Gulltown 293 AC.
Victaron Greyjoy.
Receiving a note from a greenlander was damn annoying, being basically summoned to a meeting even more so, the prospect of gold and plunder though was too good to turn down. It had been a hard few years since the rebellion had failed, though at least one of his men had taken out the Old Lion, how Euron knew he'd be there was beyond him. But things had gone to shit afterward, Euron's plans hadn't all been followed according to his brother and whether that was true or not, the greatest fleet ever assembled had been defeated.
It was to the seas once again they had taken and pickings were slim, so when the note arrived he had despite himself agreed to come speak to the man behind it. Sitting now in this greenlander tavern he thought it a waste of time. When he saw the man who came he was certain of it, Victaron was a warrior he respected other warriors, the man coming to sit beside him was anything but. Slim and slight with a small neatly trimmed chin beard, the man smelt like a woman. His neatly cleaned hands and polished bird pin also looked far too much like a woman's for him.
"Lord Captain," the man said and Victaron looked to the man with him, now this was a man he would happily kill, just for the sword on his waist, Valyrian steel would be a nice prize and well worth the iron price he'd pay for it.
"You are?"
"Unimportant Lord Captain. I've come with a proposal for you?"
"I'm not sucking your cock, do you even have a cock? Either way I'm not sucking it, get yer man there to do it, he's got fine cock sucking lips, on a dark night he'd make a fine salt wife I'm sure." he said trying to antagonize the other man, it worked too though he backed away when the small man raised his hand.
"How droll, not exactly known for your humor you Iron Born, though your rebellion was a fine jape." the thin man said smugly.
Victaron glared at the man, someday soon he would gut both of them, give the pin to a new wife of his and keep the sword for himself, it'd stop those Drumm fuckers looking down on him anyway. But he just smiled and nodded and waited for the next time, this time he needed to hear the proposal.
"Have you seen the new Lannister ships Lord Captain, interesting vessel's imagine what you could do should you get your hands on one of them."
"Aye I've heard they have some new ones, though what a greenlander would know about building ships is beyond me."
"Trust me these are worth your interest."
"Fine, I'll take a look, what's your own interest."
"Timing Lord Captain, Timing. I'll send you a note in a couple of moons, give you an idea of when it may be best, should you take one, well I'm sure we can come to an arrangement worth both our whiles."
"I'll look." he said as he drank his drink and left wishing to spend no more time in this place.
294 AC
He had followed the ships himself a few times, the little man wasn't lying with these ships they could be unstoppable, the problem was they were too damn fast for them once they left port they couldn't keep up. Attacking them outside of Lannisport or White Harbor even in Essos would cause too many problems, not only would they too close so that aid could be given, but to set up an effective trap they'd need time. Even knowing the route they took didn't help, they needed to know in advance when a ship would be leaving and what it's exact route would be, he had given up on the idea when the note came.
Seagard within the moon.
A friend.
He almost laughed, he had no friends, but this would be interesting Seagard gave them a lot of possibilities, they already used the route for piracy so they had that to fall back on, no one would know it was anything other than that. The harbor too was more difficult to navigate, coming out of the others the ships could be reaching their full speed almost as soon as they left, Seagard was shallower though and so the large ships had to be more careful.
He handpicked the captains and ships for the job, good men, loyal men, men he knew would do what needed to be done, when the plan was set he waited enjoying his days at sea more than he had in a long time. The one snag that came was when the large ship arrived it stayed in dock for far longer than he anticipated, so long In fact that he ran out of fresh water and his food stocks also ran out. He sailed back home to resupply leaving the four ships in position just in case, they would be on tighter rations but he'd bring them supplies back.
"I thought you were out getting us something to rule the waves brother" Euron said with a laugh as he docked.
"I am, what have you been doing to help?"
"Me nothing, found myself a new salt wife on a trip to Essos."
"So I'm out trying to bring us back and you're out wetting your cock."
"Priorities brother, we all have to have priorities, yours are to make us strong, mine are to use that strength. I can't do mine without you doing yours."
"You really talk a lot of nonsense brother, I have no idea what goes on in that head of yours."
"You should be grateful for that, my head is full enough without you in it."
He sighed and left Euron sitting there laughing like a loon, once he got his supplies they set sail with no more wasted time and it was no more than a week later they arrived, arrived to nothing, where his ships where was a complete mystery. It took him days to find signs and they weren't good, of the men nothing, the ships themselves only some broken wood, some clothing and that was it. When he found the first wreck he was left in silence, what the hell had done this?
Essos 294 AC.
Jon Connington.
Being called back to Illyrio's manse was annoying at the best of times, this was the third time in six moons, ever since Varys's letters had stopped things had seemed to cause Illyrio to panic. So as he rode in Jon prepared for whatever idiotic plan the man would come up with next. He hadn't been able to talk him out of sending men to Westeros to find Varys, nothing he had said had even come close to making him reconsider.
"This one will take you inside." one of the unsullied said as he got off his horse.
"Very well."
He followed and the eunuch led him to the large room where Illyrio spent most of his time, as usual the man was eating when he arrived, though Jon was surprised to see him also going over papers.
"Come my friend we have much to discuss and I find myself in need of counsel."
"How can I be of help?"
"Our friend in Westeros is no longer sending me reports." Illyrio said.
"Has he turned? Abandoned our cause?"
"No he would never, something happened to him, somehow someone found out, I fear him dead Griff." Illyrio's voice took on a sadness Jon had only heard it take when he talked of his wife.
"Maybe he's elsewhere, you know how mysterious he can be?"
"I do and I wish it so more than anything Griff. But we had contingencies in place should things happen, I received the first few of these contingencies but not the last."
"Then surely that's a good sign?
"I fear not. I've sent more of my most trusted men to investigate but we must change our plans I fear, lest they are known."
"Change them how?"
"I've sent men for the prince and princess to bring them here, without our friend they will not be safe anywhere else. I think Aegon should meet the princess sooner than we had hoped also."
"You would bring Aegon here with them already here, is that not too great a risk?"
"It is a risk Griff a great one, but one we may have no choice but to take."
"Is there anything else I need to know?"
"My contacts in the Iron Bank say the crown is looking for larger loans, willing to pay larger interest."
"The stag is bleeding money, good this will help us, what of the Lannister's have they not gold enough to pay?"
"They are not paying though, the young lion is not the old one, in more ways than one." he said and Jon nodded.
"They'll try and use the Reach to cover the shortfall but Olenna will extract a heavy price for her gold. We should have reached out to her, told her of the prince a wedding would be a small price to pay for us."
"Aegon must marry Daenerys it is for the best Griff."
"As you say." he said shaking his head as he didn't agree.
"How is he? Illyrio asked curiously.
"He is his father's son." he smiled.
"Then he is exactly what the realm needs."
"He is. How do we manage to take he realm without Varys?"
"We have a plan Griff, we do as we had planned, the realm will call for us and we'll be waiting."
"And should it not?"
"Then we shall find a reason for it to change it's mind."
He went over expenses then asked for and received more gold and left within the hour. He hated leaving Aegon for too long, the idea that something could happen while he was away always at the back of his mind. Jon had never forgiven himself for not being there, not being on the Trident, had he been then his silver prince would live still. He should have ridden hard for it when he heard, should have done anything but wallow in self pity, he had failed the father, he would not fail the son.
It was days later he arrived at the Shy Maid, he could hear Rolly and Aegon's blades crashing against each other and he smiled, happy the lessons were being taught. When he walked up the gangplank he saw the blue hair of Aegon and he stood and watched the strikes, the boy was coming along and would be a fine swordsman one day. He waited until they were finished and then Aegon saw him and rushed over.
"I nearly had him Griff did you see?"
"I saw. Next time for sure."
"Next time." Aegon said with a smile..
"I got you this." Jon said handing him the book on Daeron and his conquest of Dorne.
"Thank you Griff, thank you."
He smiled at Aegon's enthusiasm and went below deck, stopping to give Haldon the supplies he brought him and to say hello to Lemore, once done he went the room he shared with Aegon and lay down. He had found it hard to sleep since his talk with Illyrio, the idea of Aegon being in the same place as his aunt and uncle worried him. If it turned out true that someone had indeed managed to get to a man as careful as Varys it worried him a lot.
Red Keep 294 AC.
Barristan.
The queen's reaction to the news her brother was getting married was something to behold, he had been on duty that day and the sound of things being smashed had gone on long into the night. The next day Pycelle had been called as the queen had fallen into a sleep she had not awakened from. It was so bad he had even seen the king become worried, something he had not thought possible. With his duty over with he had returned to White Sword Tower and it was the next day when the queen's behavior became something else altogether.
He had been guarding the crown prince and had expected that to be the most trying part of his day, but seeing the queen and seeing how she acted around the king had been something he barely believed. She almost dragged him to bed, while sitting there at the breakfast table she he could swear stroked far more than the king's ego. Robert went from confused to his usual lecherous self in minutes and after quickly finishing breaking their fast they retreated to the King's Chambers.
"I tell you they went at it like damn rabbits, all bloody day long." Arys said to Richard as he walked in.
"What are you gossiping about?" he asked as he entered the room, prince Tommen running ahead of him to play with his sister.
"Nothing Lord Commander." Arys said too quickly.
"Arys?"
"I'm sorry Lord Commander it was just most strange, the king and queen having relations in the daytime, with neither drinking."
"How long?"
"All day it was still going on when Blount took over."
Barristan said nothing and over the next few weeks it got stranger and stranger, the king and queen behaved like a young couple in love. Robert seemed overjoyed and when the queen began dressing in his colors, when she changed the colors in her rooms even more so. He was guarding him the day he ordered Jon Arryn to make sure her birthday celebrations were as elaborate as they could be, as he then basically demanded it done when the Hand suggested it a waste of coin.
" My wife's birthday is not a waste of coin Jon, see it done." Robert said as he stormed off Barristan following behind him.
So it went on for over a moon, the king and queen would laugh and joke with one another, they would share food and touch each other affectionately and then one day it all came crashing down and just before the celebrations too. He had been off duty that night, having done everything he could to ensure it, so he was in White Sword Tower when news came of the problems, of the fight the king and queen were having and he'd been forced to rush to the keep.
He found a queen who was behaving as if everyone around her was mad, a king who had no idea what was going on and a Hand who was tearing his hair out, this was who he served now. The sooner the better Jaehaerys took his throne, the sooner he'd be away from these people, seeing the prince and princess crying though he concentrated on them instead. So he and Richard had taken them back to their rooms immediately and leaving his brother there he walked back and attempted to deal with the other crisis.
"I have no bloody idea what's wrong with the woman." The king said as he began drinking later on.
Barristan found he cared not, instead he just stood and listened to the king and his Hand moan and watched as the king drank himself into a stupor. Within days things were back to how they'd been before, the king was back sleeping with whores and the queen reorganizing her rooms colors, what had happened he had no idea. When news came of the invitation he had gotten excited, hoping to go to Casterly Rock and see his king again, but it wasn't to be. With the king and queen fighting so, the last thing anyone wished was to attend a wedding.
A few weeks later.
He sat in the tavern and waited to speak to Richard's man, whatever the news was it was important and he had been told to come. He sat there waiting until the man arrived finding that he didn't recognize him and yet he followed him to the room when bid, taking a seat and waiting for the man to speak.
"Our friend asked me to speak to you personally so you weren't shocked or surprised when the news comes before the court."
"News?"
"Firstly the dragon is fine, he suffered some injuries but nothing life threatening, a cut on the eye and an injured shoulder, but he has recovered and all is well."
"Who? What happened?" Barristan asked angrily.
"It seems there was an attack in the Riverlands, some men acting as bandits though we believe it a mummery, the dragon was attacked and one of his guards was killed, the other saving him."
"The attackers?"
"Dead Ser Barristan, all dead."
"Good, who ordered it?"
"We don't know, Ser Richard is looking into it"
"Anything else?"
"The Iron Born made their move as the ship was sailing back."
"By the gods, I told Richard." Barristan said.
"Who made certain to tell the Lions's, the move failed Ser Barristan, not a one made it on the ship."
They talked for a few more minutes and the new Master of Whisperers came up, Barristan surprised by how little the man seemed interested, Richard it seems having been well aware of the move. It was the last piece of information that had Barristan excited though, Arthur was alive. The king would be getting a protector he could rely on, he slept easy that night, thinking of serving with his brother again.
The Vale 294 AC.
The Blackfish.
When news came to him of what happened in Kings Landing his first thought had been to ride to Casterly Rock and seek the boy out. To say such things of his family, not content with being a stain on his niece to then say such things, but the more he heard of it the more it was not Jon Snow he was angry with, but Edmure. His nephew was a lackwit, he had not only engaged verbally with a boy, but then tried to get physical, at a feast with the king present. Brynden had heard the story from multiple sources, but it was Lord Patrek Mallister's version which was the most damning.
" My father and I tried to stop him Ser, he was drunk you see and the boy had done nothing to warrant it, he had not even spoken to us at all, nor made any comment to suggest anything.
But Edmure was not listening and he called the boy out, called his mother a whore Ser which the boy didn't like, so the boy hit Edmure with words and Edmure tried to hit the boy back with his fists. Drunk as he was though he fell and fell again and why he did what he did next is beyond me."
" What did my nephew do?"
" He came to my father and I the next morning, wanted to charge the boy with striking him and for us to back up his claims."
" And you would not?"
" He wished to take the boys hand Ser, for nothing, it was he who was in the wrong and had he left it there no more would have been said."
" What happened?"
Sitting on his bed thinking back Brynden sighed, his nephew had been defeated in an honor duel, their shame complete. Lysa had demanded action be taken and he knew then how lost his family was, for she cared not of Edmure's humiliation or her father's shame, instead it was her own name she worried on.
When he woke the next morning he found himself for the first time in a long while not caring of the idiocies of his family, Cat's claims against the bastard had clearly forced Edmure to be a bigger fool than he was. Lysa acted stranger each time he saw her and coddled her babe far too much barely letting the boy walk anywhere like a normal child. As for Hoster the less said about his brother the better, for they still hadn't resolved their own differences.
So he went about his duties, ignored letters from Cat and Edmure and spent as little time with Lysa as could be managed, he went on raids against the hill tribes when he was bored and spent time with Yohn and the Royce's. When news came of the kingslayer's wedding he barely paid it attention and would not have thought much on the Lannisters themselves had not the news arrived a few weeks later of the attack.
He had been sitting enjoying his meal when the visitors arrived, Freys of all people, he tried to ignore them but he was a Riverlander and brother of their liege and so they had come to speak with him and he did his best to be polite. Something which was hard to do with the weasels, but he managed it somehow and when the stories they told got to the Lannisters and the bastard squire he tried not to be eager, but he listened.
"My father offered him a bride Ser and he turned it down, him a bastard." Hosteen said
"He didn't turn her down father, he said his father would need approve that is all." Arwood said.
"It's the same thing and don't backtalk me boy. Now where was I, Aye, so after father allowed them cross they were attacked Ser, the bastard and his guards, lost one of them so I heard." Hosteen said drinking from his mug.
"Bandits on your lands?" Brynden asked.
"No my father wouldn't have it, if there were bandits then they'd face the justice of House Frey. "Hosteen said and Brynden somehow managed not to snort.
"So something else then?" he asked.
"It would seem so Ser."
He stayed as long as he could without losing his temper, drinking and eating with weasels was one of the reasons he'd left the Riverlands in the first place. That night when he lay in bed he wondered though, was it bandits? Or was it more like the weasel said?. He found he couldn't make the thoughts go away, would his nephew really be that stupid, would he actually attack the bastard? The more he thought of it the more it made sense and so he began to worry what it would mean.
As the weeks went on and news arrived that the wedding had happened in the West and that his family was one of those not invited he found he could no longer ignore the churning in his gut. They had by Edmure's actions in Kings Landing lost favor with the Lannisters, of that there was no doubt. While that didn't exactly bother him it was the thoughts of what may happen should they fall into disfavor that he began to think about.
"Are you well Brynden?" Yohn asked him one morning he was breaking his fast.
"Aye, just thinking Yohn."
"That's a terrible activity for this early old friend." Yohn japed forcing a small laugh from him.
"I think I may need to visit my brother."
"Oh, how long has it been since you saw each other?"
"Years old friend, Years."
It took him another moon to organize, he needed to have someone take over his duties which took longer than normal as there was no one available and he needed to make ready to ride. Eventually the day came and he set off to ride home, he needed to be sure, perhaps he was over thinking it, perhaps it was just a coincidence but he need to know.
Starfall 294 Ac.
Melisandre.
She hated this, this waiting, this sitting around while the prince was so close, each night she saw him in her visions, saw the dragon he rode. Fire made flesh, dragons from stone, the prophecy always clear in her mind, yet she was forced to wait here until Ser Arthur deemed it time. A part of her wanted to just take the next ship, to just sail to Casterly Rock and speak to the prince herself but R'hllor's will was she wait also she had found to her annoyance.
As for the people here they looked at her with so much scorn, so much distrust that had it not been for the prince she may have left to go back to Volantis. This place was no friend of her god, there were no followers of his here and yet this was where his promised was to be found, she found it most odd. Surely there would be more power found in a land where people already believed, where her god was respected and worshiped?.
She and her escort kept to themselves, the two members of the fiery hand her lone companions in this strange place, though at least they were as devout as her and their prescience made her feel less alone. During the day she enjoyed walking the walls of the keep, enjoyed the sunlight as it beamed down on her, she'd watch the young boys spar and the people as they went about their business. At night she'd stare into the fire before she took her rest.
Meals were mainly her only real interaction with the residents of the castle and apart from Lady Ashara's conversation they were spent mostly silent. So as she walked to the hall she wondered what kind of night she'd be having tonight, once there she was pleased to see the lord was elsewhere, the man making it clear her presence was barely tolerated. She took her seat and almost immediately the lady began speaking to her.
"I've received a letter from my brother Lady Melisandre, it seems we're to make our journey soon." Ashara said and Melisandre felt the excitement build.
"When my lady?" she asked eagerly.
"As soon as we can arrange passage and once my brother returns."
"How long shall that be?"
"By the end of the week my lady." Ashara said and Melisandre began to smile.
"How fares Jon?"
"Here read for yourself." Ashara said and handed her the letter surprising her.
Lyarra.
I've spoken to Jon and we've arranged for me to stay, he looks forward to meeting you and my nephew, I've spoken to him on our friend from Essos too and he asks to meet her. We both look forward to you all arriving soon. Tell our friend the things we saw have been shown to be true and I await your arrival eagerly.
Your brother,
Daeron.
"The names they are a disguise?" she said after reading the letter.
"They are, just like Jon's it's not time for our names to be known."
"The last bit you believe it to be what we saw?"
"I do, though know not how it's possible." Ashara said.
"He is his chosen my lady, the prince who was promised." Melisandre said smiling broadly now.
She spent the rest of the dinner in a far better mood, smiling and jesting her guards too as once she told them it seemed as if a weight had been lifted from their shoulders. To be so far from home in a place you were unwelcome was a burden and one they'd endure for their god, but it was a hard life with no guarantee of a reward. But the prince had already achieved the impossible and so she and they looked forward to seeing a dragon in the flesh.
She called the men into the room with her that night, sitting them down by the fire all three looked into the flames and what they saw frightened them terribly, before she felt such joy, such hope. There was ice as far as the eye could see, cold and devoid of light, blue eyes staring back at them, watching them, seeking them out.
They felt the cold as it crept up on them as it settled in their bones and she could barely bear it, it was then they saw it, white as snow and yet it emitted a bright light which shone a path. The flames fell and the blue eyes fell one by one, the darkness lifted and there she and they saw him, his armor as black as his hair, he drew a sword and it burned brighter than any sun.
"We must protect him my friends, we must protect the prince, for the night is dark and full of terrors"
"The night is dark and full of terrors" the men said.
In the end it took over two weeks for the arrangements to be made and for Lady Ashara's brother to return, while the lady and her son said tearful goodbyes, she and her guards gathered the prince's things and made ready. She felt nothing leaving this place, no connection to it, no desire to return and yet her heart beat wildly with anticipation. It would be a moon more before she saw him, but she was on her way to meet her prince.
Kings Landing 294 AC.
Littlefinger.
To say he had been surprised by events in the last few moons would be an understatement, though none had surprised him more than how the king and queen had suddenly started behaving. Thankfully though whatever spell Cersei was under had worn off and things had returned back to normal, both of them hating each other equally. When it became clear they wouldn't be attending the wedding he had been disappointed, he had hoped to go, hoped to see the Lannister's faces when his plan came to fruition.
He needed at least one to work and given the state of the realms finances he needed it to work soon as the other alternatives didn't bear thinking about. While the Tyrell's had seemed to be bought off with the promise of Tommen, they hadn't increased their contribution and with Robert's spending showing no sign of slowing down, the debts piled up. Dealing with the Iron Bank was a last resort, he'd made a deal to cover some of the problem, but should they need to return then the price would be far too high.
So he had put his faith in brutes and madmen and already seen one of his plans fall to pieces, how the Lannister's had managed to take out the Iron Born was beyond him. He had hoped that with Jaime Lannister on board they'd have been able to remove that obstacle and yet it had failed spectacularly. So it was up to the Mountain of all people to be able to pull off what to most would be an easy to follow plan, but to the giant idiot was far more complex.
" Are you sure on this?"
" I need you to visit him, I cannot give him the letter Lyn and await his reply, I'll see your debts cleared."
" And the boys?"
" Will await your return."
It had been long and hard to negotiate and to do so secretly even more so, but he had managed it and eventually they had made their plans, the shipment was due soon and they would share it's bounty. Clegane was easy to turn, Jaime Lannister had cut him off, his father's dog getting no work or coin from the Kingslayer and both the idea of gold and the chance to get back at the Lannisters too good to resist.
Trying to make the fool understand that you couldn't just attack without planning, that you couldn't just attack out of the blue was far harder. In the end it had cost him coin to make coin, he had needed to pay Clegane to act a bandit first, to set it up so it was clear banditry was already occurring in the west and that it was those same bandits who stole their gold. He couldn't help but be pleased at his own cleverness on that one, who would look for those behind a robbery like this when it was clear there were bandits about in the first place.
"My lord, Lord Arryn requests your presence." his guard said and he readied himself and made his way to the Hand's office.
"Lord Hand?"
"Sit Petyr we need to speak."
"Of course my lord." he said taking his seat.
"We can wait on Varys no longer."
"There is still no sign my lord?" he asked.
"No none at all, we shall need a new Master of Whisperer's we are blind Petyr."
"I know my lord."
"Did you hear what happened in the Riverlands?"
"No my lord?" he said shaking his head.
"The Lannister party was attacked, bandits, though luckily it was the bastard and one of his guard that were attacked and not the main party."
"I'm surprised you're concerned about the Lannister party my lord." he said with a chuckle.
"I'm not but they had Ned's daughter and the Tyrell boy with them, should anything happen to them?"
"Then the North and Reach would be up in arms." he said and Jon Arryn nodded.
"Why was Lord Starks daughter traveling with them my lord?"
"Perhaps she was going to that god forsaken wedding." Jon Arryn said his disgust clear in his voice.
Petyr didn't need to ask him more, he had made his feelings clear on the wedding before, a Northern savage marrying the Lord of the West, the thoughts of it made the Hand's blood boil, but there was nothing to be done to stop it. So instead each time it had been brought up he had been forced to listen to the old fool whine and moan about it. Given how much time he'd had to deal with it he had now resorted to just rolling his eyes and making it clear how much he disapproved of it.
"Was the bastard hurt?" he said hoping he had been as he could then take credit for it with Cat.
"He received some minor injuries and a guard was killed but he lives still."
"Too bad." he said and meant every word, Cat's letter had made it clear how grateful she would be should an accident occur and he felt himself get excited at the possibilities of how he could use that gratitude.
"Indeed, now candidates?"
"I shall make up a list now I know it's for certain my lord."
"Thank you Petyr how fares our other work?"
"We should be seeing the results very soon my lord."
"Good, I look forward to seeing the Lions bow so low." Jon Arryn said laughing at his own jape.
As he sat in his office that night he went over the names, it was hard to decide what to do, pick someone too good and he may find out about his own schemes, though should he help get the man appointed, then perhaps?. Pick someone not good enough then they could suffer from lack of knowledge, his own network was good but there were places he couldn't reach and knowledge was power.
In the end he went with self interest first, far better he be the one in the know than the crown, he brought the list back to the Hand knowing there was only one name worthy of the job. So when Lord Gyles Rosby was named as Master of Whisperers Petyr revelled in his own little jest. A man hired to ferret out secrets and hide in the shadows should really not be a man who coughed loudly and often.
Essos 294 AC.
The Hound.
Essos was a shit place to be, Bravos, Pentos all of them exactly the same too damn hot and too full of cunts. Trying to find where the Targaryen's were hiding was turning into more of a damn job than it was supposed to be, he'd been here moons and now once again he was heading off again. Another ship, another journey and he was of half a mind to take the coin he'd already been given find somewhere that wasn't this damn hot and just stay there. Let that fucker send men for him, by the time they'd find him the coin would be gone and if he sent the right men he'd die, if not he'd live, either was fine by him.
Moving from city to city, town to town, listening out for any talk whatsoever he had begun to discover a pattern though, the larger cities soon tired of the beggar king's antics, the girl was welcomed, the boy no so much. His father's son, mad that one, he'd heard it all and now Lonmouth's words came back to him. "The girl will need protecting even from him." and that had been the deciding factor. When he felt ready to give in an image of a dark haired girl smiling would come to mind and it was one he couldn't shed.
"We'll be heading off at dawn." the first mate said.
"Good, I'll get some rest then."
"You sure you wouldn't rather sleep in a decent room for one more night?"
"Aye I am." he said and the man nodded before showing him to a decent enough cabin
It was on the third night it happened and once again it was cunts who did it, Iron Born cunts this time. As he heard the panic on deck he grabbed his sword and strolled out, around him men were running and he always found that funny, why run? if it's your time you'll only die sooner, far better to walk to you death if that was your fate. The first fucker was an ugly brute and he was even uglier after he took off half his face with his sword.
Around him men were screaming, dying and being killed and he strolled into the middle of things and began to go to work. He cut a man from neck to bollocks, the second he gutted, another came at him and as he swung his sword at him he deflected it and grabbed him by the neck before hitting him so hard with his head he heard the mans neck snap. After that the fun began, they came at him in twos and he pulled his knife, how long he fought for he didn't know, but in the end the last man he stabbed in the cock before throwing overboard.
"Fuckers is that all you got he shouted." and as he looked around he saw they were done for.
"I thank you friend, had you not been with us we'd have fallen." the Captain said and he was disgusted to see the man had no blood on him at all.
"You can thank me by given me some of that good wine you're hiding." he said and the man laughed.
Six men they lost including the first mate, the Iron born had lost ten and three, nine of them to him, as he sat in his cabin drinking wine and eating fish he laughed, just another days work. They arrived in Myr three days later and after finding a room and eating some damn fine chicken even with the stupid stuff they put on it here, he began his search again. Finding the Targaryen's here was far easier than he expected, getting to them though would be much more difficult.
They were staying with a local Magister who seemed to be making a big deal about having them with him, he had bought the girl fine dresses and jewels and gifted the boy a sword and dagger that were elaborately inlaid. So Sandor had needed to bide his time, to follow without being seen, something that was quite difficult given he was a head and a half above most of these Myrmen. But he lurked in the shadows and he watched, taking great care to learn as much as he could about them both.
Viserys was his worst nightmare, arrogant, full of disdain and his eyes held a note of cruelty and madness that Sandor knew all too well. He dominated his sister completely, every look he gave her, every move he made making the girl seem to wish to fly away like a little bird, or dragon. He strolled around with his guards as if he was already king of Westeros and not some beggar boy forced to live on the comfort of strangers.
The girl though made even his hardened heart feel sympathy for her, he had seen Queen Rhaella once and the girl looked like she would grow into her mother's beauty one day. When she was not with her brother she smiled more, she was friendly and polite and behaved like just any ordinary girl and not the lost princess of a deposed dynasty. In the end he spent all his time following her, if Viserys left the manse without her, Sandor allowed him go his way, If Daenerys left he followed.
His nights he spent drinking and eating, the prince and princess never left the Manse at night and so he was free to do as he wished, he was sitting in the tavern one night when he saw them and he knew they were trouble immediately. There were six in total, Essosi soldiers though dressed as common men, he listened in as they spoke and was proved right.
"We can't touch them there, far too many guards, what are we to do?"
"We wait, the prince has a reputation, he'll live up to it sooner or later and they'll be forced to leave.
"Are you sure?"
"Pentos, Bravos, Tyrosh, and every where in between they've outstayed their welcome because of the prince, here won't be any different."
"How long do you think?"
"Why does it matter? We have the coin it's not like we'll be going short." the man said laughing.
Sandor knew then he had no choice but to watch the men even closer, he finished his meal and got a good nights sleep. Waking the next morning he found only three of the men awake and breaking their fast, he sat and ate and listened though they were talking only about the gold they'd make for taking the prince and princess and nothing more. When he was done he headed to the manse and he saw the other three, each at a different part of the walls all watching and waiting.
Things went on like this for a almost a moon before it happened, just as the men said Viserys insulted their host, demanded something like a spoilt child and Sandor laughed at the idea of it. These magisters were not men you made demands of, they were far too wealthy and he had no doubt had it not been for the princess, then Viserys would have been made to pay a higher cost. As it was he only paid with their comfort and safety.
He knew where it would happen before they did, the alley was not far and he saw Viserys basically drag his sister behind him when he finally noticed he was being followed. When he got to the alley the boy was holding a sword badly, the two men stood facing him one of them laughing as he moved closer.
"Put the sword down boy, we're not here to harm you."
"Leave us be, Dany run." Viserys said but there was nowhere for her to run, the wall which blocked he alley off too large for her to climb.
He moved as quickly as he could but he was too late for Viserys, the boy struck his sword against one of the men and though he did no damage the man's instinctive response was to stab him in the side. Daenerys screamed when she saw her brother fall and as the second man moved to her Sandor made it there first.
"Leave them be." he said his sword drawn.
"You want no part of this, leave now and I'll make sure you only have that scarred face of yours to remind people of your ugliness." the man said laughing.
Sandor didn't reply, he just brought his sword down hard on the man's shoulder, the force of the blow so hard it cut right through his shoulder all the way to the man's chest, pulling the sword from him he turned to the other man. This one was more wary and he came towards him slowly, but Sandor was in no mood to dance and so he raced at the man catching him by surprise. The man blocked the first strike and was gutted by the second, he then turned to the princess who was kneeling by her brother crying.
"Vis, Vis, please wake up, I'll be good, please Vis." he heard her say.
"We need to go girl, there are four more of them and should they catch us here."
"No I can't, I can't leave him, he's my brother, please help him."
He bent down and tied off the wound, it was deep and the boy may not survive, but he went to move him just the same and then he saw them coming, all four of them entering the alley and while he could take them, he couldn't guarantee the girl wouldn't be hurt. So he grabbed her and as she screamed against him he ran for the wall, he pushed her over it and climbed it just as the men arrived. Picking her up he ran down side streets, the girl crying and screaming causing people to look at them, but he just kept running.
Two of the men caught up with them and he laid the girl down on the ground, watching as she backed away from him in fear, he sighed this wasn't the impression he wanted to make when they met. He turned to the men and they came at him from either side, their swords crashing together, they were skilled and after seeing their friends bodies, wary. One caught him with a knife in the shoulder and he hoped the man wasn't the type to poison a blade, he ripped it out and after blocking a slash from his left, used the knife to kill him.
As the first man fell the knife lodged in his throat, the other looked around for his other companions, seeing he was alone the man ran away and Sandor smiled, better a live coward than a dead brave man. He walked to the princess who was huddled against the wall looking at him with a mixture of fear and hate, he leant down to her and spoke as softly as he could.
"Princess I'm here to help, those men I don't know why they wish you harm, but I swear it I'm yours to command." he said and she wiped her eyes looking at him.
"Then take me back to my brother." she said through sniffles.
"I cannot, should those men find us I may not be able to protect you princess, we must leave. Your brother's injuries are not too bad he should recover but I fear if we go back then they will have you both." he said though whether he actually believed Viserys would survive was a different matter.
She looked at him and then the body of the man laying on the ground before she wiped her eyes and nodded. He took her hand and they moved through the side streets, finally coming to a different tavern where he took a room and paid extra for silence. As soon as they got to the room, she climbed into the bed and wrapped her self into a small ball, he covered her and let her sleep, standing by the window and looking outside.
He didn't sleep that night and over the course of it the princess cried when she woke and had bad dreams when she didn't. He had their meal brought to him the next morning to break their fast and he was happy to see she ate heartily. Once she was done she looked to him and he saw her look to his scarred face though she said nothing about it, instead she asked him his name.
"My name is Sandor, but people call me the Hound." he said feeling it best not to tell her the rest of his name just yet.
"Why did you help me?"
"A friend in Westeros sent me to keep you safe princess."
"Me, not my brother?" she asked inquisitively.
"You more than he." he said.
"Why me, he's the king, I'm just a girl?"
"You're a dragon princess, be a dragon." he said smiling and she smirked at him which he took as progress.
"What do we do now?"
"We hide and I keep you safe." he said and she nodded.
"Thank you Sandor, for saving me." she said and then walked back to lay on the bed.
He looked at her then and smiled a genuine smile, maybe this wouldn't be a terrible way to earn coin after all.