27

Chapter 27 – Magic Awakened

Winterfell, the North…

Dreamscape…

Bran was running through a forest towards the sounds of battle; steel clashing over the screams of men and women in pain or a last attempt at resistance before death took them. Arriving in a clearing he was surprised to see instead of a battle of men against men, two beings viciously fighting in the centre of the clearing. His eyes widened as he looked at strange scene in front of him and tried to understand it.

A large direwolf with dark, near black fur and strangely familiar grey eyes was fighting against a man without skin. Bran could easily see the muscles, bones and organs of the man as he fought the wolf. Fire spread all around them but the air grew colder at the same time.

A sound behind him made Bran whip around and he saw his mother with tears of blood running down her face screaming.

End Dreamscape…

Bran bolted upright with sweat pouring off his forehead, Summer at the foot of his bed likewise was shocked awake feeling his master's distress. With his head pounding Bran massaged his temples as he got out of bed, his heart still racing after the dream he had just experienced and his direwolf gently rubbed his large fluffy head against Bran's legs in an attempt to comfort him. Although his training with the Three Eyed Raven was not complete he felt sure that what he had seen was no mere nightmare, it was a vision of…the possible future or a certain one. Knowing that the Skinless man almost certainly represented House Bolton as it was their banner Bran had to warn his father he thought with worry. Even if his vision was false they should still keep a close eye on the Boltons just in case. Bran got dressed and with Summer at his side went to his father's solar, hoping that he might be there. As he walked through the passageways of his home he could not help but notice there was no sign of his mother. Bran frowned at that, he had not seen his mother in a while and worried about her, she spent most days in the sept now and refused to leave it.

However he did see his future wife Lyanna Mormont coming up the corridor and her pretty face did bring a smile to his. Lyanna gave a slight curtsy when she saw him but her grin was amused.

"Lord Stark, good morning. I trust you slept well?" She asked him and while his dream was still at the forefront of his mind he could not help but return her smirk and bow.

"Somewhat Lady Mormont. I trust you did the same, I was just on my way to see my father." Bran told her.

"So was I." She told him and offered her arm. "Shall we go together Lord Stark?" She asked him teasingly and his blush made her laugh but he quickly recovered and took her arm to escort her to his father's solar.

Eddard Stark was a busy man these days, preparations for winter in the North had to be done years in advance given how harsh their winters were when compared to the south and given that they always felt the cold first. With the threat of the White Walkers although at time he still had a hard time believing the Long Night was going to come again even when he had seen and slain a Walker himself the preparations had taken on an urgency the likes of which the North had not known in its recorded history. The knocking on his door broke him from his review of stockpiled food and shipments of dragonglass so he turned to the door and said wearily.

"Enter."

Seeing his second son and the young Lady Mormont walk in to the room made Ned feel a sense of impending dread, not because he was unhappy to see them Ned thought to himself sternly. But because he had a bad feeling about whatever had brought them here this morning.

"Father. Lord Stark." The two said together and he pulled out two chairs for them before saying.

"What can I do for you two this morning?" Ned asked with bags under his eyes, something that worried his son immensely. Bran looked to Lyanna and let her go first.

"Lord Stark a number of people from Northern houses have gone missing in recent months. For example my older sister Dacey was supposed to meet with her friend Jonelle Cerwyn but her father writes to say she has disappeared. Several other members from various houses have disappeared too, so many that it cannot be mere coincidence." Lyanna told him and both Ned and Bran felt worry at such a trend. One noble going missing was something that would not raise too much concern beyond their own family but for a number of Northern nobles to go missing like this was a real worry and it suddenly brought Bran's thoughts back to his dream.

"Father, there is something I have to tell you. Last night, I think I saw the future." He then explained the dream he had experienced to a worried Lord Stark and an astonished Lyanna Mormont.

Ned sat quietly as Bran explained his vision and grimaced. His late father had told him once as a child that the Starks had once been greenseers generations ago and even today occasionally they could see the future in their dreams. It had happened to him once as a young man, the night when he had heard that his older brother Brandon had ridden to the capital to demand their sister back. He had seen the deaths of his father and brother at the hand of the Mad King but he had thought it just a nightmare at the time. Not heeding the vision and writing to warn his father was one of his biggest regrets but now it seems it was his own son's turn to have the visions and so reluctantly Ned nodded.

"Our family are one of the oldest in the known world and once we had the power of seeing the future. Now it seems that it is not only the Walkers that are returning." Ned said feeling very old all of a sudden. Lyanna wide eyed during the talk of seeing the future none the less was practical and cut straight to the heart of the matter.

"If the Boltons are at the centre of this trouble then we have to do something but we cannot simply march on the Dreadfort without some kind of proof." She said, the Boltons were one of the most powerful and oldest Northern families despite their brutal reputation so with that status they could not start a fight without a reason.

"But we can write to the other Northern families to warn them of the possible danger." Ned said trying to find a way he could check the power of the Boltons if they started trouble. "If hostilities erupt, I trust that I can count on House Mormont for its support?" He asked the strong lady who in many ways reminded Ned of his sister, Lady Mormont's namesake but she was much more level headed than Lyanna Stark had been.

"Of course Lord Stark, House Mormont and House Umber will stand with you always." She reassured him, which made Ned feel slightly better although he honestly was feeling that cold sensation in the pit of his stomach that he had last felt in the Eyrie just before Robert's Rebellion had started.

Snakewood, the Vale…

The outside of Snakewood, the castle of House Lynderly was surrounded by thousands of men as the new rulers of the Vale House Royce came to take the stronghold from the Baelish loyalists that still held it. Overhead Terrax circled, ready to descend if needed and use his incredible flames to burn the castle to the ground but it was not necessary. Shaena Targaryen riding on Terrax's back thought with a smile as the terrified guards that were left behind when its army went off to battle surrendered the castle and Lady Lynderly after only a few passes and perhaps a roar or two for effect. The sight of her dragon was more than enough to scare most men into capitulation straight away, it gave her a brief guilty pleasure and a slight rush of power but she quickly suppressed it. Power was a very potent drug after all and one that she knew she needed but would not allow herself to become addicted too she resolved making a silent vow to herself to that effect.

Turning her mind back to her second dragon Sheepstealer she nearly laughed, he was a lazy beast that was for sure. One battle and a quick feed and all he wanted to do was nap in the high mountains around the Eyrie. He was grumpy when he woke she thought with amusement, like certain humans she had known Ron Weasley for one.

Seeing the banners of the enemy drop and its gate slowly open, Shaena smiled in triumph before turning her dragon back to the Eyrie. She had agreed to meet Harry at the Godswood nearby and finally bring the Deathly Hallows back together.

-x-

The Eyrie, the Vale…

Hadrian and Lord Yohn Royce stood over a long table with a map of the Vale laid on top of it, wooden figures represented their own forces and the castles that remained loyal to Baelish a rapidly dwindling sight across the Vale as each one fell into line with the new regime. Harsh punishment was handed out to the lords that had supported the arsehole that had seized control of the Vale only to have it wrestled away from him. The dragons or whatever rockets remained had brought keep after keep into their possession which would be allocated to loyalist lords once they had all been brought under control although a large force of the remaining Baelish loyalists were gathering in the Fingers, whether they intended to make some futile last stand or to flee with their ships no-one could tell yet and both Hadrian and Yohn were intending to take a force there to deal with them once castles that blocked their path were cleared and their armies fully gathered rather than spread across the Vale to enforce the peace.

Hadrian looked up to Yohn Royce, now his counterpart officially as Warden and Lord Paramount and wondered if his proposition would be met with angry rejection or wary acceptance. Knowing it was better to get it over with he made his move.

"Lord Royce, I realise that we have other matters to discuss that are more pressing but I have been wondering if you might consider joining our houses by matching your son Andar with my daughter Joanna." Hadrian asked carefully knowing full well how proud and determined the older lord was. Seeing Yohn look up from the map with eyes carefully guarded as he studied Hadrian intently, a younger and less experienced man would have looked away with a stare as strong as that Hadrian thought to himself. He kept himself from smiling and looked the lord straight in the eye, letting him know he was completely serious about this.

"My son is years older than your girl. It would be far better given how new our position as Lord Paramount is that I wed my eldest son to a girl from a Vale house." Royce reasoned but Hadrian was not annoyed at all but rather looking forward to the challenge of convincing Royce and was not going to let him get off that easily.

"But without my support and evidence would you have been able to gather enough Vale houses to fight? And there is only five namedays between them, it is not so great a gap." Hadrian said to him, relishing the chance to actually have a chance to use words rather than swords something he seemed to be doing a little of these days. "Not to mention your son would have a wife from the wealthiest families in the Westerosi Empire and also one with great influence in the rest of the empire. Including a position on the Small Council for anyone of your choice and a considerable dowry." He added, laying his cards on the table, a Royce on the Small Council would bring them firmly on side and a dowry to sweeten the deal.

Yohn Royce went silent as he considered the argument, it was a good offer and one that other houses in the Vale would be hard pressed to match. He would have preferred to offer Robar instead of Andar but he knew better than to try and offer that kind of deal to a Lannister like Hadrian. The only match that could really give his house more was Shaena Targaryen given her connection to the royal house and her two dragons but she had already turned him down.

Sighing to himself he nodded and reached for a piece of parchment so they could start setting out the terms of their agreement.

-x-

In the small gardens of the Eyrie, Sansa was playing with Lady while Loras, Brienne and Tormund looked on. Brienne was sweating from taking some much needed stress relief in the training yard and Tormund's eyes followed her hungrily much to her embarrassment. She was honestly wondering if the man was right in the head, he would not leave her alone! Brienne felt like taking Seastar and thrusting it through his chest or fucking him although the thought did send the blood rushing to her cheeks. Something that nobody present missed and Tormund seeing an opportunity slapped her on the arse. The sound made everyone turn and look in astonishment as they held their breath, not sure what would happen now with Tormund grinning and Brienne just stood there in total shock over what the wild man had just done. However it did not take long for Brienne to recover and she punched Tormund in the face but far from discouraging the man, he laughed and grappled with Brienne, falling to the floor and each struggled to gain the upper hand but then Tormund managed to give Brienne a strong kiss. Brienne's eyes widened in surprise and she struggled against the kiss but resistance seemed to drain quickly from her and soon she was returning the kiss just as fiercely. As the hands of both Tormund and Brienne started to tear each other's clothes off Loras, Sansa and Lady made a quick exit not wanting to have the images of what was surely going on in the gardens imprinted on their minds forever. Finding themselves alone as they walked through the castle corridors it suddenly became very awkward and they nearly broke apart but somehow they could not seem to separate themselves. Lady, still overjoyed to be back with her mistress after another long separation brushed gently against Sansa's side.

Sansa as she gently scratched her direwolf's ears and tried to think just what to say to Loras but could not find the words to speak, he seemed to be having the same trouble she noticed not sure of whether that was a comfort or not. The kiss he had given her when they had finally been reunited was the most erotic thing she had experienced in her life. Just the thought of it made her cheeks flush and her body tingle. Where exactly did they go from here? The question was spinning around and around her mind.

The silence was almost unbearable and she was wanted desperately to escape it as did Loras but neither could seem to bring themselves to separate and release the tension. Finally Loras could stand it no more and asked her the first question that came into his head.

"Where would you like to have our wedding?"

The words seemed to echo around the hallway and Sansa stopped stock-still at the unexpected question and asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Well we could hold the wedding at Highgarden or maybe at Brightwater Keep? Maybe we can hold it in Kings Landing?" Loras said not really sure where he was going with this conversation but he was thankful to have finally broken the tension, Sansa although confused felt the same and came up with another venue for their nuptials.

"Why not have it here…today?" She asked, not sure why but she wanted them to be wed as soon as possible. Perhaps curiosity or maybe it was she thought to herself wearily so that they could just get married and retire to their castle and live in peace. All the drama of the recent months was more than enough to last her a lifetime and she was hoping that maybe they might be able to live a quiet life at Brightwater Keep. Her suggestion however shocked Loras.

"Here…today?" He asked, not quite sure if he had heard her right. Sansa nodded, feeling suddenly eager for him to agree and her smile was the warmest he had ever seen. Lady barked happily, sharing her mistress's emotions.

"Yes Lord Royce could officiate in the Godswood, Prince Oberyn or Lord Lannister could give me away. The lords and ladies present could be our witnesses." She said brightly with a glint in her blue eyes that made Loras realise just how much steel Sansa has at a her core which she is unaware of. She might look like a Tully but she was a Stark, a wolf and when she had her jaws around what she wanted she was not going to let go. And as much as he knew his parents and grandmother would want a big ceremony in the Reach but he could not deny he wanted a much quieter event to start their marriage. Hopefully once this war was finally over and the Vale was secure again they would all be going home anyway but how long would it take to completely gain control of the Vale? He wondered if it was perhaps best that they wed now rather than wait any longer.

"Okay, but we will have to convince Lord Royce first to wed us." Loras said, feeling very much that this was only going to be the start of a long day and wondered if he had brought his ceremonial Tyrell cloak with him and wondering how long it would take to find a Stark one for Sansa. She beamed at him and quickly kissed him, which turned quickly into something far deeper as he took her in his arms and kissed her back.

-x-

Shaena Targaryen meanwhile was nearly back at the Eyrie when she saw Harry or as he was now calling himself Hadrian standing in the Godswood. Smiling she urged Terrax to land nearby and dismounted. Hadrian smiled when he saw her and held out the cloak and the ring while she pulled the wand out from her sleeve, her anticipation and excitement was only matched by her partner in magic who smiled broadly for what would be the first time in a long while.

"Ready to bring magic truly back to the world?" He asked her, his breath still taken slightly away by the sight of his friend from another life, reincarnated as a Targaryen princess. She was just as beautiful as she had been as Luna although she was perhaps a great deal calmer and more grounded than she was before with an air of regal authority around her.

"Absolutely, so why wait?" Shaena said and without any warning she shoved the three hallows together in his arms.

At first there was no reaction but this lasted only for a brief second before all three hallows started getting increasingly hot and Hadrian had to let go but the wand, cloak and the ring all hovered in the air, glowing a blinding white which pulsed greater and greater until finally with a tremendous roar the light surged off into the sky and flew south east faster than any beast was capable of, leaving behind three now working Deathly Hallows and two humans far older than their physical years.

The bolt of light was like a comet as it moved across the sky, too fast for many to follow but like a comet none the less. Its destination was surrounded in smoke and smog, a place no one but the most fool hardy of people ventured. The Smoking Sea as it had become known had claimed many victims since the Doom of Valyria many centuries before but when the bolt of light surged forward it struck the ground hard, creating a shockwave of energy that dispelled the smoke and revealed for the first time what it had hidden.

The damaged spires and buildings of the old cities of Valyria thanks to their strong construction were still a magnificent sight to behold but they were nothing compared the great creatures that filled them. Great dragons, who had slept in deep hibernation for nearly four centuries shook the dust and earth that had piled upon them off, while griffins with bodies made of the lion and the eagle emerged from caves and stretched their wings. In the rocky oceans krakens broke the surface of the water and as if it salute waved their long tentacles in the air. As the dragons and griffins looked up to the sky where they could see the sun for the first time since the Doom had sent them to their long slumber they roared as if in triumph while the air was also filled with song as Phoenixes emerged from their nests in the damaged towers and took to the skies once more.

But the wave carried on unseen to completely spread across the world, leaving an incredible green and blue aurora in its wake in the skies above and everywhere it touched, magical creatures stirred from their long sleep or became more active than they had been for hundreds of years.

In the seas around the world Merfolk and their cousins the more attractive Mermaids danced in pure joy with their giant squids.

Veela charmed the people of Ulthos while the hippogriffs soared over head.

The people of Naath and the Summer Isles watched as flying horses took to the skies while unicorns and centaurs ran through the jungles and forests.

And it was not just magical creatures that the wave influenced; in Qarth the Warlocks in the House of the Undying were turned to dust as the pure magic undid their stolen life-force, taken from many victims sacrificed in their temple to keep the cursed warlocks alive. Meanwhile a woman with a red lacquer mask who was standing in a garden, thinking on her recent visions screamed as her mask began to burn, quickly throwing it from her face she caught a glimpse of the face that the mask had hidden for so many years in the nearby fountain.

The face was a truly beautiful one; with soft pale skin and haunting violet eyes, she was tall with long dark hair that now fell to her waist with no mask to restraint it. Her hand went to her face, almost like it was a stranger's face which after so long it nearly was. Who was this woman she thought, after hiding behind the mask and being called Quaithe for so long she did not know anymore. She looked down at the mask that had hidden her true face for so long and grimaced as it was now a twisted object of charred wood. It was like a death she felt, who she had been while wearing the mask the mysterious prophet of Qarth was gone. She could get another mask but it was not the same so who was she now the woman asked herself. Her birth name was one that she had not used in many moons, so long that it was very strange to think or say it again.

"Ashara Dayne." She said quietly and then more loudly, largely to convince herself that it was true. "My name is Ashara Dayne and my time here is done."

It was time she now realised to return home to Westeros, however much she was dreading it.

-x-

In the Far North, inside a great Weirwood Tree the man known as the Three Eyed Raven smiled. He could sense the release of magic from its bonds, his sight was now clearer than ever the man thought with a great sense of relief. Had the Children of the Forest been here they would have been dancing for joy but they had become beings of pure magic to protect the Weirwood trees and increased their powers tenfold. Had he not been needed here to guide Brandon Stark he might well have joined them, he still might when his time here was done he thought to himself cheerfully. A hundred and twenty five years of living as a human was enough in his book.

-x-

Off the coast of the Vale, Melisandre was standing on the deck of her king's ship, the rocking of the ship was usually calmed her but right now nothing seemed to ease her troubled mind. While preparations for her king's rise in the heretical lands of the North and the Riverlands were already well advanced, he was in a dark mood since he had learnt of his daughter's capture by the Lannisters. Rumours that girl's scars had been healed and Shireen now was quite a beauty only made her king more bitter as a possible asset was now lost to him. She was so distracted by these thoughts that she failed to notice the wave of magic until it hit her.

Her body seized up with an almost orgasmic level of pleasure and her eyes wide open glowed with a fierce red light as did the ruby choker at her neck. Flames erupted around her arms and her body seemed to fill with energy the likes of which she had not felt in over four centuries, visions began to fill her head of the days to come, wild and unfocused but faster and more easily than they had ever come before. The scope of her abilities exploded in her mind as so much more became possible, including spreading her vision to find men for her king. She could now see the former followers of the Mockingbird at the Fingers waiting to flee after the little man's defeat. Those men were ripe for the picking Melisandre thought eagerly, no longer even needing the flames to have visions brought a wide and almost crazed smile to her face.

-x-

Just like Melisandre, Hadrian and Shaena where filled with an overwhelming energy and light erupted from their eyes and hands although it was a multitude of colours that dazzled and boggled the mind. Reds, blues, green, purples and so many more that it was impossible to name them all.

At Casterly Rock all of Hadrian's children and Arya felt the incredible burst of energy and light burst free from their own eyes too. Thankfully they were all alone in the library and no-one witnessed the strange sight. At Winterfell Bran was taking a brief moment to himself at the top of his favourite tower and likewise was not seen.

Hadrian and Shaena grabbed each other's hands and did something that neither had been able to do in a long time, they apparited or teleported as it was more commonly known. So supercharged with energy and almost high on it that destinations flitted across their minds quickly only for another to take its place moments later.

The Colossus of Braavos, the ruins of Valyria, the Wall in the North, The Isle of Faces in the Riverlands, The Red Mountains of Dorne, The Mazes of Lorath and the Singing Stones of the Summer Isles all came and went as the couple still high on their new level of power just kept going until they found themselves back in the Vale, in the same grove where they had started. Their breathing was so quick that they were lightheaded and drunk on the power that was now flowing through them. Without knowing what he were doing, Hadrian pulled Shaena against him and kiss her as deeply as he could, her mouth opening immediately to kiss back with equal fierceness.

Hadrian beyond thought picked Shaena by the waist and wrapped her leather clad legs around him as he carried her and pressed her against the nearest Weirwood. They all but devoured each other as they tore each other's clothes off till they were as naked as the day they had been born.

Neither would speak for a long time as passions held in check for so many years exploded in one lust filled event.

Kings Landing, the Crownlands…

Far from the Vale, romance and glory were far from Tyrion's mind as he steered the unyielding ship of the Westerosi Empire towards preparations for winter. Listening to all the various members of the Small Council as they prattled on about how well things were going made him want to grab the nearest pitcher and drink all the wine from it in one go. The odd piece of political drama stimulated him as did the thrill of having power but all of the boring and drawn out paperwork that came with running an empire the size of theirs especially with such a young king to take care of was monumental. Tyrion was dreading returning to his solar to face more of the same when the meeting finally ended but on his way there, Varys called out gently.

"My lord hand, I have word of the murders in the godswood and it is most distressing news."

Tyrion turned and despite the gruesome matter Varys had brought up felt a slight relief that he had a momentary respite from the paperwork. Raising an eyebrow Tyrion turned and with interest and concern hidden by nonchalance spoke.

"What have you learned Lord Varys? Is it as we feared my friend?" Tyrion asked hoping that his initial worries that the murders could be the sign of a new faith militant were unfounded but the grim look that Varys had on his face showed Tyrion's concern was justified.

"My little birds have sung that the man responsible for the murders in the godswood was working on behalf of a man they call the High Sparrow. While their movement is small it is filled with die hard fanatics that cannot be negotiated with, bribed, bullied or reasoned with. They are determined to stamp out the worship of the Old Gods across the country, even in the north and are prepared to use any method possible to do it. At least twenty murders can be placed at their feet, they ban the consumption of wine, whoring and arm themselves in direct violation of Maegar's law." Varys reported looking worried and wondered if assassinating the High Sparrow might be a viable idea, handing a piece of parchment with the details of the High Sparrow he had managed to uncover.

Tyrion took the scroll and carefully read every line. It was not much, it seemed that the man had been a septon for most of his life and regularly told people that he had a hedonic lifestyle before he had found religion in repentance for his sins. Tyrion doubted that very highly though, it sounded like something that someone would say to others to earn sympathy and gain the confidence of people. He had Tyrion acknowledged spent time organising a soup kitchen for the poor of the city and gave them his shoes if they had none of their own but he had not done this in some time it seemed and now commanded a force of a hundred warrior sons and sparrows as he called his followers. Not a big threat but Tyrion did not want to risk turning the High Sparrow into a martyr for his cause. Killing him would only make matters worse his gospel would spread like an uncontrollable fire, so Tyrion knowing he needed to find the measure of the man before he could deal with him and as useful as this information was Tyrion thought he needed more.

"Do you know where this High Sparrow can be found?" Tyrion asked knowing the best way to discover what weaknesses the man had was probably a face to face meeting. Varys looked worried, wondering what his friend had in mind now but nodded.

-x-

The Great Sept was quiet, a sight far more common these days when Tyrion entered, accompanied by Bronn who scoffed at the thought of the elaborate and needless grandeur of the sept constructed by the foolish and fanatical Baelor the Blessed, in the centre of the large domed room though they caught sight of the man they had been seeking. He was nothing like the septons Tyrion had seen before the Imp acknowledged; wearing rough and simple white robes without any adornment at all. His face was old and weathered, with deep lines and a gauntness that came from only eating the minimum amount to keep himself alive. Tyrion immediately realised that vices would not sway the man as it had high septons in the past and wondered if perhaps making him the high septon might be enough but seeing the brush and bucket next to him Tyrion quickly rejected that idea. No amount of power, wealth or vice would turn a man like the High Sparrow to their cause who had finally noticed them and got his feet.

Tyrion's opinion of the man which had been leaning slightly towards respect due to the strength of his convictions took a definite downward turn as he saw the disgust in the man's eyes when he caught sight of both Bronn and Tyrion with particular emphasis on Tyrion himself. Given the man's attitude towards drinking and whoring both things he was well known for Tyrion thought to himself he should probably have seen this coming. However he had more important matters to attend to and stepped forward to speak.

"High Sparrow, I had hoped to speak with you." However the High Sparrow looked down on Tyrion as if he was a demon and cried out with disgust.

"Do not befoul this holy place with your presence any longer foul creature. You and your kind will find themselves facing the judgement of the Seven pointed Star soon enough." The High Sparrow said and marched straight past them to the crypts of the sept. Tyrion's eyes narrowed in anger as the man passed, such things of course had happened to him before but that did not mean he was unaffected and now felt himself getting angry. Bronn laughed and said.

"That was the shortest negotiation I have ever seen my lord." Bronn laughed loudly, his voice echoing in the large open space. Tyrion just gave him a glare in return but Bronn did not care and only asked. "Would you like me to kill him?"

Tyrion shook his head. "That is what he wants I fear or at least for us to arrest him. He has only a handful of people and a percentage of the smallfolk to call his supporters and he wants publicity to gather more." Making him a martyr was out of the question Tyrion thought to himself, he needed to find another way of dealing with the High Sparrow and his supporters. He turned to Bronn and said.

"We will return to the Red Keep tonight, I have to think on what tactic is best to deal with the High Sparrow and his fanatics."

Spending the night with Tysha appealed too Tyrion thought to himself quietly. Later as he basked in the naked glory of his wife as she rode him to their mutual pleasure an idea occurred to him. One that should allow him to bring down the faith militant without even the need for violence.

Well not too much violence he conceded as he placed his head between his wife's legs and gave her the 'southern kiss' much to her cries of approval.

Casterly Rock, the Westerlands…

The letter revealing their father's victory in the Vale had yet to arrive in the Westerlands at the moment so for the Lannisters of Casterly Rock things went on as normal. Well for most of the inhabitants anyway, the children with magical powers were still buzzing with their new found power and already a dozen coded letters to their father on the subject. For the moment however they pretended everything was normal to everyone else.

The boys trained in the yard under the watchful eye of the knights sworn to their house, the girls carried on with their own lessons in playing politics from Genna Lannister although today, Genna had decided to try and see if the girls could dance.

Shireen despite never having been taught professionally seemed to float around the hall showing an almost innate talent for it as did Genna's great nieces who despite being fiercely independent and daring girls loved dancing, it was one of the few physical female activities that was common place across the world. Even the boys managed to begrudgingly move around the hall with a semblance of grace but Genna sighed as she saw one of her pupils was not even really trying and there were no prizes for guessing exactly who it was.

Arya Stark stood in a huff at the side of the room, she knew that she should perhaps show more dignity but she did not care. It was stupid to even try this, stupid and pointless. What use was it really? She had put up with all the book reading and learning facts and figures because she could at least acknowledge that would be useful but this she thought angrily was where she drew the line. It was bad enough she had to get into the blue silk dress that she found uncomfortable but now she was going to make a fool of herself yet again trying to be something she was not. Memories of being humiliated by Sansa in front of their parents, brothers, Septa Mordane and absolutely everyone at Winterfell time and time again at every lesson moved through her consciousness. Sansa with seemingly with an impossible grace while she floundered like a fish out of water. The comparison made her laugh bitterly, trust the gods to have given her the grace of one out of water and Northern looks when her mother's house had a trout as its symbol.

Tyler saw her obvious discomfort and the bitter laugh brought a frown to his face, he hated to see her like that so he walked over and took her hand, Arya immediately glared at him but he ignored it.

"Think of it like a sword fight you are having with your partner. Each move is part of a fighting sequence and you have to match mine." He whispered in her ear as he slowly pulled her onto the dance floor. He carefully tightened his grip on her hand and placed his other hand on her waist, bring a small blush to both their faces at their close proximity. Worried however much she would deny it if questioned that she was about to make a fool of herself again but she trusted Tyler, he had bent over backwards to ensure she had everything she wanted and the weight of the lady talon dagger at her thigh was a comfort that actually brought a small smile to her face. He saw her smile and returned it before carefully and gently starting to move them both.

Arya's form was taunt with fear of humiliation when they started moving Tyler noticed and whispered into her ear as he steered them around.

"Relax, just go with the flow. Remember it is just matching and anticipating my moves like we are sparring." His warm breath on her ear was enough to send a brief shiver through her and when she nearly trod on his toes again she conceded she could at least give his approach a try.

Remembering all the moves in her head, like a fighting style that she was trying to follow and her work with Syrio who now had left for pastures new much to her disappointment meant she could actually move in step with Tyler who smiled as he felt the tension slowly leave her. Arya felt herself starting to relax as the steps although awkward at first became more fluid. People watching at the sides either smiled or looked on with amazement as the wolf girl started to dance, not exactly gracefully but it was a start. Arya did not even realise she was doing it, but everyone else did.

Genna smiled, thinking quietly to herself that she was making progress in shaping the future lady of Casterly Rock. She would be a fierce one that was for sure Genna thought with pride and a smart one.

Meereen, Essos…

The sound of metal being forged into weapons echoed through the city as the population prepared for battle, making all the weapons and armour that they could in what little time remained. In the squares of the city the Unsullied and Jorah Mormont's men trained the local recruits for battle, drilling into a semblance of being proper soldiers. Those that could not fight where storing up all the supplies they could get their hands on in case of a long siege or were working to reinforce the city's defences.

Margaery was looking through the lists to check on their supplies and a grim frown spread on her beautiful face as she saw that with all the people in the city and the food they had on hand the city could only last for maybe three months with very strict rationing. She wondered how on earth she might extend that or find additional food sources to draw on but she kept coming up short, the fact that she, a Tyrell from the Reach, the kingdom which was the food basket for most of the Seven Kingdoms now had a food shortage to deal with brought a bitter chuckle to her throat making her maids look at her strangely as they wondered what on earth she was laughing at when things seemed so dire.

Nothing her grandmother had taught her was going to help her here she thought bleakly. Court politics she could do in her sleep, wrapping men around her finger was so easy it nearly brought a yawn to her lips but this was real logistical nightmare. Jon had asked her to deal with food storage and rationing while he and the rest of their court such as it was made the city as secure as possible. Dragons were perhaps the greatest weapon in the world but they were not a guarantee of victory, she mused just ask the original Rhaenys Targaryen and her dragon Meraxes. To this day no-one kept just how the favourite sister/wife of Aegon the Conqueror had died and her dragon had not saved her and in fact had killed her if some accounts were to be believed. And especially as the Masters of Volantis knew about the dragons they could well have thought of some way to kill them.

"My lady are you alright?" A voice asked her, tearing Margaery away from her thoughts of the second of the original two Targaryen queens. Looking to find the source of the voice Margaery nearly smiled as the concerned face of Mira Forrester appeared at her side and she gently took the worried looking Mira's hand and reassured her while squeezing her hand tightly.

"I am well Mira, but I have to concede this is a stressful situation. Our enemy outnumbers us greatly and our supplies are not as plentiful as they could be. I was just trying to think of a possible solution to our problem." She told them confidently however she felt inside, she was a woman grown she thought to herself, resolving that she would not wish for her grandmother to be here. The Rose who needed her grandmother to solve her problems for her, how they would all laugh and mock her if they knew how unsettled she was. Margaery could just see it now, her face staying in its calm mask with considerable effort while she heard the laughter and jeers in her ears. All her life she had loved and worshiped her grandmother, wanting to be just like her and now she was no longer under her protective wing it was worrying her how much she had come to depend on Lady Olenna. Was she truly the kind of lady that needed to cling to her grandmother's skirts? Margaery wondered bleakly as the thought embedded itself in her mind.

No she was a Tyrell, she thought to herself with all the conviction she could manage. Not as strong as she would of liked but it was still her own personal declaration. She would not cry for what could not be and instead focus on what was in front of her right now she thought ruefully which was the food shortage. Taking her eyes off the papers as her ladies watched her with concern in their eyes Margaery walked over to the balcony that looked out over the harbour. The weight of the problem that had been placed on her shoulders was a heavy one but something that she wanted to solve Margaery thought with determination and as she cast her eyes down on all the ships that were docked in and around the harbour her eyes were drawn to the Lyseni style sloops and longboats that belonged to the Targaryen fleet. An idea suddenly sprang into her mind and a smirk came to her lips that would fitted just as well on Lady Olenna's face. Turning on her heel she walked back over to the table and looked over the map, her grin widening as a plan came to her mind.

"Qarth is where our salvation in regards to food can found." She declared surprising her ladies with her confidence and some looked at the map in confusion, wondering what their lady had in mind.

"How so my lady?" Mira Forrester asked with well-hidden scepticism that made Margaery want to laugh, the northern girl was learning but she needed to work harder if she wanted to genuinely hide her feelings.

"The sloops and longships of our fleet have a low draft and can easily manoeuvre around coastal waters and rivers. Our enemy will no doubt bring much larger and slower ships which ours can evade." Margaery explained. "Our much faster and lighter vessels can slip through whatever blockade our enemies establish under the cover of night and sail around the coast and purchase supplies from Qarth and then return with them. If successful then will have a means of keeping the city provisioned and give us more time to defeat our enemies if brought under siege." Margaery finished talking and went immediately to find Jon and get his approval with her ladies following behind.

-x-

The young king in question was working hard to prepare stockades and other strongholds throughout the city in case the walls were breached. Barricades were hastily being erected to block key routes to hinder the enemy. The sun was hot in the sky and most men including Jon himself worked without their shirts, leaving his muscled chest on display much to the appreciation of the ladies that saw it. Several of them had even whistled their appreciation but he ignored it, refusing to be embarrassed as he might have done in the past. As Jon Snow back in Wintefell he mused as he helped three other men push a cart into position to block the road, he would have been much more naïve.

He could allow himself to be more confident Jon mused to himself but that was not his way at least not anymore he thought with some slight regret for times when things had seemed much simpler. Even with the dragons this was likely to be a bitter and bloody battle, he knew that without a shadow of a doubt and he wanted to plan for the worst while he hoped for the best.

With this blockade now in place Jon took a swig of water from his flask and wiped the sweat from his brow, the heat making him regret ever leaving the North. If he did not keep poor Ghost back at the palace with constant shade and water the direwolf would have perished from the heat.

A large shadow then came over him with a familiar shape, looking up he saw a large and majesty dragon with silver scales coming in overhead. The sight brought a smile to his face as the first of their reinforcements arrived in the form of his half-sister Rhaenys and her dragon Elinor. The silver beast was as large as his own Sunfyre now he noticed and power seemed to agree with his sister as she looked positively radiant.

"Brother, it is good to see you!" Rhaenys said as she swung off her dragon after landing and talked over to meet him. Although they had not spent much time together Jon could not help but feel a sort of bond between them, one that he never felt with anyone else. Perhaps it was because they actually shared the same father but he could not help but smile when he saw her.

"And you too sister. Is there any news?" He asked regretting it the moment her asked it as Rhaenys' smile vanished in an instant as she replied with both good news and bad although it largely favoured the latter.

"My uncle has sent a Dornish relief force under the leadership of my cousins Obara and Nymeria but it will not get here until a week or more after the force from Volantis does. Worst it seems the slavers have treated with the Dothraki and most of the horselords will now join them in the assault with truly massive numbers led by a Khal they call Moro. He claims he will fuck us all into submission before taking Dany as his whore." Rhaenys said with concern raising great anger in the both, vowing to slaughter the disgusting Khal the first chance they got but the numbers brought against them was a truly great concern; she, Jon and Dany could easily flee on their dragons but that would mean leaving everyone else behind to be slaughtered or enslaved. Even if they were that callous, who would support them then she thought bitterly. The Cowardly Dragons they would become known as, she reasoned they had to fight there was no other option.

"You said most of the Dothraki had rallied to the slavers, what of the others?" Jon asked as he wondered how they might gain further support. Rhaenys looked at him strangely before answering his question.

"A force of Dothraki has formed under a Khal named Drogo in opposition to Moro but I do not think we can get them to join our side. They are Dothraki after all and slavery has always benefited them." Rhaenys said with hatred for the barbarians and their destructive savagery.

Jon seeing her anger used all the self-restraint taught to him by his maternal uncle Eddard to force his own to remain under control and gently placed a hand on his half-sister's shoulder and squeezed reassuringly.

"Fire and Blood." He said, quoting their house's words although they still felt strange on his tongue. Their house had survived the Doom of Valyria, conquered Westeros with only a few thousand men and three dragons and ruled it for nearly three centuries after forcing the other kings of Westeros to kneel to them forming the Seven Kingdoms. Their family had come far and they were not going to fall now. Hearing the words served to remind Rhaenys too and her back straightened as she replied.

"Fire and Blood."

The Fingers, the Vale…

A camp of over ten thousand men from so many different backgrounds bitterly waited as the ships that would hopefully carry them to safety were loaded. Surviving Mountain Clansmen, Vale Knights, fearful smallfolk, sellswords and pirates all crammed together in the bitter cold with the harsh salty winds whipping around them and making their eyes sore. The sombre and miserable atmosphere was like a deep and heavy fog that enveloped the area and they could not wait to get away from the Vale. Only death waited for them here when the Royces and Lannisters finally caught up with them. The slightest of sounds made some jump for fear the dragons of Lady Shaena had been sent to burn them off the face of the world.

The sailors on the quay who were working harder than they had ever before to try and get the ships ready to sail were disturbed from their work by dark shapes that came over the horizon. One of the men grabbed a telescope and looked out to see what fresh hell had decided to engulf them now. Ships baring the flaming heart with a stag at its centre revealed just who these ships sailed under but there was little they could do as the leading ship came in close and docked alongside one of their own ships.

Everyone held their breath as a figure clad in armour emerged from the boat, he was a fearsome sight. He was a tall and broad figure that towered over everyone in his party, his dark blue eyes were stormy under a heavy brow with a greying beard and short cropped hair. Some of the Vale knights knew full well that this was Stannis Baratheon but it was the woman that walked at his side that drew the eyes of many men.

Her beauty was virtually unparalleled, thick blood red hair with such a well-endowed body that sent impure, lustful thoughts through the minds of every man that saw her but it was with a sense of fear that those thoughts came. Something about her made the men afraid, as if there was a terrible monster behind the exceptionally beautiful face the woman had. However they could not dwell on that because Stannis Baratheon came forward.

"Before the war, many of you would have faced justice at my hand but now I need all the swords I can get. Bend the knee to me and join me in my conquest of the North and Riverlands. Either that or face destruction." Stannis said, his voice barely audible over the winds. There was a moment of silence from the men who suddenly started laughing, Stannis' eye twitched slightly.

"Why should we bend the knee to you?" A knight said scoffing at the man's arrogance. "Fight against the Lannisters and we will be burned by dragon fire. Or perhaps Wildfire like you did last time."

Stannis turned to Melisandre and nodded. The Red Witch as she was known curtsied to her king before raising her hands into the air and drawing on the…fire inside her. Her soft and delicate hands looked like nothing in the storm around them until flames erupted into the air which grew larger and larger until a massive dragon made of pure red flames hung above them all. Holding it still in the winds was a strain on her mind, but Melisandre would admit it to no one and as she was struggling to hold the fire and a droplet of sweat ran down her forehead to cleavage she hoped her king would not ask her to hold it much longer.

Stannis did not smile but he did allow himself a slight sense of enjoyment at seeing the men cower under the flaming dragon.

"Stand with me or be burn by fire right this second." He said simply and terror spread through the ranks of all the men present as they looked up at the flaming dragon above them and one by one they knelt before Stannis.

Melisandre finally relaxed as she saw the men kneeling to her king, it brought a sigh of relief as she drew the flames back into herself. Her breathing was quicker than normal but she was still in awe of her new powers, looking at her hands again she had never imagined such gifts might be given to mortals by her god. She could blast people with his flames and pure energy, transport herself to anywhere in the world in the blink of an eye, reshape objects into whatever she wish, it was truly incredible. She was truly humbled by the fact her god had given her such strength and vowed to do her utmost to see his dominion over the lands of Westeros and his victory over the ancient enemy.

But as she began to feel drunk on the power she now command she heard a voice in her head, one that she had heard in her nightmares nearly every night.

"Remember my last Melisandre."

Unconsciously she rubbed the lightning scars on her arms with fear coursing through her, that voice had sounded almost like he was at her ear but when she whipped around she found nothing there. She shivered and hugged herself, scared as memories of her last encounter with Hadrian Lannister and what might happen if she faced him again all her previous confidence now gone.

The Dreadfort, the North…

Roose Bolton walked through the cells of his castle and allowed himself a small smirk as he saw the various northern nobles locked up inside. He had been busy over the last couple of months since the letter from Stannis Baratheon, knowing few would support either his rise to Warden of the North and fewer still to aid Stannis Baratheon in his bid for the Iron Throne he had been systematically kidnapping certain nobles from houses all across the north to force their families to side with him once Stannis finally arrived and also hatred of the wildlings had played a useful part in gaining the support of certain houses without the need for other methods. Ramsay was at last he acknowledged becoming useful as his reputation scared the families he had targeted into submitting to his rule. Fearing what the mad bastard of House Bolton would do to their loved ones.

The Starks would never see it coming.

The Twins, the Riverlands…

The Late Walder Frey of the Twins as he was known looked over the list of all the families that had been gathered under him and smiled with a greedy look in his eye. He had to admire his wife's cunning for getting so many nobles into his grip with ambushes, kidnapping and blackmail. Now he would be able to press a claim for Riverrun and the Riverlands as a whole with the backing of Stannis Baratheon and Roose Bolton. After so many years of slights he would finally get all he desired, like he thought eagerly his wife who was lying naked on their bed.

She smiled at him seductively and got to her feet, sashaying over to him with hips and breasts swaying slightly as she moved over to him. Cersei leaned over, showing him her teats in all their glory drawing all of his attention. He reached out his hands to touch them and the feel of their silken smoothness was perfect to his hands. He was so distracted by this that he failed to notice the dagger until it was thrust straight into his neck.

Cersei stepped back, pulling the dagger out as she did so to ensure the old weasel's death. Gods she thought to herself she needed a bath. Letting that old fossil put his horrid little hands on her had strained every bit of self-control she possessed, now however she breathed a sigh of relief. She had most of his sons wrapped around her little finger already, Stannis would have absolutely no idea that House Frey now fought for her Cersei thought eagerly with a blood thirsty smile as she wrapped a robe around her slightly cold body. When he had completed his conquest of the North and Riverlands she would take the opportunity to have him killed and secure the throne for Tommen.

Yes she thought with glee, she was finally getting back on top.