Virtue and Strength

Tyrion 

Tumbleton will be their last camp before making the final journey to King's Landing, Tyrion turned his horse left to look at the surrounding area, Tumbleton was the sight of a battle during the Dance of Dragons, something he hopes Daeron knows or he may need to educate him.

Laughing, Tyrion looked around to the men and people passing by.

Wagons of siege materials and food passed by, nearly enough provisions for a ten-year winter and he hopes it doesn't come to that. I hope the taking of King's Landing is short and severe. He thought bitterly as he remembered his trial, how those he saved quickly turned against him for better positions at court.

"I will have my vengeance on them all, Pycelle, especially." He whispered to himself, thinking about how the old man accused him of poisoning Joffrey.

Looking back, he saw how far they were from Bitterbridge and how further they were from Highgarden and Lady Tyrell whom he had become fond of in such a short matter of time.

They had been at Bitterbridge three days ago, he commented that they were at the same path Renly was when he put his claim forward. Varys response was quick and told him that Daeron isn't Renly, Tyrion could only remember laughing and saying that 'Of course he isn't, Daeron doesn't prefer cocks'.

Varys wasn't amused and rolled his eyes, walking away to tend to his duties as ravens from their force within the Kingswood and Fawnton.

The Dornish army had obliterated their opposition within the Stormlands, Storm's End fell and its defenders were defeated, at the heavy cost of 2000 men but fell nonetheless. They had force-marched to Fawnton, making camp before coming to merge with their men.

To the Northeast, Harry Strictland, and Trebor Jordayne split the remaining force into two. Harry is leading half of the most elite force to meet them at King's Landing while Trebor and his men continue to hold Massey's Hook with the fleet until the reinforcement fleet meets them.

His sister must be hesitating, allowing them so much room to encroach upon the city, he expects that House Frey will abstain from interfering.

"Thinking too hard hurts, I know it." Tyrion turned his head to someone he had not expected to see.

"Ser Jorah?" He whispered and the Old Bear nodded once and his mixed eyes landed on another man beside the knight.

"Playing a little too close to the fire, aren't you, Daario?" He asked the mercenary captain. Daario nodded with a smirk across his face, not caring how risky he is being with bringing Jorah Mormont. Tyrion nudged them to follow him, he took them to the banks of the Mander, a quiet place to chat. "The King banished you, why didn't you stay away?" He asked Jorah who sighed heavily but kept his eyes trained on him.

"I swore to serve his grace with body and sword, Tyrion... I will do so until I have redeemed myself to him and to Daenerys when I see her once more." Tyrion sat with shock, surprised by the knight's declaration and it made him swell in admiration.

"... Then, I suppose we may need you, Ser Jorah." He admitted and turned his steed around, hurrying back to the column where Jorah followed Daario to the back with his men.

To think, the Bear Island Warrior would risk his life to fight for someone who had banished him. Loyalty is truly something he has yet to understand, not the loyalty that has one man choose the winning side as some had done but the loyalty that makes a man follow his leader to the end whether it ends in death or peace.

Jorah Mormont. The Exiled Lord who sold men into slavery. The man who spied for King Robert. The man who fell in love with Daenerys and the man who fights for Daeron despite the boy not wanting his sword hand.

The day was draining, the sun lowering to its zenith and allowing the moon to appear. He sighed heavily and went to go to sleep, weary from the one surprise for the day.

Third Person

Night fell over the camp of Daeron Targaryen, the moon being shielded by clouds and giving Randyll Tarly an advantage.

The general and Lord of Hornhill smiled and nodded to his lieutenants, they go in now.

Daeron Targaryen was sloppy, he should have had whole units of sentries and men to guard his camp but there appeared to little more than a few hundred in the surrounding of the camp.

Randyll Tarly mounted his horse, unsheathed his sword and gripped his shield. "For the King!" He cried to the men who echoed it across the two-thousand man host.

Their opposition sent volley's of arrows at them, it held no effect and upon getting closer, he saw the red hunter on green... His men.

Randyll Tarly struck it from his mind as his force broke through the lines and into the rebel camp, scouts found the Dragon King's Pavillion and he aimed to slay the boy before he could mount his dragons.

Almost as if the Stranger had come, the roar came from afar and soon enough, a blast of flame struck from the rear and he fought the urge to protect his men and instead went to do what he had come to do.

Their mission is to cripple the Dragon King's army. He will do so even at the cost of his life.

The battle raged but the dragon attacks ceased, they must not want to burn their own people which is a boon.

"My Lord, something is off, there should be more men here, thousands but none more than a few hundred." He shook his head and quickly dismounted from his horse and ran for the tent, rushing in with five of his men following behind.

"Die!" He cried and shoved his sword into the bed, he took it out and saw the blood, "We will take his head and leave." He added and threw off the blanket to stand back in shock.

The Targaryen boy wasn't here, it was a goat made to shape a man form with cotton and cloth, even locks of silver hair.

Outside the camp to the Southeast, Daeron put on his helm and mounted a charge down to the camp.

Varys had caught wind of the Lannister raid not long after camp had been made, two-thousand cavalry to commit trickery to slay him.

He devised a plan with his commanders. Let Randyll believe he was reckless and inexperienced, allowing the enemy to invade his camp with the sacrifice of some of the former Lord Hornhills own men.

It made him feel callous but it was better than facing Lord Tarly face to face, "Capture Lord Tarly and anyone of note, slay all others!" His words were conveyed to Daario and Obara who echoed it through the rest of the charging force.

The Targaryen force enveloped the camp, The Reachmen and Unsullied formed a wall to block any escape, he charged through a plow of men, his kingsguard and some 400 horsemen following suit which gave way to Cleon's and Daario's warriors who began attacking the enemy soldiers.

Randyll Tarly had been tricked, he looked around and saw his men fighting a futile assault by Daeron's force.

"Prepare to die!" An Essosi warrior charged at him, stopped and looked while pointing his spear at him. "My King will be glad to have you in chains, gladder when I bring him your head!" The warrior was Cleon's second in command, Tumco Lho.

The bout began when the young warrior thrust his spear at him, he evaded it and slashed with his blade.

Three of Randyll's men joined in but the boy proved to be a fearsome opponent, slaying two of his men before Randyll went in and snapped the warrior's spear with his shield and shoved his sword in the Essosi's chest.

Across the camp, Daeron and his party had been stopped when a crossbow bolt shot his horse in the head and the animal collapsed to the ground.

"Your grace!" Obara cried out and dismounted, The Dragon King tried to pull himself from his horse but his leg was caught.

A spearman cried for his death and came at him, he would stare the man in the eye if this is how he shall die... Then a protector stood between him and the man and cleaved the soldiers head off.

It was then that his savior was someone he had banished long ago, "... Jorah?!" Daeron said in surprise, the older man nodded and lent him his hand.

The King took it after a moment of hesitation and his oldest protector lowered his head with humility, "Don't." He told Jorah and both men looked into one another's eyes before nodding and turned to fight as one.

To be truthful, the younger man had missed his teacher, he was still hurt and believed that it won't be long before he forgives Jorah but the man had disobeyed his command and stuck true and loyal to him. Jorah had been a spy, yes, but he was still here and at the risk of his life he still protected him.

Daeron, his Kingsguard, and Jorah continued to fight until the battle was over. Randyll Tarly was captured and bound and thrown to his knees before him as the sun began to rise.

The camp was silent as he stared at the defeated Lord Tarly, the man he defeated when coming out of the Prince's Pass... The man he had sentenced to the Wall.

"Lord Tarly, it is clear that you will not join me, and, you will not serve the Night's Watch... What other option do I have?" He asked the man who would not look him in the eye, "You had to know this battle would not have gone in your favor, I outnumber you ten to one, and you still fought me?" He added while speaking to the defeated general.

"I didn't come here to be victorious, I came to kill you and prove that you are not unbeatable. I came to show that man, not dragons are the true rulers of the Realm." Daeron huffed in frustration at Randyll's declaration, Cleon insulted and tried to defend him by lopping Randyll's head off.

"Cleon, stand down." The large man reluctantly did so, stepping back while he stepped forward to be closer to the defeated general. "You believe me a tyrant, do you not? You think I wish to burn men alive and rape and pillage a place that was my home, no?" He asked Randyll these questions and the man stared at him in defiance, as if to respond yes to the questions.

"I say execute him, your grace, he has offended you twice and to send him away would give him an opportunity to offend you a third time." Mathis Rowan advised and Dickon immediately went forward and pled for his father's life.

"Please, your grace, allow my father the punishment of exile or continue sending him to the Wall. He is still a man of repute, he aided your House in Robert's Rebellion." Two others from House Tarly's levies, old men who knew the former Lord also pled for his life to be spared.

He isn't a butcher, his goal was to reclaim his throne and people, not just the throne...

Daeron Targaryen took out his dagger and those around tensed at what he was going to do, they were then surprised when he cut Randyll's bonds and helped the man to his feet roughly before stepping back.

"Lord Randyll Tarly, I will not hold you hostage or send you to the Stranger. You believe the lies told about me, I will show you the Westeros I will build with my reign. A strong Westeros built with honor, loyalty and common peace between all people." It was the Dragon King's declaration that provoked the shocked expression from Randyll Tarly and many others who were present. "You may return to Hornhill and resume your duties as a Lord once my war is complete, so you will see the future I wish to create."

Daeron smiled and gestured for another to step forward while Dickon took his father to the side, Jorah nervously made his way to them and got to one knee but Daeron stopped the knight midway and forced him to stand.

He took a single moment, thinking about what to say to the man he had sentenced to exile. Jorah waited, glancing at the surrounding commanders and soldiers.

"You saved my life, you protected me, and I pushed you away." Daeron started and fought back the emotion so as to not feel too weak, "I was hurt when you betrayed me, betrayed my sister, and yet you saved me this night and I am thankful." Jorah shook his head in a quick manner.

"It was my duty, your grace." It was, but it was so much more to Daeron.

"I want to be the first to welcome you back, Jorah. Well, since I was the one to keep him around." Daario said and he smiled, then began to laugh, soon enough the lot of them began to join in.

"I will thank you as well, Daario. I am a fool for never knowing you of all people would be so crafty, haha!" He said and caught a glimpse of Tyrion coming up with Varys and Sansa, his smile brightened slightly at catching her red hair with his eyes.

"Barristan, open wine and slaughter goats, we have a feast before marching on the capital!" The men cheered and raised their swords in the air at the proclamation.

He wanted to celebrate not just the victory, not just the defeat of another enemy or the completion of his campaign... He wanted to feast and celebrate the return of his friend. His circle was complete, Jorah had returned to him and he is grateful for it.

Sansa 

She and the ones who were not fighting were escorted to the holdfast within Tumbleton, to ensure that the plan succeeded and so they may be safer.

Randyll Tarly was defeated. A former bannermen of her fathers came back to the service of Daeron. Now, now the camp feasts and the proper precautions were placed back where it had been when the sun first set.

She sat alone outside her tent with needle and silk in her hand, a gift for Daeron that signifies unity and prosperity.

"Don't like to drink?" She turned and saw the man who had been pardoned by the King, she got to her feet to greet Ser Mormont but the old knight stopped her, "My Lady, please don't, you of all people need not do such a thing for a banished knight as I." She heard Jorah say and she hesitantly raised her head and folded her hands together.

Looking back, she saw Daeron jesting and laughing with Barristan and Rhakaro as she had learned.

"I've been in the South too long, seen one too many and have lost all enthusiasm in being a part of them." She answered with the utmost honesty, because, it was the truth.

She's taken perspective in a lot through her short life in this world, recounting it all in her head at night.

She was just a Northern flower from Winterfell, she had been given the chance to become Queen. Her betrothed murdered her father, her good-father was at the hand of killing her mother and brother, would have killed her as well if she had given Tyrion a son.

Her former betrothed was poisoned at his wedding, she was taken away by a man she had thought was trustworthy. Petyr used her to get influence within the Vale and the North then sold her to Daeron Targaryen and sealed his fate which was taken by her own hand, with a Targaryen sword.

Now, she is right where she was before, set to marry another King.

That's not to say that Daeron is like Joffrey, Joffrey had been a sickly boy who ascended a throne that wasn't ready for him. Daeron is a man grown, a veteran of countless battles and had been betrayed by those close and distant, he has seen things and shied away from where Joffrey enjoyed the betrayal, he enjoyed the blood and cruelty.

"I wanted to offer my sympathies... For Lord Stark, I never dared to believe what I heard about his death." She nodded, thinking back to when she saw her father get beheaded by Ser Illyn Payne, a man she hopes still lives... Because that man will share her father's fate by the headman's ax.

"Thank you, Ser Jorah. I understand you and my father wasn't very fond of each other." She guessed and the knight laughed slightly, she even smiled a small smile.

"That is true, and understandable. I forsook my honor to keep my wife's lavish life afloat, a decision I have regretted for many years." She hadn't known the details of that, to be sure, she had never wanted any part of the politics that occurred in the North when she was just a silly young girl with dreams of Kings and brave knights.

"It was many years, you should let it go." She felt like a hypocrite, she hadn't and will never let what happened to her family go, not ever. "When the war is over, I will allow you to go home." She had decided and Jorah's face fell from surprise then got to one knee and lowered his head.

"A thousand thanks to you, my Lady, thank you... But I cannot go home." Now it was her turn to be shocked, Jorah raised his head and looked her in the eyes. "I cannot go home to Bear Island, I am not worthy to look upon the shores, to gaze upon the falls that I grew up around or face the family I had betrayed." His words rung in her ears.

"Then what will you do?" She asked and the knight got to his feet and held his head high with pride.

"I will serve my King until the Stranger sees fit that I have lived long enough, I repent for my sins when I see my father once more." The knight bowed once and bid her a good night, turned around and walked away from her sight until she could not see him anymore.

Ser Jorah, a man who has lived passed three wars, exiled, betrayed, banished and now serves as the King right-hand man. A loyal and honorable knight, and to think, she was sure that none had existed in this world.

Winterfell 

The cold winds blew hard on the flags and tapestries, Jon felt the cold winter beating down on all of them.

The Maester reported that the Dragon King has suppressed his last opponent in the Rech and is marching on King's Landing with haste, a small string of worry rushed in as he had also heard that among Daeron Targaryen's army was his sister, Sansa.

His uncle and grandfather were murdered by the man's father, his aunt was kidnapped by Rhaegar Taragaryen and raped as the story went. He worries for Sansa's safety, what becomes of her when the Lannister's are finally defeated.

He remembered what Aemon told him, to seek out the Dragon King, to get his aid for the coming storm in the far North.

Sam had written to him a letter, detailing more on the defection of Humfrey Hightower and when Daeron and his three dragons came and turned the Lannister and Hightower fleet to cinders.

Dragons. If anything can harm the White Walkers and their army of dead men, it would be the creatures of fire. Sam has chosen to join the Targaryen army once his duties are completed within the Citadel. Jon reminisced as the other letter said.

Sam's letter was also a request, to go and meet Daeron knowing that Tommen Baratheon is soon to be dethroned.

He hesitated to do so, not because he completely distrusts the King but because he fears for the safety of his ward, Shireen Baratheon.

The Queen of Baratheon had completely lost her home, what Stormlords that had remained after Stannis's death had gone home after the Battle of Winterfell, they all agreed that they want to see their families and to prepare for the coming winter. He and Davos tried to convince the Lords to stay with their men, they refused and left.

She depends on the North and him for protection should Daeron Targaryen want all his opponents dead, out of the Baratheon soldiers that left, only 1200 remained.

"Lord Jon, her grace is here." He heard a guard say, Jon had nodded reluctantly and awaited Shireen's arrival which happened a moment later.

"By that face, I fear that Daeron will be on the Iron Throne." It was her first words as she entered the room and he begrudgingly nodded yes, "I have come to a decision to preserve my House, thought you would like to hear it." She should speak with her mother and Davos, he shouldn't be apart of her affairs.

Yet, he found himself saying yes. "Will you keep your crown, or will you bow, your grace." He questioned her and Shireen took a deep breath before telling him her decision.

With her decision, he had called for the Lords to gather in the great hall to discuss what is to be done in dealing with Daeron Targaryen.

Many were against going to meet the Dragon King, he was reminded of what happened to his grandfather and uncle and aunt, Smalljon had even rose from his seat and said that it wasn't just going to meet a Targaryen.

"Ned went South and died. Robb went South and died. Jon, you are Lord Stark's last son, we need you in the North." Smalljon was correct, the North needs him in the North but what is to stop an envoy from insulting the Targaryen King or making things worse.

The North. His home, it has suffered for years, sons and fathers marched South for Robb and never returned. We were betrayed at every corner, I don't blame a single man or woman for hating the South and all of the families. He thought bitterly and remembered that Walder Frey still fucking lives, it's something he will correct.

"I am my father's son. I am the only one to convince Daeron to bring men North, we need soldiers to beat back the Night King." He said and reminded the hall of their true threat, the very danger lurking and waiting for the right time to strike at the Wall.

A pair of women rose from their seats, he noticed they were Alysanne and Lyanna Mormont.

"Lord Jon, we do need men and as much as I hate admitting it... This boy has the army and the men." Alysanne started and then locked eyes with him, "But we fought to rid ourselves of Southern control, our King should be a Northman." Jon felt a deep pit in his stomach, nervous about what is transpiring.

"Aye, you defeated the Bolton's, Jon, you should be our King." Cley Cerwyn stated and many agreed but this isn't about being King or ruling, this was about survival.

"... No." He said sternly to the men and women within the room, "The last few years had littered the land with corpses and horses all in the name of Kings, of men, of prisoners and crowns. The Night King doesn't care who is King, it won't care when its army crosses the Wall and pillage and murder our wives, husbands, livestock, and children. We can't afford to divide ourselves, right now we need unity... For everyone in Westeros!" He shouted the last part to get his message across.

The hall was silent. None opposed his rejection.

Before nightfall, he and 5,000 of the Northern army began their journey to the South, hoping to get there before King's Landing is sacked for the second time.

King's Landing

Jaime Lannister was within the Red Keep, all had been gathered upon hearing of Daeron Targaryen's victory over their army at Tumbleton.

"Cersei!" He yelled at his sister as she began walking away like they haven't suffered a heavy blow, his sister turned only slightly as to watch him with one eye.

Their army won't defeat the Targaryen one, especially when word came of the Knights of the Vale passing their Bloody Gate and coming by sea via Gulltown's fleet. The Freys aren't going to assist them, the Westerlands have come but too few marched here where the other half fell at the taking of Casterly Rock.

"We will be victorious, brother, or we will take the boy with us." She whispered but he could still hear it, the entire court could hear what she said and he stood there like a stone.

His sister's gone mad, she has truly gone mad from all she's been forced to endure and like the past revisiting him, he saw before him yet another Aerys rising.

Six days would pass after his sister walked away from him, ordering for the walls to be manned day and night. In his sister's carelessness, he had to take up the mantle in keeping their allies assured of their victory but he has since lost hope.

"Lord Jaime!" He turned and saw Addam Marbrand rushing towards him, he stopped the man from tripping and keeping him steady.

"What is it, what's happened?!" He asked and, deep down had known the answer that was coming.

"The Targaryen boy, they have crossed the Blackwater Rush, his dragons can be seen in the sky!" Addam reported and he told the commander to ready the city for a siege, for everyone to get to their stations to defend the capital.

As for him, he has to get his nephew someplace safe, then go to meet this Daeron Targaryen.