LION'S LEGACY
56. Nothing
In the Riverlands, just a mile away from where Annalys had been captured by the Reachmen, Eddard was traveling with Allyria and Dusk, who always seemed to be running off, oddly enough.
Allyria had walked off to find them some food while Eddard stood watch, making sure no one was following them.
He suddenly stopped, however, frowning when he came across dozens of bodies lying on the ground, all of them close together.
He glanced around, noticing that each man seemed to have been attacked by what seemed to be a wolf. A direwolf.
He turned to look at Dusk, giving him a questioning look. "Did you do this?" He asked and Dusk only whined, yet Eddard knew that meant a 'no'.
There was no way Dusk could have killed so many men on his own so quickly before returning to him. The corpses seemed fresh, but Eddard couldn't understand it. Their direwolves were killed alongside his siblings. How could these men be killed by direwolves and why?
He stopped for a moment, hearing someone groaning in pain. He turned his head, locking eyes on a man that had happened to be the only survivor. He walked over to the man, kneeling next to him. Eddard placed his hand on the man's chest as he examined the wounds. They were horrific, clearly done by a vicious and lethal animal.
There were only two direwolves South of the Wall that viscous. Dawn and Dash.
Annalys had been wrong. It wasn't just Dawn who helped Greywind and Robb. It was Dash as well. After all, Rickard still hadn't been reunited with his direwolf, despite escaping King's Landing several months before.
Eddard wondered if the man could survive such a thing with such serious wounds. If he had known, why the man had been attacked, he most likely would have left him to die.
Eddard slowly unsheathed his dagger from his belt when the man wasn't looking. He stared down at the man, who he believed was in need of a mercy-killing.
"Eddard," A voice called out, causing Eddard to turn his head to see Allyria had found him.
Allyria walked over to Eddard before she slowly knelt in front of the man that he had come upon.
"It looks a direwolf attacked these men. It wasn't Dusk, though," Eddard informed Allyria, an uneasy look on his face, "Do you think he'll survive?"
She examined the man's wounds, knowing almost immediately that he wouldn't survive what had been done to him. It was far too severe.
She looked toward Eddard, a saddened look on her face as she shook her head. Eddard sighed in defeat, avoiding eye contact with her.
"I'm going to help you, alright?" Allyria told the man quietly, smiling softly as the man continued to shudder, nearing the point of death.
She began to hum a song that Eddard did not know as she affectionately stroke the man's head, attempting to calm him down in his last moments.
Allyria took the dagger from Eddard's grasp while the man was distracted by her humming. Only taking it, she tightly grabbed it in her hand. She pointed it toward the side of the man's neck, continuing to hum as slowly punctured his neck with the blade.
Eddard watched closely, shocked by how Allyria was able to keep a straight face as she killed the man. Eddard had never taken a man's life, none of the Stark-Lannister children had, none but Lyanna. That wouldn't last long, though.
He stared at Allyria contently as she hummed and continued to comfort the man as he died. There was a hint of admiration in his eyes at the sight. He never saw someone being so gently to one of their victims before killing them.
It wasn't something surprising for Allyria to do, however. In the time that he had spent with her, she was cold at times but still seemed innocent and kind as well. She was selfless, unlike most of the people he had come across in his life.
_____
Two miles west of where Annalys had been captured, Rickard rode with the Hound on a horse. They suddenly stopped, however, when they spotted about a dozen Reachmen near them.
"Don't say a word," The Hound warned Rickard in a low tone as he continued to ride off.
Rickard turned his head, beginning to listen in on the men's conversation. "We finally did it," One of the men boasted, the others laughing as they patted him on the back, "We caught the Great Lioness. Can you believe it? And she didn't even put up a fight. She just gave herself up."
One of the others scoffed, shaking his head. "She's up to something, I know it. We've been chasing her for what? Almost two months now, yet she gave herself up willingly. So did Robb Stark. The second they heard about the wolves, they gave themselves up." He explained and Rickard's eyes widened, realizing what they were saying meant his parents were alive and near.
While the Hound wasn't paying attention, Rickard slipped off the horse and made his way toward the men.
The men were speaking of Annalys and Robb, not even noticing Rickard coming up behind them. Before they could even react, Rickard stabbed one of the men in the back six times with his dagger, raising alarm with the others.
The men's eyes widened at the sight of Rickard. They began to move toward him, but before they could, the Hound stepped protectively in front of the Prince.
Two men lunged at the Hound, but he was able to cut them down at ease. He backhanded another across the face, kicking him so hard on the back that he fell to the ground.
Rickard watched closely as the Hound continued to easily kill each man that came their way. While no one was looking, Rickard picked up a dead man's sword off the ground.
He spun it in hand, switching hands as he tried to measure it in his hand in order to get the best grip on it. Once he was ready, he rushed forward, moving toward the man who was on the verge of stabbing the Hound in the back as he fought off two other men.
Rickard stabbed the man in the back and the Hound briefly gave him a shocked look at his skills before continuing to fight.
Rickard turned toward a man who was crawling toward his sword. Rickard kicked the man in his face and once he fell backward, onto the ground, he stabbed him right in the throat with the sword.
Another man lunged at him and before he could even react, Rickard lifted up his sword and the man's face ended up colliding with it. The man screamed in agony as he was unable to stop the sword from going right through him.
With droplets of blood covering his face, Rickard slowly turned to the Hound, no emotion in his eyes.
The Hound stared at him closely, surprised that he was able to kill those men at just twelve-years-old. "How--" He began to ask, only to have Rickard cut him.
"It wasn't my first kill," Rickard confessed, much to the Hound's surprise, "I am not just the son of Robb Stark, after all. My mother is Annalys Lannister, the biggest murderer there is, yet people love her despite it."
With that, Rickard began to walk away as if nothing happened, much to the Hound's frustration. "Next time you're about to do something like that, warn me first," The Hound warned in a low tone.
"I'll keep that in mind," Rickard sarcastically replied.
The Hound ended up walking past Rickard, who stopped and frowned when he looked down to see an unknown silver coin lying on the ground. It had a face on it and it seemed familiar to the boy for some odd reason.
He immediately recalled seeing one in Ambrose's grasp years before and his Aunt Arya's. It was Braavosi, but what did it mean?
Rickard simply shrugged, placing the coin in his pocket before following after the Hound.
____
Just South of them, where the Brotherhood was hiding out at, Lyanna practiced her skills with a bow, shooting arrows into a straw man. Anguy stood nearby, watching each shot she made while Harrold sat nearby as well.
"Lord Florent," Lyanna said before she shot one of her arrows into the straw man's neck.
"Margaery Tyrell."
Second shot.
"Loras Tyrell."
Another shot.
"Leyton Hightower."
Fourth shot.
Anguy smiled slightly, moving toward Lyanna with his arms crossed. "You're good," He told her, causing her to turn to look at him and roll her eyes, "But you're not as good as you think you are."
"What do you mean?" Lyanna frowned in confusion, gesturing toward the straw dummy, "I hit everywhere I wanted to."
"Aye, but you took your sweet time of it. You won't be fighting straw men when you call your banners at Casterly Rock and wage war on the Tyrells, Your Grace," He reminded her in a calm tone.
"Show me your position," Anguy encouraged Lyanna, who immediately obeyed his orders.
He sighed, taking a step toward her. "What?" She asked in annoyance, "I was always shit at archery. That was my brother's skill, not mine."
Anguy simply nodded, moving toward closer to the girl. He grabbed one of her elbows with one hand before placing the other on her back to help her get the right position. "Keep your elbow high. You want your back doing the hard labor," He explained and Lyanna drew the bowstring back, "You're holding. Never hold."
"Stop. You sound like my mother," She snapped at him lowly, earning a smirk from Anguy.
"Well, your mother was right," Anguy retorted, much to her annoyance, "Your muscles tense up when you hold. Pull the string back to the center of your chin and release. Never hold. Never aim. Your eye knows where it wants the arrow to go. Trust your eye."
Lyanna suddenly froze, squinting her eyes to see someone from afar. "Someone's out there," She whispered to Anguy softly.
Before he could react, Lyanna shoved the bow against the chest before unsheathing Lady's Wrath. She wasted no time running forward, clearly seeing something Anguy and Harrold did not.
"Stop!" Harrold shouted in alarm, rising from his seat to chase after the girl.
Lyanna ran through the group of trees, a smile forming on her lips as she stopped and found herself standing before Grey Wind, Dash, and Dawn. "Grey Wind?" Lyanna asked in disbelief, her eyes lighting up as she bent down.
She hugged all three direwolves tightly and despite Dawn being her direwolf, she was more relieved to see Grey Wind due to believing him to be dead. All three direwolves had blood staining their fur, which concerned Lyanna.
Anguy, Harrold, and a few others ran over, looking ahead instead of at Lyanna.
Angry pointed his bow at Melisandre as she lowered her red hood. "That's about far enough." He warned the woman in a stern tone.
"I come as a friend," Melisandre answered in a calm tone, keeping her eyes locked on Lyanna.
Anguy grabbed Lyanna by the arm, protectively pushing her behind him when he noticed the way Melisandre looked at her. "Begging your pardon, m'lady, but we'll be the judge of that."
Melisandre continued to stare at Lyanna, smiling. "Valar Morghulis."
"Valar Dohaeris," Lyanna replied with something she had been taught by her Aunt Arya, raising a brow at Melisandre as she walked past Anguy and moved closer to the Red Woman, "Why are you here?"
"Because you are," Melisandre answered, both of them speaking in High Valyrian.
"I'm sure you speak the common tongue, Red Woman," Lyanna announced, no longer speaking in High Valyrian but instead in the common tongue, "My new friends here don't speak High Valyrian. Now, tell us, why are you truly here?"
Melisandre sighed. She glanced between the group before looking toward Lyanna. "I need something from you, Princess Lyanna."
The men looked alarmed when they realizing Melisandre who had recognized Lyanna. Lyanna, however, seemed unbothered. "And what may that be?" She questioned in a sarcastic tone.
"Your blood," Melisandre answered in a calm tone, "There's magic in royal blood."
Lyanna turned her head, exchanging an uneasy look with Anguy.
____
Later on, after getting a bit of Lyanna's blood, Melisandre passed nearby, pulling a wagon. Lyanna watched her suspiciously as she stood with Anguy and another man who was only a few years older than her.
"I don't like that woman," She retorted coldly, earning a smirk from Anguy.
"That's 'cause you're a girl," He commented, beginning to laugh alongside the other man.
Lyanna rolled her eyes. She turned to look at him with an annoyed look. "What does that have to do with anything?" She asked them with an attitude, the two of them not realizing who they were talking to, "She's beautiful, I'll admit, but she's still untrustworthy."
Melisandre and Lyanna locked eyes briefly, just before Lyanna turned away with an uneasy look on her face.
___
"I've heard many speak of your father over the years," Allyria admitted, a smile forming on her lips as she continued to travel through the Riverlands with Eddard alone, "They all spoke highly of him. They loved him."
"He was the best man I'd ever met," Eddard confessed to Allyria truthfully, "I know many think that of their fathers, but..." He trailed off, letting out a small sigh, "My Uncle Jon once said love is the death of duty. He fell in love with a wildling once and in the end, he chose duty over love. My father, however, chose love. I know many would call him a fool because of it, but I was there. I witnessed how much he fought for my mother, I saw how much he loved her. He once walked into the Sept of Baelor just moments before it was about to blow up with wildfire, all to save my mother."
"Their love was legendary, as I'm told," Allyria nodded, smiling at the thought, "He was a good king, Eddard, even if he was just a consort. He and Queen Annalys made sure Dorne and the North were truly included in the Seven Kingdoms like no other rules did."
Eddard smiled, nodding his head in agreement. "My father once told me that being a ruler like he and my mother were was like being parents, except you have hundreds of thousands of children and you must worry about all of them. The farmers plowing the fields are yours to protect. The Orphans in Flea Bottom are yours to protect. The soldiers you order into battle...all of them." He explained and Allyria gradually began to smile.
"I wish I could have met him for myself," Allyria replied, continuing to smile, "He was a brave war hero who loved his family. He was loved by millions, even I know that."
"Yet he was killed all the same," Eddard admitted, a saddened look on his face as he avoided eye contact with the Dornish girl, "He and my mother. And now, all I have left is to avenge them."
Allyria sighed in defeat, quickly grabbing onto his hand. Eddard stopped, turning to face her. "Must you...avenge them?" She asked him softly, an uneasy look on her face, "You could die in battle fighting against the Tyrells. They have the most men. They're the only ones who haven't suffered great loss in their ranks after all these wars."
"If I die, I die, Allyria. At least I will not live the rest of my days living in fear, knowing the people who stole my family's throne and killed my family are still breathing," He explained in a calm tone, "I am the son of King Robb Stark and Queen Annalys Lannister. The men of Westeros will come to my aid in this war."
Allyria sighed in defeat. She remained silent, slowly looking down to see her still holding Eddard's hand. Tensing up, she quickly let go, turning away from the boy as she felt an odd sensation in her gut.
Eddard studied her actions closely, frowning in confusion. "Are you alright?" He asked, stepping forward to place a hand on her face.
Before he could, Allyria avoided his touch before turning to face him. "I'm fine, just hungry," She lied, forcing a smile on her face, "It's nearly nightfall. We should find food and set up camp nearby."
Eddard remained silent. He didn't question her. Instead, he simply nodded his head in agreement.
_____
Lord Florent's men had made camp for the night. Annalys has been bound to a tree while the men gathered around a nearby fire. Ser Jasper had been killed soon after their capture and honestly, Annalys couldn't bring herself to care. He was the one who decided to kidnap her in the first place.
Just then, Annalys heard an unknown woman whimper, causing her to turn her head to see some of Lord Florent's men bringing an unknown Dornish girl toward them.
She attempted to fight against the men's grip but clearly, there was no use in doing so.
"Chain to her over there," Florent commented, gesturing toward the tree next to Annalys'
Annalys watched closely, witnessing as the girl was chained to the three in the same fashion that Annalys had been.
The girl was Allyria, not that Annalys knew that.
Annalys turned to the girl, an annoyed look on her face. "What kind of foolish girl travels through the woods alone when the entire country is about to be at war?"
"You're her, aren't you?" Allyria softly asked, staring at Annalys as she began to recognize the Lannister woman, "How is that possible? You're supposed to be dead."
"Many people believe that, I'm afraid," Annalys answered sarcastically, letting out a small sigh in defeat.
"He thinks you're dead. He mourned you. He cried when he heard you were all dead. He wanted to die himself when he learned. He nearly did. His need for vengeance he kept him alive, though," She explained, earning a concerned look from Annalys, "How are you alive?"
Annalys' eyes widened suddenly, having the feeling she knew of whom Allyria spoke up. She turned and glanced around. She made sure no one was within hearing distance before turning to look at her once more. "Eddard?" Annalys asked softly, her eyes beginning to fill with tears.
When Allyria nodded her head in confirmation, Annalys practically cried in relief. "I've been traveling through the Riverlands with him for weeks now. We're headed North. He wants to call his banners."
Annalys sighed in defeat at the revelation, clearly unhappy about it but knew she couldn't do anything about it. "Where is he now?" She asked softly, an uneasy look on her face.
"Looking for me, presumably," Allyria answered in a calm tone, "I've been at his side since I nursed him back to health right after King's Landing was taken by the Tyrells. We only parted so that we may find food. Now that it is nightfall, he'll be wondering where I've gone off to."
"And like his father, he'll have a need to be the hero and it will get him killed," Annalys realized, sounding slightly annoyed, "I'm going to get you out of here. I promise..." she trailed off, giving the girl a curious look, "What is your name?"
"Allyria," She replied politely and Annalys nodded.
"I'll give you out of here, Allyria. You must watch over my son, I beg you. He's all alone. He needs someone at a time like this. And you can't tell him that I'm alive," She explained and before the younger girl could question her, Annalys cut her off, "Do not tell him I'm alive. He can't know it. He'll do something rash and reckless and it will get him killed. He's like his father in that aspect. I will get out of here soon and I will return to him. For now, he must think I am dead as everyone else does."
Allyria looked hesitant, but nodded her head in understanding. Annalys was right. Eddard would, indeed, do something rash. He was his father's son, after all.
The two women turned, watching as Lord Florent and his men approached them once more. "I'll take the Dornish bitch first. When she's good and wet, you lot can finish her off." He decided as he and his men helped Allyria to her feet.
He grabbed her by the chin and attempted to kiss her. She ended up spitting on his face, causing him to slap her in retaliation. She headbutted one of the four men around her, but with her hands bound, she had no chance but to give up on fighting back.
"You're only making it worse," one of the men pointed out and Allyria headbutted him again, only to get another series of blows in return.
"Take her over there where it's dark. I'd like a little privacy," Florent ordered and the men immediately obeyed, Allyria yelling and screaming as they led her away.
"You know who she is, don't you?" Annalys found herself speaking up, even though it was a lie.
"I really don't care, Lannister."
"She's Elia Sand, a Bastard daughter of Prince Oberyn Martell," She lied in a calm tone and Florent immediately tensed up, "His favorite daughter, too. Ever heard of Prince Oberyn Martell, my lord? The Red Viper," She asked and immediately noticed the way he tensed up in genuine fear, "Free her. Take me instead," she paused, her quivering as she tried not to cry, "Do whatever you want to me, just let her go. If you let her go, I'll tell you where the gold is hidden at Casterly Rock...And...And where my crown is hidden."
Florent's eyes lit up, clearly wanting to get his hands on her crown as everyone else did. Little did anyone know, Lyanna had it. She had her father's, too.
Allyria screamed and yelled in the distance while Lord Florent processed the information Annalys gave him. Finally, he sighed and turned towards his men. "Bring her back here."
"Yes, my lord," One of the men responded, grabbing Allyria by the arm, "Get up. Come on, on your feet."
The men brought Allyria back over and the Dornish girl stared at Annalys closely, a frown on her face.
She had no idea what was happening at that moment and reluctantly allowed the men to tie her to a tree once more.
Annalys stared at her closely and nodded in assurance. "If we let her go, you'll tell us where your crown is hidden." Lord Florent spoke up, causing Annalys to look back at him.
"Yes, and you'll be be a rich man till the end of your days. And your sons will be rich men and their sons after them. Lands, titles—you can have them all after you get your hands on that crown. And..." she trailed off, an uneasy, yet pleading look on her face, "You can have me. You can have me in anyway you want. I won't even fight you. Just let her go. Please."
Lord Florent smirked at Annalys' words while others chuckled. "Hard to argue with that offer."
"If this is going to happen, I suggest you unchain me from this tree," Annalys managed to get out, trying her hardest not to break down.
Florent nodded, turning to address some of his men, "Unchain Lady Lannister from the tree."
The group of men walked over to Annalys, wasting no time unchaining her. "Suppose we'll be wanting some privacy."
"Whatever you want, Ser," Annalys forced her to respond, "Just let her go."
"You have my word," He promised but by the way he did it, Annalys knew something wasn't right.
Florent helped her stand and Annalys groaned from his soreness in her legs. Allyria watched them closely as they walked away towards the fire.
Before Annalys could react, one of men kicked Annalys' knees out from under her, causing her to yell out as she fell to the ground.
"On the stump," He demanded in a stern tone and another man forced Annalys' left hand onto the stump while the others held her down. Florent grabbed Annalys' face and drew the large carving knife he now held closer to her eye.
"You think you're the smartest person there is, don't you?" He questioned, letting out a loud laugh, "That everyone alive has to bow and scrape and lick your boots."
"I—" She began to say, only to get cut off before she could finish.
"And if you get in any trouble, all you've got to do is say 'my name is Annalys Lannister ' and that's it, all your troubles are gone," He explained, inching his knife closer to her eye.
"Don't," Annalys pleaded, knowing for a fact some part of her body was going to be removed that night.
"Have you got something to say?" He asked her viscously and Annalys remained silent, refusing to answer, "Careful. You don't want to say the wrong thing. You're nothing without your crown, and you're no longer queen. Never forget that. You're nothing but the bastard daughter of the Kingslayer. The whore of Casterly Rock."
Florent stood back up, releasing Annalys' face as he withdrew the knife from inching toward her eye. "Here, this should help you remember," he suddenly remarked
as he whipped himself back around and cleaved the knife he held through Annalys' left wrist in a single blow.
Annalys stared down at her severed hand in disbelief, wasting no time letting out a loud scream in agony.
He cut off her hand. Annalys had been distraught years ago when the Baratheon soldiers had broken her hand, but now, it was actually gone.
It wasn't the pain that made her scream, either. It was out of fear, fear that she'd never be the same after losing such a big part of herself.
In a way, she was her hand. The fear she inspired was built on her left hand. Now, it was gone.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Ok, you can't even say this wasn't planned. I've been giving subtle hints for this since the previous book when those Baratheon soldiers destroyed her hand the first time around.
After that moment, she learned how to properly fight with both hands and in the act before this one, I didn't just randomly put that conversation between Olyvar and Annalys. It was meant to hint at something.
I mean, look...
If that ain't hinting at it, idk what is 🤷🏻♀️
Also, if you haven't realized it yet, Allyria and Eddard are gradually falling in love with each other which is honestly something happy to see while all this other miserable and sad stuff is happening 😭