The Raven's PlanThe_SithspawnChapter 14: Ch14 More Awakenings and some annoyancesChapter Text
Chapter 14 More Awakenings and Some Annoyances
Margaery Tyrell
Ladies were not supposed to rush or run and she had always been the perfect picture of one, but today it didn't matter.
"This is impossible, this is impossible, this is impossible..." she kept repeated to herself as she ran.
She'd woken up safe and comfortable in her own bed, the screaming has come back after that as the pain and memory of the green flames returned to her. Her handmaidens had come running after that. Her loyal companions, Sera Duwell and dear dead Mira Forrester had had shocked expressions on their faces. They'd asked what was wrong but the words wouldn't come. How could she tell them she had died? That Cersei had burned her, Loras, and father as well as so many others with Wildfire? Instead, she had gathered a shawl around her shift and fled from her own room. She ran from her handmaidens's kind ministrations leaving them behind in her room.
Her heart was pounding in her chest and she didn't know where she was going, but apparently her feet did. She found herself in front of Loras's room. She barged in without knocking, suddenly keenly in need of her dear brother. To her dismay, the room was cold and dark, there no signs that Loras had been here for quite a while. She looked around the room for a moment, before sitting down on the bed, suddenly overcome with all the good memories she and Loras had had here.
She let the memories overcome her washing away her last moments in the Sept of Baelor, as she realised how much danger they had been in, that Cersei would not be denied this time. Loras, unresponsive with dead eyes, as she dragged him and tried to push past the Sparrows as the ominous roaring had started to echo through the Sept.
The old memories of her and Loras here, they washed away the tumult in her thoughts and steadied her. She felt her spirits rising, letting her focus on this new completely unexpected situation she found herself in. To catch her balance and regain her equilibrium in this impossible situation.
Movement caught her eye and she turned to see a mirror on Loras's dresser. She saw her reflection and was startled by how young she looked. Connections began forming in her mind.
If I'm this young and Loras isn't here...than he's probably in King's Landing or somewhere with Renly.
She nodded, that was probably correct...or close enough. But what to do now? And is this just me? She pursed her lips as she thought hard.
Her first action came almost immediately to her, Grandmother...
Another short run later, breathlessly, she barged into Olenna Tyrell's room. This room wasn't unoccupied, Grandmother was in bed and snoring peacefully, blissfully unaware of Margaery's disarray and near panic. Margaery rushed to the bed and began shaking her grandmother, trying to wake her.
After a moment, the Queen of thorns stirred and opened her eyes. Before then blinking in surprise, "That was surprisingly painless..." she commented thoughtfully to herself.
"Grandmother?" asked Margaery in confusion.
Grandmother looked at her and her eyes widened in surprise, "Margaery?" she looked lost for a moment, "the Sept..."
"Yes, it's me...I remember but we're safe now...we're safe in Highgarden," she responded with smile, her shock easing as she realised that grandmother remembered as well. That this wasn't some fever dream her alone.
Grandmother looked mournfully at her for a moment, "Not as safe as you think." she stated in a deeply pained voice.
Margaery frowned at the words but grandmother didn't give her time to respond, she reached up and pulled her into a hug. Margaery hugged her back. It was an awkward position for her standing by the bed but it didn't matter, her grandmother was holding her as tight as she was holding her. They held each other for long moments. As they finally separated, the normally composed Lady Olenna Tyrell, the Queen of Thorns and bane of many witless Knight and Lady, had tears in her eyes.
"Oh my dear girl, is this a dream?" she asked, for first time in Margaery's life her grandmother actually looked lost.
She shook her head and sat down next to grandmother on the bed, "I don't think so....I remember dying."
There was anger in grandmother's eyes now, "That cunt Cersei murdered you...all of you!"
She was shocked at grandmother's crudeness but couldn't disagree, "I should have know she had something planned."
Grandmother shook her head, "We all failed. We underestimated Cersei's madness and cruelty."
Margaery frowned but nodded in agreement, Ser Kevan had been with them at the Sept and Lancel had been milling about somewhere...apparently Kinslaying was not something Cersei shied away from. Her thirst for Tyrion's blood hadn't been an isolated perversion. Just how perverted are you Cersei?
"What happened...after?" she asked with baited breath, fearing the answer.
Grandmother shook her head, "Too many things, the Lannister bitch took the throne for starters." She shifted in the bed slowly pushing herself up in the bed, trying to sit up.
Margaery's jaw fell open in surprise, "But Tommen-"
Grandmother cut her off, "The daft boy killed himself on the same day."
She rocked back as if physically struck, Tommen killed himself? The boy had been sweet and kind...where he learned those things with Cersei as his mother had baffled her at the time. She had had him under control but she'd seen the good man he'd have grown up to be. Together they'd have done great things...and in time she would probably have come to love him. It had been a surprisingly good match especially after what she'd seen of Joffrey before grandmother poisoned him.
"Why?" she finally asked.
Grandmother waved the question away, "Only the Gods and Tommen can answer that question. All that matters is Cersei murdered you all and became Queen. All I wanted was vengeance...and I thought I had it."
"Grandmother...what did you do?" Margaery asked in trepidation.
"I threw our support behind Daenerys Targaryen," she declared, as she finally manged to sit up in bed.
"You supported the Mad King's daughter?" she asked in surprise.
Grandmother suddenly had a very hard look on her face, "My dear it was a good decision at the time and she is not her father at all." She paused and gave Margaery a speculative look, "You'd have liked her...but I also saw her Dragons." The hard look was back now, "If you'd lived and been married to Tommen, we'd have been in a very bad position. She was the return of Aegon the Conqueror. She had three very large dragons. She could have burned all in her path and been done with it- why she stayed her hand escapes me." Grandmother pursed her lips and then shook her head, "And then it didn't matter."
There ice in her stomach at grandmother's final ominous statement, "How did it not matter?" she asked dreading the answer.
"Randyll Tarly betrayed us. Jaime Lannister sacked Highgarden..."
Margaery paled at the words and her stomach clenched in anguish and dismay, but grandmother wasn't finished speaking.
"...It's true I died, but I learned much before I died. Jamie Lannister killed me. He killed me right here in this room...after his men had finished sacking Highgarden. At the end he was at least gracious enough to give me a quick death," she huffed, "It was quite painless..."
The horror Margaery felt was petrifying now.
"...Joffrey was a cunt. Cersei was a cunt and a monster. Jaime..." she shook her head, "he was a poor deluded fool in love with the monster. I pity him. I doubt it ended well for him after I died." she speculated idly at the end.
"This...this is..." Margaery couldn't find the proper words. Where there any words that were proper?
Grandmother reached out and cupped Margaery's face tenderly, "Do not despair my dear, whatever this is. This is a second chance. Help me up dear, we must speak to your father immediately!" she commanded.
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"Wake up Mace!" Olenna shouted in an annoyed voice.
She watched as father jumped up in bed and stared around, bleary eyed, confusion coloring his face. She couldn't help herself, she sat down next to father and pulled him into a sudden embrace, remembering the confused and pained look on his face that final moment in the Sept of Baelor.
She heard him muttering in confusion at the intrusion, but she didn't let go before he'd realised who it was and was returned the hug. She broke the hug and was surprised to realise there were actual tears in her eyes. She quickly wiped them away and stood up, standing at the edge of father's bed.
Father was more awake now, but was more confused now.
As Margaery watched, Grandmother sat down next to her father and then pulled him into a hug. She watched as surprise blossomed on her father's face at the unexpected action. A second passed before, he started to return the hug with a small smile appearing on his lips.
They broke apart and Grandmother took Mace's face between her hands, looking him straight in the eye she said, "You're an oaf Mace, but you're my son and I love you. Never forget that."
Mace's face flashed with emotions, annoyance first at grandmother's standard insolence then red with embarrassment that was eventually replaced with a beaming smile.
"I love you too mother," he replied his voice wavering with equal parts pride and annoyance.
"Good. Now that's over we have to plan our next moves carefully. We don't know how this possible or who else remembers, but we must secure our position in the Reach first. We must strike at the Tarlys first, then we must strike at the Lannisters before they are ready." she announced with aplomb.
The beaming smile vanished as if it hadn't been there, quickly replaced with a poleaxed look, "What are you talking about mother? Remember? Remember what?" he asked in confusion, "Strike at the Tarlys? Then the Lannisters?! Have you lost your mind, mother?! The Queen is a Lannister! Never mind what Tywin will do in retaliation for any attack!" he finished aghast at grandmother's words.
Both Margaery and Olenna paused in surprise.
Grandmother scrutinized father with a long look, "You don't remember?" she finally asked, her face blank.
"Remember, what? What is going on?!" father looked between the two of them, his round face filled with confusion.
"Father, how can you not remember? We remember!" Margaery announced in dismay.
Father looked between the two them, his confusion written all over his face, "Both of you? What are you talking about?!"
"Mace...as impossible as it seems, we're remembering the future. Cersei murdered you, Loras and Margaery! Jaime Lannister with Randyll Tarly sacked Highgarden." She snorted, "Though at least Jaime was honorable enough to gave me poison to drink. It was painless not at all like what I gave Joffrey...and he did spare me from Cersei's tender mercies." She remarked in a miffed voice.
Father wasn't surprised now, he was now gaping like a fish, mouth wide open and gaping. His lips moved but no words came out. His head kept jerking between her and grandmother, his eyes wide with astonishment. When he finally found his voice he wasn't talking to them...he was screaming loudly and repeatedly for the maester.
Margaery huffed in annoyance while grandmother rolled her eyes.
"Mace, you will listen to us!" Grandmother commanded, her face the sternest Margery had ever seen. "The fate of our house is at stake!"
"Have you both gone mad?" father asked his voice incredulous, his face red with agitation, "Remembering the future?!" He screamed for the maester again.
Grandmother and father bickered back and forth as time passed and Margaery's own annoyance increased. The sound of running and shuffling feet caught her attention and she turned to see guards running into the room, hands on weapons, looking for a threat to the Lord of Highgarden. Finding none they simply stood at attention waiting for commands. A short time later Highgarden's elderly maester came shuffling into the room huffing and puffing in exertion.
"My, Lord?!" Maester Lomys finally managed to say after catching his breath, casting a very confused look at the tableau in front of him.
"Lomys! Mother's lost her mind!" father screamed.
Lomys blinked and cast a concerned look at them, "My, lord?" he repeated as he approached them.
Father barreled along like a runaway cart, "She's says she's remembering the future!"
Lomys suddenly stiffened before asking in a peculiar tone, "The future?"
Margery's eyes narrowed, Lomys's tone was strange, Grandmother must have caught it as well as her eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"Jaime Lannister sacked Highgarden," Grandmother blurted out bluntly, giving Lomys a searching look with narrowed and anger filled eyes.
Maester Lomys stared at them for a long moment, turning a deathly shade of white, "It was a dream! It didn't happen!" he suddenly screamed, "It was just a dream!"
Olenna took her cane and whacked the maester across the shins, causing him to hobble back, "It was no dream you fool." she sneered in annoyance at the intractable maester. "I'm guessing the Lannisters killed you as well?"
Lomys just stared at grandmother in fear and didn't reply.
Margaery sighed, It's going to be a long day...
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Hizdahr zo Loraq
He didn't know how this was possible, but he was glad or rather he had been until the fighting had broken out in the city. The slaves were revolting against the masters even without Daenerys's support. It had started out small but it had spread like Wildfire, engulfing all quarters of the city...and this time it was much bloodier than when Daenerys had taken the city.
He stood in the balcony of their manse and stared at the billowing smoke coming from all over Meereen. His thoughts were in turmoil, on the one hand he wasn't dead. The Harpy's blade in the arena had been a bad surprise and a painful one. To be alive again and whole, no matter how it happened was a good thing.
On the other hand, the slaves were revolting and they were winning, so he and the whole of his family were probably going to die horrible drawn out deaths without the Queen in reel in the Slaves' rage and more bloodthirsty tendencies.
Perhaps if he'd run on first day, things would have been different...but father had scoffed at his words and disbelieved him as he described the future.
To see his father whole and alive had been a joy...but again, they were probably going to die...again.
He signed and looked out again, the end was nearing...the slaves were gathered in front of the manse now and he trembled as he imagined his coming fate, all their painful bloody fates. Again he lamented Daenerys's absence, they would not hold back the Slaves' rage against the masters of Meereen.
His hand went down to the dagger at his belt, it would be easy to end it before they come...
He shook off his nihilistic thoughts, he would face his fate unbent, with courage he didn't realise he had. A part of his mind mused, probably that it came from too much time spent with Daenerys. She radiates strength and shares it with all that were around her.
He sighed again, and looked down at the coming mob of armed slaves, " Valar Morghulis...all men must die. " he darkly muttered to himself. But does it have to be so soon?
He gazed down at his coming death and frowned. The mob and stopped moving forward. A figure detached from the mob and slowly walked forward, it took him a second to recognize the man.
"Hizdahr!" called out Daario Naharis in the same smug tone and mocking smile he'd always hated. "Good News! We're not here to kill you!"
Hizdahr blinked several times not understanding Daario's words for a moment. "What?!" he shouted down as he tried to understand what was happening.
Daario rolled his eyes and shouted up, "We're NOT going to kill you!"
"Why?" he realizing how dumb the question was after he'd uttered it.
Daario's laugh was muffled by the distance but Hizdahr can see the mocking look he was sending towards him.
Daario controlled his laughter and retorted, "Get the fuck down here! I ain't going to keep shouting up at you!"
Hizdahr squirmed as he looked down at the armed and what for most of two days had been probably been a rabid murderous mob, before swallowing nervously and nodded, "Fine! I'm coming down!"
He left the balcony and it was a fight to get down to the door and out of the manse. So many people tried to stop him, his father foremost among them. It took much longer than he wanted but after a lot of words and shouting he manged to convince the guards to open the doors and let him out.
He stepped out with only his dagger to defend himself, and the door to the manse closed hurriedly with a resounding slam. He eyed the many bloodied men and women that were standing behind Daario. Daario himself stood nonchalantly, his arakh on his belt was stained with blood, in front of the mob almost without a care in the word.
Nervously, he stepped forward, closing the distance between him and Daario, "You're going to explain, now? How...how is all this possible?" he asked his eyes darting back and forth nervously between the mob and Daario.
Daario shrugged, "I have no fucking idea, all I know that I had to kill Mero and Prendahl again then the slaves come to me and ask me to lead," he waved a hand around, "...and then all this happened. As for why we're not killing you," he jerked a thumb at the mob at his back, "As far as these guys are concerned you martyred yourself to protect the Queen. They really like you now...so you get to live and help me rule Meereen...in her name of course," he finished with that same damn smug smile on his lips.
Hizdahr stared at Daario with a sinking feeling in his stomach. Surprise that the slaves actually accepted him and that he, and his family probably, had a reprieve from death....but to be stuck in Meereen without the Queen and with Daario in charge?
Daario was just staring back at him that smug arrogant smile mocking him, that insufferable fool...
Hizdahr closed his eyes in pain and raised a hand to rub at his tense brow.
He let out a deep sigh, Death may be preferable to this...
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Missandei
She held the bloody blade in one hand, the other held her gruesome trophy, at her feet lay the body of Kraznys mo Nakloz. She'd awakened to this nightmare, a slave in Astapor once again, the Master's interpreter again, surrounded by everything that she truly hated.
Her mind was reeling and in shock, disbelief coloring her every thought. The Others had ambushed them as they fled Winterfell. She remembered the numbing coldness beyond anything she'd ever felt. It had come first. Then the dead.
Missandei didn't know what was happening. One moment she was dying within sight of the burning walls of Winterfell. The next she was back in Astapor, bare and exposed in Kraznys's bed. She'd gone from one unbearable nightmare to another.
When she'd realised the situation she was in, she'd panicked and scrambled out of the bed. Her frenzied movements had awoken Kraznys, who'd stretched lazily before calling her back to his bed. She'd stared back in disbelief and revulsion, naked and afraid, she'd frozen ignoring her former master's commands. Her willfulness had angered him, he'd risen from the bed in a rage, his intent and morning arousement readily apparent to her. Closing the short distance between them, he struck her backhanded across the face, sending her reeling back. She'd been stunned for a moment...she'd forgotten what it was to be a slave. The silent and instant obedience that was required of her.
He'd grabbed her by the hair next, before pulling and pushing her, tossing her back onto the bed. That had finally shocked her back to reality despite the surreality of the situation. She'd scrambled back across the bed away from Kraznys. He'd looked at her for a moment before he'd laughed, probably thinking it some new game she was doing to amuse him. They'd dodged back and forth, her trying to avoid his grasping oily hands, while he tried to paw at her, his eyes filled with wanton lust.
All the while she was looking for a weapon to use against him.
Finally, after what seemed an eternity, her eyes fell upon his scattered clothes, among them half buried she saw the hilt of a dagger. She'd leapt for it, Kraznys had leapt for her. Her fingers grasped the hilt, as his hands grasped her waist and pulled her towards him, one hand moving downwards to crudely violate her. With one smooth motion, she'd turned and buried the dagger in Kraznys's neck before he'd even seen it coming.
The look of surprise that had blossomed in his eyes had changed quickly to disbelief and then horror as the blood began to spurt from around the blade. She'd pulled the blade out and he'd staggered back, hands around his throat trying to stem the blood flow.
He'd fallen backwards coughing blood, still staring at her. She'd stared back as he lay helpless at her feet, his life blood draining away. She stared at him, he was completely her mercy. The merciless master was at her mercy...and she found there wasn't any mercy for him to be had. As if she was possessed she went down to her knees, her eyes locked with his as he tried to speak. Thoughts of all he had done to Grey Worm and the other Unsullied in his long life filled her mind. She grabbed him by his manhood and with the bloody dagger, did to him what he had done to so many others...
She stood up naked and spattered with blood. She lifted the gruesome trophy and held it up for Kraznys's horrified and pain filled eyes to see.
It took him longer for him to die than she expected. When the Queen had burned him it had been quick and painful...but this was a more fitting death, he didn't deserve a quick or clean death.
As the light finally left his eyes, she took a deep breath before throwing her gruesome trophy on top of the body. She cleaned herself as much as she could before dressing. She'd killed him, when he was missed, they'd come for her now.
She kept the dagger in her belt and began barricading the door, they would come for her but she wouldn't make it easy for them. After she was finished, she sat on the bed and waited for the end to come.
The first knocking came after a surprising long amount of time. She ignored it. The second time came much later with much shouting. And the third time, the shouting and hammering had gone beyond frantic. She didn't pay attention to the shouts just sat numb lost in her memories of the Queen and Grey Worm.
Eventually, the noise outside cut into her trance-like disassociation as she waited for it all to end. So much noise was coming from outside, shouts and screams, she'd expected some commotion locking herself in Kraznys's rooms, but this went beyond that.
The hammering on her door started again, and didn't stop until the door started to splinter. She stood up and held the dagger in front of her at the ready. Finally the door broke and she gripped the dagger harder, she would not die softly, she would kill again before the end.
A jab of guilt lanced through her as she saw the armored Unsullied pushing through her barricade and stepping into the room, she didn't want to kill an Unsullied, she thought with despair. The lead Unsullied stepped forward and cast a look at the Kraznys's mutilated body before looking back at her. He reached up and took off his helmet.
"Missandei..." Grey Worm uttered her name with joy and relief. His eyes filled with tears now. She saw the recognition in his eyes, he knew her!
The blade fell from her nerveless hands as she staggered forwards, towards him, flinging herself at him. He caught her and they embraced, his wiry arms holding her tight. There were no words to describe what she was feeling, beyond elation, beyond joy. She just clutched at him.
"I came here...I had to make sure that Missandei of Naath was safe," he whispered into her ear.
Her fingers tightened against his armour and her response got stuck in her throat. Tears were streaking down her cheeks now, she felt his hands pushing away from her breaking the embrace. Reluctantly, she let go, and she faced Grey Worm. His eyes were clearer now but she could see his joy at seeing her. She grasped his face and kissed him deeply, savoring his taste and the saltiness of his sweat.
Eventually, they broke apart, and Missandei finally gathered her scattered thoughts, "What is happening? How is this possible?"
"We're are taking the city again," Grey Worm quickly answered a smug look came to his face, "The masters die as we speak...and it was Brandon Stark, he did this...after you died."
Her thoughts raced as she remembered the strange disturbing crippled Stark boy. "And the Queen?" she asked with pursed lips.
Grey Worm nodded, "The Queen and the King helped, there was a plan..." a look of concern crossed his features, "...but this was not it." he shook his head, "But we have had to change it."
Now Missandei was more concerned, she opened her mouth to speak but the sound of clashing metal came from outside, Grey Worm and the two Unsullied with him turned to the noise, bringing shields and spears to bear as she looked about and scrambled to reclaim her dropped dagger.
The two Unsullied went out into the corridor and shouts suddenly came back, she couldn't see anything but there was more noise that suddenly ended in pained screams.
The Unsullied outside called out all clear and Grey Worm, turned to Missandei, "Come we will take you to safety...soon the city will be ours and then we can speak." He donned his helmet and held his weapons at the ready.
She nodded silently, and then closely followed Grey Worm out of Kraznys's room.