18 Rise Of The Golden Kraken

Aerion got back aboard the Mad King, where Balerion's intimidating skull stood at the very front. He wondered whether he should store it somewhere or keep it as a symbol of his ship.

Shortly after, his ship started to sail away from King's Landing and towards Dragonstone.

"You three stay on guard here." Aerion dismissed the Kingsguard as he walked towards his quarters where the most valuable prisoner was held. She was the very shield that would deter the irritable fly that was Robert Baratheon for an indefinite length of time and, as such, Aerion valued her greatly. He could now freely spread his wings across Essos without worrying about an attack from Westeros or an attack directed towards Dorne... all thanks to a little girl who was barely nine years old.

He entered and looked towards Jaime. "How is she?"

Jocelyn started to cry once more. "I... want to... go home..."

Jaime sighed. "Not in the best state, clearly."

Upon Aerion's gaze, Jaime frowned. "My duty is to guard you and follow orders. However, I do not believe that comforting prisoners or children, for that matter, is the duty of a Kingsguard."

I don't believe anyone on this ship has the qualifications to take care of children.

Aerion nodded. "Indeed, it is not. You may go and guard the door, Ser Jaime."

"As you wish, my prince."

After Jaime left, Aerion did not know how to approach but he knew that the princess needed something to look forward to. Much like himself after he escaped King's Landing all those years ago, she required some comforting. However, unlike Jocelyn, he was more mature and had his mother beside him... along with his most trusted Kingsguard, of course.

In comparison, she had nothing and was very much alone. The only person who she recognised from the ship full of undead warriors and living soldiers was Ser Barristan, who had served as Robert's Kingsguard until most recently.

Aerion walked closer to Jocelyn, who sat on one of the chairs. Aerion's quarters were quite large, consisting of two whole rooms. One was the bedroom and the other was his study, where he currently stood. On the table of his study laid a magnificent and famous weapon once belonging to the Demon of the Trident, the Warhammer of Robert Baratheon. He had not returned it to the Usurper, keeping it as another spoil of war.

He channelled his inner kindness which he had mostly given up somewhere years ago and wiped away her tears. Then he made her look him in the eyes... something that wasn't quite effective as she looked away after a mere moment.

"If you don't bring me back home... I... will not...eat..."

"Hm... do you know the story of the little dragon and deer?" Aerion countered.

"Little... dragon and deer? What-"

"I wouldn't expect you to know." Aerion smiled and closed his eyes. "Very well, I'll read it to you from memory."

"There was once a kind dragon who did not wish to harm any other animal. His father had left him along with most of his relatives before he had even matured. Then... the animals around him and his last few relatives forced the dragon to eat. That... and his own instinct to survive pushed towards the kind dragon going against his nature. So he... ate. Eventually, this dragon grew to be very fierce, so much so that it backfired on a number of the animals who edged him towards eating. Day by day, he slaughtered them all as the kindness from before was no longer there. Only fire and blood remained... but, in the very end, this dragon realised that he stood alone in the world."

When he opened his eyes, he observed that his little story had gained Jocelyn's attention. She did not even interrupt him... not even once. Pleased with the results, Aerion continued.

"Among the animals the dragon ate was the deer. Because of his act, a deerling was alone as well. His instincts told him to feast but... for once, he denied them. And so, his true nature emerged much like a raging inferno from a few embers. He decided to make up for his previous act by raising the deerling himself. The dragon showed the deerling a new world... a wonderful world, full of adventure and beauty. He opened her eyes to things she would have never seen otherwise."

"And so, the fierce dragon learned to control his own instincts and found a new companion while the deerling grew to appreciate the dragon's efforts." Aerion smiled "The end."

"The end?" Jocelyn almost pouted.

Aerion chuckled. "That's right, the end."

"But... that was not a proper ending."

"It's a short story, Jocelyn, and the point of it was to comfort you." Aerion smiled. "You see, there's so much to see beyond King's Landing. I was a bird trapped in a cage much like yourself... and then, I freed myself. That was when, for the first time in my life, I could see the true beauty of the world. With me, you'll be able to do the very same."

"You might not have your relatives beside you... but, always remember that you have me. Whatever it is you need, tell me and I will do my very best to take care of it... alright?"

Jocelyn nodded. "Alright... I will."

Aerion smiled and patted her head. "Good girl... the blood of House Baratheon and Stark truly runs through you. Now go and get some rest."

"Where...?"

"You can borrow my chamber, I suppose," Aerion stated.

"But what about you?"

"I've slept on worse things than the wooden floor of a ship," Aerion replied, shrugging. "I'd rather you not worry about me."

Aerion opened the doors to his bedroom and, as he was about to leave, Jocelyn spoke out.

"It is too dark..."

Aerion lighted the torch to the side of the room with his Pyromancy. "Better?"

"Yes." Jocelyn nodded and snuggled into his sheets. "Wait..."

Once again, just as he was about to leave, Jocelyn spoke. Aerion was slightly irritated but he did not let it show. "Yes?"

"Was the story real?"

"In some regards, yes, in others... not so much," Aerion replied.

"The dragon... it was you... wasn't it?"

Aerion nodded. "The dragon resembled me... but don't start thinking that I'm alone in the world or something absurd like that."

"And the little deer was me."

"How clever of you," Aerion remarked. "Now sleep."

With that, Aerion left his chambers and returned to the study. Although Jocelyn wasn't particularly happy with being taken away from her home, she managed to find some comfort in what the future had in store for her. When she had asked about Aerion, her father would only speak of negative things while her mother spoke more positively.

"They forced the dragon to eat..."

She thought over it for a while and, in the end, sided more with her mother's judgement.

Meanwhile, Aerion fell asleep reading over a book about the Dothraki tongue.

~

The middle of 295 AC, Dragonstone.

Having a child aboard the Mad King was most troublesome, indeed, but Aerion managed to deal with it while he sailed for Dragonstone. He had to spend quite a great portion of his time with Jocelyn as she had nothing else to do. Aerion did say that he would do his very best to take care of her, after all... and he was a true man of his word.

Upon landing several hundred of his men onto the coast of Dragonstone, Aerion continued onwards to the castle itself. The ships that laid around Dragonstone with several different banners indicated something and Aerion hoped that it was the old valyrian houses rising to his banner. If not, then he would merely have to slay them all.

Upon reaching the intimidating gate of Dragonstone, which had the heads of stone dragons looking towards him, Aerion was greeted with a thunderous roar.

"Welcome to Dragonstone, Your Grace!"

The gates opened as dozens of men came forward to bend the knee.

Jamie smirked. "This is quite the welcome."

"I, Monford Velaryon, pledge my and my House's undying loyalty to you, Aerion Targaryen, the rightful King of the Seven Kingdoms."

Following that, the heads of House Sunglass, Bar Emmon and Celtigar all spoke the same oath. This certainly brought a smile to Aerion's face, who was most pleased that the Targaryen loyalists were no longer afraid to openly present their loyalty. Of course, this was all because he had embarrassed Robert Baratheon in the Battle of the Narrow Sea. Without his victory, such an event would have been much less likely to happen.

"You may all rise, my lords."

"We have another gift to you other than our loyalty, Your Grace." Monford smiled. "We have the heads of Stannis Baratheon's most loyal supporters and, after some hunting, we captured Stannis himself."

"Oh... is he alive?"

"Yes, we decided to leave his fate to your hands. The King should have absolute judgement over the fates of noble lords as prestigious as Stannis."

"Does he bend?"

"No, I do not believe so, Your Grace."

"Then kill him for me and bring the corpse."

I heard Stannis is quite the Master of Ships... perhaps I could reserve his intelligence through a little experimenting with Soul Stealing and Necromancy?

Aerion wondered.

As Stannis was one of his enemies, he did not care to show him any mercy.

Meanwhile, as Aerion reclaimed Dragonstone and the islands surrounding it, the Iron Fleet of House Greyjoy rose once again. The Golden Kraken left its home and began to terrorise the lands around it, beginning with the Lannister fleet like before. There was no Royal Navy to stand in its way this time around and Robert Baratheon's hold over the Seven Kingdoms was significantly weaker after Aerion branded him as the 'Dragon's Dog'. Lord Balon Greyjoy had also disowned Theon Greyjoy in favour of his daughter, no longer giving much care to what would happen to him. This time, however, Tywin Lannister anticipated the attack and was more prepared. The Iron Fleet suffered greater losses but, in the end, it emerged victorious over the Lannister Fleet.

And so, the Golden Kraken was free to do as it wished until the Reach's fleet would reach them. However, even then, the Iron Fleet was superior. Now, after the fall of the Royal Navy and defeat of the Lannister Fleet, no navy in the Seven Kingdoms could hope to truly repel the Iron Fleet. Well, not quite... there was the Mad King's Navy (taking the flagship's name) which could crush it with some difficulty. Balon Greyjoy did not believe that Aerion would cross Westeros to defeat a Great House that opposed the Usurper's rule so he did not worry about him.

And so, the Second Greyjoy Rebellion had begun.

~

Aerion, upon returning to Tyrosh, could not help but smile upon hearing the news. In fact, he could not help but break out laughing.

"Greyjoys... you have to love them!"

Let's see how you handle this Greyjoy Rebellion, my dear Usurper...