gt

Ned and Brynden had been in the city again when the news of Tommen's death reached them. Both of them immediately gave over what they had been doing to hurry back to the Keep. In the Blackfish's case, he had been trying to figure out a way to follow the money trail his agents had found several weeks ago.

There were several of what Brynden had come to call dummy houses, merchant houses with only a few people in them, who were laundering money in some fashion, though where the money originally came from was what Brynden was interested in. If it was just a Lord who dabbled in merchant mercantilism in such a way as to be somewhat illegal, such as the sale of drugs from Essos, that was one thing. But if that gold actually came from the King's coffers, Brynden might be able to follow that link to someone who had a hand in putting the kingdom so far into debt.

He gave it over the moment the news reached him however and arrived back at the Keep about an hour after Lord Stark had arrived from his own task, surveying a few of the docks, which were, according to the books, due to be repaired but didn't actually need it yet.

Ned had immediately questioned the Sand Snake, but unfortunately, with Damien dead Tyene could produce no witness to where she had been last night. Worse was Obara's absence and Tyene's reticence on saying where she was.

The poison being found on her belongings was damning evidence, in itself, but a servant, well known to be loyal to the Royal family, had come forward, saying she had been in the Red Keep late the night before. Cersei was pushing for Tyene's execution immediately.

Her grief was palpable as Ned entered the room where the Queen sat with the body of her son several hours after first returning. The boy's body laid out on a bed in his best clothing. The servants had done their best to make him look, if not noble, then peaceful, but there was only so much they could do. The young boy's body looked unnaturally pale and all the energy and strength that had marked Tommen of late was gone as his body lay there. Ned stared for a moment, bowing his head in grief of the young boy who had died before he ever truly had a chance to live his life.

"Your Majesty." he said softly, bowing his head to her even though Cersei had not turned to see who had entered. "My deepest condolences for your loss. I know how hard it is to lose a family member, I… I cannot imagine the pain of a mother that is forced to bury her son."

"No." she said loudly looking up with her tear streaked face. "You cannot, so spare me your empty platitudes, Stark!" In her mind, Cersei was wondering if this was the start of the prophecy that she had been given by that old wise woman back in Lannisport. Will I be forced to outlive all my children? But where is the young queen that was supposed to be my downfall or the brother?

Her thoughts were all of a jumble and she was having more trouble thinking clearly than had been the case for many, many years, clouded with growing rage and a deep, bone wrenching grief.

Ned remained silent in the face of the Queen's spitting fury. He moved forward, laying his hand gently on the dead boy's face sighing sadly again. Eventually, after several silent moments of shared grief, he looked down at Cersei. "Had His Majesty shared with you the knowledge that we were planning on naming Tommen the heir over Joffrey?"

Cersei looked up, her eyes widening in shock. She had known that was coming but had thought that Tommen's age had given her time to possibly counteract it, if she found it necessary, knowing her father's concerns on Stark influence over her little cub. "No, I didn't know. When did you decide this?"

"Barely five days ago and I would've sworn that no one could have known of it." Ned said now a little colder than before as he gazed down at the dead body of a young boy who might have lived to become a fantastic king in time.

Even through her grief, Cersei was a political animal and she nodded thoughtfully. "You believe the person behind his did this more because they thought they could influence my firstborn rather than my youngest?"

"Possibly." Ned nodded. "And, though I hesitate to bring this up, even with the poison being found on her, there is not enough evidence for me to believe that Tyene had anything to do with this, since we lack even a hint of a motive. Moreover, she has been at the Hand's Tower many times when Tommen was there, and even shared food with us several times. Tyene had ample opportunity to act if she wanted to do him harm and I had not seen even a hint that she wanted to. Besides, what could she gain from such an act?"

"Perhaps something changed, or she was merely the hand carrying out someone else's order!" Cersei growled angrily. "Prove her innocence or…"

They were interrupted as the door banged open and Robert strode in, his florid face a mask of grief. Behind him, Ser Selmy bowed his head, his own faced ravaged by sadness. For once, Robert and Cersei were united and the king moved forward laying a hand on her shoulder while he stared down at the boy. The only one of his three legitimate children who Robert was starting to become proud of calling his own was now dead. "Who did this!?" he growled angrily. "Who murdered my son?"

"We've arrested the Sand Snake Tyene for the crime." Cersei reported shaking her head angrily. "Lord Stark here believes that there might have been some other person behind it but I am uncertain. The poison was found among her possessions, and we have a witness who said she was here in the holdfast late last night."

Robert growled angrily. "Of course, Dorne! They might well have taken any opportunity to strike back at us!"

"But why now?" Ned asked, trying to calm matters. "As I just finished saying to Her Majesty, Tyene had plenty of opportunity before this to attack Tommen if she so wanted. And Tyene herself says she was in bed last night with Damien Sand, one of her guardians."

"They might think they might be able to move someone in to influence Joffrey." Robert said, waving his hand. "The Princess of Dorne isn't married yet and you keep on pushing back Sansa and the brat's marriage. I agree with your reasons, at least on the surface, we do need to pull out the kingdom out of debt before we pay for an extravagant wedding. Yet, it leaves the possibility that the Princess of Dorne could marry my eldest open, despite her being older than him."

"It matters not! What matters is we have the murderer in custody and the poison found on her. Question the Snake bitch closely, find out if there were any other hands in this, then I will see her executed for the death of my son. I will have my blood for this Lord Stark, if you cannot find out who was behind this, then Tyene will die for it!" Cersei said hotly.

Robert nodded angry agreement. Seeing their united front, Ned bowed his way out leaving the two Royals to their grief. He immediately went to the keep's jails, finding Tyene there. She hadn't been ill-treated, not yet, but she was shocky and scared. Ned wished he could comfort her but the only way to get her out was to find the real killer and Tyene was no help there.

Ned questioned her over and over but with Damien dead it was her word against the servant's and the poison found in her belongings, which was damning since she could give no explanation of how it came to be there. She and Damien had been in the Hand's Tower as usual the day before, so hadn't been watching over their belongings for much of the day. Yet no one could be found to say that someone had entered their room during that time that could have planted it. Her position wasn't helped when she admitted that Obara had gone after Ranma, having overheard the mission he had been sent on. Even now, Tyene would not speak of Arianne.

That unfortunately was enough to make Robert see red and assume that Dorne, while still unwilling to do so openly, wanted to weaken his family for their Targaryen masters. It was all Ned could do to keep Robert and Cersei from declaring open war against Dorne for it, and that was a near run thing. The entire small council united to help convince the Royals, themselves acting in concert for once, that doing so with no real evidence linking House Martell and the rest of Dorne to the crime was beyond the untenable. Robert and Cersei unwillingly backed off, but it had been a near run thing..

The servant who had come forward saying he had seen Tyene in the holdfast late the night before Tommen's death checked out, unfortunately. A Lannister man, he turned his hands to anything that needed doing in the keep and was well respected by those who noticed his presence at all. He was the most non-descript man Eddard had ever met, but that wasn't a crime. His words were clear, concise, stood up to Eddard's questioning and were utterly damning for Tyene.

Two days of frantic searching went by, with both Cersei and the King now demanding Tyene's death. After those two days, Eddard could not stop them despite all his efforts and Cersei's ultimatum was born out. However, thanks to his efforts Tyene was merely to be executed, not tortured first to force her to give up any other conspirators.

Tyene's mouth was gagged and her eyes wild, wide, and disbelieving as she was lead, still fighting to get away up to the executioner's block. Waiting for her was the executioner, Ser Ilyn Payne. She scanned the crowd, looking, hoping for a sympathetic face, an act of the Seven, anything to get her out of this, wishing with all her heart that she had never agreed to come with Arianne on this 'adventure' of hers, that she had left with Obara and Arianne, that she was anywhere but here. Yet, the grip of the guard on her shoulder propelled her forward and she knew there was no escape.

Ned was there, unwillingly watching this travesty of justice knowing, even if he couldn't prove it, that the girl was innocent and deserved someone there for her. Tyene's gaze found his, trying to accuse him, but all she got in turn was a sad, sympathetic expression, and his lips moving in prayer. Next to him Brynden too was gazing at her, compassion and sadness etched on his features. Yet both were powerless now, and could only watch as Tyene was dragged to her doom.

Myrcella did not attend. She had been spending as much time as she could in the tower with Sansa, being comforted by the other girl, yet also feeling safer there than anywhere else. When she wasn't with her mother or Sansa, she would spend time with Brynden Tully or Eddard Stark. Doing nothing but simply sitting in the same room reading or knitting. After her younger brother's death, and her own, admittedly wild and unprovable supposition as to who caused it, the young princess needed that sense of security now more than ever before.

Her face still a mask of grief and rage Cersei watched as Tyene was led to the executions block. She had urged the king to simply execute the bitch, but Robert had been unwilling to overthrow convention like that, even in a case like this. So when Tyene reached the executions platform placed at the front of the prison's courtyard, he stood up from his chair on a nearby dais.

He looked over the crowd. The smallfolk and court alike had heard the news about Tommen's death over the past few days, and there were literally thousands here to see justice be done. Tommen had been a virtual unknown to the smallfolk, they were merely here to see an execution. But Tommen had been looked on with fondness by many of the nobles, including many who feared Joffrey would be a disaster for the kingdom. Now that hope was gone, and they glared hatefully at the woman they blamed for it.

"Tyene Sand, you have been found guilty of treason for the death of Prince Tommen Baratheon, for which you are to be executed today. As per ancient custom, you are allowed to say your final words before us, your executioner and the Seven above." Robert intoned the formal words, glaring at the woman hatefully before nodding at one of the guards who removed her gag. "Say your piece now, or go into the ever dark silent."

Tyene glared back at him fearfully for a moment before looking around at the crowd. The uncaring masses stared back, wanting the show to move forward, while others were hoping for a bit more drama for their entertainment. Only Eddard, Brynden, Edmure and the men-at-arms around them showed sadness.

Something about Eddard's face made Tyene's back stiffen. She spoke then, her voice cracking with fear of what was about to happen, yet her words came out with as much force as she could give them. "Before the Seven and the people of this city, though I know it will not matter, I declare my innocence. I did not kill the prince, nor do I have any clue who did. You kill an innocent today oh great king, though you and your queen I don't doubt have practice enough."

She spat on the ground, her eyes moving across the crowd. "Yet innocent blood will be paid for, mark my words! You will rue this day's work Robert Baratheon, you and all with you."

"So be it." Robert growled, ignoring the murmuring of the crowd, many within having been moved by either the girl's vitriol or her actual words. He nodded at the executioner, then sat back down. Moments later he watched, his face hard as the executioner went about his business.

On the Queen's other side, Joffrey sat. Joffrey's face seemed blank, yet, if you knew that boy well enough, you might have seen a tiny bit of a smile in his eyes, as the sword came down on Tyene's neck.

OOOOOOO

It was that time of night where even a city like Pentos had gone to sleep when Daenerys stealthily got up from her bed, though, despite how quiet she was, the one guard that watched her during the night still noticed the movement. She came forward from the doorway looking at her charge, quizzically cocking her head to one side. "Toilet." Daenerys muttered quickly.

The guard nodded and waved her through the doorway, following quickly. As she entered the bidet, which was situated at the far end of the hallway, Daenerys slipped, falling backwards. Her guard quickly caught her, then gasped as Daenerys whipped out her small dagger and plunged it backwards, catching the woman right underneath her armor and into her guts. Before she could think about it, before the woman could scream, Daenerys had pulled her knife back out and slashed the woman's throat open.

As the woman collapsed on her, Daenerys looked down at the blood on her hands and forearm in shock. At that point Domeric came out of the bathroom quickly, catching the body by the shoulders and dragging her in before doing the same to Daenerys. He stared down at her with something approaching admiration mixed with shock. "I thought the plan was for me to deal with her?"

"You…" Daenerys stammered. "Y-you couldn't have done it quietly or quickly. Better I do it." Her hands began to shake in reaction and Domeric carefully reached forward, taking the small yet exceedingly sharp knife out of her hand before dragging the younger girl over to the washbasin to wash off the blood. The first kill was always traumatic, no matter how well trained a person was, and Daenerys, despite having trained to get back into shape, had never been trained to kill. Indeed, despite how rough her life might have been the past few years, this might have been the first time she had seen death up close.

After a moment Domeric spoke, both to get her mind off what she had just done and get them moving. "Do we still stick to the plan, raiding Illyrio's treasure room for things to sell off? Or do we just try to run for it?"

"How are you going to distract the guards at the gates?" Daenerys asked, trying desperately to move on.

"I'm not. There's a guard on the eastern wall who's a drunkard. He almost always drinks while on watch and I gave him some extremely potent spirits earlier this evening before his shift. He should be out like a light by now and I have a good stout rope we can use to get over the wall."

"Good thinking." Daenerys said, regaining control of herself. Her hands were still shaking a bit but she took her now clean knife from Domeric and then motioned to the doorway. "Lead on."

Domeric nodded and the two of them moved through the darkened household, lit only by a few guttering torches here and there in wall sconces. However, the area right in front of Illyrio's treasure room was well lit by three such torches and guarded by the two young, untried armsmen that Domeric had known would be here. He waved Daenerys back into cover, then steeled himself, slowly drawing out his sword from its scabbard as silently as he could.

The two untried guards hadn't heard anything, their lack of alertness showing their inexperience and the general belief that guarding the strong room was unnecessary. They were engaged in a discussion about a barmaid that one of them had flirted with when Domeric charged around the corners straight towards him. Before either could raise an alarm or their weapons, he was on them, sending one to the floor with an overhand strike that opened him up from shoulder to crotch before whipping his sword around to take the other across the throat.

The man on the floor tried to gasp through the agony of the blow across his chest, his studded leather armor having taken some of it, but before he could do more than take that breath, Domeric's sword once again flashed, cutting into the man's neck from the side.

Domeric sighed sadly, shaking his head. Neither man could have been older than seventeen or so, not even old enough to shave regularly, and had deserved a better death than being cut down like this. Still, now was not the time for such thoughts.

Behind him, Daenerys came forward, touching his shoulder briefly, understanding what the man thought in a way that she would not have been able to as little as an hour ago. The Targaryen Princess knew that she would have nightmares about her murdering her bodyguard. Yet, it's better to have nightmares in my head than to be living one, she thought grimly, then moved towards the doorway.

Domeric reached inside one of his pockets and pulled out the key, putting it into the keyhole quietly. He knew noises at night tended to carry further than you would think. The deaths of the two guards had made some noise, as well, so now they needed to hurry.

The door opened soundlessly and they moved forward, with Domeric taking up the torch from outside.

Inside was a very organized little area, about sixteen feet squared. The walls were lined with several different sized shelves and a small table set in the direct center of the room. There were some bags of gold coins here and there but the majority of things on display were small figurines of gold, silver, and other precious metals; a few bags of gems; and, in pride of place on the table three large, multicolored gems bigger than Domeric's fists pressed together.

They were each laid out on a pillow of purple silk, each gem a different base color with hints of others. One was black with hints of scarlet in ripples and swirls here and there. The middle one was a deep green with sprinkled bronze flecks catching the light of the torches set into the wall outside the strong room. The third was a stunning pale cream color, streaked with striations of gold.

Domeric gasped at the sight of them, wondering what kind of gems they were but Daenerys' breath had caught in her throat and she looked almost faint. "Dragon eggs!" she exclaimed, forgetting to whisper at present.

"Are you sure, they look just like gigantic jewels to me?" Domeric asked, motioning her to lower her voice.

"I am positive. Viserys used to read me stories about what they looked like when we were younger." she replied, now moving forward, one hand gently stroking the cream colored egg. It felt slightly warm to the touch and she gasped in delight. "Domeric, we must take them!"

At the utter certainty in the young girl's voice, Domeric's eyebrows rose in surprise but he still jumped to obey her, quickly opening up the large sack at his side. Reverently, Daenerys put all three of the dragon eggs in it. This didn't leave a lot of room for anything else but she still piled a few in. After only a few moments, they were done and she nodded at him. "Let's get out of here."

As they raced out of the room, someone raised an alarm elsewhere in the compound. Evidently, the body of Daenerys' guards-woman had been discovered in the bidet and now the guards were being roused to the danger already within the mansion grounds.

"Make for the eastern wall." Domeric said, looking around.

Daenerys paused, shaking her head. "Give me the pouch." she ordered. "If we're forced to fight, you'll need both your hands, you can't be weighed down." Domeric didn't try to argue, pulling it off his shoulder and passing it over to her.

They didn't get out of the compound and out onto the grounds before they were surrounded by guards. Illyrio was not among them, being a deep sleeper it would take an hour at the very least before he could be roused. But Jorah and Viserys were there. Viserys had his slim sword in hand and he scowled angrily at seeing his sister and the bard who he had come to despise. Without him there, Daenerys would simply have been a meek, though intelligent bookworm, but with Domeric's aid, she had begun to show a spine that ran entirely counter to what he wanted. "And what are you up to it this late at night, sweet sister? Trying to run are we? Still trying to defy your fate?"

"My fate is my own!" Daenerys shouted, a sudden rush of anger putting aside the lingering remorse she had felt for killing her guards-woman and her panic. "I will make it with my own two hands, brother, and I will not let you decide my fate for me. Your mad dream of using the Dothraki horsemen to carve your path to our former thrown is a fantasy and I will have no part of it!"

"My lady." said Jorah softly from where he stood next to Viserys, glaring angrily at his countryman who was part of this farce even as he tried to reason with the princess. "You need that force if you are to even try to take back your throne. I realize it might be abhorrent to you but marriage to Khal Drogo is the only way you will be able to get those forces."

"Never." Daenerys said drawing her knife and holding it along her forearm as she had been taught. "I will never marry him. Besides!" she said, laughing suddenly and reaching into the pouch that she had along her side at present. She pulled out one of the dragon eggs. If these hatch they can give us all the strength we need!"

Viserys gasped in shock and then his eyes widened in fury. He could put two and two together. The two would-be escapees were coming from Illyrio's treasure room. He must have been hiding these. "Give them to me sister. I am the heir to our dynasty, I will figure out how to hatch them."

Daenerys put the egg back in her pouch and stood back to back with Domeric who had been silent throughout this exchange, ready and waiting as he faced the majority of the guards that had come up from behind them. "If you want them, brother, come and take them."

A fierce light had been kindled in Daenerys' eyes, gone was her shaking from her first kill earlier and in its place was a fierce desire. A desire to be away from her brother and his control, a desire to be away from Illyrio's cunning schemes, and the Bears desiring looks. As she had shouted a moment ago, she would forge her own fate and ride the wind as a dragon rider.

Jorah still looked like he wanted to try and talk her out of it but Viserys waved his sword angrily. "Take them. Kill the Bard but my sister must not be harmed."

Domeric bounded forward suddenly, cutting down a guard before he could raise his own weapon. "This way!" he shouted pushing another guard out of the way when their blades locked before kicking him between the legs and racing after Daenerys. Hampered by their large shields, the guards couldn't run as fast as they could. Their progress stalled further when Daenerys raced through a doorway at the far end and locked it behind them.

They ran down a corridor towards the kitchen, with Daenerys knocking the torches to the floor as she passed. The kitchen was dark this time of night. The cook would arrive in a few hours to begin breakfast but until then there was no one here.

"Keep going!" Domeric ordered. "I'll hold them off here; they can only come at me one at a time."

Daenerys shook his head, looking around. "No not yet, we need a distraction. Something to pull the guards off chasing us and block them from chasing us directly."

She rapidly moved over to a few of the cabinets, having been in here a time or two before Viserys assaulted her to ask for snacks. Quickly, she pulled out the cooking oil, smashing the jar of it onto the ground in front of the doorway leading into the kitchen from the rest of the household. Several other bottles followed, spread out everywhere, and she also took two bottles of different liquors. Then she raced back to the entrance to the hallway, throwing more bottles at the torches she had knocked to the floor. They were already beginning to sputter, but when one of the bottles crashed down close enough to one it burst up in a flare of fire.

"Give me the candle." Domeric passed it over without a word. "GO!" she ordered. "Try to clear us a way towards your escape route."

Domeric stared at her, then nodded abruptly and tore out of the doorway out onto the grounds. She waited for him to get well ahead of her and then tossed the candle into the oil at the foot of the open entranceway. The oil immediately caught fire, springing up and around, filling the doorway with fire and smoke, joining the fires already flaring up out in the hallway. It also quickly spread back into the kitchen, moving faster than she had expected, consuming the puddles of oils and expensive liquors that she had created moments ago.

With that done, she turned to race away but Viserys, trusting in the Targaryen bloodlines immunity to fire, had come ahead of the guards. Just as she turned away, he burst through the doorway, coming out with only his clothing on fire.

Viserys tackled Daenerys slamming her into the wall where she grunted in pain, her breath pushed out of her by the impact. "Oh, no you don't, sweet sister!" he said, his voice deep and angry. He pulled back a hand to slap her but Daenerys kicked out, catching him in one of his legs and forcing him backwards a little. He scowled angrily, trying to grab her throat with his hand but Daenerys brought up her knife, cutting deeply into his arm. He screamed, reeling backwards in agony as he looked at her in startled amazement. She had never tried to fight back before, never, and now she had done it twice!

"I am a Targaryen too, brother!" she shouted angrily into his face.

That enraged Viserys further and his sword flashed out smashing her knife out of her hand leaving her hand numb and shaking from the impact. He stalked forward, his sword flicking out, catching her lightly in the side, causing blood to flow down her side and actually into the sack she wore at her side. Viserys pressed Daenerys back against a cabinet where the fire had now spread up the wooden furniture, burning merrily. Daenerys' clothing caught on fire, as did the carrier she had been using.

"You will know your place!" Viserys roared but then doubled over in agony as Daenerys brought up her knee into his privates, her hand flashing out to smash into his face forcing him away. She scrambled on the floor for her knife, coming up with it as he charged forward again, stabbing it desperately at one of his legs. She only nicked him but he screamed, jerking away and taking her knife with him, caught in his leather pants.

Daenerys gasped as she noticed that the sack was on fire and falling apart, the items inside now pouring out as it came undone. She looked at her brother, once more making his wary way towards her. With a sudden sob, she reached down, grabbing up two of the eggs, the greenish one and the creamy one. With the two eggs in hand she turned away with a sob, racing out the door out into the mansion's grounds.

Behind her Viserys scowled at his sisters escape, but looking down at the black egg he stopped his chase. Sheathing his blade, he reached down to pick it up with his good arm, then began to laugh wildly.

Racing outside, she found Domeric by the wall, waiting anxiously for her. At his feet was a dead guardsmen, and another's body was halfway in a bush nearby. One of his arms was hanging limp by his side and he seemed to be bleeding from that arm. Despite this, he still looked at her in shock as Daenerys ran up to him, her clothing almost burned away entirely and now just carrying two of the dragon eggs in her arms. "Princess, are you alright?! What happened?"

"No time!" She exclaimed, while behind her the fire in the kitchen spread along the wooden floorboards and wall panels. "While they are all dealing with the fire, we must get away!"

He looked down in shock at the two now visibly pulsing eggs that Daenerys held in her hands. "Show me this rope of yours and let us be off!"

Before they could attempt to climb the rope, which they might not have been able to do in any event, given Domeric's wounded arm and Daenerys holding the two eggs, seven more of Illyrio's men-at-arms came upon them. The commander had broken up his command, leaving four men on the gate and sending seven on a walk around of the mansion. The rest raced to create a bucket chain to help put out the fire, which was now almost out of control in the first floor of the mansion.

The men on patrol came upon the two escapees and quickly circled them but were unsure what to do since, the last they knew Daenerys, at least, was an honored guest and ally of their employer. Domeric they weren't as clear on. Even if they knew him well enough and were friendly with him, his status in the household had been ambivalent, at best. Still, they were ready with weapons out and had pinned the two against the wall, surrounding them in a half circle.

Just as Daenerys and Domeric were beginning to despair, there was a flash of movement above them in the night sky.

Ranma had arrived that very evening in the city. After waiting as the captain went about his business, Ranma had slipped off, had immediately hidden under the Umi-Sen-Ken as he and Fenris, with some help From Ranma, took to the rooftops. Fenris couldn't perform the Umi-Sen-Ken but he could move silently even over the rooftops and had refused to stay behind, going so far as grabbing Ranma's arm in his teeth when he tried to leave.

Despite needing to help Fenris up onto the rooftops initially (the direwolf couldn't quite jump high enough to make the jump himself), Ranma hadn't argued. He wanted to finish this job quickly and get back to King's Landing. Being away from his family like this was giving him an uneasy feeling. With Fenris watching from the rooftops, Ranma soon found people willing to give him directions to Illyrio's mansion. The name of the magister backing the Targaryen siblings had been among the information Varys passed on, though that was nearly all the information he had save the plan for Daenerys and the Dothraki.

When he finally caught sight of the mansion, Illyrio's home was on fire. Figuring this would only make his job simpler, he continued on. He arrived on a nearby rooftop overlooking the mansion's wall just as several guards ran two fleeing individuals to earth, pinning them against the inner side of the wall so they could not escape.

By the light of the fire Ranma could see that one of them was a woman whose hair was silver-blond. The other's face looked somewhat familiar in the fire light. It took a moment for Ranma to recognize it but when he did he shook his head. "What are the odds?" he said to himself. "Still, if Domeric is here and helping that one, who I guess would be Daenerys, that's a mark in her favor at least. One is better than none, though I wonder what they are carrying there, pretty large for gems." With that, he jumped forward, easily clearing the wall to land among their attackers.

The guards looked up in shock as someone (they couldn't make out much of his features in the fire light) seemingly jumped from beyond the mansion's wall to land in their midst. A hand flashed out, on the end of which was some odd looking large triangular shaped knife or something. The blade slammed into the ring mail protected chest of one of the guards, bursting through the armor and into the man's chest killing him instantly. A kick sent another guard flying backwards through the air to land in a broken heap several yards away.

The guards turned and charged this madman that had appeared in their midst. At that point Domeric quickly grabbed up his blade, slicing one of the men in the back as the guard rather stupidly turned away from the bard. After that however, his contribution to the skirmish was over.

Instead, Domeric gaped in astonishment at their savior who could be no other than Ranma Stark. Even years later, Domeric could recognize those features and those bright blue eyes, lit as his face was by the light of the fire from the house. Ranma Stark? He barked a laugh, shaking his head incredulously. "The old gods move in mysterious ways."

Within seconds, the men were down and their savior turned to them. "Daenerys Stormborn, I presume?"

Daenerys looked at him in shock for a moment, then reflexively caught the shirt that had just been tossed to her with only two fingers of one hand, trying desperately to hold it and the two eggs. She very briefly handed one of the swiftly warming and now actually rippling eggs to Domeric, as she pulled on the shirt one arm at a time. "You have me at a distinct disadvantage, Ser. Who are you, and where did you come from?"

"He is Ranma Stark." Domeric said looking at Ranma, his eyes still wide even as he held the moving rock that he had previously thought was some kind of gem. He looked down it in shock as he felt something inside the egg move. He was more than happy to hand it back to Daenerys when she finished pulling on Ranma's shirt. "I can never forget that face, though why he is here, I don't know."

Across from them, Ranma laughed quietly to himself. Here she's standing there with her clothing in burnt tatters, using those dragon eggs, if that's what they are, to cover her modesty, battered, wounded, and probably exhausted, and yet, she's still poised and in control. What a woman! My father was wrong; this is no girl but a woman in truth.

Ranma reached forward and taking the egg from Domeric before Domeric could pass it over to Daenerys, smiling slightly as he felt the heat coming from it and realized they were not just fossilized eggs after all. Daenerys glared, but stilled as Ranma turned to her, tugging at the hem of the large shirt she now wore unconsciously for some reason. "Right now, I think we need to get out of here. Unless you can tell me that no one else is going to be chasing after you?"

Daenerys nodded with a jerk of her head, looking over Ranma's shoulder worriedly at the fire that had spread throughout the large mansion's first story. Most of the guards would be busy trying to contain the fire but the fire had already attracted a lot of attention from the rest of the city and guardsmen from the other mansions nearby and even the city watch would be hurrying towards it to aid in putting out the fire.

There was nothing organized about it; it was pure self-interest at its finest. After all, a fire that got out of control of the city wouldn't care who burned to death, rich or poor, and the damage to houses and merchandise would be even worse.

Still, she wasn't about to go unquestioningly with Ranma, no matter how he had arrived on the scene to rescue them just in the nick of time. "How do you suppose we do that?"

"I have a ship waiting for me in the harbor. The captain's been paid to take me both ways."

Domeric shook his head, looking around worriedly. Thankfully, the eastern section of the mansion's grounds was at the back of the mansion, away from the well, but they were still too close to the mansion for his liking. "We'll never get to the port. I don't doubt that the magister will have already sent a runner to close it against us."

"Then it will go badly for anyone who tries to stop us." Ranma said still looking down at the dragon egg he held. He smiled grimly as he handed it over to the Targaryen princess.

It would appear as if this foolish mission the King sent me on has a major upside, though not for him. That thought nearly came out as a snarl in his head. No, the dragons and their Princess will be much more useful on the Wall then holed up somewhere in King's Landing at Robert's pleasure. And that, of course, supposes that Robert would be able to stop himself from killing her or them on sight, something I'm not exactly sure of.

"You haven't told me why you're here yet Ranma Stark, nor why you are willing to help me." Daenerys said backing away now that she had both of her dragon eggs in her hands. A pang went through her again at having to leave the third behind but she couldn't have taken all three, she only had two hands after all. Even so, it had been hard leaving it behind in her brother's hands and she knew trouble would come of it.

Next to her Domeric nodded along with her words, though he trusted Ranma somewhat. They hadn't exactly been friends but Domeric trusted Ranma to do what he thought was right, and Domeric still retained his loyalty to house Stark and to Ranma personally for his rescue all those years ago. And if he wanted us dead, he would already have attacked.

Ranma smiled approvingly at Daenerys. "Good to know you still have your head on your shoulders even during a crisis like this." Before she could say anything to that, Daenerys found herself lifted into his arms, eggs and all. "Unfortunately, explanations can take a while so unless you want to wait until your pursuers arrive to hear it…"

The Targaryen Princess ignored that. She was busy trying to figure out how to slap him for his insolence in touching her while still retaining her hold on her dragon eggs .

Instead she let out a squeak, though she would later deny it, as Ranma rocketed up into the air to land on a rooftop nearby. There she found herself staring into the face of an enormous wolf. She never seen a wolf in real life but there was no denying what it was. She inched backwards against Ranma's chest for a moment before she got control of herself and hurriedly moved away when Ranma set her on her feet. "Wh-what?"

Ranma looked at the wolf for second and the direwolf, for at that size it had to be one of the almost mythical beasts, part of her mind gibbered to itself, laid down on his stomach and she felt herself being moved to straddle it's back. "You'll have to hold on with your legs if you don't want Domeric or I to hold those eggs."

Daenerys immediately clutched the eggs to her chest, glaring at him. Coming from a sixteen year old girl in her current predicament it should have been a cute or possibly angry expression, but on her, it was somehow more imperious than anything else despite the state of her clothing. Ranma chuckled lightly. "Thought not. I'll be right back."

A second later, he returned with Domeric, who looked as frazzled by the experience as Daenerys had been.

"Sorry we don't have time to look at that shoulder of yours, Domeric, and you and I are gonna have a little chat about a certain song of yours but now isn't the time for it. Let's get moving." Ranma said and Fenris stood up with Daenerys on his back. Daenerys lost hold of the greenish dragon egg as she automatically tried to clutch at the direwolf's fur with one hand but Ranma quickly moved to catch it.

He looked at Daenerys, who glared back, holding out one hand, her violet eyes locked commandingly on Ranma's own. Ranma grinned in mixed approval and admiration, then passed the egg over before moving slightly behind her. His hands lightly touched her thighs and buttocks, moving her forward slightly along Fenris' back. "Grip here with your legs, Daenerys, and lay forward as much as possible. That might let you use Fenris's back and your own chest to hold the eggs to free up a hand."

Daenerys shivered and not, she was surprised to realize, in revulsion at Ranma's touch on her bare skin. She hesitantly did as suggested, which did indeed allow her to free one arm to wrap around Fenris' neck. Turning to look at her the direwolf made a huffing sort of sound which blew his breath into Daenerys' face, but all Daenerys could see in that face with those fierce golden eyes was curiosity and amusement. For some reason that which made her feel more at ease.

While Ranma had been helping the Stormborn settle herself, Domeric had pulled off his belt, using it to tie his arm around himself to try and keep it still so as to keep from further aggravating his injury. When Ranma turned to him, he nodded, understanding that Ranma would have to carry him since Domeric lacked the skill to make his way over rooftops, as seemed the plan. He wondered how Ranma had learned that skill, as well as how good the direwolf was at it but, for now, he pushed aside such thoughts. Getting away was paramount.

Ranma picked Domeric up in his arms once more, taking a moment to glare down at him. "If you make up a song about this, I will hurt you, worse if you change your part into a woman again. I hate to tell you, I don't swing that way." Domeric winced, not looking forward to that conversation, as Ranma nodded over at Fenris. "Let's go!" With that, he raced away, moving easily over the rooftops, jumping from roof to roof with astonishing ease to his passenger.

Fenris followed, with Daenerys clinging to his back like a limpet. Even so, she exulted in the speed with which the direwolf moved after its master, wondering if riding one of her dragons would feel similar. Soon Fenris caught up with Ranma, in time to hear Domeric ask. "I had heard that the Starks had found direwolves from Ser Jorah, though I hadn't realized how big they could be."

"Ser Jorah?" Ranma asked looking down at him. "I remember that name, wasn't he the one who ran off to avoid execution for slavery?"

"The very same. He showed up here a few months ago to offer his services to the Targaryen. He brought a lot of information, though he was also promised a captaincy in whatever army we put together."

Ranma frowned. "I wonder if he was the one to tell the Master of Whispers what was going on here."

"And is that why you are here?" Daenerys asked looking over at him. Despite the exhilaration she was feeling at getting away from Viserys and their present mode of transportation, her mind was still working. She was quickly becoming aware she might have merely changed one type of prison for another.

"Robert and Varys certainly seemed to think so." Ranma said laughing aloud and looking over at her before looking away. This girl is gorgeous! Yep he thought to himself, competence and personal courage are definite turn-ons for me.

He shook his head to get rid of that thought, now was not the time for it. "The King heard what you and your brother, apparently, were planning, and wanted to send some assassins after you." Ranma shrugged even as his two listeners stiffened. "Needless to say my father and I would not have anything to do with it but Littlefinger, I don't know about him, the Master of coin, he outmaneuvered us. At his suggestion, the King ordered me here to find the two of you and return you to him. He thinks that I'll put you down like dogs if you are a threat but frankly I'm no assassin and I would not follow such an order."

"In my brother's case that might be a pity." Daenerys said, shaking her head then had to spit out a few hairs that got into her mouth thanks to the wind in her face. "Yet, that does not tell me what you plan for me. If you do not wish to return me to King's Landing, what do you plan?"

"That will wait until we are aboard the ship." Ranma said a little grimly. "I'd like an idea of what happened here before I tell you anything about me, milady. Regardless, we might need to know everything you can tell us about your brother and his schemes to appease the king, but you personally will be safe, you have my word."

For a moment, Daenerys balked at the idea of selling her brother out to the Usurper let alone what else Ranma might ask of her. But then one of the draklings actually started to make noises in its shell and she felt something bump against the outer membrane of her egg. For her children, she would wait until she heard what else Ranma had to say.

In an astonishingly short amount of time, they had crossed the entire city and were now overlooking the wharf area, where the rooftops gave way to the docks. The business of the city did not stop during the night. Daenerys could see dozens of men still working, so it didn't surprise her when they looped around slightly to come to a place where no one was working for the moment.

There Ranma and Fenris dropped from the roof into an open area between several large crates and some kind of warehouse. With Ranma leading the way, followed by Fenris still carrying Daenerys, and then Domeric, the group with made their way through the docks to the waiting ship at the end of its quay.

The two guards on duty gaped at Ranma and his guests. Though they were simple sailors, even they knew the traits that denoted one of House Targaryen. That and the eggs they were carrying, which were now rocking and moving violently in Daenerys' arms, was enough to tell them who this young woman was.

The moment they were up the gangplank, Ranma barked out orders. "You two, raid Fenris' portion of the food locker for some meat, dice it small, then bring it to my room in a bowl."

Beside him Fenris looked a little miffed for a second, pulling in his tongue and baring his fangs but then shook his head and moved over to Daenerys. Daenerys had moved away quickly from the giant wolf the moment that they were on firm ground but she stilled as the creature snuffled at her and her two eggs. She actually giggled when the creature licked her side of her face then nuzzled one of the eggs, which was already cracking. The drakling inside stilled a little and began to make a cheeping noise of some sort, almost as if it was curious.

"What else will we need?"

That question brought Daenerys' attention back to Ranma, and she frowned, thinking hard. "A brazier of some kind. We'll need to keep them warm once the shell breaks until their first layer of scales begins to harden. After that, all those who are not of Targaryen blood will have to stay away from them. They will attack anyone else who comes near and, though they won't be able to breathe fire yet, they'll still bite. Daily feedings of meat for now, later we will need to change their diet when they start breathing fire, but for right now the meat will do.""

Ranma nodded, looking over at the two sailors who nodded back rapidly before rushing off. With that taken care of, Ranma led the way down into the ship to his room. Opening the door and looking around he frowned, his eyes narrowing.

Seeing Ranma's expression, Domeric asked. "Were you expecting someone to be here already? And if so, who?"

"I was, yes, but they snuck aboard. I assume that they can handle themselves and they aren't my main concern right now, just wish I knew what they were up to." That sounded a little callous when he said it was the truth.

He looked back as the egg that had already begun to crack was broken further, and a mewling sound was heard as a small greenish reptilian snout poked out, capped by a horn of bone, which it must have used to break its way out. Daenerys laughed aloud in delight, reaching down to stroke the little snout, which caused it to retreat for a moment before it began to make more mewling noises, either in pleasure at the touch or for food..

Behind them, the door was still open and one of the sailors that had been on guard came in holding a plate full of small chunks of meat.

Daenerys quickly pointed to where she wanted them, going down on her knees next to the plate on the ground, she reached forward to grab a piece with her fingers and gently fed the drakling, holding the piece over the hole it had made in its shell. At first, the baby dragon was wary but the smell of meat got to it quickly and its snout appeared to take a bite of the meal.

Further cracking and more mewling announced that the other dragon had begun to break out of its shell in turn.

The two sailors looked in shock at the dragons and Ranma pushed them both out of the doorway. He turned to Domeric. "Lock this after I go. I'll get us under way, then we can look at that shoulder."

Domeric nodded wearily, he had lost a bit of blood, and his shoulder was really paining him. But he didn't turn away from the sight of the two draklings struggling out of their eggs to get at the meat in Daenerys' hands, which she had held further away with each bit, urging them to come further out of their shells.. Such a sight hadn't been seen in hundreds of years and the bard in him was ecstatic to be here to witness it.

He quickly found the captain who had been roused by the guards at some point and the man shook his head. "I didn't think you'd do it, lad. I thought for sure you'd simply have killed the two Targaryens. I take it that this one, at least, is peaceable?"

"That remains to be seen but she was running away from the other one." Ranma said seeing no point in not sharing that. "What happened to Princess Arianne and Obara?"

"They left about an hour after you did." The man replied, shrugging. "They watched as we sold off some of the cargo we had in our hold, though I'll tell you now I didn't sell off more than half of my stock. I'll demand recompense when we returned to King's Landing. After that, they went off, I don't care where. Since they snuck aboard my ship, they sure as hell weren't my responsibility."

"I'm sure you'll be paid at some point." Ranma said with a shrug. "Right now, cast off and get us out of here."

The captain scowled. "I don't like leaving in the dark like this. Ships can be banned for that kind of thing in the free cities."

"There are other ports, captain." Ranma said, looking at him now sternly. "And what exactly about what I just said made you think I was giving you a choice?"

The captain glared a little but knew better than to push it. He and his crew were still rather terrified of the Stark heir. The Memory of the battle that had occurred with the Ironborn and the amount of carnage Ranma and Fenris had handed out saw to that. "Alright, but what about the so-called princess and her servant?"

Ranma shrugged again. "Arianne and Obara can handle themselves. They were here for a reason. If they didn't want to stick around and wait for me to return, then it's obvious they had other plans already in mind. What those plans might be I don't know but it's out of my hands now."

The captain, whose name Ranma had never bothered to learn, scowled a little but nodded. With that he will went below again to browse his crew and Ranma moved quickly to the side of the ship facing the port, one katar out and ready, while his other hand held his katana. If they were boarded by the low slung cutters Pentos used for its port guards, the extra range would allow him to strike further down the ship's side rather than wait for the boarders to get onto the ship's deck.

Moments later the crew, roused by their sleep and grumbling about it, came up and got to work. Luckily, the captain hadn't allowed any of them to take shore leave that first day, needing all hands on board for unloading. Now they set to with a will, despite knowing that they were being forced to leave. The story of two dragons had spread among them quickly and not a one of them was willing to see who could be chasing after the Targaryen girl.

The ropes tying the ship to the quay were released quickly. The punters pushed them further out to sea until the sails could catch the wind. Then they began to make their way out of the port, slowly but surely.

Ranma stayed where he was, staring back of the city to make certain they weren't being followed. For an hour, he stayed there as the ship cleared the port. Just as they were exiting the harbor, several guardhouses on the outcroppings of rocks that denoted the entrance to Pentos' natural harbor lit up behind them.

"Too little, too late." Ranma said shaking his head and smiling now. Inwardly though he was wondering what the other Targaryen would do now and what Arianne was up to.

He waited another thirty minutes and then, when it was clear that no one was following them and that the wind was helping them along as much is it could, Ranma went below.

He found Daenerys, one shoulder leaning against Fenris, singing something gently to the draklings. The brazier she had ordered was set nearby and the heat was somewhat oppressive in the room to Ranma's northern sensibilities. Still, he wasn't about to argue as the little dragons probably needed it. Fenris lay still next to her and the little dragons were curled up along his side between him and the Targaryen Princess.

The sight made Ranma pause for a moment for several reasons. First, Fenris never took to people so quickly, becoming comfortable with the girl that close in so short a time. Children yes, like his master Fenris had a soft spot for youngsters. But Daenerys was in no way a child, whatever Ranma and his father had thought initially. She had the body of a young woman, an incredibly beautiful young woman.

Which brought him to the second reason he paused.Which brought him to the second reason he paused. Daenerys still wore his shirt, though her side seemed to also have some bandages wrapped around it, covering the shallow cut she had there when they first met. The shirt had fallen off the shoulder of the arm she hadn't thrown over Fenris' back. Her bare knees showed where she had crossed them under the bare remnants of her skirt, burned almost to uselessness in the fire, and the bottom of his shirt. Her hair was splayed out over the direwolf's as Daenerys nuzzled into his fur, her eyes half-closed in pleasure of the feeling while she kept on crooning gently to the draklings beside her.. There was something astonishingly primitive about the image yet it was powerful all the same.

Ranma shook that thought out of his head, ignoring how good she looked in his shirt, how it made her look… his. Yep, courage, self-control, and competence are definite turn-ons for me.

When he regained control of himself, the singing had stopped. Ranma found Daenerys looking up at him with those violet eyes of hers, though they were still soft at present thanks to the two draklings beside her. "I take it we have made good our escape?" she asked, her voice low.

"We have." Ranma said nodding and talking quietly as well, looking over at where Domeric was leaning against the wall nearby. The man had his sword out and looked ready for trouble.

He shook his head no when Ranma looked at him. "Just in case." he said, sheathing his blade. Ranma nodded before calmly removing his sword belt containing his katars setting them on the bed along with his katana. Then he moved around it to sit next to Fenris, placing the direwolf between him and Daenerys.

"I have to thank you for your aid, again." Daenerys said looking at him, though the words came out as if they were painful. "But now that we are safe, I believe you owe us an exclamation as to what your plans for us going forward are."

"You first." Ranma said, smirking a little, causing her eyes to flare in anger but he shook his head. "Calmly, lady." He leaned over to look at the two draklings. One of them, almost as if it had been roused by her anger, was awake now and moving about, looking up at them. "Why don't you explain why you were running first, then I will explain to you what I plan for you and your little dragons."

Daenerys glared at him some more. She had not come this far just to bow willingly to someone else's whims but when she caught his eyes they were deadly serious, filled with a grim purpose whose origin she couldn't guess at present.

. After a moment, she relented. She told him about all that had happened since they had entered the city, about how she had begun to chafe under her brothers control, of how Viserys had slowly changed over time, going from the kind, gentle brother who was always looking out for her to this insane madman who didn't care how many lives he ruined as he trampled his way towards the throne.

"Do not mistake me." Daenerys said earnestly, her yes capturing Ranma's again. "I desire to sit on the Iron Throne as much as my brother. It was the right of our family to do so, whatever my father the Mad King did, or even our oldest brother, Rhaegar. But I will not build a mountain of corpses to get there. "If we cannot rally the people to our cause, then our cause is obviously not just enough."

Ranma nodded, then looked over at Domeric. "Is this Viserys mad or simply uncaring and ambitious?"

"I would say is quite a bit closer to mad than merely ambitious. Daenerys wasn't exaggerating. He will literally carve his way through Westeros to earn the throne if he can."

Ranma's eyes narrowed in thought processing what it said about Viserys while also, wondering what the hell Arianne was up to. He hoped that wouldn't turn out as bad as he feared down the line with her near such a man. But even Ranma couldn't have fought an entire city, which was what he would have had to do if they had waited long enough for him to hunt the two missing women down, if he could have found them at all in a foreign city.

"And now it is your turn." Daenerys said firmly. "What do you want from me and what is your price for my freedom?"

"How much has Domeric told you about the legends of the North?" Ranma asked, leaning against Fenris.

He stuck his hand over the wolf's side, gently waving his fingers at the drakling. It snapped at his fingers , catching one of them in its jaws, then seemed surprised when its teeth couldn't pierce Ranma's skin.

Gotta love ki strengthening, he thought to himself, shaking his head when Daenerys looked a little surprised at that as well. Ranma flicked the little creature with his other finger causing it to let go with a squawk, then stroked its head with the same finger before Daenerys could calm it.

"Precious little." Domeric said, having watched the little exchange and shaking his head in surprise. Evidently, the Stark heir had a way with animals that went beyond his giant direwolf. And the fact that the direwolf and the two dragons got along so well was astonishing in and of itself.

"That makes the explanation a little more difficult." Ranma said his free hand scratching at his pigtail for a moment. "Have you heard news of the King Beyond the Wall?"

"Yes." Daenerys said nodding her head. "We were all thinking that it might be enough reason for you to be called home from King's Landing. I take it, by the way, that your courtship with Margaery of House Tyrell didn't go forward?"

For some reason, that thought made her smile. It wasn't simply that Ranma was handsome or that he had helped her. There was this air of solidity about him, coupled with a cheerfulness that she liked, and he was good with her dragons. Indeed, even now, one of his hands continued to play with the cream colored drakling, causing it to make little warbling noises deep in its throat as it tried, with all the tenacity and lack of coordination of a newborn, to pounce on Ranma's fingers.

Ranma ignored that question, not certain exactly where he and Margaery stood. Yes, he knew her family had postponed a formal arrangement and even called her home to halt their 'courtship' but where he and Margaery stood was up in the air. They hadn't been romantically involved but there was a chance for that to occur in future, though that wasn't something he wanted to think about, at present. Not when Daenerys was looking at him with those enticing violet eyes.

"Historically speaking," Ranma went on slowly, "there have been other threats beyond the Wall, though they have not been seen for ages, literally. I'm certain as a bard that you are familiar with some of the ancient legends?"

For a moment, that line went over Domeric's head while Daenerys frowned. "I know of many legends from beyond the Wall, tales that say the forest children might still reside somewhere there, tales that speak of giants and other creatures that have never been seen on this side of the Wall."

"What about White Walkers?" Ranma said, interrupting him, finally just stating it.

Domeric's eyes widened. "Th-those are myths." he stammered. "Tales told by fireside, there has not been a single sighting of a White Walker in eight millennia. They are dead and gone!"

"No, they're not, are they?" Daenerys said shaking her head. She was watching Ranma's face and saw something there that worried her. "This King Beyond the Wall, he isn't the only threat is he?"

Ranma nodded grimly. "They're real enough. Though I have never seen one of the White Walkers themselves, I have seen their creatures." He began to describe the skirmish that had occurred with the wolfsworn against the forces of endless winter, how Ranma feared that a true winter was coming and with it the ancient enemy.

"So you see…" he said looking over the side of Fenris to the now sleeping drakling, curled up with its still sleeping sibling. "Whatever the reason, I'm ecstatic that you found these two. After all, dragon-fire was one of the most potent weapons against the forces of winter."

Daenerys nodded thoughtfully. "So in return for your protection against the King and anyone else, I must help you and yours up on the Wall? Is that it?"

"Yes, that's pretty much it." Ranma nodded with a small smile. "Not such a bad deal is it?"

"And my ambitions?" Daenerys asked, looking at him somewhat coldly. She agreed that such an evil needed to be faced, but she still desired to sit on the Iron Throne. "What of them?"

Ranma frowned. "Protecting you from Robert is a long way from helping you overthrow him." He paused, thinking of the message from his father he still kept hidden in his pocket, unopened. He felt that if his father wanted to tell him something, he could tell it to Ranma in person. He knew it was irrational, but a part of him feared what the letter might tell him, merging with the growing concern of what might be happening back in King's Landing while he was away.

"I do not think your name will garner you as much or the sort of support you want nor would I be willing to allow you to try if doing so shattered the unity of the kingdom. We need to stand together against the forces of winter. After that, well, you could always marry the King's son and become Queen? That would get my sister out of the chore, in any event, and would get you close to that torture device you all call a throne." Ranma smirked at that point.

Daenerys actually laughed, shaking her head, sending her silver hair flashing in the light of the brazier. The noise struck Ranma to the quick, like bells sent to tinkling by a wild wind. "Ha, no thank you. I can tell from your face you have a reason to get your sister away from him so why would I wish to take her place?"

She went on more seriously. "But you have to admit that Robert Baratheon set a dangerous precedent with his war against my family? We've heard tell of the battles for influence between House Stark and House Lannister. Your unity might already be fractured."

Sighing, Ranma stood up, moving over to Domeric, who had bandaged his arm as best he could on his own. "Again, lady, there is a vast difference between might be and is. We will see what transpires for now, making plans too far ahead is never a good idea. Now, let me see that arm Domeric. While I do that you can explain to me, Domeric, why you made your part in our meeting into a woman in that damn song and why I have flowing locks after you promised not to use such in any song with me in it!"

At Domeric's pained expression, Daenerys again laughed, thinking that regardless of anything else, knowing Ranma would interesting, at the least.

OOOOOOO

"Let her go." Viserys said, smiling faintly as he looked down at the black skinned drakling in his arms, ignoring the apoplectic face of Illyrio for the moment. The man had just informed him that a ship had managed to slip out of the port before his order to have it closed could reach the harbor.

The creature had bit him at first but Viserys had refused to give in, simply staring the creature down, and it eventually let his finger go lapping at it apologetically before chewing down on the bits of meet that Viserys had ordered prepared for it. Now it was sleeping off its food induced torpor but he couldn't leave it alone, what it represented and what it meant for his plans was simply too important.

"Tell the barbarians whatever you want, that she was stolen away by a rival or even that someone from Westeros came and took her because the Usurper feared their union. We might yet be able to convince him to loan at least some troops that way, especially considering the damage to your mansion makes it look as if that was indeed the case. But that isn't important anymore. With this drakling, with my Balerion, we can conquer Westeros, as my ancestors did with the original!"

"Even if your sister has two of the dragons with her?" Illyrio asked, calming down somewhat. Having his mansion burned as it was, losing so many paintings, tapestries, and other priceless items had hammered his control badly. Still, the sight of Viserys with the dragon gave him hope, though the u chewing out the Prince had given him for hiding the fact he had the dragon eggs and not told Viserys about them had been unpleasant.

"That is what assassins are for." Viserys said coldly. "The moment she left here, my sister became just another enemy and, without the traitor, those dragons will become wild and uncontrollable, more of a danger to anyone around them then they would be to their enemies." The fact that his sister gotten away with two of the creatures was appalling but he could bear the shame for now.

"We are still investigating how they actually escaped from my property. There is evidence that she had help. Seven guards were found dead by the wall and, no matter how good he was with a blade, the bard couldn't have done that. Added to damage to my mansion, the deaths among my guardsmen and your Balerion will be enough to offset the anger that Khal Drogo will feel at once more not being presented with his gift. Indeed, your plan on blaming the Usurper has merit." Illyrio said thoughtfully. "Do it well enough and maybe he'll be willing to try to get over his people's fear of the water and still join with us."

"Sir." said a guard, interrupting the two of them from where they had been talking near a table that had been set up by the gateway into the magister's grounds. The mansion itself was still smoking in places, the fire that Daenerys had started in the kitchen and the hallway had spread widely. Illyrio's love of wooden floors and the sheer amount of oil and alcohol that Daenerys had used caused it to spread quickly.

"What is it?" the magister asked looking up at the man.

"There are two women here to see you, they insist on seeing you now, and say they have information you and your guest will want to hear."

"Send them in." the magister said and his eyes widened. He could recognize both came from Dorne but the one in the lead…

The woman in the lead was short but beautiful, with olive skin, large dark eyes, and long, black hair that fell to the middle of her back, seemingly just washed. Her dress, which was made of flowing silks of red and tan, hugged her impressive figure and she wore several pieces of jewelry that looked like they wouldn't have been out of place in his strong room.

The women stared at the little dragon in Viserys' arms, then the first one smiled, licking her lips. She had been dismayed at first to see the damage done to the mansion, which had made her question the wisdom of leaving Ranma to his own devices. Yet, she hadn't been making any headway influencing him. She had hoped to get here before he did, having no clue how fast Ranma could travel via rooftops, but evidently something had happened here anyway, though she didn't know if Ranma was involved.

Now however, seeing Viserys Targaryen holding a young baby dragon in his arms, she knew she had made the correct decision, whatever else had happened. "It looks as if this plan at least has succeeded somewhat. Greetings, Your Highness. I am Princess Arianne of Dorne. I believe we have much to discuss."

OOOOOOO

As the ship carrying Ranma and Daenerys made its way back to King's Landing, a message was on its way, a small Raven from the Maester's Citadel marked, strangely enough, like it had come from Winterfell. In Westeros, it was often said that fell news flew on black wings. In this case, that would be an understatement because the events this message would set in motion would shake the entire world to its core.