c25

Highpoint, the North…

Situated on the top of a large hill Highpoint had a superb view of the surrounding area which added to its considerable defences, being made of stone rather than wood was another factor in its favour and made the seat of House Whitehill a strong and safe haven under normal circumstances.

But this was not normal circumstances.

When word had reached Harry that the Whitehills were going to move on Ironrath, the home to House Forrester and one of the few houses to stay true to the Starks he had decided to act and make his allies stronger in the process.

Disguised in his cloak and with a notice me not charm layered into it he sneaked his way through the open gates of the castle and into the keep. Unlike many northern castles it was full of icons to the Seven and decoration that most Northern families would have found to be wasteful and pointless but Harry gave that no thought as he searched for his prey, finding them in the main hall.

Standing around a table in the main hall covered with maps was Lord Ludd Whitehill himself, his two sons Torrhen and Gryff and their vicious master at arms Harys. There were three guards around the room but that did not worry Harry as he quietly put sticking and silencing charms around the room while the others were too focused on planning for their attack on Ironrath.

Once the rest of the doors and windows to the room where sealed and made soundproof Harry finally shut the main door and sealed it with magic to prevent escape. The sound alerted the Whitehills to his presence who all looked around to face him.

"Who the fuck are you?" Ludd asked angry that someone had dared enter his meeting without permission, Harry under his cloak as he drew Orphanmaker and Blackfyre alarming the men in the room just said with a smirk.

"The North Remembers."

It only dawned on the men in the room what was about to happen when Harry slashed at the throat of their guard and then impaled another through the belly, ripping his now bloody swords out before advancing on the Whitehills.

Ludd was the first he killed, crying out for his men to intervene Harry silenced him forever by jabbing his sword straight through the man's mouth and out through the back, killing him instantly. Harys was next as he drew his sword and fought like an animal to avenge his lord but Harry easily parried his wild strikes and ending him by first cutting his hand off and then taking his head.

The final guard charged in and Harry did not even need to move as he tripped on his lord's corpse and fell, Harry just stabbed him in the back without a second thought and looked over to the last two men in the room. Torrhen and Gryff were hammering on the door, desperate to get the attention of their guards outside, surely they must hear their cries for aid but no response came as Harry smirked and walked up to them. They caught sight of it and begged him for mercy but Harry would show none as he stabbed them both through the belly and torn his swords out roughly, spilling their guts on the floor and stepped away leaving the two men to fall to their knees and bleed to death on the floor before going over to the corpse of Ludd Whitehill and wiping his swords clean of blood with the man's cloak.

Harry looked around the corpses as he sheathed his swords, he did not allow himself to feel pride or any such emotion as killing was something he never wanted to relish. This was business and he re-donned his hood and reapplied the charm before cancelling the magic that sealed the room and walked out through the corridors of Highpoint till he entered the family quarters. Ignoring most of the rooms he went to find the last surviving Whitehill that meant a damn, the daughter Gwyn. There only other was the second son Ebbert who was currently at the Citadel, if the boy interfered in their plans he would be dealt with but the girl was the one he was interested in now. He stunned her and picked the admittedly pretty Gwyn up in his arms and apparated them out of Highpoint to the tree were Storm his horse was tied up and put the still unconscious girl over his saddle before getting on himself riding towards Ironrath.

-x-

Surrounded by tall and strong Ironwood trees and hills it would be hard to assault a castle like Ironrath Harry decided, limited passage ways though the mountains, hills and forests would make it far easier to delay or whittle down an enemy and that was before they got to the strong walls of the castle. All in all Harry was impressed by it given its smaller size.

"Halt! Who goes there?" A patrol called out carrying the banner of House Forrester aloft, the leader of the patrol Harry noticed had a similar look to Rodrik Forrester albeit with slightly lighter coloured hair. The man then saw the unconscious Gwyn on his saddle and with a look of alarm and worry drew his sword. "Unhand Gwyn now!"

So this must be Asher Forrester Harry thought, the formerly exiled lover of Gwyn Whitehill. Harry smiled despite being surrounded by Forrester men and woke the sleeping Gwyn, careful to let her down into the snow gently.

"Where?" Gwyn asked still not sure where she was, last she could remember was falling asleep in her room and then she saw a man that made her heart race, one she had never expected to see again. "Asher." Her breath caught in her throat and he was likewise stunned to see her. Harry though as touching as the scene was had things to say.

"Your father and brothers committed a vile atrocity Gwyn Whitehill." Harry said making sure to distort his voice so he wouldn't be recognised later. "The gods promised retribution and it has been served on them, you are now the last Whitehill. The Lady of Highpoint." He said not sparing her any punches which made the girl gasp in horror. "But since you are innocent of their crimes you will be spared their punishment as long as you abandon the path they took and find a better one, the love of your life now stands there for you and nothing more blocks your way. Wed him and become a Forrester and end the bloodshed once and for all." Harry said pointing to Asher which made Gwyn blush a little before to make them think he was a messenger of the gods, Harry apparated away with Storm with a conscious effort to make a louder and more dramatic thunder clap like sound rather than a pop.

Gwyn, Asher and the other Forrester men all looked in shock at where the mysterious man had disappeared for a moment until Asher realised Gwyn was not properly dressed for the cold and was shivering, he dismounted and wrapped her in his cloak the act of which seemed almost providential and she blushed as he touched her, especially when he pulled her onto his horse and wrapped his arms around her before they returned to Ironrath.

The Twins, the Riverlands…

What a fucking mess.

Lord Walder Frey thought those exact words when looking at the ruins of the castles that had been his home and the missing sections of the bridge from which they had made their living, not to mention the gold he could have used for repairs had vanished during the mysterious fire the night of the Red Wedding.

His anger and irritation at the theft which he put down to his dimwitted sons as the Stark and Tully men where too busy trying to save their own necks to steal from him, unfortunately he had no idea which ones of his useless brood was responsible as they had been in chaos after that voice had sounded, running like headless bloody chickens. He had been at the head of those running away but he refused to acknowledge that to anyone. His home however was still a ruin and would need to be repaired, he would he decided make his new vassals to do the work and send men and resources to rebuild the Twins or be destroyed a nasty smirk crossing his face as he relished in being the new Lord of the Riverlands. The fact that he had managed to get his daughter wed to Roose Bolton and his future grandson would rule Winterfell and the North as well only seemed like the crowning achievement.

His pride swelling and his self importance rising he had no concept of how much this would make his 'vassals' hate him or that they might compromise his castles' defences never crossing his mind, showing why to many who would later say that House Frey was always dirt that got above themselves and that was what they returned to when finally justice for their actions came.

-x-

Unknown Location, the Riverlands…

Brynden watched with enormous grief as the raft that carried his niece, his great-nephew and Robb's wife burned in the middle of the river and eventually sank to the bottom. He knew that Robb should have been interred with the rest of the Starks under Winterfell but that was not possible and since the boy had been a Tully as well as a Stark he had laid them all to rest in his people's traditional manner and for that at least he was grateful to the Tyrell that had returned their bodies to him. At his side Ser Raynald Westerling watched with sad eyes that made the young man look far older than he was as his sister sank to the bottom of the river.

"They should be together, she loved him and he her such a thing is too precious to break." Raynald said when asked if he wanted to take his sister's body. She would he knew have wanted to be buried with her husband.

Brynden looked to Raynald and asked him once the boat had sank beneath the water.

"What will you do now?" He asked the gallant young man that was living proof that children did not have to take after their parents, he had chosen to be loyal and brave while his mother had been deceitful and scheming. Raynald turned to face him and the young man said.

"I will return home and try to make a tie with Houses Crakehall, Farman and Kayce. Like me they have reason to hate the Lannisters and then there is the matter of my mother." He said his eyes hardening. "She must pay for her crimes."

"Careful of that path boy, it can take you down to places you might not want to go." Brynden said even in his own grief he was worried for the young man at his side after all even if she had been a plotter in the Red Wedding she was still Raynald's mother. Raynald shook his head before saying.

"I won't kill her but I will make sure she suffers for this...treason." He said his eyes dark as he walked for his horse before turning around and giving a bow to Brynden. "I wish you the best of luck in your efforts Ser Brynden Tully and although I doubt we will, I hope we meet again."

"As do I." Brynden said as he got on his own horse, both men looked back towards the river where the boat had now completely disappeared. They were both silent as they felt their own grief and pain spike hard inside them before going their separate ways.

-x-

The small camp of Ser Brynden Tully was growing larger by the day as more men joined his quest to retake Riverrun, the money and supplies from Harry Tyrell were certainly helping speed things up but he had hit a bit of a wall. Most of the men that were joining his cause where not trained or experienced fighters and it was very hard for him to recruit, train and plan their strategy all at the same time. He could not use any of his previous allies as if discovered their secret alliance might be compromised and all were currently being watched, as he looked down at the maps he felt weary as his age started to tell.

"My lord." One of his men said as he entered the tent, he looked up annoyed at being interrupted but bit his tongue and asked.

"Yes what is it?"

"Our scouts are reporting a group of Frey soldiers are harassing men on the road, they are lightly armed and their camp is ill defended."

Brynden stopped what he was doing and immediately grabbed his sword.

"We ride for the road and deal with them there, hopefully it will get the men some practice." Brynden said to his man who went off to get their soldiers ready, since they had not been discovered by the Freys yet it was unlikely to be a trap and this would get the men some experience in fighting.

-x-

A short while later they came across the Frey soldiers who were demanding excessive tolls on the Kings Road and they were indeed harassing men on the road, not very successfully he noticed as they seemed to be having their arses kicked by a single but very large man. Brynden could not see him clearly but he did notice the archers about to shoot the large man in the back, without hesitating he and his more experienced archers notched their bows and fired their arrows hitting the Frey archers with the large man turning to see the danger that had nearly ended his life. Brynden seeing now all the Freys were dead stowed his bow and walked forward only to stop when he got close enough to see the disfigured face that he had seen only at the side of Joffrey Waters...the Hound Sandor Clegane. His hand went for his sword and shouted.

"Getting in trouble Clegane? The Lannisters have put one hell of a bounty on your head after you deserted at Blackwater." Brynden shouted, he was impressed at how well the Hound fought but the man had served the Lannisters and killed on the command of the vicious bastard who claimed to be a king. The Hound only glared back before sheathing his sword at the sight of Tully archers who had lined up on him.

"I wasn't going to fight for those fuckers any more and all I want to do is get as far away from them as possible, so piss off." The Hound said and looked around to see his horse had been killed in the fighting, he spat on the Freys corpses and Brynden while not sure he could trust Clegane could see his hatred of his old employers was genuine, he sensed an opportunity and went for it.

"I can give you a place to hide until you can leave." Brynden said and his men looked at him in surprise and disbelief that he would offer Clegane shelter.

Clegane himself was surprised but suspicious and asked.

"What do you want from me?"

"Your skill at arms to teach my men to fight while I plan and recruit, do that and you have a safe place to hide and some gold to aid your passage elsewhere." Brynden said and his men looked terrified at having to learn from a Clegane even if it was the supposedly nicer one, Sandor himself wanted to get back on the road but he had no gold to pay for a ship or a horse to carry him away and he knew that the Blackfish had more reason to hate the Lannisters than he did and could not give him away without revealing himself.

Fuck it Sandor thought, it would at least let him get the gold he needed to get out of Westeros.

"Fine, you've got yourself a deal."

Bloodstone, the Stepstones…

Arya was just staring out at the sea from her bedroom window, her gaze unfocused as she tried to deal with knowledge that her mother and her last brother was dead and her home had been stolen by her house's own vassal in such a cowardly ambush. They had not even had the decency to face them on the battlefield and instead stabbed them up under the guest rite, it made her so mad that she wanted to scream and rage but she did not. Instead she looked in to ways to kill and torture her enemies till they understood a modicum of the pain she and her sister felt right now. Her thoughts then turned to Sansa who was sitting on the window seat like her and staring out across the ocean just like she was.

"Here we are, so far from home and all I want is to go back there when I used to dream of leaving it for more glamorous places." Sansa said her voice bitter and depressed, all pretence of being a well born lady abandoned as she and her sister sat there brooding.

"Me too." Arya said in the same bitter and depressed voice, she had dreamed of a life of travel and adventure but all that seemed so hollow now...a childish dream she had outgrown, now all she wanted like her sister was to go home.

"It took so long for me to find my spine, to actually appreciate what we had and to realise just who they were and to stand up to Cersei and Joffrey. All that time wasted." Sansa said wishing she could go back and undo her mistakes, Arya actually gave a small smile having heard about her sister's defiance from Lady Zara.

"I wish I could have seen that."

Sansa managed to give Arya a small smile of her own but it did not last.

"I was horrible to you." Sansa said sounding as guilty as she felt, she had never treated Arya as anything other than a thing to be ashamed of, never as a sister that she loved or treasured in anyway. It was Arya' turn to look away as she admitted.

"So was I, we never treated each other with any respect or kindness did we?" Arya asked not sure if she had ever really given Sansa any consideration before Kings Landing...before father had died.

"No...we didn't." Sansa said sadly. "I never spoke up for you when Jeyne or the others made horrid jokes about you and even joined in their laughter." She did not even mention when she had not spoken for her sister when Joffrey had been bitten by Nymeria.

"It doesn't matter now." Arya said sounding far older than her thirteen years. "We are all we have now and fighting will only aid our enemy, as father used to say 'the lone wolf might die but the pack survives' and our pack WILL SURVIVE." Arya said putting emphasis on the last two words and a smile appeared on Sansa's face. They reached for each others hand and grasped it tight, forging a stronger bond that they would need in the days ahead.

-x-

The Red Keep, Kings Landing…

The sight of the castle that had been his home for more years of his life than he cared to count did nothing to make Jaime Lannister feel any better for what had happened in the Riverlands, it was a den of corruption and power hungry schemers. What else was there to say?

He was still dirty from the road as he and Brienne rode into Kings Landing but people still recognised him as he rode past, some did look on him with admiration but many did so with hatred and whispers of Kingslayer and of the Red Wedding followed him all the way to the Red Keep. He ignored them however much he hated to hear more of it given how it dominated his thoughts all the way here and instead dismounted his horse. Leaving it with an unfamiliar stable-boy he accompanied by Brienne walked to the throne room where his eyes narrowed at the sight of his uncle Kevan and Ser Addam Marbrand, his uncle and a man he had long considered a friend and honestly the familiar throne room made him feel sick. So much that he actually left without being seen or saying a word and instead went to the Tower of the Hand. Climbing the stairs he made himself comfortable and poured himself some wine, he offered a goblet to Brienne but she refused, he took a sip and was grateful for its bitter taste as they waited for his father to return.

It took a surprisingly long time for his father to return to his lair but when Tywin saw him sitting there all he did was raise an eyebrow.

"Is this some attempt to be dramatic?" Tywin asked in his usual cold and stern voice that once had reduced Jaime to a scared child but now had lost its effect so Jaime just stared back for a moment before answering.

"If I wanted to be dramatic I would have sat at your desk rather than take the comfortable chair at the window, I have no taste for your games." Jaime said equally cold and realised to his own discomfort that the beard he had grown in his captivity actually made him look more like his father which only increased his resolve to shave as soon as possible.

"Clearly, otherwise you would have been my heir still and actually never embarrassed House Lannister by being captured." Tywin said which only irritated Jaime who snapped back.

"As opposed to valuing the lives of our men and actually standing for something other than my own ambition or desires you mean? You've built a house on sand and now it is crumbling around you, the hatred of the people towards the Lannisters and the Westerlands is so high that plots are being hatched in every corner and it only takes one to destroy everything you've created." Jaime said with a sardonic tone that sounded very much like something Tyrion would say which made Tywin blink. He stood still as Jaime came over to him, now standing as tall as him and looking him straight in the eye.

Tywin was surprised at that, before he had always seemed taller than his eldest son but now Jaime stood level with him and his glare was unflinching, not unlike one of his own.

Until Jaime punched him in the stomach.

The blow was so hard and unexpected that Tywin had no time to prepare himself as he had the air knocked right out him, nor for the second punch that knocked him to the ground. He looked up and saw Jaime standing tall above him with a gaze as hard as diamonds and tense with fury.

"I have never been ashamed of being a Lannister as much as I am now after what I saw at the Twins. Tywin Lannister, the man that can never win a war without vast numbers or cheating and now this! You think yourself a lion but really you are so small inside but know this, I am my own man, my time away has taught me that and I will guard my king but more I will not let myself be ruled by his whims like before or yours. Now I have to find my armour."

Jaime took one last chance to glare at his father before leaving the room with Brienne who looked stunned at the display but followed Jaime all the same, he found it was exactly as he had left it which made him laugh bitterly. His spare armour still there and he honestly hated it more now than he ever had before, but he resolved to himself he had his duty to protect the king from the realm and his own personal objective to protect the realm from the king.

He then realised Brienne had followed him into the room and what happened next honestly was a mystery to both of them as neither had even thought about it up to that moment...maybe they had not really needed it till then but Jaime pulled Brienne into a kiss which she reciprocated and things became heated as the door swung shut.

-x-

Tywin massaged his jaw with a cold compress to reduce the swelling and stared at the door, not sure what man had come in here and hit him that looked so much like his son.

Jaime had never stood up to him like that before and certainly had never hit him, if it had been anyone but his own child they would have been dead before the next sunrise but oddly Tywin felt pride too as much as anger. His son had finally done what he had asked when he had given him the army to attack Riverrun, he had become the man he was always meant to be. He was still angry at the shit for hitting him like that but he was glad that at least one child of his had become someone he could be proud of.

Bloodstone, the Stepstones...

Hours later Arya was back in the training yard with Needle and a dagger in hand as she fought against Syrio and Jaqen in a spar.

She was grateful for her slimmer frame as she ducked and weaved under their sword and staff respectively and lunged in for quick and precise strikes, never managing to hit either of her teachers due to their greater experience but doing far better than she had months ago.

She needed this, that was the thought that ran across her mind.

It was the only way she could quell the rage that was building up inside her.

Her talks with Sansa and Lady Rhaenys helped but it was not enough to stop her sneaking aboard a ship and heading for the capital to kill all the Lannisters, she had to find an outlet for her anger and sparring was the only thing she had found that worked.

"Good boy." Syrio said with a beaming smile, while he still called her a boy she had no idea especially as her body had started to blossom but she accepted it as a term of endearment. "There is little more I can teach you although I have to admit I have grown fond of the heat and sights here." Syrio told her, his eyes roaming to one of the maids who blew him a kiss. It was enough to make Arya's eyes roll.

"Indeed, a girl is ready." Jaqen said with his eternally calm face and Arya smiled, compliments were few and far between with her teachers and when they gave one you knew they meant it.

"Then the time has come for her to join us proper." A voice sounded from the side and all three of them turned to see Lord Tyrell enter the courtyard, they all bowed and Harry returned it before turning to her and said. "If your teachers are happy with it then I have a mission for you." He said beckoning her to follow him and excitement ran through her as she did so, finally she thought was it time to avenge her family? To actually put her skills that she had been training in for a year to use and strike back for her family? She could only hope so.

They soon entered Lord Tyrell's solar and sat down at his desk, Lord Tyrell looked tired but given all the travelling he did she could understand that so when he spoke she listened.

"Well developments in the North have favoured your house as the Whitehills have been eliminated and all their men now serve House Forrester who have renewed the vow to help you but that is not what I mean to talk about today." Lord Tyrell told her without expression, she likewise did not smile having learned from Lady Olenna's letters to mask her feelings. "The wedding of Joffrey Waters and...my sister." He said grounding out the last two words with great annoyance that she did not blame him for, she had hated it when her sister had been betrothed to that bastard so she knew that feeling well. "Has provided us with an opportunity to strike at the heart of House Lannister, Tywin and all his family will be there and so if you are willing, I have three targets for you."

"Who?" She asked eagerly, her mask slipping slightly before she forced herself to calm down and reasserted it.

"Joffrey Waters, Tywin Lannister and Petyr Baelish. That is already ambitious and I have no intention of risking your safety any more." Lord Tyrell said sternly making her frown that she could not go after Cersei as well but the chance to kill the architects of the Red Wedding more than made up for it. "Your cover will be as a new maid in the castle that I will arrange, I can provide the means to get you in and make sure you are on the list to serve at the wedding but the rest will be up to you. You will wear a portkey and your disguise at all times and have to live as if you were a serving girl all that time. Understood?" He asked her with an intense gaze that nearly made her falter but she only nodded and said.

"Understood."

Lord Tyrell looked at her with a probing gaze as if he doubted her but nodded slowly just as she was becoming slightly nervous.

"While I have had a special sword made for you, a long sword designed for a woman's hand this is the weapon you will be using for this mission." He said and the news that a sword had been made specially for her made enough to make her a little excited and was surprised to see Lord Tyrell hold up a glass vial containing some kind of clear liquid.

"What is it?" She asked getting that it was some kind of poison but could not identify this one by sight.

"Something I picked up on my travels, it is called Valyria's Torment." Lord Tyrell said with a smirk. "It was used as a punishment for traitors in the days of the Freehold, it can take up to seven days to kill but during that time they will experience pain unlike anything they have experienced before...pure uninhibited agony and while there is an antidote they will never get it. Even the maesters don't know about this." Lord Tyrell told her and Arya stared at the liquid with disbelief but slowly she started smiling liking the idea of inflicting such a punishment on Joffrey and his grandfather not to mention Petyr Baelish. Lord Tyrell nodded and put the vial away and said one more thing to her.

"Practice your disguise, when we enter the Red Keep there will be no margin for error and if you are caught getting you out could be...difficult so if there is a danger of you being discovered we stop and reassess. Understood?" Lord Tyrell said firmly and Arya was not sure that if she started this that she could stop but nodded in agreement, as Lady Olenna had told her there was no sense in dying for blind revenge.

-x-

Sansa had been worried when Maester Alwyn had excitedly looked through Visenya's journal and taken it away, only his promise that he was merely going to copy it and then return it too her and the fact she knew where he lived stopped her from retrieving it now. Anger bubbling up inside her as something else was taken from her however silly it might have been, only the sight of Greywind sitting nearby made her feel better.

So she distracted herself from those feelings by dressing herself in unfamiliar leathers, even breeches which were strange to a girl that had only ever worn skirts all her life but now were oddly comfortable and started training in something that would have horrified her mother, learning to use the bow.

She drew back the bow string and let the arrow fly, much to her frustration the arrow did not even reach the target. A small pile arrows showed how little progress she had made with learning to use the bow, she threw the bow on the ground with a cry of frustration.

"Let yourself get that carried away then you will get nowhere fast, pick it up." Lady Rhaenys said from the side, appearing suddenly and nearly making Sansa jump had she not been so irritated.

"I can't do it, this is a waste of time." Sansa said her face going red with anger, forgetting for a moment that she was talking to her host and her only real ally at the moment. When that thought occurred to her she went from angry to horrified in a split second. "Please forgive me Lady Rhaenys I did not mean to be rude." Lady Rhaenys however just nodded and said.

"Sansa do not worry, you are trying to learn something new at the same time your grieving. Your mind is not focused so perhaps you need to spend sometime grieving before you try this again." Rhaenys sad kindly, the girl's head was not in the right place right now and she needed to get herself together before trying to learn something like archery. Sansa however looked annoyed again as she reached down and grabbed the bow.

"No I have to learn this, I have to." She said and notched another arrow before stopping when Rhaenys took a bow from the rack herself and drew an arrow.

"You are just as stubborn as your sister." Rhaenys said with a smile that made Sansa feel embarrassed. "Here let me help you." She said. "Hold you arm straight and don't worry about the cord snapping, pull back as far as can." She said demonstrating for Sansa who copied her actions and then both let their arrows loose, while it did not go into the centre of the target like Rhaenys' did this time in stuck in target's outer edges. Sansa suddenly felt this elation that she had not felt since standing up to Joffrey and Rhaenys smiled too. "See you can do it, practice and patience are all you need to become good at anything. Raw talent can help but unless you work at it, it does not mean a thing." Rhaenys said trying to encourage the girl that was in many ways the same yet different to Arya. She was glad the journal of Visenya had given her some lessons in power but there were still things she had to learn, skills and knowledge that would help her become the Lady of Winterfell.

"Dear niece! You grow more beautiful every passing day!" A loud voice called out and Sansa saw a man with a similar look to Lady...no Princess Rhaenys she corrected herself enter the courtyard. His eyes were dark and his face pointed but still he was handsome Sansa thought with a blush, especially as he stared at her developing figure and gave her a wink.

"Uncle! It was bad enough when you seduced Caelys I will not have you seduce my wards as well." Rhaenys told him which alerted Sansa to the fact that this must be Prince Oberyn Martell, the Red Viper. Minding her manners Sansa gave a curtsey and said.

"It is an honour to meet you Prince Oberyn."

"It certainly is an honour to meet a Winter rose as beautiful as you Lady Sansa." Oberyn said pressing a kiss to her hand which made Sansa blush worse and Rhaenys gave him a slight punch on the arm.

"Behave!" Rhaenys reminded him fiercely, a tear running down Oberyn's face as he remembered her mother saying the same thing in the same tone of voice many times before. He however then called a beautiful dornish woman over and introduced her to Sansa.

"This is my paramour and mother to most of my children Ellaria Sand." Prince Oberyn said, Ellaria taking a long look at Sansa and placed a kiss on each of her cheeks which lingered a moment longer than was normal which made Rhaenys sigh and roll her eyes in resignation. She would have too keep an eye on the pair of them.

A cry of rage broke the quiet and got all of them to look back to the keep where Maester Alwyn rushed out and said a bit breathlessly.

"Lord Tyrell requires all of you meet him in the main hall, an urgent situation has arisen which has him...upset a bit." Alwyn said looking a bit scared for a moment which instantly got them all worried, what could the possibly have happened that would cause such a reaction?

-x-

Harry used the emergency message coins (an idea he had pinched from his alternate self's Hermione) and portkeys to summon his inner circle who all popped into existence all around the room with confused looks as he paced around the hall, waiting for everyone to arrive. Kanoro and those that were on the island followed slowly behind until his 'inner circle' had assembled in the room.

Rhaenys, Alys, Zara, Myria, Kanoro. Jothos, Aeron, Caelys, Daena, Gunthor and Alwyn. Accompanied by Oberyn, Ellaria, Sansa and Arya.

Harry was pacing around the room with a crumbled letter in his hand and his rage building with nearly every step, everyone even those that had known him best or longest had never seen him like this. Rhaenys now worried came up to him and asked.

"Harry. What is it? What's happened?" She was not sure what could get him this angry unless she had been exposed and that would make him more worried than angry. So he managed to get a hold of himself briefly as he stopped and straightened out the letter and read aloud its contents in a stern and cold voice.

"To Lord Harry Tyrell of Bloodstone,

Due to your impressive accomplishments in the recent war with the Iron Born his grace King Joffrey has named you to lead the invasion of Dragonstone, to eliminate the false king Stannis Baratheon and you are required by the crown to attend his grace immediately.

Also with the recent betrothal of your sister Lady Margaery the crown is in need of a new Valyrian steel sword to replace the missing Dragon's Bane, you are hear-by ordered on behalf of the crown to present a new blade to his grace the king before his wedding to your sister in a few moons time.

Lastly in recognition of your service thus far to the crown it has been arranged by your Lord Father that your eldest son Jasen Tyrell will be fostered at the Red Keep to forge a stronger union between the Tyrells and the crown, he is expected immediately to be squire and cup-bearer to his grace upon his arrival.

In service of his majesty,

Tywin Lannister, Hand of the King, Lord Paramount of the Westerlands and Warden of the West."

The room was silent as the words were absorbed, no one could quite believe what they had just heard. Rhaenys actually pulled the letter free of her husband's hand and read it herself before the terrible reality sank in and she could only scream in rage herself.

"SON OF A BITCH! I'LL KILL THEM BOTH MYSELF!" Oberyn said in fury as he too knew well what was going on.

"They want our son as a hostage to ensure our good behaviour and no doubt they want me to lead the attack on Dragonstone in the hopes I'll die so they control the islands through him too!" Harry said in anger, his hatred of not only the Lannisters but his own father rising to heights he had not imagined possible. Rhaenys looked ready to hop on her dragon's back and burn Kings Landing to the ground by herself until Harry pulled her into a hug which she returned.

"Mace Tyrell would give his own grandson up as a hostage to Joffrey and Cersei!" Sansa said horrified at the idea of the sweet and brave young boy she had seen given to that vicious pair of monsters. She had experienced that herself and would not wish such treatment on anyone, Arya likewise had difficulty believing that a grandfather would do that to his own son's son. They had come from a house that honoured family over all else so it was unthinkable to them.

"He sees him as a bastard that is worthless or a shame to be gotten rid of." Rhaenys snapped at the pair making them back away a step at her fierce temper. "He is far to blind and stupid to even think of the future, that he is giving the future heir to Highgarden and Bloodstone to the Lannisters! He is so fucking moronic that he doesn't even realise what his vassals will think of this or that Loras will never produce an 'acceptable heir'." Rhaenys said with air quotes as she took a plate from the nearby table and threw it hard across the room, making it shatter into pieces.

"If it is a royal command then going against it would be treason." Gunthor reminded them urgently, he could understand their plight and was genuinely angry about this himself, his family and the rest of the Reach nobles would too given it would mean Tywin and the Lannisters effectively held the future of the Reach in their slimy grasp.

"Which leaves us only one option doesn't it." Harry said bluntly.

"Open rebellion against the Lannisters and your own family." Jothos said now growing very worried at the direction this conversation was taking.

"They are not my family any more." Harry said surprising them all especially with how darkly he said it, so calm and yet so cold. "If they stand with the Lannisters then they are my enemy and I will destroy them to protect my real family."

"They are still your blood." Kanoro reminded him, Harry however angry he was did listen to his friend's counsel and amended his statement.

"We will do anything we can to break this pathetic alliance up, it will give them one last chance." Harry said coldly no expecting them to do so, they were so desperate for power they would sell their souls. "It is not customary to start fostering until around the age of eight or nine so we will play for time to get everything in place for when we strike. Every alliance and supporter they have must be destroyed, the Lannisters must be alone before we destroy them."

His voice made all of them shudder so he turned to Sansa and Arya who looked scared for a moment of their host before he spoke to them.

"We will have to accelerate plans to reclaim the North and Riverlands from the Boltons and the Freys, I hope you two have had some ideas." He said looking at them questioningly and Arya being the bolder of the two managed to speak.

"Well we know that the Boltons only have the Karstarks because of Harald, his brother Torrhen is still alive and being held at Brownhollow near where he was captured. Since he is the older brother if we free him he could bring his family's men to our cause." Arya was glad to see him nod as so far it was hard to make any more plans without current information on the state of the North.

"I will see it done, we might as well use House Tyrell's influence while we can so hopefully he should be here within a month or so. Bare in mind girls unless you want the North thinking you are my puppets you will have to win the North back by yourselves. If I give you men your rule will be troubled and likely short." He warned them, he wasn't lying about that given how the North looked down on the South if they were publicly backed by him they would be looked on as weak and easy to control.

Neither was good for ruling.

They nodded and Harry took a calming breath as he suddenly felt very tired, all of this was happening way too fast after such a busy few years and he had really hoped that they would have some peace before they had to dive back into the chaos. Rhaenys saw his exhaustion and took over the meeting while he sat down to gather his wits.

"If we are going to have to fight the Lannisters then we will need not only the dragons but more allies." Rhaenys said with feelings of anticipation spreading across her entire being, she honestly did not know where this path was leading but she could guess and really hoped they could avoid...that a chair of metal looming in her mind like a nightmare, her hand going to her growing belly and thinking of her children.

"Dorne will stand with you of course." Oberyn said his own smile now restored as he saw his niece taking charge and planning to destroy their enemies.

"As will the Stormlands, the lords there will follow were the Swanns lead and they are with us." Alys said alongside Zara.

"The North and the Riverlands will side with you too once they are free." Sansa promised, whether or not they could provide any meaningful support given all that had happened was uncertain but at least they would do what they could Sansa vowed to herself, Arya nodded in agreement.

"But still leaves the Vale, the Crownlands and Reach to consider." Jothos said with worry on his face as like Rhaenys and Harry he could see where this path might lead.

"The Coastal Houses have not forgotten all that Harry did for them in the war against the Iron Born." Gunthor said adding his own opinion. "You fought for them when Renly and Mace Tyrell left them to fend for themselves and they will fight for you."

"So we focus on the Vale which is why we have to eliminate Baelish, without him Lysa will lose her mind and the Vale lords will take over the Regency. They have no love for the Lannisters after the Red Wedding due to breaking the Guest rite and many had sympathies towards the Starks." Rhaenys reasoned with a calculating look in her eye.

"As for the Crownlords most of them are worthless, they joined the Lannisters the first sign they were going to win and would betray us in a heartbeat. All the allies we have from there and the Narrow Sea right now are all we can expect." Zara added with confidence, although they did not have as many kingdoms or houses behind them as they would have liked they had enough especially with the dragons to take Westeros.

"I will go to Kings Landing in the meantime to set Arya's mission into motion and do everything I can to break up this alliance." Harry said getting up from his chair and Arya looked briefly excited before she calmed herself and nodded. "And I will lead the assault on Dragonstone but I will play it my way not theirs, it will hopefully allow us to eliminate Stannis as a threat and make sure the Lannisters are put off guard if he's dead." Harry said to reassure them when they looked at him with concern at him going into the lion's den.

With a loose plan in place they dispersed to carry on with their individual lives and responsibilities, Harry however stayed sitting in his chair while Kanoro and Gunthor looked at their friend with concern as he rested his head in his hands, depression and anxiety welling up inside him.

"I never wanted to rule, all I wanted was to travel." Harry said through his hands as he realised they were still there. "Now here we are, playing political games that could affect the lives of millions of people for decades or even centuries to come and not only that but the welfare of all of you and my children hanging constantly in the balance. I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to leave." He said pulling his hands away, neither of them had signed up for any of this and he wanted to at least give them the option to pull out now while they had the chance. Both of them looked surprised at him and Kanoro said with a sad smile.

"I have never known you to be one to run away from responsibility, you take care of those closest too you. You do the right thing for the many regardless of how much you might hate it." Kanoro reasoned. "I have my freedom because of you my sons will never know what it means to live in chains thanks to your decision to help, so does every person in these islands and they live a good life, so do the ones in the Reach or elsewhere that you have touched. Now will you and Rhaenys do the right thing for the country?"

His probing gaze pricked at Harry's conscience and made him feel guilty for trying to avoid taking the Lannisters on properly until now. Avoiding the fact they could stop them any time they wanted but the cost of it was so high for not only him but Rhaenys and their children.

"If we take the throne we would be chained to it forever and not just us but our children and possibly their children, do I want Jasen to have to move from the only home he has ever known to rule over a continent? Or our other children? To deal with all the backstabbing and lying and cheating that rat's hole of a city is known for?" Harry asked both his best friends who looked sympathy at his concerns. "I have never wanted to rule, never wanted to have the weight of that hanging over us all."

"Which is why you should take it." Gunthor said surprising Harry. "You would not see a throne for the boons it gives you but the responsibilities that come with it, the Iron Throne has not seen a true king like that in so long. You and Rhaenys might be just what this country needs."

Rhaenys meanwhile found herself alone with Caelys who just hugged her as she sensed her inner struggle.

"I can't be queen! I can't." Rhaenys said into her shoulder with a strangled whisper, her fear of her family's legacy foremost in her mind. It had taken so long for her to learn to see past her hatred of her father and grandfather and respect what her father's family had achieved good or bad but now it seemed like it was wrapping itself like a snake around not only her but her family and squeezing the life out of them or a strong tide that was sweeping her away from safety and into the dark abyss beyond.

"Maybe instead of running from your legacy you should make it yours." Caelys whispered in her ear with a small smile. "As queen you can do it your way, you are a dragon. You have power and will, use them."

-x-

Oberyn watched from around the corner as his niece was comforted by Caelys, staying strangely quiet during the exchange, inside he was fuming and plotting much like his brother. There as no way his great nephew was going to be separated from his loving parents and thrown to the 'tender mercies' of Tywin Lannister or his vicious daughter or bastard grandson. Mace Tyrell had finally gone too far this time and pissed off someone enough that they would take action, his days Oberyn vowed to himself were numbered.

The Red Keep, Kings Landing…

"YOU STUPID OAF!" Olenna shouted at her son Mace while smacking him in the side with her stick. He covered his face with his arms while a shocked and scared Margaery and Loras looked on.

"Mother stop that." He cried out as he tried to get away from her sudden assault, but Olenna showing far greater energy than any of them had ever credited her with continued on with her attack.

"DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU HAVE DONE?! DO YOU?!" Olenna shouted at him, her son had done a lot of stupid things in his life but this was honestly the worst she thought with rage pulsing in her veins. She had just heard from her little birds the deal he had struck with Tywin Lannister to have Jasen, her great-grandson brought here to be tormented by Cersei and Joffrey as a hostage in all but name to ensure Harry did as they said. She had spent years trying to to teach Mace to rule only now it might be the end of them she thought with fear.

"Grandmother, I will be here to watch over him I swear." Margaery said trying to placate her grandmother's anger only to receive a glare that shut her up immediately. Olenna knew the girl understood that their vassals were sure to see this as a sign of weakness, just giving the future heir to Highgarden to the Lannisters and denying them the right to foster their future lord at the same time but knew nothing of the real threat. Aside from what her great-grandson would no doubt endure here it was what Harry would do that scared her the most.

"Do you?" Olenna asked her voice going quieter for a moment. "Have any idea what Harry will do when he finds out about this? DO YOU?" Her voice rising towards the end and Mace puffed up as if insulted.

"That miserable waste of time should be grateful he has a place in our family at all, not to mention we can afford to lose his bastard." Mace said trying to sound clever and important only to get a smack with the stick clean across the face from Olenna who stood there fuming.

"You are worthless! Pathetic! A FOOL of the highest order! The most intelligent and accomplished man in House Tyrell's entire history and you call him a 'miserable waste of time'. His son...your grandson, my great-grandson the future heir to Highgarden and Bloodstone. The future Lord Paramount of the Reach and the Stepstones, A WARDEN TWICE!...and you call him a bastard? And would give him over to those 'creatures'?" Olenna's voice grew colder as she continued.

Loras looked away, not liking the reminder that he couldn't ever continue the family line. He had tried so often but never could, Margaery meanwhile was aware of most of the implications of her father's admittedly very bad decision but not of the complete danger.

"Do you have any idea how Harry will react to this? What he might do? How dangerous he could be?" Olenna asked addressing her real fear. "He will never allow his son to be taken from him like this and since he hasn't risen in rebellion I can only guess he must have a plan, one that I doubt would be good for us." Olenna said, really worried that Harry had drawn definite battle lines and declared war on any one allied with the Lannisters which she knew might include them.

Astapor, Essos…

Daenerys was feeling on top of the world as Drogo burned the Slaver alive and the Unsullied obeyed her command to break the chains on every slave in the city, the impressed looks of her council filling her with confidence.

Yara turned and knelt before her, offering her ships to her cause and while she was tempted to sail for Westeros right this day she felt...obligated to help while men and women still were bond in chains so she thought with determination she would take the other cities of Slaver's Bay before sailing home to claim her birthright.

Ser Jorah at her side was glad too of her victory but had news which could she hoped help her cause.

"The Freed Slave Movement has been sighted coming towards south Meereen from the Bone Mountains but they are still a few weeks away, we should be able to get to the city before them your grace." Ser Jorah reported.

Daenerys stopped to think about that before continuing with the preparations for the march to Yunkai, the Movement had the same goal as she did...to break the chains on all slaves in Essos so they might be a useful ally or a rival she thought with caution, not letting herself get too carried away after what had happened before when she acted without thinking, her mind drifting towards the memory of her husband and her son for a moment before she returned to the present.

"Understood, let us march to Yunkai then." Daenerys said with a smile she forced on her face.

Kings Landing, the Crownlands…

Harry honestly hated Kings Landing, it seemed to get worst with every visit he made.

On the bow of the ship he stared at the city and his thoughts turned dark as he listed all the people there and why he hated them. The Lannisters, Baelish even his own family, he was not looking forward to this.

"Any more brooding and your face will set in stone." A light voice joked behind him and Harry could not help but grin slightly as Oberyn came up with Ellaria on his arm and stood next to him.

"Its just every time I come to this city it seems to get more disgusting." Harry told them with bitter annoyance, he hated coming here and would prefer to stay in the islands. The only reason Kanoro was not with him was that he wanted him with Rhaenys in case things came to the worst, so with the exception of Oberyn he had no friends in this city. His companions nodded feeling much the same given their own experiences with the city, Oberyn in particular given what had happened to Elia and her son while she was here.

"True, it needs to be cleaned out properly from top to bottom." Oberyn said with bitterness now creeping into his own voice.

All three of them looked towards the Red Keep and glared hatefully at it, knowing full well what lurked in there. Arya was concealed in the cabin of the ship and was ready to insert herself into the Red Keep upon their landing with some gold to grease palms and a list of people to go too, he would be ready to assist her in any way he could and she wore a portkey at all times to evacuate if her cover was blown.

Harry could only hope they didn't lose anyone this time.

-x-

No one greeted them as they docked which would have been unusual had they been expected today, Oberyn had insisted on them arriving early and on a cargo vessel rather than more recognisable transport, just to mess with the Lannisters. It actually made Harry smile at the chance to mess with them but he alas had business with them so he went to the Tower of the Hand where Tywin Lannister could usually be found.

Eluding the Lannister guards was laughable in how easy it was until he arrived at the solar and looked at the Old Lion who was buried deep in his work, he took a moment to study the man and was while impressed at his intelligence and cunning was disgusted at his lack of morals. He might be one of the greatest lords Westeros had seen in decades but he had absolutely no conscience, he only believed in his own legacy dressing it up in a supposed belief in family but really he cared very little for his children or his grandchildren.

Another reason why Harry was never going to let him near his son.

"So Lord Hand, hard at work? I imagine the role of Hand of the King must be a stressful one although with your experience manageable." Harry said with a mocking ease that would have sounded perfectly at home coming from Oberyn.

Tywin if he was startled did not show it and instead just looked up like he had known he was there all the time, if he had been a better man Harry would have admired his composure but he wasn't, so he didn't.

"Lord Tyrell, you were expected a few days from now." Tywin said with the air of a very cold schoolmaster but Harry just smirked and said.

"I was lucky with the winds and tides, not to mention I was of course eager to get here and lead the assault on Dragonstone." Harry said leaning against the doorway in a relaxed manner before walking I and grinning at the Lannister lord. Not the usual attitude people displayed with Tywin but Harry wanted to play this fast and loose, given he was planning the man's demise he didn't want to give the game away.

"Very well, I suppose your son Jasen is here too? The court awaits his arrival." Tywin said more as a statement of fact than a question and Harry allowed his eyes to harden slightly but kept smiling.

"My son is only five, he will not be coming here till he has turned eight which as I am sure you are aware is the norm for fostering. My son is still too young to be taken from his home and be servant to...his grace." Harry said pleasantly but there was an edge to his voice and his gaze that hinted it was a facade. Tywin stared into his eyes trying to weaken his resolve but Harry just stared back with equal if not greater intensity, a contest of wills to see who would break first. Harry refused to give in, he would not he thought fiercely allow the man that had killed his wife's mother and brother to get his way here.

Tywin eventually nodded in acceptance of that, he knew he would need some kind of leverage over Harry Tyrell so he would look elsewhere, every man had a weakness Tywin thought to himself.

-x-

Harry the next day refused another invitation to join his 'family' for dinner, he did not want to have to deal with them right now and was just waiting for his meeting with the men that would be joining him in the assault on Dragonstone. The Velaryons were providing the ships for the assault and their fleet was moored here while the troops from Reach and Crownland houses plus the Sellswords from Bronn's Bastards assembled outside the city. Lord Tarly would be arriving in a couple of days and Harry wanted to meet with the greatest general the Reach had seen for decades if not centuries as if his plans bore fruit then Lord Tarly would a very useful ally.

A knock at the door of his room broke him from his thoughts and said looking up.

"Enter."

The door opened and Harry was surprised to see a girl that looked distinctly Northern enter, dressed as one of his sister's handmaidens. She was pretty in her way Harry thought, still only half way through her teenage years she still had some growing to do but all the same she would be sought after by those that could see her potential. This must he realised be Mira Forrester, the girl his sister had taken into her service and sister to one of his northern allies.

"My lord, I have a message from your sister. She hopes you might join her in the gardens this afternoon." The poor girl he noticed looked terrified, probably like Sansa Stark Mira is not accustomed to the intrigues of court life. Harry had no intention of meeting with his sister, by all means let her and the rest of their family sweat for a while he thought while he put his own plans into motion but the sight of the Northern girl Harry came to a quick decision that could aid his wards in their future battles in the North.

"I may if the time permits, Lady Mira." Harry said with a smile and the girl looked surprised that he knew her name, he went over to the wine pitcher and quietly slipped some sleeping draft into it before turning back offering Mira some. "Wine, Lady Mira it is a good one and it is a shame to let it go to waste without good company."

While Mira did not really want a drink she thought it unwise to offend her lady's brother, especially after the letter her mother had sent her saying to get aid for their family in the south in any way she could. So she took the offered cup and sipped it, it was surprisingly sweet and she took another before she felt a bit weary after a busy day and sat down on the seat. She closed her eyes for a second to rest her eyes and that was all she knew as sleep came upon her.

-x-

Mira awoke hours later to find herself somewhere completely different.

It was no room in the Red Keep she realised that immediately, the wooden floor and walls and few furnishings were proof of that not to mention as she struggled to her unsteady feet that the room seemed to be moving. She thought at first it might just be her feeling woozy but as her head slowly cleared she realised that the slight pitching and swaying was in fact the room itself. Fear gripped her as she rushed over to the window and saw to her horror that outside was ocean.

She stumbled backwards in shock until she collapsed on the small bed of the cabin, she had no idea where she was, where the ship was destined for or what her captures wanted. Perhaps to make her their whore she thought, a shiver running through her at the mere idea of it.

Her fear and terror mounted so high that she nearly launched herself out of the window when the door opened and a man dressed in good quality clothes entered, he gave her a smile and said in a rough voice.

"Ah Lady Forrester, I apologize for the room's state we don't usually have passengers." The captain she guessed told her. "Lord Tyrell said you would be hungry when you woke so the cook will be here with some food in a few minutes. Lord Tyrell left you this letter." He said handing her a piece of parchment which she took in complete shock that Lord Tyrell had done this to her, why she thought opening the letter and reading it quickly desperate for answers.

To Lady Forrester,

Firstly I must apologize for doing this to you but it is for your own good, court is not a place for anyone with decency or morals and being Northern given the recent war puts you at a considerable disadvantage.

If it is your family that you fear for I can assure you of their well-being, the recent extinction of the male Whitehill line, the marriage of Gwyn Whitehill to your brother Asher and your elder brother Rodrik's marriage to Elaena Glenmore has secured their position in the North for the moment and you would find little support in Kings Landing I assure you. However on Bloodstone you will discover two new ladies to serve who would I hope be more to your liking, there is something of the 'wolf' about them.

Wishing you a pleasant voyage,

Lord Harry Tyrell.

Mira was completely wide eyed at the words on the page, she could of course not trust the word of a man that had drugged and kidnapped her but the mention of two 'lady wolves' immediately reminded her of the two missing Stark ladies. Her family had been loyal to them and she was curious over what was going on.

Either way she stared out of the window, she was powerless for now until she got to wherever it was that she was going. Maybe then she could effect an escape but who knows, she would have to wait and see for now and hope that Lord Tyrell was telling the truth. A rumble of her stomach suddenly caught her attention as she realised how hungry she was, especially when the ship's cook came in with some stew and she scoffed it down with gusto.

Back in Kings Landing Harry sat around a table with the rest of the commanders of the army, commanding the Crownlands men rather surprisingly was Ser Jaime Lannister who shook his hand as he entered followed shortly by his brother Tyrion. Harry was glad of this as they were the only Lannisters he could stand for a prolonged period of time.

The last to arrive were Lord Randyll Tarly and his second son and new heir Dickon and he looked as severe as he had all those years ago when Harry had first seen him in Oldtown when Lord Tarly had been visiting the Hightowers. He was a stern and Harry knew not one to waste time with fools so Harry got straight down to business.

"An assault from the water will be costly whatever strategy we decide on." Harry said as he sat at the head of the table. "Dragonstone is one of the strongest and most defensible strongholds in all of Westeros so we must all understand that before we continue." Harry said, wanting them all to understand the great danger of what they were about to attempt. Randyll Tarly and Jaime both nodded, they were fully aware of the danger of attacking the castle directly having experience in military matters. Tyrion nodded too as he was well aware of his own lack of knowledge in such things but Dickon Tarly meanwhile who was a fair few years younger than Harry himself showed his naïvety.

"Why not just have ships with catapults bring the walls down?" Dickon asked them and the rest of them all looked at him in disbelief.

"Those walls are made of Dragonstone, it is where the castle gets its name from and it is the hardest stone known to exist. We could blast away at it with siege engines for days and not make a dent." Harry said remembering he had faced such a situation before in Volantis. Randyll meanwhile looked at his son with disdain.

"Have you forgotten what I taught you boy? Keep your eyes open and your mouth shut?" Randyll said harshly to Dickon who seemed to shrink to half his previous size at the put down and for a moment Harry and the rest of the men around the table all felt sorry for him briefly but they had an invasion to plan so Harry took back control.

"If the walls weren't bad enough they are high and have a clear view of the surrounding area so there is no chance of landing our army without being seen. Then there are the limited in land routes up to the castle which are perfectly suited to ambushes and the castle's archers raiding fire down on us. The gates are made of the same material as the walls so battering rams are out of the question and the walls are so high ladders would be impractical. To make matters worse the weather has been calm and clear the last few days so while landing troops will be easier, so will it be for Stannis and his men to see us before raining fire down on us and it is not like we can risk trying to land our army at night either as the rocks around there would hole our ships if we can't see them. So those are the problems, now we must come up with the solutions." Harry said seriously wondering who thought this was a good idea, why not hire a faceless man to kill Stannis Tywin? Harry asked in his thoughts why have us throw our lives away? I know you want me dead but waste so many men like this is ridculous.

Had it been less public he might have tried to sabotage their defences with magic but he was unsure this time if he could do it without getting caught and while it was extremely useful he did not want to have to resort to magic for everything.

"We could climb the walls with grapples." Jaime said making them all turn to him, while he was still distracted by what had happened with Brienne earlier he tried to contribute something useful. "Get a few men inside to break the mechanism that opens and closes the doors for them."

"Those walls are at least fifty feet high on land and even more on the water, who is gong to be willing to take that risk?" Randyll asked and while he and Dickon were dismissive but Harry instead had an idea that complimented Jaime's.

"My ships use a weapon called the Harpax that fires a grapple from a powerful crossbow, a smaller version could be used to set ropes and a dozen volunteers could climb that way. A small boat could possibly sneak in undetected at night and avoid the rocks." Harry said in support of Jaime who gave him a grateful smile.

"Those men couldn't wear armour though." Tyrion added, worried that his brother would be one of those volunteers. He had only just gotten his brother back and did not want to see him die in a stunt like this.

"Then they had best be good fighters or good at not being seen." Harry said quickly, a plan evolving in his mind so he turned to Lord Tarly and said.

"I will lead a strike team to Dragonstone on a smaller boat the night before the assault, the team will scale the walls and enter the castle and do whatever we can to sabotage its defences before Lord Tarly invades the following day with the majority of the army." Harry said making gestures towards the main targets of the team the castle gates, the war machines on the walls and the armoury where spare weapons and arrows would be kept.

"That is a highly risky plan." Lord Tarly said quietly, he was aware of course that it was their only chance to take the castle without sustaining horrendous losses and this was still going to cost them dearly.

"Fortune favours the bold." Tyrion said bleakly, remembering an old saying he had read once. They all looked to him and nodded they could only hope so, otherwise this was going to be the largest loss of men in the history of the Crownlands and Narrow Sea.

-x-

Arya was busy as she moved around the castle doing her duties as a maid, it was hard work she thought and more difficult than she had imagined given she had little experience at such things being a lady of noble birth but she was capable enough to adapt quickly and now served with quiet efficiency. She caught sight of herself in a mirror as she passed carrying wine for Cersei, she had to concentrate hard to stop her from staring at her reflection.

Her dark brown hair was now a shade of blonde, not like the Lannisters but a tone or two darker and her eyes rather than grey were brown. Lord Tyrell had provided the potions that made these changes and assured her that it was not permanent and was easily reversed but still...it disturbed her no end.

"You girl!"

The voice nearly made her freeze, horrible in its familiarity. Cersei Lannister stood there looking and haughty as ever, Arya was for a moment worried Cersei might recognise her but when the Lannister looked at her...nothing not a hint of recognition and it fact was looking down her nose at her as she took the wine off of her and walked away.

Arya was stunned at what had just happened, she had come face to face with one of the few people in the Red Keep that might recognise her as Arya Stark but absolutely nothing...she was amazed at the difference hair and eye colour could make. She was tempted to go and kill Cersei right now, she could easily steal a knife from the kitchens but she ruthlessly suppressed it. She had bigger targets here and one day Cersei would be punished for what she had done.

Off the Coast of Dragonstone, late at night…

The sloop with its sails down and no lights made its way towards the imposing castle, the lack of a moon was perfect to avoid being detected but required them to extremely vigilant to avoid the rocks that surrounded Dragonstone. Harry and the rest of his men including Jaime Lannister checked their equipment one last time as the dark cliffs of the island came within view, he was not nervous as he knew they could do this. The others were not so sure and in fact more than one looked ready to throw up at the scale of the task ahead of them tonight, in fact the only two who didn't were Harry and Jaime Lannister.

The lack of armour felt strange on Harry and Jaime who both were used to wearing it in battle but neither cared enough to say it aloud, Jaime however did have something to the Tyrell that had bothered to listen to him and helped him find his own honour.

"Lord Tyrell...Harry, your son...I didn't." Jaime started to say but Harry realising what he was about to say stopped him talking and said calmly.

"I know that you had nothing to do with your father's decision and I do not blame you for it or Tyrion, I can tell the difference between you both and your father." Harry reassured him, it was true he didn't blame Jaime or his brother for the actions of their father that would not be right and an injustice to two of the most decent men Harry had ever met.

The conversation was stopped by the rocking of the boat as it stopped on the small bit of beach they had chosen for their landing. Harry and Jaime led their eight men off the boat and looked high up to the walls of Dragonstone nearly eighty feet above them, all of them even Harry swallowed at the scale of the climb ahead of them but nevertheless they took their crossbow/grapples and aimed at the ramparts of the castle. Waiting for just the right moment in the wind they fired and ten grapples soared into the sky and hooked themselves on the least guarded section of the walls, one man missed and they had to wait for him to reload and then fire again before finally getting a hold and they began the climb.

Even with gloves to help their grip it was hard going on the men as they climbed, the wind started picking up and the chill did not help, their clothes could only provide so much protection and they shivered as they climbed. The smoothness of the walls also prevented them from getting any additional leverage against it, so it was just them climbing the rope with the wind all around them.

Harry was the furthest up the ropes and was concentrating like mad to keep his grip, below he heard a cry and looked down to see one of their men fall to his death on the rocky shore below. Harry and Jaime shared a look of dismay but they both knew they had to carry on.

It seemed to go forever, the wind gradually got worse and worse as they climbed. Two more men lost their grip and fell to their deaths before finally they managed to scramble onto the thankfully deserted section of the ramparts. All of them slumped against the walls they had just climbed as they struggled to catch their breath and ease their aching hands.

"Never again." Jaime said as he tried to catch his breath. "Will I suggest climbing."

"It was still better than a frontal assault." Harry said himself slightly breathless after the effort, they might have lost three men but it was far less than they would have lost storming the place. "Everyone get your breath back and then we move, we have a job to do." Harry told their men and for a few minutes they all sat there grateful for the small rest before Harry got to his feet followed by Jaime and reluctantly the rest of their men.

Notice me not charms covertly cast by Harry helped the group as they sneaked along the walls to where the catapults and scorpions were waiting. The good thing about less complicated weapons like these though was by merely cutting the rope in the right place they effectively disabled it or breaking other key points in the mechanism, the beauty of it was that the breaks were so small they would be missed unless you were actually looking for them. Guards they did find were diligent in their duty as would be expected with a commander like Stannis but few had any chance to raise the alarm before their throats were slit by Harry and his men as they crept across the fortress.

Dawn was fast approaching by the time they managed to reach the castle gates, Harry dispatched one with a throwing knife and Jaime the other with his sword before each of them grasped a hold of the turntable that opened and closed the gates and with all their might, forced it to move.

The heavy gates moved slowly open, the noise alerted the guards close enough to hear it so with little time to spare Harry and Jaime let go of wheel and with their swords hacked and slashed at the mechanism. Ropes were severed and discs broken, all would be fixable but not quickly enough, Harry and Jaime shared a glance before heading to the keep while their men distracted their enemies.

They had one last thing to do.

-x-

Off the coast the clear morning dawn revealed to the worried defenders the large fleet of ships carrying thousands of men intent on taking the island for themselves.

From the flagship Randyll Tarly surveyed the scene and through a set of Myrish glasses saw the gates were still open and the lack of fire raining down on them was proof that Lord Tyrell's strike team had accomplished their mission and now he could begin to land their troops. It would still be a hard struggle to get into the castle but not beyond their ability now.

-x-

Stannis was quick to find his sword and make his way to the walls when the attack bell sounded, he had been expecting it since the failed invasion of Kings Landing and this time he vowed to himself it would be his enemies that would be the ones to feel great losses. He ran through the keep and was shocked to find two familiar swordsmen already inside his castle, the Kingslayer and Harry Tyrell.

He did not waste time with words, their intent was clear...to kill him so he charged at them with his sword in hand.

Harry and Jaime lacking armour did not want to a prolonged fight against Stannis so they avoided the head on attack and sidestepped with Harry catching Stannis in the calf as they passed. Stannis winced as the pain hit him but did not stop and renewed his attack.

So started the pattern, as Stannis tried to hit one of them they would defend while the other struck before evading a counter strike and defending while the other came in for an attack so the cycle continued, moving as a coordinated pair to evade then strike. Stannis managed with considerable skill stop them from finding a killing blow so they instead settled for quick jabs and slashes.

Stannis surprised them with his fortitude, taking far more abuse than any normal man but soon his reactions slowed as more and more wounds were inflicted on him until finally his arms were too sluggish to block Jaime who came in with a thrust to his stomach.

Stannis stilled instantly as he felt the steel enter his body, falling to his knees with eyes wide collapsed to the floor.

-x-

A Ship, Unknown Location a few hours later…

Davos Seaworth looked at the depressed crew of his few ships, men who had lost everything and had nowhere to go and felt as miserable as any of them. The reason was simple, their king was dead and they had no one else to turn too. The Princess Shireen was now an orphan and had no home, Queen Selyse had hanged herself and her father died fighting.

Davos had only just managed to sneak Shireen away in the chaos of the attack on Dragonstone and escape with a few ships carrying around five hundred men. He was not sure what he was supposed to do now but he was thinking of taking her to Braavos which was the only place she might be safe from the Lannisters and the Tyrells. He went to cabin where Shireen was sleeping to make sure she was comfortable when the men who were sailing the ship turned to a figure who had been lurking in the shadows.

"He is gone my lady."

Melisandre stepped into the light and nodded slowly, her heart was still aching from the death of her king but her recent visions had ensured not only her survival but that of Davos Seaworth and the Princess Shireen although they didn't know that, the changes in the future needed her to have some kind of leverage for the battles with the true enemy.

"Set a course north, to Eastwatch. Our lord commands we go there." She ordered and the sailors who she had long converted to her cause nodded in acceptance of her orders and set their course.