14

Somewhere along the Roseroad, with Daenerys…

"Ugh, I can't believe I agreed to this shit!"

A sweaty, panting Daenerys laid cursing on her back after going through yet another particularly intense training session with Perseus.

It had only been a week since the Tyrell's annual banquet where her brother's betrothal to Margaery was announced in front of every noble in the Reach.

And while Viserys had bemoaned about exploring more of Highgarden with his new love, fortunately Perseus decided that they could no longer afford to stay out of the war for any longer.

So the days following the announcement had been spent traveling the Roseroad back to Storm's End.

"A lady shouldn't use such language." Perseus chided, having returned from getting her some fresh water.

Daenerys rolled her eyes before snatching the flask of water from his hands.

She could feel Perseus's amused eyes on her as she quickly began chugging the drink. "Congratulations, you survived another day of training." He says happily.

Having downed nearly half the flask in one go, Daenerys only stopped to catch her breath. "More like another day in hell!" She scowled at him.

Perseus shrugged. "You could always just quit." His remark only made her scowl deepen.

He knew that she wanted to become a warrior more than anything so quitting wasn't a viable option.

"You could at least lessen the warm up exercises. What's the point of tiring myself out before I even begin to practice with my sword?" Daenerys grumbled.

"Anyone can swing a sword when they're at their best, Dany." Perseus says while picking up the training swords that they had been using, "The point of the exercise is to condition you into being used to swinging your sword when you're most exhausted."

While Daenerys couldn't exactly disagree with the concept as a whole, the way her nephew went about teaching it was a bit extreme.

Like seriously, what kind of person thought of strapping a heavy bag of sand to someone's back and having them run up and down a fairly steep hill.

And that wasn't even the worst of it.

Very recently Perseus had started having her do something he called 'burpees'. And by the end of it she always managed to throw up whatever she had eaten that morning.

"Alright, that's it for today. I have some work I need to do." Perseus said, helping her get off the ground.

"Oh no, please don't go. I wanted to keep going." Daenerys said in fake protest.

"Very funny." Perseus said dryly before calling out, "Missandei!"

"Yes, my king?" Her handmaiden and first friend quickly walked over from where she dutifully waited.

"Take Daenerys back to our tent and help her draw a bath, please." Perseus ordered the girl before turning back to tell her, "I should be back before sundown."

As Perseus walked away followed by his loyal protector, Ser Connington, Daenerys's gaze followed after him.

The magical dance they had shared that one night was still at the forefront of her mind.

And now every time she looked at Perseus all she could remember was his handsome face under the pale moonlight. It made butterflies form in her stomach.

"Milady?" Missandei's voice broke her from her trance and she finally looked away from her retreating nephew.

"I'm sorry, Missandei. Let's go shall we?" Daenerys apologized before leading the way toward her and Perseus's tent.

As they walked through the camp there was a mixture of their Unsullied and a few soldiers from the Reach who were accompanying Lady Margaery on Willas's orders.

The Unsullied, as always, bowed respectfully to her as she passed by them. Most of the Reachmen did so as well, but she noticed more than a few eyeing her from head to toe.

As ever annoying as the lustful stares of men were, Daenerys never truly took offense. She knew that she was beautiful, even though she was currently not at her best, so it was to be expected.

And she would be lying to herself if she said that their unprompted validation didn't give her some level of fulfillment. But lately, that feeling had been reduced significantly.

And like most of her inner troubles, she knew that it had something to do with Perseus.

Once they reached the middle of the camp where their tent had been set up, Daenerys swiftly entered, followed by Missandei.

By the time she finished washing all of the sweat and grime from her body it was almost sundown. So she put on one of her nightgowns before letting Missandei tend to her hair.

After a while spent in thoughtful silence as Missandei gently combed her hair, Daenerys suddenly spoke.

"Missandei, can I ask you something?" Daenerys looked at her friend.

"Of course, milady." Missandei immediately responded.

"What is love?" Daenerys's question seemed to momentarily stun the small girl but she eventually replied back.

"To me, love is when a man and a woman share deep feelings for one another." Missandei says.

Daenerys thought about that for a moment. "Then is it wrong for a woman to love a man who doesn't love her?" She said cautiously.

"I don't really see the harm in loving a man who doesn't love you back." Missandei said before adding sagely, "Sometimes love can be a one way road."

"But what if that man is the reason you're even having those feelings. Shouldn't he take responsibility?" Daenerys frowns.

"Well, I believe a man should only take responsibility for a woman if he truly loves her. If he doesn't love her back, what would be the point of him taking responsibility?" Even at the tender age of eleven, Missandei's words were causing her to think deeply.

Daenerys knew what it felt like to love her family, but never actually understood how love for an individual worked.

For a while she thought that she loved Tristan. But she understood after the matter that her actions hadn't been out of genuine love for the sellsword.

She knew this because her current feelings for Perseus felt like they were on an entirely different level than what she used to feel for Tristan.

Simply thinking about her nephew made her heart warm. While even before reading the bastard's letter, the opposite could be said for the sellsword.

But she didn't know what to do with all of this newfound love inside of her.

She couldn't openly express it to Perseus in fear that he didn't love her in the same way that she did.

And she didn't want to find another distraction like Tristan because it would be a waste of time as the person she truly felt love for was within her reach.

"So how do you make a man fall in love with you?" Daenerys finally asks.

"Have you fallen for someone, milady!?" Missandei exclaimed happily.

"O-of course not, Missandei!" Daenerys sputtered in embarrassment, "I was just being curious…how would one go about doing such a thing?"

Her face burned bright red as Missandei looked at her with an exceedingly smug and knowing look, but thankfully she didn't pressure her any further.

Missandei clapped her hands in excitement. "First things first, spend as much time with him as possible. It'll make him think about your absence whenever you're not there." She tells her.

'Make him miss me. Seems pretty simple.' Daenerys nodded to herself as she took in the information.

"Next, give him a compliment every once in a while. Most men aren't used to it so they love it when you compliment them." Missandei stated.

"But what if he's used to getting compliments?" Daenerys asked her.

Missandei hummed thoughtfully for a moment. "Then compliment him about something that he usually doesn't get noticed for." She advised, earning a nod.

Her friend continued. "And whatever idea or goal he has, you should support him and help him achieve that." This made a lot of sense to Daenerys seeing as how most men wanted supportive women.

"A man hates it when you argue against him. They face challenges every day, so coming back to another challenge will just make him defensive and unwilling to open up." Missandei added.

Daenerys didn't have a clue where Missandei found all of this from, but most of her advice so far had sounded rather good.

It somewhat embarrassed her to find out that a girl even younger than her knew more about love than she did.

Before Missandei could continue with her advice, the entrance to the tent flapped open and an exhausted looking Perseus entered.

He barely spared them a glance before making his way over to the tub of fresh water that Missandei had prepared after Daenerys finished her bath.

"You can get some rest now, Missandei. Thank you." Perseus told Missandei before he began discarding his garments one by one, obviously intent on taking a bath.

"My king." Missandei bowed before going to take her leave.

Before she left, Missandei gave Daenerys a wink and nodded her head in Perseus's direction which made her face burn bright red.

It seemed like her friend knew that she had been referring to Perseus that entire time.

Putting that embarrassing realization aside. Perhaps she should just try to do what Missandei told her? She had nothing to lose anyway.

Daenerys stood up before making her way over to Perseus who had discarded all of clothes and submerged himself into the water.

She noted that his eyes were closed in apparent bliss as she knelt beside the tub.

Nervously, Daenerys picked up a washcloth and dipped it in the water which was a lot warmer than it should've been, probably her nephew's doing. She loved that he was basically a human torch.

With a gentle but steady hand, she began scrubbing Perseus's chest.

Her nephew's eyes shot open and he looked at her with a questioning gaze. "You looked tired, so I thought I'd help you. You used to do this for me all the time when I was small so it's the least I can do." Daenerys explains to him.

Perseus blinked at that before a smile graced his lips. "Thank you." He said gratefully, his body relaxed and he closed his eyes once again as he allowed her to continue.

For a while, Daenerys focused solely on washing his torso which she couldn't help but admire.

Seeing them was one thing, but now she had the opportunity of actually feeling the efforts of her nephew's hard work. And she couldn't say that she was disappointed.

As she began focusing on his arms, Daenerys finally broke the silence. "So, what will you do once we return to Storm's End?" She says.

Eyes still closed, Perseus responded. "I'll free Ser Loras and have a talk with Lady Stark. Then I'll gather all of our forces and join up with Willas and Ser Garlan at Bitterbridge." He told her.

"Are you going to march straight to King's Landing from Bitterbridge?" Daenerys asks.

"That's the plan. Though it might change depending on how my conversation with the Stark goes." Perseus says truthfully.

"Why do you even need their help? You can take the throne with the forces we have now." She stated.

"I don't intend to ask the North for military aid. But I will need their support eventually to end this war once and for all. I might as well do that while I have one of the 'wolves' in chains." Perseus added mockingly.

Understanding where her nephew was coming from, Daenerys paused when she noticed that she had completely finished washing the portion of his upper body that was available to her.

Her eyes then drifted downward and a deep blush quickly dominated her face.

Confused at her lack of movement, Perseus opened his eyes and immediately saw her dilemma. "You don't need to worry about washing 'that'. Would you mind getting my back though?" He said, looking somewhat amused.

She was embarrassed by the fact that her nephew had seen her staring but also relieved that she didn't have to touch 'that' part of him.

The tent fell into content silence once again as he leaned forward so she could begin washing his back.

It felt nice to look after Perseus for once. She could imagine herself doing similar things like this in the future.

Perhaps she would even reach the point where she no longer felt embarrassed at the prospect of touching 'that'.

She felt another blush form at that thought. Though thankfully her nephew couldn't see her face anymore.

Daenerys spent the rest of the night wondering when her efforts would start to bear fruit.

oOo

At Dragonstone, with Melisandre…

Ever since Melisandre received a visit from R'hllor, she began to receive more visions.

Each of these visions were tied to Perseus Targaryen and his imminent ascension to the throne.

First, she watched Perseus be crowned king by the very same people who brought about his family's ruin.

Then, she saw the young king have his first meetings with the exceptional people that would help him lead his kingdom in the future.

She even witnessed some of the king's many, many battles that would take place in the future. All of them filled with more rivers of blood and all-consuming fires than the last.

And lastly, she witnessed Perseus Targaryen become the greatest man that had ever been known throughout the Known World, so great in fact that he could no longer be considered a man.

Every day and night these visions plagued Melisandre's dreams. But she knew the reason why she was having them.

While they were destined to happen one or another, she knew that these specific visions would only come true if she herself sought out her lord and dutifully served at his side.

This was a test of faith given to her by R'hllor himself. If she failed him there would be no mercy given to her.

She would be burned to cinder along with the rest of the people who prayed on Perseus's downfall.

And that was not something she wanted.

"You're staring into the flames again." Stannis grumbled from where he laid naked beside her.

Melisandre put her thoughts aside and turned to the man she had sworn to give guidance to.

"My apologies, my king. The flames have been speaking to me a lot more lately." Melisandre told him.

"Good things I hope?" Stannis questioned before sitting up to palm one of her bare breasts while kissing her neck.

Melisandre tried her best to keep the disgust she felt at his actions from showing on her face.

Only the true chosen of R'hllor deserved to gain pleasure from using her body. But she refrained from acting out of norm. The pretender's time was coming very soon after all.

"As I've told you, my king. R'hllor has shown me your victory over the Lannister's. I've seen you personally kill the impudent boy king on the sands of Blackwater Bay." Melisandre says before adding, "Have you made all of the necessary preparations yet, my king?"

Stannis grunted in affirmation. "We set sail for King's Landing in a few days. We won't have to worry about Tywin Lannister coming to save his grandson. He's too busy dealing with Robb Stark and the North." He says before he paused in his actions.

"What visions have you seen about the Targaryens? You know they've recently become allies with those flower sniffers in the south." Stannis said with disgust.

"House Tyrell is secretly plotting against the Targaryen's. They'll soon be fighting one another. You don't have to worry about them." Melisandre lied to him.

Stannis grunted unsurely. "Are you sure?" He asked.

Melisandre slowly reached down to grab Stannis's manhood. "R'hllor has already shown me the downfall of Perseus Targaryen. Worry not, that which you desire will soon be yours, my king." She whispered as she began jerking him.

"Good, I'll need a formidable advisor by my side when I sit on the Iron Throne. Would something like that interest you?" Stannis rumbled, his breathing becoming more erratic as he became more aroused.

Forcing a sweet smile on her face, Melisandre faced the man and replied. "If it's the will of R'hllor, who am I to refuse?" She said simply.

His arousal now at its peak, the man stopped talking and began hungrily kissing her neck while Melisandre continued to stroke him.

Though her focus wasn't even half aimed at pleasing the man before her.

Her aspiring gaze remained fixed on the nearby flames and the glorious future that would be spent servicing the man truly worthy of her praise.

oOo

Pyke, with Oberyn Martell…

The second prince of Dorne did nothing to hide the smug smirk on his face as he lazily sat atop the famed Seastone Chair. He watched as the unarmed ironborn entered the Great Keep.

In the corner of the hall, cast iron chains and gagged, was the captured lord of House Greyjoy, Balon, who was currently being guarded by his Sand Snakes.

"How dare you sit on our ancestral seat, goat fucker!" Victarion Greyjoy snarled at Oberyn.

At the man's words, the three daughters of Dorne angrily went for their weapons but they were quickly made to stop with a simple gesture from their father.

"It's nice to see you too, Victarion." Oberyn drawled uncaringly.

A matured woman stepped forward. She was lean, with black hair cut short and dark, glinting eyes.

The most outstanding thing about her though was the way she walked, it held a mixture of a saunter and a sway.

"Ah, you must be Balon's daughter. Asha, right? I've heard much about you." Oberyn openly eyed the woman up and down.

"I am Asha Greyjoy. Daughter of Lord Balon Greyjoy." She confirmed with a confidence that made the prince grin.

After her introduction, the only other person that had entered the hall beside Asha and her uncle quickly spoke. "And I am Theon Greyjoy, son and heir of Balon Greyjoy." The young man's emphasized words drew eye rolls from his fellow family, even his gagged father.

Oberyn briefly looked over the young man that had spoken. He was a black haired youth with dark features. His physique was that of an experienced hunter, but he was otherwise unremarkable.

Looking back to the daughter of the house, Oberyn spoke. "Since you're here and not sacrificing yourself to take back this castle, I assume you've already received my letters and have agreed to the terms." He said.

"Letter? Terms?" Theon asked his kin.

Ignoring her brother, Asha shared a glance with her uncle before replying. "We have, Prince Oberyn. And we agree to most of your conditions, but we cannot agree to the request that our ships be burned." She says.

Oberyn raised an eyebrow at that. "And why not?" He quizzed.

"We are ironborn. Without our ships we are nothing." Asha admitted.

"That's the whole point, my dear. I didn't exactly enjoy capturing these shitty little islands. And I'd rather not have to not go through that again." Oberyn expressed.

"And we understand that. So we're prepared to offer you a substitute of equal value." Asha tells him.

Oberyn hummed for a moment before his curiosity got the better of him. "Let's hear it then." He said simply.

"In exchange for keeping our fleet, we promise to stay clear of Dornish shores and-" Asha sent her brother a quick glance before continuing, "-we offer the heir of House Greyjoy to be kept as a ward under your care at Sunspear."

Her words shocked not only Oberyn but also her brother, who evidently had been kept out of the loop.

"What!?" Theon exclaimed but before he could even take a step toward his sister, his uncle harshly bashed him in the face before forcing him to kneel down.

His nose now bloodied, Theon yelled angrily at his sister. "You bitch! This was your plan all along. Father, I'm your heir, you can't let them do this!" He raged.

Ignoring her brother's screams, Asha simply looked toward her father who had remained silent up until now.

The father stared at his son for a long moment, before looking back to his daughter and giving her a nod, showing his agreement with the decision.

Nodding back, Asha turned back to Oberyn. "Those are our terms, Viper. Do you agree or not?" She asked him.

All eyes were now on Oberyn as he leaned back in his chair.

His brother, Doran, had expressed that they needed to destroy the Iron Fleet so that Dorne could then have dominance over the seas.

But to Oberyn, that decision was nothing short of a temporary fix. Fleets could be rebuilt after all. And the ironborn were masters at their craft.

Besides, there was still Stannis and the Royal Fleet to think about as well as the Reach's Redwyne Fleet. So they wouldn't truly have dominance over the seas just by taking out the Iron Fleet.

Now though, they could cripple the ironborn by taking their heir away and making them unable to ever attack Dorne.

But while this was all well and good, Oberyn wasn't called the Viper just because of his swiftness and spearmanship.

It was because he always found a way to critically weaken his enemies, no matter what.

"I have but one condition." Oberyn announced, causing Asha to frown but nonetheless let him continue and he did so.

"You must use the Iron Fleet to destroy Stannis Baratheon's fleet." The Viper says.

Asha's frown deepened but she looked to her father. After a long moment of debate, Balon growled in annoyance through his gag before giving an affirmative grunt.

"I'm glad we've reached a deal so quickly." Oberyn smiled happily.

The prince motioned for a few soldiers to take away the still raging Theon before rising up from the Seastone Chair.

"I normally stay and feast for a few nights after my victories, but I don't wish to stay on this shitty rock any longer." Oberyn rummaged through his pockets for a moment before bringing out a key and tossing it near Asha, "Free your father. I believe that's the right key."

The prince, followed by his Sand Snakes began making their leave. But before he left, Oberyn suddenly turned around.

"Oh. And I almost forgot to mention. If you even think about not following through with the agreement, Asha Greyjoy, I'll make your brother wish he were dead." Oberyn warned her before finally taking his leave.

As they traversed the halls of Pyke, Oberyn turned to Obara and Nymeria. "Get the fleet ready. We need to set sail before sundown." At his order, the two oldest snakes nodded before going to do exactly that.

"Are we finally going to see my cousin?" Tyene asked excitedly.

Oberyn shook his head in amusement at his daughter's excitement. Though he couldn't necessarily blame her since he was just as excited as her. He was just much better at hiding it.

"Yes, we're going to meet with Perseus. But first we'll have to go to Sunspear and retrieve Arianne." He told her.

"Does uncle Doran still plan to wed Ari to Perseus?" Tyene inquired, receiving a nod.

"Do you think he'll accept?" His daughter questioned.

"I don't see why he wouldn't. Arianne is the most beautiful woman in the Seven Kingdoms." Oberyn boasted before soberly adding, "His mother would have wanted him to marry a Dornish woman."

Father and daughter both fell into silence at the reminder of their deceased sister/aunt.

All of Dorne had mourned Elia's death, but that was exceptionally the case for Oberyn.

While they had all been close to each other, Oberyn and Elia grew up together, so he had been much closer to his sister than Doran, making her death have a greater impact on him.

"It's ok, daddy. Soon, we'll stand alongside Perseus and remind the other kingdoms what happens when you go against the children of Dorne." Tyene's words comforted him greatly.

It also gave him hope that Dorne's retribution would once again be feared throughout Westeros.

After all, after Aegon's conquest they had been the only house that remained unbowed, unbent and unbroken.

oOo

The next morning, at the Targaryens campsite…

Perseus rose in tandem with the sun, feeling as rejuvenated as ever.

The first thing he acknowledged was his aunt who clung to him which was something she had long since become accustomed to doing in her sleep.

Her peaceful expression and cute little snores never ceased to put a smile on his face every morning.

Usually at this point he would've woken Daenerys up and had her hustle out of the tent so they could begin training, but his aunt had been training very hard lately so he'd allow her a day to sleep.

So after carefully peeling her off of him and replacing his warmth with a cover, Percy rose and began his regular morning routine which consisted of him doing a set amount of push ups, getting out his clothes for the day and making sure his face was cleanly shaven.

After he was done making himself presentable, Percy grabbed an apple to eat along the way before making his way out of the tent.

As per usual, he was greeted by the two Unsullied guards routinely stationed at the entrance to his tent. And also his snoring old protector who sat slumped against a wooden barrel nearby.

Perseus shook his head before making his way over to the armored man. "Jon, wake up!" He raised his voice to an acceptable level in order to spark the old griffin awake.

"Your majesty, my apologies! I was only taking a quick nap." Ser Connington said drowsily, quickly rising to his feet.

"I already told you, Jon. You don't have to lay outside just so you can guard me while I sleep." Perseus admonished.

"I don't see why I wouldn't, your grace. You're at your most defenseless when you sleep." Jon said in a stubborn manner causing him to simply shake his head.

Even though he had a tent specifically made for the old knight every time they set up a new camp, Jon always chose to rest outside Perseus's tent.

Once the knight fully collected himself, they began making their way toward Viserys's tent which was across from his.

Since the sun was barely peeking over the horizon, there weren't many soldiers that were awake at the moment, except those on patrols or on guard-duty.

Perseus nodded to the Unsullied who stood outside of Viserys's tent before he entered.

Jon, knowing his uncle's tendencies, did not follow him inside.

The inside of the tent was as finely made as his own, Perseus quickly sought out his uncle who he found sleeping on his fur cot alongside his newly betrothed.

It didn't surprise Perseus to see that both Viserys and Margaery were stark naked.

Since their trysts no longer needed to be kept secret from the public, the two lovers had been acting like a pair of rabbits in heat.

It would shock him if the lady wasn't already pregnant with his uncle's child.

After carefully stepping over the pieces of clothing that were strewn wildly around the bed, Perseus reached down to tap on Viserys's chest.

When his uncle's closed eyes twitched very slightly at the firm prodding, Perseus made sure to verbally announce his presence lest he get pounced on.

"It's me, Viserys. Wake up."After another brief moment, his uncle's eyes opened with a sigh.

"Why are you waking me up so early, nephew?" Viserys said after letting out a yawn.

"Let's go spar." Perseus suggested.

Viserys slowly blinked at him then looked at the naked woman sleeping next to him before looking back at him.

"So let me get this straight, you want me to leave my bed that has my beautiful and also very naked fiancée laying in it, just to go out with you and get the shit kicked out of me?" Viserys looked at him incredulously.

"Would you rather stay and cuddle in bed like a pussy?" Perseus replied back bluntly.

Viserys held his gaze for a suspenseful moment. "I'm game!" He shrugged.

Not a moment after Viserys rose from bed, Margaery stirred awake as if sensing the disappearance of her lover.

"Where are you going, my love?" The woman said as she sat up rubbing the tiredness out of her eyes.

The Tyrell woman froze when she noticed Perseus standing in the room as well.

"My king?" Margaery blinked before realizing that much of her bare body was revealed for all to see, causing her to quickly cover herself up "…my king!"

"Good morning, Lady Margaery." Perseus gave the woman a simple greeting.

There was no need for her to look so embarrassed. Throughout the entire time he had been present his eyes had never once lowered below her neck.

He didn't know what kind of man she took him as but he'd never show any interest in the women his uncle chose to be with.

Choosing to only reply to his greeting with a glare, Margaery turned to Viserys. "Where are you going, Viserys?" She asked again.

His uncle sat down to put on his leather boots. "I'm going with Perseus." Viserys said simply as he began tying his laces.

"But why? It's barely morning." Margaery remarked.

"My sweet flower-" Now fully dressed, Viserys walked back over to the bed and gently tilted Margaery's chin up to give her a long lasting kiss before smiling, "-a man's business is none of your business."

Percy went to stand by the entrance as Viserys began to strap on his sword belt. Meanwhile Margaery mutely sat in bed, not sure how to respond to his uncle's words.

"When will you be back?" She finally said.

Viserys began walking away as he spoke. "Don't worry, I won't be too long. And please make sure there's a meal waiting for me when I come back, love." He said before they both exited the tent.

As they began walking side by side, followed by Jon, Perseus gestured back toward Viserys's tent. "I thought you said she was one of those stubborn types?" He asks.

"Well, she was-" Viserys commented before adding with a grin, "-until I fucked the stubborn out of her."

Perseus snorted at that. "It's that easy, huh?" He said in disbelief.

"Most women want their man to treat them like how I do. The only difficult thing about it is that you have to actually be man enough to pull it off. Which is why that boy lover, Renly, wasn't capable of satisfying my Margaery in the slightest way." Viserys told him.

"So the more manly you are, the more likely women are to want to be with you?" Percy frowned.

"Essentially, yes. That's usually the main reason a woman approaches a man." Viserys glanced at him before asking, "How did your relationship with Lady Rogare come about?"

The question caught Percy off guard. Enough to make him fall into silence until they finally reached their destination which was a small hill Percy had been using the day before to train Daenerys.

It was still relatively close to the camp but away from prying ears and eyes.

He sat down on the soft grass followed shortly by Viserys who had been patiently waiting for a response due to knowing how talking about the Lyseni woman made Percy feel.

After staring over the beautiful, vastly uninhabited land in front of him, Percy finally spoke. "I remember the day she started looking at me differently. And I remember thinking to myself that I could never betray the trust of someone who helped my family when he didn't have to." He stopped talking for a moment to let out a deep sigh while Viserys waited quietly for him to continue.

"But then I remember hearing a small voice inside of my head. It began to question my loyalty toward Lord Rogare. It made me wonder why I owed anything to a dying old man who would have turned me away just like every other noble had it not been for his wife. 'If anything', it whispered, 'your allegiance should be for Lady Rogare'. I ignored it of course. And for some time, that worked. But then one day Lord Rogare told me that he had to reduce my pay-"

"I remember that day, I had to start working for the city guard after that." Viserys briefly cut in, earning a nod from Percy before he continued.

"-when he told me that, I only remember being so angry that the only reason I didn't quit was because I still needed to look after you and Daenerys. But then the voice came back, it was a lot stronger than before. It asked why I should still remain loyal to a man that had just made it harder for my family to survive. And for the first time, I started to agree with it. So one day, I saw Lady Rogare staring at me in the way she usually did. But instead of ignoring her looks, I followed her to her room and…." There was no need for him to say what was already known.

But by the end of his rant, a look of regret dominated Percy's face.

Viserys sat beside him in silence before finally speaking. "It wasn't your fault, Perseus. That woman was a whore from the beginning. She even had another lover before you." He reminded him.

"I don't regret fucking her. I regret killing Lord Rogare when he found out about us and letting myself get played like a fool." Percy says.

"They deserved whatever judgement they brought onto themselves. And you should move on by not letting what happened stop you from finding a better partner." Viserys tells him.

"Well first I have to find a woman that isn't plotting to kill me in my sleep." Percy said dryly.

"If your woman doesn't want to kill you at least once every moon, I wouldn't consider her to be wife material." Viserys japed, drawing a laugh out of him.

His uncle's previous words began to make him think though.

One of the reasons he hadn't been much interested in looking for a partner was because of his first bad experience, in this world at least, in dealing with a breakup.

But the other reason was because the only girl who currently drew his attention was Daenerys, Viserys's sister and subsequently his aunt.

Percy had been thinking a lot lately about how he should come forward to Viserys about his feelings for his younger sister.

The only reason he thought about doing so was because he felt like he was betraying his uncle's trust by keeping his thoughts to himself.

But nonetheless, if he ever wanted the chance to speak to Viserys about it, now was the time.

"Viserys, can I tell you something?" Percy asked after much hesitation.

"Haven't you been doing so already?" Viserys chuckled, "I'll always lend you my ear, nephew. Just as long as you don't get too emotional. I have a wife for that now."

His uncle's humor made it somewhat easier for Percy to say what was on his mind and after a few more moments of inner debate, he spoke.

"I…like Daenerys." Percy murmured slowly.

Viserys turned toward him and blinked. "Well, she's your family. I think you're supposed to like her." He said bluntly.

"I mean like, 'like'." Percy said awkwardly.

Viserys rolled his eyes. "You're supposed to be smarter than me. Use your words, Perseus." He said.

"I like Daenerys. And not in a family type of way but in a, 'I want to be with her' kind of way." Percy managed to admit.

For a long, tense moment Viserys simply stared at him with an unreadable expression. It was quite unnerving to see his uncle with such a look on his face.

He had been prepared to take a punch to the face or even a hard laugh of disbelief, but his uncle did neither.

Just when Percy was about to speak again, Viserys finally spoke. "Are you truly in love with my sister?" He asked, deadly serious.

Percy nodded in return. "I've never felt this way with anyone else before." That was a lie, but he couldn't exactly say that he had fallen in love once before in another lifetime.

At his words, Viserys sighed before staring ahead. "I guess I should have noticed a long time ago. Ever since we were children you always coddled her too much." He remarked with some amusement.

"I only started to feel this way recently." Percy told him.

"So why?" Viserys suddenly asked, making him blink.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"What made you start loving my sister?" Viserys clarified.

"I dunno." Percy replied dumbly.

"Don't give me that half-hearted shit! What made you start to look at your own aunt in that way? Was it her looks? Or perhaps her body? She's fourteen namedays, but I admit she's growing quickly. So which is it?" Viserys questioned heatedly.

Percy was starting to get irritated. Not because of the questions, but because he didn't actually know the answers to them.

He could remember 'when' he began to feel the way he felt toward Daenerys, it was after his dream of her, but he still didn't know 'why' he felt so strongly for her.

This revelation was what made Percy doubt if his feelings were even truly authentic and not just something a part of him wanted him to believe.

"I don't know why, Viserys. I just do." Percy replied truthfully.

Another minute passed before Viserys spoke again and what he said next surprised him greatly.

"That's good." His uncle said with a breath of relief.

Percy picked his head up. "What?" He blinked.

"At least you don't just like her for her looks. She makes you feel happy when she's around, I assume?" Viserys questioned, receiving an affirmative nod. "Then it's not just some fleeting feeling. You genuinely love her."

His words were starting to make a lot of sense to Percy. He had never thought of it in that way.

Viserys then asked, "Does she know?" Immediately gaining a negative reply.

"I wouldn't even know how to tell her. And honestly, I'm afraid that she won't feel the same way." Percy revealed.

"That's understandable, but you should still tell her. Despite how she acts, Daenerys isn't stupid. She'll realize it herself sooner or later." Viserys tells him.

Percy sighed. "I know. But now is not exactly the best time. I'll tell her after the war is over." He promised.

"Have you thought about the consequences that being with Daenerys would bring in the future? About how it would make the people of Westeros feel?" Viserys asks.

"Why should I care what they think? It's not like my personal decisions will affect their lives." Percy frowned, earning a disappointed sigh from his uncle.

"You will be their king, Perseus. Any decision you make will either affect their lives or their beliefs. You know how these people view inter-family marriages." Viserys says.

"Your father married his sister and no one said anything." Percy pointed out.

"Because my father burned alive the people who did say something. Will you make the same mistakes he did, nephew?" His uncle harshly shot back, causing him to begrudgingly concede his point.

"So what should I do? Even if Daenerys does end up feeling the same way about me, I can't do anything about it because some fucking priest says so!" Perseus said angrily, the air around them began to smoulder.

Viserys put a calming hand on his shoulder. "That doesn't mean you can't change their minds. Even the most devout of men will fall to their temptations sooner or later. Use that against them." He said wisely.

"You want me to bribe hundreds of thousands of people?" Percy squinted his eyes in disbelief.

"You won't necessarily need to bribe all of them. Just show them that something can be gained from supporting your marriage to Daenerys. They'll be happy to see you two wedded then." Viserys says.

Percy thought about his words for some time. He had always been tempted to just ignore the thoughts of those not in his family, but now he was starting to see how detrimental that kind of thought process was.

It was mainly the lack of support from the people that inevitably ended the reign of his grandfather, Aerys, who had ignored almost everyone's advice, sometimes even his own family.

If Percy didn't want to make the same mistakes as that man, then he needed to approach the situation differently.

"Thank you, Viserys. You've always helped me see things the right way." Percy thanked his uncle.

"I'm just glad you were born with the brains to listen. Are you sure you're my brother's son?" Viserys asked jokingly, earning a half hearted shove.

After a few more moments, his uncle stood to his feet and stretched, "Now, are we going to have that spar or not? I could've been getting my cock sucked right now instead of listening to you bitch and moan." He remarked with a toothy grin.

"Yeah yeah, dickhead." Percy rolled his eyes but he nevertheless stood up as well.

Both of them had become fairly used to sparring at this point in their lives, so no more words were said as they both began doing their various warm up routines.

After they were warmed up and ready, both Targaryens faced one another, with their respective swords raised in both hands.

Though they didn't sport any armor nor were they using training swords, neither of them were worried about hurting each other too seriously.

Each of them had years of experience in hard sparring against one another to know what to do and what not to do.

"Wanna make a bet?" Viserys said before they could start.

"Why? You know I'm going to win." Perseus didn't say this just to sound arrogant; it was simply a fact.

Nine times out of ten, it was Perseus that usually won their spars.

"Then you should have nothing to lose." Viserys shrugged innocently.

Perseus stared at his uncle for a moment before finally relenting. "What's the bet?" He sighed.

"If I manage to beat you, then you have to confess to Daenerys by the end of this year regardless if the war is over or not." Viserys proposed.

"Ok. And what do I get if I win?" Perseus asks.

"I'll let you have the honor of being the first one to take Missandei's maidenhood after she flowers." Viserys told him.

Perseus shot him a deadpan look. "Even if I was interested in that. What exactly gives you the authority to give away Missandei's maidenhood?" He says dryly.

Viserys shrugged uncaringly. "I'm a prince. I do as I please. Do we have a deal?" He asked.

"Whatever." Perseus just shook his head.

The moment the word of agreement left his lips, Viserys was suddenly charged in front of Percy, swinging his blade toward his chest.

Unsurprised at the sudden and vicious attack of his uncle, Perseus deflected the blade before stepping forward to stab his own sword forward.

With a clean sidestep, Visery avoided the stab and sent a hard knee upward in order to try and knock the sword out of Perseus's hand.

The attack landed but instead of letting the force knock the sword out of his hand, Perseus used the power behind the knee to whirl around and deliver a back kick toward his uncle's chest.

Knowing that he didn't have enough time to dodge, Viserys quickly used the flat of his sword to block his chest.

Normally that would have been enough to stop such a kick, but Perseus was stronger than most men so the kick instead connected with the flat of the blade as well as Viserys's chest making the prince violently stumble back a few paces.

Had he not withheld half of his strength, the kick probably would have sent the prince flying a few feet back.

Not giving his uncle time to re-balance, Perseus darted forward with his sword raised.

Quick to gain his footing though, Viserys retaliated with a wide slash which forced Perseus to stop in his tracks in order to meet the incoming blade with his own.

Sparks began flying as their swords continued to clash and their strikes quickened until they were nearly blurs.

The spar between the Targaryen men grew more and more intense by the minute until an inevitable winner was decided.

oOo

A few days later at Storm's End, with Margaery…

As Margaery stepped halfway out of the carriage, her mouth immediately opened as she looked up at the daunting tower that seemed to reach toward the heavens above.

She had never visited the ancestral seat of House Baratheon before. But while she couldn't in good faith say the castle was as splendid as Highgarden, after seeing their colossal fortress armed to the teeth with armaments she came to understand why the house had lasted for as long as it did.

"I've seen that look before." The voice of her betrothed snapped Margaery out of her stupor.

Though his insinuating tone made her eyes roll, she didn't stop the smile that formed on her face as her prince helped her down from the carriage.

Margaery's feet were barely on the ground before her lips were suddenly captured by her beloved.

Now that she was away from the judging eyes of her mother, Margaery happily returned Viserys's tounge seeking kiss and practically melted in his strong arms.

"Ugh, get a room!" The need for air as well as a familiar voice was the only thing that made Margaery part from her lover.

Getting out of the carriage, with the help of her handmaiden, was her soon to be sister-in-law, Daenerys.

"If it isn't my miserable and lonely little sister! Still hung up about that bastard?" Viserys's teasing grin only widened when his sister glared at him for his remark.

But before she could give back her no doubt biting reply, a certain silver haired scion joined them.

"Lady Margaery, your brother is waiting for you in the guest chambers. Grey Worm here will show you the way." Perseus gestured to the stern looking Unsullied who stood dutifully behind him before looking expectedly at his uncle.

Margaery glanced toward her lover, and as if reading her mind, Viserys gently took her hand. "Don't worry, love. I'll come to you as soon as I can. Go see your brother." He placed a loving kiss on her forehead.

Though she was still unsure about separating from her love, Margaery's desire to see her brother helped ease her sorrows as she turned to the patiently waiting Unsullied.

As 'Grey Worm' began leading her away she sent one last glance back toward her future husband who was now having a conversation with his family before she entered the castle.

The inside of the massive tower was spacious and well lit. So Margaery had no problems following the silent Unsullied as they made their way through the castle.

Although, after only climbing a single set of long, winding stairs, her breathing was starting to become quicker.

"Is there no lift, Ser Grey Worm?" Margaery asked the soldier between breaths.

They weren't even one level above the base of the castle. She'd die of exhaustion before she reached her brother at this rate.

The calm breathing Unsullied paused before replying. "My apologies, his majesty usually takes the stairs." He said.

How on earth the Targaryen heir managed to climb up and down a massive tower every day baffled her. But she knew one thing for certain, she was not cut from the same cloth as him.

Thankfully, after a quick reroute to the castle's lift, Margaery was well on her way up to the upper levels of the tower.

And after leading her through a few halls, the Unsullied stopped in front of a door of a chamber that was being guarded by two soldiers.

Dismissing the guards, Grey Worm stepped aside and gestured to the door. "Your brother is inside, milady. I'll be outside if you need my assistance." He told her.

Thanking the Unsullied, Margaery stepped forward and took a relaxing breath before opening the door.

As she stepped inside of the chamber, the first thing she noticed was the fact that all of the windows were covered with blinds, leaving only a little sunlight to illuminate the room.

The next thing she noticed was her brother. He was sitting at a desk with his back turned to her as he furiously scribbled away at something.

"Loras?" Margaery called out to her brother but she slowly walked toward him after receiving no response.

Once she was close enough and at an angle where she could clearly see her brother.

There didn't seem to be anything physically wrong with Loras. He looked as he always did. Exceptionally handsome with a mass of brown curls and ringlets that tumbled over his eyes.

No dirt marred his skin, he looked as healthy as ever and his clothes were fit for someone of his status.

Perseus's promise that her brother was being taken care of seemed to be true so far.

But Margaery couldn't help but feel as if something was wrong with Loras. And this feeling worsened when she saw what he was doing.

Pieces of parchment were scattered around the surface of the table, all were damp from the obscene amount of ink that had been used on them.

Her brother seemed to be repetitively writing something on a fairly new piece of parchment.

Margaery leaned closer in order to make out the scribbles and she frowned when she saw that Loras was only writing a single name, over and over.

Renly.

"Loras." Margaery whispered sadly.

She hadn't been angry at all when she found out that Renly and Loras were lovers. In fact, it made her role as Renly's wife much more bearable because she didn't have to pretend to love the Baratheon king in private.

Being with Renly also made Loras genuinely happy which was a plus in her eyes because she always wanted to see her youngest brother happy.

Due to growing up as the spare of a spare, Loras had always been a little reclusive when they were younger. It was only after he began learning the sword and meeting Renly at a tourney did he begin to truly brighten up.

But part of that happiness was now gone forever.

Margaery gently laid a hand on her brother's shoulder and for the first time since she entered the scribbling stopped.

Loras slowly looked up and her heart nearly broke when she saw tears begin to well up in his eyes when he saw her face.

"Margaery?" Loras said in surprise.

"Hello, brother." Margaery managed to smile through the tears that were swelling in her own eyes.

Nothing more was said as both siblings promptly enveloped each other in a tearful hug.

Even though she didn't let it show, Margaery had been extremely worried about her brother ever since she received the news that the Targaryens had captured him.

Of course after she knew the kinds of people the house of dragons were, Viserys especially, her worry had lowered.

But still, her worries wouldn't have been fully appeased until she personally saw that her brother was alive and well.

After a long while, the two siblings finally separated from each other and questions immediately began.

"Since you're here I take it father agreed to ally with the Targaryens." Loras remarked.

Margaery nodded. "To solidify our alliance, I'm to marry Prince Viserys." She informed him.

At that news, Loras frowned before silently taking a seat. "So you're marrying a Targaryen. What was father thinking?" He stressed aloud.

"It's fine, Loras. I actually want to marry him." Loras looked at her shock, "Viserys is a good man. He'll treat me justly."

"But you don't know what those people are capable of, Margaery!" Loras exclaimed before adding in a hushed tone, "Especially Perseus. He's the worst of them."

Well, she couldn't exactly disagree with her brother about his last comment. Perseus threatening to burn her alive if she ever betrayed Viserys hadn't exactly left a good impression on her.

"Trust me, I know the type of man Perseus is. But Viserys and Princess Daenerys aren't like him. They will be kind to our family." Margaery defended.

Loras barked out a laugh. "Yes, just as long as we don't stand against them and obey like a good dog. I can't believe Willas agreed to this." He shaked his head.

"Actually, Willas was the main one who pushed to ally with the Targaryens. He's especially taken a liking to Perseus. Said that he was a 'one of a kind man'." Margaery said distastefully.

"But he isn't even a man!" Loras stood to his feet in disbelief.

Margaery sighed. "I understand you don't like him, Loras. I can't say that I do either, but-" Her brother cut her off by grasping her shoulders.

"No, you don't understand, Marg." The genuine fear that entered Loras's eyes greatly shocked her, "Perseus…he's not like the rest of us. There's something different about him. I-I don't think he's-."

Before her brother could continue, a hard knock on the door sounded.

Barely a moment later, the door opened and in walked the subject of her brother's abstract fear.

Perseus glanced between the both of them before his eyes landed firmly on Loras.

For the first time since they were small children, Margaery saw her youngest brother shrink and lower his head as if he was deathly afraid to meet the other young man's piercing gaze.

Anyone less shrewd than her wouldn't have caught it, but in response to her brother's actions, the corners up Perseus's mouth very briefly twitched upward.

Anger filled her being. Margaery didn't know what the king said to her brother but it was obviously affecting him mentally.

Unfortunately, their alliance had only just settled. So now wasn't the time to confront Perseus.

Though that didn't stop the anger from seeping out of her voice though. "What do you want?" She snapped at the soon-to-be king.

Perseus's gaze flickered to her and he raised a brow, most likely due to her tone, but he surprisingly didn't make a comment on it. "Viserys wants to see you before dinner. He's waiting for you in his room." He told her.

Margaery barely withheld an eye roll at that news. She loved her betrothed along with all the acts that came tied with that love, but the last thing she currently wanted to do was have sex.

"Is that all?" Margaery narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

If her beloved wanted to see her he would've come for her himself, so she didn't understand why Perseus had been the one to deliver such news. And she couldn't see the man doing so out of the goodness in his heart. If he even had one…

"For you, yes. But I have important business to talk about with Ser Loras so..." Perseus trailed off, his gaze flickering to the door.

Margaery wasn't dumb. She knew that he wanted her to leave. But she didn't know how she felt about leaving Perseus alone with her brother after seeing his peculiar reaction.

"It's fine, Marg. Go to your future husband." Loras gave her a weak smile.

Even though her brother promised that it was fine, a unsure frown marred Margaery's face. But there was little she could do.

"I'll see you at dinner then, Loras?" Margaery wouldn't back down until she knew for certain that she'd see him later.

"O-of course, I'll be there." Loras nodded with hesitation.

It was infuriating to see her brother glance toward Perseus as if silently asking for permission, but she begrudgingly took her leave.

Margaery glared at Perseus, who looked amused at her hostility, before leaving.

As she walked down the hall, led by Grey Worm. Her thoughts were purely focused on what had just occurred.

She didn't like the way things were going in regards to the future kings increasing control over her family. And Loras's attitude toward Perseus was definitely something that needed to be addressed.

Alas, all she could hope was that Viserys looked out for her and her family in the future.

oOo

Sometime later, in the dungeons, with Percy…

The dungeons had become less packed upon Percy's return to the ancestral castle of the Baratheon's.

Since they were now allied with House Tyrell, all of the prisoners that had ties to the Reach had been released and allowed to go back to their families.

There were still a few prisoners left, men from the Stormlands who would only bolster Stannis's forces if given their freedom. But the dungeon was relatively empty now.

After walking down a few aisles, Percy motioned for the two soldiers that flanked him to stay put before walking up the cell that contained their newest prisoner of war.

Bright blue eyes that were as fierce as a wolf's pierced Percy through iron bars. "Come to gloat, Targaryen?" Catelyn Stark glared.

Percy sighed tiredly. He really didn't want to have yet another hostile conversation with someone he would, if all of his plans fell through, soon be allied with.

Plus, it had been too long since he had shared a dinner exclusively with his family members so he was looking forward to that.

He'd just have to ignore the two Tyrell's that would unfortunately be present.

Getting straight to the point, Percy spoke to the woman. "You'll write a letter to your brother, Lord Edmure Tully. And in that letter, you'll tell him to hand over Ser Jaime Lannister to me." He tells her.

Catelyn scoffed. "All the ice in the Land of Always Winter will melt before I ever do anything you tell me to do." She said stubbornly.

Unbothered, Percy continued. "If you don't do as I say, your eldest son, Robb, will die in the west, far from home. Your youngest sons, Rickard and Bran, will die next. Most likely assassinated by some ambitious Northern lord or any of the other countless enemies you've made. And then your daughters will be married off to whichever old lord pays the highest dowry." He says.

"That will never happen, boy." Catelyn snarled, "My son will defeat the Lannister's and save his sisters."

"Your son doesn't even have the ability to occupy the West for much longer." Percy says calmly, "But you already knew that didn't you, Lady Stark? That's why you sought out Renly for help after all."

That seemed to surprise the aging woman. "How do you know that?" Catelyn gaped.

"It was already pretty obvious, but the Tyrell's confirmed it." Percy tells her.

After staring at him for a long moment as if deducing the truth, Catelyn clicked her teeth. "Those pansies always licked the boots of Targaryens." She snarled.

"Now, will you do as I suggested?" Percy asks.

"How will giving Jaime Lannister to you help my family? If we're to all die anyway I'd rather take one of you bastards down with us." Catelyn said with vengeance.

"In return for your assistance and future fealty, I give you my word that I will protect Robb from Tywin Lannister and I'll also safely retrieve your daughters when I take King's Landing." He promised.

Catelyn let out an unladylike snort. "The only house I trust less than the Lannisters is yours, Targaryen. Your 'word' means nothing to me." She growled.

Percy barely refrained from rolling his eyes. "Alright, so how can I show you my sincerity?" He said slowly.

"In return for giving you our hostage, you must give one of your family members over to my brother as a hostage." Catelyn told him firmly.

A furious look immediately formed on Perseus's face. It was an unreasonable exchange, one he didn't want to make.

'But I need to do this in order to win the war without any unnecessary casualties.' Percy reasoned with himself.

If his most favored plan succeeded then in less than a month he could end the whole war in one fell swoop.

Though this would only come to pass with the help of Lady Stark.

And while Percy could admit that the woman's condition of using one of his family members as a hostage would have been a deal breaker in any other scenario.

He knew that the Stark's were too honorable to do anything obscene to their prisoners.

'I can also just shadow travel and rescue the hostage right after the switch.' Perseus thought.

He wasn't too versed in his shadowy transportation method but he was confident in being able to travel to anyone he personally knew.

So with great difficulty, Percy swallowed his rage and replied. "Alright. Write your conditions in your letter so your brother knows. And I'll bring you back a letter from him so that you know the exchange happened." He tells her.

Catelyn looked at him with a discerning gaze before replying. "I'm going to need ink and parchment." She said brusquely.

Having come prepared, Percy gestured for one of the soldiers to hand Lady Stark what she needed.

As Percy watched the woman begin to write, he thought about how he would make the house of wolves bend the knee to him after the war.

While he would be a man of his word and follow through with the conditions, that didn't mean that he wouldn't make sure that the North could never rise up against his family in the future.