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Chapter 45 - Ravens
🕑 Added 2025-08-15 09:15:15 +0000 UTCStormlands
Storm’s End
Obelisk landed outside the castle with a gentle thud, courtesy of the greater maneuverability having two sets of wings gave him.
Robert got down and helped Stannis as he was still holding the hatchling in his arms.
And good news to the booth: the hatchling was a female.
Delena greeted them at the gates, not pleased at having her husband leave the day after their wedding night.
Her thoughts changed at seeing what her husband was carrying in his arms. “Gods, is that?” She approached, watching with fascination as the newly hatched dragon slept.
“Yes, but I haven’t thought of a name for her yet.” He would go with a name worthy of her.
“A she-dragon?” “Gods, another one?” “The Crown won’t like this.”
Guests began to rumble about the implications of another dragon, and a crowd gathered around Stannis on his way inside the castle.
—
The fanfare over the hatchling was expected, though; the members of House Florent seemed to be orgasming at the thought of Stannis bonding with a dragon.
Delena’s father, Colin, and her uncle, Alester, were even more elated than Stannis, as if they were the ones who had a dragon now.
Guests lined up for a chance to see the new addition to House Baratheon’s dragons, and his little brother had to accommodate, not because he had to, but because of his dutiful nature.
Their father, on the other hand, was complaining about feeding two dragons.
—
Delena held the piece of dried meat, letting the hatchling smell it, and Moonveil leaped to take it, almost biting her finger in the process.
“It is hard to imagine a dragon of all creatures to be this fair and lovely.” She gently ran her finger over Moonveil’s head, smiling in delight as the dragon leaned into her touch.
Stannis took his shirt off, getting ready for bed. “She won’t be so when grown.”
Her bittersweet smile confused Stannis. “No, she will be majestic instead. You’re lucky to have a brother so generous. I can’t say the same about my cousins.” Owing to her looks, Selyse wasn’t exactly the kindest lady to be around.
Stannis didn’t know how to respond. While he and Robert did not exactly get along well before his return from Essos, their brotherly bond was strong now. “He is your brother now too.”
“Yes, but that doesn't mean I can just go ask him for a dragon.” Even if she had the blood, that was just too much to ask for.
“Moonveil was the last egg Robert had; there won’t be any more dragons until she lays her own.” Which was fortunate, because otherwise, the dragons would eventually die, and there would be no way to replace the loss.
Delena hummed. “You know, this creates so many problems. With Robert refusing to marry and Storm’s End having two dragons, we will be swarmed with betrothal offers.” Some lords had even asked to have their children fostered in Storm’s End.
“We only married yesterday; isn’t it early to talk about such matters?”
“Perhaps, but we best be ready. In the meantime, we can see to the matter of children.”
—
Next Day
The day had started like any other, with festivities, feats, and more. His grandmother was flying on Ormund among clouds, enjoying the freedom only the skies could bring.
Robert was preparing to join her, having brought his wingsuit, when his mother approached with several servants who were hovering over her.
“Mother, you look tired.” With her swelling womb, and the stress that came from the wedding preparations, even if his grandmother Rhaelle had done much of the work, it had its effect on his mother.
Her deadpan look at the obvious look told him she wasn’t in the mood for chatting either. “Wedding and feast are no simple matters, so indeed, I am tired.”
“Want to go for a ride?” Perhaps it would take her mind off things for a short while.
“Perhaps another time; I don’t have the strength to do much, especially with the child. I came to ask if you had any names.”
“Oh, yes, good thing you asked because I kept forgetting. Tali if it's a girl, Garrus if it's a boy.” He wanted to suggest those names, but something always came up.
Cassana did not recognize either of the names from any region. “Those aren’t traditional names, from anywhere.”
“But they are great names. Tali’Zorah was a woman brilliant with machines and had a sharp temper but a gentle side as well. Whereas Garrus was someone who believed deeply in justice and was a good leader who inspired his men to fight against crime.” Not like he was going to have children, so his new sibling was the next best choice for these legendary names to live on.
“We shall take those names into consideration, but where exactly are they from?” At least they didn’t sound like any Essosi names she had heard, and Cassana would be fine with them.
Robert thought of an excuse for a second before answering. “Faraway lands.”
His mother rolled her eyes. “Of course, one would think you traveled the whole world.”
Her eldest son just winked. “Maybe in the future.”
Their conversation was interrupted by a caw, and while a single crow or a raven was no cause for alarm, a flock that quickly gathered and turned into a black wiggling mass in the sky was.
Seeing where they were going, Robert realized what was happening and quickly mounted Obelisk, ignoring his mother’s questions.
“Vola!” Robert shouted, and Obelisk took off, following the crows and ravens that were heading towards his grandmother.
“Grandmother, land now!” He screamed, but Rhaelle didn’t hear because of the noise the flock was making.
The birds surrounded Ormund’s head, and his grandmother disappeared from sight beneath the black flock. Robert urged Obelisk to go faster as the murderous birds parted away from Ormund’s flames but did not escape, still attacking the dragon.
Robert barely made it to Ormund when his grandmother fell, and Obelisk was swarmed by another flock. Ignoring the birds pecking at him, Robert ran over his dragon’s neck and jumped, using Obelisk’s skull as a springboard.
His arms and legs were closed to give himself maximum velocity, and he quickly caught up to his grandmother, wrapping his arms around her. “Hold on tight.”
Rhaelle wrapped her arms around Robert’s neck and her legs around his torso.
Pulling the straps, Robert tried to slow as much as possible, but with the speed he dove and the extra weight, it was proving to be impossible.
Obelisk roared, trying to catch up to them, but the damn birds were blocking his vision and refused to disperse no matter how many the dragon turned to ashes.
They were getting close to the ground, so in a last-ditch effort, Robert turned to face the sky, untangling his grandmother and wrapping himself around her.
He slammed into the waters of Shipbreaker Bay not a second later.
—
Disoriented and in pain from the speed of his fall, it took Robert a couple of seconds to come to his senses and realize he was not holding his breath, nor was his grandmother, who was sinking to the bottom.
Ignoring the burn that started in his lungs, Robert dove after her, quickly catching her by the neck of her riding leathers, and swam up. The burn intensified, and his vision was getting darker, but with his massive size and speed, Robert broke through the surface before fainting, making sure to keep his unconscious grandmother above the water as well, and made for the shore.
They weren’t far from land, and as his family rode to the shore, Robert finally could stand on land and quickly carried his grandmother out and laid her on the ground.
“Grandma, Grandma, wake up.” He gently slapped her face, but there was no response, so he checked to see if she was breathing.
She was not.
She must have swallowed water.
Robert tilted Rhaelle’s head back and pinched her nose and covered her mouth to breathe twice before starting chest compressions and kept repeating it.
Good thing he listened to Doctor Korryn.
Careful not to break the ribs, Robert continued as his father jumped off his horse, stumbling next to Rhaelle, while Ormund landed next to them, cooing at his rider. The audience was too shocked at the apparent death of the Baratheon matriarch to comment on what Robert was doing.
“Mother, Mother, open your eyes.” Steffon shouted, trying to shake her awake before Robert pushed him off and continued his attempts to bring her back to life.
Slowly, they were surrounded by people, guests and family alike, all standing silent while Steffon Baratheon slowly began to cry, memories of a time long gone resurfacing.
He had lost his father much the same, unable to do anything to save him, and now, his mother was gone as well.
With coughs and splutters, Rhaelle was breathing again, rolling over to cough the remaining seawater out of her lungs.
The Lord Paramount of the Stormlands couldn’t believe his eyes.
—
After a lot of tears and worrying, they moved Rhaelle inside Storm’s End for Maester Cressen to look over her.
Aside from the tiredness, the rash in her throat, and the coughing, there wasn’t much for the aging Maester of Storm’s End to do but give Rhaelle wine to soothe her throat.
His father was more active in his conduct and was staring down at Robert for answers. “What in the name of the Seven did just happen?! Why were those crows attacking you two?”
Rhaelle threw the empty cup at her son’s head. “Steffon, I don’t know, so stop shouting.”
“It’s Bloodraven.” Robert explained as the only one who knew what was going on.
“Bloodraven? Do you mean Brynden Rivers, the Unworthy’s son?” Everyone knew the tales told about Bryden Rivers, but Stannis did not give them any mind, just as no one else had.
At least, until now.
“Yes.”
“He should be dead by now, if not well over a century old.” As far as Steffon knew, he was born at 175 AC and exiled to the Wall at 233 AC and was lost beyond it at some point.
“Brynden is alive, but he goes by Bloodraven, a greenseer and a warg. His crows kept watching over me ever since I hatched dragons, but I didn’t expect him to just try to kill one of us.” Bloodraven’s magical abilities were more myth among the populace than fact, but only a select few knew the truth.
His father sat down, rubbing his eyes before raising his head. “Robert, you will have to explain that to us.”
—
Robert spared no detail, explaining how the bastard son of King Aegon IV Targaryen was alive, his greensight and warging, and his connection to Rhaegar.
“Why would he want to kill her?” Then again, Brynden Rivers had killed Aenys Blackfyre after promising him safe conduct, so if he was still alive, kinslaying wasn’t exactly something he would shy from.
Robert looked out of the window, where Ormund was lying in the courtyard. “Most likely because she had a dragon.” The dragon was depressed, for the lack of a better term, at almost dropping his bonded rider to her death.
Steffon rose from his seat with vengeance. “We must do something.” He didn’t care how Bloodraven was alive, but he was going to kill him, no matter what.
Robert pushed his father down to his seat. “We? No, you will sit down on your arses while I rip Brynden’s still-beating heart out of his chest and make him eat it.” He knew where that bastard was, and with him being bound to the weirwood trees, there was no escape.
“My lord, perhaps you should rest first? Your back needs time to heal.” Hitting water that fast while shielding his grandmother had bruised the young lord’s back, and the large purple blots weren’t going away anytime soon.
Robert grunted before lying down on the bed so the maester could apply the salve. As soon as he was good for travel, Brynden Rivers was dead.
Comments
Aeden Emrys
This was a very stupid move from Bloodraven! I guess he is tired of living! Thanks for the chapter!
