c20

Bloodstone, the Stepstones…

Harry yawned as he sat at his desk, looking through all the papers that had built up in the time he had been busy dealing with Tyrosh, the aftermath of the gas attack on the city had been harsh indeed he thought with sadness with nearly three quarters of the city's population hundreds of thousands of people dead. Gas did not choose its targets, it choked everybody regardless if they were rich or poor, man or woman, human or animal...adult or child.

The last one brought a lump to Harry's throat, disposing of all the bodies before the heat made them rot and spread disease had been grisly work. Piling the corpses onto wagons and then taking them outside the city to be burnt in enormous pyres with over a thousand barrels of oil being used to made sure there was no danger of disease before burying whatever was left in mass graves. Many grown men had cried that night in their camps as the bodies of children no older than newborn babes were placed on the fire, Harry himself had shed a few tears in private before continuing to get on with the work.

That had taken days to do and word from the city was that some bodies were still being found even after a couple of months, the good thing about the fact that gas had been used was that the buildings of the city were still standing and useful but since only a quarter of the population had survived the gas attack it left many empty and the city's workforce depleted. That problem had been solved by moving in many of the Freed Slave Movement that could not fight and the families of some of their warriors. Around sixty thousand men, women and children now had been moved into Tyrosh, many of them labourers, artisans, seamstresses and more even farmers and fisher men which would at least keep the city fed.

One major headache which had kept him occupied for quite some time was that he had to find someone to run the city that was both capable and loyal, he would have put Jothos Velaryon in but the old man would not hear of it. An outsider would not be respected and he was reluctant to leave Rhaenys' side, Aeron was still too young and inexperienced to manage such responsibilities. Other candidates were considered before finally Harry had found a man named Tumitis who had once been a steward to a rich Pentosi merchant but still a slave and had joined the Free Slave Movement, that would give him a power base to start with being a former slave himself now he had signed a magically binding contract ensuring his loyalty.

With its fleet destroyed and none of the gold it had hoped to pillage from Tyrosh, Myr was not going to be a serious threat for quite some time. Harry had sentry ships and some spies of his own keeping an eye on things there. He might have been tempted to conquer the city but without using the dragons it would be too much of a stretch of his manpower, he could marshal around twenty five thousand men and seven hundred ships if he called on everything but that would leave his other holdings vulnerable so for now he could not consider trying to take the city without additional men.

This was convenient though as thankfully at last the Essos Continental War had finally ended after countless deaths and all the remaining Free Cities were hurting so badly that they would not be a real threat for years, many had now formed national armies of their own but were too small and exhausted to fight him.

Norvos had been destroyed, Qohor too although survivors had settled on the western coast and been conquered by Braavos which had also tightened its hold on Pentos and taken Lorath at the same time. The Iron Bank had expanded its grip and now operated in most Free Cities making enormous profits from the reconstruction but not everything was good.

The Sellsword Companies had expanded considerably and the remaining Dothraki were even more vicious than ever, in Slaver's Bay the number of Unsullied had risen sharply and it might only be a matter of time before they started fighting with the remaining Free Cities, starting with the now largely abandoned Volantis probably, assuming their first target wasn't the Freed Slave Movement that now stood with nearly two hundred thousand strong.

The situation in Essos aside, fixing Tyrosh had taken a lot more time than he had hoped and he worried how things where progressing in the capital. Rhaenys, Kanoro and Jothos had been busy handling the running of their holdings and helping Aeron and Daena train themselves and their new dragons Meleys and Caelor, a dark green female and a crimson male respectively. Brynden had even started designing a special set of armour for their dragon riders. Brynden and Zara had spent months designing it, made of Basilisk leather underneath rather than chain mail and Valyrian steel plate which had separate smaller plates rather than being one large piece to allow more movement. A Valyrian steel weapon that would be decided on the individuals' own preference, a dagger of the same metal and a bow made of dragon-bone.

Rhaenys had chosen a spear, influenced Harry suspected by her uncle Oberyn, he himself had his two bastard swords of course, Aeron had a long sword with shield and Daena had a light version of a Yi Ti sword known as a Jian. All the Valyrian steel required to make all the new equipment had meant he had had to make a lot more than usual but now they had a good sized stockpile ready to dip into should the need arise. Already they had made Valyrian swords from a number of people they were courting as allies such as the Royces and Rowans and many of their existing allies like Gunthor, Boros Wallain and the Martells had one already.

Just as he was thinking that an incessant pinging told him of an incoming message from Zara via the communication mirrors.

The words spoken were short and blunt, Robert was dead.

Harry nodded at the message, the false peace was finally over...now came the war.

The Red Keep, Kings Landing…

Ned Stark was pondering in the Tower of the Hand just what to do, his best friend was dead and the Lannisters were about to seize power while he and his daughters were stuck here in the city.

The short-sightedness of his wife in arresting Tyrion Lannister had been a major headache although thanks to the inspiration he had gotten from the journal of Cregan Stark that Pycelle had provided him he had instead of saying he was responsible, he had sent a raven to his old friend Lord Royce who had intercepted the pair and set Tyrion free and sent Catelyn to Riverrun...an action that had stopped Tywin Lannister from declaring war and burning the Riverlands but knowing him Ned realised this was only a stop gap measure but hopefully it would give his wife's homeland time to prepare.

Likewise when Robert had called for Daenerys Targaryen and her child to die, he had said nothing despite his disgust at having the girl murdered. He had not agreed nor openly disagreed so his house remained neutral in the matter, keeping the peace with all parties involved.

And when he had discovered the truth about Cersei and her children, he had not done anything so foolish as too confront her although he had prepared letters and sent them confirming they were bastards and that Stannis was the rightful king, doing so by himself rather than be betrayed by a servant as was common in this place or saying a word to his daughters. As strange as it was he had to thank Baelish for that, showing him all the spies who were around.

He might have tried to hold the city but already things were falling apart, the efficient and dependable Ser Estermont had been dismissed from his post and Lancel Lannister put in-charge who had hardly any wits in his head, Renly had fled and with no other allies in the city, Ned was preparing to leave himself. He had gotten together only what was essential and with what men he had left was leaving with Sansa and Arya today.

-x-

Unknown to Ned however a man was scheming in secret, Petyr Baelish had been surprised when Ned Stark had started showing far more sense in his dealings here in the capital. He had imagined that he would have done anything possible to shield Cat from blame but instead he had kept his silence and acted to ensure the Lannister's release, stopping the war that he had been planning from the word go. And although Petyr suspected that Stark had discovered the truth about the queen and her spawn, he apparently intended to do nothing about it.

What in the Seven Hells was going on? Petyr thought with concern, he had thought he had Stark exactly where he wanted him only now he was not sure of what Stark was planning.

Baelish played with a pile of gold dragons as he pondered on just what to do, his plans were dependant on a war between the Starks and the Lannisters and while it was tense between them there was no guarantee it would evolve into all out war. So with a sinister smirk he would have to give them a push.

So to that end he called Vargo Hoat into his solar, the tall and lean sellsword might lisp or slobber as he spoke but he was sadistic enough for Petyr's tastes to create a suitable incident to start the war and deal with the woman that had vexed him more than once, Petyr thought with a sick enjoyment knowing full well the torments the Brave Companions and their disturbed leader would inflict on Zara Connington before they allowed her to die.

His disturbed mind even wondered if she was not too damaged then perhaps she might be a more lucrative asset to him when broken.

-x-

Harry wasted no time in responding to the death of Robert, he ordered his forces to be made ready and locked down all his holdings outside the capital. However he still had to get Zara and her people out of Kings Landing.

Turning to Kanoro who was accompanying him he extended a piece of robe that was really a portkey to the man. Kanoro looked at it suspiciously and Harry who was growing impatient with his comrade's hesitance and said.

"It doesn't hurt, I promise." Harry said quickly, he knew his second in command was uncomfortable with magic on some level but time was of the essence. His gaze made Kanoro slowly take hold of the rope and with a jerk behind the naval they reappeared several seconds later in Zara's solar.

The screams and sounds of smashing furniture were the first signs things were not right, instantly Harry and Kanoro drew their swords and looked around to see Zara and a group of her employees trying to desperately to barricade the door until they realised Harry and Kanoro were there. Some screamed thinking the enemy had somehow gotten in but Zara who had been looking fearful, sighed in relief at their presence.

There was no time to exchange pleasantries however or even get an explanation as to what the hell was going on as at that moment, sellswords burst through the door. The women except Zara screamed, while she took a crossbow from her desk and shot a pair of them with her bolts but Harry and Kanoro wasted no time either as they went on the offensive.

The loud and crude sellswords had clearly not expected an attack and were laughing loudly in the expectation of women to rape and gold to steal, only did they find two swordsmen who were as ruthless as they were skilled. Harry and Kanoro easily blocked or deflected their clumsy blows before cutting them down, seeing his buddies killed one tried to run only for Harry to hit him in the man with a throwing knife in the back.

As he moaned in pain Harry and Kanoro walked up to him with faces set in stone, Harry stamped down hard on the sellsword's knee causing the man to scream out in pain as the bone broke.

"WHAT THE FUCK!" The sellsword screamed but Harry started putting pressure on the man's other knee.

"That's one knee, if you want to keep the other then answer my questions?" Harry said coldly, the man spat at him or would have done had he been able to get up face him. Instead Harry just raised an eyebrow and pressed down on the injured leg making the man scream again.

"OKAY! OKAY!" The man yelled at Harry and Kanoro who looked at him in disgust before Harry asked the question he needed answering.

"Who sent you?!" Harry demanded and the man whimpered before Harry pressed down on his ruined leg harder causing him to cry out in pain again until he answered.

"Baelish! It was Petyr Baelish and the Queen!"

That did not surprise Harry in the slightest, vowing to cause the slimy snake some pain when he got a hold of him when suddenly a horrible thought popped into his head. Zara was not Baelish's only enemy in this city.

"Was Lord Stark to be targeted as well?" Harry asked quickly, putting pressure on the man's ruined leg while Kanoro looked at him with a worried glance, he himself liking Lord Stark for his integrity.

"YES!" The man screamed and Harry cursed, using his dragon ring to cast the point me spell, searching for Lord Stark. It lit up when Harry pointed it in the direction of the Red Keep so without a word, Harry stabbed the sellsword through the neck and grabbed Kanoro by the wrist, apparating them both to the Red Keep.

-x-

What they discovered when they arrived was a scene of complete carnage.

A large number of sellswords surrounded the Stark retinue, they sneered and laughed as the outnumbered Northern guards and one lithe and fast moving Braavosi desperately tried to defend themselves. Lord Stark was laying wounded against a wall with Arya Stark trying desperately to help her father. The scene honestly made Harry see red, he did not even hesitate as he marched into the fight with both swords drawn followed by Kanoro.

The sellswords closest to them did not even realise they were there until Harry impaled two of them with his swords and then slashed open the throat of another once he pulled his swords out of the guts of the first two. Kanoro slashed three men's arms or heads off before they even knew what was happening. Some of the sellswords turned towards them and rushed to avenge their comrades, only for Harry and Kanoro to strike hard and fast, knocking aside their clumsy blows and jabbing or slashing with lethal precision at the rough and relatively unskilled sellswords.

Blood splattered all over the ground as they moved forward, cutting a bloody swath through the sellswords until finally reaching the Starks and their men. Only Lord Stark, the Braavosi and Arya were still alive, Arya looked over with pleading eyes as her father lay bleeding on the ground.

"Help him! Please!" Her large eyes were begging and Harry frowned before making a decision, impulsively he grabbed Arya's arm and Lord Stark's and apparated them to one of Zara's safe houses. Arya was instantly rendered speechless as she looked at him before quickly turning her attention back to her ailing father, Harry wasted no time in apparating back to pick up Kanoro and the Braavosi who looked as surprised as the young Stark girl. Harry ignored him and the questioning look Kanoro gave him before saying to his loyal friend.

"Keep them here, I will get Caelys and bring her, if we can save Lord Stark then we should." Harry told him and Kanoro feeling relieved that was his intent nodded before Harry disappeared again with a slight pop.

-x-

He returned with Caelys moments later and she began her work, the outward injuries on the Braavosi who Harry learned was Syrio Forel, Arya's Braavosi Water Dance Master were easily dealt with. The small sword tucked at the young girl's waist should have been a clue but Harry had no time for that as he and Caelys went to work.

Lord Stark however was in far worst condition than they had first thought, multiple stab wounds and cuts with more than a few bruises, between them and a large dose of dittany they were handled easily enough. However it seemed one of the sellsword weapons must have been coated in a poison that dittany nor any of the regular remedies could handle, which left only one resort.

Harry took a deep breath while Caelys did her best to ease the suffering of Lord Stark who seemed to be having trouble breathing, Arya was outside with Kanoro and Syrio so she did not see what Harry was going to attempt.

Buckets of water surrounded the struggling Lord Stark as Harry called on all the magic he could manage and while Caelys kept Stark hydrated with water, Harry used his magic to connect to the fluids in Stark's body. One of the techniques Harry had learned from the memories and scrolls in the Chroyane was removal of toxins from the body, he had studied it as best he could but he did not know if his limited experiments would be enough. He swallowed, nervousness running rampant through him and concentrated his magic on the job at hand.

It was strange Harry thought as he felt the fluids in Stark's body, he had no experience like it but the closet thing he could think of was if you put your hand in a fast flowing river and felt the current pushing against you. He put the strangeness of the situation aside and concentrated on finding the foreign substance in Stark's body, each type of fluid having a different colour in his magically enhanced mind's eye so that it was a dazzling array of colours that was making it very confusing to find the right thing until he realised it was concealed in the blood, small bits of green that only just stuck out from the red blood. He narrowed the focus of his efforts towards the poison, trying to get a grip on it so he could extract it slowly from Stark's body.

On the outside his own body was sweating with effort as he tried to get a hold on the substance and finally he smiled as he managed to connect with the poison and started to draw it out of Stark's body only to frown when it resisting him, he tugged harder but it refused to move almost like it was resisting his magic, feeling almost like acid as he touched it burning him. His face tightened as he concentrated but no matter how much he tried, the poison refused to be moved, feeling much like he was putting his hand straight into a pot of strong acid as he tried.

Then just as his control slipped he suddenly realised what the poison was. It was tainted with some dark magic that was resisting his own powers, his eyes bursting open and he gasped for breath, feeling tired for a moment as Caelys looked at him questioningly.

"What is it?" She asked him and he sighed putting his head in his hands as despair came upon him. His counterpart had once been poisoned with this same type of venom and only survived due to a phoenix's tears, something he did not have.

"Some of the sellswords came from Yi Ti, they must have gotten some basilisk venom from there and coated their weapons with it." Harry said sadly, remembering all the large snakes he had killed there. "It is the most toxic and dangerous venom in the world and there is no known antidote."

"None!" Caelys said looking at him with shock, he shook his head.

"The Chroyane nearly found one but they were destroyed by the Freehold before they could finish it, no one else has even come close and the only creature that can cure him has not been seen by human eyes for centuries." Harry told her. "In the early days of the Freehold there was a magical bird known as a Phoenix, also known as the fire bird due to its bursting into flame and being being reborn from its own ashes, its tears were supposed to cure any poison or wound but there hasn't been a sighting of a phoenix since the very early days of the Century of Blood. What chance do I have of finding one in the next hour? I can give him potions to ease the pain, maybe stop his death by an hour but that is all." Harry told her with anger, he was not kidding about the phoenix either but if anyone in the Freehold had gotten hold of any tears they had perished with the rest of the Freehold. Out of curiosity he had even used a glass candle to try and find either the tears or a phoenix and come up empty both times.

Caelys' own eyes moistened as she nodded in agreement, the worst thing a healer could face that they were powerless to help their patient.

Harry turned to Lord Stark and gently as possible woke him, the man slowly opened his eyes and looked into Harry's.

"I warned you this city was dangerous Lord Stark." Harry said sadly, Lord Stark nearly smiled and said slowly with a tired and weary voice.

"Arya? Sansa?"

"Arya is just outside, safe and sound. Sansa I am afraid is a prisoner of the Lannisters but as their only hostage she should be relatively safe, but Lord Stark there is something you should know." Harry said not wanting to tell him the truth but how could he lie to a dying man. "One of the sellswords had dipped their swords in basilisk venom, there is no antidote I'm sorry."

Lord Stark nodded slowly. "I know, I can feel it but I had a notion it might come to this but I must ask something of you Lord Tyrell?" Lord Stark said with some effort, wincing in pain as he reached for Harry's hand and grasped it tightly.

Harry was unnerved by the intense look in his eyes but said as this was his last request.

"Anything."

"Take care of Arya for me." He said with a desperation. "She will not be safe with Robb if he goes to war and your islands will be far from any fighting, I need you to protect her, please swear it." Lord Stark urged Harry who was conflicted about making such a vow but his own conscience would not rest if he refused so he said solemnly.

"I swear to protect her Lord Stark." Harry said carefully and Lord Stark nodded, looking much relief that his youngest daughter would be safe. "And I will tell Jon of his true heritage if we should meet."

Lord Stark looked at Harry shocked for a moment but Harry just gave him an easy smile and said.

"There are always traces but I covered them up, don't worry about his real parents being discovered I removed any evidence of Lyanna's marriage to Rhaegar. After all since my wife is Jon's half sister it would not be right to let him be discovered."

"What?" Lord Stark asked, shocked that the secret he had spent hiding for Jon's entire life had been discovered. Harry told him briefly about Rhaenys and their discovery of Jon from Rhaegar's ghost, it was so fantastical that he could hardy believe it but the same feeling that had told him that Baelish was not to be trusted was telling him that Harry Tyrell was telling the truth.

He nodded in thanks and then asked for them to dictate for him, a letter for his wife and one for each of his other children, so Harry and Caelys duly wrote for him and Arya eventually came in and kneeled against her father, holding his hand. Tears ran down the young girl's face as she looked at her ailing father, mopping his brew or helping him drink potions that would dull the pain or give him mere minutes longer. The others in the room felt like intruders but could not leave the young girl alone in her darkest moment.

Ned smiled and wiped a tear from Arya's face, making her look him in the eye.

"My little she wolf, it is alright." He told her, trying to comfort his daughter who looked absolutely devastated with tears running down her face, thick and fast. She looked at him desperately and begged.

"Father, please don't die. Please don't leave me." Her voice trembled and brought tears to the eyes of those in the room with how broken it was and how full of despair. Ned however just kept smiling and stroked her hair gently.

"Don't cry Arya, I am going to see my father, brother and sister again and I will not forgive you unless you die as an old woman warm in your bed with children and grandchildren surrounding you, understood?" Ned said half in jest and half seriously, making Arya smile for a moment before she said with her eyes still red from tears.

"I promise father." Arya said grasping Ned's hands tightly who took some last difficult breaths to say.

"My little Arya, always so strong, so determined to have it your own way. Lyanna would have loved you and whatever you do, no matter where you go or how far away I might feel, I will always love you." Ned told her with the utmost sincerity.

Arya pressed a kiss to his cheek and then pulled man, he looked into her eyes one last time and gave her the most relaxed smile he had ever had in his life before his eyes closed and his body stilled for the last time.

It took a moment for Arya to realise that her father had gone, she kept hoping that somehow that he would open his eyes and speak to her again, As the seconds went by no one spoke and the reality dawned on her, her eyes filled up with tears again and she shook her father's body, gently then roughly.

"Father, please come back! Come back!" She begged him but he did not respond to her and Arya broke so completely it was heartbreaking to watch, she collapsed against his chest and sobbed all of her fire seemingly extinguished. None of them moved at first, letting her grieve before Harry and Caelys came up to her, putting a firm but gentle arm around her each. She resisted at first but slowly allowed Harry and Caelys to lead her away from her father's body.

Harry looked into her eyes and saw the loss and the grief but also a fierce and hateful fire that had started in those grey depths, he was wary of it as if left unchecked it could lead her to her own destruction so they would have to help her to learn to channel her rage. His grandmother might be able to help with that Harry decided grimly.

Harry in himself was feeling incredibly dejected, how could he have been so foolish as to leave things so unstable? He if he had acted sooner none of this would have happened he thought, feeling so angry at himself it took a lot of effort to suppress it. He had completely underestimated Baelish and now the war he had feared was on their doorstep, he had been a foolish idiot Harry thought to himself angrily and the Starks alongside many of Zara's employees had paid the price for his hubris.

Harry knelt down before Arya and the young girl looked at him with guarded suspicion.

"I promise you, those that are responsible for this will pay." He told her and she looked like she honestly did not believe him for a moment.

"I want to kill Joffrey, Cersei and Baelish myself." She demanded with a fierceness that was strange to see on the face of one so young but given what she had just experience he was not truly surprised and knowing she needed to hear him say it, rather than treat her like glass Harry nodded much to the surprise of Caelys, Kanoro and Syrio.

"When we return to Bloodstone you will continue to train, you need to be prepared before you can go after them and to clear your head. Right now things are too raw and you are too full of rage, they will kill you before you can even get close. Your training with Syrio will continue and much more will be added, She-Wolf of Winterfell." Harry said, Arya looked ready to just run at being denied her vengeance but Harry grabbed her arm and held her gaze until she nodded in acceptance.

She would be trained Harry thought grimly because it would distract her while he kept her safe and time to decide if revenge was really worth it, he would not stop her if she followed that path but he would make sure that she was prepared with all the skills she needed to survive. He had sworn an oath to her father to make sure she lived and he was going to keep that promise.

Caelys took Arya and Syrio to rooms that they could rest while Harry was suddenly faced with an angry Kanoro.

"Why would you use a girl that is grieving like a weapon rather than return her to her family? Are you even a man any more?" Kanoro looked ready to draw his sword rather than let Harry teach her, only for Harry to glare back just as hard.

"I wouldn't but training will keep her distracted while we protect her, besides if we don't she will only try to seek it herself and likely get herself killed. What she needs is time to reflect and more crucially time to heal, training will give her that and focus which she sorely lacks. Not to mention the Starks will soon be at war if they are not already, she will be far safer on the islands than in the middle of that and if she chooses to enter it then she needs to have the skills to survive."

Harry did not like being questioned even by Kanoro but he could understand why, the other warrior nodded in apology for his rash judgement.

Tonight however he was going to take his revenge, striking Baelish where it would hurt the most.

-x-

Hours later Harry slipped out dressed in a cloak and mask to disguise his features, his mind was grim and without emotion as he pointed his dragon ring at one of the brothels owned by Baelish and blasted it with an intense burst of fire. Wood, painted walls and fabrics all caught fire immediately as the searing hot flames touched them, he heard the cries from those inside but he paid them no mind. He had not barred the doors or windows so they had a chance to escape and he had a lot to do tonight.

He systematically went from brothel to brothel, to all of the safe houses Baelish held that they knew of and burned them to cinder. His only regret was that the vermin himself appeared to have fled after unleashing his sellswords on his enemies. He only changed his routine when he came to the House of Kisses, Baelish's main stronghold in the city. Zara had discovered that he held a vault somewhere in the building that held his emergency cash reserve but not where it was hidden, Harry used the point me spell to find it and then simply shrunk it down and put it in his pocket planning to open it later before burning the last holding Baelish had in Kings Landing to the ground. He was about to leave when he saw a boy hiding in an alley near by, walking over he saw it was one of the bastards Robert Baratheon had fathered. Zara had discovered him some time ago but he seemed safe and secure as a blacksmith's assistant so they had not bothered with him.

But now it seems he was in hiding, probably due to Cersei's unceasing hatred of her husband and rampant paranoia Harry reasoned, the boy would be as good as dead if he stayed in the city. Harry felt his conscience prickling at him and with a sigh Harry stunned Gendry and picked him up before apparating back to the safe house, they would take him back to the islands with them in the morning. He went to the Red Keep with the intention of retrieving Sansa Stark and Dragon's Bane, getting the sword first having no intention of letting the snake Joffrey have it, but when he went to get Sansa, the girl screamed at the sight of him and ran, summoning the attention of the guards. Muttering curses under his breath Harry apparated out before the guards saw him. There would be too many guards to risk again without exposing his magic so for now he would just hope the Lannisters realised Sansa was their only valuable hostage and not harm her.

He would arrange for Ned's body to be sent to Winterfell and his letters for his wife and children sent to them, he sighed as he realised that he would have a lot to do once he got home.

Pyke, the Iron Islands…

While in the North and Riverlands open warfare had broken out between the Starks and Tullys on one side and the Lannisters on the other, on Dragonstone Stannis burnt septs and Renly started calling all his army to him...Balon Greyjoy was looking with a sick glee at the map of Westeros, specifically at the Northern coast. His daughter looked on from nearby as he told her.

"The Old Ways come again, we will reave and rape to our hearts content." Balon said as he looked eagerly at the map in a way that many would have thought sick or demented.

Yara herself was excited at the idea of a return to the old ways, embracing their way of life as they had not been able to in centuries but she could not smile...not after the nightmare she had experienced last night.

She had been a kraken, her many arms propelling her through the water and at her side was her sometimes unreasonable father and her little brother Theon also in the form of krakens, she had smiled at the thought of the brother she had not seen in years since the greenlanders took him. They had been happy and strong, until something from beneath the waves a large dark mass with a mass of sharp and brutal tentacles had wrapped around all of them and pulled them down into the depth. She watched horrified as her father and brother were torn apart, terror shaking her as she was dragged down and faced with this glowing red eye. It radiated malice and she could feel its dark designs for her so badly that she woke up in a cold sweat and a scream.

Her father would have told her that she was just being a pathetic girl like any of the noble ladies of the mainland with their silks, her gaze growing hateful for a moment as she considered that particular insult which had been thrown at her time and again but she could not get the nightmare out of her head however hard she tried. What ever her father said, something bad was coming and she did not want to die for her father's arrogance so she would keep up her guard.

Bloodstone, the Stepstones...

Portkeys brought all of their people and new guests home within minutes, after their loyalty was secured with a magical contract of course that made sure they could tell no one of their experience with Harry's magic. Places for them would be found on the islands but the first thing Harry did was call a meeting of his inner circle to discuss their next course of action.

Harry sat at the head of the table with Rhaenys at his right and Kanoro on his left, the rest sat along the long table and reviewed the information they had received, the only one missing was Caelys who was watching over the children. Harry held in his hand the latest raven they had received and told them what was on it.

"Renly has declared himself king backed by the Stormlands and the Reach." Harry said gritting his teeth in annoyance that his father and the rest of his family had decided to try and put that ignorant and stupid bastard on the throne. Worst it announced his marriage to Margaery which Harry honestly thought was a waste of his sister, the man was a prancing fanciful fool who did not deserve a woman of his sister's calibre. "I have been ordered to come to Highgarden with all our men and swear fealty. That is of course after I go and swear to Stannis who sent this slightly earlier raven declaring himself king too and declaring Cersei's children bastards by Jaime Lannister. But finally there is the fact that open warfare has broken out in the Riverlands between the Starks/Tullys and the Lannisters, but at least Robb Stark is doing something unlike the other two. So the question we face is just what exactly do we do now?" Harry asked them.

A look around the room showed many were just as divided as he was, neither Stannis or Renly were fit to be king in their eyes albeit for different reasons Stannis being to stern and inflexible for politics and Renly being a foolish clown with no real sense in his head. Robb Stark was a possibility but he was too far away for them to support easily and they were still not sure if he wanted to be king or not or if he was someone they should even consider allying with. One thing for sure thought was there was no chance in hell of siding with Joffrey and the Lannisters Harry thought with anger, if one house deserved power and standing the least it was them.

Not a good set of options.

"Perhaps we should declare ourselves neutral and stay well out of it, if no one is worth supporting?" Kanoro suggested not liking the idea of fighting for any of them and while many agreed with the statement it did create problems.

"Not getting involved could be seen as an act of cowardice and weaken our standing in Westeros, not to mention we could end up with sanctions levelled against us by whoever wins in the end." Alys said with worry and Jothos nodded but Myria brought them back to real question.

"So back to square one who do we support?"

They looked to Harry and Rhaenys for a decision and the two sighed together as they considered their options, none of them sounded good and who knows what else might emerge from this war. So Harry and Rhaenys decided to play safe for now until they had a better option.

"I will send a letter to Highgarden announcing my fealty to Renly but our men and ships stay at home, all our holdings need to be kept secure and ready, not to mention we have to continue getting Aeron and Daena trained up and keep our youngest guest safe." Harry said looking briefly to the two young Valyrians who smirked having spent a fair amount of time with Rhaenys training their dragons. While still not large enough to ride they were growing fast and would a force to be reckoned with once the time came.

Their youngest guest however...Arya did pose a bit of a problem. While Harry and his people had no intention of using the young girl to their own ends, shielding and hiding her the way they were doing...encourage a sense of wanting to help the Starks amongst them. While they did respect their honourable and direct approach which could be just what Westeros needed right now, thanks to Ned Stark not being taught to handle politics his sons likewise had the same weakness.

The Game of Thrones would tear them apart.

After the meeting he went alone into the mountainous area of the island and sensing his discomfort, his dragon Talos, his horse Storm and his bloodhawk Orion all crowded around him. He could not help but smile as he petted his familiars, drawing some strength from the bond they all shared with him.

-x-

Arya was sitting in the yard waiting for Syrio to arrive for their lesson, many had told her to take some take away from training but...she just couldn't.

As she sat their with Needle in her hands, all she could do was imagine sticking the blade into Baelish's throat or Joffrey's face. A familiar fury started stirring inside her, her hand tightening around the handle of her sword painfully.

Her father...dead. Arya still had trouble accepting it, he had always seemed so tall and strong and now he was gone, cut down long before his time by a sellsword hired by a coward that lusted after her mother.

It honestly made her so angry that she got up and with her breathing and face becoming nearly animal like she started slashing hard and fast at one of the training dummies, her anger and rage spilling out with untamed fury.

She slashed and slashed for so long her arms ached and still she kept going, her anger and rage seeming to have no end.

Until she heard something snap and slashing became easier.

She stopped and realised that Needle had snapped in two half way along the blade, its other half was laying only a short distance away but she stared at the small sword in her hand that was now broken and tears of despair came to her eyes.

She'd broken Jon's gift.

He had given her this sword, the only one of her entire family that had actually looked like her and treated her like Arya rather than like a lesser version of Sansa that could never meet the mark. And in her anger, she had broken his gift to her.

"That is what happens when you suckle on anger and hate." A voice sounded from the side of the yard. Arya looked over and saw a stunningly beautiful woman with the appearance of Dorne, tanned skin and dark hair and an alluring figure with strange purple eyes. Her voice was kind but stern.

Great, Arya thought with irritated anger, another woman who wants me to act like a lady.

"Think of me as you will but if you wallow in your anger and hate it will poison everything in your life. I know that from personal experience after my brother and mother were slaughtered." The woman said and Arya blinked in surprise at what she had said. "You have to find an outlet so you can deal with your grief and anger or it will break you or lead you into a situation that you cannot handle." The woman said sharply and then said. "I will get our blacksmith to repair the sword but in the meantime you are going to train with other weapons and skills."

Arya was surprised at the beautiful but very stern lady saying she could train and while it did please her on some level she did have one big question to ask.

"And you are My lady?"

"Rhaenys Tyrell, Harry is my husband and while he is busy you listen to me. Now some me your archery." Rhaenys said, throwing her a bow and quiver made of materials Arya was not familiar with and pointed towards a set of targets at different positions to test range and accuracy.

While Arya Stark started shooting with more raw talent than developed skill Rhaenys watched the girl, somehow she knew the girl did not want to be coddled. She certainly hadn't at that age Rhaenys thought with grim recollection of those difficult early years, she could only hope the girl did not experience any more tragedy in her young life but somehow she knew the world was not that kind and war left all those it touched poorer than when it found them.

The Battle of the Whispering Wood, Riverlands...

Robb Stark had only fought two battles in his entire life, this was the second and while he would feel sick to his stomach afterwards, he had never been more focused in his life.

The earlier battle at the Green Fork was a strategic and tactical victory for him, having used the Barnell bridge to outflank the enemy rather than the expected Frey bridge. It might well have been a tactical victory for the Lannisters though had it not been for the work of not only Robb himself but also Lord Boros Wallain.

The man was a demon on the field, his tactical insight let him soak up a situation quickly and create a strategy to earn victory, not to mention he had a large number of men at his disposal. He had cut through the Vale Hill Tribes Tywin Lannister had thrown at them and forced them into retreat, capturing Ser Kevan Lannister and Ser Addam Marbrand in the process with nearly no casualties on the Stark side.

His help was certainly being invaluable to Robb now at the Battle of the Whispering Wood, their armies now even in numbers with around thirty thousand each. They had lured the Lannister army into a confrontation and surrounded them, Tywin and the half of his army had fled south towards Harrenhal while Jaime Lannister and the shattered remains of his forces clung on desperately. Jaime Lannister might have escaped but he refused to leave his men and inspired they fought to the death alongside him, it almost made Robb respect the man had he not been of the side family that killed his father and held his sisters hostage.

Ser Jaime was bold as he stood with his remaining men, surrounded on the field with the bloodied Brightroar in his hands and his men just as defiant. All around them were Northern soldiers and Riverlanders, Robb with a growling Grey Wind at his side glared at Jaime Lannister who merely smirked back either not afraid of death or thinking himself valuable to be killed.

Then just as Robb was about to demand Jaime's surrender the strangest thing happened.

Jaime Lannister wiped his sword clean of blood and spoke first.

"Robb Stark, if my men are spared and allowed to flee I will surrender here and now. Do you agree?" Jaime shouted and all the men around Lannister or Stark looked at him shocked at the declaration, but Robb seriously considered it. He could of course just take Jaime by force and slaughter the Lannister men but that could still result in the Lannister's death and he would be a very valuable hostage to ensure his sisters' safety in Kings Landing. Robb wanted the Lannisters to pay but he with difficulty kept his temper under control and shouted back.

"Very well Lannister, providing they discard their weapons and flee right now." His own men looked shocked at his agreeing to this but they accepted it. Jaime's own men were reluctant to leave him but they did as he told them and threw down their weapons before fleeing. Jaime walked up to Robb and presented his sword which Robb took with a nod.

"Cause no trouble and you will be treated well enough, despite the fact the Lannisters killed my father and pushed my brother out of a tower, shattering his legs." Robb aid with a glare that could have melted stone. His own rage at the Lannisters strong enough to make even the strong man wince. Jaime understood the younger man's rage and given his estrangement from all but his younger brother in regards to his family had no guilt at all in saying.

"My idiot sister and her vile spawn killed your father, as your brother my cousin Lancel did that probably while he was fucking my sister."

The shocked expressions that followed his announcement, Robb was very suspicious of the Lannister but a feeling in his gut that his father had once told him was called 'the Wolf's instinct' told him that Ser Jaime was telling the truth, making the change to address him as a knight in slight respect to the man.

Jaime meanwhile knew full well however foolish his father and sister would have thought his course of action, his own conscience was clear. He owed them nothing and would give them nothing in return, his only concerns these days were Tyrion and his own children even Joffrey who Jaime honestly thought was far too far gone to help even if he could still not turn his back on him, what else could a father do for his son? Jaime asked himself with weary resignation.

When he had returned to the capital with Tyrion and Brightroar in his hands, Cersei had clawed at his face with her nails, screaming and kicking him until finally he retrained her. He had actually been glad to see her and even brought a present for each of their children all of which she had destroyed in front of their children. That had been bad enough but to find that she had a parade of lovers in his absence and even shoved that in his face...well needless to say he had finally severed whatever ties he had with her. Their father's cold disregard for Tyrion had sealed the death of whatever relationship they might have had. Only Tyrion had ever really supported and stood with him and the only good thing that had come of his relationship to Cersei was Tommen and Myrcella.

-x-

Riverrun, the Riverlands that evening…

Robb sat in the halls of his grandfather with Brightroar at his waist, he had taken the sword for himself since Ice was almost certainly in Lannister hands now and he held court with his own lords and Riverlands allies. Ser Boros Wallain for his service sat next to him with Lord GreatJon Umber, his mother Catelyn and his uncle Ser Edmure Tully.

The rest of the hall was full as the men debated largely amongst themselves which king they should support, Robb himself was conflicted on the matter not liking any of their choices. His main priorities were security for his people and justice for his late father but none of the prospective kings sounded like they would respect his goals much to his own dismay.

"Renly has the stronger army, combined with him we could crush all of our enemies." Lord Bracken shouted.

"Stannis is the rightful king, he is Robert's brother and by law the next in line." Another shouted but then the GreatJon got up and started speaking, causing everyone to go quiet.

"My lords. Here is what I say to these two kings." He then spat on the ground, surprising them all and making a few laugh and cheer but they kept listening. "Renly Baratheon is nothing to me, nor Stannis either. Why should they rule over me and mine from some flowery seat in the south? What do they know of the Wall or the Wolfswood? Even their gods are wrong." He said and while the Riverlanders looked angry at that last part given they followed the Seven as well they stayed quiet.

"Why shouldn't we rule ourselves again?" The GreatJon asked. "It was the dragons we bowed to and now the dragons are dead. There sits the only king I mean to bend my knee too." The GreatJon said drawing his great sword and pointing it towards Robb himself who was momentarily stunned by the notion of becoming a king and nearly missed the GreatJon proclaiming him. "The King in the North."

Robb stood and the lords around him started to add their voices to the call, he nodded to all of them and started speaking with the feeling of a great weight descending upon him.

"My lords, I thank you for your faith and trust. I have never expected to be a king nor wanted to be but I vow on my blood and on my father's name to protect and defend all our people of the North and Riverlands both. I will call upon all my strength and heart to protect our lands so that we may live free and choose our own destiny."

The men cheered and Robb turned to the young Darry boys who were squires to Lord Boros. "Your castle and those of others are held by the Lannisters, this will not stand. I will not rest until the Lannisters are gone from our sight and bleed for every crime they have committed. It is our time now, so to victory." Robb called out and his men cheered and banged their fists on their tables in joy.

His mother looked proud and terrified in equal parts, knowing full well just what they were up against and the danger that now surrounded them all, not to mention distraught over his two sisters being held in Kings Landing.

Robb himself was terrified of the situation and the responsibility that now fell on his shoulders, he could only hope Theon who sat there cheering with the rest was right about this meaning he was not stupid.

The Sunset Sea...

A large war galley passed through the waves, its strong wooden hull and sails painted black with lines of gold along the hull like a kraken's tentacles to match the one of the main sail.

At the helm of the ship was a man with an eye patch who was dressed in a mismatched set of fine clothes, some of which were stained with blood that was definitely not his but were the proceeds of four years of plundering the oceans of the world. His crew milled around silently as their tongues had been cut out long ago but all bowed their heads to their captain, held there by absolute fear of him.

Euron Greyjoy was smirking widely as he sailed for home for the first time in a decade, he could possibly have waited for the war in Westeros to divide and destroy the kingdoms more but then he thought with a manic and bloodthirsty grin, nah where was the fun in that?

Besides he was going to visit his brother and niece with a lot of new friends and a very powerful trick that would prove to all that he was the Drowned God himself he thought with glee, as the gauntlet that controlled the waves rested on his arm and behind him a fleet of over three hundred pirate ships that he had spent the last four years amassing.

This was going to be fun, Euron thought as he started laughing with complete abandon no fear or hesitation at all.