Near the King's Wood, Outside of Kings Landing...Same Time...
Haeron on the back of his dragon flew in as the men assembled, knights that had apparently answered his call and what he saw made him blink in surprise.
There were a lot more men than he had expected, thousands of men roughly two thousand or so he thought with amazement that so many had been willing to come. He landed his dragon and the gathered men looked at it with fear given its large size.
Haeron dismounted and saw many faces that he did not know but to his pleasant surprise more than a few that he did. Many of the men that had used to ride with him to patrol the Crownlands and other areas of Westeros were there and he gave them a nod as he passed, glad of their loyalty and that they just about enough men to fight the Bloodmen on equal terms. He saw other knights that he recognised from tourneys that he had either attended or competed in like Ser Cletus Yronwood, Ser Tytos Blackwood and others from all over Westeros. Clearly their message had been more widely received than he had thought.
Arriving at the central planning tent three familiar figures emerged; Jaime was easily the person he knew the best and they smiled, exchanging a friendly nod but also there was Tygett the uncle standing there as grim and serious as ever but surprisingly Ser Davos Seaworth too was there. Haeron shook their hands and told them with gratitude.
"Thank you to you all, it is reassuring to have you at my side in at this time. We stand on the edge of everything, good and bad at the moment and I do not know what is truly waiting for us in there but if we are going to bring peace and sanity back to Westeros then we need to get in." Haeron said with tired resignation.
"The barrier is coming down...tonight I hope." Haeron then added as he put a map of the city on the table they had already,"Kara can force open the gate but there are the Bloodmen to consider. We have the numbers to fight them but I do not know just who the Gold Cloaks will fight for. My wives are following with a larger army that is assembling as we speak but we need to move now to stop the kingdoms from falling into Civil War." Haeron said calmly despite the situation. They nodded and then a group of knights entered who had apparently become the leaders of their respective kingdom's knights.
"Your grace." Ser Brynden Tully said with a calm but eager look, he was a far stronger man than his brother Haeron thought and joining him were Ser Addam Marbrand who Haeron knew was Jaime's good friend, he nodded in greeting. Ser Quentin Tyrell who bowed low and made all of them roll their eyes as they saw the Tyrells habit of kissing arse did not merely belong to the main branch of the family but clearly to the cousins as well. Finally though there were a man that Haeron had heard of but never seen.
He was an older man, older than his parents by a few short years but his body was lean and fit and dressed in simple armour marked with the sign of the Seven and the purple and white shield of House Hasty. Haeron saw his whitening hair and realised just who it was, his mother had spoken about him once one night...Ser Bonifer Hasty, the knight that had once long ago stolen his mother's heart and then sworn himself to the Seven when she was married off to Aerys. He led the Holy Hundred, a group of men sworn to the Seven and while Haeron distrusted people who 'fought' for their gods these men had a good reputation that he was happy to have at his side.
"Greetings, I am glad that you have chosen to join us." Haeron said and looking at their minds to confirm the truth as he asked. "But I have to ask, why are you here?"
Quentin started on a long rant about loyalty and great causes which they all ignored before finally Ser Brynden Tully stated his own reasons more clearly.
"My niece is in there, I want her safe and returned to our family." Ser Brynden said and Haeron nodded in understanding, he would do the same for Rhaenys or any of his siblings in the same position. Then Ser Hasty told him with a calm demeanour.
"Corruption on this scale has not been seen in Westeros for years and years, after what has happened...something has to be done."
Haeron understood with a slight smile, the man was true to his word and honestly believed in the vows he took.
"Then we had best inform the men of what is expected of them tonight." Haeron said before getting a large picture that he had brought with him and stepped out of the tent accompanied by the others.
"EVERYONE, PAY ATTENTION!" Haeron called out, his voice carried and amplified somewhat by his magic although not to the point any of them would suspect that. When he was sure that all of the men gathered had given him their attention he started his briefing. "Tonight we are going to bring an end to not only the Warlock that is rotting Kings Landing from the inside out but also remove the Mad King from the throne. This is not an action that I take lightly and I hope that you don't either. The sickness they have caused rots the entire kingdoms and will only get worse, so now we must act by not only ending them but removing the thugs that enforce their rule." Haeron told them before holding up a picture that they drawn of a man's face with the Bloodmen symbol on it. "This is the symbol they all have on their faces, make sure all of you see it. There is no punishment that I can devise that suit their crimes, only the gods themselves can do that. So if you see one, kill them." Haeron told them coldly.
That surprised many of them but given all of the horrors that had been inflicted by them they were somewhat eager to send them to the Seven Hells.
"Now, you must prepare yourselves. Tonight is a night that will live in history but how it will be remembered...that is something we will decide, each one of us. So fight hard, fight smart, fight for those that cannot." Haeron said and the men cheered, those that stood at his side nodded or smiled as they readied themselves and then mounted their horses or dragon in Haeron's case and made their way over the hills to within sight of the city.
King's Landing was a place of horrors but it was also the place that held both good and bad memories for him, looking at it now though he was like the others was staring at the shimmering green barrier that was getting more and more faint as the gaps in it gotten larger and larger, presumably as each of the snake statues were destroyed. The others all looked at it with both fear and awe, only Jaime and Davos had seen anything like it before and even they were staring in somewhat awe but also determination to see this through.
Then the barrier gave a single last burst of green light, the barrier fell, Haeron smiled before ordering the men as he sat on the back of Kara.
"CHARGE!"
The men did not hesitate as Kara took flight, following on the ground as they raced for the city, the Dragon Gate loomed into view. It was somewhat ironic but it was the closest and the sight of the enormous dragon seemed to scare the men on the walls so much that they were slow to respond, allowing Haeron and Kara to get close enough to the gate to blast it with a powerful burst of flame from Kara's mouth. It hit the gate so strongly that it blew cleanly from its hinges and leaving the path open for the knights.
Many of them had never seen a dragon before tonight and the incredible display of power was both awe inspiring and terrifying at the same time however they had a job to do and so they rode on.
- x -
On the walls the Bloodmen stood ready with their ballistas and crossbows to try and pick off some of the men that dared attack the city, sneering as they prepared to attack and the gold cloaks that then arrived only made them more confident of their own safety even with the dragon as the Warlock had his monster which would soon deal with it.
But the Gold Cloaks that were joining them on the city walls were strangely marked as it looked like someone had splashed blue paint on their golden cloaks which only made the Bloodmen sneer with disgust at their stupidity but as they did so they found themselves impaled from behind but the same gold cloaks they had been demeaning.
Ser Fergus Lockwood stood on the walls with his men and then gave his orders.
"Help the knights, this madness ends tonight." He said, his accent gruff and unrelenting which got his men to nod in eagerness to kill the Bloodmen. Many of them had lost friends and family to the Warlock, the Mad King or his whore, Fergus himself had lost two brothers and their families in the slaughter of Flea's Bottom. They had been smart though and not just gone after revenge blindly, instead they had found those like themselves and banded together, making sure to act when the time was right.
Ser Fergus joined the knights with his men as they rode into the city and sought out the Bloodmen.
- x -
Inside the Red Keep the Warlock saw the barrier fall himself and then the gate fall, he seemed to snarl as his sophisticated facade fell away and he turned to his creation, held in a crate he had created and expanded on the inside to fit it.
He hissed loudly, communicating in the language of serpents and the creature responded as it had been made too, emerging from the crate at its current size.
It was easily forty feet long from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail, its long body undulating through the air as it flew with a set of wings barely moving as it flew through the air. Its long body with scales that resembled pitted stone with greenish smoke emerging from between the gaps.
Its head pointed like a snake's as it screeched out its rattling scream, its green eyes fixed on the target of the Warlock's spite...the Great Sept or as it was otherwise known, the Sept of Baelor.
It opened its enormous maw and a massive burst of green flame erupted from its mouth passed sharp jagged teeth. The torrent of green fire hit the Great Sept and burst through the windows to fill the entire interior of the building, scorching the stone and anything inside. The stone had never been exposed to flame this hot or forceful, ripping through the walls themselves and building was engulfed in its green fire before collapsing into rubble.
- x -
Haeron watching from the back of Kara stared in astonishment as he had never seen a creature like this before, the only thing even close had been the corrupted dragon in Valyria but that had been at least in the same shape as a dragon...this creature was unlike anything that he had seen before.
And if he didn't stop it here and now then there was every chance it might destroy the entire city, so he gritted his teeth so he urged Kara to fly faster and towards the creature.
Kara was afraid of the creature he could feel that but they managed to get close enough to breathe fire on it and the creature screeched out in pain but it was so agile it managed to whip its tail around and smack Kara who cried out in pain as the rough scales of the other creature cut like knives into its side but thankfully the blow was only glancing although then they had to roll hard to avoid a blast of green flame that even though they managed to avoid it the heat was searing, like he had put his hand in boiling water.
Haeron grimaced as the dragon and he dodged the bursts of green fire with only an arm's reach away from them sometimes as the creature relentlessly blasted in their direction. He knew they would be hit if this went on for too long and the creature was not so easily distracted he thought with a grimace as a locked its single eye on them, he could see that Varys had been right about Ser Redding wounding the creature.
That was when he realised something, given the shape of its head it could not clearly see on one side, that gave him an idea and he coaxed Kara into the tightest turn that the dragon could manage to enter what it he hoped was its blind spot.
The creature when it lost sight of them was confused as it did not know what had happened but that was short lived as Kara struck again, its dragon fire striking at the creature on its blind-spot causing it to cry out in pain and wheel around in mid air to attack again but Kara dived out of the way as Haeron held on for dear life and urged his dragon to fly as fast and with as much agility as it could.
Below in the streets of the city the people whoever they might be or whoever they fought for were present for a sight that would enter into legend, the first battle of a dragon versus what many of them assumed to be another dragon. The two enormous creatures seemed to dance through the sky while they blasted fire in streams of golden orange and piercing green. It was a humbling sight as they seemed to be so powerful that nothing could stop them except maybe for each other.
Haeron as the battle continued had to be very thankful for this one advantage that his former Kingsguard protector had given them. He had been a true knight in that moment, giving his life for a good cause and to try and protect the realm from a monstrous creature.
But unfortunately despite strafing the dragon several times and making it cry out in pain the creature seemed unaffected in any meaningful way, Haeron realised with gritted teeth as frustration set in. The scales seemed impossible to damage and while taking some damage that slowed it was not enough to make a real difference in this fight.
Then as it tried hit them again with fire he felt his magic connecting to his dragon more deeply than it ever had before and Kara blasted back with all of its might as he channelled his own power into his dragon which low rip another blast of fire itself, stronger and brighter than it had before.
The two blasts of flame, green and golden met in mid air and a light as bright as the sun briefly hung over the city making everyone look away so they would not be blinded.
Kara and Haeron briefly exhausted flew away into the clouds above the city and the creature followed, Haeron gritted his teeth as they could only match the creature. They could not hurt it in any significant way and the longer this fight went on the more likely they would be taken down by its cursed fire or just worn down by exhaustion.
He felt his swords at his side and that was when an idea struck him, he grimaced as the last time he had tried this it had nearly killed him but it was their only chance, gambling that Crimson Heart had the traits he thought it did.
He guided Kara to as quietly as they could get above the creature, staying on its blind side as they did so and with a stone in his throat and a rush of fear in his belly he leapt from the back of his dragon.
The air rushed past him as he fell, hoping that he had calculated right and as the scaly creature came rushing closer he pulled out Crimson Heart and raised his sword above his head and plunged it into the creature, twisting it so it impaled between the stony scales.
The creature immediately shrieked in agony as the sword struck deep inside it, the green smoke erupted like a fountain out from around it and with a split second Haeron used the bubble head charm to protect himself as whatever this stuff was he did not want to be breathing it in.
The creature turned and twisted trying to throw him and the sword off but it was futile as Haeron held on for dear life, however as he looked he saw the scales beneath him hardening and joining together as he twisted Crimson Heart around to make sure it stayed in.
It was like the creature was becoming a single solid lump as he watched and seeing it was beginning to plummet through the sky and back towards the ground he pulled his sword free and leapt away and clear of it, Kara sensing his distress flew close and he managed to grab hold of the dragon's leg as it passed, now being pulled through the air as he held on.
They followed it down, the effect did not stop as it plummeted downwards, becoming a stone statue effectively as it hit the ground, the ruins of Flea's Bottom specifically and shattered like glass into smaller pieces. Haeron watched and had a grim sense of satisfaction, avenging Ser Redding and ending a threat that should never have existed, he directed Kara towards the Dragon Gate where he found Jaime and Davos waiting for him.
They both stared in awe at what they had just witnessed and as they landed he was breathless as they came towards him.
"Your grace...that was." Davos started say but was lost for words as he had never seen anything like but it had been the sort of thing that they wrote legends about that lasted for centuries. Haeron however as he got his breath back did not seem to think the same.
"Not an experience I care to repeat. Now how do we stand?" He asked both men who became more serious as they got back to business.
"A man named Ser Fergus has brought anywhere from a third to half of the Gold Cloaks onto our side, they made sure we had no opposition as we entered the city." Jaime told him with a smirk of satisfaction as this was excellent news, this meant they had enough men to secure the city and the Red Keep.
"Good, then we press forward...the Red Keep awaits." Haeron said as he turned to the castle that dominated the city and he knew with a worrying feeling that time was not on their side.
- x -
In the Red Keep meanwhile the Warlock looked at shattered remains of his creation from the balcony in disbelief. That should not have been possible he thought in shock, his creature had been the most powerful beast in the world, capable of laying waste to entire cities faster than an entire army could even dream of.
Now it lay in broken pieces in the ruins of the city's worst slum.
A scream of fury erupted from his throat as he fumed, he was the greatest wizard that two worlds had ever known! He could not have been outwitted by some spoiled prince and his pet dragon he thought with resolution, it was not possible, the others had never managed to uncover his secrets and he would not allow everything that he had been trying so hard to build to come crashing down now! He thought with determination, he went to prepare his other experiments to make them ready...the prince and his followers would pay dearly for this insult he thought to himself.
Elsewhere Cersei Lannister watched with fear as she saw the destruction of the creature and their best chance to end Haeron and his rebellion, he was here to take the throne she thought with disgust at her power being taken away from her and turned to the leader of the Bloodmen, handing him the sword that she had worked hard to acquire and removed from its vault.
"Find Haeron and kill him, he is now dismounted from his dragon. Use the sword, it would be fitting for him to die on the blade of his own family." She told the Bloodmen leader with a smirk of amusement at the thought of it. Dark Sister, she thought as the Bloodmen leader took it and sneered at the idea of killing the spoiled prince with his family's own sword.
"It will be done." He said before going off to do the deed which made he smiled sadistically in anticipation of giving Haeron's severed head to Aerys.
That would make the entire day worthwhile she thought as the gates of the Red Keep were firmly closed as the Bloodmen left while some stayed behind to defend the keep. The trial of the Starks was about to begin and it promised she thought with excitement to be an delightful show with what they had in mind for them.
- x -
Unaware that his lover was giving such a valuable Targaryen treasure to a vicious thug Aerys stared out from his own rooms, a deep sense of fear taking root inside him as he saw the city walls be breached and an army of men enter led by a Usurper...his own son he thought with dread as everything that he had feared ever since the boy had been born was happening right before his eyes.
Now the walls were closing in around him and he only had one last piece of joy that he could take from this...one that would ensure that the usurper would not enjoy his victory as it would taste as bitter as defeat...making sure that war tore the kingdoms apart.
Outside of Duskendale, the Crownlands...The Same Time...
An large army drawn largely from the Reach were marching through the Crownlands towards Kings Landing, it was not the full might of the Reach as there had been insufficient time to gather that many men so they had raised a force of twenty thousand men to help secure the city when they arrived.
Harmony and Vaena rode with the lords, accompanied by Vaena and Grace as their ladies. The Dragons were in a cart with Grace and Vaena, the sight of the beasts had made many of the men eager to see them for themselves and while they were already as large as a horses now it was far less impressive than they had thought at first but the moment they breathed fire that entire opinion changed.
It did not however make their journey any less annoying as Mace Tyrell had accompanied them, the Lord of the Reach was pompous to a fault and had decided that he was leading the army.
"Continue the march, the city awaits." Mace commanded and Harmony gritted her teeth with annoyance while Evelyn told him sternly.
"The men need to rest, they have been marching all day and night to get this close. If they don't rest they will be too exhausted to fight or hold the city. They need half a day at least before keep them marching." Evelyn said glaring at him.
"Why would I listen to foreigners?" Mace said with a dismissive wave, his mind focused on his own glory that he was sure awaited him in King Landing. The two women glared at him and so did Vaena and Grace, and Harmony told him with cutting coldness.
"Women who have sailed to the end of the world and commune with dragons, women who are married to your future king and mothers to the ones who will follow him. Remember that." Harmony said, scaring Mace who saw the burning strong will in her eyes with its great intelligence...much like his own mother he thought with fear.
No wonder she had warned him not to push them, Harmony and Evelyn were not the sort of women that should be crossed lightly.
Then as they prepared to set up camp, at least half a day's rest before they carried on so they would be in some state of usefulness when they arrived. They both grimaced as they had no information on just what was happening over there and the temptation to rush was stabbing at them but they knew that they couldn't.
It was Haeron's job to save the city and their job to make sure it was secure when they arrived.
But unfortunately as they prepared to rest, they saw an army emerge from Duskendale in the distance. At first they hoped that they might join them but they were assuming a battle formation in front of the city.
Harmony and Evelyn grimaced as they realised just what was happening, House Rykker had been given Duskendale by Aerys, so it made sense that they would side with him they thought with anger that they would protect such a horrible monster as him. But they also knew their army even if it did outnumber the Rykker force was tired from the march, they were not ready for a fight and would not be for some time.
Magic was an option but to use it on the scale that they would need to use it there were too many witnesses so they both thought and then shared a look and a smile as they realised just how to even the odds here.
"Vaena. I think we need to show them some real dragon fire." Harmony called out and her friend frowned before whispering in her ear just what they wanted to do. The confused look on her face was quickly replaced with a smirk as she understood the assignment and told the dragons what to do in High Valyrian. Mace scoffed, sure that such vicious beasts could never understand human speech but the dragons; Sylvie, Arrax and Selene took flight. Selene, Vaena's own dragon breathing fire into the sky above them which not only scared the Rykker army but more than that as it distracted them from what Sylvie and Arrax were doing.
They flew high into the sky and together they dived at high speed towards the rear of the Rykker army, Lord Renfred Rykker was sitting on his horse commanding from the rear and nearest to the city gates so he could retreat back inside at the first side of trouble. He was intent on slowing down the enemy at the very least, he could not turn his back on King Aerys even after everything he had done...he had given him Duskendale, made him a lord and the chance that he might gain more lands in reward was an attractive thought too.
But as Sylvie and Arrax dived down they dug their claws into his shoulders he had no time to cry out in pain as he was pulled up by the two dragons into the air and before his shocked and terrified army. They carried the man as he screamed in fear over the army and dropped him right at the feet of Harmony, Evelyn and Vaena. He looked at them from his position on the ground as blood flowed from the injuries in his shoulders, the three of them now joined by Grace with her dragon on her shoulders and the other three landing nearby. The four of them looked like judgemental goddesses staring down at him with looks of disdain and revulsion.
"You would keep that monster on the throne? You are really beneath contempt." Grace said having seen and heard of all of the things that Aerys had done since she had arrived.
"Indeed. Dracarys." Harmony said with a cold smile which scared all of the men around her as Sylvie did as her rider bid and bathed him in fire. He cried out but the ladies said nothing, Grace was feeling elated in a way seeing what a dragon could do, it was scary but also knowing that her dragon would one day be able to do and more as a heady and intoxicating feeling.
Seeing their lord burning, the army of House Rykker dropped their weapons and dispersed, not willing to fight now their lord was dead, allowing them to rest before they had a last hard march to Kings Landing.
Vaena meanwhile stared the burned corpse in front of them, wondering how it had all come to this when a a man, a knight from one of the Narrow Sea houses that had joined them caught her eye. He was Valyrian with both dark skin and silver hair like her but as their eyes met he looked at her with amazement and bowed to her. She smiled back and beckoned him over, he did as she bid and walked to her, bowing his head as he did so.
"My lady, it is a honour and joy to see that the word of dragons here was true." The knight said with an awe filled smile as he looked at the dragons, Vaena grinned before telling him.
"I am glad to to see you like them, what is your name?" She asked him with growing interest.
"Ser Jacys Velarr at your service my lady." Ser Jacys said and Vaena smirked, seeing the interest in his eyes that was reflected in her own.
Kings Landing...
The chaos spread across the city like a tidal wave, spilling into nearly every street as Knights and the Gold Cloaks that had defected to Haeron's side fought with the Bloodmen and the Gold Cloaks that had stayed loyal to Aerys.
Smoke rose in large columns from all around the city as buildings or anything else were set aflame, Haeron had dismounted from his dragon and was now fighting alongside the men on the ground as Kara flew over head and bathed columns of enemies in fire, proving that the dragon was far from a normal beast and it could tell who was the enemy and who wasn't.
The people of the city who had lived in fear of the Mad King, his vicious mistress and the Demonic Sorcerer for so long now were eagerly joining the growing mob, arming themselves with whatever weapon that they could get their hands on...wooden sticks, hammers, broken chairs and tables literally anything that they had to hand in an attempt to end the tyranny. Even those that were not able to fight were helping in their own way, helping track down the Bloodmen where ever they were and pointing them out to the knights.
The followers of the Seven that had made this invasion possible were terrified by the destruction of the Great Sept but the sight of Prince Haeron had revived their spirit and will to fight, bringing them to the liberators side.
From two thousands knights against six thousand it was now five thousand against three thousand with a dragon in the mix.
Haeron was engaged in a duel with three Bloodmen, wielding both Crimson Heart and Blackfyre at the same time as he fought defensively weaving his swords in complex pattern to deflect away their clumsy strikes before he cut them down with harsh ruthless strikes.
He saw a group of men approaching him and the knights that were with him, raising his swords in anticipation of a fight but a familiar face was leading them and he gave a swift bow when he appeared.
"Your grace...welcome back." Ser Lewyn said with a smile, so glad that he had returned and would they hoped bring an end to this madness. He and Ser Redding his now late colleague had been recalled to Kings Landing and to ensure the king and his entourage did not come to Dragonstone they had done it. Only Ser Arthur was not in the city as he was out with Rhaegar somewhere and what he was up to they could only guess at. He had expected Arthur to come when the call for Knights to join in the liberation of Kings Landing had been raised but he hadn't which Ser Lewyn found disgraceful.
"Greetings Ser Martell. Are you here on my father's orders?" Haeron asked, his suspicions raised by the fact that he was out of the Red Keep. He made sure to keep eye contact with the Dornish knight so he could use his magic to read his thoughts. The knight's immediate disgust in both mental and on his face told the story without the words that came in response.
"Absolutely not my prince! I have seen the most horrific of things since you left and it has to stop!" Ser Lewyn said with anger at the mere thought of it and seeing his thoughts were as true as his words Haeron smiled and told him.
"Then it relieves me that at least someone has taken a stand. Come with us Ser Lewyn, we press forward to the Red Keep." Haeron said and Ser Lewyn then smiled too which reminded Haeron a little of his nephew Prince Oberyn.
"Indeed your grace." He said with an eager devilish smile as they continued to push forward to the Red Keep.
- x -
Elsewhere in the city Jaime was fighting with his uncle and his good friend Ser Addam Marbrand, his hands tight on Brightroar as he swung the sword about. It was a large and somewhat awkward sword to wield at times but given it was made of Valyrian steel it was so light he could wield it.
The sight of these 'Bloodmen' that his sister had created filled him with disgust, these were men so bad that the Nights Watch would reject them he thought with revulsion. Men that were devoid of any good or nobility in thought or deed.
So wiping them out was the best thing to do for everyone, except for the Bloodmen and his sister of course he thought with a cocky smirk.
But as he finished off one of them, he came upon another that was wielding a sword of the same metal as his own.
"Where is the prince?" The Bloodman said with a sneer as he looked at the boy that resembled the whore that paid him and his fellows. Jaime, Addam and Tygett all looked at him with disgust before Tygett spoke.
"That is none of your concern scum." Tygett said with his sword in hand but the Bloodman did not play fair and had a man with a crossbow appear from the corner behind him, shooting Tygett in the leg!
The man cried out in pain as he collapsed to the ground, which made Jaime and Addam yell in outrage. Addam thinking quickly charged at the man before he could reload and ran him through while Jaime swung his sword in anger at the underhanded tactic used on his uncle. The Bloodman smirked as he was sure that this would be easy against a greenboy but Jaime soon proved him wrong.
He wielded his sword with an experience gained by his time abroad and he had been trained by one of the best swordsmen in the world, he wasted no movement, watched his opponent closely and judged them with that experience.
He easily predicted the Bloodman's moves, they were reasonably competent but very simple in their execution. He parried them with laughable ease and then with a single heavy swipe close him across the belly, the Bloodman screamed out in pain before Jaime finished him by planting Brightroar right through his neck. The man began to choke on his own blood which was made worse when Jaime ripped the word free roughly and caused even more damage. Blood was flowing like a river out of him but Jaime did not even bother to watch him dying as he picked up the Bloodman's sword and examined it. Seeing the familiar ripples of Valyrian steel made him wonder just how such a magnificent sword had fallen into the hands of this scum.
It was however in the back of his mind as he went to check his uncle who was still on the ground with pain making him groan. Jaime with a grimace as this was going to be harsh but he broke the bolt and ripped it free of his uncle's leg making him cry out in pain before they bound the wound with a strap of fabric.
"Get moving boy, there is still a fight to be had." Tygett said with a growl, not letting up his stern act even for a moment. Jaime frowned as his uncle would be no use in the fight so he turned to Addam and told him.
"Get him back to the gate, then meet with me at the Red Keep." He ordered and Addam nodded knowing the same thing as he could. Tygett looked ready to argue but Jaime just pointed to his leg and said sternly. "You need that seeing too."
Tygett wanted to argue but knew in his heart that he could not even stand without help so he reluctantly allowed Addam to take him for help while Jaime pressed on, soon arriving at the gate to the Red Keep and meeting with Haeron who was standing there with Ser Brynden and Ser Davos.
"Jaime." Haeron said with a nod of the head in greeting which the other two men repeated.
"Your grace, one of the Bloodmen had this sword." Jaime said as he handed the blade over now in its scabbard he had taken from the man as well. "How did they get a sword like this?"
"Who knows." Haeron said with a dismissive tone as they had bigger things to worry about when suddenly he noticed something. The sword was slimmer than a normal long sword like it had been made for a warrior with smaller hands, it also had golden flames for a pommel and similar ones in its crossguard along with a fair sized ruby in the centre of it.
He had seen renderings and paintings that featured this sword, specifically in those featuring one of the greatest queens that Westeros had ever seen, the one that he had named his ship after.
"This is Dark Sister!" Haeron called out in surprise as he recognised the sword which surprised both Brynden and Davos not to mention Jaime who all looked at the sword with amazement as the second ancestral sword of House Targaryen. "How the hell did it get here?"
"A question for another time perhaps your grace." Davos said with a slight anxiousness that they had other things to worry about and Haeron nodded as he tied the sword to his belt.
"Indeed." Haeron said, knowing they would look into it later before he called down Kara with their bond. The dragon dived down and blasted the gates open with a powerful burst of flame, opening the path for them to enter. The dragon's power scared both Davos and Brynden but they could not help but admire it, seeing why the Targaryens had unified Westeros rule as quickly as they had.
"Forward!" Haeron commanded with authority as he and their remaining knights and gold cloaks charged into the castle.
- x -
The Red Keep...
The yard of the Red Keep was full of Gold Cloaks loyal to the King and Bloodmen as the forces of Haeron breached the gates, battle cries ringing out from both sides as they met with the sound of steel clashing.
Haeron was leading from the front, standing shoulder to shoulder with his men as they pressed their way forward. Their swords and other weapons sparked as they hit each other with men on both sides falling to their opponent's steel.
More and more men began to pass through the open gate, pressing the defenders back into the Red Keep as they forced their own way in.
Ser Brynden Tully with a group of knights charged into the secure tower cells, the Bloodmen guards were bracing themselves for them but it was for nothing as Brynden proved why he was the best knight in House Tully and cut them down with a brutal sequence of thrusts of his sword.
"LYSA!" Brynden called out loudly, trying to find his niece with desperation to get her away from this place. His voice echoed slightly and he then heard exactly what he had hoped so much that he would.
"UNCLE! I'M HERE!" Lysa screamed from her cell as he heard her beloved uncle's voice, rushing to the door and poking her head through the bars on the door. The sight of her Uncle at the door was enough to make her cry out in both relief and excitement, he opened the door and she flung herself into his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck and he held her back with a sigh of relief as at last she was safe.
The other prisoners were soon set free and he smiled as he held his niece, he held the words of his family close to his heart.
Family...Duty...Honour.
He swore by those words, he defended and took care of his family, it was his duty and it was his honour to do so.
- x -
On the way to the throne room they had to pass through a courtyard usually for courtiers to sit and talk in peace, it was a simple and undecorated place but it was the fastest way to the throne room.
Haeron and Jaime walked through the corridor into the courtyard along with a half a dozen other men, seeing someone standing there they raised their swords although Haeron sheathed Blackfyre to concentrate on Crimson Heart.
The man appeared older, much older than himself or Jaime. His hair was thin and grey turning white, his face gaunt with the appearance of someone who was not only old but had not eaten in some time. But his eyes were blazing shade of icy blue, which burned with a cold and yet blazing hate.
"You destroyed my creation." He said with the greatest hatred in his voice, it was the only part of him that seemed to have any normal feeling. Haeron frowned alongside Jaime and their men before he realised just who the strange man was. He could not help but feel there was something else about him that was familiar but put that aside in favour of what he knew now.
"I assume you are the sorcerer that I have heard so much about. That creation of yours was an abomination, I have read enough to know that magic is not inherently bad but what you have done is extremely corrupt." Haeron said, his own revulsion at what he had done. Jaime who had a less pleasant view of magic glared at the man, his hands tightening around the hilt of the sword, ready to run him through.
But the sorcerer sneered as he spoke, greenish light around his hands which they now saw had rings with fire opals in them. The green light made them step back with their swords ready in anticipation of some sort of spell.
"I think you are going to see why magic is superior to anything you pathetic peasants can do." The Sorcerer said with a sneer.
That was when they noticed something that had been left around the floor of the courtyard...corpses.
Men and women alike that were clearly rotting already and yet they did not smell of decomposition but instead some kind of strong piercing smell that made the backs of their throats ache. But the corpses eyes began glow green and before their horrified eyes the corpses began rising to their feet like they were alive but their faces were slack and lifeless.
"What the fuck?" Jaime said with a face twisted by horror and Haeron grimaced as he raised his sword.
"Grab torches, use fire if you have too." Haeron to the men while he readied his sword and hoped it would work. Jaime did the same thing while asking.
"Are you sure?" He asked nervously and Haeron told him honestly.
"No, but its all we've got." He was hoping that fire did work as some legends he knew of said it would.
The animated corpses then charged straight at them, their hands like claws as they rushed at them. Haeron and Jaime swung their swords and they swung their swords to impale or stab into the chest area. Jaime plunged Brightroar, straight into the gut of one maid but it was pointless as the corpse just kept moving without any sign of pain or discomfort which scared the hell out of Jaime and the other men. He had to use all of his strength to keep the corpse from clawing at his face before his friend Ser Addam now having returned from making sure Tygett was safe and being seen too grabbed a torch from the nearby walls and jabbed it hard into the corpses face.
The corpse screeched out and made the first genuine noise it had made and it was almost enough to shatter glass, making everyone who heard it wince with pain as their ears hurt with its sound. But thankfully the fire worked and the corpse fell like a puppet with its strings cut.
Men around them were not all so fortunate, some had their throats ripped out by their rotting teeth or their eyes clawed by their bony hands, cries of pain filling the area while they desperately used the torches they had to fend them off or end them if they could.
Haeron quickly remembered the horror movies that Hermione had shown him in their old world and given that they resembled zombies he wondered if that old superstition of taking off their heads might work. Given their situation he felt with some worry that it was worth a chance so he swung his sword and with a single powerful move took the head off of one of the corpses.
The head rolled away and the body fell to the ground but crucially it did not move again so he gritted his teeth and swung his sword as accurately as he could to take off the heads of some of the corpses, pushing his way forward as he hoped that if he killed or distracted the sorcerer the magic would stop.
The Sorcerer sneered as he saw his animated toys failing to do the damage that he needed and disposing of his enemies, the prince that infuriated him so much was slowly making his way closer and closer to him and he for the first time felt a stab of fear.
The Sorcerer briefly stopped using his corpses and concentrated his power to make a strong torrent of green fire burst free from his hands, while not as strong as the fire his creature had made it was an incredible sight to the men who were left but not as much as when Haeron thinking quickly held his sword out in front of him and the green flames seemed to be deflected away from him.
The Sorcerer himself was shocked as he knew that some metals did resist and amplify magic but this was not one that he had experienced before, but he kept up his assault in the hopes of slowing down or stopping Haeron from getting closer.
Gritting his teeth Haeron felt the force pressing against his sword and his own body but he summoned his own will and pushed forward, towards the sorcerer.
Step by step he forced his way forward, sweat falling from his brow in both effort and heat but he kept on pushing until he managed to get close enough to kick the shin of the sorcerer who looked both terrified at him being so close and yet also disgusted that someone who dare touch him! But the distraction ended the spell and with his blade still burning hot from the flames that it had been exposed too Haeron impaled the warlock through the heart with Crimson Heart!
The Sorcerer froze as he looked down in shock at the blade but before he could say anything Haeron pulled Dark Sister from his waist with his now free hand and with as hard a strike as he could manage from his position used the smaller sword to decapitate the sorcerer.
His head made a satisfying crunch as it hit the ground but as Haeron pulled Crimson Heart he was not content and gestured for Ser Addam to come forward with his torch. The young man looked both in shock at what he had just seen and fear at the unusual turn the world had seemingly taken, with a push from Jaime who due to his own experience had a little easier time coping with the situation Addam came forward and burned both the head and the torso of the sorcerer.
Seeing it burn was a great relief as to be honest they half expected him to rise again but Addam turned to Haeron and asked him.
"How are you so calm? I mean...that was magic. How could you not feel fear?" Addam asked desperate to know in case he ever faced such a situation like this again. Haeron just raised an eyebrow as if surprised by the question before telling the younger man.
"I feel fear, that is something that no one can truly remove from themselves however hard they try it will always be there. But you have a choice in moments such as these; go to pieces as you are consumed by that fear or focus on what you have to do and overcome it. Now, we still have a task to complete." Haeron said sternly as he led Jaime, Addam and the men that remained onwards, all staring at him with awe at his strength and wisdom.
- x -
Inside the Throne Room the atmosphere was tense as the sounds of battle faint though they were could be heard, coming closer and closer. The 'Trial' of Brandon and Rickard Stark was set up before them and Cersei, now anxious as she knew the situation was coming apart and she told Aerys as he sat on the Iron Throne while she sat on a special chair next to him.
"My love we must flee, there is little time." She said with urgency as they could scheme and get the throne back if they left now while others might still shelter them but Aerys just seemed to ignore her like she was not even there. The entire situation just seemed to have put him into a state of delusion that ignored everything that he did not want to see.
"My champion will be fire." He said with a sinister grin as he looked down at Rickard Stark who was as stoic as you could hope to be while he was tied to a pyre that was about to be set on fire and Brandon Stark, his eldest son was standing there restrained by two Bloodmen with a rope around his neck which was held by a mechanism that was fixed to the floor. A sword was laying on the floor not far from him but just slightly out of reach of Brandon. "If you can reach the sword then you could save his life." Aerys told Brandon with an excited sneer which sent a shiver up Brandon's spine.
But as the pyromancer went to set the pyre ablaze while Brandon yelled for his father's life...the door to the room burst open with a loud thunderous crack.
Haeron Targaryen stood there, his face covered in sweat and dirt with his two famous swords in hand. Jaime Lannister and a number of other men stood at his side and the throne room was silent as the gathered courtiers, Bloodmen, the Kingsguard, Cersei and Aerys all looked at them with astonished shock while Brandon and Rickard both looked on with sudden hope at the potential rescue.
Cersei felt her heart race as she saw Jaime and a warming of her middle, seeing a chance to finally be with her other half she called out to the Bloodmen in the room.
"Seize them."
The Bloodmen to their credit did do as she commanded but Haeron and Jaime with their swords in hand cut down the dozen men with ease. This shocked those present who had never seen such swordsmanship aside from the Kingsguard, Cersei turned to them but they remained rooted to the spot.
Haeron sheathed his blades and walked over to the centre of the room. Using a dagger to cut Brandon Stark free who quickly rushed over and with the sword that he would have died trying to reach cut his father loose.
But Haeron's eyes remained focused on the figure of Aerys, both of them staring at each other with undisguised hate and loathing.
"Father...I'm home." Haeron said with disgust at the thought of them being even related let alone that closely. "And yet, this is what I find. A disgusting distortion of justice."
"I'AM THE KING! I WILL BURN YOU! BURN THEM ALL!" Aerys screamed like a banshee but Haeron just glared back at him before replying.
"Who are you trying to convince with that shouting? To have to remind everyone that you are the king? It is pathetic." Haeron said with his face becoming cold and stern as he spoke. "Turning the entirety of Westeros upside down with your pride and stupidity. Slaughters that would have even made Maegor pause. Tearing your own city apart...look outside the people are ready to rip you into pieces! No king even Aegon the Unworthy has made our hold of the throne as weak or rallied the kingdoms against us the way you have. They call you the Mad King...never has a title been so deserved as that for you."
"You dare!" Aerys yelled at him while his face became purple and red from his fury but Haeron was unmoved as he continued to speak.
"Yes I dare. I have been forced to watch your insanity growing and your sadistic vanity along with it. It has to stop...today." Haeron said with determination as he knew this would be the last day Aerys had on the throne either way but as he reached for his swords to do the deed...the moment was stolen from him.
Aerys suddenly began to grasp at his chest while his breath which had already been fast due to his rage seemed to stop as gasped for breath. He doubled over before their astonished eyes and fell down the stairs to to the floor of the throne room which everyone looked on in shock. Grandmaester Pycelle rushed forward and checked Aerys whose face was contorted with pain as he writhed on the floor.
But only lasted a few moments as the Grandmaester examined him and then stood up as Aerys body fell still, everyone in a state of complete shock at what had just happened before Pycelle turned to Haeron and told him with confusion.
"The King is dead, his heart...stopped."
Everyone blinked as they took it all in before turning to Haeron who looked down at the body of the man that he had spent most of his current life hating more than anything in the world, unable to believe that it had ended this way. He had been ready to kill Aerys himself and damn the consequences but fate had chosen otherwise he thought with awe.
He did not feel sadness or grief, nor did he feel any sense of vindication or even triumph.
Merely relief...that it was finally over.
"I suppose I should say I am surprised he had a heart but here is the proof." Haeron said without emotion. It seemed odd to say that but everyone was so relieved that Aerys was dead and his reign at last was over. Jaime was the first one to smile and then said loudly as he made it clear how things now were.
"The King is dead...long live the king." Jaime said with his usual smirk which reminded them all that Haeron was now king, the words hung in the air and Cersei, seeing her position here was now in in great danger put as charming a smile on her face as she could manage and prepared to attract Haeron the same way that she had Aerys.
"Your grace...it would be my pleasure." Cersei said with a breathy voice intended to seduce but Haeron cut her off with a cold and dismissive voice.
"Take her to the Black Cells and keep her there. Only trusted men are to watch her, I will speak to Lord Tywin about her fate when we have the opportunity." Haeron said which made Cersei stop in fear before Addam and a few other men took hold of her and dragged her off while she kicked and screamed in protest, fear running through her at the thought of what her father would do to her when he finally arrived.
Haeron however in a move to make sure they all knew that this was now his domain went up the steps to the Iron Throne and sat on it. It was not the first time that he had done so, he had actually held court for half a year while Aerys had been a hostage at Duskendale but now it was his throne and while it was very uncomfortable he felt the rush of power running through him.
The courtiers and Haeron's own men bowed to him while the Kingsguard all knelt, it was a moment that he and those closest to him had been planning and working towards for years now but at the same time he was gripped with the intense feeling of dread, that he was not ready for the position he had been trying to take for so long.
Haeron sighed as he did his best to swallow his own worries and told the gathered people.
"I know this day and indeed recent times have been trying for all of us. A nightmare for some but I intend to set things to rights. Any hostages held against other families in Westeros will be released back to their homes as soon as they are fit to travel. Trials will be held for those that are complicit in the deplorable actions of Aerys. And for Rhaegar's strange conduct, I will get to the bottom of what my wayward brother has done." Haeron said, adding the last part specifically for Rickard Stark who nodded in gratitude.
"It in the meantime though I am forced to ask for Lord Stark to act as my Hand of the King for the moment. Until a more permanent choice can be made." Haeron asked and seeing the existing Hand of the King, Pyromancer Rossart standing there with fear on his face. "Seize the Pyromancer and my father's loyalists, they will be held until their role in his actions is fully known."
"At once your grace." Lord Rickard said, great relief flooding him as he knew now that he and his son were safe and hopefully they would soon have Lyanna back with them again he thought hoping that his daughter was well and all would soon be better again.
The knights and gold cloaks in Haeron's service took a firm hold of the Small Council and other members of the court who would be questioned in turn to find out their own guilt. Brandon with glee took the Hand of the King emblem from Rossart as he was dragged away and handed it to his father.
Haeron was however not done with his announcements as there was still much to do and more than that he had to show himself making the right moves now that he had the throne so he could keep it. Might and violence might win you a throne but keeping it...that would require both wisdom and patience.
"My first act as king will be to replace the destroyed Sept of Baelor with a new building for not only the worship of the gods, but also in remembrance of those lost in the slaughter of Flea's Bottom. A Sept of Memorial, for Ser Redding as well whose wounding of the creature that destroyed the Great Sept made its destruction possible and all of the other victims of Aerys, of Cersei and of the Sorcerer." Haeron said calmly which won him many looks of admiration from the people in the hall, honouring the dead was something that rarely happened but he was not only doing that but replacing the sept that served as the centre of all faith in Westeros.
That was something the more pious among them treasured.
"But we must also ensure that none of the accursed Bloodmen escape or those loyal to the previous regime. Ser Fergus Lockwood will be named as the Lord Commander of the City Watch and given the task of hunting them down wherever they hide within this city. Justice must be upheld if the rule of law fades away then chaos will take its place." Haeron said, turning to Ser Fergus who looked shocked but bowed to his new king with pride as this sounded like a new and better era than what had gone before. As if to mark it, Kara outside flew past the windows and let out a roar of triumph and a blast of fire to light up the night, Haeron smiled as he felt his dragon's joy, not wanting to wait too long before Harmony and Evelyn joined him and they could begin their rule.
Dragonstone, the Narrow Sea...Some Hours Later...
Rhaella had been waiting with baited breath as events had unfolded in Kings Landing and when the raven had finally arrived she smiled, but it was not her normal warm smile or even her polite one she used in public but instead a smirk of satisfaction.
It had taken her so long to find the right poison and means to deliver it but at last, she had fulfilled the promise she had made to end Aerys.
And all made to look like a case of his heart giving out, she would like her sons have thought he didn't have one she thought with gratitude that it had worked.