They say when it rains, it pours. For Astoria, it was a hurricane of non stop battle from emotions to physical warfare.
Robb made an arrangement with the Freys early on in the war for a bridge, now old Walder Frey sought to be repaid.
"Let the old bastard kill the Young Wolf!" Kevan Lannister stood up rousing the bannermen.
"Have you gone mad?" Astoria raised herself up from the side of the great table, "We do not converse with slims who would kill at wedding, we are Lannisters. We have a certain pride, never forget that, uncle or it shall be your downfall ." Her dragons feeling her gall hiss at her great uncle, she can see the fear rising in his Lannister green eyes.
She hears a laugh making her turn to her grandfather, "I have to say, my Jo, you have grown into quite the brazen lioness."
"I learned from the best." She smiles at the Old Lion, who smiles back at her. He only smiled for three women in his life- his wife, his first born daughter, and his darling little Jo.
"But our attention should be on Stannis Baratheon, we need ships!" A banner man complains, her uncle Kevan agrees with the rumblings of the bannermen. One stag squashed and the Tyrell girl marrying Joff, did not mean anything, Stannis Baratheon still held Dragonstone. He still held ships.
"And you think I come to my Queen empty handed?" Lord Connington says bruskly, his dark blue eyes raging like an ocean.
"What do you mean?"
"My Lords, I have the Pirate King of the Fourteen Seas on our side." Connington says proudly, his chest puffed up.
"I trust no Pirate!" Lord Bolton, who should not hold a seat at the Rock quips.
"Excuse me, when did you, Lord Bolton decide anything?" Astoria looks to the bannerman who swore an oath to her husband, well, previous husband? What were they? She knew she hated him. She loved him still. Yet, no longer in love with him. And their marriage now dissolved in the sight of the Seven, yet still intact in the sight of the Old Gods their union still held merit.
"And how can we trust a woman?" The treacherous northern lord smirks, making her want him to look more like the flayed man on the Bolton banner.
Lannisterion flies around Lord Bolton, making the man seem uneasy. "I am no woman, I am a dragon. And you will do well to remember that or I will have you set a light. And trust me, most in the North would love to see you and your house burn."
The table of formidable men do not question her and her grandfather stands, "You see Lord Bolton, we Lannisters have a certain pride. And my granddaughter has inherited this pride."
Astoria smiles widely at her grandfather before turning her attentions from the scorned Northern Lord, "Now Lord Connington, I want to know more about this Pirate King."
Blue eyes gleam, "If you would allow me to include another monarch in our meeting?"
"Yes, of course." Astoria nods to the guards.
The doors open and a man with long blonde hair and eyes as bright as the sea comes in, his tan skin and the fire in his eyes showing his grit.
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"Your grace." He bows.
"I am no Queen across the Narrow Sea."
He smirks, "I would rather bow to you than any man."
"Smart man." Astoria smiles at him. He laughs, his laugh is hearty and soothing like the waves crashing on the rocks.
"I had a mother who would knock my teeth out if I ever did anything to sully a woman or undermine her."
Astoria decided right then he is unlike any man she has ever met. "Your name?"
"Captain Valerian, your grace." He says with an charming rugged smile.
"Or do your prefer King Valerian?" A dark brow raises.
"No, I worked for Captain never King." He chuckles, "The others pirates on the sea call me that, as if I am ruler of the seven seas. But I do not want a burden on my shoulders such as the seven seas, but I do so for my crew."
"Responsibility is always thrust upon the most deserving."
"No when you two are done flirting like a bunch of nursery children, can we please get on with this alliance?" Lord Bolton says, a smirk on his mouth as he thinks he has won after his earlier humiliation.
"Lord Bolton, no alliance can be forged without warm words!" Astoria warns him, with dark foreboding eyes. And dragons fire behind her, he stood no chance.
"Aye, I do like a warm word." Captain Valerian quips.
"And does my word suit you?" Astoria asks, her dragons behind her ready to set the sea a flame, but the Pirate King in front of her does not flinch, only seems to be as relaxed as if one could be when faced with beasts of mythical proportions.
"The pirates of the seven are at your command your grace." He assures her.
