Different Paths to Destiny [Game of Thrones]

25: Woman King

" hundred years, hundred more
someday we may see a
woman king, sword in hand
swing at some evil and bleed "

House Yronwood had offered me a carriage and horses for travel to Riverrun. I declined the carriage, but took the horses. We would be able to move quicker and draw less attention this way. Ellaria had come through on her promise to send fighters with me. Aylward and I rode a few days ahead of them, so we could explain their presence to Brynden.

After a long hard journey we finally made it to the Riverlands. I hadn't realized how accustomed I had become to the Dornish climate, until we started heading north. My Dornish wardrobe had been discarded in favor of warmer dresses and coats.

We stopped to observe Riverrun from a distance. The last time I'd been here was Hoster's funeral. That seemed like a different time. "Frey men around the perimeter," Aylward noted.

"Can you get me inside?" I asked him.

He gave me a look. "I believe a giant could slip past this sorry excuse for a siege. But we'll have to leave the horses." We both dismounted and gathered our things. He opened my bag and pulled out the dragonglass candle. He touched it gingerly as if it might explode at any moment. "Tell the Blackfish we're here. We'll need him to lower the gate."

I pulled my sleeve down to grab the candle without lighting it. I walked over to a tree and sat down. I pulled my coat around the candle so the light wouldn't draw attention to us. Then I touched it. "Do it fast," Aylward warned. "Your coat is glowing."

I nodded and quickly began to think about Brynden. The blinding light I'd grown used to engulfed me, and then I was inside the castle. "Seven Hells! Amina, is that you?" I grinned. Brynden pulled me into a hug. "How'd you get in here?"

"Well, I didn't, not exactly," I told him. "I'll explain it all in a moment. I need you to let down the gate so I can get inside."

"Frey men have the castle surrounded," he grunted. "As best they can at least." He thought for a moment. "Come around the south side. The majority of their forces are around the north gate. I'll have my men cause a ruckus and get everyone's attention. Then we'll lower the south gate and bring you in."

"Perfect, see you soon."

I let go of the candle and stood up. I handed it back to Aylward. He packed it. "South gate," I told him. The two of us headed that direction. His hand hovered over his sword. I clutched one of my knives.

I heard shouting from the north side, and knew Brynden's plan was working. As we neared the south gate, I saw a few Frey men remaining. Most of them looked rather distracted as they looked in the direction of the noise. A few began heading toward the ruckus. Aylward put a hand on my back and guided me closer. We made our way around a few men, ducking behind trebuchets and small tents.

Two men stood just in front of the gate. One looked half asleep, the other only slightly more awake. "I've got this," I told Aylward. I removed a second knife and stood up. One of the men noticed me, but before he could say anything I flung the knives one after the other.

The first man fell right into the moat. The second collapsed on the ground. Aylward and I ran over. I stared down into the water. "Damn, I liked that knife." I pulled the other knife out of the Frey soldier's body and wiped it on my sleeve. I gave the body a kick and it splashed into the moat with the other. "Brynden!" I called. The gate lowered quickly.

I heard shouting behind me. Aylward and I ran across as soon as the gate was down. An arrow flew just over my shoulder. "Close 'em up!" Brynden shouted. His men raised the gate just as fast. I heard a few more arrows hit the gate, but we'd made it.