16

Chapter 16 Winter Woes

The Red Keep, Kings Landing…

The atmosphere inside the Red Keep was as calm as possible for the most part, preparations were underway for winter and all seemed well.

However a select few were very tense as they kept watch over the young king, they knew that the assassin was here and could make their move at any time. Daeron was guarding him all hours of the day while Harry had put up ward stones in his room to keep people not permitted by them out. Ser Manderly had been given a large sum of coin and was using all the leads he had to find the identity of the assassin before they struck and Visenya watched the court with eyes like a hawk for even the smallest sign of betrayal.

None of the other members of the Kingsguard were informed and the rest of the Small Council were kept unaware, eyes and ears were everywhere in this place and none of them wanted a word of this to get out until they had found and disarmed the plot. If it did then their enemies would only multiply sensing weakness like a shark smelled blood in the water.

While outside assassins were possible Harry had wondered if maybe Lady Arryn might have looked closer to home for assistance. There were precious few Valemen in the Red Keep, in fact there were only two who were allowed anywhere near Aegon...Ser William Royce and his squire Olyvar. While the Royces were close allies of his family and in fact related to him given his grandmother had been a Royce the man had been knighted, showing he practised the Seven an act that had gotten him at odds with his family who were enemies of the Arryns. And Olyvar meanwhile was an even bigger mystery, apparently a lad from Gulltown who had been offered to Ser Royce by his family.

There was something here that he didn't like, especially as both of them avoided him as much as possible.

Soon he would know if he was right.

-x-

A week had passed since Lady Arryn had been identified as the likely plotter before finally the assassin made their move.

It was the evening meal, an event that brought many including Aegon and Harry to the hall to dine. It was a heavy bustle and many moved around the room enjoying good food and wine along with conversation and games, Daeron and Harry however did not eat, drink or talk to anyone and stayed close to Aegon as he ate, their eyes alert and darting all over the room for any sign of trouble.

The assassin moved amongst the crowd, trying to use the noise and large number of people to move unseen in the bustle and it almost worked. He reached Aegon's water and was about to slip a tiny vial of something in when like lightning Harry's hand shot out and grasped their wrist. Daeron instantly drew his sword and held it at their neck.

"That was a very foolish move Olyvar." Harry said with a cold calm that was terrifying as everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at the main table. The noise and easy going atmosphere that had been present only a moment earlier disappeared only to be replaced with an incredibly heavy tension. The squire of Ser Royce was as white as a sheet and trembling as he had been caught literally with the murder weapon in his hand by Peverell in front of many people. There would be no doubt of his guilt now or what might happen to him now he was caught Olyvar thought with terror.

"Seize Ser Royce and take him the cells." Daeron said sharply to the men around the room who took the shocked knight into custody and dragging him out of the room.

"Move his grace to his rooms and secure it." Harry said sharply to his own men who nodded and accompanied by Ser Daeron escorted the surprised and startled Aegon away to a more secure location. With Aegon now safely out of harm's way Harry plucked the poison vial out of Olyvar's hand and dragged him firmly by the wrist out of the room. The young lad struggled trying break free but Harry's hand remained like a steel vice around it.

They soon arrived at one of the cells but this one had a chair bolted down the floor in the centre and was fitted with several chains. Olyvar struggled even harder when he saw it but Harry and his men were too strong and they soon secured him to it. It was a shame to see such a young lad bound to such a large and vicious looking chair but Harry had little sympathy as he poured truth serum down the boy's throat, it did stab at him briefly given that he was only a child but this child had nearly killed someone, someone who in no way deserved it. Ser Manderly and Ser Lannister joined him shortly after the potion was administered having been informed of what had happened.

The boy struggled not to swallow the horrible tasting liquid but he couldn't stop it as it slid down his throat, they waited a moment for it to take effect before Harry asked his questions.

"What is your real name?"

"Olyvar Arryn of Gulltown." Olyvar told him and the others gathered. Harry raised an eyebrow at that, surprised that they had actually risked one of their own to try and pull off this assassination. He nevertheless continued his interrogation.

"Who was the mastermind behind this plot to kill the King?" Harry asked and Olyvar told him in the same flat and emotionless voice the potion brought about.

"Lady Jeyne Arryn originated the plan, she was angry at House Arryn being denied their rightful power of the Vale and having to be led by House Peverell in the war. Worst that House Royce led the forces of the Vale rather than follow her as is her right. Dirty heathens." Olyvar said and the insult against House Royce and his own family did not endear him to Harry whose gaze narrowed with anger before asking.

"Who was involved in this plot? Who was your contact?"

"Septon Eustace was my contact here, it was him who acquired the poison and passed it too me. He was only to eager to aid us in exchange for the deaths of House Peverell and Aegon the Child. His loyalty remains firmly with Aegon the 2nd and he was smart enough to hide it, making fools of all of you. He however was the only one, it was hoped that by keeping the circle small it would not be detected." The young man said and Harry nodded now knowing who was helping him here.

"Was all of House Arryn involved in this plot? Was Ser Royce involved?" Harry asked eager to know just how far this spread.

"Lady Jeyne and her cousins all are involved as is my uncle Isembard Arryn. Septon Eustace was an eager participant and Ser Royce was so foolish he doesn't even know who I am but he proved useful to aid my entry to the Red Keep and far too stupid to ever suspect me or my true loyalties." Olyvar said with derision towards the knight, emotion coming back into his voice as the short lived potion started to fade.

Harry nodded before turning to the other two men.

"Ser Luceon, if you would be so kind send some men to take Septon Eustace into custody. If I send my own men it would cause a religious incident." Harry politely asked the Lannister knight who nodded. "Thank you, once that is accomplished we must hold an emergency meeting of the Small Council. An attempt on the life of the king cannot be tolerated and House Arryn and this ignorant Septon must be punished." Harry added with a hard glint in his eye that sent a shudder through both men.

-x-

A short time later when Septon Eustace had been dragged out of the sept and confined the Black Cells along with Olyvar, Harry sat with the rest of the Small Council to plan their response.

"The Arryns plotted against the crown and threatened the life of the king, there is only one punishment for that." Forrest Frey said with anger.

"Death." Grandmaester Tyrell said in agreement.

The others looked around to him, expecting for him to agree with them. Harry gave a silent nod, his own anger simmering controlled beneath the surface at the fact this greedy house had tried to kill a child just to embarrass his family and get power for themselves. A statement had to be made.

One straight out of Aegon the Conqueror's book with a unique twist of their own.

-x-

The Eyrie, the Vale…One Week Later...

The defences of the Eyrie were legendary, set high on an unpassable mountain with the only road in or out being guarded by an exceptionally strong castle, known as the Gate of the Moon which was near unbreakable. This castle was also the residence of House Arryn when the winter months made the Eyrie too cold to live in.

These were the reasons that despite years of trying the First Men houses had never managed to oust the Arryns and it always acted as a rally point for Seven worshippers whenever they fought. It had been a mark of pride and smugness for the Arryn's to have such a stronghold as their home.

But when dragons had come to Westeros that had all changed.

The sight of her son on the lap of Visenya Targaryen during Aegon's Conquest in the courtyard of her own castle had been what made Sharra Arryn bend the knee without further conflict and stopped any attempt to regain their crown...what use were their defences against beasts that could fly up the mountain and burn the castle from the very top.

Jeyne Arryn who had been so sure she could at last right the perceived wrongs dealt to her family by all their enemies and finally establish complete control of the Vale, avenging her great ancestor...the Late Great King Artys in the process and destroyed the bloody fucking heathens that had so dishonourably cheated him of victory and dishonoured both his body and memory. She had forgotten the danger that crossing the dragons posed and how little use the Eyrie's defences were against them.

But the sight of four dragons on the horizon changed all of that in an instant.

The colours were different; red, scarlet and pink. Pale green. Dark Blue. White with streaks of black they were an odd but deadly bunch as they closed in the Eyrie. Jeyne had no idea what to do as they flew closer and closer.

The guards immediately started panicking around her as did her cousins but none of them could do anything as the three dragons started blasting away. Battlements were bathed in fire, the small garden, the stables which made the horses scream in terror joined by the cries of men as they were burned alive.

Tessarion, Starchaser and Moondancer however then broke away from Meleys and in unison started strafing the weakest part of the castle, the towering rock that it sat on which was apart from the mountain and rendering the stone weaker and weaker with each pass. Eventually the rock became so damaged and weakened that it could no longer hold up the castle and the rock above the damage and crumbled under its weight.

Those that were close enough to see it were horrified as the Eyrie, the strongest castle of the Vale fell from the top of the mountain. Falling with the damaged mountain stone into the valley below, thankfully devoid of people to hit but smashing into a massive heap of rubble both grey and white that was unrecognisable.

Jeyne Arryn as she fell with all the men and servants inside could only shed a tear as rather than avenge her family and bring them to greatness she had brought about their destruction.

-x-

Kings Landing, the Crownlands…

The crowd jeered as two figures were dragged into the town square yelling insults and other slurs at the traitors to the crown, it was a sad sight to some others to see a once respected Septon and a young boy being treated by hardened criminals but there was little that could be done given the seriousness of the crimes that had been levelled at them.

Less given that they had confessed.

The old man and his young accomplice were forced by the men onto blocks where swordsmen waited with big broadswords and the crowds cheered wildly as their heads were severed from their necks.

Ser Royce and a number of others watched the gruesome display in dismay and grief, amongst them Harry Peverell himself. He despised himself for doing that to such a young boy as Olyvar but the seriousness of his crimes and the refusal to take the black had left him with no option.

-x-

Gulltown, the Vale...The Same Time…

The Arryns of Gulltown were spared dragon attack as some remained behind to defend Kings Landing but the sight of a massive army of First Men Vale Houses and Mountain Clans assembled against them was enough for Isembard Arryn, the richest of all the Vale lords to realise the game was up.

However rather than surrender or stand and fight like an idiot he chose a third option, flee.

A group of ships carrying his family, his most faithful retainers and his enormous fortune sailed away in a northern direction. Their destination was a place they would need to reach quickly if they were to survive, the only place the Targaryens and Peverells would hesitate to follow them, Braavos.

There he thought with a mixture of sadness and anger at having to flee Westeros and lose the only chance he would ever have of ruling the Vale he and his family would have to start again. He had the money and contacts to set them up as merchants and hopefully things would pick up for them but it would he realised never be the same. He cursed his cousin for this stupid plan, one that had seen them fleeing from Westeros and one of his nephews dead, not to mention their name blackened forever and wished he had more sense than to follow it.

One day he thought with hope, perhaps they might return. A more vicious thought then popped into his head as he thought this, that when they did they would reek vengeance on those that had wronged them.

A Few Months Later…

The chill of winter had started to come and people were rushing to prepare as best as they could for the coming hard weather.

At the Red Keep things were far better managed with enough food stocked to last for a few years and the storehouses of the city were at last being filled. Rice from the North was being added now as it was a good food for winter since it lasted so long and was so easy to prepare. Lord Stark was very pleased at the wealth that was now fillings his coffers.

A deal Harry had struck with him to ensure the city was fed, a piece of good news as he sat at his desk dealing with all the administrative duties that fell on him as Hand and Regent. The sheer weight of it was almost crushing but he persisted on knowing it had to be done.

A sort of reprieve was granted when a servant entered the room. Harry looked up and glared expectantly, the young man paled slightly but gave his message.

"My lord hand, a party from Braavos, Pentos and Lorath has arrived. They are asking to meet with you." He said with sweat appearing on his brow.

Harry nodded and got up from his desk, this was not unexpected as Ser Manderly had informed him the party was coming. This meeting was intent on building better relations with Braavos and other Free Cities given the Triarchy was still harbouring deep hatred for the destruction of their fleet during the Dance. Having powerful friends would be a boon to their position.

He walked down to one of the lesser known halls in the Red Keep where the meeting was set. It would be expected for such important guests to meet in the Throne Room or Small Council Chamber but this was better for their purpose given they were not supposed to let anyone know they were here.

"Gentlemen." Harry said as he entered the room and saw the different delegates there. "Please be seated." Harry said as he himself took his seat on the other side of the table. Ser Manderly and Ser Lannister sat with him, he shared a look with them before turning his attention to the delegates. The leader he noticed seemed to be from Braavos, hardly surprising since it was the most powerful of the northern Free Cities.

"Lord Hand thank you for meeting with us to discuss a proposal." The Braavos man said with a polite nod.

"Indeed. If your intention to bring war on the Triarchy is true then it would benefit us in removing a rather large annoyance." Harry said plainly, the Triarchy had been making many different threats against them for some time and even attempted to cut off trade going so far if Ser Manderly's information was right to paying pirates to raid their lands. Ser Daeron and Ser Addam had been dispatched with their dragons to the most likely areas to be hit and see if they could 'persuade' the pirates to abandon this but it would only really end they all realised with the dissolution of the Triarchy.

"Indeed it is." The Lorath delegate said before cutting to the point of the matter. "And it would be a great deal easier to do if you would allow our ships to seek shelter in your ports and allow us to establish a supply line through them."

"Princess Meria Martell has already consented to allowing our ships in Dorne." The Pentos delegate said which Harry guessed was supposed to encourage him to not be outdone by Dorne and agree to their proposal. He however was surprised to hear that the Princess he himself had saved in Lys so many years ago was now ruling her home country and thought good for her with pride.

"I will allow it as long as you promise to end the Triarchy." Harry said with a stern look. "They are an irritant that has gone on far too long, I hope to see it broken apart and soon." Harry added to ensure that this was the only reason he was agreeing to this.

They nodded and the parchment on which the agreement was written was soon stained with ink in the form of his signiture. Harry allowed himself a small smile as hopefully it would ensure the removal of a pain in Westeros' arse and one less headache for him and his wife to worry about.

The Red Keep, Kings Landing…132 AC...

The cold of winter was always harsh in Westeros, in southern parts of the Reach or in Dorne it was far more tolerable but in the more northern areas it was far colder.

The North itself...that was something everyone tried to avoid thinking about.

People wrapped up in whatever warmer clothing or blankets that they could find. This was strangely when the North made some of its best trade, pelts for warmer clothing always sold well now. Sheep farmers likewise did well in their wool trade but for Kings Landing and much of the port towns and cities of Westeros in particular the cold was far from the most immediate danger.

The Winter Fever had returned and it was far more deadly than before.

The disease had first appeared in Sisterton and had quickly spread, claiming hundreds of lives within weeks of its arrival on their shores from goodness knows where.

The symptoms were first a red flush to the face, then came the fever which only got worse as time passed. That could be slowed by keeping the sufferer cold in snow or ice but not stopped. The terrible shaking would start on the second day as would the feeling of being cold despite the raging fever. The third day would bring horrible sweating and a state of deliriousness before finally on the fourth day the fever would either break and the person would recover or more likely they would die. Only one in four people would manage to survive based on studies made by the Maesters.

Even the nobility were not unaffected, lords and ladies were falling ill as it crept into their castles and struck them down. Even young King Aegon was made ill by the fever when a hapless pair of maids brought it into the Red Keep.

But when everyone thought it would be the end of Aegon the 3rd before he had even had a chance to rule, House Peverell stepped into the breach and announced that they had a cure.

The disbelief across the land had been swift to be expressed but soon desperation and fear opened up to accepting their word.

Harry on the battlements of the castle watched as carts from Godric's Hollow delivered the precious medicine to the people of Kings Landing. They clamoured around it eager to receive the precious contents but were instead forced one by one to come up to the cart were they would each receive a dose in a mug and then another the following day.

Once they had received the strange tasting elixir the fever would burn less intently and by the second dose would disappear completely. Many of the Seven's service cried out that it was a devil's concoction and the Faithful should instead of taking it put their lives in the hands of the Seven and pray for salvation. However as the supposed 'Godly' men and women started dying of the Fever and there was little deliverance in sight many turned to this remedy and in fact felt invigorated after taking it for the rest of the day, saying it was a blessing from the gods not a curse.

A smile appeared on his face as he heard them blessing the Peverells for this miracle. Also on the face of Visenya as she walked up to him.

"You should hear them down there." She said with a smirk. "Praising the gods for House Peverell, the House that delivered Westeros from the Winter Fever."

"Its better to be remembered for that then destroying entire house and castle I suppose." Harry mused with irony given how much his family had advanced politically since he had been born.

The destruction of the Eyrie and House Arryn had sent a shock-wave through Westeros, scaring people into a complete panic at how House Targaryen and House Peverell had struck back at House Arryn for their attempt on Aegon's life. His statement that no threat to the life of the King would be tolerated on his watch had seemed to put off any potential assassins and the release of the hostages from the Stormlands had finally brought that region back into line.

House Royce had been awarded the title of Lord Paramount and Warden of the East, something that had not eased tensions within the Vale itself but no-one wanted to anger House Targaryen again. Gulltown had been placed in the hands of a new house formed by a marriage between House Belmore and House Coldwater, First Men houses loyal to House Royce.

"House Targaryen is also known for saving the realm from the Winter Fever too thanks to you, Addam, Daeron, Baela, Rhaena and Rhaenys." Harry added reminding her that she and the other dragon riders had been flying fresh barrels of the potion that was basically a blend of the Pepperup Potion and the Invigoration Draft, strengthening the body's defences till it could deal with the fever on its own. A creation of his mother who had always been the best brewer in the family. Now many in the town were working night and day to make as much of the potion as possible.

Those barrels were flying out of Godric's Hollow, literally as the dragons carried them to all the places they were needed. Now dragons were seen as a sign of hope when they arrived as they brought the medicine to those that needed it. It was all a good thing, lives were being saved and their reputations were somewhat rehabilitated.

House Peverell was not even charging for the potion, instead they were collecting...good will and more crucially favours that they were now owed by houses being helped by their potion without cost. Harry himself had even added warming rune stones in strategic places around the Red Keep to keep the interior of the structure warm enough for everyone.

Debts that they could one day call on.

"Still the extra coin from their expedition and the good reputation is certainly a great boon to House Velaryon as well." Visenya said with a small smile. "Especially after losing Corlys." She added sadly.

Corlys Velaryon had soon died once he had returned from his second expedition with ships full of gold and foreign treasures from across the world which swelled the coffers of House Velaryon as well as Peverell and Targaryen who had helped finance the far larger second expedition. He had lived long enough to see the birth of his great grandchild Alyn as Addam and Baela had named him. Apparently he had died content that not only was the line secure but that they would continue to be dragon riders.

However they were not the only couple with a new babe.

Apart from Harry and Visenya's own daughter who had been born only a couple of months before named Lily for her grandmother, Daeron had fathered a child with Cassandra Baratheon.

That had caused a great stir around the place, while it was not forbidden for Kingsguard to take lovers it was highly frowned on to father children. Worse with a woman from a house that had until not too long ago been their enemy, any question of Cassandra leaving the Red Keep was now out of the window. The child just had to be a son as well Harry and Visenya thought with annoyance that she had named Orys for her ancestor and unfortunately to keep him from being used in the future by their enemies against Aegon since he had a distant but potential claim to the throne they had to hold both him and his mother here.

Lady Baratheon was still apparently fuming over them failing to release Cassandra but she would not be parted from her child and he would not be allowed to leave so therefore he and she would stay here.

To appease the Baratheons though they had given the child a new name rather than let him be labelled as a mere bastard. He would be the first of a new knightly house that lived in Kings Landing and served the crown, named House Goldheart.

He would have all the best men to educate him in both letters, numbers and swinging a sword, be allowed to attend court and more critically be where they could keep an eye on him. It was somewhat dangerous but better here than out there in the world where Arryns still roamed free and who knows what else. They would not be allowed to bond to dragons at least so that was a headache they were without.

"Aegon seems quite taken with young Daenaera Velaryon." Visenya said with a knowing smile, something Harry returned.

"It could be worse, she's a beautiful girl even if they have to wait awhile. Very good natured and happy without being foolish. Not bad queen material." Harry said, it might not be the most politically advantageous marriage they could have found but she was far from the worst. However the closeness of their relation did worry him.

"For this generation they are far enough apart, but inbreeding will only bring more problems in the future." Harry said knowing that breeding with the same pools of people would only lead to madness and more problems of that kind in the future. It wouldn't surprise him if House Peverell would be targeted in the future by Valyrians just for Visenya's blood. Visenya likewise remembered the same dangers that maesters had spoken of to her.

"I think we need to make sure that House Targaryen and House Velaryon establish a rule that no relative closer than a second cousin can be wed. That should I hope alleviate the situation and reduce the damage caused." She said knowing full well that while preserving the Valyrian bloodline was important it should not be at the expense of all the problems caused by inbreeding.

Harry and Visenya nodded in agreement, turning around to walk back into the castle, along the way passing by the training yard where their new Master At Arms for the Red Keep Ser Willis Marbrand, cousin to the late Queensguard knight Ser Lorent Marbrand. He had been recommended to the post by Tyland who had just pulled through the Winter Fever thanks to their potion. He was a good knight, skilled with a sword and lance while being an able enough teacher to pass those skills on to others including the new king who trained with him, Daeron and Harry every day.

He would just be grateful when this winter finally ended.