56

Chapter Text

It had been two weeks since they left for Westeros and followed the Imp's plan ... They attacked the "Stormlands", conquering some castles until they reached the ancestral seat of House Baratheon Storm's End.

The knowledge that the Usurper's ancestral castle was to be reclaimed filled Connington with happiness and satisfaction.

But first ... He needed to regain his ancestral home ... The Gryphon Nest.

To do this, Connington sent the archers ahead.

Balaq the Black commanded a thousand men armed with bows. As a young man, Jon Connington had the same disdain for archers as most knights, but exile had taught him much. In its way, the arrow was as deadly as the sword, so he had insisted Strickland divide Balaq's troops into ten companies and send one on each ship for the long journey.

Six of those ships had managed to stay together long enough to discharge their riders on the shores of Cape Wrath. The fledglings assured them that the other four had been delayed and would not be coming, but Grif thought they might have sunk as well or landed elsewhere. At the moment, the Golden Company had six hundred bows. Although for this, two hundred would have been enough.

"They must be trying to send crows ... This is the Maester's tower. You have to watch it and shoot down any birds that come out of the castle," Connington pointed out on the map he had drawn in the mud of the camp to Black Balaq." Connington said

"Yes, none shall escape my gaze", replied the summer islander.

Balaq commands a thousand bows, with a third using crossbows and another third wielding double-curved horn-and-sinew bows common to Essos. The archers with Westerosi blood use big yew longbows, while Balaq and his kin use great bows of famed goldenheart. But regardless of their weapon, all of Balaq's archers were eagle-eyed veterans who had already proven themselves in a hundred battles, and they demonstrated that again at the Gryphons rest.

Small but strong, Griffin's Roost is located on a lofty crag jutting out from the shores of Cape Wrath. The castle lies surrounded by red stone cliffs on three sides, which descend into the stormy waters of Shipbreaker Bay. The land-facing approach is a long natural ridge called the Gryphon's throat. The entrance to the Gryphon's throat is guarded on one end by a gatehouse and by the castle's main gate and two round towers on the other end.

Besides faded tapestries, Griffin's Roost is also decorated with arched windows displaying myriad diamond-shaped panes of red and white glass. The bed in the Lord's chambers sits below a canopy of red and white velvet. Finally, the great hall contains the carved and gilded Griffin Seat where fifty generations of Connington's have ruled.

The east tower, the tallest of the castle's, offers a view of the surrounding countryside. The castle also contains stables, armoury, barracks, and a master's tower with a rookery. A secret stair beneath the Sept's altar of the Mother leads to a bolt-hole, while another stair under the northwest tower goes to a hidden cove beneath the crag, which appears when the tide is out. A well-provisioned garrison can hold the castle against twenty times as many men.

Jon Connington assumed they would lose a hundred men, maybe more. They lost four.

The forest had been allowed to engulf the meadows leading to the gatehouse so that Franklyn Flowers had only to camouflage himself in the undergrowth to present himself with his men twenty paces from the gates before emerging from the trees with the battering ram they had prepared in the camp. The creak of wood against wood caused two men to look out onto the battlements; Black Balaq's archers shot them down before they had time to rub their sleepy eyes.

The door, it turned out, was closed but not locked, and it gave way on the second knock so that Ser Franklyn's men had already gone half their throats before the warhorn sounded the alarm in the castle.

The first raven emerged from the tower as the grapples were already passing over the outer wall, followed by the second moments later. After that, no bird ever flew a hundred paces before being struck by arrows. A guard spilt a bucket of oil on the first men to reach the gates, but since he hadn't had time to heat it up, the container did more damage than the contents. Soon the song of the swords was heard in half a dozen places along the battlements.

The men of the Golden Company climbed onto the walls shouting:

A gryphon! A gryphon!

House Connington's ancient battle cry, which no doubt further confused the defenders.

It was all over in a matter of minutes. Grif rode a white steed down the Gulch alongside Harry Strickland. As he approached, a third raven flew out of the Maester's tower but was struck down by Balaq the Black himself.

"Not one more message," Connington said to Franklyn Flowers.

The next to fly out of the tower window was the Maester, who flapped his arms in a hopeless attempt to fly.

That put an end to any resistance, and the remaining guards laid down their arms. In this way, Jon Connington recovered the Gryphon's Nest and became its Lord again.

"Ser Franklyn, go to the main keep and the kitchens and tell everyone to come out same with the Maestre's tower and the armoury. Ser Brendel, the stables, the Sept, and the barracks. I want everyone to go out into the courtyard. And let there be no slaughter. Do not forget to look under the Mother's altar; a hidden staircase leads to a secret refuge. There is another under the northwest tower; that one goes down to the sea. Let no one escape! " Jon Connington ordered.

"No one will escape, my lord", promised Franklyn Flowers.

Connington waited for them to leave and called the Half-Maester.

"Haldon, take care of the Ravens. Tonight I will have to send letters," Connington said.

"I hope they left us a raven," Haldon said.

Even Old Harry had been impressed by the speed of his victory.

"I didn't expect it to be that simple," commented the Captain-General as they entered the main hall to see the Gryphon Throne, carved with gold-plated wood, where fifty generations of the Connington family had sat and ruled.

"The difficult part shall come later, we have been catching them by surprise, but that will end sooner or later, even if Black Balaq kills every last raven in the kingdom," Connington said with a grimace.

Strickland examined the faded tapestries on the walls, the semicircular windows with their stained glass windows of thousands of red and white diamonds, and the shipyards of spears, swords, and warhammers.

"Well, let them come. We can defend this place against an army twenty times our own; it just takes enough provisions. You said we could come by sea if needed, correct?" Said the Captain-General.

"Yes, there is a cove hidden under the cliff, which appears at low tide" But in truth, The Gryphon's Nest was a strong keep but meagre, and as long as they were there, they too would seem unimportant. Nearby was another castle, much larger and more impregnable.

"If we take it, the whole kingdom will reel," Connington thought with some satisfaction.

"Excuse me for a moment, Captain-General. My lord father is buried under the Sept, and I have not prayed for him for too many years," Connington said with a few tears welling up in his eyes.

"Of course, my lord", Harry replied.

But when they parted, Jon Connington did not go to the Sept but headed for the roof of the east tower, the highest in the Gryphon's Nest. As he climbed, he remembered the times he had made that ascent, with his lord father, who enjoyed looking at the nearby forests and crags from atop the east tower of the castle, knowing that everything before him belonged to the Gryphon's; and once, only once, with Rhaegar when he returned from Dorne, he stayed there, together with his escort, for a fortnight.

"How young he was then, and I was even younger mere boys, both of us," Jon thought with sadness.

At the welcoming banquet, the Prince played for them on his silver-stringed harp.

"A sorrowful love song ... When it was over, there was not a woman in the hall who was not weeping", Jon Connington remembered.

On the other hand, the men did not weep, least of all his father, who only desired new lands. His father had spent the entire evening hoping to win Rhaegar's favour and settle a dispute between himself and Lord Morrigen.

The door to the tower's roof was so jammed that it is apparent that it had not been opened in many years. Jon pushed with all his might and nearly wrenched his shoulder, but when he finally made it out onto the battlements, he was greeted by a beautiful sight, the landscape was as heady as he remembered: the cliff, with its wind-sculpted rocks; the sea, roaring against the base of the castle, like a tireless beast; leagues and leagues of sky and clouds; the forest, with its autumnal colours.

"The lands of your father are beautiful, Jon," Rhaegar said with an easy charm.

"Someday they will be mine", Answered the child that had been.

"As if that would impress a prince, the heir of the entire Kingdom, from the Wall to the Dornish Sea," Connington thought with a smile on his face.

The Griffin's Nest belonged to him when his father died, but only for a few years. From that place, Jon Connington had ruled over lands that stretched for leagues and leagues to the West, North and South, just like his father and his father's father. But neither his father nor his father's father had ever lost their dominions, and he had.

"I climbed too high, I loved too passionately, I was too daring. I tried to reach a star, I didn't reach it, and I fell," Jon thought sadly.

After the Battle of the Bells, when Aerys II Targaryen "The Mad King", in a mad attack of ingratitude and mistrust, stripped him of all titles and sent him into exile, the lands and lordship remained in the hands of the Connington family, and they passed on to their cousin Ser Ronald, whom Jon had named Castilian when he left for King's Landing to accompany Prince Rhaegar.

Later, after the war, Robert Baratheon had finished destroying the gryphons. Due to his role as Hand of King Aerys during the Rebellion, Robert Baratheon was unwilling to remove him from exile, as he had been among Rhaegar's closest friends. His cousin Ronald was allowed to keep the castle and the head, but not the manor, and from then on, he was only the Knight of the Griffin's Nest; They also took nine-tenths of his lands from him to distribute them among the neighbouring lords who had supported Robert.

Ronald Connington had died years ago, and the current Knight of the Griffin's Nest, his son Ronnet, had gone off to war in the Riverlands, it was said.

... Better than better ...

Jon Connington knew that people fought for what they believed to be theirs, even if they had won it through theft, and the last thing he wanted was to celebrate his return by killing the blood of his blood. Ronnet's father "Red" had been quick to take advantage of his lord cousin's fall from grace, but Ronnet was just a boy then. Jon no longer despised Ronald as much as he once did. After all, it was his crime. He was the one who had lost everything at the Battle of the Bells because of his arrogance.

Jon Connington knew that Robert Baratheon, alone and wounded, was hiding in the city, and he also knew that Robert's head on the tip of a spear would have put an immediate end to the rebellion. He was young and haughty; how could he not be? King Aerys had named him Hand and placed an army at his command, and he was determined to prove himself worthy of Rhaegar's trust and affection. He would kill the rebel, and all the Bards of the Seven Kingdoms would speak of him.

So he advanced toward Stoney Sept, surrounded the city, and ordered a search. His knights went house to house, breaking down every door, searching every cellar, and even crawling through the sewers, but Robert eluded them. The inhabitants supported him and passed him from one hiding place to another, always one step ahead of the King's men. The entire city was a nest of traitors. In the end, the Usurper ended up hiding in a brothel. What King would hide behind women's skirts?

"Only Robert Baratheon", Connington thought scornfully.

But as the search continued, Eddard Stark and Hoster Tully arrived at the Sept with a rebel army. Then came the bells and the battle, and Robert came out of the brothel with hammer in hand and nearly killed Jon on the steps of the ancient Sept that gave the city its name.

After that, Jon Connington told himself for many years that it was not his fault, that he had done everything humanly possible. He searched every hole in every shack, offered pardons and rewards, hung hostages in cages, and vowed that he would not give them food or drink until Robert was handed over to him. It was of no use.

"Not even Tywin Lannister himself could have done more", he insisted one night to Blackheart during his first year of exile.

"There you are wrong ... Lord Tywin would not have bothered to search for Robert. Instead, he would have burned the city with everyone in it: men, children, babies, nobles, septon saints, pigs, whores, rats and rebels. There would be no left one alive. Then when the fire was out, and only ashes and embers remained, he would have sent his men to fetch the bones of Robert Baratheon. And finally, when Stark and Tully had arrived, he would have offered them the royal pardon, and they both would have accepted it and then returned home with their tails between their legs, "Myles Toyne replied.

"Myles was right. I wanted the glory of killing Robert in single combat and not to be remembered as a butcher. And so Robert escaped me and killed Rhaegar on the Trident," Jon reflected ruefully, leaning against the battlements of his ancestors.

"I failed the father, but I will not fail the son", He murmured, full of conviction.

By the time Connington returned below, his men had already gathered the castle garrison and the surviving villagers in the courtyard. It was true that Ser Ronnet had gone north with Jaime Lannister, but there were still family in the Roost: among the prisoners were Raymund, Ronnet's little brother; his sister Alynne, and Ronald Storm, his bastard son, a boy with red hair like flames; all of them very useful hostages if Ronnet "The Red" returned and tried to recover the castle that his father had stolen. So Connington ordered them to be confined to the west tower and guards posted at the gate. Hearing that, the girl burst into tears, and the bastard tried to bite the spearman closest to him.

"You two stop. Nothing will happen to you unless Ronnet turns out to be a perfect idiot," Connington said.

And the three young gryphons began to cry.

Jon just blinked silently and pitied them as his men laughed.

Of all the prisoners, only a few lived there when Jon Connington was Lord of the castle: an old one-eyed sergeant; a couple of washerwomen; a stable keeper who was a stable boy in the days of Robert's Rebellion; the cook, who had grown monstrously fat, and the master smith.

Jon Connington had grown a beard again on the trip, for the first time in many years, and to his surprise, it was almost all red, even though there were ashes in the middle of the fire. Dressed in the long red and white robe embroidered with golden Gryphons, he looked like the same Lord who was a friend and companion of Prince Rhaegar, only older and more seasoned. But the occupants of Gryphon's Roost looked at him in confusion.

"Some of you already know me. The others will learn soon. I am your rightful Lord, and I have returned from exile. My enemies will have told you that I am dead. But, as you can see, it is a lie. Serve me with the same loyalty with which you have served my cousin, and nothing will happen to you.

He asked them one by one to come forward, asked their names, and ordered them to kneel to swear allegiance to him. Everything happened very quickly. Only four soldiers from the garrison, the old sergeant and three boys, had survived the attack, and they all laid their sword at his feet. Nobody refused. No one died.

That night, the victors held a banquet in which they devoured roast meat and fresh fish, all washed down with the excellent reds from the castle's cellars. Jon Connington presided from the Gryphon Throne and shared the table with Harry Strickland, Black Balaq, Franklyn Flowers, and the three young Gryphons he had taken prisoner. The children were the blood of his blood, and he wanted to know them better, but when the young bastard announced that his father was going to kill him, he struck him hard across the face and sent him back to the tower.

Haldon had not come. Jon went to find him in the Maester's tower, where he found him hunched over a pile of scrolls and surrounded by spread out maps.

"What are you looking for? The whereabouts of the rest of the company?"

"I wish it were in my hand, my Lord."

Ten thousand men had set sail from Volon Therys with their weapons, horses, and elephants. But, at the moment, not half had docked in Westeros, at the agreed landing site, a stretch of deserted coastline that gave way to the rain wood" Jon Connington knew those lands well, for they had been his.

A few years ago, he would not have dared to dock at Cape Wrath; the Storm Lords were very loyal to House Baratheon and King Robert. But everything had changed with the death of Robert and his brother Renly. Stannis was said to be so gruff and cold that he would have inspired little loyalty, not to mention that he was half a world away, and House Lannister had done little to win the affections of the "Stormlands". Besides, Jon Connington was not so short of friends there.

"Older Lords will remember me, and their children will have heard of me. Everyone knows about Rhaegar and how his son got his head dashed against a wall." Jon thought with sadness

Fortunately, their ship had been one of the first to land, so it was enough for them to set up camp, gather the men as they reached the shore, and move quickly so that the lords of the countryside would overlook the danger.

This was where the Golden Company had shown its mettle. At no point were they hampered by the chaos that would have inevitably arisen with a makeshift army of local knights and levies; These men were the heirs of Bitter Steel and had learned discipline.

"Tomorrow at this time, we should have three castles," Connington told them.

.

The men who had taken the Gryphon's Nest were a quarter of his army. Ser Tristan Rivers had departed simultaneously as he for the Raven's Nest, to the residence of House Morrigen, while Laswell Peake advanced on Aguasmil, the Wylde stronghold, with an army comparable to the other two.

The others had stayed in the camp to stand guard and protect the Prince, under the command of the company's account manager, the Volantine Gorys Edoryen. It was to be expected that their number would increase since a ship arrived every day.

"But we still have few horses."

"And we don't have elephants", The Half-Maester reminded him. Not one of the large kinks that those animals carried had touched land. They had last seen them on Lys before the Storm that had scattered half the fleet.

"In Westeros, we can get more horses, but elephants", Haldon continued.

"It doesn't matter. Do those scrolls tell you something useful?" Connington said, wanting to change the subject. The vast beasts would have been very useful in a pitched battle, to be sure, but there was still a long way to go before they had the strength to face the enemy on the battlefield.

"Of course, of course ... It's easy for the Lannisters to make enemies, but keeping friends isn't so good at it. Judging from what I've read, their alliance with the Tyrells is crumbling. The queen Cersei and Queen Margaery fight over the child king like two dogs over a lamb bone, and both have been accused of treason and debauchery. Mace Tyrell has abandoned the siege of Storm's End to return to King's Landing to save his daughter, leaving only a token army to keep Stannis's men locked up in his castle. "Haldon said with a tight-lipped smile.

"Go on," Connington said, intrigued.

"In the North, the Lannisters depend on the Boltons, and in the Riverlands, on the Freys. They are two houses with a long history of cruelty and betrayal that rose to power thanks to betraying Houses Stark and Tully, which causes the people's discontent. Lord Stannis Baratheon is still in rebellion, and the Iron Born have chosen another king in the Iron Islands. We have no word from the Vale or the Riverlands as our spies have not travelled that far afield, "Haldon said.

"The Red Wedding, even in exile, Jon had learned of that disgusting betrayal; he may not like the Starks during the Rebellion. Still, he sympathized with Eddard Stark for what the "Mad King" had done to his father and brother, although They were on opposite sides, his heir Robb Stark had a tragic end, unworthy because of the excessive pride of Walder Frey when Aegon claims the Iron Throne they will have to do something with that legion of weasels." Jon thought with some glee at the idea of wiping out house Frey.

"And Dorne?" He asked they needed allies, but the Vale was too far; Dorne was closer.

"Prince Doran's youngest son is betrothed to Myrcella Baratheon, which seems to indicate that the Dornish support House Lannister but have an army stationed in Bonepath and another in Prince's Pass, waiting."

"Waiting? ... Waiting for what?" Write to Sunspear. Doran Martell must be informed that his sister's son is still alive and has returned to regain his father's throne. "All his hopes depended on Dorne. Jon barked

"As you say, my Lord. We couldn't have come at a better time. We have friends and potential allies everywhere. "The Half-Maester glanced at another scroll.

"But we are not clear about victory, so we need to have something to offer them to attract them to our cause," Connington said.

"The traditional incentives are gold and land," Haldon replied.

"I wish we had one or the other. But, of course, with promises of gold and lands, we will convince some, but Strickland and his men will want to be the first to choose to keep the best lands and castles, the ones that belonged to their ancestors before the exile," Connington mused with a hand on his chin.

"My Lord has something else to offer. The hand of Prince Aegon: an alliance by marriage to attract some Great Houses," Haldon pointed out.

"A wife for our beloved Prince... Elia was never worthy of him. She was already frail and sickly, and the childbirth weakened her even more ... After the birth of Princess Rhaenys, Elia had to remain in bed for half a year, and the delivery of Prince Aegon nearly killed her." though Jon remembered Prince Rhaegar's wedding and his marriage to Elia all too well.

"Yes, an alliance would be the best if Rhaenys yet lived we could marry her with Quentyn Martell or Robert Arryn to cement an alliance ... But she is no longer ... We only have Aegon left, but what Lady of noble birth could we find him here?" Jon thought with some difficulty.

That was something that Jon had not considered; Ned Stark had two daughters; the eldest is married to the Imp due to the machinations of Tywin Lannister, although the Imp swears that she was still a maiden since he did not force her to consummate the marriage. As for the latter, she was apparently married to the legitimated bastard son of Roose Bolton.

 "It seems that the gods spit on our luck ... If we had with us the eldest daughter of Ned Stark, we could raise the North for the cause of Aegon by unifying their loyalty for the heiress of Winterfell and also promise revenge for the death of her former Guardian and his male heirs, I'm sure Sansa Stark would have been thrilled to marry Aegon, but she disappeared after the death of the Usurper Joffrey Baratheon, Aegon deserves more than damaged wares. Aegon's cousin, Princess Arianne and his aunt Princess Daenerys also disappeared when they were abducted by the bastard Ned Stark and his companions ... So the only alternative we have left is Margaery Tyrell. Still, she has already been married three times, and to usurpers no less, she is not an ideal candidate for Aegon; what a dilemma now I start to understand Aerys frustration at not finding a match for Rhaegar," Connington thought in annoyance.

"We'd better put that matter aside for now," Connington said, starting to massage her temple.

"My Lord knows what is most suitable. But then we have to weigh the possibility of offering a lower reward to our potential friends, "Haldon continued.

"For example?" Jon asks, intrigued.

"You. You have no wife. A great lord, still virile, with no other heirs than those cousins we have just ousted, son of an old house, with a good castle and many fertile lands that will undoubtedly be returned to him in abundance by a grateful king as soon as we triumph. You are reputed to be a good warrior, and as the Hand of King Aegon, you will speak for him and rule the Kingdom. In my opinion, more than one ambitious man will want to marry his daughter to you. Perhaps even the Prince of Dorne, "Haldon said with a smile.

Jon Connington's response was a long, cold look. Sometimes the Half-Maester was as irritating to him as this dwarf.

"No ... write the letter to Prince Doran," grumbled Jon.

"I will never be an ideal husband for any woman... Like Mace Tyrell's third child, if the rumours are true." Connington thought ruefully.

"As my Lord commands," Haldon ordered.

That night Jon Connington slept in the Lord's chambers, in the bed that had been his father's, under a dusty red and white velvet canopy. At dawn, he was awakened by the rain and the timid knock on the door of a servant eager to find out what his new master liked for breakfast.

"Hard-boiled eggs, fried bread and beans and a jug of wine, what difference does it make," Jon ordered.

"As the Lord commands," said the servant.

When the food and wine were brought to him, Jon found them to be the tastiest food he had tasted since his exile began. Later, Connington inspected the castle and called Harry Strickland and his Captains for a court-martial. Nine gathered in the room: himself, Strickland, Haldon, Blaq, Franklyn Flowers, Malo Jayn, Brendel Byme, Dick Cole, and Lymond Pease. Of all of them, the Half-Maester was the bearer of good news.

"We have heard from Marq Mandrake. The Volantenes left him on the coast, in what turned out to be Estermont, with almost five hundred men. He has taken Greenstone ", he said smiling.

Estermont was an island near Cape Wrath that had never been among his targets.

"The bloody Volantinos were so eager to get rid of us that they let us go on the first beach they saw. So we sure to have lads scattered across the Stepstones, "commented Franklyn.

"With my elephants," added Harry Strickland, forlornly he sincerely missed his animals.

"I miss them too," Connigton thought.

"Mandrake did not carry archers. Do we know if Greenstone sent a raven before he fell? " Lymond Pease pointed out.

"Presumably ... Before sailing from Volon Therys, he had instructed his captains not to display any banners during the first offences: not Prince Aegon's three-headed dragon, nor my gryphons, nor the company's golden skulls. Connington said as he thought about what message could they convey? A disjointed story about invaders arriving by sea.

The Lannisters had better be suspicious of Stannis Baratheon, the pirates on the Stepstones, the outlaws of the forest, or whoever they pleased. The longer the Iron Throne took to react, the more time they would have to rally their men and attract allies to their cause.

"Haldon, send a message to Mandrake. Tell him to leave a garrison there and to come, with the rest of his men and with the noble prisoners he has taken, "Connington ordered.

"At your command, my Lord. It turns out that House Estermont has blood ties to the two Kings, so they will be good hostages, "Haldon said.

"And they will also pay good ransoms for them", added Strickland, happy at the thought of gold.

"We should also bring Prince Aegon ... He will be much safer behind the walls of the Gryphon's Nest than in the camp," Haldon said.

"I'll send a rider with the message, but the boy won't be amused about being safe, I'm telling you. He wants to go where the fighting is, "said Franklyn Flowers

"Like everyone else his age", Jon Connigton remembered sadly.

.

"Has the time come to raise your banner yet?" Pease wanted to know.

"No, not yet. That is King's Landing; they believe that he is nothing more than an exiled lord who returns with a few mercenary swords to recover his birthright. However, it is not unusual; I will even write to King Tommen to tell him, and I will ask for his pardon and the return of lands and titles. This way, we will keep them entertained for a while, which we will use to secretly contact our possible allies from the "Stormlands, The Reach and Dorne ", Jon said after a few moments.

This was a crucial step. Other lesser lords might join his cause out of fear of retaliation or in the hope of achieving something, but the only one who had the power to stand up to House Lannister and its allies was the Prince of Dorne.

"We need Doran Martell above all else," Connington replied without hesitation.

"Doran is frightened by his own shadow more content to let others do his fighting for him ", Harry replied.

"More or less like you," Connington thought dismissively.

"That's where you go wrong prince Doran is a cautious man, yes, and he will not join us unless he is convinced that we are going to win. So, therefore, to convince him, we have to make a show of force," Connigton said with a sigh.

"If Peake and Rivers succeed, we will have most of the Cape of Wrath under control. Four castles in four days is an excellent start, but half the men are still missing. We have to wait for them. We also lack horses, and we don't have elephants. In my opinion, we must wait, gather our strength, win over the Lords, give Lysono time to send spies to find out what he can on our enemies… "Strickland replied.

Connington glared at the plump captain-general.

"This man is not Black Heart; He will wait for the Seven Hells to freeze before risking another blister," Jon thought in a rage.

"We haven't crossed half the world to sit and wait," Connington said.

"Our advantage lies in a fast and practical attack before King's Landing knows who we are here. I intend to take Storm's End, an almost impregnable fortress and the only one left to Stannis Baratheon in the South. When it is in our possession, it will be a stronghold to which we can retreat in case of need, not to mention that we will demonstrate our strength with its taking. "Connington said, pointing to the map on the table.

The captains of the Golden Company exchanged glances.

"If the defenders of Storm's End are still loyal to Stannis, we would be taking the castle from him, not from the Lannisters. So why don't we make common cause with him against the lions? " Brendel Byme interjected.

"Stannis is Robert's brother; It is of the same ilk that destroyed the Targaryen house. Moreover, he is a thousand leagues from here, at the other end of the Kingdom, with a meagre army, it would just take half a year to arrive, and that fool would demand our fealty, "Connington replied spitefully.

"Suppose Storm's End is as unassailable as you say. How do you plan to take it? " Said, Harry.

"With cunning"

"We should wait", Harry Strickland insisted, not eager for any genuine risk.

And we will wait. Ten days, not one more. It is how long it will take to prepare. Then, finally, on the eleventh day, we will ride to Storm's End. "Jon Connington rose from the table as the others nodded.

And so it was that although his heart urged him to stay a little longer in his home, recently recovered, his sense of duty told him to go to meet his beloved Prince.

The Prince with the Imp and flanked by Ser Barristan and Rolly joined them four days later, at the head of a column of a hundred horsemen, followed by three lumbering elephants.

"He is a good man, upright and loyal, but he is not suitable for the Kingsguard," Connington thought as he saw Rolly dismount.

He had done his best to dissuade the Prince from bestowing the White Cloak on Rolly, insisting that he should reserve that honour for more renowned warriors whose loyalty would bring lustre to his cause and for the younger sons of great Lords whose support they might need, but the boys' words rang true.

"Duck would give his life for me if necessary. That is all I ask of my Royal Guard. The Kingslayer is a renowned warrior and the son of a High Lord, and yet my grandfather was a fool to trust him."

"At least I managed to persuade him to vacate the other five positions; otherwise, Rolly would already have six ducklings behind him." Jon thought with some satisfaction.

"Accompany His Highness to my rooms. Have him come at once," Connington replied.

But Prince Aegon Targaryen was nowhere near as yielding as Grif the Younger, and it was almost an hour before he introduced himself, accompanied by Duck and Ser Barristan.

"I truly love your castle, Lord Connington," Prince Aegon said with a smile.

"Your father's lands are beautiful ... That's what his father told me, and the wind caressed his silver hair, and his eyes were dark purple, darker than this boys'," Jon thought with joy and sadness.

"Thank you, Your Highness. Sit down, I beg you. Ser Barristan and Ser Rolly, you may retire for now, "Connigton said.

"No, I want them to stay. We've been talking to Flowers and Strickland, and they say you intend to storm "Storm's End." The Prince sat across from him.

Jon Connington didn't let anger creep onto his face.

"I'm assuming Harry tried to convince them to delay," Jon Connington grunted.

"Well, yes, but he didn't make it. Harry is frightening as a fisher's wife. Jon could only agree. You are right, my Lord. I want the orders for that attack to go ahead; with only one change: I will go to the front ", the Prince as Connington's heart thumped firmly in his chest, and he looked at the stunned face of Ser Barristan who did not expect that either.

-------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------

Dorne (a few days later)

Tyene Sand, the third of the infamous "Sand Serpents" daughters of Prince Oberyn Martell of Dorne, was sailing towards "Stormlands" in search of someone whom she believed was long dead... Her cousin Aegon, the son of her Aunt Elia and Rhaegar Targaryen, just remembering how she had come to it, still made her laugh.

Flashback

The older Sand Serpents, Obara, Nymeria and Tyene, were in front of their uncle Doran and her cousin Quentyn, seated next to him reading aloud a mysterious letter that a Raven had brought from the Stormlands; its contents were either a shocking truth or a cunning lie.

To Prince Doran of House Martell, You will remember me, I hope. I knew your sister well and was a loyal servant to your good brother. I am sorry for them, as you will. I did not pass away, nor did your sister's son. To save his life, we kept him hidden, but the time for hiding is over. A dragon has returned to Westeros to claim his birthright and seek revenge for the deaths of his father and Princess Elia, his mother. In his name, I turn to Dorne. Do not forget us. Jon Connington, Lord of the Griffin's Nest, Hand of the True King.

"Is this a cruel jest?" Asked Obara, her knuckles turning white from how tightly she gripped her spear.

"No, I don't think it's a trick, Obara ... But it doesn't mean it's true ... This is unexpected... I have waited for the dragons to return to Westeros ... And one of them did, alone, not the one I expected… "Prince Doran said with an indecipherable expression on his face.

"Still waiting for Daenerys Targaryen", Everyone in the Hall thought, recalling his wrath when Arianne and Daenerys had gone missing.

Flashback

After the three of them, together with her father, aided Arianne to escape from her confinement, her uncle's wrath was ... Terrible; they had never expected that such a fragile man could be so intimidating, even their deadly father, the Red Viper, spoke carefully as he knew Doran would kill him.

"Everyone in Dorne considers my brother to be weak, but it's because no one but Aereo and I know him well, and now the three of you will also start to know him ... Her father said solemnly to her and her older sisters when they were going to the water gardens to be held accountable for their actions.

The screams between her father and her uncle were terrible and terrifying; despite the fact that she, along with Obara and Nymeria, were grown women, they wanted nothing more than to hide like little girls when they saw those men fighting ... Her uncle Doran despite being much older, and confined to a wheelchair was no less fearsome than her father at the time.

"Did we truly used to mock him?… She remembered Nymeria asking her that while hiding from their uncle.

... Now I understand that with Uncle Doran, you can't play ... Obara said without arrogance.

Tyene just nodded and remained silent, waiting for the sibling fight to end.

The fight ended when their uncle ordered them to be locked in a tower while their father remained silent.

Those were terrible weeks; although their prisons were made of silk, Tyene and her sisters had everything they wanted except freedom; they even brought them messages from abroad, such as that their uncle was still chasing the ship where Arianne escaped. Still, her cousin, along with the bastard Ned Stark and his companions, broke into Daenerys Targaryen's wedding with a Khal Dothraki and took her with them to an unknown destination as no one had heard from them since.

When her uncle Doran discovered that one of the knights who took Arianne was Loras Tyrell, he wrote an outraged letter to Highgarden, but Mace Tyrell ignored him. So her uncle plotted revenge against the Roses as well as the Lions of the Rock.

Before, they all believed that the character of their Uncle Doran was meek and cowardly, but now they all knew that in truth, he was a shrewd and scheming man, patient, careful with his machinations, and successfully disguising his cunning by acting as if he were a cowardly and incapable ruler.

He measures the consequences of each action before taking it, but whatever action he finally takes is almost a given that will have good results. They learned that even Tywin Lannister viewed his Uncle Doran's patience and insistence on long-term planning not to be confused with indecision or laziness and saw him as a legitimate threat before his death.

That was another news that shocked them at three, "The Old Lion" died at the hands of his dwarf son while he was on the toilet ... Tyene did not remember ever having laughed so much. Although according to the servants who attended her, her uncle Doran was saddened by the death of the Lion. He planned to make him suffer before killing him, and now his dwarf son deprived him of that pleasure.

Something that everyone understood perfectly.

But unfortunately, it was not all good news, one night their uncle released them by requesting their presence in the Water Gardens and when they got there, with their uncle was Ellaria Sand, their father's lover who was crying inconsolably on the ground and Daemon Sand the Bastard of Godsgrace and squire of their father who seemed to have seen death .. Instantly the three had a bad feeling.

Their father's squire told them that he, Prince Oberyn Martell of Dorne "the Red Viper" the best man in Dorne, had died in the trial by combat of Tyrion Lannister in which he was their champion, died fighting "The Mountain" who smashed his skull right after admitting that he had raped and murdered their aunt Elia.

"My father confirmed the rumours in exchange for his life ... She thought with tears in her eyes. As Obara let out a roar of anger, Lady Nym clenched her fists as thick tears spilt from her cheeks.

"We have been promised the head of" The Mountain ", said her uncle with tears in his eyes.

"How could our Father get involved in it?" Lady Nym asked.

"I sent him to King's Landing to take the place that was granted to me in the Council and to investigate the death of Elia; I asked him on this same terrace. We were eating oranges:

«Take the measures of the boy king and small-council; look at the strengths and weaknesses. If possible, find allies and friends. Find out what you can about Elia's death, but above all, don't provoke Lord Tywin too much.

With those words, Oberyn laughed in my face.

When have I provoked anyone ... too much? You'd better warn the Lannisters, so they don't provoke me. "

He wanted justice to be done for Elia, and I hope to obtain them in that Trial by Combat; he did it according to what he knew ... He coated his spear with some poison ... Gregor Clegane died screaming horribly and in horrible pain ... Even if this is nothing more than a miserable consolation "Said their uncle hoping to ease their pain.

That night their uncle released them and asked them to take their father's place to obtain the revenge that Dorne craved; he had explained to them that everything he had done with Arianne had been for the good of Dorne and the House Martell ... But he only succeeded in earning her hatred ... And every day, he felt the guilt consume him; the only thing he has now is the regret of driving away his wife and firstborn, but they could avenge the deaths of Oberyn, Elia and their children if they worked together.

At first, Tyene was not very convinced, but after seeing her uncle's face full of remorse, she accepted, and her two sisters followed her in a joint hug to their uncle.

End of Flashback

"And what happens now, uncle? ..." Tyene asked her uncle Doran.

"I haven't decided yet," Doran replied.

"What is there to decide? Our father was killed months ago, and now we have a chance ... We must answer with force, uncle! .. If this dragon is really our cousin Aegon we must join forces with him and crush the Lannisters now that old Lion died and the two queens have been clapped in irons" Obara yelled.

But her uncle just sighed.

"That's the problem, Obara ... We don't know who that boy really is, we know what everyone knows ... That" The Mountain "slammed my sister's baby against a wall and smashed her skull before raping and murdering her in such a cruel way ... I would be happy to know that a part of my sister still lives to help him claim what is rightfully his ... But we need to be sure ... That is why I called you here, we cannot challenge the throne yet, but we must prepare. I have a task for each of you ... "said Doran with a sigh.

That encouraged his nieces.

"A few days ago, my informants told me about Lys. A large fleet has assembled and is ready to go to sea; they bore no heraldry, and we didn't know their intended port, but several castles in the Stormlands have been seized, "Doran said to his nieces.

"Do you know who is this about?" Asked Obara.

"I'm almost sure it has to do with our new pretender to the Throne, but that's not all; they also talk about elephants," said Doran in a low voice as he watched the confused expression of his nieces amused.

"What does that mean?" Tyene asked, confused.

"There is only one army in all of Essos that uses elephants for war ... The Golden Company," Said Doran with satisfaction when he saw the surprised expression of his nieces.

"Those Blackfyre mercenaries? ... Why? There are no Blackfyres; the line was broken upon the Stepstones," Lady Nym asked.

"I don't know yet, but what I do know is that they are here again in Westeros, Apparently supporting this dragon. It's all very suspicious," Doran said with a sigh.

"What is our task, uncle?" Obara asks, and her uncle merely sighed in weariness.

"Nymeria… You will go to King's Landing to take the place that we were promised on the Council. The Lannisters won't like it, just as they didn't like my sending Oberyn to them, but they won't dare to refuse. We must have a voice in the council and an ear in the Court. But be very careful; King's Landing is a nest of snakes.

"You know I love snakes, uncle." Lady Nym smiled.

"These won't, I assure you ... Tyene," Said her uncle looking at her.

"Uncle?" She asked with her innocent maiden tone.

"The Sword and Star have been re-founded, and the new High Septon is not a puppet like the previous ones; he is a cruel idiot, the worst kind. So Tyene, you will leave for the Stormlands, and you will meet this dragon and his Hand, you will listen to his words mindfully, you will question him, you will study him, you will see through them and then you will send me a message "said her uncle staring at her.

"A message?" She asked, feeling intimidated by the mission.

"Yes," Dragon ", if you believe in their story, after which we will send them support... If you don't believe in their story, send the word" War ", and then we will wait for a better opportunity .. Dorne's future depends on you, niece", Doran said.

"I won't let you down, uncle", Tyene said with a nod.

"And me?" Asked Obara.

"At the moment, you will remain here in Dorne Obara and depending on Tyene's response, you will go with Lord Yronwood and Lord Fowler where you will help organize the march towards Stormlands," Said her uncle and Obara, although she did not seem happy she nodded.

"I still think that I should go to King's Landing, not Lady Nym," Quentyn said suddenly, but her uncle sighed wearily.

"We've already spoken about this son… It's too dangerous. Now that your sister Arianne is no longer with us, you are my heir, the future of Dorne. You have to be by my side. Soon there will be another task for you," said his uncle.

Hearing her uncle mention Arianne again for the first time in a long time, Tyene held back her tears as she remembered her cousin.

... Ari, where are you now? ... I thought with tears in my eyes.

"What about Sarella?" Lady Nym asked.

"She's still in Oldtown; leave her there, with her books. Then, if she ever gets back to Dorne ... we'll see," Doran said, and his nieces nodded.

End of Flashback

The morning Tyene said goodbye to her sisters and left the Water Gardens, her uncle rose from his chair to kiss her on both cheeks.

"The fate of Dorne goes with you, niece. So travel fast, travel safely, know my eyes and ears and voice ... but above all, be careful," He told her, as he held the parchment against his hand.

"I will, Uncle," Tyene said with a sad smile.

He did not shed a tear. Tyene Sand may be a bastard, but she was Oberyn Martell's daughter, and he taught her and her sisters not to weep without cause. Although he was close to doing so. It wasn't her uncle's embraces or his broken words that made her eyes wet with tears, but the struggle of him rising to his feet, his legs shaking under him, his joints swollen and tendre from gout.

Standing was an act of love. Standing was an act of faith.

"My uncle believes in me, despite being a bastard. I will not fail him."

The seven set out together on seven Dornish sand mounts. A small group travels faster than a larger one, but the Red Viper bastard does not ride alone. From Godsgrace came Ser Daemon Sand, the bastard, formerly his father's squire, now Tyene's sworn shield. From Sunspear, two brave young knights, Joss Hood and Garibald Shells join their swords to his. From the Water Gardens, seven crows and a tall boy to take care of them. His name was Nate, but he had been working with birds for so long that everyone called him Feathers. And since a Lady must have some women to assist her, her company also included the beautiful Jayne Ladybright and the wild Elia Sand, one of her younger sisters.

They set out in a northwesterly direction, across steppes, dry plains, and pale sands to Ghost Hill, the stronghold of House Toland, where the ship that would carry them across the Sea of Dorne awaited them.

"Send a raven whenever you have news, but report only what you know to be true. We are lost in the fog, besieged by rumours, falsehoods, and tales of travellers. I will not dare to act until I know for sure what is happening." her uncle had cautioned her.

"The war is happening, dear uncle and this time, no one will escape it," Tyene thought sadly,

"Perdition and death are approaching ... It is time for my little snakes to disperse; it will be the best to survive the massacre", Ellaria had said.

Ellaria was returning to her father's lands in Hellholt. With her was her daughter Loreza, who had reached the age of seven. Dorea remained in the Water Gardens, one girl in a hundred. Obella was to be sent to Sunspear to serve as a cupbearer for the Castilian's wife, Manfrey Martell.

And Elia Sand, the eldest of the four daughters her father Prince Oberyn had fathered with Ellaria, would cross the Sea of Dorne with Tyene.

"Like a lady, not a spear ... Her mother had told her firmly, but like all Sand Snakes, Elia had her own opinion.

They crossed the sands in two long days and two nights, stopping only three times to change mounts. Tyene felt like embroidering a bit, surrounded by so many strangers. Elia was her sister, but almost a child, and they didn't really share many interests, and Daemon Sand was boring, for lack of a better word.

He had been or rather was still is in love with her cousin Arianne, and there was a time when she was also in love with him, but she remembered her role as heir to Dorne and told him nothing could come of it. However, that did not stop Daemon, who had tried to win his favour by becoming a renowned knight in the hope of being legitimized and thus being considered his consort.

Or so it was ... Until Arianne fled Dorne with the Ned Stark's Bastard, Loras Tyrell and Robar Royce ... Since then, Daemon has grown rough and dull but obedient to those he is loyal to.

At dawn, they set off. Her sister Elia Sand led the way, her black braid flying behind her as she rode through the dry, cracked plains and hills. Unfortunately for her mother, the girl was in love with horseflesh, so she often smelled like them; sometimes, Tyene and Lady Nym felt bad for Ellaria.

Four daughters, each identical to their domineering, impulsive father.

The rest of the group kept a more sedate pace. The beautiful bastard found herself riding alongside Ser Daemon, remembering other rides with Arianne when they were younger, rides that often ended in hugs and laughter. When she found herself staring at him in a dispassionate, tall, gallant way at his steed, Tyene reminded herself that she was on a mission of vital importance and not to play.

"Ser Daemon would be kind enough to tell me what you know about this Jon Connington," Tyene asked in her innocent tone, but Daemon didn't seem affected.

"He is dead… He died in the Disputed Lands drank himself to death, I have heard it said," was Daemon Sand's reply.

"So a drunken dead man leads this army?" Tyene asked curiously.

"Maybe Jon Connington is his son. Or he is simply a clever mercenary who has taken the name of a dead man, "Daemon said.

"Or he never died," Tyene said. Could Connington have pretended to be dead all these years? That would require patience worthy of her uncle. The very thought made her uncomfortable. Dealing with a man this delicate could be dangerous.

"What was he like before he ... died?"

"It was a child in Divine Goodness who was sent into exile, my Lady. I never met the man," Daemon said with a shrug.

"Then please tell me what you have heard from him," Tyene asked.

"As my Lady ordered. Connington was Lord in Gryphon's Nest when Gryphon's Nest was a lordship worth having. He was a squire to Prince Rhaegar or one of them; he later became a trusted friend to the Prince; during the Rebellion, The Mad King named his hand, but he was defeated at the battle of the Bells, King Aerys was furious and sent Connington into exile, and it was said he stole from the Golden Company and drank himself to death," Daemon said.

"I already know all that, thanks to my uncle. What kind of man was he? Honest and honourable, corrupt, greedy, proud? " Tyene asked.

"Proud, with all certainty arrogant even A faithful friend to Rhaegar, but thorny with others. Robert Baratheon was his liege lord, but I have heard that Connington hated serving a lord like him. By then, Robert was already known as a lover of wine and whores, "Daemon said.

"Didn't Lord Jon have whores, then?" Tyene asked.

"I couldn't tell my Lady. Some men keep such matters secret."

"Did he have a wife? Lover?" Tyene continued,

Ser Daemon shrugged. "Not that I have heard."

That was also troublesome. The beautiful young bastard remained silent, pondering what might be found at the end of the journey. Then, when they camped that night, he slipped into the tent she shared with Jayne Ladybright and Elia Sand and took the parchment out of its packaging to reread it.

Tyene read the letter three times, then rolled it up again and tucked it back into her sleeve.

"A dragon has returned to Westeros, but not the dragon my uncle would have wished for. Nowhere was there a mention of Daenerys "Stormborn" who was kidnapped at her wedding by the bastard Stark ... And no one has heard from her again ... Her uncle's plan was for the Targaryens in exile to help them to obtain Fire and Blood against our enemies ... Fire and blood was what Jon Connington if it was really him, offered them. Or not? I don't know Gods, I don't even know if I did the right thing by accepting this mission". Tyene thought nervously.

"He brings mercenaries, but that will not be enough ... The Golden Company is the greatest and most famous of the free companies, but ten thousand mercenaries cannot hope to win the Seven Kingdoms. Elia's son ... he would cry with happiness if some part of his sister had survived, but what proof is there of what Aegon really is?" Her uncle had wept when he said that.

At Bonepath and Prince's Pass, two Dornish hosts had settled, and there they waited, sharpening their spears, polishing their armour, playing dice, drinking and fighting, their numbers dwindling day by day, waiting, waiting, waiting let the Prince of Dorne direct them on the enemies of House Martell. Waiting for a chance for revenge. Waiting for fire and blood.

... Waiting for me ...

One word from Tyene and those armies will march… as long as that word was dragon if instead, the word she spoke was war, Lord Yronwood, Lord Fowler and their sister Obara along with those armies, would remain in place. But, if her uncle was anything, it was subtle; here, war meant waiting.

Mid-morning on the third day, Ghost Hill appeared before them, its chalk-white walls gleaming against the dark blue Sea of Dorne. From the towers of the plaza at the corners of the castle wave the banners of House Toland, a green dragon biting its own tail, on a golden field. The sun and spear of House Martell hung over the great central fortress, gold and red and orange, swaying defiantly in the breeze.

The crows had flown ahead to alert Lady Toland of their arrival, so the castle gates were open, and Nymella's eldest daughter rode out to meet her butler near the foot of the hill. Tall and fierce, with a glow in her bright red hair falling to her shoulders,

Valena Toland greeted Tyene with a shout.

"You have finally arrived, right? Are those horses slow? "

"Fast enough to beat yours to the castle gates", She replied with a smile.

"We'll see about that." Valena turned to her big reddish horse and stung spurs, starting the race through the village's dusty streets at the foot of the hill as chickens and villagers stumbled to get out of her way. Tyene had three lengths behind when she put her mare into a gallop, but she had clipped one in the middle of the slope. They were both sides by side as they streaked through the guard gate, but five yards from the city gates, Elia Sand came flying from the cloud of dust behind them and passed them on her black filly.

"Are you half-horse, girl? Tyene, have you brought a stable girl with you? " Valena asked her, laughing.

"I'm Elia... Lady Lanza," Her sister answered, annoyed.

Anyone bearing that name had a lot to answer for. As had her father Prince Oberyn, though the Red Viper had never answered to anyone except himself and his brother.

"Prince Oberyn's child Yes, I have heard of you. As you were the first to arrive, you have earned the honour of watering and caring for the horses ", said Valena.

"And after that, find the privy, little sister," Tyene said, noticing her sister was covered in chalk dust from crown to ankle.

That night, Tyene and the knights accompanying her dined with Lady Nymella and her daughters in the castle's great hall. Teora, the youngest daughter, had the same red hair as her sister, but they couldn't have been more different. Short, plump, and so shy she might have passed for mute, she showed more interest in her spiced beef and honey duck than in the gentle young gentlemen at the table and seemed content to let her mother and sister speak for her.

"We have heard the same rumours here that you have heard at Sunspear, mercenaries landing at Cape Wrath, castles being besieged or taken, fields seized or burned. Where these men come from and who they are, no one knows for sure," Lady Nymella told them as servants served the wine.

"Pirates and adventurers, we heard at the beginning, so it was reckoned to be the Golden Company. Now he is said to be Jon Connington, the Hand of the Mad King, who has returned from the grave to claim what is rightfully his and whoever he is, the Gryphon's Nest has fallen before him. Rain House, Crow's Nest, even Greenstone on their island. Everything is taken," Valena said.

"Who would want Greenstone? Was there a battle? " Daemon Sand asked.

"Not that we have heard Ser, but all these rumours are uncertain. Tarth has fallen too, some Fishermen can tell you. These mercenaries now own almost the entire Cape of Wrath and half of the Step Stones. We have heard of elephants in the forest, "Valena said.

"Elephants?" Tyene asked with a surprised smile.

"Elephants," Lady Nymella said firmly.

And krakens on Broken Arm, emerging from sunken galleys. The blood pushes them to the surface, our maester says there are bodies in the water. A few have reached our shores. And that's not even half of everything. A new pirate has proclaimed himself King. The Lord of the Waters, he calls himself, you were wise not to come by sea. Ever since Redwyne's fleet passed the Steps stones, those waters are filled with strange vessels, all the way north to the shores of Tarth and the Bay of Shipwrecks. From Myr, Volantis, Lys, even raiders from the Iron Islands. Some have entered the Sea of Dorne to land men on the southern coast of Cape Wrath. We have found a good ship, and fast, as your father ordered, but even so… Be careful," Valena said.

"It's true then," Tyene said calmly.

"Is Dorne threatened? ... I confess, every time I see an unknown ship, my heart goes to my throat. What if these ships headed south? The best part of Toland's strength is with Lord Yronwood in Bonepath. Who will defend Ghost Hill if these newcomers land on our shores? Should I call my men home? " Lady Nymella asked in anguish.

"Your men are needed where they are, my lady," Daemon Sand assured her. Tyene was quick to nod.

Any other advice might well cause Lord Yronwood's host to fray like an old tapestry if each man came home to protect his own lands against would-be enemies who might or might never come.

"Once we know without a doubt if they are friend or foe, my uncle, our Prince, will know what to do," said the beautiful bastard.

It was then that sweet, chubby Teora looked up from the cream pies on her plate.

"They are dragons," He said suddenly.

"Dragons? Teora, don't be absurd," Her mother said.

"I'm not one of them is coming," Said the confident girl.

"How could you know that? One of your little dreams? " His older sister asked him with a note of derision in her voice.

Teora nodded weakly, her jaw trembling.

"They were dancing in my dream a dark dragon that came from the East and a dragon full of light that will come from the West, they are both going to dance, and where dragons danced, people died "

"The Seven protect us... If you didn't eat so many cream cakes, you wouldn't have those dreams. Rich foods are not for girls your age when your moods are out of balance. Maester Toman says… "Lady Nymella sighed exasperatedly.

"I hate Maester Toman... He only makes fun of what I say," Said Teora. Then she got up from the table, leaving her mother to apologize for her.

"Be gentle with her, my Lady... I remember when I was her age. My uncle was desperate with me and my cousin, I'm sure," Tyene said with some sadness.

"I can attest to that ... House Toland has a dragon on their banners," Ser Daemon said, taking a sip of wine.

"A dragon eating its own tail, yes. Since the days of the Conquest of Aegon. He did not conquer this city. Anywhere he burned his enemies, he and his sisters, but we vanished before that, leaving only stone and sand that could burn so over and over again, the dragons came, biting their tails in search of something to eat, until they were tangled in knots, "Valena said.

"Our ancestors took their part in that. Brave deeds were accomplished, and brave men died. All of this was written by the Maesters who served us. We have books if you want to know more, "Lady Nymella said proudly.

"Maybe another time," Tyene said.

While Ghost Hill slept that night, the bastard shielded herself from the cold in a hooded cloak and walked the castle battlements to clear her thoughts. Daemon Sand found her leaning on a parapet, surveying the sea, where the moon danced on the water.

"Tyene" You should be in bed.

"I could say the same of you, Ser .." Tyene turned to look at his face. A pretty face. The boy I met has grown into a handsome man. His eyes were as blue as the desert sky, his hair the light brown of the sands they had crossed. He now wore a close-cropped beard, and dimples appear when he smiles; she has always liked his smile ... If only his attitude were different.

The Divine Goodness bastard was one of the best swords in Dorne, as was to be expected of someone who had been her father's squire and received his knighthood from the Red Viper himself some said that he had been her father's lover too but rarely to his face. Tyene didn't know the truth about that. Although the truth did not matter to her.

"Could this be the real Prince Aegon? could my cousin indeed be alive? " Tyene asked with her gentle tone.

"Gregor Clegane tore Aegon from Princess Elia's arms and smashed his head against a wall... If Lord Connington's prince has a smashed head, I will believe that Aegon Targaryen has returned from the grave. Otherwise, no. This is a fake boy, nothing more. A plan of a mercenary to gain support," Daemon said dryly.

"My uncle fears the same ... If this really is Jon Connington if the boy is the son of Rhaegar Targaryen."

"Do you hope that it is, or that it is not?" Asked her fellow bastard, arching an eyebrow.

"I… would give great happiness to my uncle and all my family that my aunt Elia's son was still alive. My father loved his sister very much… He was never the same after her death," Tyene said.

"I asked about you, not your father," Daemon said in his own tone, inadvertently reminding Tyene why she never took him as a lover.

"That's right… Arianne and I were seven when she died; my cousin and I competed to carry her daughter Rhaenys once when she was too young to remember, just a little girl. So Aegon will be a stranger to me, whether he is the real one or not. "Tyene sighed, and the bastard nodded.

The next day they continued their journey.

His ship was called the Pilgrim. They left at dawn. The gods were kind to them, for the sea was calm. But, even with the wind sent by the gods, it took them a day and a night to cross. Jayne Ladybright had a greenish face and spent most of the trip vomiting, which Elia seemed hilarious.

"Somebody needs to spank that girl", Joss Hood was heard saying ... but Elia was among those who heard him.

"I'm almost a woman, be ... I'll let you whip me ... but first fight me, and get on my horse", Elia challenged haughtily.

"We're on a ship, and no horses," Joss replied.

"And the ladies are not fair", insisted Ser Garibald Shells, a man far more taciturn than his companion.

"Yes, fair. I am the Lady Lance," she answered.

Tyene sighed; she had heard enough from her sister and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Little Sister, you may be a spear, but you are not a Lady. So go downstairs and stay there until we get to land. "And Elia annoyed she did.

Apart from this, the trip did not have any other noteworthy events. At dusk, they spotted a galley in the distance, its oars rising and falling against the evening stars, but it was moving away from them, and they soon lost sight of it. Tyene knitted most of the time but was then challenged by Ser Daemon to a game of cyvasse, and she agreed to first play a game of cyvasse with Ser Daemon and another with Garibald Shells, and somehow managed to lose both. Ser Garibad was kind enough to say that she had played a gallant game, but Daemon scoffed at her.

"You have other pieces besides the dragon, Lady Tyene. Try moving them some time," Daemon said.

"I like the dragon Ser... It's so fierce ... Besides, it's just a game," She said, feigning innocence in a flirtatious tone.

But deep down, she was upset at the humiliation; if not, she needed Ser Daemon to be strong; she would gladly season his food and laugh as he stupidly spilt his guts into the toilet while screaming.

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