Fire & Blood

[Mountains of the Moon]

Rodrik

"Dragon!"

Rodrik was dragged by Orion who was fleeing with everyone else to get some cover, the dragon leapt from his hiding spot and dived down at the new prey. His eyes watched it fly about, gliding across the air like it was completely natural for it to do so. "We have to go!" Orion reminded him and he continued running with everyone.

He jumped behind a rock with others but some from lit aflame after trying to take it down by throwing their spears and loosing arrows. The clansmen who warned them was grabbed and taken above only to be dropped to his death on a spear, he couldn't believe his very eyes right now.

A dragon in the Vale, how in the seven did one of these appear out of nowhere. Not once had the scouts reported such a find during his years as acting Lord of the Vale, and no evidence was ever brought forth neither. Orion along with anyone else had terrified expressions, understandable as no such creature had been seen in a century and a half.

"What do we do?" One man asked him and he looked at how far the horses were, only to see that there were none. The Dragon either turned them to cinders or ate one or two.

The village was echoing in cries and the gusts that the wings made, blue eyes saw several small passes that the dragon couldn't possibly get to. "We make a break for the passages, everyone remove your armor." The steel plate would slow everyone down, and he will see many of his people surviving this day and none will die from the flame.

At the signal all thirty men began running for the passage and it didn't take long for the shrieks to be heard, he pushed one out of the way before a blast of flame touched, unfortunately it got his hand and singed the fingertips a bit. Looking back he ten men all at once blasted in fire, turning to ash and dust and bone. Anger then inflamed and he ran and reached for a bow and arrow, it wont do much but to save his men, he will do what he must.

Launching the first arrow got its attention, he ran behind a house and ducked behind a thicker wall to feel the tail bust through and send him into the ground. More screams and blasts of flame sounded inside his ears and he dug his right hand into the dirt. Scrounging for the bow again he was knocking an arrow when the booming sound of it landing was close. He backed up until he was near a mountains rough surface and out of the smoke was the giant head of the monster, and in his final moments he took in its features.

Its eyes were blazing in blind anger, the color of its scales were mud brown as he thought before but now can see it. Its eyed narrowed in a lethal manner but upon looking into his very soul the eyes zoned out and its teeth closed. If he were more terrified then he might have shit himself, but he steeled as he reached his hand out to touch it. The creature was cautious and curious, it backed up and turned the other way, taking flight from the field and back to its perch while not taking another life. He let out a breath of relief.

"Your grace!" Orion and others caught him from falling, the fatigue from today catching up to him. "What happened? It stopped its attack."

To be honest. He couldn't possibly know at all, it just stopped attacking like it knew him for some reason. He told everyone to get ready to leave, it will be a long walk to the next holdfast. And when they return he needs to research this and find out why a dragon with that colored scale would be here of all places.

Nothing is making sense.

[Decades Before, Harrenhal]

"Where will you go?" 

A young woman turned to her lover of the past several months, his eyes and face giving her concern and worry. The Queen demanded all the heads of the Dragonseeds and she isn't safe. It was Daemon's mercy that had allowed her to live on to greater things and she wouldn't squander his gift. 

"Elsewhere. I love you, Daemon." She told the older man who for the first time since they met had cried but not womanly but as a man. She smiled and left.

She got onto her dragon and flew east as far as she could, only stopping to give him and her rest before fleeing once more. Eight days later she found herself in a land of mountains and far she saw the jewel of the east, the Eyrie. Alas that isn't where she is going but north and into the Mountains of the Moon. Where better to hide from Rhaenyra than in her own mothers kingdom. 

Years would pass after she grew herself into the people, making herself a leader of the new Clan. The Burned Men, a reference to her dragon of which was built a grand hold inside of the deepest tunnel and is fed sheep daily so he may sleep for many years to come. As for herself she would go on and birth sons and daughters, three of which would find themselves serving elsewhere, not interested in the traditions that she made.

Her name is Nettles, first chief of the Burned Men and rider of the one of the three wild ones, Sheepstealer.

[Present Day, six days later]

"I looked everywhere, nothing." closing the next book he pushed it aside.

He rode him with haste to search in the Maesters and his own families library. And during the past two days he had found nothing despite having his closest men help him, he cant risk the knowledge of the dragon getting out for it could give his enemies a chance to invade, the Freys in the West, Cersei in the South and the Boltons to the North.

He held his head in frustration as he hated how this library has close to nothing on the Targaryen history, nothing despite his family having married into the clan of dragonriders. Now this mystery dragon is loose on his kingdom and no such weapon could kill it. His door opened and his guards allowed one of his wards inside, he smiled and stood up.

"Princess Arya, why the surprise visit?" He inquired and the Lady didn't take too well to being called such, given how she isn't dressed as a Princess of Winterfell. She had him get a custom tailored outfit for her as a warrior, grey surcoat with white linings and a cloak hung on her left shoulder that had a direwolf on it, black trousers and boots too.

Over the several weeks the girl went from the dirtied girl with short greasy hair to a noblewoman, and her hair had also grew back a bit and was fashioned like her father, Ned. She gave a small bow and a frown towards him, then the smile turned back and she had excitement in her eyes.

"I heard, you fought a dragon? What was it like?" She peppered him in questions, he smiled and decided to tell the tale, who else could she tell that hasn't heard it twice already.

"Yes, we fought it but.. At a cost. Several sons, fathers and brothers lost their lives in fire and blood. It was large, wings were the length of a tower and has a shriek like no other. Mud like scales, and a harness on its back though it looks old and in tatters." Arya took in the words and sat down, hand on the pummel of her sword, thinking on it.

"What would you like to know?"

The question had him a bit flabbergast as he didn't show no desire to ask what she knew of it, and wondered how she could know what Colemon could not. He sighed and sat back down and stared into the girls eyes. She realized quickly that he doesn't know what to ask and explain it to him.

"During me and Sansa's time in the capital I read through the libraries, preferably the Targaryen dragonriders and the dragons." She began and continued on as he got more interested, "The worst time of the era was the Dance, where dragon fought dragon. During the later part of the war the Queen commanded the bastards and great grandsons of former Kings to try and tame one of the dragons. The one you and others described sound just like Sheepstealer, one of the wild ones." Sheepstealer? A peculiar name for a winged beast of the Targaryen Dynasty.

A thought suddenly popped into his head, if by chance he could somehow use this beast, turn it on the Freys and Boltons then the Lannisters wont stand a chance when he comes for justice. There has to be a reason that the dragon let him live, either by chance or dumb luck. He sat straight and went to ask another question.

"How would they tame it? Who tamed it?" He asked and she beamed at probably knowing so much more than a man half her age, he remembered that feeling as well.

"I don't remember the name, but I know how it was tamed. A sheep would be taken by it day after day until it grew accustomed to the rider, though there is now way that could happen." He felt insulted by that, is he not good enough to deliver a sheep once a day to some hungry dragon, what does this girl mean.

"Then how?" He persisted to get an answer or something. Arya huffed and explained to him.

"Valyrian blood, only those with the blood of Valyria can tame a dragon. So what are you going to do?"

That night he read through six books going through his family over the last three centuries, he was searching for anything to explain why the dragon hadn't turned him into human roast. It was dawn when he found it, in the year of 239 AC the union of House Arryn of Gulltown and House Velaryon of Driftmark was made for trading purposes and the union of that marriage bloomed a child of the name of Rowena, looking into the woman he found out a truth that shocked him.

Rowena Arryn, firstborn daughter of Alaena and Roland served Lady Arryn, Jon Arryn's first wife as a lady-in-waiting. Shortly after the first wife fell ill and died in the childbed the young woman was betrothed and married Lord Arryn in the year of 255 AC. His second family descends from a Valyrian Bloodline, the reason that dragon- Sheepstealer hadn't killed him is because he saw it. The next day he commanded for his advisers and Queen Sansa and her sister to come to the study turned war room to discuss the matter.

"Thank you all for coming. Please sit." He beckoned and the six entered the room. Queen Sansa and Princess Arya, Nestor Royce and Marwyn Belmore, and Waymar Royce and Wallace Waynwood. "I have made a decision to benefit the entire Vale, if successful we will have a weapon to not only win us more battles, but lessen the casualties as well." He started with a smile and out of the four men present, Nestor was the first to ask him what was to be done.

"What weapon, what is going on- "

"He is going to tame it, are you?" Arya cut in and asked him, Sansa looked confused at what is going on. He nodded with a grim look.

"Yes, Sheepstealer will be tamed by me. My mother carried the Valyrian bloodline of House Velaryon, I can do it." Waymar slammed his fist on the table and stared down the table. Glaring at him with worry and frustration as expression.

"Your only successor is south, instead of committing suicide you should be furthering the bloodline!" His friend left in frustration after this and his statement was taken under consideration. Yet, yet he must do this and give his kingdom the best assurance he can. Sansa rose to her feet and turned to him with a cold look.

"I do not consider it, what or who will rule in your stead?" She asked him and he actually had to think about it for a moment. Then he smiled and gently took Sansa's hand and placed his other on top of it.

"If you will rule the North as Queen, you'll need experience, Nestor will aid you as High Steward."

Waymar

He watched his liege and King leave through the Gates of the Giants Lance, he didn't say goodbye as he couldn't go through saying farewell to another friend. He had too many companions fall against other friends, seen them die in his arms and hear of their deaths in other lands, he just couldn't handle doing it all over again and this time it is his King.

"Sad to see him go?" A voice called out to him and he turned to the Queen of Winterfell, she also came down to see him go as acting Lady of the Eyrie in his stead.

"Of course I am, he is my King and brother in arms. We have known each other since we were born." He stated proudly as he should, Queen Sansa nodded in understanding and both watched as Rodrik and his guard disappear in the distance, to go on a mission that could very well be the undoing of the Vale or its rise to power in Westeros.

Rodrik in his leave had left Sansa in charge of The Eyrie, Gates of the Moon and the Bloody Gate. A lot of responsibility for someone so young, but Rodrik was a child when he came to rule the Vale in his fathers stead, so why cant the Queen of the North. He is mixed about the decision but it isn't his place to question a Kings order, but as friend and in private he will be vocal about it.

He escorted the Queen and others back to the Eyrie once the King was out of sight, that and the day was coming to an end. The night didn't go at all like he wanted to, tossing and turning and dreaming of what might happen in the coming days or months as Rodrik put, his friend didn't leave without giving orders for the future.

In two months time the shore leave for the armies is to end, war drums would sound and banners would be called once more. The Three Sisters are at work making a fleet to ferry a force to White Harbor who had sent their letters to join in the invasion. Another question remains with the enemies to the West, and their allies in House Tully of Riverrun.

He doesn't believe so, maybe with Sansa and Arya but alone he feels the Blackfish would deny them for what happened to Lysa and Robert. Still a deal must be made and currently the scouts are reaching the castle as he thinks on this, no need to worry for the Freys as their strength is broken on stretching north and throughout the Riverlands.

"Lord Waymar, it is morning." A guard spooked him as he sat down near the hearth, with a cup of water in tow.

"Why bother me?" He questioned and what was said had shocked him, or surprised as the latter calls.

"Its, Its Lady Brienne of Tarth. She has come to see the Queen." He dressed himself once that was said and hurried to go see what this woman would want, or he should have went to Sansa who the guards should have went to first. He entered the courtyard with a contingent of guardsmen and Marwyn, looking he saw that the man was telling the truth.

"Why are you here, why does a Lannister sword want to speak with the Northern Queen?" He interrogated and the comment caused the woman and her companion to give insulted expressions to him, "The weapons will remain with Marwyn Belmore and you will follow me, understood." He added and the large woman didn't hesitate and removed the nice sword she had on her.

Sansa

"No I think its stupid!"

Arya huffed at her response, and a joke in all instances that would come about. Rodrik riding a dragon is ridiculous and she hopes he comes to his senses before he hurts himself, she wouldn't want to lose the Vale as an ally after so long of staying in Rodrik's care. She sat upon the weirwood chair while tapping the handle with her hand and pulling on her sleeve with the other hand.

She and Arya found themselves better dress than what they had, her sister would rather have a boys look but she? She would carry the elegance she had always wanted. Her hair was knotted and fell to her lower back, a crown she had made to remedy that of her brothers, iron and bronze where she will have a silver one made once the war is over.

She also started dressing like her mother, wool coat of grey and white with a wolf pendent given to her by the King. Its normally improper for a King to gift unwed women, or maybe a sign that a monarch is 'interested' as she had experienced with Joffrey and once with Loras, Tyrion however had not gifted her with naught but relief from the physical torment by the King Bastard himself.

"Your majesty, a visitor is here to see you." Nestor called and the doors opened and in came a woman she hadn't seen since Joffrey's wedding, though she cant possibly remember the name of the woman. She does however know the young man by her side, Lord Tyrion's squire, Podrick Payne. She stood up and bowed her head once.

"Lady Stark- " the woman began yet Arya cut her off the moment she made a mistake.

"Its Queen, not Lady. That's my sisters wolf name." Her sister distaste towards the woman was already clear, but as to the woman's intentions she cant risk an insult.

"Apologies. I meant no offense, Your Majesty I have come to speak to you, or vow to be correct." The woman took one step forward and bent to one knee, Podrick as well. "My name is Brienne of Tarth, I once vowed to protect your mother from harm... And I failed her, but I wont with you. I will serve you and shield your back, give my life for you if needs be and protect you and yours." She stood shocked from the woman's pledge of service. A nudge from Arya caused her to slowly walk down to the warrior and accept.

"And I, Sansa of the House Stark. First of my name and Queen of the North accept your service, forever shall you have a place in my home and table, and never shall I command you to commit a deed that would besmirch your honor. You have my word by the Old Gods and the New." The courtiers around clapped their hands in applause.

The next hour and a half she peppered her knight with questions about her mother during the War of the Five Kings. Brienne told her that her mother did everything for her and Arya, whether or not it went against Robbs wishes or was treasonous. She smiled that despite the end, her mother always had her and Arya on her mind, it brought tears from her eyes that her new lady-in-waiting, Myranda Royce had to give her a cloth to wipe them away.

It wasn't all sunshine and good tidings, Arya found her late in the day to tell her how they shouldn't trust Brienne and Podrick, despite her being the one to nudge her to accept her service. Arya went on to say that she found out that Brienne held one half of Ice, the ancestral sword of House Stark, however she had revealed that it wasn't Brienne that melted it down but Tywin Lannister and the other half is probably in Joffrey's coffin within the Great Sept of Baelor.

Arya stormed off in a huff after that, where she is right at this moment she doesn't know and she enjoyed the rest of the day before returning to her chambers to eat dinner. She took a sip of wine while speaking to her handmaids Myranda and Faeda, Faeda being the first she had been give by Rodrik when she was rescued from Petyr Baelish. Myranda was telling a story when the door opened and Brienne walked inside besides the Maester, she and the two rose in respect towards Colemon.

"Maester Colemon? How may we help you?" She asked and the man approached and past a letter to Myranda who past it to her, she read it and smile widely as she did. "This cant be true, can it?" She asked the man who smiled and shook his head in response.

"It is very true, the Blackfish and 4,000 men and 300 of the Brotherhood Without Banners met the Freys on the field and routed the enemy. Ser Brynden has liberated the Riverlands and have sent a pledge of allegiance to you, as their Queen." The Maester's news brought smiles to everyone within the room, herself more so as large as it could.

She is very happy, the scouts were sent out a week ago and now her uncle has avenged their family. The North and the Riverlands are hers.

Rodrik

(Eight Days Later)

Rodrik, alone and hauling the corpse of a sheep walked towards the cavern of the beast. He and six hundred men surround the passage and gathered a hundred sheep, the creatures favorite meal as Arya had said that she read when inside the capital. He wont be a liar and say this isn't completely stupid and reckless of him, but he must or need to.

The fallen village was dead, old corpses of animals and people are scattered about. He is scared, that is a fact and he might just be remembered as the 'King Who Was Ate' than the King in the Vale but works for the betterment of his people and the people of his allies, its what must be done and he will see it through to the end lest he dies before that.

The heavy breaths of the creature could be heard as he made one final step and stopped, with strong hands he picked up the sheep and threw it to the opening, the wait was hard as minutes came by. Then he heard it, the steps it made, the rustling of its wings and the waving of its tail, he cleared his throat and called on its name. "Sheepstealer, come forth... " then in the shadows he saw its blazing eyes open up to him, and it lunged at the corpse, eating it in one gulp. A smile cracked upon his lips and he scoffed.

"Going to need to bring ore than one up, next time... "

He could see it now, maybe this is how the Dragonriders thought upon seeing these creatures in their majestic form. And there are three more of these in the world.

Daenerys

"Drogon?"

She uttered in shock and yearning as her firstborn dragon spread its wings and took flight over the darkened city below and beyond her sight, she wished the rest of her children could join in this moment but they have not forgiven her for what she did, for locking them up in the pit. She can only hope they do someday, they are the last of her family.

"Your grace, you should get some rest before the Great Games." Missandei reminded her and she scowled in frustration, if only she can stop this in its tracks.

"Tell me truthfully, do you want the games to begin again?" It was a useless question to ask as she wouldn't necessarily disagree with her on the matter, as much as she wished the opposite. Missandei shuffled her feet, trying to think of an answer until she sighed and shook her head. "Its fine, you don't have to answer." She added and Missandei took her leave and left her alone.

She didn't sleep well that night, another dream came to light. A dragons roar, but more mature and flying over a curved moon, whatever it meant will be quite the mystery to unfold. As for the now, a disgusting event of blood will have to flow.