Arya was walking around the ship, she could see Bran at the top of the mast, the boy seemed to enjoy being in high places.
Perhaps that's why, as a child, he always climbed the tallest towers in Winterfell.
Or later when he got his abilities, he seemed to prefer levitating, even after Sansa had given him his legs back.
The girl observed her brother a few meters away from her, with her gaze on the horizon.
Robb was gone, he was out west, fighting in the war. Something that Arya preferred before staying in Riverrun as a babysitter.
They left Jeyne and Robb's queen, Talisa, and after sending a letter to Robb, they took men and a small army and set out for Storm's End.
She walked a little further, and she saw Gendry sharpening some arrowheads, she sat down next to him.
She had felt a little uncomfortable next to him, not like on the trip. With his constant provocations, him calling her Princess.
Something she hated.
It wasn't her fault that Robb and Jon became kings.
Calling her Lady was already bad.
But princess.
That was worse.
She was not like Sansa who enjoyed titles of nobility.
She was Arya…Just Arya.
She sat next to her friend.
This friend who made her nervous for some reason.
The boy looked at her and smiled.
"Can't you sleep?" he asked.
"I don't want to sleep," she said.
Gendry didn't say anything, he looked at her curiously, there was a big moon, it illuminated the entire ship.
It was difficult to sleep with so much light.
"Then let's go to Storm's End," she said.
Gendry nodded.
"Last time I had a bad time there," he said.
Arya smiled, Gendry told her of his misfortune with Stannis and his witch.
That also bothered her, for some reason, perhaps because the boy could have died, but she knew it wasn't just that.
The boy looked at her, and she at him.
It was a silent moment, you couldn't hear the sailors chatting, or the waves of the sea hitting the ship.
She unconsciously raised her face.
He lowered his.
Their lips met.
Arya startled when she felt her lips getting wet.
She looked at Gendry with his eyes closed from him kissing her.
The girl closed hers and let herself go.
[T/N: I could have worded that better, if anyone can help here I would appreciate it. Basically, she wasn't dreaming, she was kissing him without thinking and then gave in when she realized what she was doing. Never mind I changed it, though do still tell me if you think of a better way to word this scene.]
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Bran had been watching from the ship's mast, at night it was difficult to possess birds or other animals since most were sleeping and did not come out of their nests.
He watched as Arya approached the mast.
The wild wolf of the North had changed.
She was always someone capable of taking care of herself in any need.
But now the girl seemed to open up more. Especially with her friend.
"Friend, sure." He whispered, amused.
He watched his sister walk over and sit next to her friend.
The boy looked curiously, and he saw the evolution of their relationship.
"I wasn't expecting that," he muttered, moving his face away, giving them some privacy.
He missed Meera.
Who supported Robb in the war with her father's army.
He would have rather gone to war with Robb than stay in Sweetwater.
On the other hand, he understood the reason, they couldn't leave the kingdom unprotected, the north was far from the west, and if something happened a Stark had to be nearby.
Of course, he would prefer Meera with him.
He missed his wife.
His bed was cold without her.
Not to mention that going from having sex, many nights in a row, to having none at all, is not a good thing for the boy.
On the other hand, he was going to the other side of Westeros to help his fiancée.
Shireen Baratheon.
He didn't know much about her, except that she had some marks on her face from Greyscale. Robb didn't tell him much.
They talked to Meera about it.
The girl was not at all happy with having to share a husband.
Bran understood that.
But at least, she didn't make him sleep alone, and she accepted that the alliance must be made.
Bran of course promised that she would remain his only love and his main wife.
That seemed to calm Meera down or calm her down enough to think things through.
Meera Reed was a hunter, a northerner.
She was not what is expected of a court lady.
She was aggressive.
Passionate
Without many manners.
Bran loved all that about her.
In some ways that's like Arya's wolf blood, the one his aunt Lyanna was supposed to have.
The boy loved that about Meera.
Her passion for life.
Her determination.
Her faith.
Bran sighed.
He didn't want to think about his wife now.
Not in a place as cold as the ship's mast at least.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
The ships were ready, their dragons flooding the sky with their enormous bodies.
"A thousand ships will be enough," Pypar said.
"Let's not waste time," Danny said.
Pypar nodded.
"Very well, my queen...Straight to Westeros," he said.
Danny smiled.
"I'm coming to you, Jon," she whispered.
[T/N: ARE YOU STUPID! YOU HAVE A KID! PROTECT THE HEIR AT ALL COSTS! THAT IS THE RULE!]
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Menique approached the camp on horseback.
Just as the King of Valyria had predicted, they camped in western Dorne.
A few days from Sunspear.
He had to go by boat of course.
The trip to Dorne took months, just as things were in the seven kingdoms.
But he finally reached his goal.
He could see the military power of the king of Valyria.
Much more organized than that of the king of the north.
Great capabilities in siege weapons.
Disciplined soldiers.
Even the tents where they slept and made plans seemed to belong to nobles.
But Menique knew that this was only a portion of his soldiers.
According to his information.
It wasn't even half of what he owned.
He clearly left a few squads at Stepstone.
'Where are the others?' He thought as he was escorted.
They arrived at a tent, it was twice as big as all the others, its skin looked like it belonged to some animal that Menique didn't recognize. It was lined, on the left side a red dragon, on the right side a white Direwolf. On the roof of the tent was a flagpole, with the new Targaryen flag.
'Okay, respect to his two houses, there is also a certain nobility in him. Clearly recommended, I don't think a Stark has enough style' he thought.
He entered the tent.
It was bigger than he thought.
In the right corner, a small table with all kinds of wines, shiny glassware, worthy of kings. On the left side, a small room, you could see a large bed covered by a curtain.
In the center of the room, a table, three meters of white oak, which had an open map of Dorne, several stone statuettes pointing to various important points of the desert kingdom, chairs around the table, all made of Black wood.
"What wood is this?" he muttered, curious, having never seen wood so black, as if it had been burned, but not incinerated.
"Ebony," he heard.
He turned to the center of the room and saw a man, he looked identical to Eddard Stark. Sitting on a wooden throne that was divided into a white wooden right half and a black left half.
"His Majesty?" Menique asked.
"The wood is Ebony, Lord Baelish seemed curious," he said.
Menique smiled and bowed.
Not only did the king of Valyria seem to be quite observant, he also knew his name, either because he was informed that he was here. Or by deduction.
'Or both' thought the man.
It seemed that cajoling him would be much more difficult than Robb Stark.
"Delighted by his majesty," he said.
Jon looked at him without any emotion.
"Why has the guardian of the valley come?" he asked.
"Information. King Robb asked me to support Valyria with my spies," he said.
Jon nodded.
"Very well, I have some spies in Sunspear and Vaith...Unfortunately, the nobles of Dorne have been able to cover their tracks quite well," he said.
"It's the Dornish way," he said.
"What can you tell me?" he asked.
"First of all, congratulate you for the strategy. All of Dorne expected you to attack Sunspear with force since it was closer to the Stepstone," he said.
Jon nodded.
"It is of no use, having Dorna Martell, without having the heads of the houses of Dorne, Aegon had that problem in the conquest," Jon said.
Menique nodded.
"But fortunately you started from the west," he said.
"Fortunately? No, this was intentional, I plan to attack the west of Dorne, to the Sunspear, reducing its defenses...My men are also in charge of attacking the east...They will be simultaneous attacks, preventing the gathering of men from several houses at the same time" he clarified.
'So that's why all his men weren't here... It can work,' Menique admitted.
"And reduce the possibility of losing resources into the desert," Menique said.
Jon nodded.
"Doran Martell is a smart man, he will take precautions if we attack Sunspear, without preventing resources or soldiers from supporting them with other forts," he said.
"The Martells escaped from Sunspear, and attacked when Aegon returned to the landing place of the king."
Jon nodded.
"Dorne is loyal to House Martell, but Doran committed many sins that are not easily forgotten," he said.
"Yes, it's true," Menique admitted.
"What can you tell me?" Jon asked.
"As I said, a great success to attack from the west...Currently their first target, the Daynes are at a crossroads," he said.
"Crossroads?" Jon asked.
Menique nodded.
"They must already be aware of the proximity of Valyria, and that they have Doran's heir in his fortress," he said.
"Arianne Martell is here? Doran's mistake," Jon said.
Menique nodded.
"No doubt Arianne is in the far north of Dorne for protection in case Sunspear falls. Oberyn Martell is heading with an army to protect Sunspear," he said.
"I see, he divides his family into different Zones, to protect himself, if he falls, another takes his place... Smart, what about the Lannister princess? "He asked.
"With her fiance in Sunspear," said the guardian of the valley.
Jon looked thoughtful before nodding.
"Tell me of the Daynes' defenses," he ordered.
Menique became thoughtful.
"They lack large-scale Siege machines, perhaps a couple of catapults at most, their armies are around five thousand strong men...And they are strong, I cannot deny, which is the house with the most capable men in Dorne" he said.
"The Morning Star, he has been decorated as the best swordsman in Westeros in his day," Jon remembered.
"But his father defeated him," Menique said.
Jon nodded.
"In addition to men, he has strong walls, and the new head of the house, and lover of the princess of Dorne, is the new user of the sword of dawn, Gerold Dayne, or as his nickname is, Darkstar," he said.
"Well?" Jon asked.
Menique shrugged her shoulders.
"Easy to persuade and anger, rumors indicate that he is very dishonorable, in simple words, totally contrary to Arthur Dayne. Even so, Doran made him head of the Dayne household, after his grandfather died, even though the title belonged to Edric Dayne," he said.
"Oh, and what about Edric?" he asked.
"Supposedly, he is in favor of his cousin Gerold," he clarified.
"Supposedly?" Jon asked.
"My informants tell me that in reality, he is in the dungeon, with his life threatened, his aunt Allyria Dayne gave him the Dayne armies and spoke in his favor, but apparently that was only to protect her nephew," she said.
"Interesting, are you sure the boy is alive?" Jon asked.
Menique gives him a crumpled letter and he read it.
'Doran, you are a bastard.
Darkstar, do you really hope that the Daynes will stoop to serve this mercenary?
Change your order immediately.
Doran, I have followed you for the love of Elia but don't forget, that before Nymeria, The Martells were nothing.
The Daynes were kings.
Don't forget that Nymeria died and the Martells, are only royalty because of loyalty.
You want to punish Edric for continuing orders from the hand of King Ned Stark.
They were hunting in the mountains you should reward him, not punish him.
I'm warning you, Doran, if you don't change your order.
You must fear the Daynes.
We will forget the best friend of my dear sister Ashara.
We will forget centuries of loyalty.
I'm warning you, Doran Martell, if the dark star has the Sword of Dawn, and Arthur doesn't.
The Martells have been given too much freedom and that will end. First the Daynes, then the Yronwood, Uller, and Flower.
You have been warned, Doran Martell.
Edric Dayne's aunt, the real one and only Lord of the Daynes.'
Jon whistled.
"Impressive woman," he said.
"That's right, very loyal to her house, apparently Edric was punished for following Ned Stark's order to hunt the mountain for the attack on the land of the rivers," he said.
"Doran's answer?" he asked.
"I calmed her down, a little. She said it's just a way to get them off the Lannister's radar, that she just has to wait a while. The fact that Darkstar is her daughter's lover has not been something that the Daynes are very in favor of. There have been several rescue attempts, all failed," he said.
"Didn't Doran try to get rid of Allyria?" he asked.
"If he did fail, Allyria is loved by her house, only she can make her soldiers obey Darkstar, and he knows it," he said.
"There are no more threats against Doran, now that we are at war?" he asked.
Menique shrugged his shoulders.
"Nothing that my informants have been able to see yet, but without a doubt letters from the Daynes are reaching Sunspear" he finished.
"I see, it seems that we must rescue one heir and kill another"
[T/N: This was quite an impactful chapter, romance, and betrayal. All good stuff. If you like this chapter then leave a comment, write a review, and drop some stones. If you want to read a few advanced chapters then check out the P@treon or the Ko-fi. It's well over 20+ chapters ahead!]
[Also check out my other books, either go to my profile or search up 'Invisible-a Harry Potter FanFic', 'Searching in the Abyss', or 'Omnitrix of Justice'.]
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