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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.
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