Shireen Baratheon
King's Tower a day after sentencing.
Shireen sat around the table, her betrothed beside her Orys Targaryen. He scanned the map, the forces they had, and what they were up against as they waited for their supporters to enter. Then the door creaked open, slowly Howland Reed, Maege Mormont, Tormund Giantsbain, Sigorn Thenn with his wife Alys Karstark, and the commander of Nigth Watch Eddison Tollett.
"Welcome, I hope you had a good night's rest after yesterday's events," Orys questioned. "I did your grace, even if the screams of witch still ring in my head," Howland said, and the others nodded.
"Well, the witch deserved it," Orys growled and smiled at her. "Well, to begin with, we have the beginnings of an army. The Freefolk and the remaining men of Stannis, now Shireen's, will be the start. Yet, speaking of the Freeflok, the expedition to the Hardhome, what happened?" Orys asked, looking at the big red wildling.
"Val, King Crow, she took a force of the Freefolk yet hasn't returned. Yet the journey isn't a simple one. She left roughly a moon before your return." Tormund replied.
"Hmm, alright, we just have hope she can bring them here. If she returns, she can coordinate with Edd on how he wants to use them to man the Wall. Yet, how many men do you have in total?" Orys continued.
"hmm, those that can fight. Around five thousand, including thirty-three giants. The rest are women, children, and old people, a little more than that number. They have been settled in the Gift." Tormund replied, and then Ory's gaze turned to others. Soon they had 300 Thenns, 100 Mormonts, and 250 trained archers still stationed in the Neck.
"Your father went against my advice to go and gather mountain clans and left to join the Karstarks let by Arnolf. They betrayed him, and they now firmly stand with the Boltons." Orys stated, his gaze sweeping from her to Alys.
"Not this Karstark. My brother is still imprisoned in the South, as far as I know. Until he and I are dead, we are leaders of the Karstarks. Your brother and my father both acted like fools. Gods, I loved my father, but he killed two boys for the crimes of another. I don't forgive that act, yet your brother killed him, a lord of the North, during the war. He broke the bonds of kinship. Yet you healed them when you saved me, and now I'm married to a good man. I stand beside you until the end." Alys proclaimed, and Orys gave a grateful note.
"Well, I say, we split our forces. One will march to Last Hearth and capture it. Unfortunately, Hother leads them as regent in the absence of the Greatjon. Still imprisoned at Twins. Is it true Mors died in the battle for Winterfell? I'm correct." Orys said, looking toward Howland and Maege for confirmation.
"Yes, Grace," Maege confirmed, and Orys nodded. "The other force under the leadership of Sigorn and Alys will take Karhold. After it falls, they will rally the willing vassals there, and from there..." Then a knock broke Orys his telling.
Orys sighed, "Come in." Then, the current keeper of the raven's Barret came in holding a letter bearing the seal of East Watch Bye Sea. Edd took it and gave the man a thank before the man hurried out the door.
"What is it?" Orys asked. "This says a group of twenty-five longships arrived. Declaring for the man who rides a black shadow and walks in a white cloak." 'Did he they mean Orys? He road Nightwing and told her he could warg into his wolf.' Shireen wondered. Intrigued, she leaned forward. "There is more, they also say, that a boy calling himself…" Edd's eyes sprung as he read the letter. "What is it, Edd?" Orys asked.
Instead of answering, Edd gave the letter to Orys. "I had lost hope of his survival." Orys gasped, his voice thick with emotion. "Orys?" She said softly and laid her hand on his arm. "Rickon is alive; he has been hiding about Skagos all this time. The Skagosi sheltered him, and they railed behind him and me. They brought over 1500 men to East Watch. A group of them is currently heading here." Orys exclaimed helply. Cheers erupted from the gather, and Orys pulled half from her seat, embraced her, and kissed her.
Then, a fake cough from Howland broke them out of their happiness. After she and Orys broke apart, the group clucked. "It seemed Your Grace, you and the Princess. Have you made a decision, "Howland asked. "Yes, we have the Princess, and I will be married soon, here at Wall, before we depart," Orys replied happily, pulling her close.
"Congratulations, as well as the return of Rickon Stark," Howland said, smiling. "A good match, Your Grace, also a chance to heal the wounds of the past," Maege said.
"Thank you all, and it seems the North has its Lord of Winterfell back. Unless Bran returns, then he will be the lord of Winterfell. If he does, we will need a lord of the Dreadfort after all." Orys added, grinning. Earing happy smirks from the rest.
"Also, one more thing, and Shireen, I have no doubt you will enjoy this news. Davos Seaworth is still alive. He is traveling with Rickon." Orys added, grinning. "Truly?" She asked, her mouth gaping. "Yes, he is coming to her with Rickon. How or why he went to Skagos, I do not know, yet I'm sure it will be an interesting tale." Orys explained. Shireen hugged him, and she felt warmth and happiness at the news. As the Davos had been family, his death had been a painful memory now. It all seemed like a mumery.
Howland and Maege frowned. "Damn you, Wyman," Maege said with a scowl. "Lady Mormont," Shireens said. "The man pretended to be loyal to Boltons and the damn Lannisters. As you know, Wendel Wyman's son, like my own Dacey, died at the Red Wedding. Wylis, Wyman's eldest, was captured. He played a farse to make sure the Boltons, Freys, and Lannisters believed he was on their side so he could save his son from captivity."
"Yet, all the while, he has been loyal to the Starks." Orys laughed, then turned to her. "As I remember, you said your father received word of Davos's death and Manderlys defection."
"He did, but it seems Lord Manderly sent him to Skagos. To find your brother." She replied, smiling, and Orys nodded, and his gaze returned to rest.
"Well, before we received the news of the return of a son of Winterfell and Ser Davos. I spoke of what we should do after the Karhold falls. Considering we now have around 1500 Skagosi, I say a smaller part of the Freefolk will join Sigorn and Alys and, together with Skagosi, take Karhold. After Karhold falls, you will rally the willing vassals and siege and take the Dreadfort. Perhaps with the help of the Manderly forces, the difficulty decreases. Although I don't know where Lord Wyman is, they can't if he is in Winterfell." Orys commanded.
"As you say so, Your Grace. Yet the Dreadfort is a formidable bastion. It will be a difficult siege." Alys replied. "I think that's true, but I suspect the Dreadfort is a lightly manned. Most of Roose's men are in Winterfell. Also, I have no doubt the threat of death isn't an unhelpful motivator for them to surrender. Or perhaps sway them to bend the knee, to free them from Bolton's rule. I doubt the Boltons have inspired much loyalty over the years." Orys explained. 'Why not use the dragons to inspire fear?' She wondered.
"Orys, why don't you use the dragons?" She asked. "I have wondered the same, Your Grace," Maege added.
"The dragons are powerful, to be sure, and will help in the wars to come. Yet, they don't inspire loyalty. I don't want men to flok to me out of fear. Or that this is a sure thing. I want men to rally out on duty and fight against the tyranny of Boltons. With the falls of Karhold and the Last Hearth, we will inspire others to believe that we are a cause to rally around. After when the battle against the Boltons comes, I will announce them and who I am, but not before. So, tell the men that no word is spread about the dragons." Orys explained.
"Very well," Howland said. "As you say, King Crow," Tormund added.
"Well, after the Last Hearth has fallen, and we negotiate the terms with them. I will march toward the mountain clans, and I will rally them. They are one, and the Skagosi were not truly rallied when my brother marched south. After I have done so, I will march to Ironrath and free House Forster from the Whitehills. From there, I shall travel to Deepwood Motte. I rally the men of lord Galbert. From there, I will march to Rills and Barrowland. As of now, the situation over there is unknown. Either we have to fight some battles, or maybe they remember their old loyalties. The Ryswells and Lady Dustin have been icey with my kin ever since Lord Eddard returned without Lord Willaim Dustin's body, and there are rumors Brandon Stark and Brabery had an affair before her marriage." Orys explained, his hand moving over the map.
"What, where will we go after Your Grace," Howland asked. "Hmm, castle Crywn, and from there to Winterfell, a section of the men will slip off and take Moat Calin. Howland, I have no doubt you can take together with your men. We must take it because it is the main entrance in the North. If we control it, the Boltons will also be unable to call on reinforcements from the Frey's and the Lannisters." Orys explained, then looked to Howland.
"I can take the Moat for you, Your Grace," Howland replied.
"Well, these are the plans: to retake the North, rally your men. Explain the plan, I want us to move within a week." Orys ended. Received nods of approval from the gathered.
"Edd, did it work?" Orys asked. "It did. They all turned. They have been put into crates. Let's say it wasn't easy." Edd replied dryly. She then looked at him expectantly, wondering if he would show her the wights.
"Good, we have our proof. Two of the wights will travel with each army as marches. It will be an extra motivator to rally around." Orys added, then gave her a look. "You will all see it. Soon enough, but I wouldn't take them out of the crates if I didn't have to." Orys explained.
"I agree, I haven't seen them, Your Grace, but you came back from the dead too. So I will wait until the time is right." Maege added, receiving nodes approval of the rest.
"That's all for today. I wish you all a good night's rest," Orys said, dismissing the gathering. Soon, only she and Orys remained.
"Well, there it is—the plan. The beginning of reclaiming the North. The first step toward setting this broken world to rights," Orys said with a sigh, sinking into a chair.
"I don't know much about battles," Shireen began softly, "but you seem confident. You have the respect of the men around you. They'll follow you and trust your choices." She reached out, resting her hand gently on his.
Orys smiled, his gaze softening. "How is the maiden's cloak coming along?"
Shireen returned his smile. "Better than I expected. I'm using one of my father's old banners to make it. Though I'm removing the flaming heart. I want nothing to do with the Lord of Light ever again, if I can help it."
"Good," Orys said with a nod. "Your father may have been a skilled military leader, but as a king, he made one of his gravest mistakes by accepting the Lord of Light as his god. It alienated many of his people. That decision is likely to bring challenges for me as well, but I follow the Old Gods. They've watched over these lands since long before the Andals arrived. Even the followers of the Seven, odd as they may find it, respect that."
"You're not wrong," Shireen said, her voice tinged with bitterness. "That god only brought out the worst in my father."
"True," Orys agreed. "Power is always dangerous. It draws out our darkest impulses and corrupts even the best of us. Since I gained power, I've done things both good and ill. I know there are more choices ahead that will seem cruel. The worst thing I've ever done, though, was not long after I became Lord Commander."
Shireen looked at him curiously. "What did you do?"
"Do you remember Gilly?"
"I do."
Orys exhaled heavily. "I separated her from her child. The boy here at the Wall isn't Mance's son. I switched them. I had a feeling your father would burn Mance's child alive, believing he had kingsblood. And... I think that's why your father burned you, Shireen, because the boy here wasn't Mance. I'm sorry." He held her hand tightly, his expression pained.
Shireen's voice trembled, but her resolve was steady. "Orys, what happened to me wasn't your fault. It was the witch and my parents. What you did may have been cruel, but it was a necessary evil."
He studied her face, then nodded slowly. "Thank you. I just didn't want that secret hanging over us." Leaning forward, he kissed her gently.
After a moment, he broke the silence. "You know, I found something while going through Maester Aemon's chambers. Your father's men ransacked the place, but I managed to recover an old Targaryen cloak. It's a bit faded, but it'll serve for the ceremony. I also found more letters between my father and Aemon. They wrote about the prophecy, the Song of Ice and Fire. Aemon even spoke of my mother and how he found the ice for his fire. He wrote that he loved her and Elia, too. It gives me peace to know they loved each other despite the mistakes they made along the way."
Shireen kissed him then, her lips warm and soft against his. "I'm happy for you," she whispered.
"Thank you," Orys murmured, a smile spreading across his face. "And you've made me very happy. Soon, even happier."
He leaned in again, closing the distance, and kissed her once more.
Hello everyone!
If you've enjoyed my stories and would like to support my work, consider joining my community. Your support means the world to me and helps me continue creating the content you and I love.
By becoming a Patreon, you'll get access to exclusive benefits like:
- Early access to new chapters (two months ahead)
- Writing and story updates.
- Access to concept art for the stories.
- And, of course, you will support me.
- And much more!
Join now and be part of a community that loves and supports creativity. Your contribution makes a huge difference and allows me to keep bringing you exciting new stories.
If you want to join, go to Patreon. Copy this link : www.patreon.com/HeroDut1998
Thank you for all your support!
(This link will be added to all the stories that will hit five chapters)
Thank you for reading.
End Note : I wish to formally declare that I hold no ownership over any lines, worldbuilding aspects, or characters derived from the following works: "Game of Thrones," "House of the Dragon" TV show, or the broader "A Song of Ice and Fire" universe.
The credit for the creation of these literary elements rightfully belongs to HBO and George R.R. Martin for their contribution in crafting this rich and immersive world.
The narrative presented herein utilizes elements from these works solely for the purpose of constructing a new story.
I hold the rights solely to the original elements introduced within the context of the story I've created. This includes new characters, plot developments, and any unique narrative elements that are not directly derived from pre-existing works such as "Game of Thrones," "House of the Dragon," or the broader "A Song of Ice and Fire" universe.
Thanks for the read, and don't repost this story. If not given permission.