85 Anger

Lady Olenna sat in the gardens of the Tyrells ancestral castle Highgarden, she didn't particularly like the place, but she liked the calmness that it provided.

Next to her a 9 years old girl enjoyed the snacks with her four handmaidens waiting at her back.

If anyone from Brendan's group would be here, they would recognize Mira Forrester as one of them.

She didn't want to go, but more than anything she hated to disappoint her parents.

It's already been few days since she came to the Reach, Mira liked it here at the start, unfortunately with novelty of the new place extinguished already, she started missing her home and friends.

Before she left, Brendan clearly told her that she could reach out to him with everything that bothered her, and to guard herself from the "old cot" as he called the Queen of Thorns.

Mira was a smart girl and well aware that her new position will be one filled with constant vigilance and them watching and listening to her every word.

"Child, come here and sit with us." Olenna gestured at Mira leisurely.

Hesitating for a moment the girl from the North knew she didn't have a choice.

"Come on now, I don't bite." Old woman lean forward like she usually did when she was interested in something.

"My Lady..." Mira curtsied and came closer.

"Sit."

"Grandma, you're scaring Mira." Margaery grabbed Mira's hand and pulled her to the chair next to her.

"She's a North woman, they don't scare so easily child." Like always both of the Tyrell women started their game. "If Lord Dustin is as smart as I presume him to be, he already told you what to say and what not to right?" they watched as Mira kept her head high meeting their eyes.

"He did my Lady." confident voice came in reply to the question.

"He?" Margaery asked.

"So let's get this over with child, what can you tell us about Lord Dustin?" Olenna ignored her granddaughter and asked.

"Brendan... I mean Lord Dustin informed me that you might ask a lot of questions and asked me to tell you: "She's not one of mine, if she's hurt there will be a price to pay." were his exact words that he asked me to tell you my Lady." Mira almost fainted, she just threatened one of the most dangerous women in Westeros.

"Did he now... he probably added few other words like "old cot" or something." the true Lady of Highgarden became grumpy.

Mira just blushed and didn't reply, there was no good answer to this.

"HAHAHA he truly did! HAHA" Margaery burst out with uncontrollable laughter.

"And tell me child, why are you calling Lord Dustin by his name, and what does the message mean." There was no anger in her, Lady Olenna already expected such a thing. It would be bizarre if the boy didn't do it as such.

"I do not know the meaning my Lady, when I asked Brend... I mean Lord Dustin, he said that my Lady will understand." Forrester girl felt a bit more comfortable now. "About using names, Brenda... Lord Dustin doesn't like to use titles, he said that it's just useless tongue twisters and inside family it shouldn't be used as it creates distance between everyone." now this did surprise the old woman.

'He already builds closeness with his men just like Margaery does. Damn smart boy. Damn smart.' Olenna had to admit that she liked the boy more with every new aspect she learned about him.

"You can speak freely about him, tell me more Mira. What is he like?" Margaery asked with a bit more enthusiasm in her voice that Olenna would like it to be.

"What do you mean my Lady?" she played dumb.

"I mean how is he in private, how does he treat people, how is Neverwinter, anything you can say, maybe some gossip as well! HAHA" the girl melodious laugh filled the gardens. "We already know he is smart and brave, he robbed my grandma for 1.5 million gold after all." for the Tyrells gold was like dirt, when you have too much of it, you stop paying attention to it, and their trade was running smoothly even with the Dustin's taking over most of the market.

"Brendan is... special if we use one word to describe him my Lady." Olenna and Margaery payed attention to every word, but from totally different reasons. "He changed the North for the better, yet doesn't have the unapproachable feeling like other Lord's do, it's the exact opposite... his charisma draws everyone to him irresistibly, he actually cares about his people very much. I think Neverwinter is the happiest city in Westeros to tell you the truth my Lady..." Mira felt shy gossiping about her friend.

"It can't be better than Highgarden right?" the child joked, smiled and placed her hands on Mira's.

"I'm sorry my Lady..."

"Don't think anything of it, tell me more about Neverwinter and Brendan." when young Lady of the Reach spoke like that, Mira never even knew when she started to open up so much, that she never noticed when Margaery started using "Brendan" "He" and not "Lord Dustin".

Listening carefully and paying close attention to the new handmaiden's every word Olenna admired her granddaughter for her tricks.

Mira spoke about Neverwinter and the North in great detail, about the bakeries, newspaper and every other unknown to her before thing that she saw there during her short stay.

Since she didn't know Brendan for long, she couldn't say too much about him except some of her observations and gossips.

They talked and rested like that for most of the morning, Margaery even send away the other girls just to enjoy her time.

Everything was almost perfect when a great ruckus spread throughout the previously calmed gardens.

The situation shocked the younger girls, and only the Queen of Thorns kept her cool.

The Ladies watched as armed guards entered into their enclave and surrounded it from every side standing with their backs to the women.

A messenger was running up to them, the boy didn't pay attention to anything and just sped in Olenna's direction with a sealed scroll in his hand.

"Give it here boy." Tyrell matriarch took the paper into her hand and waived the boy away.

Even she was very curious what could make her son as the ponderous oaf he is take such drastic measures.

When she unfolded the scroll her hand trembled for a second and face lost it's color even in the burning sun.

"So it's war..." Mira was the first to speak, if not for the old matriarch shock she would applaud the girl's deduction skills.

"War?" Margaery asked surprised and disbelieving this to be the case.

"Brendan said that the Ironborn will start the rebellion soon my Lady, looking at the fully armed guards storming here, which they never did during my time here and Lady's Olenna reaction it can only be that..." Mira lowered her head thinking about her brothers and father back home.

"Good deduction child. But that was not the reason for my reaction..." Olenna was actually scared, not of the war, no. What scared her now was how terrifying Lord Dustin was... 'Tywin didn't pick his fight well this time around' everyone who counted for something in the seven kingdoms knew how much the Lannister invested in this endeavor. Even Olenna worried about the Redwyne fleet. "Now I know Lord Dustin's threat meaning..." she said mysteriously, stood up and left the gardens with the two curious girls at her toes.

=== Winterfell ===

Eddard stood in front of the gate that led to a square where the Starks usually welcomed their distinguished guests.

It wasn't normal for the Lord to welcome simple kids that weren't even fully fledged Lords yet, but before he came back to himself in all that excitement he was already there.

"My love is this wise? You are their Lord and Warden of the North, they should be the ones coming to you not the other way around" Lady Catelyn complained being strongly against her husband's actions.

She held the young Aria in her arms and Sansa stood just at her side holding the woman's dress.

"My Lord, Lady Stark is right, it's unbecoming to your status to welcome a group of children like that." Septa Mordane stood just behind her Lady with the infant Bran in her arms.

Robb, holding Ned's leg looked around lost not knowing what to do or whom should he listen to.

Lord Stark knew he made a mistake, but it's not like the North so rigorously followed every southern custom.

"Let's talk about this later Cat." Eddard just wanted to enjoy the long awaited meeting with his nephew.

"Ned! The children are cold!" The woman articulated her thoughts, she'll never allow a simple child blemish her House's reputation.

Lord Stark wanted to calm his love, yet before he turned around his eyes saw the two gate guards straighten up.

'That's it' he thought.

Not more than few moments later two horsemen trotted through the gate.

With the first look at the men, even if he didn't recognize the armor of any of them Eddard knew that they were capable warriors from the was they presented themselves.

The black, menacing, sturdy armor, hound like helmet, heavy sword at the side and black fur cape could freeze the blood of the bravest of men.

The other one in a simple yet beautiful castle forged armor with a sword at the side and sapphire colored shield strapped to the side of the horse and winter cape in the same color as the shield. Both taller than a normal man, looked incredible on their destrier warhorses.

Before Ned finished checking the two, more horse hoofs hitting the ground sounded out.

First came a man, or more like a boy in leather armor and two short swords at his belt.

On his back a bow and on his horse's side another and at least three quivers of arrows.

'That's goldenheart bows!' Lord Stark shouted in his heart.

He only saw similar bow in the Targaryen treasury after the rebellion. Summer Isles bows were the best in the known world and here he saw two!

Shaken in his disbelief already, only now he registered the two beast they made his children tremble and hide behind their parents.

'These are...' Eddard recognized the two wolves at the first sight. Even after all these years he still had an impression of the two pups that protected his nephew when he last visited Neverwinter all these years back.

'By the Gods how they grew...' Ned's thoughts were in great disarray looking at the two sniffing and growling beasts almost the size of a pony.

Lord of Winterfell was already shocked so many times that the ten men dressed in the full black armor with yellow ornaments on their chests and Dustin color cloaks escaped his attention.

He compared them to his own skimpily armored men and there was no need for further comparison.

Crestfallen he just watched the gate waiting for Brendan.

- - -

"My Lord, we will go first." Brienne said and sped up with Sandor.

They might not look like it, but both of them took their commitments to a whole new level, worrying for their Lord's safety everywhere they went, the two were always leading the way.

Behind them Loki, Laika and Anguy followed.

Brendan was still worried for his animal brother and sister. His heart fell every time he felt their emotions. Bri's death really hit them hard.

"Go with them." Young Lord said to the Praetorians guarding in front of him.

"Yes my Lord! Ha!" They shouted to their horses and took of after his sworn shields.

Brendan looked around the Winterfell town.

"What a dump..." in his imagination he expected something else... something... more.

The town was like a less than acceptable version of medieval towns in his old world.

Evidently noticeable stink of piss and shit, wooden, decaying houses with a few brick ones sticking out here and there like sore thumbs.

The convoy passed the Dustin's establishments, easy noticeable because they were about the only buildings actually looked after.

The Dustin staff from each of them bowed low when he passed.

Fortunately all his employees were well kept.

Brendan nodded at each of them and moved further on the muddy road.

"I already hate this place." Tyene said from behind him.

They were the next to ride through the gate.

Finally Brendan saw his uncle again after he entered.

Behind him everyone slowed down, the noble children rode at his back, just after them Noya, Oro, Amo and Bryce.

Unfortunately Arthur had to stay with the rest of Praetorians as Lord Stark was one of the few men who definitely could recognize him, and revealing the King's guard wasn't an option for now.

When Brendan was lost in his thoughts, not taking his eyes from his uncle someone didn't like it.

"Shouldn't you kneel before your Lord and Lady child?" Lady Stark wouldn't tolerate it any longer.

Hearing her words all the youths felt her animosity.

*Grrrrrr*

Red who was standing as always not more than two meters away from Brendan growled at her, showed his fangs and lowered his posture ready to pounce at the evident enemy of his human brother.

The blood red wolf scared her a bit. She knew this foul beast couldn't do anything to her with all Stark men around, but the feeling of fear was stronger. It's place was on a winter cape after skinning, not living among humans.

"Easy Red..." Brendan jumped from his trusted horse the moment the blood red wolf took a small step forward not taking his predatory eyes away from Lady Stark.

The castle guards grabbed their spears in both hands and lowered them, ready to protect their Lady.

Seeing the unknown men actions, Loki and Laika joined Red on his sides and immediately assumed positions for attack.

Brendan, with a confident step move in front of them.

His yellow cloak fluttered at his back when he dropped on one knee with lowered head, immediately taking all the attention away from his wolves.

"I meant no disrespect my Lady, it's just that the beauty of my future wife mesmerized me taking away all my manners in my stupor. Please forgive me Lady Stark..."

Seeing Brendan like this the trio calmed down, what escaped everyone's notice was that now every Dustin man had their shield in one hand and sword hilt in the other.

Anguy discreetly placed the arrows back into the quiver.

Noya slid her short swords back in, Sandor and Brienne straightened their backs from the ready to charge position. Bryce slowly released his axes handle, Oro did the same to his arkah and Amo to his spear.

What didn't disappear though, was the anger that all of them felt in their hearts.