It's over

*Splash*

Brendan woke up feeling the cold, salty water on his face.

His back, shoulder, ribs and almost everything else was hurting like hell.

He felt dizzy, but clarity slowly started to come back to his mind.

Not willing to move just yet, afraid that his spine might be injured, his eyes looked around seeing familiar faces full of relief.

"Fuck it all, why do I always have to faint?!" He cursed in one breath looking up, and thinking about the young body of his and it's defective nature.

"That wasn't wise my Lord..." looking to the side Brendan saw a group of medics kneeling over his body with a clear relief on their faces, and someone he really didn't want to see standing tall above them.

"Noya, why the sudden formalities?" he would normally run away whenever the girl went all "official" on him, as nothing good ever came out of it.

"That's because someone behaves like an idiot! Taking on one of the best warriors in the kingdom by yourself? Are you stupid, crazy or both!" the soldiers and medics around just listened to the exchange, some shocked at the frivolous way the woman was addressing the Lord. "You are the last heir to the Noble house of Dustin! Grow the fuck up!" Noya was emotional as her voice cracked and her fists were tightly clenched holding in check her trembling body.

Brendan checked the faces of everyone and saw the approval to the wildlings words.

"I'm sorry." was the only thing he could say at the moment seeing them all so emotional.

Brendan, with the help of the closest Praetorians stood back up, hearing the diagnosis of his condition from the specialists it was evident that the fighting for him was over for the next few days or even weeks.

Lord Dustin understood that only thanks to luck and preparation he was able to overcome this obstacle.

If he wouldn't take the poison and coated his dagger with it, he would be dead by now.

Victarion was still unconscious, tied up, and guarded by 10 Praetorians on the side, Lord Mormont, now conscious, under the care of Mormont medics slowly stabilizing his condition.

"You saved mine and my men's life Lord Dustin..." it wasn't needed, but felt nice to be appreciated.

"Like you wouldn't do the same!" Brendan smiled and patted Jorah on the shoulder.

Dacey Mormont and her sisters hugged wounded Brendan, being so grateful for his aid, and then moved to their uncle to check up on him.

"My Lord, what should we do with them?" the commander of Marines came up asking for instructions.

Brendan, now supported by two of his Praetorian guards glanced at the kneeling men, with their hands over their head from Victarion's crew.

He was hesitant to kill them all just like that, it was known that the unruly kraken surrounded himself with the best of the best, and they were no Harlaws there.

"Seize them for now, Lady Rina will take care of the rest after we get them to Neverwinter." he finally made his decision.

Brendan didn't want to give himself time for recuperation, if he did, the pain would just overtake his thoughts, and he strictly rejected any milk of the poppy as it would cloud his already questionable judgement.

It was clear from his condition that he wouldn't partake in anymore fighting in this battle 'Might as well take over command' he thought.

Brendan ordered his Centurions and commanders to send men to every force of his to reorganize and prepare for another push, this time they were to take Victarions helmet with them with the message of the Iron commanders death.

"My Lord, only that might not be enough." one of the commanders said.

Brendan was lost in his thoughts for a moment and looked at his unconscious captive.

Under his men's gazes he scanned the deck of the ship, when his eyes stopped on one, dead squid body as he smiled.

Only Noya understood his intentions and after receiving a nod from her Lord she went up to it, and with one swift swing of her sharp sword severed the head from the rest of the corpse.

Holding the bloodied head by the long, dark hair she threw it to the man that asked the question earlier making him panic as he caught it.

"Put the helmet on it, this should convince most of the men, if not, at least it would birth some doubt in their hearts." Brendan with his arms around the Legionaries shoulders said with evil smile.

Just as he imagined it, it worked.

When his forces as per his command reorganize themselves, his men paraded the severed head atop the spear in the characteristic Kraken helmet around the fighting line.

Next push was clearly easier, as his and other houses men gained ground faster.

Three more hours it took for them to clear 2\3 from the squids leaving the most ferocious last part surrounded.

"My Lord, there is a fleet approaching! They're flying the Stag and Redwyne colors!" one of the wargs reported.

'So that's it' Brendan though watching the men that waited for his orders to start the last push, no one wanted to give up now, the price in blood needed to be payed.

"We should push and end the battle." Lord Mallister advised, leaning on the table with an improvised map of the battle. "Lord Stannis needs a win, and I'll be damned if he takes ours after all the blood we spilled!" his armour bore the signs of life and death battles that he experienced here as well.

"Aye!" his men seconded his words.

"Lord Mallister is right, we did all the fighting and they will take the glory, I can't agree with that." Arthur Glenmore, Jorah Mormont and the Ryswells agreed.

"Are you ready to bear the costs? The Ironborn won't just sit back..." Lord Dustin watched them nod. "So it's decided, we will end the battle with the next push. Remember, if you find Euron Greyjoy he needs to die no matter the costs!" he gave one last reminder.

- - - Oldstones Dustin Castle - - -

King Robert rode his warhorse at the front of the army with his loyal Lord Hand at the side and White cloaks at the back.

Looking at the not long ago finished castle, high on the hill overlooking the Blue Fork, and the road rounding up the hill twice before it led inside the castle he admired it for a moment.

"They do know how to use their gold." Jon Arryn said to the man he treated as his own son.

"Ha! I can have the same done without any problem!" Robert boasted.

"Aye Your Grace, but with their gold. Don't forget we borrowed 4 millions from them after all the years not a lot is left, and the war is not helping."

"You're still counting coppers like always Jon, if not the Dustin's we always have the generous Lion we can borrow from, or fill the coffers with what we get from the squids! Don't bore me with the details! I'm the King for Gods sake! You just made me thirsty for a drink!" Robert sped up his horse up the mountain path with Ser Barristan, Ser Jamie Lannister and Ser Meryn Trant from the King's guards following him.

"Lord Hand, news!" one of the messengers rode to Lord Arryn side.

Jon read the long parchment and hasten his horse following the King.

- - - Inside the Oldstones Castle - - -

Robert was enjoying the skill of the Dustin's cook with his Lord Hand seated at the same table.

His hands wondered to the servants skirts, but the girls clearly avoided his touch like fire, which displeased him even more.

Robert wanted to distract himself from his foster father pestering.

"I. Don't. Care. Jon! It's your job to solve it! You're my damn Hand!" he roared as the servant girls retreated.

His dissatisfaction grew when he was welcomed into the Castle by only the steward, not how it was expected to welcome the King, even the small folk didn't spear him more than a glance.

He watched then and it was evident that they were well fed, dressed and healthy.

Damn, even the Oldstones city looked better than King's Landing.

Opposite of the short tempered King Robert, Jon understood that the Castle garrison left to support Lord Mallister and only a token force was left.

The problem was, that the Dustin's declined the request to supply Robert's forces for free, they expected adequate pay for their supplies which the King did not agree to, even after countless reminders from Lord Hand.

"They are justified in their request! We can't simply take what we want!" Jon countered.

"I'm the damn King! I can do whatever I want!"

"Then you will explain it to the other Lords! The Dustin already provided more to Ned's army than they had to! Not counting Lady Dustin situation as you may recall Your Grace! They have a lot of support from the other Lords! Even now they are in a battle with the Ironborn near Seagard, and you want us to take the supplies without any justification? The other Lords will not approved of this!" It was one of the numerous times when the Hand and the King were in a heated argument.

"It's their damn duty Jon!"

"No it is not! They already gave much! We need to give them something if you want your army fed and Lords placated!" Arryn wouldn't cave in, if he did, they really might have a bigger revolt on their hands in the future.

The Hand was aware of how the Noble Lords thought.

If the King can simply take from one of the most powerful houses now, then he can do the same to everyone else, and Robert's already being infamous for his whoring, drinking and spending didn't help.

"Enough! Just promise them whatever they want and leave me be!" King Robert took a big gulp of wine, stood up and moved to the exit, everyone already knew where he was going, and that the Oldstones Pleasure house will have a good day today. Jon Arryn could only shake his head in dejection.

- - - Harlaw Island, Ten Towers, Dungeons - - -

Lady Dustin moved her aching body making the chains that held her wrists to the wall cling, her clothes filthy from her own excrements, her eyes still violet from the assault she experienced when she was just captured.

Her posture thinner than usual from the lack of nutrition as her daily diet consisted of an old slice of moulding bread and some water. That too, wasn't a daily occurrence as Lord Harlaws ordered the men to starve her.

Even after all this, the flame in her eyes did not extinguished, her firm look annoyed her captors, fortunately they didn't r*pe her, probably discouraged by her son's victories that the Ten Towers talked about.

The sporadic slaps and spit on her face was not something that she remembered, after all, it happened too often.

The cell didn't have any windows, only the torch that the guards had when they brought in the servant girl with food to feed her allowed her to see her body condition and the time, like every other day, was now.

Her dress was in scraps, her bare, dirty, powerless feet dangled in the middle of her own shit and piss. The violet, bruised legs and ankles scratched and bloodied like her arms and face. She looked and stink terribly.

When the cell doors opened, she tried to lift up her head, she trembled unnoticeably when her gaze feel on the most brutal of the guards, there was also a new girl serving her today.

Her half closed eyes, didn't register everything because of her exhaustion as whenever she fell asleep, the chains on her wrists cut into her skin holding her bodyweight bringing only pain and waking her up at the same time.

"Give the whore her food!" the guard pushed the young girl blocking his nose with his other hand as the prisoner wasn't washed or cleaned since her arrival.

Only when they splashed her with some water to make her feel colder did some of the dirt and excrements fell off.

The young servant girl looked at the mistreated Noble Lady, she didn't show it, but fury burned in the servant's heart.

"Why won't the Lord get rid of that one?" she asked turning her head and throwing a flirty look at the guard.

"Is it your place to ask you slut?" the guard moved and slapped the girl.

Opposite of his expectations, the young woman moaned when his slap connected, she erotically licked the blood from her lip, throwing a passionate look at the guard.

There was no need for words, the guards body reacted immediately seeing the girl's reaction, something bulged in his pants trying to get set free.

Seeing this, the servant dropped the tray and started to unbuckled the guards bleachers while sucking and licking his dirty fingers that he placed in her mouth.

Just as she grabbed his cock, the fingers of his other hand were already inside of her as she moaned.

"You like it you slut? You're the same as this whore here!" he started to pick up her dress to enter her.

"She's not a whore..." he heard the girl whisper passionately into his ear and stopped for a moment "she's my Lady..." was the last thing he heard when a hairpin shaped, thin and long needle entered deep into his ear before he even could shout.

Lady Dustin felt a burning feeling in her heart, her body a bit reinvigorated as she looked at the scene and heard the sounds of battle from the dungeons corridor.

"It's time to go home my Lady... Lord Dustin is waiting." the servant, or better, one of the Whisperers said unlocking the chains.