife, raise the future prince and princesses correctly and to honour and obey him my lord." She said with perfect politeness which was actually something of a disappointment to Tywin. Either Sansa Stark was an amazing actress of which he could see little sign or she was genuine in what she had said and for Tywin he was afraid that it was the latter. Joffrey was a cruel monster that would need a strong and smart queen that could control him, something his own daughter seemed incapable of doing as she pandered to his every whim. The reason he distrusted Cersei so much was not that she was a woman but because she was not as smart as she thought she was. She thought herself amazingly capable and intelligent but in reality she was short sighted, arrogant, incompetent and unable to face unpleasant facts. She had a certain low cunning but while she could gain power she had little skill in wielding it properly. Now he realised why his daughter had agreed to the match between Joffrey and Sansa, thinking she could easily manipulate the girl. He really needed to make Cersei realise that she would not be queen forever and they needed to find a good bride who could effectively manage Joffrey. Sansa Stark was not a good prospect for that.

Then the second girl Arya who looked at her older sister with dismay answered.

"I want to stand at his side as an equal and rule together, to fight and stop him if he does something foolish."

"Arya." Sansa cried out in embarrassment sure that would irritate or anger the old lord, but Tywin instead looked at Arya with interest.

This girl he realised had backbone unlike her sister. She was nervous he could see that but she was looking him right in the eye when he talked to her, refusing to be intimidated. Something her sister could not do as she always looked down at the table rather than meet his gaze. Feeling more confident about the future of Casterly Rock slightly, he then decided to pose the girls a problem and see how they responded.

"I want to think on this problem and answer the way you think is best to solve it." He said to them both as Arya gave her sister a glare before turning back to him. "A house with fertile lands asks you for your protection from a house with a strong navy that could one day oppose you. What do you do? How do find the most beneficial outcome for your family?" He asked them and waited patiently for their answers. The girls appeared stumped for a moment but the older girl again answered him first.

"Promise protection to the house with fertile lands. It would be the honourable thing to do." Sansa said and Tywin frowned at the girl's naivety. This girl would be torn apart by court politics if she did not change her attitude quickly. Tywin was worried about the state of court when Joffrey finally became king if this girl was to be his queen. She reminded Tywin of his own father Tytos, and not in a pleasant way. Weak willed, too eager to please and far too trusting. He had been forced to save House Lannister from utter ruin before he had even been Lord of the Rock thanks to that man and did not want to see his legacy stained with such attitudes again.

As Tywin turned to face Arya waiting to hear her answer, the girl meanwhile had seen the frown on his face when he had heard Sansa's answer, so she knew it could not be that simple. She remembered what Tyler had told her about his grandfather; he admired those of intelligence and were prepared to use different methods to achieve what they wanted. She also remembered the stories she had heard about his ruthless ambition for his own house and using politics to solve problems rather than brute force although he was not afraid of applying that when it was necessary. Although politics was not her usual area of interest as it got too complicated she had heard a lot of it in the last few days so she thought long and hard before giving her answer.

"Marry members of your house into other two. Then have both members of your family amass as much influence as possible before arranging a peace treaty between the two houses so you can exploit their wealth and expand your own influence." She had struggled having little experience in strategic politics but her own marriage was a political one to build bridges between the North and the Westerlands so why could marriage not be used as a weapon too? It had been used several times in the past according to Maester Luwin when she had spied on his lessons to her brothers and Theon. After all that was how the Targaryens had brought Dorne into the Seven Kingdoms.

Tywin was surprised at her answer, never expecting to hear such an idea from a Northerner much less a daughter of Ned Stark but he was impressed at her intelligence and nodded in approval much to Sansa's surprise and Arya's too who had not expected to be praised.

"I see now why my son choose you to marry his own heir." Tywin told Arya who began to wonder what kind of mixed up family she was marrying into.

Back in the Westerlands, Ser Raphael Daniels was riding into Riverspring, the second most prosperous port in the Westerlands and his family's holding. The streets were bustling with traders and merchants selling the wares that came from all across the world. The people moved with contented smiles, comfortable in their own world. Everyone parted as their lord's son passed by and smiled at him. When his father had been granted lordship of Riverspring due to the decline of the previous lords it had fallen into disrepair but the now Lord Abrax Daniels had used his keen instinct for finance and their close relationship with the Lannisters to turn the port around in record time, earning the people's affection for making their lives so much better. Within less than three decades they had gone from a landed family in the service of the Lannisters to a Major house in the Westerlands and despite their relative youth, one of the richest. Their meteoric rise had irritated several other houses who had designs on Riverspring but a quick show of brutal but well placed force had quieted down most of their rivals although they would have to constantly be on guard in the future.

He arrived at the castle which served as the centre of the city and the guards stood to attention as he passed. He gave them a nod and dismounted his horse next to the sables where the stable boy rushed out and took the reins so he could rest and feed Raphael's steed. He tossed a golden dragon to the boy who bowed thanking him quickly.

He still in his armour walked into the main castle door and was met by the most inviting sight. A woman with a gently rounded face and a beauty spot on her chin in a red dress with elaborate gold and silver embroidery on the bodice and skirt. She had a decorative golden necklace and a jewelled butterfly pin holding her hair behind her head as it hung down to the small of her back.

"Raphael." The woman's voice said in delight, as smooth as silk and husky at the same time. She flung herself at him and he embraced her warmly, taking her in his arms and swinging them both around as he kissed her deeply. His arms wrapped firmly around her still narrow waist despite having given him four children. Her dark brown eyes twinkled as they gazed into his and her dark brown hair feeling as good as silk against his fingers.

"I have missed you my wife." Raphael whispered in her ear and he felt her body tremble slightly as she felt his breath against her ear. Lady Jessica Daniels had once been a handmaiden of the queen Cersei, who had used Jessica's great artistic skills for making new gowns of radical and elaborate designs and they had made the queen the most fashionable woman at court. But all that had changed when in the middle of a tournament while pouring the queen some wine, the drunken king had slapped Jessica on the arse and the surprised woman had accidentally spilled some wine on the queen, not only ruining her dress but making her look foolish in front of the entire crowd who had laughed loudly at her misfortune. Jessica had feared for her life but Hadrian Lannister who had been attending the tournament that day had brought her back to Casterly Rock to be a maid for his own wife and there she had met Raphael and the two had quickly married. Now she was lady of the castle and raising their four children here, creating great murals in the town and gained the love of the people by starting a soup kitchen for the poor and the homeless.

"And I you my husband." She said back warmly, there was a genuine love between them something he was grateful for every day. He could have stayed like that for a long time with his wife in his arms except he then felt four smaller bodies crashing into his legs.

"Father!" His four children cried out and he smiled as he saw their beaming faces. They were not even ten name days old yet but every time he turned away they seemed to get bigger. His eldest son was Harold now nearly eight name days old and then were his two daughters Selene and Alysa seven and six respectively before finally his youngest son Solen. His children all had his dark hair but they had their mother's eyes and he released his hold on Jessica so he could kneel down and hug his children who all threw themselves into his hug. He adored his children and they adored him right back but as he embraced his children he was interrupted again but this time it was most certainly not welcome.

"My so strong and noble brother, kneeling down for children. It honestly touches me." The voice said sarcastically and Raphael let go of his children to face a man that he had not seen in nearly ten years and to be honest had hoped he would never have to see again.

"Fabien." His younger brother leant casually against the wall with a goblet of what was no doubt the finest wine in their cellar in his hand. He looked little like Raphael who was tall and muscular like their father, Fabien looked more like their late mother who had been a more slender person and had lighter brown hair which was shaggy around his head rather than shorter hair of his older brother.

"How was the Summer Isles for you brother?" He asked knowing that was where his brother had left for taking a considerable amount of gold with him without their father's permission. While Raphael had grown up as the son of a servant at least at first, Fabien had only really known life as the son of a wealthy lord who was too lenient with his younger son and who lacked his brother's discipline and self-control. He was wild and as untameable as the sea, casually bedding whatever women crossed his path regardless of who she was and Raphael and their father had been left to heal any wounds he left. Already they had a bastard daughter named Fayre Hill under their roof from a now disgraced daughter of a Crownlands house.

"Very nice brother. The whores there are particularly talented, their cunts were as tight as vices." He smirked thinking of all the woman he had managed to bed there. Jessica gasped at the man's crude language around her children and rushed them to their rooms. Raphael felt his anger rise as he saw his brother's eyes staring at his wife's ass highlighted by the tight fit of her dress. He warned his brother quickly.

"Watch where your eyes wander brother else I cut them out." His tone tense with implied threat and Fabien held up his hands in mock surrender.

"Very well brother, her ass belongs to you and you alone. Are you still hanging around that jumped up bean counter?" Fabien asked as he took a sip of his wine.

"He is our liege lord's son, my friend, godfather of my children and his house is responsible for nearly everything we have brother. Without him you and I could well have been mucking out stables into our twilight years." Raphael shot back getting angrier as his ungrateful little brother insulted his best friend.

"So what…you follow him around like his little lap dog? He has enough sycophants, a jumped up reputation and quite frankly brother I think it is pathetic that you even bother associated with him." Fabien said only to suddenly find himself being propelled up against a wall with his brother hand firmly wrapped around his throat.

"Your ungrateful attitude may have escaped father's notice but not mine brother. I will not allow your blatant stupidity to threaten our house's future." Raphael warned him as his grip tightened and dark spots began to appear in front of Fabien's eyes as he gasped for breath. "I have served Lord Hadrian Lannister for many years and fought in battle at his side. From the Sacking of King's Landing, to fighting bandits here in the Westerlands, the Greyjoy Rebellion and even fighting pirates in Essos. I know the kind of man he is; hardworking, dedicated to his family, intelligent and rewards those who earn his respect. Something you know very little about. Now I suggest you leave brother before I decide to force you to take the black. Maybe the cold of the North and the hard living of the men of the Night's Watch will cool your blood." He warned releasing his grip on his brother's neck who slid to the floor nearly unconscious. Raphael feeling a certain sense of sickened pride left the room to go see his father who surely must know by now of his return.

"Given the lad's foul mouth, I'm surprised you let him live." A very gruff man said as he walked into him in the corridor having seen everything, with a vicious looking dog at his heels. The old man had many scars over his face and very thin white hair but his large muscles were clearly visible even with the armour he was wearing and his eyes held an intensity that would have scared most people with just the slightest of glances. Raphael still feeling angry explained.

"He is still my brother and I will not be known for kinslaying. But he does not change I will force him to take the black." Raphael said to the Master of Arms of Riverspring and Captain of the Guard, Ser Mors Westford. Last known member of that house he was a cousin to Raphael's father and had stayed at his side even when Abrax remained behind to keep the peace in the Westerlands while the rest of the army rode east to sack King's Landing. Mors was a terrifying man if you were not used to him and when you did know him then he could still scare the life out of you, but he was a truly superb knight and had made the soldiers and town watch of Riverspring the finest anywhere in the Westerlands.

"I thought about taking the black once, I'm sure the watch would reject a man like that." Mors said and Raphael nodded before Mors left to go about his duties without a backwards glance. Used to the gruff knight's behaviour Raphael did not question it and continued onwards.

It did not take long to find his lord father, now in his late fifties with a crown of silver hair and dark red well-tailored clothes to show his status without being overstated. He was sitting on his lordly chair in the main hall while another man stood before him looking very distressed.

"My lord, I can pay the debt! I only need a little more time." The man urged. He was nearly bald with a double chin and grease stains over his clothes that had once been expensive but now were worthless. Walking across the hall Abrax took notice that his son had arrived and smiled at him.

"My son…it is good to have you home again." Abrax said grateful to have his eldest son back at his side. Then he frowned as his attention turned back to the cowering man at the foot of the slight steps. "Perhaps you can explain to Ser Clement Buckler." He said glaring at the man who was looking so desperately into his eyes. "That we are not fools that he can take advantage of when he owes us eight thousand gold dragons for unpaid gambling debts."

"I see. That much…whoa." Raphael said with a grim smile thinking how they might get such money out of the man who had spent all of his inheritance from his own father and the law might not let them claim it off his family in the Stormlands. But then he saw the great sword that was in its scabbard on Buckler's waist. The hilt was bronze coloured with a bear head pommel and had emeralds for eyes. He recalled the man had long boasted of having his house's ancestral Valyrian steel blade. If this was indeed that sword then he saw an opportunity to strengthen his house's standing. He walked over and without even asking, his hand grasped the sword's hilt and pulled it free of its scabbard. Clement's eyes were wide with fear but Raphael paid him no mind studying the sword intently. And Raphael was amazed to discover the man had indeed been telling the truth, he did actually have his family's ancestral sword and despite being a great sword it was surprisingly light too, another point in its favour. The ripples in the steel were distinctive, this was genuine Valyrian steel alright he thought in awe. He had seen such things before in Crimson Night, the sword wielded by Hadrian.

"Eight thousand gold dragons for a sword." He said passing it to his father who also recognised the importance of the blade and looked at it in reverence. Clement however looked near frantic at the thought of losing his most prized possession even if it did clear all his debts. His family were already ashamed of him, the sword had been left to him by his father as a way to say sorry for not inheriting the family castle. If they discovered he had lost it then he would never be welcome in the Stormlands again.

"But my lords…it belongs to my family." He protested and Abrax looked at him with distain.

"So do your debts." He warned and Clement blanched as he realised the danger he was placing his family in by denying them and owing them this much money. House Daniels could field one of the largest armies in the Westerlands and some of the best soldiers. Not to mention there was a double threat due to their close ties to the Lannisters who had more than enough influence at court if they so wanted to bury his house without even having to fight. So reluctantly and with a heavy weight in his heart he agreed.

"The sword is yours my lord, in exchange for all my debts." Seeing his downcast expression Raphael decided since they were taking away something he obviously treasured then maybe give him something to live for. Maybe even get his life together.

"Did you know that according to Archmaester Thurgood's Inventories there are at least 227 Valyrian steel blades in Westeros? Some of which have disappeared and have yet to be found. Maybe you could go about finding your family a replacement?" He suggested knowing the man was extremely unlikely to succeed but he felt he should offer him some hope. The looked uncertain but there was a hopeful spark in his eyes at the idea.

"Thank you my lords." He and although his walk was heavy with shame it was lightened somewhat by a sense of purpose that the man had not felt in a long time. He was determined to find a missing Valyrian blade to either replace his previous sword with or to trade for the old one. He would ride south to the Citadel and get the maesters to give him details on lost Valyrian steel blades, his old friend Archibald was a maester down there and he would give him the information he needed.

The leading members of House Daniels meanwhile were studying their newest acquisition with incredible interest and joy as it rested in Raphael's hands.

"A Valyrian steel blade in the family." Abrax said feeling a great sense of accomplishment that his son had managed to get such a symbol of status for their family.

"The only other house that has Valyrian steel blades in the Westerlands are the Lannisters." Raphael said holding it forward so they could admire the craftsmanship. "What shall we call it?"

"Judgement." Abrax said and Raphael asked.

"Why judgement?"

"Because you my son will use this sword to rain it down upon our enemies. Starting with the invasion of the Stepstones."

A week later the ships baring the coalition invasion force set off from their ports all along the coast. Ships of many different sizes from the Lannister, Redwyne and Martell fleets sailed in huge groups carrying the men that would invade the islands. Their combined army totalled nearly a hundred and fifty thousand men led by Hadrian who was on the newly made flagship of the Lannister fleet the Sovereign. Prince Oberyn and Ser Garlan Tyrell who stood with his younger brother Ser Loras were on the deck of their Uncle Lord Paxter Redwyne's flagship the Arbor Queen which was abreast with the Sovereign. Within days they were assembled near the Stepstones as they prepared for the attack.

The Sovereign, a new type of vessel Hadrian had called a frigate with more advanced sail arrangement and hull design meant it was far faster than any other ship around and much tougher able to take more damage and keep on fighting and equipped with a powerful ram that could inflict tremendous damage amongst its other numerous armaments. He had ten other smaller vessels he called Brigs which were even faster than the Sovereign and equipped with a similar ram but he had kept them back as they were currently going through a refit with some new weapons he had designed something the Sovereign was scheduled for after their business here was done. In his cabin the day before the attack, Hadrian gathered the leaders of the coalition force for a final run through of the plan before the attack began.

"Using the clocks that I have provided we should be able to once our forces have split into their various groups attack all the inhabited islands at once." Hadrian explained as he stood at the table, over a large but highly detailed chart of the Stepstones. "If we attack at night the pirates will all be at anchor and therefore vulnerable."

For the Lannisters there was apart from Hadrian himself, Ser Raphael Daniels, Ser Addam Marbrand, Ser Randyll Lannister the admiral of their navy, Lord Samuel Lannister their best strategist and Ser Lucion Lannister. Randyll and Samuel were both bastards born from Stafford Lannister and Tywin Lannister respectively who had been raised at Casterly Rock at Hadrian instruction and who had recognised their talent at warfare either at land or sea. Using his pull with Robert he had gotten them legitimized and put their considerable talents to better use than if they had remained bastards.

The Tyrells were led by Ser Garlan Tyrell, Lord Paxter Redwyne, his son Ser Horas Redwyne, Lord Randyll Tarly and Lord Mathis Rowan.

The Martells were led by Prince Oberyn Martell, his daughters Obara, Nymeria and Tyene and then Trystane Martell and finally Areo Hotah.

"Once we have seized the islands what then?" Trystane Martell asked eagerly he would be joining his uncle Oberyn in the attack on Myr's Hold, one of the castles set up in the island chain. He had never seen combat before and was eager to see what it was like. The more experience around the table pitied him for his naivety.

"Then we divide the holdings we take between our banner men and establish a new ruling house for the islands." Garlan told the young boy. "That is why Prince Arthur Martell and Desmera Redwyne are here." He said while the newlyweds in question were sleeping their wedding night off in a private cabin next door. Arthur was the younger brother to Quentyn Martell and Desmera was the only daughter of Lord Paxter Redwyne and Mina Tyrell, joining those houses together. They had agreed to the formation of the new House Torres as it would become known…Lord Paramount of the Stepstones. It had been decided not to use the Martell or Redwyne name to establish a new legacy free of any past grudges. "Then we will have to sail for King's Landing so the new lords can swear fealty to the king."

"So ladies and gentlemen…to victory." Hadrian said and those echoed around the table.

"To victory."

As the clocks which Hadrian had distributed around the various commanders ticked onwards towards midnight the invasion force moved into position. The moon light and the stars allowing them to see easily enough. Through the telescopes that House Lannister had also provided despite the dim light they could get a good view of the pirates in their rough wooden dwellings that they had assembled and discarded as needed.

There were twelve castles or halls that had been built over the centuries as the islands had risen and fallen under different rulers. But while all would be struck tonight the main attack was concentrated on Bloodstone, a large castle built by Daemon Targaryen when he had held the islands as its king for a time. The castle was built in a similar manner to the Red Keep in the capital but nowhere near as big although it was still a fairly large castle. Bloodstone was the intended capital of the new kingdom so this was where Hadrian and Garlan would be landing. The men checked their weapons nervously as they prepared to go into battle, many of whom for the first time. Admittedly that was one of the reasons why Hadrian had originated the plan, so the Lannister army could get itself some experience in actual combat before an actual war broke out. Already it was one of the best equipped armies in the known world but that counted for little in the end if the soldiers do not know what they were doing so he had decided to give them this invasion as a baptism of fire against undisciplined pirates rather than against an organised army in the future.

Due to their hull design long ships had been constructed to work alongside other smaller boats to ferry the men ashore while the larger warships blockaded the harbours in case any pirates tried to escape. Hadrian with Raphael climbed into the boat that would carry him and his men to the shore of Bloodstone while the men nervously lowered Raga his lion into the boat who the men looked at nervously but the lion remained well behaved sitting at Hadrian's side. Raphael was still getting used to his new sword and giving it experimental waves to adjust himself to its size and weight. Raphael had been eager shown Hadrian his new blade who was happy for his friend and his family. Having a blade such as Judgement was a truly great honour but he had warned him that other houses would use whatever methods were available to acquire the sword for themselves so he and his house had best be careful.

Under cover of darkness the boats moved off from the larger ships and into the bay. All men aboard were quiet as they moved forward by using their oars while the sails remaining unfurled so they would not be seen so easily. As they passed the vast array of different pirate ships that varied from very old tiny fishing boats to big war galleys, small boats of their own men drew alongside and as quietly as possible boarded their ships while the main attack force moved onward ready to face whatever opposition there was.

But amazingly they got to within a hundred yards of the shore before any of the pirates noticed they were there. More than a few of them were so drunk that they could hardly stand but those that were sober enough rushed forward with whatever weapon they had to hand. But before they reached the beach the Lannister and Tyrell soldiers came ashore. Forming the shield wall quickly they began marching forward up the beach as more men came up behind them to reinforce their ranks. Given this was an amphibious assault there were no horses so it was purely infantry. Behind the spear and sword men, archers took positions and let loose a barrage of arrow fire at the charging pirates who were without armour and in some cases with little clothing at all and cut down in droves before hitting the heavy infantry's wall of shields and spears. Many pirates impaled themselves on spears as they hammered away with axes, clubs, swords, other spears or whatever they had to hand but they were a disorganised rabble caught unawares against an army that was prepared and co-ordinated. As the soldiers marched up the beach slaughtering dozens of pirates at a time Garlan, Hadrian accompanied by Raga and Raphael walked up behind them with their swords drawn until they reached the edge of the town that had grown around Bloodstone. The buildings meant that there was no chance of continuing to use the shield wall so Hadrian gave them their orders.

"Break into your individual units and go from house to house and clear them of any more of these scum you find. Any slaves, captives or civilians you find are to be spared and no raping." He shouted into the night adding the last part with the younger and less disciplined soldiers in mind, his magic carrying his voice far enough for all the men to hear followed by a roar from Raga that made the men scared enough to obey his commands without question even the Tyrell soldiers. So while his men concerned themselves with the town, Hadrian and his own party moved towards Bloodstone. As they moved as quickly as they could pirates would leap from the buildings and alleys as they past but if the three master swordsmen did not quickly cut them down then Raga would kill them with either a swipe of his mighty claws or tearing them apart with his jaw. Some pirates fled just at the sight of the mighty lion and even Garlan who was not used to the creature looked uneasily at it.

They reached the castle gates and were surprised to see them open, then when they walked into the courtyard they realised that the mechanism to open and close them was jammed through lack of maintenance. Clearly the pirates had little interest in maintaining their strongholds but the three knights waved it off, it was easy enough to fix and it suited their purposes. Pirate thugs then started pouring into the courtyard from the main keep and the three men with their swords in hand along with their lion companion charged and met them head on.

Hadrian with Crimson Night in hand side stepped an axe from particularly vicious looking thug before slashing at his mid-section, cutting him open before moving on to another. Many of these pirates he realised with a sense of disappointment while vicious had little skill in fighting hoping to crush them with superior numbers but as he blocked another attack, this one from a sword he saw the other two knights were easily cutting down the unskilled men just as he was. Raga was having a whale of a time leaping on pirates crushing their heads or ripping them off with his mighty jaws before slashing down others with his claws. Raphael was slashing down pirates left and right with his new great sword and Garlan was like poetry in motion, not a single wasted movement as he cut down thugs with ease.

Seeing they had the upper hand the knights pressed forward, forcing their way into the confined corridors of the castle where moving single file so they did not get in each other's way they moved towards the keep. When they got there they were greeted by a group of pirates that looked ready to piss themselves in fear at the sight of the enormous lion that stood at the side of the knights growling with his mouth and claws already covered in blood from the men he had killed today. Beyond the cowering men however there was a long table where three men were sitting with goblets of wine in their hands as if they had not a care in the world.

The first was a man that had Valyrian ancestry and looked to be in his early twenties, he might have been handsome if not for the scheming look in his eyes and a cleft in his chin. He had a smoking pipe in one hand and a goblet in the other. His name was Aurane Waters, the bastard of Driftmark and half-brother to the current Lord Velaryon.

The second man was also of Valyrian descent only much older by at least two decades. His beard and hair were white and his clothes looked like expensive silver coloured Lys silk with buttons made of jade fashioned into the shape of monkeys. He was Sallahor Saan, a notorious pirate from Lys who came from a long line of pirates stretching back over a century.

The final man was the most overweight creature that any of them had ever seen. He was nearly six foot six in height with a shaved head and his clothes may have been Lys silk and decorated to the point of being gaudy with ear rings and a lot of jewelled rings on each finger, but his clothes were heavily stretched with layers of fat and he was using the most potent perfumes that was enough to make your eyes water. This was Xaro D'Artegan, a slaver lord who often hired pirates to provide him with a steady flow of fresh slaves to sell.

"Gentlemen we have company." Aurane said without any fear, gesturing to the three armed men that had just burst into the room with a very large lion that was currently snarling at them. He held his cup up in greeting and swung his feet back onto the ground.

"Pretty boys from the mainland." Xaro said in a cocky tone his hands going to his enormous axe that was easily as wide as Hadrian's shoulders.

"Well I expect you want a fight to the death. None of us will come quietly so the only way you will present us to your king is if you take our heads." Sallahor said with a grim smile. Of all of then he seemed to be the only one to acknowledge that they were about to die. Garlan got into a fighting stance and said.

"That can be arranged." Then faster than the three knights would have believed possible, all three pirates were on their feet with weapons drawn and charging at the three knights with their men. Raga began smashing the lower pirates aside while the three knights engaged their leaders. Garlan found himself tangling with Aurane Waters, Raphael meanwhile was fighting off Sallahor both of whom were wielding swords.

Hadrian however found himself blocking a fierce axe blow from Xaro. Despite his immense weight the man was not lacking for strength or speed and Hadrian felt his arms begin to ache as he struggled to hold off the fat slave lord's attack. He also had to do his best to fight through the strong smell of perfume which this close was enough to make his eyes water. Feeling the slaver put his great weight behind the attack Hadrian knew he had to break the lock quickly or the man would use gravity and his immense bulk to break him first. So with considerable effort Hadrian sidestepped and Xaro was nearly catapulted forward by the weight and strength he had been pressing against the Lannister Lord. As he fell forward Hadrian managed to slash at the man's back and he howled in pain as a red line appeared along the man's large back but the wound was not so deep that it prevented Xaro from turning around and unleashing a violent and frenzied attack of axe blows that Hadrian had to work hard to parry and deflect away from himself. Over the course of his life Hadrian had taken it upon himself to study different fighting styles and rather than try to match Xaro for pure strength where Hadrian would surely lose when combined with the slaver's weight, the Lannister decided to side step, parry and deflect his attacks away as he waited for opening to use against the horribly smelly pirate.

Hadrian would slash and jab at gaps in Xaro's defence as the man kept up his relentless attacks. The man's resilience was something Hadrian would grudgingly respect as no matter how many wounds he sustained he would just keep attacking partly because the wounds were too shallow or small to really be dangerous. So far Hadrian had not been able to find a knockout blow, having to try and wear Xaro down by avoiding his attacks and countering with slashes and jabs. Xaro was bleeding profusely now but he still kept coming and Hadrian himself was getting annoyed at his enemy's refusal to yield. Seeing from the corner of his eye that his allies were still tangling with their own opponents and therefore not watching him, Hadrian decided enough was enough and began channelling his magic into his blade. A normal steel blade would not allow him to do this without engraving runes on it but this blade was Valyrian steel and spells had been weaved into it when it was created.

The blade took on a slight reddish glow and Hadrian then went on the offensive. He started relentless pressingly his attack forcing Xaro to evade his attacks before meeting him head on with his axe again, only this time the axe broke on contact with Hadrian's magic infused blade and before Xaro could recover Hadrian sliced across the man's chest, opening him up from his crotch to his chin. His intestines and other organs fell in a bloody mess onto the floor of the hall as the man fell forward…dead now making an even worst smell in death than he had in life although Hadrian had not believed that possible.

Hadrian looked around and before quickly pulling back his energy so his sword returned to normal. He was very glad he did as Garlan and Raphael then finished off their opponents and Raga bit off the head of the last guard.

The hall was now empty of pirates and Raphael with his sword now covered with the blood of his enemies for the first time turned to Hadrian and asked.

"Now what?"

"Now we secure the islands and this place from top to bottom. Any remaining pirates need to be routed out before we can call in the masons and other workers to help repair the island's infrastructure and get the new Stepstone houses established. Any loot we find in the settlements or on the ships will form the treasuries of the new houses with some put aside as spoils to keep Robert Baratheon happy. The pirate ships will be divided between the new Stepstone lords as the first ships of their new navy.

I meanwhile will send word to our people on the mainland to put out the call for people to settle here along with any people here that are not the sum we came to kill. We have materials stockpiled to build better quality homes for them and there is more than enough wood on the islands to make more. Seeds that can grow in this environment are already stockpiled so there is much to do, no chance to get bored." Hadrian said taking a breath as he was ever so slightly winded before carrying on. "But while all that is going on Myself, Willas and Oberyn will sail for the capital with the new lords for them to swear loyalty to the crown."