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Chapter 55 - To War
🕑 Added 2025-10-23 22:19:58 +0000 UTCAsgard
Robert whistled.
Wun Weg Wun, having cleaned up and donned his new Valyrian steel armor, looked imposing. Twelve feet of muscle encased in armor indestructible by the current metallurgy of this world, with an eight-foot-long club and a tower shield if necessary, the giant was a walking tank.
“I hope it is to your liking, my lord. I have considered embellishing the armor, but time was short.” Tobho’s exhaustion was clear.
Robert didn’t mind how plain the armor looked. Sure, some skulls or sigils here and there would make Wun Weg Wun appear even more terrifying, but there would be time for it later. “No, no, this is great. Well done, Master Tobho.”
Tobho bowed deeply. “It is my pleasure, Lord Robert, to work with so much Valyrian steel.” Stepping foot on Valyria and taking the steel of the dragonlords was an experience no one else could have offered.
“Wun Weg, how is it? Good?”
The giant grinned, rolling his shoulders and swinging the club around to get a feeling. “Good.” He nodded, putting on his helmet for show.
“The Ironborn won’t know what hit them.” Now if only he could have armed more giants.
—
Some religious nutcases tried to burn down the houses allocated to the children, but the guards posted by Robert for that exact reason caught them.
Their corpses dangled outside the city gates.
Friction between humans and the newest additions to Asgard was inevitable, and Robert decided to address it before things became too problematic to handle.
“People of Asgard.” His voice carried over to the thousands gathered in front of Valhalla to hear their lord.
Two of the dragons, Obelisk and Slifer, sat on either side of Robert, as if they were enormous guard dogs.
“Now, I am aware that having the Children of the Forest and the giants here is unsettling to you.” There were grumblings of agreement, but the dissidents quickly shut up when Robert’s eyes narrowed.
Robert pointed towards the gates of the city. “But, I am not holding any of you here by force. If you wish to leave, leave. I’ll even help you pack up so I can give those houses to the thousands waiting.”
Losing their free houses, especially since they were so well built, discouraged many people from listening to the septon’s words anymore.
“I can’t force you to talk and befriend the giants or the children. However, they are citizens of Asgard like you, and the law applies to everyone. If either side starts something, I’ll finish it.” Robert warned. It may look like he was defending the newcomers against his already established people, but Robert was only treating everyone equally.
He pointed towards the Demon’s Hill this time. “I am off to war now, to put those squids down permanently, but if I hear any trouble when I return, you’ll see why that demon’s corpse hangs there, and not the other way around.”
“And of course, the part you are all curious about.” Robert nodded to Sandor, and his guard pushed the Valyrian steel cage imprisoning the White Walker, quickly pulling the rug covering the creature.
The crowd gasped collectively, shying away from the White Walker, waiting as if she would strike them down with her magic any second. Several smallfolk fainted, while even more left the square.
“There is nothing to fear; she is a prisoner right now and not a danger.” The rest of the speech was spent calming the people down.
—
“My lord, since you are insistent on not waiting for the Stormlords, we can sail tomorrow.” Davos, with no small help from Lord Tyrion, had prepared the fleets as best as he could. Sailing for war wasn’t his forte, but there were many seasoned captains in Asgard who had been put to work.
“Excellent. Tyrion, you are in charge. While Ra can’t fly, he still can use his flames, but do call my grandmother if something happens.” Even if he was swarmed on the ground, Ra, in his evolved form, was more than a match for an army.
His dragons were not so weak as to be killed by an armed mob.
“Aye, my lord.” The dwarf knew the work would be left to him, though he definitely intended to call Stannis Baratheon. The second son of House Baratheon was a lot of help during his time in Asgard, and it was better than tiring Rhaelle Baratheon.
“Leaf, Tyrion’s orders are my orders. He will treat you fairly, as I have. Tell the giants they are to listen to him as well.” Robert ordered. Leaving so soon after such a drastic change in the city was not wise, but war did not wait for anyone.
“As you command.”
“My lord, I would like to offer some advice.” At Robert’s nod, Tyrion continued, “The giants are idle, and I believe it would be best to have them work. They can earn their livelihood and be among the people.”
Robert wanted this to work, and Tyrion would do his best to see his lord’s will was done.
“Good idea. Have one of the children act as an interpreter. In fact, since it is their houses being built, they can start with construction first. As they don’t have coin beyond the Wall, pay them with food, clothing, and whatever else they need by comparing how much work they do compared to a human worker.” The giants would need to learn how to use coin and other intricacies of life beyond the Wall eventually, but this was a transitional frame, and it was best to give them what they were familiar with.
“I shall start on it immediately.”
Mag, after hearing from Leaf, nodded. His people were not freeloaders and would pull their own weight.
—
The Next Day
“I wish you the best, my lord.” Tyrion stood at the front as the people of Asgard bid farewell to their soldiers and lord.
“It’ll be fine. Send letters to Stormlords; tell them I have set sail and not to send soldiers.” The Stormlords were late, so no glory for them.
“They won’t like that.”
“I don’t care.”
Clapping his hands to get the giant’s attention, Robert ordered the giant to follow the next commander in line. “Wun Weg, you go with Sandor; listen to him.”
The giant nodded, taking his time to say farewell to his mate and son before boarding the ship with Sandor.
“I’ll follow the fleet on dragonback all along the coastline. Good sailing and fair winds.” War plans had already been drafted and approved, so there was nothing else to talk about anymore.
Asgard’s eighty ships set sail to the Iron Islands while the realm watched with bated breath.
—
Storm’s End
It would take the small fleet three weeks to sail to the Iron Islands, barring any complications, so he had the time to make a short visit to Storm’s End and see his sister.
There were a lot of living individuals that should have been dead by now: his parents, most of House Targaryen, Rickard Stark and his son, Brandon, and Elbert along with Denys, to name a few.
In addition, there were people that were dead but should not have been, such as Gregor Clegane, Amory Lorch, and Bloodraven, all by his hand.
Yet his sister, Tali’Zorah Baratheon, a name he had thrown in for the heck of it as an homage to one of his favorite games in his old life, should not have existed at all.
It was rare for a woman of his mother’s age to give birth, but fate had surprises in store for everyone.
Landing in the courtyard now that it was empty, Robert took the bag with Bloodraven’s head. It was covered in some sort of clear resin and still looked as ugly as the day he decapitated the bastard Targaryen.
“Grandson.” His grandmother, who was taking some fresh air in the courtyard, greeted him upon arrival.
“Grandmother, are you all healed up yet?” She seemed well enough, but you could never be sure with the current state of medicine in this world.
“I am. Have you found him?”
Robert pulled out the head, holding it up by the chains.
Rhaelle spat on it, “May you rot in hell,” before cursing Brynden Rivers.
“Since that’s out of the way, take me to my sister. I want to see her before returning to the fleet.” Robert requested while handing the head over to a guard so it could be hanged.
“Are you already sailing? What of the Stormlords? They all offered their support.” Not all of them did so out of loyalty, but there were enough.
“I don’t have the luxury to wait; who knows what that cunt Euron would do with more time in his hands?” The dragonbinder was one thing, but that bastard wouldn’t stop there, especially with his plan foiled.
“Do as you wish; I have faith in you. Come, I am sure your mother will be delighted to see you.”
—
“Doctor, you have done well. Anything you need or want, name it.” Robert grasped Korryn’s arm, knowing that without him, his sister would not have survived.
“Perhaps later, my lord? I am too tired to think of anything.” The doctor looked ready to fall over and sleep in the hallway.
“Whenever you want. Thank you.” Sending the spent-up doctor to rest, Robert went into the room to finally see his mother and sister.
His mother was sitting on the chair, drinking a steaming mug of tea, and he crouched to her sight.
“Mother, how are you?” Robert held her hand, searching for any signs of illness.
Cassana grasped her eldest son’s face before her hand reached and pulled his ear. “Forget about me; I am not the one who fought a White Walker with his bare hands.”
“I broke her like a twig; nothing to worry about.” Robert excused himself, which did not reassure his mother.
Shaking her head, Cassana rolled the crib, where her daughter was looking at her with sleepy eyes.
“Hello there. I am your greatest brother, Robert.” He removed his gauntlet and held out a finger for Tali, and a feeling of protectiveness welled up inside Robert in an instant.
“Great, now I’ll have to chase boys away constantly.” As soon as Moonveil laid eggs, he would give Tali a dragon for protection.
“Do not fret; no one will be brave or foolish enough to approach the sole sister of Robert Baratheon.”
“Hopefully.”
Gently pulling his finger away, Robert scrunched up his face. “I have to go now; Euron has a meeting with the Stranger, and I need to be with the fleet.”
“Go well, my son; we’ll be here.” Cassana bid her farewells, knowing that her son would be victorious.
—
His father and Stannis were insistent that Robert wait for the Stormlords, but citing the lack of ships, the Father of Dragons left while his family watched.
—
King’s Landing
Red Keep
Unrest prevailed in the largest city of the Seven Kingdoms. The existence of the Night King and the White Walkers eventually reached the city, and while many treated it as rumors at first, it changed when more than one merchant returned from Asgard.
Robert Baratheon had revealed the White Walker to his people, and while there was chaos at first, it had quickly settled down.
If their lord could beat the White Walker with his fists, they had nothing to worry about.
Most of the realm did not enjoy that protection, because Robert was an enemy of the Crown, the North, the Riverlands, the Reach, and the Westerlands.
That there was an army of the dead gathered beyond the Wall, ready to assail the realm, was a sobering thought, one that forced the king and four of the seven great lords to think.
Robert and his dragons were essential for the coming of the Long Night, yet if he decided to be petty and refuse to help until the army of the dead was at his door, then they all faced a grim future.
—
Asgard
Contrary to King’s Landing, life in Asgard had quickly returned to normal, for what passed as normal in the city anyway.
Worries over the Ironborn and the White Walkers had died out because of one simple reason.
Robert Baratheon, their lord, was the greater danger compared to these creatures.
Their greatest hurdle right now was the giants, who were proving to be valuable workers in building. Able to lift weights that three men barely could and work for much longer as long as they were fed, the trepidation of having creatures of legend twice the size of a man had given way to wonder.
How fast could they build now?
Sure, a giant did the work of three men and was paid as such, so they did not save coin, but something more valuable.
Time.
Building the same house for the same coin, but say, in half the time, meant they could earn twice the amount in the same time.
It was a grand idea, but something that would take time due to the issues plaguing the idea. The giants did not know the common tongue, Wun Weg Wun being an exception, and they needed a middleman that could speak both tongues.
Which is where the Children of the Forest came in.
They spoke both tongues and did not need coin, merely following Lord Robert’s orders, though their look disturbed the workers.
The giants could be thought of as stockier and larger humans; it wasn’t that easy with the Children of the Forest.
Alas, they had their orders, and none thought it was an issue worth inviting Lord Robert’s ire.
—
The Iron Islands
Chaos was reigning in the home of the Ironborn. Their fleet had been reduced to less than a third of its strength, thousands of their warriors were dead, and Euron Greyjoy, the one who had convinced the reavers to raid Asgard, was nowhere to be seen.
Most of the lords thought of surrender, but for fear of appearing as cowards, none would voice it.
Which left them no choice but to resist.
Of course, only until Pyke fell to dragon fire. After that, no one would dare speak against surrendering.
Unaware that their bannermen weren’t quite as willing to fight to the bitter end, House Greyjoy was making plans of its own, mainly, running away.
Dragonfire had forged seven petty kingdoms into one, and there was no reason for Robert Baratheon to show mercy when it was well known that the Ironborn did not show any.
Balon, as the head of his house and the ruler of the Iron Islands, saw escape as the only way to survive. Plans were made to load their fortunes, men, and supplies onto what ships they had left and sail far away to Essos, to a place where Robert Baratheon would not chase them.
Discretion was the key; otherwise, their bannermen would tear them apart before the Father of Dragons had the chance.
Unknown to all, Euron had one last trick up his sleeve.
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