How to Tame your Dragon

Rodrik

"Shite!" Rodrik shouted out as he rolled out of the way of Sheepstealer's fire, again... For the eighth time since he had arrived to tame the beast.

He had camped right outside the ridge, where he would bathe the smoke and heal his wounds that he obtained from beast. It doesn't much like him, and he it yet he will try for a hundred times. His people needs this weapon, a powerful weapon to defend his realm from all who would take it from him.

A smirk came across his face when the beast took the sheep he had offered to it, glad it didn't decide it wanted human for a day. This a dangerous task for anyone, his advisers practically begged him to stay and instead find weapons to kill the monster, but those weapons wont stop an invasion by the south.

Whatever relationship he had with Cersei means nothing, she and her supporters wont stop attacking his kingdom. And he has proven to everyone that the Vale can be taken, it doesn't have to be by the Bloody Gate but by Sea. All that would have to be done is taking Gulltown and the ridge going into the kingdom, after that its all about conquest.

He also doesn't have the numbers or at least the veteran fighting men. The population of the Vale is smaller than the other six Kingdoms, yet there are still people to bring to battle. He can maybe summon another six or eight thousand men made of the old and very young, boys of fourteen and sixteen but anymore and the Vale might as well be empty.

"I wish you would let me near you, just a bit more." He said aloud with a joking matter and surprisingly he got a response, a loud hiss that sounds as if the creature had snorted at what he said to it. Looking behind the rock he saw it chowing down on the sheep, "Yes, you eat that sheep. Good boy, or girl whatever you are." He added and laughed before getting to his feet, cautiously walking back to camp.

This will be some time to get the beast to let him near it, no doubt more to ride it but that will come later.

Back at camp his mind turned back to his ward and ally, Sansa. He gets reports daily on her by Colemon, what she is doing and how the castle and Vale is doing. So far she runs his home like it was her own, some would say this is inappropriate, only a Lords wife should run a household while the Lord is away. Its not like that at all, he trusts Sansa to make the right decisions just as his father trusted him when he was left in control of the Vale.

And his other ward, Arya. She has been taken as a squire by Rolland Waynwood, Lady Waynwood's grandson. She is putting all her effort in swordsmanship, and from reports she is doing well with horse, her sword and bow. He was suddenly reminded of what Tyene said and agreed with the girl he thinks of as a good friend, Arya will be a great warrior when she is grown.

"Hungry?" Orion asked and he nodded, taking the bowl of soup from his bodyguard.

"Thank you." He ate the soup and gave thought to himself.

Other news as well, in the South his daughters mother is being charged for treason and trial by combat had been banned throughout the Kingdoms. He ordered the same, too long has the highborn taken advantage because they command the better warrior, a good policy on the new Boy King. In the north a rebellion is rising, no actual battles but House Bolton is surely losing control of the North. Meanwhile in the Riverlands Brynden Blackfish has retaken Riverrun and holds it against House Frey's levies, he's yet to decide on sending forces out to relieve Brynden of his burden.

Last but not least is news from the east. Daenerys Targaryen's new wedding has turned disastrous and has left her territory of Mereen to her advisers. He had hopes of her settling down where she was and remaining there, he still remembers his uncle's death at the Mad King, and his cousin to Jon Connington, Westeros doesn't need another potential Mad Monarch on the Iron Throne and definitely not a Targaryen. Darker thoughts turned to a scenario where she does come west, he will have to fight and stand his ground against the Breaker of Chains, hopefully he'll have his own dragon.

Sansa

"And why not?!" She asked Lord Royce and the other generals present that aren't back home tending to their lands, Lord Royce sighed and sat straight to answer her.

"Queen Sansa. The King has not given no order to marshal levies at this current time, this is a time of peace for the Vale.. And its much needed after the trouble caused by Robert and his mother." Lord Royce informed her but she needs a better answer than that, her last bit of family is in trouble.

Her uncle Brynden, the Blackfish and her mothers uncle. He's retaken and reformed the Tully forces, holding her mothers home along with the other castles and houses such as House Blackwood and Mallister. Word is House Frey's military strength is small whilst most is stuck in the North with House Reed ambushing any parties baring twin or flayed man banners.

"3,000 men would be more than enough! Need I remind you my uncle held position as Gatekeeper of the Bloody Gate." She tried to argue, she at first wanted to say that Rodrik gave her the authority, but only going as far as Eyrie and the Vale of Arryn yet all military calls fall to Rodrik alone, it constricted her power so how can she learn? Its frustrating.

Rodrik's general voted against her an she was left alone, no soldier or knight would leave the Vale without expressed command of the King. She huffed and walked back and forth while Arya, garbed in a Valemen's squires outfit is watching her with delight no doubt, she has to find out a way to help her uncle and the other Houses of the Riverlands fight the Northern cause once more.

"Little Bird? I might have a plan.. " She turned and saw Sandor staring intently at her, eyes brimming in coldness and an eagerness to fight again,

What could a Clegane do? It was a Clegane who tore apart bits of the Riverlands in the first place. Without much options beside petitioning to Rodrik herself, she would hear Sandor Clegane out. So she gestured for him to continue.

"Before Robb and his lot perished." She winced upon hearing of her brother and mothers demise, Arya too. "I was captured by Beric and his Fire-Worshipers. Last I heard they numbered several hundred from either the Northern or the Crowns forces." What does this mean? What is Sandor leading to.

"And.. ?" She stretched, impatient to help the last of her family besides herself, Arya and Jon.

"I can go and find them, rally them against your enemies. No need to break Rodrik's rules."

It was a good plan overall, Sandor could go and find them and with promise of owing this 'Beric' a royal debt she can not only have the Vale Forces when she goes home, but the Tully Forces as well. It didn't take her long before she agreed to the plan and drafted a letter for Beric and her Uncle, she was finishing when her doors opened and Arya came in, packed for a journey.

She wanted to go, and she argued that she can't. Arya wouldn't stop and promised she would return, that and said she survived on her own for the better half of years after their father was executed. She still wasn't sure and she waited a day, effectively halting her plans before eventually deciding on letting her go. She pulled Sandor Clegane aside and gave him a hard glare.

"You succeed, alright? And bring my sister back home, she's all I have at the moment and it dear to me." She asked and her tone betrayed her feigned strength, she was nervous to lose her sister and hopes she wasn't making a mistake here, that and her sisters mentor wont be so happy to lose a squire so soon. Sandor gave her a surprised look, respect and it was shocking.

"No need to worry, Little Bird. I'll bring the She-Wolf back to you."

Rodrik

He decided to go early this morning, with a new sheep in his hands. "Don't worry boy, it'll be alright." He said and calmed the animal, a clear lie but what could he do? It was quiet today, that was clear from the lessoning of hisses and rocks being moved. It wasn't until he got to the top before he saw a shocking sight, and it clearly angered him.

Thirty Hills Men, spears and axes and bows all trained on the dragons lair. He hid behind a rock and waited for a opportune time to strike, and that meant he let the sheep go from his grasp. One of the Clansmen gave commands to wait for the attack, he wouldn't let it happen but before he could jump and strike himself, a roar set off in the distance.

"Attack!" He heard the big one command and arrows flew upwards, being easily deflected off the beasts scales.

"Enough!"

He roared himself and hopped down with his sword in hand, charging at the men who would attack the creature that's become somewhat of a companion he's grown a liking to. One wild man tried to take his head, he leaned back and swung his sword and gutted the man. "The Falcon King! Kill him!" Ten men came at him at once and he picked up the shield of another wildling he cut down.

"Come then!" While he battled the men at the left, he would glance and see the other nineteen warriors fighting Sheepstealer. He evaded a blow to the head and head-butted the one trying to kill him before shield bashing two spearmen coming on his right, one more tried to kill him but a loose arrow shot past him and struck the fellow. He looked behind him and saw Orion and several men coming to his aid.

A screech sounded in the air and he saw a horrid sight. One of the barbarians were able to climb the dragon and struck it with his axe, then two more stuck their spears in the chest. Sheepstealer might be large but House Targaryen's weakness was chaining the beasts up, and it appeared the same was done to Sheepstealer. "Cover me!" He gave the command and dived into the fiery fray, cutting down more wildlings and tribesmen, soon the last of them fell to dragon fire and sword.

"You better not burn me... " He muttered and reached for one spear, tugging three times before it came loose and the dragon snarled at him, causing him to fall down. Sheepstealer stared at him until it must have realized he was helping it, "Yes. I want to help you." He reassured it before getting up and slowly reached for the last spear.

Two tugs and it came loose, this time the dragon did not roar but felt better. He didn't move despite his men telling him to back away, he has never been this close to the thing since he's come here to tame it. And now that he did, the time to befriend it is ripe so he slowly backed up so the creature could look down to him. And his eyes stared into the dragons.

Slowly and cautious, he held his hand up while the dragon gave him a strange expression... Relief.

His hand touched the scales and it felt strange, like hard stone like these mountains. The moment didn't last long however when the dragon slowly turned away and flew off, though it gave him one last glance before doing so. Orion came up to him with a shocked look like he others, surprised and in awe of what they had just seen.

"Can't believe it, you did it My King. You tamed it." He shook his head to the man, not quite yet.

"No... But it's a start."