Lynesse Chapter 23: Hope

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This chapter has been edited due to content. If you want to see the unedited version GO HERE.

There was a comfort in battle that could be achieved nowhere else. For a few hours the world made sense. I gripped Ghost with my legs and one hand as I raised Heartsbane to the sky. After having ridden him from Winterfell to King's Landing, the direwolf had become another extension of my body. It was as natural riding him as it was breathing.

It didn't matter we were now riding towards the Golden Company. The famed group of sellswords had no fear in their eyes even as a man on a direwolf was followed closely by Dothraki, Unsullied, and Northerners. Those of us who had made it this far had survived or killed the famed war elephants. Those elephants that remained after the battle would become a meal for Drogon.

Ghost swerved without warning to avoid one of the war elephants and a few Dothraki went after it. They had decided to do so and so their fates were out of my hands. Instead I had to focus on those of the Golden Company that were riding towards me on horseback. My direwolf had grown large to the point I was now level with the cavalry.

The first member of the Golden Company attempted to pass through me with a sword and Ghost barred his fangs as I blocked the sword. As steel clashed against steel, the direwolf attempted to tear into the horse. Unfortunately both myself and the sellsword were used to our steed's movements. We were both trained to the point we could fight two battles at once.

It was a stroke of luck, like most victories, that allowed me to slice off a few of his finger. He was no longer able to stay balanced on his horse. The last sound he made was a cry of pain before being trampled by his horse.

Heartsbane connected with the swords of two sellswords. I didn't allow my mind to recognize anyone who I had fought beside. They had been hired to fight someone else's war and were used to killing former friends. If we survived this battle, it wouldn't be out of the question to share a few drinks together. But, for now, they were a faceless enemy to me.

An Unsullied's spear pierced the throat of one of the sellswords right as I cut into the other one's arm. With his sword hand now useless, I rode past him. Either he would be trampled to death or someone would kill him. There was no scenario where the man survived. Thus he didn't matter to me anymore.

Drogon's roar reverberated through the air and made a few of the mercenaries pause for the blink of an eye. But that was all the time needed for Daenerys' forces to strike a devastating blow. Heartsbane claimed many lives in the minutes that followed. While I remained outwardly calm even in the heat of battle, the Dothraki made their pleasure at the slaughter evident to everyone around them.

I turned to see a Dothraki covered in blood with a large grin on his face. He was speaking but the battle was too loud for me to understand him. On instinct I turned with him and a few Unsullied formed around us. Harry Strickland was too distracted by Northerners to take notice of us at the moment. Hopefully he would stay distracted.

Daenerys wanted Harry dead for daring to go against her. It didn't make sense as when Cersei died the Targaryen could then buy the mercenary's loyalty. Killing Harry wouldn't make a difference. Though it would feel good to kill him for no other reason than to spill blood. The battle was thicker in my veins than I had thought.

The Dothraki had a grin on his face even as an arrow sunk deep into his shoulder. He switched his arakh to the other hand. The Unsullied around us managed to drive men away from Harry. He finally turned to look at me and there was a nervous twitch in his eyes. He sent his men away in what was probably an attempt to save their lives.

While I stayed focused on Harry, the Dothraki went after his men. It made sense that the man would not dare to kill someone that had already been claimed by his khal. The Dothraki had done his job of making the kill easier while not encroaching on my territory.

"Of course it's you." Harry said in a quavering voice and I tried to remember any personal relationship with him.

It could be that he had always imagined being killed by a former member of the Golden Company or maybe he knew me on a personal level. But spending too much time remembering could allow him an opening.

There was no point talking and so I didn't. Our blades added to the cacophony as they clashed together. Harry's hold on his sword wasn't strong but he somehow managed to hold his own. There was weakness in him and he knew it. He knew this would be his final moments. Yet he fought on.

As I started to swing my sword to meet his, Ghost took Harry's arm in his mouth. In an attempt to stay seated on my direwolf, Heartsbane buried itself deep in the man's chest. With the force of Ghost's movements, I was able to easily free the Valyrian steel from its latest victim.

"Maybe try something less aggressive next time, Ghost." I said and he appeared to pay me no mind.

For a brief moment I was able to look over the battlefield clearly. This was the first time I had been able to do so since the beginning of the battle. The entrance to King's Landing was a few miles ahead with no Lannister soldier in sight. It made sense that Cersei would keep her troops close to her while allowing mercenaries to take the brunt of the bloodshed.

Unsullied, Dothraki, and Northern forces performed a deadly dance with the Golden Company. There had been many losses on either side. Unless someone breached through the gates, this battle would be pointless. The plan had been to fight until Daenerys destroyed the gates. Though I worried that she would enact her darkest desires and destroy the city before letting us in. A dark desire that hadn't been played out yet but still could.

Ghost jumped to the right without warning. Unlike previously in the battle, my legs were a second too slow to strengthen their grip on the direwolf. That brief amount of time sent me spiraling into the air only to be stopped suddenly by the ground. Due to reflex was I able to roll myself into a standing position with my sword at the ready.

I ran once I realized why Ghost had jumped. He had done so to get out of the way of a war elephant. While barely avoiding arrows pouring down at my back, I looked for a spear. A corpse of an Unsullied held a spear and I used the fallen horse nearby as cover. The arrows made sickening sounds as they dug deep into the horse.

After sheathing Heartsbane, I did my best to aim the spear while giving the mercenaries as little of my body to aim for. It most likely only took a second to find the person driving the elephant but it felt like time stood still. Yet time must have passed as the spear struck the driver in the chest which made the elephant useless for war.

I unsheathed Heartsbane as the mercenaries managed to make their way off of the out of control elephant. But they weren't escaping from anything and had just chosen another way to die.

The moment they set foot on the ground either myself or Ghost attacked them. It was as if we were one creature in two bodies. I seemed to feel where the direwolf was going to attack which allowed me to help him or choose a different target.

They put up a good fight but it wasn't enough to save them. The two of us made our way to the gates with fallen bodies. My men found new strength within themselves as the corpses multiplied around myself and Ghost. Even the Unsullied broke their stoic demeanor to let their rage out.

An unbidden elephant charged into one that was still controlled by the Golden company. I stopped for a brief moment to glance at the spectacle. The fallen elephant got back up and followed the unridden one to safety. Or at least their erratic and silent footsteps seemed to carry them away from the battle.

Another of Drogon's roars could be heard as well as his wings.

"Get away from the gates!" I yelled in an attempt to be louder than the battle.

Ghost started to heard our men from the gates and I signaled them where to go. Those of the Golden Company were slaughtered if they dared try to get away from the gates. A few of the sellswords were able to kill or injury enough to get away to safety. Or at least delayed their deaths a few more minutes.

I looked up to the sky and waited for Daenerys to make her entrance. She must have been dealing with an unseen part of the battle as King's Landing wasn't burning. Maybe I had been right in assuming that there were lines she would never cross. That she was a worthy ruler of the Iron Throne.

Drogon dove from the sky and held his wings open just enough to allow him to glide towards the gates. Those sellswords that hadn't been able to flee could only stare at their destruction. They were casualties of war and there was no pity in my heart for them. No tear had to be fought back as they were burned alive when the dragon burned the gates down.

As Drogon flew up towards the sky I raised Heartsbane. I cried out and raced through the gates with Ghost by my side. Soon after Dothraki, Unsullied, and Northerners raced after me. This was the battle that would secure my love the Iron Throne. It would allow House Targaryen to rule proudly once again!

There was no fear or doubt in my mind now. King's Landing was not in flames and the heat of the battle warmed me. It may be years later but she could be made to see that forming another alliance with Jon was the right thing to do. Winterfell would not be ashes, it would stand strong for generations to come.

I looked at the battlements and saw charred remains of Scorpions. Cersei had at least been smart enough to focus on making weapons that could harm dragons. Though the thought of her causing harm to one of Daenerys' children made me wish that my love would allow me the honor of executing the Lannister.

Those who had been tasked with manning the Scorpions were charred flesh that could barely be defined as human. There were corpses that weren't burnt and those were from men who had attempted to jump away to safety. I couldn't tell who had been brave, a coward, or foolish. When death came we were all the same.

I continued to run with my men through the deserted streets of King's Landing. At least there was no chance that innocents would die in the battle. At least not until the men became uncontrollable and looked for anything to stick their cocks into. In smaller battles men did not always rape. But...this was not a small battle. This was taking back the Iron Throne for House Targaryen.

How many of the men around me would ruin a woman or child? Would some even care how young a girl was? I put those thoughts to the back of my mind. I couldn't change those futures, all I could do was make sure that Daenerys won the battle.

A grin finally pierced my face as I saw Lannister soldiers. They had been cowards and now they would pay!

The Lannister soldiers didn't show any fear even as Dothraki and Unsullied, two of the deadliest fighters in the known world, charged at them. I could understand why they didn't flee in fear as there was nowhere to turn to. We would show them no mercy and Cersei didn't reward cowardice. She didn't reward bravery, either. She only rewarded obedience. As King of the Seven Kingdoms it would be my honor to slaughter them all.

My blade clashed with the Lannister soldiers' while Ghost attacked those that would dare harm me. Unlike me, these men weren't burdened from fighting earlier. They had been able to relax and save their energy for this fight. Unfortunately for them, I could fight long after my body begged me to stop. With the fire of the fight burning deep within my veins, it was impossible for me to become tired.

With sweat starting to cloud my vision, I managed to help my men push the Lannister soldiers back. A proud Dothraki warrior was dragged away by his horse, an Unsullied's hand fell to the ground, and a Northerner was left bleeding to death on the ground. Yet more of the enemy fell bleeding and begging to the ground.

"Your Grace, show mercy." A Lannister soldier said as he clutched at his stomach.

The man was on the ground with his armor somehow pressed deep into the skin. A maester could tell what was wrong with him and the chances of him being saved. But while I was well read, I didn't know if the man would see the sunset.

"If your men lay down their swords, I will have no reason to attack." I declared.

"Will...will she follow your decision?" The soldier asked.

"Queen Daenerys Targaryen shows mercy to those that deserve it. She doesn't kill the innocent."

The soldier nodded and then Ghost howled. The direwolf hardly made any noise and so his voice made everyone stop fighting. A few men fell down dead as the survivors turned to me. My decision wouldn't sway Daenerys from her bloodlust, but it would help guide her down a better path.

"Daenerys Targaryen comes to retake the Iron Throne." I said loudly with the last of my strength. "She comes to Westeros to break the wheel. If you surrender and bend the knee to her, she will show mercy. She is a far more forgiving queen than Cersei Lannister will ever be. Surrender and see Westeros enter into a new golden age!"

The Lannister soldiers threw down their swords and bent the knee. They didn't look at me and I could understand why this power could drive anyone mad. Of course Daenerys was tempted by these feelings when the harder option rarely provided such happiness. Hopefully my queen would allow these men mercy since they had surrendered to her.

The Dothraki rode their horses wildly through the streets and yelled out in glee. The Unsullied and Northerners were more subdued but were still clearly happy about this outcome. I looked up to see where Daenerys would land. There was still a voice in me saying that this day would not have a happy ending.

The Unsullied cheered loudly as Drogon landed on a nearby building. He roared loudly and I saw a smile on Daenerys face as she looked at the bowed Lannister soldiers. I held up Heartsbane proudly and joined in the cheers. She looked at me and there was such love in her eyes that it was nearly unbearable for me.

Yet behind the lovely exterior that threatened to ruin me, there was still a dark look in her eyes. She grinned with the same bloodlust that was skewing my perception. It had taken decades to learn to both embrace battle and remain calm during those moments. Or at least as calm as a man could remain at such a moment in time. I could never be a saint.

Daenerys wanted nothing more than to spill blood and burn cities down. Yet she was remaining calm on Drogon's back. No matter the darkness that managed to ensnare her, she would always be strong enough to choose the honorable path. It was her that was needed to guide Westeros to a better way.

She had talked about the citizens of King's Landing not deserving her mercy and wanting to burn the city to the ground. But those would just be perverted fantasies as she would never burn innocents alive. Jon would come to see that I had been right. We could never become lovers, but at least there would never be the threat of having to kill the other.

Daenerys looked as if she was about to give a speech. Most likely she was going to demand that the Lannister soldiers bring Cersei to her as proof of their loyalty.

We all turned as the bells began to ring. My blood began to freeze as the bells of King's Landing never rang for anything good. But what could Cersei have planned to defeat Daenerys? The Lannister did not have a dragon and all of the Scorpions had been destroyed. My queen would not have left any danger for her child.

Ghost tucked his tail underneath and he shivered. It took a lot to make a creature like a direwolf become stricken with fear. If only he could tell me what was about to happen. If only...but he couldn't talk.

An explosion of green fire rose from the distance. Wildfire! Cersei had given up and released the deadly substance on her own city!

The screams were faint but I knew there would be more. There must be more wildfire in the city and she planned to destroy the city that way. There was no time to save everyone. There was only time to flee to safety.