(A/N: Guys, what the fuck did you to that poor goal I set?)
"Wait," I put a hand on Syrio's shoulder, stopping him before he could open the door, "Do we have any idea how we're making the journey? Where to go?"
I know that the Starks are a noble house, in charge of one of the Seven Kingdoms that come under the dominion of the so-called Iron Throne, and that they rule from the North.
But that's really all I was able to scrounge from servants and whispers before Ned thrust this task on me so... I have no real idea how long it's going to take to get there, or if it's even possible in the first place.
Who'd have guessed it'd take a while to understand how a new world works.
Syrio looked at me strangely, confusion flickering on his face, "I thought you were a native? I hail from Braavos and do not know much of the... land."
"What the fuck is a Braavos?"
That was my first thought.
My second thought was that I was stupid and it was probably the name of some nation.
"One of the Free Cities. It lies across the Narrow Sea." He explained briefly, entertaining my inquiry confusedly, "Do you not know of it?"
Hmm, I need to get myself at least a basic grasp of this world's hierarchy beyond the fact that there's a King that rules seven kingdoms.
But more urgently, I need a map.
"I guess we'll find out as we go then." I cast a glance at the freshly mutilated dead bodies littered in the corridor and sighed, "Can't really ask them, can we?"
"I suppose not."
I'm starting to think this Syrio fellow doesn't like me much, I wonder why.
Taking a deep breath, I pushed open the door and stepped inside.
The room was, understandably, much larger than mine, but that's about all I noted before moving over to the large bed in the centre and pulling on the sheets to jolt the two girls awake...
It's a wonder they managed to sleep through the noise outsi-
Before I could even finish my thoughts, a thin sword was jabbed at my neck.
I guess they did notice.
Of course to my eyes, it looked like the thing was moving in slow motion.
"Not at the right angle." I calmly pinched the sword between my fingers, "But an A for effort. Good job."
It'd have gone straight through the throat of some nobody but... it would've snapped like a twig against my throat, "The only reason I grabbed it because it seems like a gift."
My would-be stabber was... an oddly boyish girl with black hair like Ned's and steely grey eyes.
The resemblance was almost uncanny but, I suppose that's because she's his daughter. Hell, she's even got that same long face.
"You must be Arya Stark. Your teacher told me about you." I smiled politely, mostly because she looked like she was going to take a bite out of my throat if I didn't de-escalate the situation, "Your father sent me."
That seemed to assuage her a bit, her previously fierce expression slightly softening but still guarded, "I...Is he alright?"
You know, for a kid, she's unexpectedly decisive.
"Calm, little one. My odd companion speaks the truth, it was your father that sent us for you." Syrio put a hand on her arm, which totally wasn't weird, but finally made her back off.
I tossed her sword back to her, "Keep that on you, who knows... Now, is your sister here too?"
Taking my time explaining things isn't really the best idea right now considering those corpses outside could be found any moment.
Arya glanced at Syrio, looking for affirmation, before giving me a small hesitant nod and gesturing to the heavy looking closet, "...There."
Not wasting any time, I opened the heavy looking closet and came face to face with a terrified teenager with bright red hair and a rounder face... Beautiful in a sense, but not particularly appealing to me personally... I guess she took after her mother?
I backed away, holding my hands up disarmingly, "Your father sent us... We need to leave right now."
The fear in her face quickly faded away as soon as she heard me, replaced by... I want to say, annoyance?
"I told him I'm not leaving. I wish to wed Joffrey!"
...Well, I wasn't expecting this.
"Joffrey, the crown prince?" I asked calmly, pursing my lips.
"Yes."
"Well, your prince is a bastard cause the Queen and her brother got a little too handsy. So he's not getting the crown, it looks like there's going to be a civil war instead and your father wants to keep you safe."
I gave it to her straight, but as expected, she didn't really believe me if the ridicule on her face was anything to go by... So, I did the next best thing, I looked back at the stupefied Arya, "Say, would you mind if I knocked her out?"
We don't have the time to convince her not to marry a manchild.
The night isn't going to be that long if saw the moon right and, considering the guy's born from incest between two human siblings, he's probably a lot more fucked in the head than people seem to think.
The girl looked at me like I was an idiot.
Fair, which peasant would knock out a noble lady of high birth?
Except I'm not a peasant, I hail from a land where might makes right and by that logic, all of these people should either bend... or break.
I flicked Sansa in the back of the head just hard enough to knock her out.
Millennia spent fighting meant I had good control over my power, who'd have thunk it?
With a snicker, I threw the redhead over my shoulder.
By the way, is it strange that I find it weird that Arya was dressed like a boy while Sansa was wearing one of those frilly dresses you usually see noble ladies in?
"Come on Syrio, we're legging it out of this place."
"...Yes, certainly." He grabbed Arya by the arm and started walking.
Oddly enough, we didn't encounter many patrols as we made our way through the hallways and corridors of the Red Keep in the dead of the night. The few we did were sparse and stupid enough that we could avoid them easily by keeping to walls.
They were either talking about whores, or their families... a strange contrast but I figure there isn't much else to discuss in the current time period.
I would have called the castle ancient if not for the fact that I'm significantly older than the very bricks it's made from.
Eventually, we came to the stables which were... guarded by just one young stable boy?
I looked at my own sheathed sword before shrugging and tossing it to him, "That should be enough, give me two of your best horses... Destriers, I'll know."
Any other horse and it'll run away terrified before we can say oops.
"I will no-"
I silenced him by putting a finger on his lips, "The alternative is me gutting you and taking the horses anyway."
He stopped short, confusion etched on his chubby face before he relented and backed away.
I think he might've been the smartest person I've encountered since I came here.
We waited in an awkward silence as he untied two of the horses, one black, one brown, and led them to us by their reins, beads of sweat rolling down his grimy skin... He was terrified, and rightly so, his life was in danger... in more ways than one.
But, I don't care about that.
I have a mission to accomplish.
"Do you know how to ride?" I looked at Arya curiously, straddling one of the two terrified warhorses, but my hopes for a smooth journey were dashed when she hesitantly shook her head.
Well... that's a problem.
I guess I should have asked for a pony?
No time.
I grabbed the little girl without waiting for her to protest and put her behind me, carefully placing her older sister in my lap before looking to Syrio, "Well, my fellow, get on the horse."
He looked at me oddly, "I do not know how you expect me to..."
Oh, oh, oh I'm so sorry.
I snickered involuntarily, "S-Should we ask for a pony?"
But he only shook his head, taking a step back, "No, my friend. I shall remain here and inform Lord Stark that his daughters are safe. Ride well."
"Well, if you live through this." I flashed him a small grin, "We're getting a drink."
"Of course." He bowed curtly, "I would say I would also like to knock you down a peg but at this point, I am unsure if you are even man."
Fair enough.
Taking a deep breath, I relaxed my body before kicking the horse lightly, "Let's ride, boy... or girl."
I'm calling it Roach.
-
So... There was a new problem as soon as I set off.
The main gate was closed.
It was iron and tall as a wall... so there was no way I was getting through it without opening it... only, it was manned by a retinue of those black armoured soldiers.
"Arya... any ideas?" I whispered quietly, slowly approaching the gates.
The little wolf just shook her head, "Maybe we could sneak in and open it?"
I noticed this a while back but... she seems to be a little too excited for someone breaking out of the royal castle in the middle of the night instead of... you know... afraid?
"Not possible... I give it a few more minutes at best before this whole place is in lockdown." I shot her down, "They'll have noticed the bodies I left by now."
"What do we do then?"
I scratched my chin apprehensively.
I guess it's high time this world becomes aware of who's on top of the food chain now that I'm here... not like I have any real reason to hide.
With another deep breath, I raised my right hand to the sky, clenching my fists like I was grabbing at a spear. I closed my eyes and exhaled deeply, channelling an extremely limited amount of the primal energy that came rushing to my aid at a slight beckoning.
It felt like I was plucking a single grain of sand from a sea of it, one that stretched on eternally.
The 'grain of sand' materialised with a flicker of crimson that lit up the dark night, spreading, lickering, sprawling into a spear-like form as it buzzed and roared.
I opened my eyes to a massive spear of thunder in my hand that made my horse neigh, poor thing was so terrified it could even run away.
This was the crimson lightning of the Ancient Dragons.
A power so vast it saw them breach the walls of the a God's capital.
And at the same time, something I tapped into not because of my faith in their being like those in the Dragon Cult, but instead because of the very nature of my being after I culled their numbers to near extinction.
I pulled back my hand under the awestruck gaze of Arya and slung it at the obstacle in my way.
The massive gates, capable of halting sieges, were blown away in an explosion of lightning that seared all it came into contact with, charring the ground and destroying the wall above it.
"Still got it." I smiled in satisfaction before urging my horse into a full gallop.
Understandably, Arya remained completely silent... too shocked to speak.
Wonder what 'Lord Stark' thinks about sending me away now.
Unless... they write this off as some wrath of the gods kind of deal.
Which is, frankly, extremely plausible if I think about it.
But, by Marika, this is amazing.
I would like to apologise to the motherfucker who sent me here for calling him a motherfucker.
-
Hope you enjoyed.
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600 more for extra chap. You can't possibly do this one, right?