LION'S LEGACY
51. Survivors
On the border between the Riverlands and the Crownlands, Lyanna rode through the woods on the horse she had stolen, Lady's Wrath in its sheath and some of her family's most prized possession hidden in the bag she carried.
She slowed her horse down when she noticed a group of Tyrell bannermen sitting by a fire, boasting about what happened in King's Landing.
One of the men was standing in front of the others, imitating what Annalys sounded like right before she 'died'.
"I'm telling you, that's what she sounded like," He informed them before beginning to imitate Annalys' cries and pleas once more while the men around him laughed hysterically, "Sounded like a cow in heat, nothing like the mighty Lannister roar I was expecting out of the Great Lioness."
"Lord Florent shut her up right quick," Another one of them added in, chuckling as he spoke, "Threatened King Robb's life and she knelt."
One of the others scoffed, shaking his head. "Annalys Lannister doesn't kneel," He complained, clearly not believing the man's story, "Even if her children's lives were threatened, she'd never kneel."
"Ask Lyonel, he was there," The man argued, pointing to another member of the group.
"I was," Lyonel responded, beginning to smirk, "I was also there for what came next. We brought the Lioness inside, along with her coward husband. We chained him up and made him watch as we all had a piece of that Lannister whore."
"I don't believe you," Another man argued, shaking his head, "You're saying you fucked the infamous Annalys Lannister?"
As the man began to explain in as much detail as could on his experience with the 'Great Lioness' was, he didn't even notice how Lyanna had appeared behind him. That was the last person any of them would wanted to hear the story.
The men stopped listening to their friend's story and instead looked at the red-haired girl who stood behind him.
The man immediately shut up and turned to see Lyanna standing behind him. "What do you want?" He asked Lyanna in annoyance, having no idea who she was.
"Mind if I keep warm?" Lyanna questioned, purposely sounding innocent and naive as she spoke to the men who had just boasted about killing her father and raping her mother.
"Fuck off, bitch," One of the men snapped at her, taking a large sip of his jug of ale.
"Well, that isn't a nice way to treat a lady," Lyanna continued to speak innocently as she shook her head in disapproval, "I'm hungry. If you give me food, I'll give you all something in return."
The men all stared at Lyanna intently, clearly getting the wrong idea. Instead, they watched as she revealed the crown she was hiding in her bag. The men's eyes widened at the sight of the crown, knowing it all too well.
After the Reachmen took the Red Keep, the men were forced to search everywhere for Annalys and Robb's crown. The crowns were so elegant that many assumed it had cost millions of gold dragons for them to have been made and they were right. Margaery Tyrell wanted to get her hands on them, not just for show, but she planned to reforge the golden lion into a rose. Just like Annalys had changed the handle of Window's Wail into a wolf instead of a lion and renamed it Lionsbane.
"Now, where did you get that?" The man sitting in front of her asked desperately.
Lyanna smiled innocently, playfully waving the crown around as she took a step back. "I found it," She played along, leading to every single man standing up in hopes of getting their hands on the crown, "Why? What's wrong?"
"We'll let you sit by the fire and give you all the food you want girl, just give us the crown," One of the other men begged, each of them desperate to get his hands on the crown.
Even if they didn't actually give the crown to Margaery, if they sold that crown, they'd be set for life. In truth, they'd become the richest man in Westeros.
Near the end of King's Robert Baratheon's seventeen-year long reign, he was nearing the point of being four million gold dragons in debt to Annalys' grandfather. The crown in Lyanna's hand cost that much, perhaps even more. If they included Robb's crown as well, it would probably be twice that.
Prior to the taking of King's Landing, many people didn't know how much they were truly worth. Robb didn't even know. Only Annalys knew and the man who made it. Then, Lyanna found out. Not because Annalys told her, either. She had eavesdropped and overheard her mother speaking with the man years ago.
"You want the crown?" Lyanna innocently asked and the moment one of the men nodded, reaching his hand outward, her entire expression became consumed with fury, "This crown?"
Before the man could react, Lyanna struck him across the face with the pure Lannister gold crown at full force. His entire body whipped to the side, blood spurting out of his mouth before he hit the ground, unconscious.
The men stared at her in disbelief, not expecting her to do such a thing. "Who are you?" One of them asked quietly, beginning to look uneasy as he looked upon the girl who before them with no emotion in her eyes.
"Lyanna Lannister, who the fuck are you?" Lyanna replied, smirking slightly in satisfaction as she mockingly placed her mother's crown on her own head before unsheathing Lady's Wrath, "Now, I was going to spare you, even after I heard you say you took part in my family's demise, but then you had the nerve to boast about raping my mother, the queen. Now, that is something I will not stand for."
Having no other choice, one of the men ran toward Lyanna with his sword. She dodged his hit completely before slashing him across the chest with Lady's Wrath. Two others came toward her and she killed them at ease. The second to last living man ran toward her and Lyanna picked up one of the dead men's knives before throwing it in the direction of the man running toward her.
The dagger glided through the air, just before hiding its way into the man's neck. The man began to choke, falling to his knees while clutching his bleeding throat.
Lyanna turned her attention toward the last living man. He was injured and was attempting to limp away. Lyanna walked toward him slowly and reached him anyway. He had been the one boasting about raping her mother.
The man couldn't walk away and put all his weight onto a tree to stop himself from falling to the ground. Lyanna flipped his body around, forcing himself to have his back pressed up against the large tree.
She took a step back, glaring at the man. "Please," The man cried out, shaking his head desperately as he tried to beg her, "Please, just kill me and get over it."
"One thing I learned from my mother is that rapers like you don't deserve quick deaths..." She trailed off, a sadistic look on her face as she turned and gestured toward something unbeknownst to him.
He cried out in fear, beginning to whimper like a child would at the sight of the abnormally large direwolf walking toward them. Dawn.
Out of all the Stark-Lannister direwolves besides Grey Wind, Dash and Dawn were the largest, but out of the two, Dawn was the most vicious and dangerous, a lot like her owner.
Dawn growled, stalking toward Lyanna and Annalys' supposed 'rapist'.
Lyanna placed her hand on Dawn's fur, gesturing toward the unnamed man. "Kill him," She encouraged Dawn and the female direwolf loudly growled before lunging at the man, who screamed and hollered in agony as he was ripped apart limb from limb by Lyanna's direwolf.
____
In King's Landing, at the Red Keep, Margaery sat on the Iron Throne with Olenna standing at one side of her and Ser Loras standing in front of her with five other members of her new Queensguard, all knights from the Reach and none of them half as good as Annalys' men had been.
The Great Hall was filled with hesitant followers and the lords and knights of the Reach that had helped her take the Iron Throne. The others, however, were hesitant to follow the Tyrells after what they did to their beloved queen and the royal family, but felt as though they had no choice with no one of Annalys' children or siblings there to take her place.
The Tyrells clearly thought that through.
That day, the new Grand Maester appointed to Margaery began to read out instructions and wishes from the queen to the loyal subjects. The moment Margaery took the throne, Qyburn was forced to flee. It was another thing they used against Annalys. She didn't have a maester from the citadel working for her, she had an unethical man like Qyburn who had lost his maester's chain for his practices.
"Lastly, in these times of treason and turmoil, with Queen Annalys of House Lannister dead, it is the view of the council that the life and safety of Queen Margaery is of paramount importance..." The new grand maester trailed off and looked to the queen.
Margaery stood up, locking eyes on Ser Rickard. "Ser Rickard Royce, stand forth."
Ser Rickard had been standing at the foot of the Iron Throne with the rest of the Queensguard, but after being called on, he went to one knee and bowed his head. "Your Grace, I am yours to command."
Of course, he was hesitant to follow Margaery, but he felt as though it was required. Just like Barristan Selmy had been, Ser Rickard was pardoned by the people who usurped the throne fro the family he used to serve. He had been found in the streets of King's Landing after it had been taken. He had been searching for the children when the Tyrell forces found him. They had given him a choice. Die or bend the knee. He chose bend the knee, which he now regretted.
He felt as though he deserved to die for choosing such a thing. He betrayed Annalys and they made him feel horrible. He heard people whispering behind his back. They were calling him a turncoat, just like Loras was.
"Rise, Ser Rickard," Margaery called out in a calm tone, "You may remove your helmet."
"Your Grace?" He questioned, giving her a puzzled look.
Standing, the Queensguard knight took off his helmet, but he hadn't the slightest clue why he needed to.
"You have served the realm faithfully for many years under the rule of Annalys Lannister, Ser Rickard, and every man and woman in the Seven Kingdoms owes you thanks. Yet now I fear your service is at an end. It is the wish of I and council that you lay down your heavy burden."
Ser Rickard wanted to scoff. Many years? Joanna and Torrhen were born immediately after their mother sat on the throne and appointed him apart of her queensguard. That had been nearly fourteen years before. Serving fourteen years was nothing to a Queensguard knight. The job was supposed to be for life.
"My burden? My apologies, but I don't understand—" Rickard began to explain, only to get cut off.
One of the lords that Rickard didn't know, spoke up, his voice mocking. "Her Grace is telling you that you are relieved as a member of the Queensguard."
The tall, blonde knight frowned, giving the queen a confused look. "Your Grace," he repeated carefully, "The Queensguard is a Sworn Brotherhood. Our vows are taken for life. Only death may relieve us of our sacred trust."
"Whose death, Ser Rickard?" Olenna spoke up coldly, "Yours, or my granddaughter's? You did nothing as Queen Annalys was murdered. Where was your loyalty to your queen?"
How could he have been there to help Annalys? Robb had sent them all off. Rickard wasn't even there when they were killed. He only heard stories. Just like everyone else.
Rickard stared up at Margaery and Olenna, giving them a look of disbelief. That was beyond the truth of what happened. Why were they lying?
"Your Grace," he spoke again as he turned to Margaery, "I was chosen for the Queensguard in my nineteenth year. It was all I had ever dreamed, from the moment I first took a sword in hand as a boy. I chose this over being Lord after my father died. For my life would be lived for the realm, nothing more. Ser Loras Tyrell himself heard my vows, to ward the queen with all my strength, to give my blood for her."
"Your time is done. You served Annalys Lannister. You will not serve my granddaughter," Olenna announced, speaking for Margaery, "Margaery requires people she can trust to protect her and no one else."
She had a point there. Rickard would never truly be loyal to them. He was a Lannister loyalist, no matter what. And just like many others, he believed at least one of the children was out there. Many believed that since the Tyrells failed to show evidence of the children's deaths.
When Tywin Lannister took King's Landing after Jaime killed the Mad King, he had presented the dead bodies of the Targaryen child to Robert Baratheon as he sat on the Iron Throne.
Some would have expected those madmen Lord Florent and Ser Luthor Tyrell to do the same. However, they didn't. They boasted about each of the children's deaths, but never had evidence to back it up.
It led to Rickard believing the children were still out there somewhere. And one day, he intended to find them.
"Your grandson served Annalys as well. Are you forgetting that?" Ser Rickard replied with an attitude. "The false knight who has been said to have profaned his blade with the blood of the queen he had sworn to defend after she was raped in front of her own husband. The same knight who sat back and watched as innocent children were murdered."
"Be careful with your words, ser," Margaery warned, offended by the knight's words about her dear brother, "We will allow you a keep—"
Ser Rickard looked up angrily, unconvinced. "You think I care about what you're trying to bribe me with?!"
He reached up and undid the clasps that held his cloak in place, and the heavy white garment fell from his shoulders and onto the floor. His helmet dropped with a clang as well. "I am a knight," he told them viciously as he opened the silver fastenings of his breastplate and let that fall as well. "I shall die a bloody knight."
"And now you are a naked one," Loras spoke up jokingly and Rickard gave him a look of disbelief.
It was as though Ser Barristan Selmy had lived on in Rickard at that moment. Ser Rickard just as honorable and loyal as the deceased man, that was for sure. However, Rickard was still young and naive at times. He had been the youngest of Annalys' Queensguard, after all.
He couldn't believe Loras was mocking him, however.
What happened to the man who used to be his friend? What happened to the man who served Annalys with such pride? Perhaps it had been an act all along.
Not being able to take it anymore, he drew his sword. Many people gasped while every single Queensguard knight there drew their swords.
They knew it was necessary. As it was always said, Rickard was one of the best in Annalys' Queensguard, better then Brienne of Tarth, better than Loras Tyrell, and better than Ser Steffon Oakheart. Only Edric Dayne and Edmyn Hightower could best him in single combat.
"You needn't fear, sers, your beloved 'queen' is safe...no thanks to you. Even now, I could cut through the five of you as easy as a dagger would cut through a block of cheese. If you would serve under this turncoat who claims himself to be a knight," He paused, gesturing toward Loras Tyrell, "Not one of you is fit to wear the white." He growled as he flung his sword at the foot of the Iron Throne. "Here, woman. Melt it down and add it to the others, if you like. It will do you more good than the swords in the hands of these five. The men of Queen Annalys' Queensguard served with pride and honor, something you will never get to have. Now, there is a child of hers somewhere out there, I just know it. And I will go to them, I will serve them, and I will smile as you're ripped off this damn throne by them. You may a Queen in name, but Annalys will always be Westeros' only true Queen, even if she's dead. I know no queen but the queen of the Seven Kingdoms whose name is Annalys Lannister and many other people in Westeros will say the same when you call them here to pledge fealty to you. And if any of her children are alive, I will serve them pride and joy as I did with her, without second thought."
With that, Ser Rickard exited the room, his steps loud against the floor and echoing off throughout the throne room. Lords and ladies parted to let him pass, fearful of getting in his way.
_______
It was first light and Rickard groaned as he opened his eyes to find himself in an unknown place. He turned his head, noticing the unknown man who had kidnapped him laying a few feet away. He was wearing armor and half of his face was burnt.
Rickard turned again, noticing the large rock near his head. He stood up, cautiously lifting the rock off the ground before making his way toward the unknown man.
He slowly stalked toward the unknown man, stopping when he was standing in front of him. He lifted the rock up, on the verge of smashing the man's head in the with the rock when that same man spoke up. "I'll give you one try, boy. Kill me and you're free, but if I live, I'll break both your hands. Prince or not," He paused, watching as Rickard was still on the verge of smashing his head in, "You're a mad little fucker, aren't you? You're still thinking about hitting me that damn rock."
"And I wouldn't fail," Rickard argued in a confident tone, "And as you said, if I smash your head in, I'm free. Free to find my family."
"Your family is dead, boy," The Hound suddenly informed Rickard, whose eyes widened in shock, "Your mother, your father, your brothers, your sisters. All of them are dead."
"Then, why aren't I dead?" Rickard asked and the Hound felt himself almost impressed by the way the boy hid all the saddness he felt after hearing the news of his entire family's deaths, "Why did you knock me out and save me?"
"I owed a favor to your sister," The Hound informed Rickard, who gave him a confused look since he had three sisters, but didn't question him.
Rickard continued to hold the rock over the Hound's head, which honestly took the older man by surprise. "Go on," The Hound encouraged the man, who was clearly on the verge of killing him, "Kill me. You'll be left alone in a place you don't know. Truth is, you're lucky. You don't want to be alone in these lands. They've become a war zone these past few days since King's Landing was taken. Someone worse than me would find you."
Rickard scoffed loudly, finding allowing the rock to hit the ground. "There's nothing worse than you," He retorted, despite not knowing the Hound, "I mean, look at you."
"You're young. You were lucky enough never to meet my brother," The Hound responded, ignoring the prince's insulting comment about him, "He once killed a man for snoring."
"Excusable," Rickard replied in a calm tone, "If I was tired enough, I'd probably do the same."
The Hound rolled his eyes, not knowing whether or not the boy was telling the truth. He honestly didn't care. "Would you shove your little brother's face into a fire because he was playing with a toy you discarded?" He asked, causing Rickard's eyes to widen in shock, "That's what my brother did to me."
"What happened to him?" Rickard found himself asking, actually curious about what the Hound was saying.
"Your mother killed him," The Hound informed Rickard, who didn't even seem shocked, "Spear through the back of the head, I'm told. You could say I owe your mother for that," He paused, clearly referring to that being one of the real reasons he was helping Rickard, "My brother may be dead, but there's still plenty worse than me out there. Men who like to beat little boys and girls, men who like to rape them--"
Before the Hound could continue, Rickard turned away from him, beginning to walk away from him since it was a tough subject. "You say my mother stabbed your brother through the back of the skull with a spear. That means your brother is the Mountain," He paused, turning to look at the Hound once more, "That means you're Sandor Clegane, the Hound."
The Hound nodded in confirmation. "The fuck does it matter?" He questioned, raising a brow at the boy.
"Where are you taking me?" Rickard found himself asking the Hound, a concerned look on his face, "If my entire family is dead, where would you be taking me?"
"Your sister says to keep you hidden, that I'll know when it's time to bring you to either Winterfell or Casterly Rock," The Hound explained with an attitude, "Who the fuck knows? All I know is I have to keep you safe."
"Why would you want to keep me safe? You don't even know me," Rickard snapped at the Hound, clearly suspicious of him.
"I knew your mother," The Hound informed Rickard in a calm tone, "I was her sworn shield growing up, her and her cunt brother."
"Joffrey," Rickard realized and the Hound nodded in confirmation.
"You might be a pain in my ass already, but luckily for the both of us, you're not him. As long as you behave and don't get us killed, I won't cut off your hands," The Hound explained, earning an eye roll from the boy.
The Hound groaned at the sight, annoyed that he woud be having yet another stubborn Lannister on his hands. And if Rickard was anything like his mother, he'd be fucked.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Oof Lyanna snapped!!
Robb and Annalys will appear next chapter!