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Raiden's Storm Chapter 95: Soaring Dragons
🕑 Added 2024-11-11 01:22:16 +0000 UTC[Edric’s POV]
As the weeks went by, the Nightfort rapidly began looking more and more like a fortress than a ruin of the past. My thirteenth nameday had also passed, marking the beginning of the end. There weren’t any further ‘canon’ events I could ‘foresee’. Another ill from Georgie not finishing his books…
Though, many things had deviated already. For instance, Tyrion hadn’t ever manipulated Young Griff into invading early… meaning that he likely went to Daenerys. There’s a chance she joins hands with him which would place me in an unfavorable spot.
The armies aren’t that big of a deal, but the dragons…
If they had any strategy between them, they could outmaneuver me with ease. While I might be able to defeat them in battle, I am one man and can only be at one place at a time… and no horse in the world is as swift as an adult dragon. In that scenario, they wouldn’t defeat me - but they’d defeat and conquer the Seven Kingdoms. Or most of it, at least.
Even if I won, I’d have only lost… the damage from such a war wouldn’t be trivial in the slightest.
…
“A strange yet fine sword.” Donal Noye observed the Nodachi I had forged. It was a strange hybrid of Japanese ideas and Westerosi forging. “It would be no good for penetrating armour, but it will surely cut all else with ease.”
“That is its intended purpose.” I nodded. “I don’t need a sword to penetrate armour as I will have a Warhammer that breaks through it better than any sword would ever be able to.”
“The blade is sharp and strong. You also work quite fast. The smith at Storm’s End taught you well. This sword… could almost be considered castle-forged in terms of quality. There are a number of imperfections that you could have ironed out.”
“Well, I was rushing a bit..."
"I've watched you long enough to know most of your strengths and weaknesses." Donal Noye nodded. "I doubt you will stay here for long enough to master smithing properly; so I will teach you how to improve your foundation and give you all the knowledge necessary to be as good as me... so long as you practice. I will show you how I made that Warhammer as well, so that you won't have to keep coming to me for a new one each time you break it."
I chuckled. "That would be convenient."
"As I only have one arm this time around, I will need a helping hand."
"I'm under your instruction." I nodded, eager to see how that kind of Warhammer could be forged.
...
After a day and most of the night helping at the forge, Donal Noye went off to retire for the day. Even though he's mighty strong for a one-armed man, he is not so young. I played around a bit after he left before going out to see what's been happening in the Nightfort.
What better place than the highest tower? I left the forge and got to climbing stairs.
The Night's Watch, having cleared all the unwanted trees, had been focused on the stonemason side of things. Almost all of the walls were rebuilt and reinforced. One rising matter of concern had been the greater number of mouths to feed for the Night's Watch. The number wasn't even a third before, and in the last couple hundred years, the Gift's villages and holdfasts were abandoned due to frequent raids from wildlings.
The wildlings who had gone south with the Northern lords would help with this, but... I believe the Night's Watch should be able to sustain itself through the Gift - as it did in the past. Unfortunately, nature had reclaimed most of the land. It had been neglected in recent history and would need plenty of work to get it under order.
It was a matter more important than restoring further castles...
If the men couldn't feed themselves, what would be the point? Perhaps it was the first thing I should've focused on.
While I was in my thoughts, I observed the happenings of the Nightfort from above. With my enhanced eyesight, I could see everything clearly within view - almost like a falcon. Not quite as good, but more than good enough.
I saw Jaime Lannister putting in work alongside the other black brothers, helping seal any cracks in the walls. As I turned to one of the yards, in the corner of my eye, I saw Arya sparring with Val. I raised a curious eyebrow.
What's that girl doing?
She was losing rather easily, but learning. As they continued, I saw that Val had been quite fond of the little wolf. And, as Val was a fighter in her own right, Arya naturally looked up to her. I didn't pay much attention to it before, but they are eerily similar. Val is fierce, wild, brave and capable. She is quite graceful and beautiful as well, which Arya tends to be insecure about... it is a small wonder she would look up to the wildling.
As I kept looking down, Arya's eyes shifted to me, and I turned away, acting like I hadn't been nosey all along.
If only she knew about that incident... their bond wouldn't be as good, I'd imagine. Ignorance is bliss - after all.
I didn't notice anything else worth looking into, so I walked off into the yard for a bit of late-night practice. Ser Loras and the Hound were getting into it, with neither looking like they had any desire to concede. I gestured for them to cease and then called over Jaime Lannister.
"What is this about... Your Grace?" He raised an eyebrow, the right way of addressing me still being foreign to him.
"Well, you were so very confident in yourself earlier. If I recall correctly, you said you'd best all of my Kingsguard... all at once?" I grinned slightly, stroking my chin. "What do you say about having a fun little wager regarding this, Ser?"
"What game are you playing?"
"Unfortunately, there are only three present... but it will do. I shall also be fair; you will fight them one at a time. If you win and best all three in a row, I'll restore you as a Kingsguard. If you lose, well... you're not as good as you think you are. Or, mayhaps, you underestimated my Kingsguard."
"I see." Jaime Lannister chuckled. "You have a King's pride now. However, I am far from my best. You would know that I've been working from the morrow."
"Your diligence is quite outstanding indeed, Ser," I added with a bit of sarcasm. "However, everyone has been working quite hard these days. I'd say it is very much equal. Besides, if you were soooo much better, it wouldn't matter... believe me, it wouldn't be any easier with Ser Arthur added to the mix. If anything, I'm making this easier for you."
Most of the people who heard of the conversation had turned their attention to the yard, almost like a crowd of students when a fight was about to break out.
"And what do you have to gain from this - amusement, or is it being right?"
"Both." I smiled. "I do love proving people wrong."
"This will be easy." Jaime's expression changed to one of supreme confidence, or perhaps, arrogance. His composure reflected a person who thought they couldn't be beaten. Calmly, he drew his sword from its sheath and turned to me. "What are the rules?"
"Let's not wound each other too much. You claim to be the greatest swordsman so there'll be no armour - first to draw blood from the other wins. Naturally, only swords may be used."
"I see."
Jaime, wearing no armour already, turned to the Kingsguard who began removing their armour.
"Which of you shall be first?"
"Loras, why don't you go?" I smiled, curious as to who would triumph over the other.
"As you wish, Your Grace."
Loras, after removing his armour, dutifully stepped forward, drew his sword and measured up the Kingslayer.
~
[Daenery's POV]
Daenerys observed in silence, contemplating the offer. He made it sound like he was her best chance at overcoming Edric Storm… yet that was hardly what she saw. If her dragons, once they were grown, couldn't best him, what difference would Aegon and the Golden Company make? She had the dragons, yet he would be named King which was a position that held all the power.
To rule as equals… well, there was a reason why the Seven Kingdoms never had a queen rule with complete power. Daenerys knew enough history to know that she would be undermined.
To add to that, he had called her current duty as a hopeless endeavour…
“Certainly defeat him? What do you know of victory, boy?” Ser Barristan had interrupted her thoughts. “His Grace has fought more battles in a year than you will ever see in your lifetime. He brought down Tywin Lannister during a siege in a single day, singlehandedly, and without the loss of a single man. He put out another Greyjoy Rebellion before Balon even had the time to raise his banners - despite invading with an initially sparse fleet. He took their ships for his own and turned their greatest advantage against them.”
“Ser Barristan..." Jon Connington turned to the knight, surprised. "What are you doing here?"
"I was delivered to aid the princess by His Grace."
"...?" This perplexed the man. "Where do your loyalties truly lay? Are you but a dog for whoever sits on the Iron Throne? You served the prince's mortal enemy, the very man who slew him in battle and brought down the dynasty you had served all your life. Prince Rhaegar would have wished for this alliance... yet, even now, you still stand with the Baratheons while protecting an opposing claimant."
"I made an oath," Barristan replied sharply. "And I will uphold it."
"How can a knight be so loyal...yet disloyal?" Jon questioned.
"This alliance will bring no good to anyone." Barristan shook his head. "What you intend to do is charge into the gates of death and drag down the princess with you."
"Death? What can a single boy do against three dragons?"
"By the time those dragons have matured, His Grace would have as well," Barristan remarked. "I fear the latter would be far more formidable than you could ever imagine."
"And what man is equal to a dragon?" Jon scoffed.
"What man arms himself with the sky?" Barristan countered.
"..."
"You've not seen what I have-"
"... I don't understand." Aegon interrupted, raising an eyebrow. "Why is it that the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard is here - at the other side of the world? You said you are here of your false king's commands... yet I question why would he go so far for a likely enemy?"
"In this case, I believe he sought to prevent war. His Grace does not have the same hatred for the Targaryens as his father did."
"He fears what the dragons would be capable of," Aegon added, shaking his head as he turned to Daenerys. "Surely you wouldn't buy this farce? The Usurper slew your brother, father, forced you into exile and a life of poverty... why would you make peace with his bastard son? If you never came across that miracle and gained enough power to challenge him, would he bother speaking of peace - would he aid you in your struggles then?"
"No... you'd be dead or worse."
A moment of silence washed over the audience hall. Daenerys looked at her guests, and then at the guards and advisors. Before they would speak, she raised her hand. Her mind had been made a while back.
"I made a vow that I would rule over Meereen for as long as it takes to achieve long-standing change. If I walked away and left a third city in chaos - what queen would I be? All would return to how it was before, worse even..." Daenerys shook her head. "You brushed the matter aside, calling it a hopeless endeavour, yet you could not be more wrong. It only seems a hopeless endeavour - to you."
"You need my dragons more than I need the Golden Company."
"These aren't even your people-"
"And you spoke of my struggles." Daenerys interrupted, raising an eyebrow. "Where was this Golden Company when my brother begged for your support? Where was your aid? All I recall is laughter - laughter and not a single coin for support, not a copper. Shall I hold it against you, same as you ask of me for Edric Storm?"
That seemed to silence them. The Gold Company's officers looked at each other before one of them stepped forward.
"Princess-"
"Queen."
"... My Queen." The rather aged man hesitated for a moment. He did not look to be a warrior, though his uniform was the most lavish of them all - except for the prince himself. "We've come a long way to see you in person. Is there truly nothing we can offer that might change your mind?"
"..."
Daenerys thought about it for a moment. She considered asking for their support in Meereen's shadow war, and yet...
"Your ships would sink, your little army would drown, and I would shoot your dragons out of the bloody sky."
Edric's words echoed as she imagined his startling purple eyes once more, eyes that made Aegon's look so very dim and unthreatening. She could see his warhammer falling on the prince and crushing him beneath it in a field of green flame.
"No." Daenerys determined. "I will not wage war on Edric Storm with you."
"..." Aegon frowned, likely wishing to say something unpleasant. He seemed to keep it to himself, however.
"If you have nothing else to say, please excuse yourselves. I doubt the number of petitions is any smaller than before."
"We bid you farewell."
Aegon abruptly turned and stormed off with his cloak fluttering. The rest followed not soon after, and Daenerys continued with her day. Had it been the right decision? She would question herself all day.
When night came... so did the unexpected.
...
"A strange man with shark-like teeth asked me to deliver this message. He said something poetic... soaring dragons will reclaim the land, if I can recall."
One of the Golden Company's men handed a letter to the Captain-General Harry Strickland. The man raised an eyebrow, unsealing the letter and giving it a look. At the bottom left corner, he noticed a familiar insignia. His expression turned to a frown, and then a thoughtful look.
"That bastard... is here?" He muttered.
"What is that about?" Aegon questioned.
"... Nothing to worry about."
"I'd like to see it."
...
In the middle of the night, Daenerys was suddenly awoken by the sound of bells. This alarm didn't mean anything good, this much she knew. Had the Golden Company taken he rejection so sourly that they would attack her directly?
She got dressed and rushed outside.
Belwas stood outside of her door, armed and ready.
"What is happening?" She asked, breathing heavier from her heart racing.
"... Strong Belwas heard they stormed the lowest floor-"
"My children."
In the distance, she could hear their roars.
She clenched her fists as her heart raged with fury.
They had come for Rhaegal and Viserion.
