THE DIVIDED PACK
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300 AC, Long Lake, North
Bash splashed some water in his face and rubbed it in before running a hand through his hair. After blinking a few times he felt more awake than he had in days and if there was something he needed to be at the moment it was awake.
After taking back Winterfell Bash had stayed for a while to build up the castle like Robb had ordered him. But now, when he was certain that Winterfell's defences were strong enough he had left Ser Rodrik in charge while he searched for his sisters and cousins.
He wanted to start immediately but he was needed in Winterfell so they had sent out some Stark men to search for them; but to no avail. So Bash had left to find them on his own. No guards, no dogs, just him. It wasn't that he didn't trust his men, he just knew that they would slow him down.
Bash knew they were heading for the Wall but he doubted that they would take the Kingsroad. He had been told they were travelling with a wildling and Hodor. The wildling woman would know how to survive in the woods and Hodor would be able to carry Bran.
They wouldn't move fast and would probably keep hidden in the woods. Unfortunately, the North was the largest kingdom and it was mostly covered by woods so it wasn't an easy task to find them.
Bash walked back over to his horse but just when he was about to mount he heard a scream. Or at least it sounded like a scream that echoed through the woods. He didn't know what would be able to produce such a agonising scream but it made him curious and on high alert.
He unsheathed his sword and started to walk towards the sound. Years of hunting had made him light on the feet and this was exactly why he was glad that he was alone. Very few men were light on their feet and the last thing he needed was somebody marching through the woods with him, alerting every being of their presence.
He had to walk for a few minutes before the screams were so loud that it almost felt like the person stood next to him. His steps became even lighter and he made sure to hide behind trees.
He neared a clearing and the sounds of agony were now mixed with voices. He crouched down and carefully made his way over to a bush were he'd be able to hide from sight. The first thing he noticed were the familiar sigil on the shields that laid on the ground; the red flayed man of House Bolton.
But that soon became uninteresting when he realised what the men were standing around. On a cross a man was strapped by his wrists and ankles. Blood was seeping out of several smaller wounds all over his body. But the worst thing was that the skin on his lower arm had been flayed off.
A truly gruesome scene that made Bash's stomach turn despite being used to the horrors of war. Seeing men fall on the battlefield was nothing like this. From the looks of it the man on the cross was old, at least past fifty namedays, and he didn't seem to be a warrior or a common soldier.
It was just a farmer that was being tortured mercilessly by Bolton men. Flaying had been outlawed in the North for decades and he couldn't help but wonder if Roose Bolton was behind this or if it was the act of rogue men.
Another scream ripped through the air as one of the men used the tip of his dagger to cut up the older man's little finger. Bash's hand clenched around the hilt of his sword, fighting the urge to interfere.
His gaze focused on the torturer instead and he couldn't help but notice that his clothes looked nicer than the rest of the men's. He was big boned and slope shouldered. His face was only visible in profile but Bash could see that his skin was pink and blotchy and his nose broad.
That's when he turned to look at his men and Bash could see sadistic smirk on his wormy looking face. It was easy to see how much this man enjoyed bringing pain to others.
"Lord Bolton," one of the soldiers said, "This man knows nothing. We should-"
"Tell me, who gives the orders here?" the man referred to as Lord Bolton asked and Bash frowned. Roose Bolton only had one heir, Domeric, and he died years ago. But then he remembered the rumours about the Lord of Dreadfort's bastard that technically wasn't a Bolton just like he wasn't a Baratheon.
"You do, M'Lord," the soldier bowed his head in submission, clearly frightened that he would be the next one hanging on the cross if he continued.
"Exactly - and I think our friend here knows more than he says. Isn't that right," the Bolton Bastard turned back to the poor farmer that was whimpering, barely holding onto his life. "You know where the Stark boys and Lannister girls are, don't you?"
"N-no!" the farmer whimpered, "I don't kn-ow anything - M'Lord! Pleas-e! Have mercy!"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk," the Bolton Bastard circled around him like an animal, "One should not lie - it's a terrible crime. And everyone knows that if you commit a crime you have to be punished. The question is how - or perhaps you don't know where the Stark boys are - but maybe that sweet daughter of yours does."
"No! Not her! Not my daughter!" the farmer cried, "I swear, we don't know anything! Just-" he cut himself off.
"Just what?" the Bolton Bastard walked closer, using his dagger to slowly make a cut across his ribs. "Tell me and I promise you - the pain will end."
"All I - I know - is that I saw some children - a big man and - and a woman with some big - huge - dogs a fe-ew days ago," the farmer sobbed and Bash froze completely. This man had seen his sisters and cousins.
"Where were they heading?" the Bolton Bastard asked, his wicked smile only widening for every second.
"North! Towards Queenscrown!" the farmer yelled, losing the last bit of strength he had.
"Wonderful," the Bolton Bastard cooed, "Now the real fun can begin."
Bash forced himself to look away when the Bolton Bastard started to flay the farmer. All he wanted to do was help the older man but Bash knew he was outnumbered so even if he managed to surprise and kill a few of them he would be killed.
No, he couldn't risk that. His sisters needed him and know this madman knew where they were heading. His main priority was to find them first so he ignored the guilt inside him that grew with the man's screams as he quietly made his way back to his horse.
.•° ✿ °•.
300 AC, King's Landing
Tywin Lannister rubbed his forehead as he felt a headache come. The royal wedding would take place in a few days which meant that there were hundreds of additional tasks that needed to be completed on top of ruining the realm.
The Tyrells were a nuisance, Joffrey needed to be kept under close watch so he didn't do something foolish around his future wife, even though Tywin suspected that said future wife had heard the rumours about the King. On top of that he had to make sure his children didn't shame their house further.
The only good thing at the moment was that the Starks remained in the Riverlands. He didn't know what they were planning but as long as they remained there he wouldn't have to worry about an army knocking down the gates during the wedding.
A knock on the door interrupted him in the middle of looking over some important papers concerning the crowns finances. He had lent Robert Baratheon over two million gold dragons and he fully intended to get that gold back.
Not that they were in the need of it. House Lannister's mines have been considered the best in the world for centuries and that wasn't about to change anytime soon. But it was a matter of principle because he didn't want anyone to get the wrong idea; Lannister didn't only pay their debts, they collected them too.
"My Lord Hand," Vylarr bowed, "A letter from Riverrun."
Tywin's expression remained blank despite growing slightly anxious over receiving a letter from the Starks. He had no doubt it was Alyssa sending the letter because the Stark boy hadn't attempted to negotiate with him once.
He took the letter from the Captain of guards and without another word Vylarr knew it was time to leave his solar. He broke the grey sigil of House Stark and immediately recognised his good-daughter's neat handwriting.
Tywin,
I write to you because I think it's only fair that you are informed of how your family is fairing in the Riverlands. Jaime now resides in the dungeons but I assure you that I have made sure that he gets food regularly and he is in good health for a person in his situation.
Ashton is doing well and I'm continuing to train him to become a suitable Warden of the West. He often trains with Robb, Theon and the rest of the men and he can easily hold his own against them. I believe you would be proud of him even though he technically is fighting against you at the moment.
Edmund is being Edmund which has its good and bad moments. But I'm eternally grateful to have him here with me because he is the only one that can make jokes - with the exception of myself of course. I give it less than a fortnight until somebody throws him into the Trident.
More importantly I wish to inform you that we have yet to find Joanna and Lucelia. But I am confident that Bash will find them soon. I truly wish that this war will end so the entire family can be together again. You know that the girls always wanted to visit King's Landing. Ever since Tyrion read to them about the dragons they have longed to see the dragon skulls for themselves. Especially Lucelia who we all know love the stories about Queen Visenya.
I hope both yourself and Tyrion are in good health as well as Tommen and Myrcella. It's too bad that I wasn't invited to the wedding but I suppose it would look bad to invite your worst enemies aunt, even if she is your aunt as well.
I see that this letter is getting unnecessarily long so I will finish by telling you that Martyn and Willem are safe despite their imprisonment, I tended to their wounds myself. Although my conversation with them made me wonder what you Lannisters say about us northerners behind our back. They seemed to be in under the impression that my nephew can turn into a wolf at will. Of course I assured them that such thing only can happen during a full moon because everyone knows that the best time to catch a glimpse of a direwolf is at midnight when the moon is at it's highest.
Sincerely,
Alyssa
Tywin couldn't help but chuckle when he finished the letter. For anyone else that letter might have sounded like meaningless rambling but he understood the underlying message.
.•° ✿ °•.
300 AC, Nightfort
Meera jogged towards the group, through the rough landscape with her bow in hand and the direwolves by her side, "It's empty," she tells them.
"Let's find a place to sleep," Jojen decide and they all work in the direction Meera had come from. They find the abandoned castle Nightfort and set camp inside.
It was so quiet that could all hear the fire crackling. That until Hodor decides to break the silence by looking down a well. "Hodor," he said and it echoed into the well. Amused by this he did the same thing again, "Hodor."
"Don't, Hodor," Bran stopped him.
"Let him have his fun, Bran," Lucy told him, "It's not like anyone can hear us. This place has been abandoned for years."
"Maybe we shouldn't stay," Bran said, stroking the uneven wooden ground beneath him.
"You'd rather be out there?" Meera snorted.
"There are a lot of stories about this place," Bran said darkly, "Horrible stories."
"I always quite liked the horrible stories," Jojen admitted from his place by the fire where he was cooking the rabbit Meera had captured earlier that day.
"So did I," Bran said, "Once."
"I still like them," Lucy stated, running her hand through Visenya's fur, "I don't like living through them. But that is another story."
Jojen moved over to join the rest of them when Bran asked, "You ever heard about the Rat Cook?"
"No. Who's he?" Meera asked with curiosity.
"Just a cook in the Night's Watch," Bran started to tell the story, "He was angry at the King for something, I don't remember. When the King was visiting the Nightfort, the cook killed the King's son, cooked him into a big pie with onions, carrots, mushrooms and bacon. That night he served the pie to the King. He liked the taste of his son so much, he asked for a second slice. The gods turned the cook into a giant white rat who could only eat his own young. He's been roaming the Nightfort ever since, devouring his own babies. But no matter what he does, he's always hungry."
Meera laughed, "If the gods turned every killer into a giant white rat-"
"It wasn't for murder the gods cursed the Rat Cook or for serving the King's son in a pie," Bran interrupted her, "He killed a guest beneath his roof. That's something the gods can't forgive."
"Very well," Lucy said, in an attempt to light up the mood, "Summer, Visenya, if you see a rat - kill it. Better to be safe than killed by a rat."
.•° ✿ °•.
The wind howled outside the Nightfort as they all slept on the ground. Bran and Lucy laid next to each other, both of them curled up beside their direwolves.
That was until a distant gasp startled them awake. Sensing their masters' distress the direwolves stood up and started to pace around the room. "Hodor," Bran whispered to wake him up as the gasping continued.
Hodor woke up and nudged Meera awake. As a reflex the Reed girl drew her dagger as she jumped into consciousness. The gaps continued, sounding like someone was desperately trying to catch their breaths as footsteps approached them.
The direwolves growled and by now Jojen was awake as well. A figure rose from the well Hodor had been playing with earlier and entered through a trap door. Meera let out a war cry before attacking the person, knocking him over and pinning him to the ground with a knife against the throat.
"Don't kill me!" the man begged her, breathing hard from both having climbed up and out of fear.
"Who are you?" Meera asked calmly.
A woman entered afterwards, frantically calling out while holding a baby, "Sam! Sam!"
"Who are you?!" Meera snapped at her.
The woman stopped dead in her tracks, "Gilly. Don't hurt us," she begged and much like that man she didn't appear as much of a threat.
Meera thought so too because she released the man, Sam, and allowed him to get up from the floor. Jojen stood up, instinctively moving closer to the two Starks, "Where are you going?" he asked the strangers.
"To Castle Black," Sam told them, "I'm a brother of the Night's Watch."
"My cousin, he's in the Night's-" Lucy tried to say only to be rudely interrupted.
"Shush," Jojen told her.
"Excuse you," Lucy narrowed her eyes at the boy with the best impression of her mother's glare. "Don't shush me."
"Who's your cousin?" Sam wondered.
"Doesn't matter," Jojen said quickly.
Visenya and Summer growled, walking out of the shadows. A look of realisation dawned on Sam's face when he saw the direwolves, "You're one of Jon's aunt's twin daughters," Sam said in realisation before turning to Bran, "And you are Jon's brother. The one who fell from the window."
"No, we are not," Bran lied.
"I've been around Ghost enough to know a direwolf when I see one," Sam said confidently, "And I've heard all about Hodor."
Hodor grinned at that, "Hodor."
"I'd be dead if it wasn't for Jon," Sam told them, "If you're his family, his brother, you're my brother, too. And anything I can do to help you, I will."
"Take us north of the Wall," Bran said without missing a beat.
Meera sheared her dagger and walked over to inspect the well Sam had climbed out from. Meanwhile Sam was in shock of his words, "What? Why in the world would you want to go-"
"I don't want to. I have to," Bran stated firmly.
"And I just go where he goes," Lucy added.
"How did you get through the Wall?" Jojen asked him.
"Does the well lead to an underground river?" Meera wondered, "Is that how you came here?"
"Come with us," Sam practically begged them, "There are steps carved into the south side of the Wall. Hodor can carry you to the top. We'll walk straight to Castle Black."
"Come with us," Gilly added, "There's nothing north but death."
"If Jon is alive, then Castle Black's where he'll be," Sam said in an attempt to convince them, "It's the safest place for you."
"If he is-?" Lucy asked but once again she was rudely interrupted.
"There's nowhere safe any longer," Jojen said calmly, "You know that."
"What I know is what I saw. And if you saw it, too, you'd run the other way," Sam said firmly, looking haunted by what he had seen which made Lucy wonder what exactly awaited them beyond the Wall.
Much like Meera she didn't have visions. She couldn't see the things Jojen and Bran did so she was oblivious to the threats that awaited them and had to rely on the others to know what to do. She didn't like that.
"You saw the White Walkers and the army of the dead," Jojen said to Sam.
"How do you know all that?" Sam asked, looking shocked by the boy's knowledge. By now Lucy had learned to accept the fact that Jojen always seemed to know everything.
"The Night's Watch can't stop them," Jojen concluded, "The Kings and Queens of Westeros and all their armies can't stop them."
For a moment everyone stood there in silence. They could hear the birds chipper outside and the baby in Gilly's arms started to fuss.
"But you're going to stop them?" Sam said, not understanding how these children were going to do what they claimed armies couldn't.
"Please, Sam," Bran pretty much begged him, "I have to go north. I have to."
"If you truly know Jon you must have realised that we Starks are a stubborn lot," Lucy said, "Bran has decided that he is going north of the Wall - I have decided that I'm going with him. You won't be able to change our minds - so you might as well help us."
.•° ✿ °•.
301 AC, Riverrun
"Who would have thought the day would come where House Stark and House Targaryen made an alliance again," Edmund mused, his legs propped up on the large table inside the War Room. "One would have thought all chances were burned."
Edmund laughed at his own joke but only received blank stares from Ashton and Robb while Theon snorted in amusement. "Burned," he said again, "Dragons burn things."
"The problem isn't that we don't understand you," Ashton said.
"I miss Mama," Edmund muttered, "She is the only one that understands my humour. Except for father and Uncle Tyrion."
"She will be back soon," Robb said firmly, "She promised."
"Are you sure this is wise?" Robb asked as they stood inside the stables. It was past midnight and the only light they had came from a torch Brienne was carrying. "You could die."
"Have some faith in me, Robb," Alyssa smiled reassuringly. She was dressed in simple clothes that consisted of black trousers, a grey tunic and a black leather jerkin that all were covered by a simple black cloak.
"It's not you I don't have faith in," Robb said, "You are riding straight into enemy territory alone. It's a suicide-mission."
"No one will even notice that I'm there," Alyssa told them, "I know my way in and out the Red Keep better than most."
"How do you know that you aren't walking into a trap?" Theon asked, "Lord Tywin could easily have you arrested the moment you set your foot in the city."
"I don't, technically," Alyssa shrugged, "But even if I did get arrested, imprisoned or even killed - which won't happen - you four will have to continue on without me."
"That's very reassuring, Mama," Edmund said sarcastically. Despite not believing that his grandfather would harm his mother there were many others that would want her dead where she was going.
"I am the adult here," Alyssa pointed out, "Which means that worrying is my thing and right now there is no need for any of you to worry about me."
"What are we supposed to do then?" Ashton asked, "You will be completely on your own. At least take Brienne with you."
"He is right, My Lady," Brienne agreed, having protested and argued about this since Alyssa told her the plan, "Allow me to come with and a protect you-"
"Brienne, this is a journey I must do on my own," Alyssa argued, "And you will do me a great favour by staying here, protecting these four from any threat as well as each other."
All the boys wanted to protest again but she interrupted them, "You won't be able to change my mind. Now get in here and give me a hug because I have to leave before the sun rises."
Alyssa hugged the four one by one, "Take care of each other while I'm gone and make sure no one does anything dumb. While the Rhaegar I knew wouldn't do anything to harm either one of you - you never know so thread carefully around him. And when he asks you were I am - and he will - don't tell him. Lie or don't say anything."
The horse neighing seemed to bring remind Alyssa that she was in a hurry. "I have to go now," she offered all four of them a reassuring smile before walking over to mount her horse. This time she hadn't taken Balerion, not wanting to risk anyone recognising her horse. Instead she had borrowed a simple but fast mare from the stables.
Alyssa raised the hood of her cloak over her head and just before urging the horse to a run she turned to them, "I will be back before you know it."
The door opened and Prince Rhaegar entered alongside his companions. Everyone could see how his eyes swept the room in search for Alyssa and when he couldn't see her he frowned.
Yet he wasn't the one to point out her absence. "Where is Lys?" Arthur Dayne wondered as they stopped on the other side of the table.
"She is not here," Edmund said quickly.
"We can see that," Oswell Whent said, looking slightly amused.
"She won't be joining us today," Theon told them vaguely.
"Why not?" Rhaegar Targaryen wondered. His jaw was still bruised from Alyssa's punch but her clear anger towards him didn't seem to scare him away.
"She is otherwise occupied," Ashton said, glaring at him. After all, he had every reason not to like the man that had been married to his mother and then betrayed her.
"Is she still in Riverrun?" the former Prince asked, looking between the four boys. And when none of them responded he sighed, "She left the castle. Where did she go?"
"Why would we tell you?" Ashton scoffed, "What she does is none of your concern."
"Watch your tone, boy," Jon Connington snapped, "You are talking to your King-"
"No, had he not decided to run away with our aunt, he might be a King and I never would have been born," Ashton replied coldly, "But right now he is nothing but a disgraced former Prince."
"I couldn't have said it better myself," Edmund for once agreed with his brother, "Or I could have - but the message was right."
The room became silent and Robb was the first one to break it, "I have considered your proposal and I have discussed it with my advisors," he said, "I realise that if we work together we will both be able to get what we want - but I have some demands of my own."
"Of course," the former Prince nodded, "What are your demands?"
"The North will keep some of its independence," Robb said firmly. "My people and my family have suffered too much under a southern ruler - My grandfather and uncle was executed by your father, my own father fought a war to overthrow your house and I can only begin to imagine what my aunt suffered through because of you. All of that cannot be forgotten - but we can put our differences aside and work for a common goal. And in return for your help I will swear the same oath of fealty towards you as my father ones swore to Robert Baratheon. I will bend my knee, but in exchange I will receive the same courtesy as your House gave Dorne."
Robb stated straight at Rhaegar who seemed to be deep in thought. "You need House Stark's support if you want the Iron Throne," Edmund pointed out, "If not to take it then to keep it."
"And if His Grace agrees to allowing House Stark to remain as Princes of the North, what stops you from demanding that House Lannister will receive some independence next?" Jon Connington asked, his dislike when he said the name 'Lannister' clear.
"Our House has never wanted independence from the Seven Kingdoms," Ashton used his best imitation of Tywin Lannister's glare, "While my grandfather has fought for a Lannister Queen he has never once tried to claim the crown for himself. He never needed to because he's still the most powerful man in the realm. My father cares little for politics and the last thing he wants is to become King or a Prince. And personally - well, I have never been fond of jewels, so I won't fight to put a crown on my own head."
"I would look really good in a crown," Edmund noted, "but luckily for all of you I'm not the heir to the Rock and while Ash is annoying - our sisters would be really mad at me if I killed him."
"Because of the - undeniable connection between our families I will be willing to grant you the title of Prince." Rhaegar Targaryen said, "It's the least I can do."
"Rhaegar-"
"My word is final, Jon," Rhaegar Targaryen said firmly before turning back to Robb, "Do you have any other demands?"
"You will have to return the favour," Robb said, "You won't have to swear an oath of fealty, but should I or any future Prince in the North need help to protect our borders - House Targaryen will come to our aid."
"A reasonable request and one that I will gladly oblige to," Rhaegar told him. "Our Houses are already joined together and we should fight together. Anything else?"
"Before she left my aunt told me that I shouldn't care what she thought about this alliance," Robb said, "That she wouldn't be able to remain objective and it was my choice as King, or now Prince, to do what would be best for my people. She trusted me to make this decision on my own and I know that no matter what I choose she would help me deal with the consequences. She would tell me if I made the wrong decision - but she would still help me. She would live the rest of her life in misery if it meant everyone else was happy. But I won't allow her to do that - so once she returns you will have to see if she has any demands."
"She doesn't want to talk with me," Rhaegar Targaryen sighed.
"She does," Theon said, "Or she wants to scream at you or maybe kill you."
.•° ✿ °•.
301 AC, Inn, Crowlands
Alyssa had been on the road for days now and she found travelling alone to be both exhausting and boring. It was difficult to find a place to sleep for a few hours without having to worry about someone slitting her throat or being mauled by some wild animal.
She wished she could have bring Kēlio but her lion was not very discreet, after all, no one else in the Seven Kingdoms had a lion. She could have brought Brienne - but it was easier to stay unnoticed alone.
To stay unnoticed she had tried to travel through the woods. She had tried to stay as far away from other humans but now she was nearing the Capital and she couldn't risk starting a fire. Not to mention that she was sick of skinning rabbits.
There were many inns between Riverrun and King's Landing and she had chosen one less than a day's ride from the Capital. It was a risk but the easiest way to remain undetected was to visit the inn at night when everyone was too drunk to recognise their own reflection.
Alyssa sat in the corner of the inn, with the hood of her cloak covering her face as she ripped a part of the bread off and dipped it into her bowl of broth. Around her men and women were drinking and for every jug of ale they drank they became louder.
"Hear! Hear!" a man shouted while entering the inn. He was a commoner, that was clear by the state of his clothes and he didn't seem to be as drunk as everyone else. "The Boy King, Joffrey Baratheon, has been poisoned!"
Alyssa froze completely for a moment as some people in the inn started cheering. Joffrey had been poisoned? How was that even possible? He was probably the most protected person in the Seven Kingdoms.
"Poisoned at his own wedding!" the man continued while taking a jug of ale from one of the tables and drinking all of it at once. He slammed it down on the table, "By his Imp Uncle."
Tyrion? No, Tyrion wouldn't do something so stupid. Alyssa could understand if he hated Joffrey because most people did but he wasn't foolish enough to try to murder the King at his own wedding.
Now Alyssa was even more eager to get to King's Landing because if Tyrion was suspected of attempting to kill Joffrey, Cersei would do everything in her power to have him executed.
A loud debate broke out about what would happen if Joffrey died. Some claimed that Tywin Lannister would claim the crown for himself. Other that Cersei would be crowned Queen. Some people thought Stannis Baratheon would siege King's Landing.
"It has not been this bad since the Mad King!" an older man stated. "He burned his enemies but he didn't slaughter babies."
No, he just planned to burn the half a million citizens of King's Landing alive. Robert might not have been the best King but he wasn't mad. He knew he was terrible at ruling so he allowed his advisors and his Hand to do it for him.
"Soon the wolves will ride south and kill us instead," another man said, "They will rip our wives, sisters and daughters from their beds and rape them and then sacrifice children our children to those trees they pray too."
Alyssa couldn't help but roll her eyes at that comment. It still amazed her how little southerners knew about the North. It wasn't just commoners, even nobles would think of northerners as barbarians that ate children.
She wondered what people would think about Rhaegar returning. He had been beloved by the smallfolk at one time, but that was years ago. Most people probably believed that he had kidnapped and raped Lyanna - but if she returned too they might be able to smooth that over.
She couldn't help but wonder if her years in exile had changed her sister. While she never wanted to admit it, Lyanna was a spoiled Lady that had been catered on her entire life. Despite her rebellious efforts she was not made to survive a life without nobility.
Alyssa was no fool, she knew that she was spoiled as well. After all, she had spent her life as the eldest daughter of one of the most powerful Lord's in the country, then she had been a Princess for a while followed by the Lady of the richest House in Westeros. She did by no means believe that she would have handled the life as a commoner much better than Lyanna.
It also bothered her that Rhaegar and Lyanna had spent all these years together and with her children. She didn't know why it bothered her, she didn't want it to bother her, but it did.
There was after all one question Alyssa hadn't asked Rhaegar yet - one that day needed to consult the High Septon about; were they still wed?
.•° ✿ °•.
301 AC, King's Landing
Despite all his years living in the Red Keep Tywin Lannister had never been forced to sneak around the castle. If he wanted to go somewhere he would, if someone wished to speak with him they would have to come to him. Secret meetings had never been something he needed to use.
But these were strange times. His family was divided across the realm and on top of all that Joffrey had decided to drop unconscious at the worst time possible. Just when they had managed to please the Tyrells and pay them back by making Margaery the new Queen he was poisoned at his own wedding. He was just grateful that the boy wasn't dead yet because then he would have been forced to renegotiate with the Tyrells.
Someone had to be blamed for the King's attempted assassination and that someone was Tyrion. He was the only one close enough to poison Joffrey's cup. Cersei was of course furious and demanded her brother's head.
Perhaps talking to a family member that didn't make his life harder would be refreshing. Even when he knew that a visit from Alyssa didn't bode well. No, there was a reason that she was coming to King's Landing.
Tywin looked behind him while listening for any footsteps that would reveal if someone had followed him. When he didn't hear nor see anything he started to walk down to the dark cellars that laid underneath the Red Keep were the dragon skulls had been left to gather dust since the rebellion.
On his way down the stairs he took a torch from the wall. He had never once been down here before - he doubted many nobles had unless they wished to hide something because the desolate cellar was no place for a highborn.
All he could see when he reached the end of the stairs was the silhouettes of the larger dragon skulls. The larger ones were stored the farthest away from the entrance.
He could clearly see the enormous head of Balerion the Black Dread. Just the skull remained and just by looking at it one could understand how Aegon Targaryen could force all the other King's in the Seven Kingdoms to their knees.
But it was the dragon skull belonging to Queen Visenya he was interested in. Vhagar was also a dragon of impressive size as long as it wasn't standing next to Balerion.
He held up his torch to look around the cellar but it was seemingly empty. But it was the right time and Alyssa was never one to arrive late - at least not when it was a matter of life and death.
"I'm here," Tywin said, listening for any sign that he wasn't alone.
"Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes."
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Question for the group, what possible pairings do you like?
Ashton and Daenerys?🦁🐉
Robb and Daenerys?🐺🐉
Lyrella and Bash?🐉🦌
Daeryn and Margaery?🐉🌹
Any other pairing?