#davo fly

[slaytheusurper]

⭑ The ballad of the raven and the dragon ⭑

Masterlist

A/N: PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!!!! PLEASE KIERAN BURTON ONE CHANCE JUST ONE!!!!!!!!

Pairing: Benjicot ("Davos") Blackwood x targ!princess!reader

Summary: Being the only daughter of queen Rhaenrya and the heir to the throne is not easy, after convincing your mother to let you patrol near the riverlands you come across a battle where you meet the infamous Bloody Ben.

Word count: 3k

Warnings: NSFW, mdni, smut, burning brackens, making out, dry humping, oral (f receiving), oral (m receiving), wine play, vaginal sex.

It was another grey and windy morning at Dragon Stone. The sea waves crashing against the cliffs, dragons roaring in the sky. War was brewing and so was the tension at Dragon Stone. Being heir to the iron throne was heavier than you thought, the meetings with the black council were getting more dreadful and your mother, the queen, more protective of you and your brothers by the day. Ever since Ser Arryks intrusion she had more guards on watch and you were rarely allowed to leave, especially because you are the queen's only daughter and heir. 

However this morning after begging her to let you patrol the lands, she finally gave in, only for a short while. So your handmaiden quickly helped you change and put your hair up for the flight. Practically running towards the cave, you could barely pace yourself to get to your dragon. She was big for her age and almost as fierce as Caraxes. After getting on her, she felt your excitement and quickly flew out. After a while of flying around Dragon Stone you decided to go a bit further, near the riverlands. 

When you were getting closer high in the sky, you spotted some people near cow fields and a mill, so to take a closer look you descended down enough so you could see them better. Just to check if you didn’t come across the greens knights. Now being lower you could hear some yelling, and then their clothes became more apparent. Around four or so in yellow and brown and the other 4 in black and red, which in the riverlands only meant one thing. Brackens and Blackwoods. However they did not seem to notice you, too caught up in the argument. You were debating on landing out of curiosity but quickly made your decision when swords were drawn and a fight broke out. 

Then you noticed that more Brackens turned up, you knew they declared for Aegon and even though your mother told you not to engage, you never turned away from a fight. You quickly descended with your dragon and she let out a shrieking roar. The faces of the men looked up but there was no time for the Brackens to run as you commanded, “Dracarys!”. Your dragon incinerated a good half of the brackens, the other now starting to run. You quickly turned the two of you around to get on their heels and burn the remaining of them. Your body filled with adrenaline and you dragon roaring with triumph and excitement herself you heard the victorious chants of the Blackwood men down below. 

So deciding to officially meet your allies you landed near them, seemingly their commander already heading towards you. As you stood on the ground you met him halfway and could barely hold in your smile at the sight of him. Never had you seen someone as fierce, unique and handsome looking as him. “My princess, thank the gods for you and your dragon. You saved us many men.” He greeted you with a grin. “It was my pleasure, any green I see I’ll turn black.” He laughed at that, took a step closer and gave you a soft bow with his head. 

“However exciting I find to burn my enemies, this was still unnecessary my lord. I don’t remember my mother giving out orders to kill Brackens.” You lectured, your tone a bit more serious now. Even though it was thrilling, your mother would surely hear of this and get upset. “I understand your grace but those cunts deserve death, anyone who stands with the usurper does.” The fearsome lord gritted out. “But I do apologise, I meant no offence to her grace the queen…or the beautiful princess.” He said that last part softer and with a smile. 

You felt like a little girl again, blushing at his words. “I know you didn't, my lord.” He smiled again and you felt your skin heat up beneath your clothes, there was just something about him...a certain mischief. “Raventree Hall is not too far your grace, I would like to offer you some wine and food for your troubles.” He petitioned. “It was no trouble my lord but I’ll take that offer. I assume you’re on horseback?” You smiled. “Yes your grace, you could ride with me if it pleases you.” He offered. “Have you ever flown on a dragon my lord?” The words left your lips before you could even think about them. The lord of house Blackwood made you say and do things you never thought you would for a man. 

“I haven’t your grace, what are you suggesting?” He looked at you with a mix of curiosity and nervousness on his face. “Fly with me, it’s faster and more fun.” Your words surprised him and he seemed to debate on whether he should. But Benjicot Blackwood was a brave man and at this moment he would do anything to please the princess, even risking his life on a dragon's back. His men cheered behind him and one of them even pushed him in your direction. “Even if I didn’t want to, it looks like I have no choice.” He chuckled. 

“Well let’s go then.” You walked over to your dragon who didn’t seem to love the idea but always did as you commanded anyway. When you were seated, you asked your dragon to lower herself a bit for Lord Blackwood “Ivestragī zirȳla va.” and she did, almost with a grunt.  He climbed on behind you in the saddle as you scootched a bit forward to make room for the tall man. “Ready?” You asked him, grabbing the reins, his men moving out of the way before you. “I think so.” He said, holding on to your waist, which totally didn’t make your heart skip a beat. “Sōvēs.” The second the word left your lips, your dragon started to move, taking some steps before rising into the sky, wings flapping. You could hear the men below you gasp and cheer and felt the lord's hands holding on tighter to your waist. 

After some time of soaring through the skies, Raventree Hall finally came into view. With a loud thump your dragon landed on the ground and you showed lord Blackwood on how to get off, after he got off as well he grinned and led you to the gates of Raventree Hall, the tall weirwood tree looming not too far away. Following Lord Blackwood through his home you were greeted by the guards and servants roaming the place, all with a polite bow or curtsy and a soft “your grace” or “princess”. When you arrived in the big dining hall, it was empty except for you two and some guards. 

Sitting opposite to each other at the table he had a servant fetch some wine, bread, cheese and fruits. “Do you have a favourite fruit or cheese princess?” He asked while removing his gloves. “I wouldn’t want your servants to go out of their way, really anything is fine.” You smiled, cautiously observing his handsome face and veiny hands. He still had some blood on his face, which somehow made him even more alluring. When the food and wine arrived he sent the few guards and servants away and poured you some wine himself. “Thank you my lord.” You said politely, hands in your lap as you watched his tall figure looming over you behind your seat, putting the goblet in front of you. Pouring himself some too he sat back down.

“My princess you needn't call me ‘my lord’, please call me Ben.” His request surprised you but you gave him a smile and nod nonetheless. “Alright... I will.” He took a sip of his wine and looked at you shamelessly. Normally you hated men looking at you like that, but him doing it- made you hot and flushed. “I know it has been a year already but I still wanted to say how sorry I was to hear of your father. I didn’t know him well but I knew he was fierce on the battlefield.” You spoke softly. “Thank you, I must admit that seeing those Brackens today triggered some grief I still had left.” He looked down as he spoke. “I’m so sorry, I know how it feels to have your father taken by the stranger. It will get better, if there is anything I can do for you.” 

He looked at you with kind eyes. “You are too kind, and quite fierce on the battlefield yourself.” He complimented you, now with his mischievous smile back on his face. “Thank you.” You glanced around the empty room before you spoke again. “Do you- have a wife?” You almost stumbled over your words, the question wasn’t disgraceful... but how it was perceived could be. “No, the war and finding my place as new lord of Raventree Hall have kept me busy. It gives me space to...explore and experience, I guess.” He said looking at you once again- did he just look at your chest? “I see. A man is lucky enough to do that, many even continue to explore and experience well into marriage.” You said with a certain jealousy behind it. You seemed to both understand the meaning behind your words, the impure meaning. 

The winds blowing through the cold Raventree Hall made the room cool your heated conversation down a bit but your want for him couldn’t be blown away. Your eyes met each other and you couldn’t help but notice a certain change in demeanour from him. “Have you had the opportunity to explore or experience much in life yet princess?” The way he said the words, low and almost raspy, made your breath catch in your throat. “No.” You said soft and meek. He paused before he dared speak his next words. “Have you ever wondered what it’s like…” His tone was still low and soft. “Yes-” You answered quickly, you wanted nothing more than his touch. 

Before you could protest he rose from his seat, walked to the hall doors and opened them. You thought you had perhaps scared him off but then you heard him speak to the guards outside the door. “The princess has a delicate matter to discuss with me, so take your leave for the night. Make sure no servants pass here.” You could hear a hushed ‘yes my lord’ and footsteps leaving as he closed the doors again. On instinct you stood up and he walked over to you. Looking at each other's eyes and lips once more he surged forward and crashed his lips against yours. His strong grip on your waist and lips moving against yours made a soft moan escape your lips. He moved you tighter against him and your arms were holding on to his back.

His veiny hands moving down to your ass and gripping it tightly caused your clothed pussy and his hardening cock to grind on each other making him groan against your lips. Pausing the kiss for a moment you begged him to do it again. “I have a better idea.” He mumbled against your lips, giving you a chaste kiss as he moved you towards the table. With your ass now touching the edge of the table his hands moved to knead your breasts before lifting you up on the table and standing between your legs. He held onto you before kissing you again, your own hands moving to his dark hair. 

Bringing you close again he started to grind his hard on right against your clothed cunt, making you moan and whine into his mouth. He left your lips to kiss along your jaw, sucking on your neck next. “Please- harder...feels so good.” You pleaded. “Fuck-” He muttered against your neck, now full on humping you like a dog, panting and cussing underneath his ragged breaths. The table was croaking and scratching the floor from the movements. Your hands held on tighter in your hair as you felt your orgasm wash over you, sudden and unknown but you never felt this amount of pleasure. As the pleasure overtook you you held your breath, his moans now becoming louder as well. “Feels good- doesn’t it pretty princess? Just wait until I fuck you on my cock.” His dirty words made you gasp and whine in response before he sadly stopped his movements. Instead he started removing your clothes, you quickly helped, once left in your undergarments and chemise he started to remove his own clothes as well, leaving him in just his breeches, the thin fabric gave you a full view of the big tent that his hard cock created. 

You couldn’t stop your hand from wanting to touch his cock, his breath hitched as your fingers touched his tip. “Does that feel good?” You asked in a seductive tone, you knew what you were doing and this newfound sinful power made you wonder what else you could do to him. “Ohh yesss.” He shuddered, “Just like that-” Your hand now fully grasped his cock moving the skin over his tip underneath the cloth. “S-stop, fuck, before you make me cum already.” Ben said with a breathy chuckle. Setting you back on the table he removed the remainder of your clothes, at the sight of your breasts he paused and couldn’t help but stare. Throwing the rest of your clothes on the floor he reached behind you and grabbed the goblet of half filled wine. “Shall we make this memorable?” He smiled mischievously. You could only nod and look at him with slight confusion, but it all became clear when he tipped the goblet over by your left breast, wine trickling down your nipple before Ben moved to lick it up and suck on the skin. You inhaled at the sensation. 

Moving to your right nipple he once again let some wine flow down your breast before he licked it up again. He kissed you once more. Then he licked your lips and sank to his knees. Your brows furrowed in confusion but you were excited for what he was about to do next. He started to kiss up your legs, kneading your thighs and hips. Your eyes rolled back at the sight before you. His head now moved between your thighs, moving the cup right above your already wet cunt he tipped it over again letting wine spill over your pussy and again he didn’t fail to lick it up. 

But this time it felt a thousand times better than your breasts. A gasp and moan left your mouth and you grabbed his head for support when he repeated the action, however this time he started to suck, lick and devour you. Putting the wine on the ground he grabbed your hips to hold you still as he went in like you were his dinner. “Gods- please- Ben!” You could never keep quiet with the way his tongue was fucking you now. And due to your sensitivity from your previous orgasm, you came undone in a matter of seconds, coating his face in your arousal. 

“Thats a good fucking girl.” He smiled leaving soft kisses on your mound before rising again. “Please, please take me. Bend me over the table and take me Ben.” You breathlessly begged. With a look of pure lust on his face he did as his princess told. Moving you off the table and turning you around he bended you over, your breasts pressing against the hard table. Hurriedly removing his breeches, he lined up his hard cock with your entrance. Using his tip to spread around your juices. “Seven hells-” He groaned as he let his tip slip inside you. You moaned and gripped the table for support as he now slowly sank into you. 

“You okay? Can I move?” He asked breathlessly. “Yes- please I’m fine- just fuck me already-” He wasted no time and grabbed your ass cheeks as he fucked into you. Gaspes, pants and moans filled the room as he pounded harder into you. He couldn’t help but slap your ass and grip it harder making you roll your eyes back in ecstasy. The table shook underneath you and now you understand why he even sent the guards outside away. 

The noises of sweaty skin slapping against each other, the moans, the cusses, the pleading, panting and creaking of the table spurred Benjicot on even more. Lifting your right leg so your knee was resting on the table as well allowed in to fuck you even deeper. His cock now fully hitting your cervix. He had to remind himself who he was fucking and that he couldn’t fill you with his cum. That became an even more difficult task as he could feel the walls of your pussy clenching around him tighter making him moan your name with each pound into you. 

Moving his fingers to your clit while thrusting into you, moaning your name against your shoulder you came with a moan of his name. Benji quickly pulled out and you turned around “On your knees.” He commanded, and you did. You had a feeling of what he wanted and opened your mouth, with a smile Ben put his leaking cock in your mouth as you started sucking. His moans became louder again and he filled your mouth, cussing as he came too, swallowing his cum he caressed your cheek before helping you up. Heavy breaths filled the room and breathy laughs from you both. He pulled you closer and you held each other for a bit.

Until you had to break the silence. “No one can know Ben.” You spoke resting your chin on his chest when you looked at him. “I know.” You shared a solemn smile before you pulled away from him reaching for your chemise on the ground. “Let me keep it.” He stammered. “Why would-” He took it from you. “Because, when you leave I’ll have something of you. And when I am lonely at night...I could relive the memory of my cock deep in your cunt.” He spoke lowly. “Okay.” You smiled, giving him a light kiss before getting dressed. Anxiety filled you as your mother must be worried by now. “I do have to leave now.” You said after Ben got dressed as well. “I know.” You kissed each other one last time before you left with your dragon, soaring through the sky as your heart hurt at the thought of not being with him.

[witchthewriter]

𝐁𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐭'𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞

⤷ female, Valyrian blood (dragon rider), and any size reader. Requests are open, thank you for reading!

a/n: APPARENTLY THIS IS A GUY NAMED DAVOS BLACKWOOD. But he literally IS Bloody Ben. So he's staying Bloody Ben.

P.s. I'm ageing Benjicot up so he's around 24 or whatever age you want him to be that's over 18 <3

ᴹᵃˢᵗᵉʳˡᶤˢᵗ | ᴹᵃˢᵗᵉʳˡᶤˢᵗ ᴵᴵ

𝑺𝑭𝑾🌿

・It wasn't an arranged marriaged. No, not by any means.

・You had been sent by your Queen to remind the Houses of Westeros their pledge to her. And Rhaenyra had chosen you to go to the Blackwoods.

"I expect you will be welcomed warmly," her Grace said with a warm smile.

You bowed your head and returned the smile.

・You always felt safe around Rhaenyra, she was someone very close to you. Someone who you would fight to the death for.

・The first time Benji saw you, his heart stopped...which was a very fair reaction as you were atop your fearsome dragon, The Cannibal.

・You bonded with the wild dragon when you were 13 - it was the first day of your periods and you were sick and tired of being without a dragon.

・It was in your blood. And you were done waiting.

・Your first flight with Cannibal was difficult - although the blood magic seemed to be strong between the two of you.

・You were the exact person he was waiting for.

・So when your duty came to aid Queen Rhaenyra; she did asked for you to unite with a House through marriage

・That was heavy - a big duty that you did not think would need to happen, since you bonded with Cannibal. Wouldn't you be put on the front lines straight away? Her answer was no.

・But you knew the realities of war and faced your duty head on (you know Cannibal will always defend you)

・Your marriage was a significant one. All the Blackwoods were invited, and Rhaenyra was there to oversee the ceremony.

・However, having all of your family there would have been another Red Wedding, so only a few choice people from your side could be invited.

・Nonetheless, it was absolutely beautiful.

・Dragonfire lit the skies, chasing away the dark. Even Cannibal was having a good time. There were tributes made to him - sheep, cow, goats galore. You swore you saw him smiling.

・What you absolutely weren't expecting was Benji to INTERACT with Cannibal...

・He brought up a bull from the biggest hoard they had. Benji watched as the dragon practically gulped the animal down. However, he wasn't scared - he was impressed. And intrigued.

・You were absolutely moved by Benji's act. Truly. Because it showed his bravery. His daring. And of course his caring. You knew, you could feel the way Cannibal was feeling - and he trusted this Blackwood.

・So you decided to give him a wedding present. A fly.

・By doing so, you broke down every single one of Benji's walls and he knew you were the one for him. His wife. His firt and only one.

・After a tough day, and you both go to your chambers; he'll grab your arm and kiss your wrist. A physical way of saying "I'm so glad you're alive and mine."

・Learns High Valyrian for you. He wanted to surprise you with it. And surprise you he did.

・You call each other: Ñuha jorrāelagon (my love), Ñuha prūmia (my heart),

・ A very particular sentence that Benji says a lot is: Nyke pendagon nūmāzma ao everyday (I think about you everyday)

・Of course he knows you can protect yourself; but that doesn't stop him from defending you. You're his world now. You mean so much to him.

・No body thought this union would work as well as it had.

・So, Bloody Ben & The Rider of Cannibal became a formidabble pair that made men tremble wherever they went.

𝑹𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑 𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒔

Like Calls To Like

The Gomez & Morticia Adams

"Think they'll try us?" x "Fuck I hope so."

𝑹𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒄 𝑷𝒍𝒐𝒕 𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆

Unbreakable Bond

Growth through Adversity

Bickering and Banter

𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒆 𝑺𝒐𝒏𝒈

Please Please Please by Sabrina Carpenter

The Politics & The Life by Daniel Pemberton

O Verona by The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra

𝑁𝑆𝐹𝑊 🔞 No one under the age of 18 past this point, makes me feel weird if you read it.

・Gives you complete and utter respect both in and out of the bedroom.

・Has never and will never push you to do anything you don't want to do

・The first time you were together, it felt like your bodies were on fire. Meant to burn together. The words kept replaying over and over in your head as he touched you. A deep yearning overtook you and suddenly time stopped.

・His lips were warm, his hands cold but when he took off his clothes, you couldn't help but grin.

・There's such desire between you two that even your mount can sense it.

・Your sex life is very active - at least once a day. Maybe you're in your Honeymoon period, but you cannot keep your hands off one another when you're alone

・And when you're at feasts, Benji's hands find their way down your thigh, and slowing inching inbetween them.

"Really, here? Now?" You asked n a hushed tone, trying not to draw any attention to either of you.

"Yes. Here, now. Or we can go into the hallway and I will ravish you there. Upto you, wife."

[the20thangel]

The Dragon and Raven Masterlist

Note: Hello, wonderful people. I created a master list of my series, The Dragon and Raven. Linking the ongoing chapters will make it much easier for you all to follow and keep track of the story. I hope you enjoy it!

Story Summary: After the Battle of BurningMill, Samwell and Davos Blackwood are gone, leaving Davos' twin Benjicot, the new lord of House Blackwood. Queen Rhaenyra and her council decided to show sympathy and gratitude to House Blackwood for their stance on the Black Faction of the War. Crown Princess Aemma, Rhaenyra's oldest daughter and supposedly Ser Leanor's only child, volunteers to fly to Raventree Hall to show the Crown's Respect and Support to House Blackwood and their newly appointed Lord.

Tags: Fluff, Smut, and angst.

Chapter One: Aemma Velayron

Chapter Two: Benjicot Blackwood

Chapter 3: Raventree Hall to Harenhall

Chapter 4: The Duel

Chapter 5: The Dragon Princess and her Raven Lord

Chapter 6: The Wedding

Chapter 7: The Battle of Rook's Rest

Chapter 8: The Cursed Gift

Chapter 9: Seasmoke

Chapter 10: Dragon seeds

Chapter 11: The Dragon Prince

Chapter12: Funeral Pyre and New Beginnings

Chapter 13: The Dragon Princess

Chapter 14: Warging Lessons

Chapter 15: Luring the Beast

Chapter 16: The Vale

Chapter 17: The Rogue Prince

Chapter 18: Fire and Blood: A Dragon Princess's Promise (Current Chapter) (Newest Update)

One Shot: The Pearl of The Realm

[loggiepj]

To Love A Lannister

chapter 17 | chapter 18

A door softly creaked behind you, the eerie sound making you turn from where you were sitting only to look at the intruder.

Queen Daenerys had typical Valyrian features of silver-gold hair, purple eyes and pale skin. Anyone would be a fool to deny of her beauty. Aside from her slender like figure, what stood out the most was the tough exterior she possessed from her gaze.

One thing was for certain. Your sister looked more Targaryen than you could ever be.

"How's your wound?" Queen Daenerys asked. Missandei was standing behind her with head bowed down.

Forcing out a weak smile her way while massaging your arm, you shrugged. "Pain's barely there anymore, Your Grace."

"Please," she said as she chuckled, moving inside the room then taking a seat beside you on the bed. "You're my sister. . . My only family left. Call me Dany."

"You're my Queen," you declared, the word causing a bitter taste in your mouth. Cersei would always be your Queen. And you'd bleed for her a thousand times if you had to. It sparked a dilemma inside your heart.

"You don't have to prove your loyalty to me," Daenarys said as she stood abruptly, heading towards the window where she could see your dragon Nymeros towering over her children. It was apparent that Nymeros was older and more massive than the Queen's two smallest dragons combined. "We're Targaryen by blood. And the right rulers of the Seven Kingdom. I'm sure nothing could persuade you from that," she paused, "well, not unless you're still devoted to her."

Your gazes met and hers sported a questioning curiosity. You knew she was referring to Cersei and your love affair. Upon knowing Tyrion as her hand when you arrived at Dragonstone just two weeks ago, you believed Daenerys knew more about you than you knew about her. Varys was even one of her counselors. There wasn't a single thing Varys didn't know.

"I'm sure you have heard about what happened in the Capital upon their return," she went on, walking past you as she headed back to the door.

Of course, you had. It was chaos.

Cersei had taken over the throne. It turned out that after her father's death, King Tommen had gone mentally incapable to rule the Kingdom, rendering him bed ridden and mute. You pitied the boy so much but who wouldn't go crazy if your own wife would leave you just like that.

But you couldn't blame Margaery either when she went ballistic upon finding out her grandmother Lady Olenna was assassinated by Ser Jaime himself. It appeared that the Lannisters had finally found out she was the culprit behind late King Joffrey's murder.

They had also taken captive those from Dorne who attempted to execute Princess Myrcella, including Oberyn and your guardian father.

If you had to be honest, you felt a bit hurt that Cersei was now ruling with the support of Prince Doran, your real father, by her side, considering what he did and did not do to claim you as his child.

"People like them have no heart to rule Westeros," Daenerys continued, bringing you back to the present. "It will never change. . . All we have now is each other."

~~~

"I thought I'd never get to see you again," you said, greeting Tyrion as he climbed down a boat along the shores of Dragonstone. There were a group of men following his stead, and a couple of others still on their boats.

"I still have luck on my side, My Lady," he replied, looking at the sky where anyone could see four dragons flying around the castle. "It's a nice addition to the group, you know. If I had known sooner you're more than just a viper from the South, I would have served you well."

A forced cough made you look at the strangers. There was a different kind of aura coming from the burly man with a beard looking at you as if you knew each other.

"Excuse my bad manners, Lady Y/n, this is Jon Snow—"

"King Jon Snow," another man with thin white hair corrected, stepping beside Jon. "He's King in the North now."

"Right." Tyrion could only sigh. "This is Ser Davos, Jon's advisor."

"I thought the Seven Kingdoms only have one ruler," you said, earning a curious look from Jon. "I don't think my sister will appreciate such title."

"We have business to discuss with Queen Daenerys," Jon answered, walking past you, "about the things happening right now in the North. Titles will have no meaning if we're all dead."

You looked at Tyrion in confusion as he shrugged his shoulders. He urged for you to follow them as they headed towards the castle, where you could see from a distance Queen Daenerys looking down below at all of you. "The North is currently at war against the Night King."

"And we need more men," Jon added, his voice sounding urgent, "and we need more dragonglass and forge them into weapons."

"Dragonglass are known to be effective against the White Walkers," Tyrion explained by your side as you walked together. "They had been mining back and forth for months now."

"So it's true then, what they say about the White Walkers?" you asked.

Jon gave one look at you before he nodded, "Either you have dragonglass or Valyrian steel, we have no chance against them."

"What about the dragons?"

Jon bit back his mouth before he turned, walking away from you. Ser Davos gave a small bow before he went after Jon.

Tyrion sighed beside you. "He's still convincing the Queen to fight alongside him."

"What's stopping Dany?"

"Cersei."

You turned to look at him.

He went on. "Queen Daenerys will only fight with Jon if they both bent the knee in her favor. Both Jon and Cersei."

You knew then Jon would have to fight alone because there was no chance Cersei would do such a thing.

~~~

After what seemed like a lifetime discussing about the plans on the war against the White Walkers and how to convince Cersei to give up the Iron Throne, you surrendered to the darkness of the night outside the castle, facing the lonely shores of Dragonstone.

You had visited Nymeros half an hour ago. The dragon was happy it was finally where he belonged yet you could tell he was uneasy for the fight that was about to come.

"You look so much like your mother if you only had silver hair." The alluring accent made you alert and look behind you. It was none other than the Red woman herself, Melisandre. She was wearing her red cloak, a hood over her head as her eyes pierced right through you.

"What are you doing here?" was the first thing that came into your mind. The last time you remembered, she was serving Stannis Baratheon, who died during one of the battles in the North.

"Serving the true heir to the throne," she replied, wrapping her arms around her body as the cold breeze from the sea blew towards the both of you.

"My sister have four dragons to her side," you said, chuckling lightly. "I barely think she needs a dedicated follower of the Lord of the Light too."

"I wasn't talking about her," Melisandre replied, now looking at the dark horizon before you.

Her firm response made you stare at the woman. There was no chance she knew about your parentage.

"You were there," you began, slowly remembering, "you were there at the boar hunt Joffrey had planned, at the ambush."

"I was there to protect you," she answered, "as I have sworn since the day you were born."

"What?"

"If I weren't there when Stannis' soldiers attacked you, that arrow would have lunged straight to your heart."

"But you distracted me—"

"Did I really?" Mellisandre looked at you with a smirk on her face before she turned away.

You swallowed nervously. "When you say since the day I was born. . ."

"Yes, I was there when Rhaella gave birth to you," she said. "You were so tiny then, yet your cries were as fierce as a dragon's. Rhaella made me swear to look after you and I did. All these years."

There was a brief silence of you trying to understand what she was telling you. No, she could just be lying to you. She was a witch after all.

"It was me who set Nymeros free from his chains in the cave when you were still young," she went on, "if he'd still be chained, he wouldn't be able to save you from drowning. Or that time you were held hostage by a band of thieves from Braavos, where you mysteriously succeeded in escaping not knowing your captors were already unalived."

"Why? What are you to my mother? Why do you owe her that much to save a child you barely knew?"

Melisandre only went silent, avoiding your gaze.

~~~

"Let me convince her," you said, seeing defeat from your sister and Jon's faces when they came back from the Capital with no good news. Cersei didn't waver. She was stubborn, face stoic as what Ser Davos had observed when she watched a White Walker Jon had captured from the North just to convince everyone in Westeros that death was real.

Daenerys even lost one of her dragons for that quest, yet Cersei was still merciless and selfish.

Daenerys scoffed. "You think she'd bend the knee just because you did? I thought you know her enough."

"I know she'd never bend the knee, but she'd fight alongside with you if she knew what we're facing against—"

"She had enough of that evidence running straight to her face yet it still didn't scare her," Ser Davos butted in.

"Cersei, however less of expression her face shows, is mighty convinced the sea surrounding the Capital will keep the White Walkers away," Varys chimed in. "Unless they have figured out ways to swim or fly."

"Which they can now that they have one of my children," Daenerys hissed.

"I know Cersei since I was a child," Jon interrupted. "She has no heart—"

"You're wrong," you said, defending Cersei. You were whipped, but you knew the Lannister woman better than anyone in the room did. "You don't know her better than I do. She cares enough even when she doesn't show it—"

"Maybe to you," Tyrion said. "But what about now when you're no longer a good fuck to her?"

You glared at Tyrion, knowing he had a point. You didn't exactly leave Cersei in good terms.

"You always knew what she was but you loved her anyway," Tyrion added, sighing in defeat.

"At least, let me try," you pleaded, now facing Daenerys. She was hesitant to let you go. She hadn't even let you go with them. Maybe she did care about you. Or maybe she didn't trust you enough to be loyal to her and go back.

"Bring Nymeros with you," Daenerys said, as she walked away from the counselors. You nodded eagerly amidst the complaints from others, not wasting another second to leave the room.

~~~

"Did you forget what I said I'd do when I see you step your foot in the Capital?" Cersei's cold voice echoed through the entire hall. "You are looking for death if you think I'd help you and your usurper of a sister's cause."

You knew you should be scared. Tyrion had been right all along. You were immediately captured the moment Nymeros left you as soon as you landed on the shores of the Red Keep, near the Blackwater gates.

But even when the Queen's guards poked you with their spears as they forced you to kneel before her, before Cersei herself, you couldn't find it in yourself to be terrified of her.

For almost two months of not seeing her, all you wanted to do was kiss the woman, hug her, touch her and more. Cersei looked much fiercer and tougher than she was the last time you saw her. She had changed yet beauty still incomparable. Her golden hair was adorned with the most elegant looking crown with the Lannister's sigil.

Aside from Nymeros, she was truly the only beautiful thing you had ever witnessed in your life.

But of course, Cersei never cared about you. You were just a good lay, as Tyrion had said.

"My Queen," you bowed down your head, "I plead for you to take mercy. We need more men to fight in the North. We cannot defeat the White Walkers without your help—"

"And what? After the war, you all would seek the throne? When my men are already depleted, you'd take advantage over us? Do you think me of a fool, Lady Y/n?"

You met her gaze, and she was gritting her teeth, anger seething.

"I will never bend the knee," Cersei said with finality in her tone. You exhaled heavily. If you could just talk to her alone, you'd make her understand.

You were about to retort but she held her hand, stopping you. "We will deal with what it's left when you fight against the White Walkers."

Your eyes never wandered as you stared right through her, waiting if she'd also break like you did. However when Prince Doran entered the hall, his eyes on you, you looked away.

"Y/n Martell," Doran called, now standing beside the Queen. "Finally on your knees ready to commit to your crimes?"

"For what? For being your daughter?" you snide back.

Doran went silent for a moment before he walked slowly towards you, unsheathing his sword from his belt. "She was never born. You're no daughter of mine. You're an impostor."

"She is mine to execute," Cersei said, standing up from her seat.

Doran shook his head, facing the Lannister woman. "I chose to serve you, Your Grace. But when one of my people had betrayed me, they will only answer to me alone."

Then he looked back at you. "I've loved Rhaella with all my life but she also chose to betray me in the end. I married her even, convinced the Citadel to annul their marriage beforehand," the statement made everyone in the hall whisper, "yet when I told her to go to Dorne to finally be with me, she chose to stay with the Mad King."

"Are you not sure she was not referring to stay away from you?"

Doran glared at you before he raised his sword ready to hit, but a blade went through his chest, making him gulp in his own blood.

"Bring Y/n to the dungeons," the Queen announced when Doran's body hit the floor with a loud thud. Jamie stood behind Doran, holding a bloody sword. The guards dragged your frozen limb, your eyes still on the bloody figure of the man you thought who'd accept you as his own.

~~~

"The Queen has requested me to escort Y/n to her council room," Qyburn announced to the soldiers guarding you outside your cell in the dungeon not half an hour later from the incident.

When you and Qyburn headed through empty corridors of the castle, you attempted to untie the rope around your wrists. Qyburn helped you when you both have arrived at the door and you were still unsuccessful of untying it yourself.

Cersei was alone, staring out the windows with her hand on the railing, when you entered the room. Qyburn then closed the door, leaving you two.

The air had suddenly gone heavy. The Queen turned her head to finally look at you.

When it was only the two of you, there was an unspoken tension. You swallowed nervously, ready to speak yet Cersei's eyes on you didn't waver.

And as if on instinct, she moved forward towards you as you met her halfway, her arms welcoming you as you embraced her back so tightly. Breathing everything that was her, you tightened your hug around the woman, afraid that if you'd let her go, it would be the last time.

Cersei's hands fisted around your tunic, unbelievable strength coming from the Lannister woman. Then you pulled away as you cupped her face, pulling her close as you pressed your lips against hers.

And it was carnal. The hunger you had for each other was incomparable. Her hands held your head against hers, pulling you closer and closer.

She was devouring you like she had been deprived from sustenance. You pushed the woman against the wall as you returned the same force she showed, tongues dancing against each other, short breaths, gasps, sighs, and moans managed to come out from the little moments your lips would pull away from each other before reconnecting.

And then you could taste it. The bitter taste of Cersei's tears made you pull away, cupping her face gently as the woman only tried to chase after your mouth.

Leaning your forehead against hers, your thumbs wiped the offending liquid before meeting her lips in a slow soft kiss.

"I miss you," Cersei croaked, misery evident in her voice.

Giving her a weak smile, you nodded back. "There's not a day when I didn't think of you, Cersei. Even my dreams were filled with the thoughts of you."

"Why?"

You slowly pulled away as you met her cold hard gaze, her eyes carrying a look of disdain.

"Why did you not come back?"

"I couldn't —"

But then Cersei was already pushing you away as she walked towards her desk, licking her lips with the taste from you. "You didn't even send me a raven."

"Dany—"

Her mocking laughter stopped you. "Dany? You've barely even known her and you're already calling her Dany—"

"She's my sister," you answered, moving towards her.

"Well, I'm your . . . ," she stammered, hesitant. "I'm your . . ."

You could see the dilemma on her face and you pulled her closer. "You're still my Queen. You're my other half, the one I love."

Cersei bit her lower lip to stop herself from sobbing. Then she shook her head as she pushed you away again, turning to look at the window.

"It doesn't matter," she replied, exhaling a heavy breath. "Your love doesn't matter. Your feelings don't matter."

There was a pause of silence before you ended it.

"Then why are we here? Why did you allow me to come?"

The Lannister woman scoffed. "Not to help my enemies collaborate in my destruction. Jon Snow has now chosen to serve her. You have already submitted to her, and now you're making me too—"

"I want you to help us. To help the realm—"

"But eventually, you want everyone to bend the knee to her."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I think she will make the world a better place."

"You think she will not be like her father, the Mad King?"

"She has trusted advisors who would check her worst impulses instead of feeding them."

"Mm, my traitor of a brother. Fine," she walked away, "serve her. Choose her. What you said are true. I don't care about checking my worst impulses. I don't care about making the world a better place. Hang the world. That thing they dragged here, I know what it is, I know what it means. And when it came at me, I didn't think about the world. Not at all."

She stopped, her hand on her stomach. Then she looked at you and she still looked as lost as she was.

You heard Nymeros roar from a distance, growing impatient wondering where you were and why you had not come back.

"Ever wondered why your dragon did not attack me that day you left Dorne?" she asked. You stared at her in confusion. "It was because a part of you is already living inside of me."

And your eyes instinctively went to the hand on her stomach. You slowly approached her, your shaking hands caressing her lower stomach.

"It's . . ." You stopped, memories of Jaime's threats swimming in your head.

The sight made Cersei sad, her hand cupping your face. "I have not been with anyone other than you. I swear on my mother's deathbed. If the dragon had sensed it, then you should know it's true. It's yours, Y/n."

"It's mine?" you asked again, voice almost crying from happiness. The smile on your face hurt. She nodded back, pressing her forehead against yours. Your arms slithered around her, hers around your back, her head buried in your neck as you hugged each other.

"Then you know that I must leave," you said, making the woman lose her control, pull away and sob in front of you, shaking her head. "For you and our baby, Cersei—"

"No, Y/n, I want you here! With me! With us!"

"Death is upon us if we won't take action," you reasoned with her, hands cupping around her face. "I won't let that happen."

"You can't do anything to stop them," Cersei spat back. "They had even defeated one of her dragons—"

"We have three against one—"

"If the dragons can't stop them, if Dothraki and Unsullied and Northmen can't stop them, how will our armies make a difference?" she hissed, tears rolling down her face as you failed to stop her from crying. "This isn't about noble houses anymore, this is about the living and the dead! And I intend to stay amongst the living."

"Cersei—"

"Let the Stark boy and his new queen defend the North. We stay here where we've always been, where we belong."

"I made a promise to my sister—"

"Our child will rule Westeros. Doran admitted his marriage to your mother Rhaella. I made Qyburn consult with the Citadel Maesters and it's true what Doran said. Rhaella's marriage to the Mad King was annuled before she bore Daenerys. This makes you the rightful heir—"

"Our child will never be born if the dead come south," you said.

Shaking her head, Cersei stood her ground. "Let the monsters kill each other. And while they battle in the North, we take back the lands that belong to us, that your sister took."

"And then what?"

"And then we rule."

"When the fighting in the North is over, someone wins. You understand that, don't you? If the dead win, they march south and kill us all—"

"If the living win, and we've betrayed them, they march south and kill us all! They already want to kill us all. Most of them will die in the North."

You slowly pulled away, knowing there wasn't a single thing that would change the Lannister woman's mind. She was set to be selfish. But you'd do anything for her, for your child.

Cersei sighed as she made her way to her desk, leaning against the wood. You made your way to the door, planning your escape, knowing your visit was a failure. "Leave through the tunnels down the Kitchen's Keep. It will lead you straight to a trail beside the Blackwater Rush. The soldiers won't see you there."

You turned to look at the woman, who was already staring at you. Eyes spoke more what words couldn't. "I hate that you still choose to betray me."

"I love you," you said, "and I'm doing this for the both of you."

When you were about to close the door, you heard shuffling behind before the woman engulfed you in an embrace, hugging your back, her arms around your stomach.

"Cersei—"

"Come back to me alive," she whispered. "Promise me you'll come back alive and I will give that sister of yours thousands of my men to fight alongside you."

A smile crept into your face as you turned around and hugged the woman back. "I promise. You're my home, Cersei. You'll always be my home."

The clutch Cersei had on your back tightened as she buried her face deeper into your chest.

Author's note: I truly appreciate your continued support in reading my stories. You can help me create more stories by supporting my writing thru this link.

[waterfae]

Kill My Lord Husband [Part 3]

Summary: Your father has decided to marry you off – and to a Blackwood no less! But you want nothing to do with the famously known Bloody Ben, not when your heart already belongs to another. Your solution? Kill your lord husband.

Pairings: Benjicot “Davos” Blackwood x Reader, Aeron Bracken x Reader

Warnings: canon-typical violence, adult language, slow burn, enemies-to-lovers, arranged marriage, house-neutral fem!reader, no use of Y/N, absolute nonsense, no beta

this chapter contains a fight scene and mentions of blood

Word Count: 2.8+ K

Part: 1 | 2 | 3

|| General Masterlist || House of the Dragon Masterlist ||

Aeron’s words kept you up all night. You stared blankly up at the canopy of your four-poster bed as they circulated about your head like a fly that refused to leave no matter how many times you tried to swat it away.

Meet me by the Whispering Woods. Just outside of Mudgrave Market and pass the Widow’s Wash.

That’s all the message said. There was no flowery prose filled with apologies, grandiose love declarations, or a promise to take you away from all of this. Instructions. That’s all it was. He hadn’t even signed it. Yet, you were still overcome by the mere sight of his handwriting, satisfied to have received something – anything – from your beloved. Some semblance that you were still in his thoughts. Were you truly so desperate? You asked yourself as you gripped onto your sheets.

Yes, you decided, you were. Despite the fury that followed your tears once they were all shed – fury at his delayed response and fury at his audacity to dare request your audience after what that delay had put you through – the desire to see him was still there and it held steadfast. You wanted so badly to hold him, kiss him, and knock sense into that blonde little head of his – figuratively and literally. So, you chose to oblige.

You requested the wheelhouse from your father early the following morning after breaking your fast.

“Whatever for, sweet girl?” He asked as the pair of you walked through the halls.

“I wish to visit the nearby market.” You answered, trying your best to contain your nerves, “This will be my new home after all. A bit of exploration isn’t too much to ask, is it?”

“Hm…” He nodded contemplatively.

“Who knows,” You decided to add, hoping your next words would push him into agreement, “I might find something I could use for the wedding.”

Your father immediately perked up at the mention of your wedding. Oblivious to your hesitancy towards it and happy that you appeared to be taking your betrothal so well, he decided to grant your request, but not before adding, “You should have Benjicot accompany you.”

Your face fell and eyes bulged at his suggestion. Benjicot was the last person you needed to accompany you on this particular errand, so you quickly countered, “Is he not training this morning?” You paused, feet coming to a halt, “I would hate to interrupt.” You turned to face your father, a teasing – and fraudulent – smile on your features, “Besides, my future lord husband is a fighter. I doubt he would be of any help. Unless, of course, I were trying to procure weaponry.” You eyed his amused look before continuing, “No. What I need is the keen eye of a woman for something much more elegant. Atlanna will join me.”

It was all your father needed to hear. For when it came to you, Atlanna was one of the few people in all of Westeros that he could trust. With a kiss upon your cheek, he bid you safe travels and enjoyment during your trip to Mudgrave. You and Atlanna took off for the market town not long after, keen to get to the designated meeting place as quickly as possible. You couldn’t bare to waste even a second; you planned to squeeze as much time as you could from Aeron. As much as the gods would allow. You figured they at least owed you this.

Once you arrived, the two of you parted ways; Atlanna to the market to pass time and wait for your return and you to the Whispering Woods to meet with your Bracken knight. It remained overcast during your little excursion and you wondered – while you traipsed through mud as you made it across the Widow’s Wash – if rain would ever fall. Atlanna had mentioned a storm brewing during your journey to Raventree Hall. You remembered her words, yet here you were still waiting for one to arrive.

Pass the bank and through a short field, you finally found yourself standing before the chosen site and cautiously entered through the trees. You needn’t venture too far when the sound of rustling came from behind you, which caused you to spin in your boots. Emerging from behind several low-hanging branches was Aeron, clad in his house color of gold with the red stallion imprinted upon his tabard. The moment you recovered from your daze at the sight of him, you immediately ran towards your knight and leaped into his arms, wrapping your own around him and burying your face into his tresses. He tightened his hold on you.

“Reckless fool.” You said through tears and nuzzling your face into his neck, “You’re usually more prudent than this. Crossing onto Blackwood land. And not even disguised!”

“Desperate times, my lady.” He whispered while caressing your hair.

“And yet you waited over a sennight.” You snapped back, untangling yourself from him and lightly striking him in the chest with a loose fist.

“It was not my wish, I assure you.” He said, desperately reaching for you again, “Once news broke of your engagement, my Uncle Amos had me closely watched.” You evaded his grasp as he attempted to explain further, “He knew of my wish to marry you!” That made you pause and you looked at him, heart pounding at his words. His uncle knew? That would mean he had actually spoken to Lord Bracken of his intentions towards you. It just further complicated your feelings, this newfound knowledge, and you weren’t certain if it was happiness or dread that made your heart race; happiness in knowing that his intentions had been true, dread in knowing that in spite of it all, you were betrothed to someone else.

Aeron’s voice cut through your thoughts, “I was only recently able to get away…for a moment.” He reached out to cup your face when you stopped evading him and brought you closer to press his forehead against yours.

“Only a moment?” You questioned, leaning into him, “Are you not here to claim me? To take me away from this place and make me your wife instead?”

He pulled away and looked into your eyes, worry etched on his features, “Do you wish to start a war?”

You shook your head in reply. Of course you didn’t want to start a war, but you also didn’t want this deplorable reality you were currently facing. You clung onto him then, his tabard scrunched up in the tightness of your grip, as you pathetically begged, “Fix this, Aeron.”

“How?”

Defeated, you gave no answer because you didn’t know either. Instead, you voiced what you had been wanting to say to him ever since your father announced your betrothal to the Blackwood heir.

“You should have asked for my hand.”

He did not even attempt to deny his failings, “I should have.”

“I should be marrying you.”

“You should.”

“If you weren’t going to do anything, why even come? Why are you here?”

Your ire had grown. It grew still when your question was met with silence. You stared up at him, searching his face for anything that might give away his thoughts on the matter. He appeared to be searching for an answer himself, so you gave him a few more moments in hope that he would find it. He looked increasingly lost as time passed and when the silence persisted, you felt your resolve wane and loosened your grip. Disappointment settled and took root in your heart. With nothing more to lose, you decided to say one more thing you had long kept within your heart.

“I know your uncle does not approve of me...because of my father’s friendship with the Blackwoods, but you could’ve at least tried to fight for this. For us.”

“It’s not that simple –” He began, but you interrupted him.

“Aeron Bracken, you are a coward.” Your arms dropped to your sides and allowed your eyes to fall away from him. Dejected, you repeated the words, “You’re a coward.” The tears didn’t fall, but they could be heard in your voice.

He called your name then. Once. Then twice. You could hear the pleading in them, but you refused to respond. He still held your face in his hands and that hold became more firm, urging you to face him. Aeron slightly bent at his knees to better level himself to your eyes and get you to look at him. He called your name once more, leaning in closer. You did not look up but instead let your eyelids fall shut. He leaned in further, nearly closing the gap between you two. You could feel the warmth of his breath on your face, the tip of his nose brushing against yours. You could almost feel his lips on yours...

And then came the snap of a twig.

The two of you jumped, startled by the intrusion and quickly moved away from each other, but it was too late. You were already seen. Benjicot stood before the two of you with three other Blackwood men behind him, their eyes all on Aeron. You locked eyes with Benjicot when he turned his gaze towards you and were surprised to find that they were not the same stormy ones you were drowning in the day you had arrived. There was something else swirling behind them. It was not just a simple anger, it seemed...unhinged. Your breath caught in your throat once the thought occurred: this was not Benjicot who stood before you. This was Bloody Ben.

“You’re on the wrong side of the boundary stones, Bracken.”

You noticed Aeron’s hand go to the hilt of his sword. Ben must have noticed it as well because he immediately unsheathed his. Without much thought, you moved to stand between him and Aeron, shielding Aeron from his sword. Aeron grabbed onto your arm in protest, trying to pull you behind him, but you refused to budge.

Ben let out a laugh and gestured towards Aeron while addressing his comrades, “Fucking craven needs a woman to interfere with his battles.” They laughed along with him as he turned his attention back to Aeron, “Are you even truly a knight?” He did not give time for him to respond and then he acknowledged you, features turning dark with a frown, “You’re suppose to be at the market with Atlanna, according to your father.” He stepped towards you, arm outstretched with sword still in hand, “Is he the reason for your hesitation?” He used the tip of it to tilt up your chin, “Is he the reason why you’re so angry with the gods?”

You gulped, anxious of what his next actions might be, but you stood your ground, fiercely returning his gaze. You did not satisfy him with an answer. This displeased him even further, his knuckles turning white from gripping onto his weapon so tightly. His eyes darted from you to Aeron for several more moments, then scoffed, “I do not wish for a wife so sullied.” He paused to catch your gaze in scrutiny. You’d expected to see more anger in them, but were stunned to see nothing of the sort. What you saw instead was hurt. “Poisoned by House Bracken.” He added.

Your jaw dropped and let out a gasp. Firstly, at the accusation of somehow being damaged, despite your virtue being completely intact. Such allusions were a disrespect to you and a disrespect to Aeron and you were shocked Ben would say such a thing. And secondly, for the sting you had not expected to feel in your heart upon hearing him echo the words he spoke just last night of the great weirwood tree.

It was Aeron’s turn to unsheathe his sword, offended for you as soon as the words left Ben’s mouth. “How dare you?” He growled, pointing his sword at Ben, “I will not allow you to sully her name with such lies.” Ben’s men soon followed suit, unsheathing and pointing their own swords at Aeron as he continued to defend your honor, regardless of his disadvantage, “Your betrothed is a proper lady. You will respect her.”

Ben smirked, more amused than threatened, “You dare point your sword at me?” He relaxed and brought his sword down to his side as he snickered, then motioned to his men. They lowered their swords and slowly stalked towards you and Aeron. Panic filled you as one of them grabbed onto your arm and began to pull you away. The others disarmed Aeron and with a few blows, brought him to his knees.

“Wait...NO!” You exclaimed, realizing what was happening. You struggled against your captor’s hold, who quickly wrapped his arms around your arms and torso, lifting you slightly to drag you a distance. “Stop it!” You screamed, upon hearing the sound of Aeron’s groans as they began to beat him. “Leave him alone!”

“Don’t worry. We won’t kill him.” Ben assured you in an upbeat manner, as if what was unfolding was a normal, everyday occurrence, “But he does have to be punished for trespassing.” He gave Aeron a swift kick to the stomach.

You continued to cry out, pleading for them to stop their assaults as they took turns punching and kicking at him. The sight of Aeron defenseless and bleeding sent you into a feral frenzy. With adrenaline pumping through your veins, you began to kick and thrash around hoping somehow your actions would lead to your escape.

“Mad bitch.” Ben’s gaurd said through gritted teeth, using every bit of strength to keep you in his clutches.

“LET! ME! GO!” You shouted in between snarls. You kicked your feet up into the air and brought as much force your body could muster, using your weight to swing back down to hopefully flip him over you. It didn’t quite work, but it did manage to force him to readjust his hold, which brought his upper extremities that much closer to your mouth and when the opportunity came, you were able to capture one of his hands between your teeth. You chomped down with all your might causing him to yelp out in pain; it only encouraged you to bite down even harder. He finally let go once you had drawn blood.

Free and with blood smeared across your lips, you let out a battle cry and charged towards Ben. He turned at the sound of your yells, but not fast enough. He caught a quick glance of your bloodied visage before your body collided with his, knocking the wind out of him and sending you both to the muddy floor. There would be no saving you from the mess this time and you honestly didn’t care as the two of you landed with a SPLAT, him on his back and you on top of him. You quickly scrambled to your knees, straddling him and grunting as you tried to pin down his arms.

He laughed.

“This fucking cunt.” You thought as the two of you grappled with each others arms. He was laughing. He found this amusing. It was maddening and angered you further to see his stupid grin on his stupid face. You wanted to be the one to smack it clean off. You continued to wrestle with him, your hair fallen out of its ribbons and your face covered in both blood and mud. He wasn’t even using his full strength and you knew it. He was mocking you.

Eventually, he managed to catch your wrists. With a firm grasp, he was able to pull you towards him, your faces mere inches from each other. He leered up at you, his smile leaving you perturbed. “There you are.” He whispered, licking his lips, “I knew you were still in there somewhere.” The comment caught you off guard, even more so when he repeated your own words from last night, “You and your uncouth behavior.”

You sputtered unintelligible sounds in response and it was enough for him to get the upper hand. He thrust his hips up, causing you to fall forward, and used the momentum to flip your positions. The mud squelched beneath you as he pinned you down. “You are already promised to me.” He said lowly, “Nothing is going to change that, so it’s best you stop fighting it.” He then released you and heaved himself up. He offered assistance with an extended arm, which you swatted away opting to help yourself up, despite being weighed down by your now wet and muddy dress.

Ben turned his attention back to Aeron, picking up his fallen weapon as he strode in his direction. He looked down at the Bracken – who was strewn across the woodsy floor, weak, bloodied, and aching from his beating – with the sword pointed his chest. He spat out a warning, “Do not dare cross the boundary stones again.” He said nothing more and spun on his heel, ready to leave the Whispering Woods behind.

You hastily maneuvered past Ben and dropped down beside Areon, lifting him as carefully as possible and cradled him in your lap. Tears began to fall from your eyes. Tears of anger. Of hatred. You looked up from your knight and stared daggers into the back of your betrothed.

How you longed for real daggers.

a/n: I’m on vacation right now and headed for Japan tomorrow, so I apologize if it seemed rushed, especially at the end. I just wanted to get it out before then. This took longer than I initially intended because rather than editing, I ended up practically rewriting the whole chapter. lol. I'm still not completely satisfied with it tbh, but this version was much better. I hope you enjoyed! Likes, comments, and reblogs are always greatly appreciated and my askbox is always open. ♡

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[the-authors118]

Can you write something with smut? 👉👈 Davos Blackwood? or Jaeherys? I love your writing style and the story of Lucerys!!! But if you feel uncomfortable with smut it's okay:)) I would like to see a scene showing how Davos would treat his wife. Like on the wedding night and when he realizes that she is pregnant?

Love You<33

Of course darling:)) and thanks for the compliments!!!

DAVOS BLACKWOOD X WIFE/FEM!READER

Warnings: virgin reader, smut, oral sex (fem), Forced marriage, smut, P in V, oral (female), pussy eating, lost virginity, dirty talk, praise kink, unknown to lovers, mention of blood and death.

-You think he doesn't want you but oh, He would do anything for his little wife.

-A Bracken looks at you in a different way? He cuts out his eyes, Even a Blackwood doesn't come out unscathed.

-He is the kind of husband who would ask "Who did this to you?" when you were crying or just heard bad news.

-He would walk through fire for you, oh God he would even kiss you while he still has blood on his face from his enemies.

-Davos Blackwood is a giver. He likes to get down on his knees so everyone can hear who you belong to.

-After the fifth orgasm you achieved with just his tongue, he would teasingly take off his pants. Just to see you shaking and begging.

- "Is five times not enough for you? Should I go harder next time?" He licked his lips as he spread your legs further.

- He would laugh if you could no longer answer and just moved your hips needily towards him. "Good girl" he would praise.

- After your eyes roll back and you can no longer form sentences, he fucks you.

- On the wedding night he is still gentle and soft but when you get used to him oh god... Let me say "you have to match his freak"

- He would like to try everything, and trust me he would be the kind of person who treats his wife lovingly (gentleman) but sometimes when she gets on his nerves too much or is too bossy then he fucks out her attitude.

- He can't imagine becoming a father since he is on the battlefield so much, but when he sees his sweet little wife (with a swollen belly) he can't help but be happy.

-

-------- OKAY OKAY I'LL START NOW....

The wedding celebration was wonderful, Even though you only met your husband today, there was an instant connection between you both. At the table he kept his hand on your thigh the whole time.

He was young, you were happy about that. Your best friend had it worse... A 50 year old... You pulled a face with these thoughts and Davos squeezed your thigh.

"Are you okay, love?" This nickname made butterflies fly around in your stomach. "Everything is fine dear husband" you smile at him. It got louder as the guests got drunk and Davos stood up as he offered you his hand "Shall we now return to our chambers?" You swallowed hard as you thought about what would happen now, You carefully placed your hand in his.

Everyone cheered and wished you luck as you slowly walked behind him, your mother smiled at you again and nodded before the door closed. Your hands started to sweat and Davos stopped. You thought he would be mad at you for being too slow, but he smiled at you and lifted you up bridal style.

You let out a soft scream and clung to his neck. "Don't worry, I've got you" He laughed and took you into the chamber, as he carefully placed you on the bed. He opened his pants and you played nervously with your fingers. When he noticed this he stopped his movements and sat down next to you.

"Do you know what happens now?" You nodded slightly. "My mother explained it to me." Your eyes met and he bit his lip. "I can't believe I was allowed to marry such an innocent, beautiful woman" He stroked her cheek, and lay down. You looked at him confused and he closed his eyes "what are you looking at?" You tilt your head "It's our wedding night" You were afraid he would find you unattractive so you stood up and tried to take off your dress.

He raised his eyebrows and leaned on his elbow, you had your back to him and he found it amusing when you couldn't even take off your dress. You feel a hand on your back opening the dress "let me help you my sweet wife" You felt his breath on your neck as he slowly opened the bows on your dress. He pulled the dress down and slowly opened your corset. Your breath caught as you felt his fingers on your naked body "I'll show you how it feels" he whispered before he kissed you. The kiss was intense and you felt your breath leaving you, Davos led you backwards to the bed.

He pulled away from you as you landed on the bed and you saw him get on his knees. He spread your legs and kissed your inner thighs, his hands held your thighs open as he licked the clit, you breathe heavily and gasp. Davos now took your clitoris between his lips, into his warm mouth. "Fuck" slipped out of your mouth as your whole body started to tingle, pull and pulsate. You wish he would do it faster, but he is content with a kiss between your legs and lets his tongue slide deep again and penetrates you with it.You tilt your head back, grab Davos' hair without thinking and raise your pelvis towards him.

He watches you as he brings you to your first orgasm. You had butterflies in your stomach when your eyes met. He slowly inserted a finger and watched your reaction, you clung to the blanket and moaned softly "Does that feel good?" He curled his finger against a very specific spot, you arch your back as he inserts another finger "You're doing well," he praised and kissed your inner thigh. Your breath quicken as he moved his fingers in and out faster. After your second orgasm, you lay breathless in bed, your stomach rising quickly and you tried to catch your breath. "Oh darling, how am I supposed to explain that I didn't even start with you?" your eyes widened as he took off his pants but you spread your legs wider and wider in excitement. Davos had taken away your fear that there would be no only men enjoy sex like your mother always said... But that both of them can enjoy it too.

"Please" you beg as you throw your head back, Davos found this very amusing so he didn't wait long and pushed it in carefully. He waited until you got used to it. "Are you okay, my love?" He asked as you narrowed your eyes. "Yes... You can move" a whimper escaped your lips as he slowly moved.

He kissed you to distract you from the pain and when your hands went behind his head he took it as a sign to go faster. His kisses traveled down to your neck and he left love bites, as you were a moaning mess his hands squeezed your hips. "you're doing so well, love" he was gentle with you and that made your heart beat louder.

Your bodies were sweating as he fucked you with passion, your legs wrapped around his hips "I-" you didn't get a word in edgeways because he kissed you. "I know... " Your walls tighten around his cock and you come together. He puts his seed in you and pulls out, shortly after he kisses you again.

"Are you tired?" He brushed a strand of hair from your face, you shook your head "No, I'm still processing how good that was" you were dreaming and he laughed. He helped you into the bathtub and hugged you with your back to his chest. You lean your head on his shoulder and to find a comfortable position you move your butt against him, then you feel something hard against your lower spine. Davos breathed heavily into your neck, "Do you think you can do another round?" your breath trembled and you turned to kiss him. Oh that was a hot night between the two newlyweds.

-------------------

- After he found out that you were pregnant he was as happy as a little child.

- every evening he laid his head on your belly and talked to the baby... "Don't bring pain to your mother during childbirth" or "I'll show you how to slit brackens-" you always hit him on the back of the head.

- if he wants to sleep with you he only gives oral sex (he is afraid of hurting the child)

- he would take much better care of you, after all you carry a life within you that he made.

- OVERPROTECTIVE!!!!

- He has become more cautious because you don't want the child to grow up without a father.

- he would be there at the birth, even if no one allowed him, he would hold a knife to the master's throat.

- He would hold her hand and pray quietly that everything would be okay.

- And suddenly he is holding his healthy daughter in his arms.

- His wife would recover and they would be a happy family.

- (Planning to have a second child)

_________

When he found out, Davos spun you around and kissed you. "I'm going to be a father," he said proudly and put a hand on your belly. You smiled "Love, you can't feel the child yet... the masters say it takes about 3 full moons" You took his hand in yours "I love you" you said he kissed your hand "and I love you"

____________

Wow that was really stressful haha!

As you can see, I've never written smut before, so please don't be so hard on me :')

I hope you liked it!

[thekneethief]

kleya and luthen conversation transcripts: season 2 [arc 1-2]

typed these up for me and @agentsofquack to have on hand and thought people might also appreciate having them for quick reference needs! [S1] [S2 Pt.2] (speaker alternates on line breaks and brackets indicate an action)

Season 2, Episode 1: One Year Later | 18:14-18:50

"Cassian?"

"The team at Sienar confirmed he got away clean."

"That's it?"

"It was a pulse code. Not a conversation."

"We should've heard from him by now."

"I can't transmit from here, Luthen. I told you when we landed. That's off the table. There's already a crowd at the docking platform. We're naked here. There's nowhere to hide a signal."

"Keep listening."

~

Season 2, Episode 1: One Year Later | 39:30-39:55

"Cassian? Nothing from Porko?"

"[sigh] I've been down there scrubbing frequencies all day."

"We know Cassian got off Sienar. We know Porko was waiting. What are we looking at?"

"I'm looking for a drink. The monitor's on. Hope for the best. [walks away]

~

Season 2, Episode 2: Sagrona Teema | 7:34-8:38

"It's still in one piece?"

"Good luck getting it out of here."

"Now what? We sit all day?"

"Well, we'll site it. We'll light it. Sculdun will change his mind and we'll move it. Then he'll reconsider. Clean it up and we'll make it lovely and- Gently there! Then we'll sit all day."

"Nothing. Radio silence. Nobody's checked in. I know I said we shouldn't broadcast from here, but I tried to reach out to Bix. I never got through. Mina-Rau's been shut down. 'Temporary reception outage for Imperial inspection.'"

"What kind of inspection?"

"Wouldn't that be nice to know. I need to be at the gallery. I can't help anyone from here. I need serious comms."

"I can't leave. You'd have to get a ride."

"I've found one."

~

Season 2, Episode 5: I Have Friends Everywhere | 37:56-38:36

"The Tinian Codex in Sculdun's office collection.."

"What about it? What have you heard? I need some good news."

"[huffs] You'll have to wait on that. There's another piece. The Coryio Chalice. Apparently, it's a forgery. They're going to examine everything in the collection. They'll find our microphone."

"You heard this on the bug?"

"They're taking everything out the day after the party."

~

Season 2, Episode 5: I Have Friends Everywhere | 39:36-40:40

"Let's keep making avoidable mistakes."

"[scoffs] Let's keep overreacting."

"I wouldn't be so upset if I hadn't predicted it!"

"This solves nothing."

"And for what? What have ever heard?

"Are you done?"

"'Let's put a bug in Davo Sculdun's office that leads directly back to us.'"

"It didn't seem to bother you when we caught Yularen lying!"

"Oh, seriously."

"The Holo-News buyout! Sculdun courting the Grand Vizier!"

"Bits and pieces. That's all we ever got. Two years of bits and pieces!"

"You agreed to it!"

"I let you talk me into it!"

"You're becoming insufferable!"

"I can't keep track anymore! All these lines we've laid. All this information. The-the-th-the radios, the frequencies, the messages flying around! We're drowning. And you keep pretending it's all under control."

"ARE YOU DONE? We have to take it out at the party."

"And if we can't?"

"We should be prepared."

~

Season 2, Episode 6: What a Festive Evening | 46:45-47:06

"What fun."

"You're welcome."

"My face hurts from smiling."

"Complain all you like, it worked."

"We should have killed Krennic while we were up there."

"That's the spirit."

[theskytraveler]

I want to be a fly on the wall of the Oilers locker room to hear Davo's speech

[southeastasianists]

When Thailand's long-awaited equal marriage law came into effect on Thursday, police officer Pisit "Kew" Sirihirunchai hoped to be among the first in line to marry his long-term partner Chanatip "Jane" Sirihirunchai.

And he was - they were the sixth couple to register their union at one of Bangkok's grandest shopping malls, in an event city officials helped organise to celebrate this legal milestone.

Hundreds of couples across Thailand received marriage certificates on Thursday, breaking into smiles or tearing up over the moment they had dreamed of for so long.

It was a pageant of colours and costumes as district officials hosted parties with photo booths and free cup cakes - one Bangkok district was giving air tickets to the first couple who registered their marriage there.

"The rainbow flag is flying high over Thailand," Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra wrote on Facebook from Davos where she is attending the World Economic Forum.

Activists said they were hoping to cross the 1,448-mark for registrations by the end of Thursday - 1448 is the clause in the Thai Civil Code covering the definition of marriage.

"We have been ready for such a long time," Pisit said. "We have just been waiting for the law to catch up and support us."

The two men have been together for seven years. Eager to formalise their relationship, they had previously been to a Buddhist monk to give them an auspicious new last name they can share – Sirihirunchai. They had also asked local officials to issue a letter of intent, which they both signed, pledging to get married.

But they said having their partnership recognised under Thai law is what they had been waiting for: "This is perfect for us. The law that protects our rights."

Until now, official documents listed Pisit and Chanatip as brothers. That way they could be a family in the eyes of the law. A marriage certificate meansLGBTQ+ couples now have the same rights as any other couple to get engaged and married, to manage their assets, to inherit and to adopt children.

They can also make decisions about medical treatment if their partner becomes ill and incapacitated, or extend financial benefits – such as Pisit's government pension – to their spouse.

"We want to build a future together – build a house, start a small business together, maybe a café," he adds, making a list of all that the law has enabled. "We want to build our future together and to take care of each other."

The law, which passed in both houses of parliament in June last year before being endorsed by the Thai king in September, is a big step for LGBTQ+ rights.

Thailand remains an outlier in Asia in recognising marriage equality - only Nepal and Taiwan have legalised same-sex unions.

It's one reason why Aki Uryu, who is Japanese, moved to Bangkok to be with her partner. She said life is difficult for the LGBTQ+ community back home: "In Thailand, I can hold hands with my partner, walk together. No one says anything. It's just different. It feels right."

After the two women married on Thursday, Aki said: "It is like I have started my new life."

Watching them celebrate, along with so many other couples in a Bangkok mall, was Mr Zhang, a gay Chinese man who did not want to reveal his first name.

"We're excited, we're also very jealous," he said. "Thailand is so close to China, but in another sense it's so far away."

And yet, even in Thailand, with its famed tolerance towards LGBTQ+ people, activists say it took a sustained campaign to win legal recognition.

A long wait

"We've been waiting for this day for 18 years - the day everyone can recognise us openly, when we no longer need to be evasive or hide," 59-year-old Rungtiwa Thangkanopast, who will marry her partner of 18 years in May, told the BBC earlier this week.

She had been in a marriage, arranged by her family, to a gay man, who later died. She had a daughter, through IVF, but after her husband's death began spending time, and later helping run, one of the first lesbian pubs in Bangkok. Then she met Phanlavee, who's now 45 and goes by her first name only.

On Valentine's Day 2013 the two women went to the Bang Rak district office in central Bangkok to ask to be officially married - a popular place for marriage registration because the name in Thai means "Love Town".

This was the time when LGBTQ+ couples began challenging the official view of marriage as an exclusively heterosexual partnership by attempting to get marriage certificates at district offices.

There were around 400 heterosexual couples waiting with them on that day. Rungtiwa and Phanlavee were refused, and the Thai media mocked their effort, using derogatory slang for lesbians.

Still, activists managed to persuade the government to consider changing the marriage laws. A proposed civil partnership bill was put before parliament, offering some official recognition to same-sex couples, but not the same legal rights as heterosexual couples.

A military coup in 2014 which deposed the elected government interrupted the movement. It would be another decade before full marriage equality was approved by parliament, in part because of the rise of young, progressive political parties that championed the cause.

Their message resonated with Thais – and attitudes too had changed. By this time, same-sex marriage was legalised in many Western countries and same-sex love had become normalised in Thai culture too.

Such was the shift in favour of the law that it was passed last year by a thumping majority of 400 votes to just 10 against. Even in the notoriously conservative senate only four opposed the law.

And couples like Rungtiwa and Phanleeva now have their chance to have their love for each other recognised, without the risk of public derision.

"With this law comes the legitimacy of our family," Rungtiwa says, "We're no longer viewed as weirdos just because our daughter isn't being raised by heterosexual parents."

The new law takes out gender-specific terms like man, woman, husband and wife from 70 sections of the Thai Civil Code covering marriage, and replaces them with neutral terms like individual and spouse.

However, there are still dozens of laws in the Thai legal code which have not yet been made gender-neutral, and there are still obstacles in the way of same-sex couples using surrogacy to have a family.

Parents are still defined under Thai law as a mother and a father. The law also does not yet allow people to use their preferred gender on official documents; they are still stuck with their birth gender. These are areas where activists say they will still need to keep pushing for change.

And it is especially significant for older couples, who have had to ride out the shifts in attitude.

"I really hope people will put away the old, stereotypical ideas that gay men cannot have true love," said Chakkrit "Ink" Vadhanavira.

He and his partner Prinn, both in their 40s, have been together for 24 years.

"The two of us have proved that we genuinely love each other through thick and thin for more than 20 years," Chakkrit said. "We have been ready to take care of each other since our first day together. We are no different from heterosexual couples."

While Chakkrit's parents quickly accepted their partnership, it took Prinn's parents seven years before they could do so.

The couple also wanted to share the production business they ran together, and other assets, as a couple, so they asked Prinn's parents to adopt Chakkrit officially, giving him the same family name. Prinn says the new law has brought welcome legal clarity to them.

"For example, right now when a same sex couple buy something together – a large item - they cannot share ownership of it," said Prinn. "And one of us passes away, what both of us have earned together cannot be passed on to the other. That's why marriage equality is very significant."

Today, said Prinn, both sets of parents treat them as they would just like any other married children.

And when they had relationship problems like any other couple, their parents helped them.

"My dad even started reading gay magazines to understand me better. It was quite cute to see that."

Additional reporting by Lulu Luo, Paweena Ninbut and Ryn Jirenuwat in Bangkok

[doc42]

"The dragon is too far away to save you."

The fandom misunderstands the sad, wistful tragedy of Jon Connington chasing the dream of placing Rhaegar's son upon the Iron Throne when it considers only ever that its end must be to have big bad woman who is Rhaegar reborn fly down and burn him and the lad.

Seventeen years had come and gone since the Battle of the Bells, yet the sound of bells ringing still tied a knot in his guts. Others might claim that the realm was lost when Prince Rhaegar fell to Robert's warhammer on the Trident, but the Battle of the Trident would never have been fought if the griffin had only slain the stag there in Stoney Sept. The bells tolled for all of us that day. For Aerys and his queen, for Elia of Dorne and her little daughter, for every true man and honest woman in the Seven Kingdoms. And for my silver prince. "The plan was to reveal Prince Aegon only when we reached Queen Daenerys," Lemore was saying.

King Stannis is Jon Connington's kin from the "slayer of lies" sequence of visions from the House of the Undying and his foreshadowing for choosing to burn a kid to save the realm is he literally talks of burning a kid to save the realm:

"I know the cost! Last night, gazing into that hearth, I saw things in the flames as well. I saw a king, a crown of fire on his brows, burning . . . burning, Davos. His own crown consumed his flesh and turned him into ash. Do you think I need Melisandre to tell me what that means? Or you?" The king moved, so his shadow fell upon King's Landing. "If Joffrey should die . . . what is the life of one bastard boy against a kingdom?" "Everything," said Davos, softly.

Jon Connington's foreshadowing with the backstory of the Battle of the Bells is equally straightforward: he's thinking he's willing to burn down a town if it means getting rid of the Usurper's line. Because he missed his chance getting rid of Robert Baratheon in Stoney Sept, so he won't miss it again.

Others might claim that the realm was lost when Prince Rhaegar fell to Robert's warhammer on the Trident, but the Battle of the Trident would never have been fought if the griffin had only slain the stag there in Stoney Sept.

For years afterward, Jon Connington told himself that he was not to blame, that he had done all that any man could do. His soldiers searched every hole and hovel, he offered pardons and rewards, he took hostages and hung them in crow cages and swore that they would have neither food nor drink until Robert was delivered to him. All to no avail. “Tywin Lannister himself could have done no more,” he had insisted one night to Blackheart, during his first year of exile. “There is where you’re wrong,” Myles Toyne had replied. “Lord Tywin would not have bothered with a search. He would have burned that town and every living creature in it.

The road ahead was full of perils, he knew, but what of it? All men must die. All he asked was time. He had waited so long, surely the gods would grant him a few more years, enough time to see the boy he’d called a son seated on the Iron Throne. To reclaim his lands, his name, his honor. To still the bells that rang so loudly in his dreams whenever he closed his eyes to sleep.

Death, he knew, but slow. I still have time. A year. Two years. Five. Some stone men live for ten. Time enough to cross the sea, to see Griffin’s Roost again. To end the Usurper’s line for good and all, and put Rhaegar’s son upon the Iron Throne.

Connington cares much and more about how he's going to be remembered. This is the reason he tried to face Robert honorably in single combat and this is why he promises doom to Lord Varys:

The shame of the lie still stuck in his craw, but Varys had insisted it was necessary. “We want no songs about the gallant exile,” the eunuch had tittered, in that mincing voice of his. “Those who die heroic deaths are long remembered, thieves and drunks and cravens soon forgotten.”

Death had robbed him of his ears, his nose, and all his warmth. The smile remained, transformed into a glittering golden grin. All the skulls were grinning, even Bittersteel’s on the tall pike in the center. What does he have to grin about? He died defeated and alone, a broken man in an alien land. On his deathbed, Ser Aegor Rivers had famously commanded his men to boil the flesh from his skull, dip it in gold, and carry it before them when they crossed the sea to retake Westeros. His successors had followed his example. Jon Connington might have been one of those successors if his exile had gone otherwise. He had spent five years with the company, rising from the ranks to a place of honor at Toyne’s right hand. Had he stayed, it might well have been him the men turned to after Myles died, instead of Harry Strickland. But Griff did not regret the path he’d chosen. When I return to Westeros, it will not be as a skull atop a pole.

A cloth dragon swayed on poles amidst a cheering crowd . . . mother of dragons, slayer of lies . . .

What does a eunuch know of a man’s honor? Griff had gone along with the Spider’s scheme for the boy’s sake, but that did not mean he liked it any better. Let me live long enough to see the boy sit the Iron Throne, and Varys will pay for that slight and so much more. Then we’ll see who’s soon forgotten.

Because Varys the Spider dared to decide how Jon Connington must be remembered. But now Lord Jon Connington is ready to be remembered as a butcher if he must:

Men and boys, babes at the breast, noble knights and holy septons, pigs and whores, rats and rebels, he would have burned them all. When the fires guttered out and only ash and cinders remained, he would have sent his men in to find the bones of Robert Baratheon. Later, when Stark and Tully turned up with their host, he would have offered pardons to the both of them, and they would have accepted and turned for home with their tails between their legs.” He was not wrong, Jon Connington reflected, leaning on the battlements of his forebears. I wanted the glory of slaying Robert in single combat, and I did not want the name of butcher. So Robert escaped me and cut down Rhaegar on the Trident. “I failed the father,” he said, “but I will not fail the son.”

The tragedy isn't that their choice to go to Westeros alone have turned Daenerys against them as the second dance of the dragons, the Blacks versus the Greens reborn and the final Blackfyre rebellion. The tragedy is they were so close. History does not repeat itself exactly.

Despite what the fandom says about Quaithe of the Shadow prompting Daenerys to go against the mummer's dragon with prophecy, Daenerys literally forgets all about the kid and confuses the mummer's dragon with herself, which is the most funny and charming thing you could find her thinking in the spot in the narrative the fandom designated as "Daenerys is up in arms ready to go to war with the mummer's dragon." But she thinks to herself she might have married Aegon VI had he lived just as these guys choose to stop chasing the dragon's tail and decide to go to Westeros alone.

There would have been a sixth, but the Usurper's dogs had murdered her brother's son when he was still a babe at the breast. If he had lived, I might have married him. Aegon would have been closer to my age than Viserys. Dany had only been conceived when Aegon and his sister were murdered.

That's the tragedy, the road not taken. They were so close. She would have come to them in Volantis had they waited.

"As you say." Tyrion grinned. "If I were Volantene, and free, and had the blood, you'd have my vote for triarch, my lady." "I am no lady," the widow replied, "just Vogarro's whore. You want to be gone from here before the tigers come. Should you reach your queen, give her a message from the slaves of Old Volantis." She touched the faded scar upon her wrinkled cheek, where her tears had been cut away. "Tell her we are waiting. Tell her to come soon."

Farther on she came upon a feast of corpses. Savagely slaughtered, the feasters lay strewn across overturned chairs and hacked trestle tables, asprawl in pools of congealing blood. Some had lost limbs, even heads. Severed hands clutched bloody cups, wooden spoons, roast fowl, heels of bread. In a throne above them sat a dead man with the head of a wolf. He wore an iron crown and held a leg of lamb in one hand as a king might hold a scepter, and his eyes followed Dany with mute appeal.

Smiling, he seized his dragon, flew it across the board. "I hope Your Grace will pardon me. Your king is trapped. Death in four." The prince stared at the playing board. "My dragon—" "—is too far away to save you. You should have moved her to the center of the battle." "But you said—" "I lied. Trust no one. And keep your dragon close."

What Tyrion says with the cyvasse game is Aegon is going to lose if he does not move Daenerys to "the center of the battle."

King's Landing is called "the center" by GRRM himself when describing the designs of his world:

Well, of course, the two outlying ones — the things going on north of the Wall, and then there is Targaryen on the other continent with her dragons — are of course the ice and fire of the title, “A Song of Ice and Fire.” The central stuff — the stuff that’s happening in the middle, in King’s Landing, the capital of the seven kingdoms — is much more based on historical events, historical fiction.

Aegon is moving to King's Landing without the dragon piece.

“The demon road is death. We will lose half the company to desertion if we attempt that march, and bury half of those who remain beside the road. It grieves me to say it, but Magister Illyrio and his friends may have been unwise to put so much hope on this child queen.” No, thought Griff, but they were most unwise to put their hopes on you. And then Prince Aegon spoke. “Then put your hopes on me,” he said. “Daenerys is Prince Rhaegar’s sister, but I am Rhaegar’s son. I am the only dragon that you need.” Griff put a black-gloved hand upon Prince Aegon’s shoulder. “Spoken boldly,” he said, “but think what you are saying.” “I have,” the lad insisted. “Why should I go running to my aunt as if I were a beggar? My claim is better than her own. Let her come to me … in Westeros.”

Note how Griff here puts his black-gloved hand upon his purported son's shoulder just as Prince Aegon chooses the most unwise course of action. This is an omen of doom.

"Your death is with us now, my lord. Give me your hand." "My hand. What do you know of my hand?"

Jon Connington signs his letter to Dorne as "Hand of the True King", and Death spreads through his hand. His hand, and greyscale spreading through it, the very reason that made him accept this course, because time's running out for him to reclaim the dream. He is trying to reach the star he once failed to grasp, his green light, but what he brings to Westeros is death.

“Pirates and adventurers, we heard at first,” said Valena. “Then it was supposed to be the Golden Company. Now it’s said to be Jon Connington, the Mad King’s Hand, come back from the grave to reclaim his birthright. Whoever it is, Griffin’s Roost has fallen to them. Rain House, Crow’s Nest, Mistwood, even Greenstone on its island. All taken.”

And as I sat there brooding on the old, unknown world, I thought of Gatsby’s wonder when he first picked out the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock. He had come a long way to this blue lawn, and his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it. He did not know that it was already behind him, somewhere back in that vast obscurity beyond the city, where the dark fields of the republic rolled on under the night. Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter—tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms further… And one fine morning— So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.

Prince Aegon Targaryen was not near as biddable as the boy Young Griff had been, however. The better part of an hour had passed before he finally turned up in the solar, with Duck at his side. “Lord Connington,” he said, “I like your castle.” “Your father’s lands are beautiful,” he said. His silvery hair was blowing in the wind, and his eyes were a deep purple, darker than this boy’s. “As do I, Your Grace. Please, be seated. Ser Rolly, we’ll have no further need of you for now.”

The foreshadowing of their defeat due to the dragon being too far away to save them is no different than the foreshadowing of King Stannis' defeat to Renly's ghost at Blackwater, doom equally straightforward and for a very precisely written reason:

Melisandre saw another day in her flames as well. A morrow where Renly rode out of the south in his green armor to smash my host beneath the walls of King's Landing. Had I met my brother there, it might have been me who died in place of him.

It is binding. King Stannis is indeed defeated by Lord Renly riding out of the south in his green armor to smash his host beneath the walls of King's Landing, or so it seemed.

They plunged through Stannis like a lance through a pumpkin, every man of them howling like some demon in steel. And do you know who led the vanguard? Do you? Do you? Do you?” “Robb?” It was too much to be hoped, but… “It was Lord Renly! Lord Renly in his green armor, with the fires shimmering off his golden antlers! Lord Renly with his tall spear in his hand! They say he killed Ser Guyard Morrigen himself in single combat, and a dozen other great knights as well. It was Renly, it was Renly, it was Renly! Oh! the banners, darling Sansa! Oh! to be a knight!”

Aegon's defeat shall be because he did not keep his dragon close, leaving Daenerys behind him in Essos, the girl thinking she might have married Aegon VI had he lived. Of course, Stannis did not die at Blackwater, so while the boy king may be doomed, the fake Rhaegar's son that he is, the young dragon, Jon Connington ironically despite his greyscale may still live long enough to meet the true Rhaegar reborn of the tale, his silver prince shining from afar.

Alone in the tent, as the gold and scarlet rays of the setting sun shone through the open flap, Jon Connington shrugged off his wolfskin cloak, slipped his mail shirt off over his head, settled on a camp stool, and peeled the glove from his right hand. The nail on his middle finger had turned as black as jet, he saw, and the grey had crept up almost to the first knuckle. The tip of his ring finger had begun to darken too, and when he touched it with the point of his dagger, he felt nothing. Death, he knew, but slow. I still have time. A year. Two years. Five. Some stone men live for ten. Time enough to cross the sea, to see Griffin's Roost again. To end the Usurper's line for good and all, and put Rhaegar's son upon the Iron Throne. Then Lord Jon Connington could die content.

She could smell home, she could see it, there, just beyond that door, green fields and great stone houses and arms to keep her warm, there. She threw open the door. "… the dragon …" And saw her brother Rhaegar, mounted on a stallion as black as his armor. Fire glimmered red through the narrow eye slit of his helm. "The last dragon," Ser Jorah's voice whispered faintly. "The last, the last." Dany lifted his polished black visor. The face within was her own.

[scarareg]

At first, Davos and Aeron were Enchanted, then Sparks Fly, but ended up being Haunted

[elizabethsproctor]

then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling, by the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore, “though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,” i said, “art sure no craven,"

chapter iii

Davos Blackwood x Bracken OC Davos is the eldest son of Lord Samwell of House Blackwood and the scourge of all the knights and squires of House Bracken. Though he thinks himself a knight and concerned with duty and honor, he spends most of his free time with his own squires, tormenting all the Brackens that they happen upon. Celeste Feathers is the bastard daughter born of Amos Bracken and a Summer Isle whore. At the chance of a higher dowry for her daughter, the baby was sent to live with her father in the wet and windy Riverlands until a husband was chosen for her. Though the two had a chance encounter as children, they have only heard stories about each other in the meantime until one fateful day near the boundary line in the forest. wc: 5.3k/16.8k chapter: 3/?

tw: i dont proofread lmao

On the following night, Celeste approached the riverbank: Davos standing near a small boat, ready to be simply pushed into the river for the night's adventure. He offered her a set of oars when he saw her, encouraging her to share in their misgivings. She was used to rowing, but she had not thought that his interests were beyond bedding her. She smiled through the rowing, happy to feel the river water hitting her face and her gown.

"I came without my cloak," Celeste said eventually, surprised the boy had not made note of it himself. "To better conceal myself, but if we are far from the shore..." she said with a lack of surety. "I'm sure it matters not now."

“Aye,’ the young man responded. “The mist deepens as the river proceeds, but I appreciate the efforts.”

Celeste's brows furrowed, but she said nothing else. As the boy had said, mist began to rise above them and after a few minutes, it was so thick that they could not see very far beyond their oars. She continued to paddle once she saw that Davos seemed intent on his path.

"Is there somewhere you're taking us?"

Davos continued to paddle, his eyes scanning the mist that had enveloped them. He could barely see beyond the oars, and the air was thick and heavy.

Despite the lack of visibility, he had a destination in mind, a secluded spot he often visited when he wanted to be alone.

"Just a little further," he said, his voice low and steady. "We're almost there."

"A tavern, no doubt," the lady chuckled, continuing to row. She felt the weight of her damp hair on her back, the oars growing heavy in her hand, but she wouldn't complain.

He scanned the girl's face, looking to see if she was joking or suspected that he would, in fact, bring her to a tavern. He was not against the idea, and if she were less discernible, perhaps he would have covered her nicely and brought her a pint. Wishful thinking, he assumed, and continued to row.

"No beer for the hour,' he confirmed. "Besides. A pretty girl like you at the tap? I'd be fighting them off and spilling my drink. You'd oughta catch an elbow in the fray."

"I'd hold my own," Celeste campaigned with a smirk. "And I'd put a coin down for your spilled drink, if it please you."

Davos chuckled at her response, his eyes darting over her face. He could see the mischievous glint in her eye, and it only made his smile widen.

"Is that right?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "A worthy cause, no less... I would pay the pretty penny to see your skirt fly up when they knock you down, my fair lady. It is not what you think it is."

Celeste gave a wry laugh and nodded. "Most things are not," she said. She looked up at the full moon and back down at the boat, a small but fortified thing. She yawned in fatigue. Though she was excited to see Davos, she knew the night would be as long as it felt short, and they would, again, have to row down the current-filled river and trudge back to their domains to start the new day, and all sleep would be lost.

She began to row a bit slower, the moonlight gracing her face brilliantly. "What are your thoughts about our time together yesterday? Are you regretful?"

Davos began to row slower as Celeste offered less help. He had not expected the river to be so choppy, and he knew that it was a difficult passage for even a strong man, let alone a woman not used to the river.

He was slightly taken aback by her question; he was rarely moved to think critically of his actions or his motivations, but he had felt a stirring in his chest.

"I am not regretful, Celeste. I wish you were not who you were. That is the complication of the matter."

As they slowed, Celeste looked listlessly out onto the water, cringing slightly when she heard his response.

"The fighting serves no purpose. I have no true allegiance to the house-," he cut her off.

"Oh, but you do," he said, scathing irritation marking his words. "A better claim than most of the rest of the Bracken dogs. The lord's daughter, no less," Davos rolled his eyes. "I cannot decide whether no allegiance or fealty to the shorn and shaven hound is worse. You are a member of their house. A lady. If I was half the Blackwood I ought to be, I'd push you over the boat and rid Westeros of one more scourge."

"If you so desire," Celeste said, knowing he would not hurt her. He was full of emotions, some violent, some intimate but all passionate. Just a young man, she thought, so dissimilar to the knights of the stories she had read as a girl.

Davos paused and chuckled, shaking his head. "You're a cheeky wench, you know that?"

He reached out quickly, making the girl jump in her spot, a loud noise echoing out from the oars knocking against the boat. Davos took the oars from her, chuckling loudly at the fear he had caused before he winked at her and returned to his place, beginning to push the boat in a single, steady direction.

"There's no use in wasting a perfectly good cunt. Especially not one as tight as yours," he said as he rowed forward, having to come closer to the girl to over compensate as the only rower. Celeste looked down at him distastefully, unsure if she was meant to be offended or flattered.

She looked down at her hand, a throbbing sensation building, and saw blood rising from her finger in the moonlight.

"You broke the skin," Celeste began, glib.

Davos cut his eyes over at the girl, feeling a twinge of guilt. "I'll take care of it," he said as the boat hit a sandy bank. He threw his legs over the side quickly, helping the girl out before dragging it upon shore, the water lapping at his feet. Celeste could see that they had reached a keep on an isolated island, but beyond the walls, she could see the crown of a heart tree in the center. Her house worshiped the new gods, but she knew the island must be sacred to the Blackwoods. She turned quickly to advise against her presence, to ask to go somewhere else, even back to the boat, but Davos was right behind her when she turned. He took her hands into his.

She watched with wide eyes as he took her bleeding finger into his mouth, applying pressure on the scrape to stop the bleeding and sooth the ache. They stood together, the river lapping on the shore, for a moment before he took her finger from his mouth.

Davos moved forward and kissed her cheek, then the skin right before her ear. "I only meant to scare you. I'm sorry for the blood."

Celeste watched him as he took a few steps back, and she nodded, accepting that it was only an accident.

Davos nodded towards the keep, encouraging her to follow him. He pushed the doors open and before the godswood, there were beautifully carved benches and candle holders. He led her towards a place to sit, and there they sat, their shoulders touching slightly as they looked onto the massive tree in the center of the garden, the moon dancing over it.

"It is beautiful here," Celeste remarked.

Davos watched the girl from the corner of his eye, observing the wonder in her gaze as she looked at the ancient heart tree in the garden.

"They say this place is sacred to my family," he explained, his voice low. "This island has been here for centuries, long before the castle, long before my family. My ancestors built the keep here in honor of the tree. The heart tree, they call it."

He shifted his body towards her slightly, his shoulder now fully attached to her own. He could feel the heat radiating from her body, mingling with his own in the cold, damp air. He watched her expression cautiously, afraid that she might say something that would cause him offense.

"It is not my belief, as I'm sure you know," Celeste began, immediately shrinking when she heard Davos scoff.

"The seven devils you hold fealty to, but not your house?" Davos said, rolling his eyes defensively. "Something that actually exists?"

Celeste frowned and turned her head away from the boy, looking back at the heart tree, majestic and flowing slowly in the wind. "You will live longer if your blood only cools," she said with a sad smirk.

Poor boy, she thought. How she only wanted to kiss his cheeks and make him better, but she was a fool if she thought all their problems would be assuaged just because he had taken her virginity and buried his locks in the nape of her neck. The were still rivals, but possibly worse off now. They had both exposed their neck.

"The godswood," she called it confidently. "Is beautiful. It feels like a powerful place to me. I know it is important to you and your people."

Davos breathed in her words before sighing, his shoulders slumping slightly. He felt the anger leave his body as he stared at her face in the glow of the tree and let his head rest lightly on the wall of the keep. He knew she meant no disrespect, but her words had caused a small wave of irritation to bubble in his stomach.

"It is important," he said quietly. "Without the prayers to the old gods, our house would fall into ruin. Or so they say. I do think my sword would remedy the problem."

He reached out, gently taking her hand in his own, their fingers lacing together.

"Do you like to be with me, Celeste, or are you just lonely?"

Davos let the two sit in silence for only a beat. He continued: "I know the trees aren't much for amusement. Are you fine here with me," he said, sitting up and pressing his elbows onto his knees, turning so he could see the girl's face completely, his own shrouded in darkness.

"Yes," the girl choked out, taken aback by the boy's sudden forward nature. She was frozen in his gaze. She searched his eyes quickly before continuing: "I cannot fathom what would bring you to me thrice over. I'm--," she paused. "We have very little to offer each other. You may grant me secession from my solitude, but I have nothing that is of use to you."

Davos reached out and touched her cheek. "Do not lie," he chided softly, his fingers resting on her soft skin. "You are a good distraction," he began, a soft chuckle following. "A pretty face is no less useful than a horse or a blade or a keep."

He breathed out, running his thumb over her lips gently as his eyes darted over her face.

"Tell me how we're the same," he said, his voice low. "Name one thing."

Her ears perked up at the word 'distraction', but she could not ask a question before he continued, his thumb over her lips.

"The same," she mused, unable to pull her eyes away from the boy. Her heartbeat was aflutter. "I'm afraid we may both have dreams that are beyond our means."

His thumb continued to move softly over her lips. He watched the slight smirk that sat on the pink flesh of her mouth and felt the soft skin brush against him with each word she spoke. He breathed out slowly, feeling his heart pound slightly harder in his chest. He felt his face burn with a heat that he was not used to, and he quickly moved his hand away from her.

"What do you mean?" he said in a low voice

He swallowed, unsure of where to rest his hands then.

She felt alone quickly but not afraid. She attempted to avoid offending the boy, but she would debase herself as well, so what could be the problem. Celeste looked up at the moon. "You want to be a great knight, a dutiful lord, but you spend your days with your squires only multiplying your revelry. When your father passes, you will be young, and then who will guide you? Your equally hot-blooded knights? Into war?"

Celeste sighed and looked at him, a frown on her face revealing understanding rather than disappointment. "I oft think of what my life outside of this place would have been like, were I not looked down upon because of my sex, the color of my skin. I hoped, as a child, that my position would be elevated one day, but it seems I will always creep around the castle, in the shadows, like a mouse, until my father dies, and then I'm sure they will rid themselves of me. I am the lord's daughter, but I am no lady... it's as if the shoes you were given were much too big, and the ones bestowed upon me, much too small."

As the girl spoke, Davos felt his heart sink into his stomach. The words she spoke echoed the same thoughts that plagued him in the night. In the hours he would spend with his men, drinking away the fears and doubts that crept into his mind in the darkness.

Her soft, melancholic words cut through him like a knife. They were true, all of them. He cleared his throat, feeling it growing constricted from the emotions building inside.

"It's the same for all of us," he said quietly, his fingers tracing patterns on his palm nervously. "I hope to die in battle before I have to deny a starving mother the bread she needs to feed her child. There is no true glory this far from King's Landing. The squabbles are fair game, but to be lord of the river?" He scoffed, amused by something he had never dared to say out loud. "And now they speak of war," he shook his head.

"You are a morbid little raven. Brilliant and damned and wasted on Bracken soil..." Davos looked at the young woman for a second before straightening his back and leaning on the wall again beside her. They listened to the wind hitting the keep, though it was quiet around them.

"I'd raise you up. No one would make you feel less than worthy if you were my claim," he said, a righteous anger in the back of his throat. "You deserve much more. There would be a sword for all that spoke against you."

Celeste, again, was intrigued by his speaking. War? She had not heard of it herself, she'd only felt a shifting of the seasons. She thought to ask about this, as well, but he'd spoken again before she'd gotten the space to break the silence herself.

Suddenly, in his gruff tone, he said things so sweet that she felt her heart beating quickly in that still night. She looked over at the boy, still so shocked that only nights ago he had granted her few delicacies. It was true, of course, that Celeste had never known a man or even suffered the affection, the childhood pestering of a boy-aged crush. She had played with her brothers and some of the children of the servants, even lanced with a few in secret, but not much else. The attention, no matter how it vacillated, that she drew from Davos was like nectar to the flying insects. So sweet, so enticing, but painful to look upon. A pervasive buzzing in her ear.

To a degree, Celeste felt silly, as a girl, as a common-folk wench that believed a lord might be genuine, but she felt as though Davos had been honest with her. He must have, and even if he wasn't, what other option did she have to feel held? Feel the blood rush to her cheeks? They had already come so far, she thought, why let the fear succeed now?

"A dignified concubine of Lord Blackwood, aye?" Celeste giggled and shook her head. "I always thought of myself as a wife."

Davos felt the laugh that jumped from her throat like a spear through his heart. He watched the young woman giggle softly, the laugh only growing slightly as her cheeks turned a bright red.

"A wife?" he echoed quietly, unable to keep the smile from spreading on his face. "You?"

Davos let out a chuckle, the sound low and hushed to not travel too far in the night. His knee brushed against hers slightly in a gentle push.

"You would have to stop your late night adventures, the running amuck. The woods are no place for child rearing."

Celeste rolled her eyes and turned to the boy playfully. "They are perfect for child-making, you seem to think," she whispered, a sly smirk tugging on her lips.

Davos' eyes widened as she smirked at him, feeling a hot heat spread across his face and travel down his body in an instant. He smiled as well, foolishly, and gathered the girl up in his arms quickly, their faces just an inch apart.

"You are an insolent brat, but," he gave her a quick kiss on the lips and brandished a smile. "My favorite of them all."

Still holding her, her head reclining back on the keep, he thought for a second. "Your children will be courageous. Little warriors. They'll be like their mother."

Celeste smiled leisurely. "Say I stop the running amuck, and I return to my gowns. Next, you'll say I must bite my tongue or refuse to practice the sword with my nephews. Then what will you like of me, Lord Davos? I'll be just like all other maidens."

His face softened slightly as she mentioned giving up her free spirit. He knew that the world she wanted to live in was one where she could fight as well as any boy and laugh as much as any man. He also knew it was a fantasy, not meant to be.

Davos ran his fingers through her hair, pushing the locks behind her ear and studying her young face.

"Be as no other maiden," he said softly, assuring her. "I would like your tongue as much as I like it now. It would please me to see sons taught chivalry by the same woman they ought to honor. It would also please me very well to see you in a gown..." He paused and smiled. "It would please me the most to be the one to strip it from you... I would take nothing from you, Celeste."

Celeste blushed. "You weave a beautiful web, Davos. I did not think it was capable. Perhaps the weirwood trees do influence your people, or," she checked over their shoulders. "It's the late hour."

Celeste sighed, tightening her grip on Davos's arms. "You would have me as a wife? If our family's feud had not so long been waged and contested? You would honor me?"

As she tightened her grip on his arms, he held onto her tighter, his fingers tracing soft patterns over her skin.  He breathed in the words she spoke and allowed himself to imagine what they would look like in another life.

"I fear I am actually in my bed, pushed down by fever, and this is some dream cast upon me from Harrenhal," he sighed. "Perhaps you are a witch. Do you spend your days crafting love potions to entice me?"

"I am no witch," Celeste said plainly.

"I fear no wife will serve me as you would. You've burned your home in my thoughts, sweetling. Has it occurred to you that you will never belong to me?" He said.

Celeste's face broke into a frown as she caressed Davos's hair. "You speak of nothing joyous. I am yours, sweet boy."

Their position, her fingers in his hair, the soft touches along his skin; it was torture to feel the gentle affection. But he was greedy and selfish, and he allowed himself to bask in her attention just a moment longer.

"You will always be mine. In every form," he breathed, his eyes closing slightly as he pressed his face against her palm. He breathed out softly, before looking up at her again with his brow furrowed. "You do not know the damage you've done."

Celeste watched the boy stand up quickly, running his fingers through his hair before he sighed beginning to head towards the entrance to the keep. She followed after him, almost missing her step after his long strides.

"What is the matter?" She called after him, but he was already beginning to push the boat back into the river.

"Say that I love you," he called out to her, the lapping of the river rather loud over his voice. "And I carry your burden, raise you up to stature and father your children. Say you make me a happy man, Celeste. What is that worth if both of our castles are burnt down in the fray, and my men whisper of me being a traitor for the rest of my rule? Do you think your father would let you go easily?"

Davos shook his head, pushing a set of oars into Celeste's arms. "Your people call us cannibals; they act as if we're no more than barbarians. Your father would be sending you to be ripped apart and eaten like a ham... you've gotten into my mind with your words. It's a fever that will not subside. A dream that I cannot follow. Please," he sighed in relief, begging.

"It is not enough for you, and it is not enough for me... why must you be of Bracken soot? You've made it harder than I intended."

Celeste threw her oars into the boat, looking at Davos with cruel eyes. She pushed him in the chest. "You came upon me, and then you came back, you coward. Had you not heard the whispers about me? The Bracken's wayward bastard that likes to play with boy's toys? You knew me, and still came upon me. Likely stalked me in the woods and pounced when you saw that I was vulnerable. You wanted me, Davos, so place this not on me. You're a knight, a man, a lord. Or is everything you've said to me pretense?"

The moment she pushed at his chest, Davos stopped for a second, his breath catching in his throat. He looked up at her, taken aback by her fierce and defensive stance. But, then he chuckled a little. The sound of amusement did not reach his eyes, though, and in fact, they darkened as she spoke.

He was quick to grab her by her arms, his hands holding on tightly enough that if she were any other woman, it would have been uncomfortable -- almost painful. He did not want to hurt her, of course, but he wanted her to listen.

"Say I take you as my wife, you daft child. You trade one inconvenience for another. We only have each other."

"We would have each other," Celeste yelled, frustrated. She had not thought that their marriage-talks were sincere, they were playing a game of make-believe, but suddenly it felt quite real, as if Davos had thought about it even momentarily.

"It would be the end of a thousand year war. So what if they call you 'traitor'. I would call you 'reconciliator'. It is a dream, Davos, but our history has been forged by visions, and dreams and men who were not afraid," she pulled herself from his grip.

"A dream," he breathed in response.

She was right, of course, she always was. He thought of the legends his father and grandfather had told him since he could talk; the myths of Garth Greenhand. He thought of the history of his house that was written down for all to see, and of the stories passed down from father to son in private and secret. How many boys must have dreamed the same dream?

'No matter,' he thought to himself, nodding at the girl to take her place in the boat. He turned his back on her and spoke.

"Your desire to no longer know loneliness is great enough to cause the bloodshed of thousands of men. You are not the woman you think yourself to be, Celeste."

Celeste stepped into the boat, feeling the boy roughly push it into the waves before he got into it as well.

"If you were in my station, you would feel very little loyalty yourself. My father is the only reason I've stayed, but he will die... eventually. He is the only Bracken man that might be swayed. My brothers are vicious creatures. War hungry."

Celeste thought for a few seconds, rowing the boat silently. "There may be another maiden you love one day, and there may be another knight to entice me, but there may never come another time to unite our houses, Davos. I've read the histories, listened in on counsel meetings. I will never be a soldier, but I have the ability to think. All my life they've tried to find a solution to the feud between our houses. I believe there may only be this one peaceful option. I won't be known for much else, but if I can help bring peace to these lands, maybe it wasn't all for naught."

He listened to her words, letting them sink in before eventually sighing out loudly, scrubbing at his face. Davos felt as if he was being pulled in two different directions, both of them too powerful for him not to resist. On one side there was his loyalty and on the other, there she was.

The Blackwood leaned back, staring up at the sky and the endless stars that littered the abyss above, glittering like diamonds.

He reached across the small space between them to pull her hand from the oar and into his lap, lacing his fingers with hers. The boat idled in the middle of the river, spinning softly.

"I knew not your wish to be a saint."

"It may go unfulfilled," Davos said, releasing her hands and returning to the oars.

Celeste stared at the boy in the icy night before shaking her head. "We should not see each other again. It will only become more painful from here."

Davos cut his eyes at the girl. Her words and actions so viscerally reenacting a child's fit. He was shocked that she had not gotten onto the floor of the boat and began to kick and cry.

He could not think of anything other than the thought of never seeing her again, or perhaps the thought of seeing her again. Would she marry a knight? Would she be left alone, an unmarried hen, stalking around the castle, unwanted and untouched?

Would they spend the rest of their lives professing their love for each other in secrecy, or would he slit her throat after years of listening to her droning on about her mistreatment at Bracken hands?

Temporarily, he wished he would have stuck to bedding women from his own land who could not read and could not argue, but had she not made him feel ten times more than he ever had in only days. And would she not spend the rest of their lives shaping him into a man, and would he not find pleasure in making her into a woman? Laughing as she contorted her face at dinner when faced with hosting all the lords and ladies?

He thought about her body-- thought about how he'd hold her through every new orgasm he'd grant her, and he smiled to himself when he remembered that she, herself, didn't completely know her body yet.

Celeste would be a fine wife, the only one he could tolerate, but he knew his father would have his head, if he so much as mentioned the Bracken girl as an option for betrothal, but, all things considered, if the Brackens were to offer a sizable amount of land and stock as the girl's dowry, as well as say, subservience to the Blackwood house during times of war... how could any studied lord say no?

It was a dream, as Celeste had said, but from the severity of her dark eyes, he knew he would have to do something or else he would not see her again.

They neared the place they had originated, the moon still shining brightly, though the night was still.

Davos cleared his throat. "I will talk to my father. If there is any peace to be had, we will root it out, but," he cleared his throat. "This itself may be the cause of more bloodshed. If it is what you want."

"If it is what I want," Celeste mocked snidely, rolling her eyes. "Do as you wish, Davos." As they hit the rocky shore, she stood from the boat quickly, walking to the direction of the Bracken hold.

"If the news is optimistic, you'll hear of it,' Davos called after her, causing Celeste to stop in her tracks. "If your father rejects the terms, you will hear of it,' he said, docking the boat and walking swiftly to catch up to her.

"If my father denies me, however, I will send word to you. In a fortnight,' he sighed and rung his hands. "If it is the latter of those options, I will see you once more. I swear it. By the old gods and the new,' he reached for her hand and squeezed it tightly. "It was not all pretense. You have vexed me. Don't depart in such haste."

"The hour is late, Davos,' Celeste said, the moon illuminating her gaze. Her mood was dampened, as was her hair, and the lateness of the hour had begun to weigh on her. She was tired. She considered that the two would never hold each other through the night or wake up cradling one another. Her heart sank.

"I'm afraid I asked for too much, when perchance it was best to hold on to what we had, but,' she bit her lip. "I am tired of dreams. I want real things."

Davos laughed and petted the girl's head, before scratching gently behind her ear. She scrunched her nose.

"I had not expected you to bite your tongue,' he said with a bittersweet smile before moving forward to kiss her. At first, barely, but then passionately, holding her waist and she clutched him around his neck. They kissed as if it were the first time, knowing that it may be the last.

"Will you remember this? The next time we see each other? Whenever that may be."

Celeste pulled away from the kiss, tears on the brim of her eyes. She blamed the flurry of emotions on the hour.

"If we are betrothed, there will be no need. There will be more to come. But if you are my enemy when next we cross paths, I will smile upon you, Davos... you will amount to so much," she caressed his hair before giving him a small kiss on the nose.

Davos felt his heart break at the sight of her tears, and he reached up to stroke her wet cheek gently with his thumb. He leaned in to rest his forehead against hers, taking in her scent and the feel of her skin against his. He closed his eyes, trying to hold this moment in his memory forever.

"There will be more to come," he repeated softly, holding her close to him.

tag list: @shifter-101 @greatdarkqueen

author note: just one more chapter to go, hopefully next week xx

[rvllybllply2014]

Pulling from my life again*. Modern au.

Aeron is a rich kid who was able to take flying lessons and has a personal plane that he can fly. Davos is also a rich kid but he chose to do truck driving to be able to travel Westeros.

Anyway Davos is back in Raventree hall when he hears Willem complain about Aeron and his pilot’s license. How dare mere horse breeders think they’re better than the Blackwoods. It doesn’t matter that Aerons license is for his personal use and that his plane is an old two seater. Willem demands that Davos go to the same school as Aeron and get his license. Davos doesn’t argue because he makes enough on top of his inheritance that he would be able to buy his own small plane.

Anyway the day Davos goes to sign up for classes Aeron is there talking to his old instructor, and of course Davos has start an argument about how Aeron is a terrible pilot. But before Aeron can reply the instructor tells Davos that Aeron is one of the best, a natural at flying and that he should fly with Aeron. Davos agrees to fly with Aeron if only so he can argue with Aeron privately.

Once in the air Aeron tries to break the awkward silence by asking Davos about his trucking job. Davos explains it’s to get him away from Willem and to break the boring day to day of doing nothing with in the company. Plus he gets paid to travel so he doesn’t have an issue with it. Aeron says that must be nice, he genuinely means it too which Davos realizes when he goes to argue with Aeron but sees a gentle contemplative look on his face.

Davos asks if he can fly the plane, Aeron says yes but Davos has to teach Aeron something about trucking in return. Davos tells him he’ll show Aeron how to slide tandems on the trailer. So Aeron tells Davos to watch the dial that has a blue part on the bottom, brown in the middle and yellow on top. It’s the horizon gauge, he wants to keep the dial even so he won’t go too far up or down. Aeron tells Davos he’s a natural at this after keeping the plane even for several minutes.

A few weeks pass before Aeron and Davos can meet up at Davos’s truck. Davos tells Aeron the trailer is empty and that this is just a demo on to slide tandems. It’s easy enough, all Aeron has to do is leave the truck in neutral, Davos will push in the lever that’s on the trailer. Once Davos does that, he gets back in the truck and tells Aeron to push in the trailer break (the yellow push in button) once he does that put the truck in drive and push the gas pedal in slowly. As the truck shakes Davos tells Aeron he’s doing good, the shaking means the tires/tandems on the trailer are sliding forward. Davos repeats the same steps but this time tells Aeron to reverse so the tandems/tire will slide back. After the mini lesson Davos tells Aeron he did a good job.

Aeron doesn’t want to argue, he feels like he did a shit job, so he changes the subject by asking Davos out. Davos tells Aeron the only way he’ll go out with him is, after he gets his pilot license and afterwards Aeron goes on a trucking trip with him. Aeron tells him sure he’ll go on a trucking trip with Davos, as long as Davos goes on a flight with Aeron.

That’s how Davos gets his pilot license and goes flying with Aeron every time they’re back in the riverlands. It’s also how Aeron experiences freedom from Amos, by being on the road with Davos. It’s also how both Willem and Amos settle their differences, if their nephews can fall in love then maybe the other house isn’t so bad.

Amos and Willem eventually date too, much to the horror of Aeron and Davos.

*at my old job I made friends with an older man who had a personal pilots license and had his own glider plane. His friend also had a private pilot license and a 1940s plane which is what I based Aerons plane off. Both let me fly the plane for 20 minutes (full control of it)

The truck stuff is based on what I learned from being on the road with my boyfriend. But I have driven the truck without the trailer on an actual highway, slid tandems for him every time, and drove a truck with trailer in a parking lot.

[a-door-to-somewhere]

My thoughts on andor s2.1-2.3!!!!

I literally sat down to take notes because I knew I wouldn't remember everything.

- the episode opening with the time grappler's gong (according to the subtitles)!!!

- KAFRENE being the code;-;

- can confirm cassian is cute

- love the opening scene juxtaposed with the other opening scenes of s1 and rogue one- here he doesn't end up killing an informant. He inspires her to rise instead. Totally thought she was gonna die tho

- my CRINGEFAIL PRINCESS being unable to fly the ship at first i LOVE him

- that green weapon on the ship is totally kyber powered or something

- the arch collapsing as he flies through it mirroring jedha

- BEE IS BACK

- I wanna hexagonal bed like bix's

- loving that vel dyed her hair. Or maybe it was bleached in the first season and this is her natural color? Closer to man's?

- luthen in the dark purple velvet..... what a queen

- cassian got away "clean" mmmm poor choice of words

- the inherent sluttiness of a flightsuit. To me.

- KRENNIC

- Ghorman being a highly regarded seat of luxury due to its traditional fiber arts. Someone's been doing their homework on actual antifascist revolutions.

- velkleya exes real???

- leida crying because "he's just a child" is so heartbreaking on so many levels...

- I'm so glad that we don't get any characterization of leida's fiance. We don't know if he's as awful as Davo or if he's also unwilling because it doesn't matter how good or bad of a person he is; the marriage is still a trap.

- cassian: ....I'm surrounded by idiots.....

- fr this man was lowkey sidelined as the comedic plot for two episodes in his own show

- I'm not made though because we got a show of cassian drinking from a dog bowl out of it ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

- honestly though I don't hate the plot line. It's literally leftist infighting. They're hungry. They're tired. There's limited resources and knowledge and everyone's got a gun and nobody's sure who is in charge. And there's a beast in the forest, and it doesn't care who it eats.

- does cassian being referred to as "the pilot" count as bodhi crumbs

- fucking rock paper scissors....

- love that syril and dedra (who apparently live together now) are legitimately nervous for eedy. Dedra is legit twitchy in a way that she wasn't around her own highly dangerous work superiors

- when dedra GAGGED eedy

- I too go lie face down on my mattress for a few precious seconds when my tiring relatives are around

- eedy making a mess and dismissing it. Theyre so good at making her utterly despicable.

- I love how they aren't mincing words this season. Bix and Brasso aren't just allegories to immigration in the US, they *are* literal illegal laborers. Theyre talking about actual visas. There's no question that the Empire-ICE are the evil ones.

- in the same way. The scene with bix and the imp was so so real. I'm so glad they actually had her say the word "rape" just in case there are any willfully ignorant watchers. I'm so glad they went there.

- the details in the set... maarva's picture by the comms. The AT-ST marionette toy. The houseplants. The droid daycare. It's not just a wheat planet. It's got culture, community.

- brassian kiss but at what cost....

- fr tho it makes me legitimate so happy to see male intimacy (whether platonic or not) portrayed so healthily on screen. I mean as healthily as you can get in a death scene

- CINTA

- I love that a single look destroyed vel. Augh

- Tay is sooooo dead cinta ain't gonna blink twice

[greenbloods]

Literally every single thing we know has to happen in The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring, plus a bunch of things that will probably happen:

(according to me); post below cut

In the East

In the Battle of Blood at Meereen, Dany's forces against the Ghiscari armies will prevail in a costly victory

most likely: Barristan will die in the Battle for Meereen, though Daenerys' forces will prevail; most likely, Victarion's Dragonbinder will be blown, causing confusion and a false charge in Barristan's forces, leading to his death, while the blowing of Dragonbinder will have unexpected consequences for Victarion

I have no idea with Dany tbh. All I know is that she has to fulfill Quaithe's prophecy and the House of the Undying prophecies somehow and come to Westeros, and probably fight in the War for the Dawn. (maybe kill Khal Jhaqo, fly to Vae Dothrak to fulfill the House of the Undying Visions and "to reach the west you must go east", fly to Asshai to "pass beneath the shadow", fly to Meereen and Volantis and Pentos and return to Westoros, maybe even with Victarion's ships, and meet Maester Marwyn in Meereen?? who even knows)

Dany will find out what Quaithe's deal was

the Tattered Prince will get somehow get his price of Pentos

Lynesse Hightower being the consort of a Triarch of Lys will become relevant; perhaps: she uses her influence in Lysene politics to cause Lys to side with Dany (parallel: Johanna Swann in the Dance of the Dragons)

the ailing old Sealord of Braavos will die, and Tormo Fregar will become the new Sealord as Arya predicts, and will come out in support of Dany

In the North

the Night's Watch will disintegrate into chaos in the aftermath of Jon's death, similar to the Republic after Caesar's death

the corpses in the cellars of Castle Black will rise

the free folk will sail to Hardhome

the Wall will fall at least in part, and the War for the Dawn will finally begin with the crossing of the Others

Jon will be resurrected from warging into Ghost (probably only after the Wall falls); will be resurrected either by Melisandre (likely) or Lady Stoneheart (less likely)

Jon will find out that he is the heir to Robb's will

Jon will find out the truth about his parentage

Howland Reed will finally appear on-page

the Others will seize the freefolk at Hardhome and march upon the Wall, as the freefolk and Night's Watch (remnants) rally Stannis & the Northern lords to beat back the Others' forces. as the Wall crumbles and the North is consumed by the forces of the undead

Davos will find Rickon in Skagos

Stannis will defeat the Boltons in the Battle on the Ice, meet with then take up the Northern alliance to beat back the Others; he will die

Hodor's name origin will be revealed as he "holds the door"

Jojen and Hodor and Meera and Summer will die ("One by one his friends died, and his horse, and finally even his dog, and his sword froze so hard the blade snapped when he tried to use it. And the Others smelled the hot blood in him, and came silent on his trail, stalking him with packs of pale white spiders big as hounds...")

Shireen's greyscale will infect others, perhaps spread by Patchface biting ("I have seen that one with his lips dripping with blood"), waking the stone dragon of grey plague at the Wall, fulfilling Melisandre's and Patchface's prophecies

Bran will leave the cave to join the war against the Others

Robb's crown will come back into importance, probably given to Jon by Lady Stoneheart [???]

the Starks will reunite

the heart of winter in the far North will be explained and perhaps will even be explored

the "dragons can't go beyond the Wall" Chekhov's gun (Queen Alysanne and Silverwing) will fire and the dragons will go north ("I see them in my dreams, Sam. I see a red star bleeding in the sky. I still remember red. I see their shadows on the snow, hear the crack of leathern wings, feel their hot breath. My brothers dreamed of dragons too, and the dreams killed them, every one.")

(In the Riverlands)

Arya will leave the Faceless Men with Needle & reunite with Nymeria in the Riverlands

Jaime will escape his Lady Stoneheart execution (somehow)

Blackfish will continue to resist Lannister rule as an outlaw, and might reunite with Lady Stoneheart

Lady Stoneheart will die a final death

Walder Frey will die and his children will squabble for succession (Frey civil war, possibly Red Wedding 2.0)

In the South

Myranda Royce's knowledge of 'Alayne's' true identity will become important; she will tell her father Nestor Royce that Alayne is Sansa, and Nestor's supposed siding with Littlefinger against the other Valelords will be used for Littlefinger's downfall

Sansa will play the game of thrones and gain the support of the Valelords, outplaying and killing Littlefinger ("and later I dreamt that maid again, slaying a savage giant in a castle built of snow")

Young Griff + Joncon will win Storm's End and the Stormlands "by guile" (probably involving Edric Storm)

Young Griff will form an alliance with Dorne by marrying Arianne (who wants to be queen), and will march on King's Landing

Quentyn's death will affect Dorne; most likely, Doran will hear of it and refuse to ally with Daenerys, siding instead with Young Griff

(In Oldtown)

Euron will unleash 'krakens from the deep' in the Battle of Blood off Oldtown and destroy the Reachman fleet

Euron's magic will be resisted by Hightower sorcery and by Alleras' glass candle

[??] Sam's warhorn will be revealed as Joramun's Horn, and Euron will blow it, triggering the fall of the Wall

the dragonlore that the Faceless Men stole in the AFFC Prologue will be used, either by Euron or by the Faceless Men themselves

Gilly and Dalla's babe will find a home, either in Oldtown or at Horn Hill

Sam will go back North to fight for the war for the dawn (Marwyn: "A time will come when you'll be needed on the Wall")

(In King's Landing)

Tommen will die, and Myrcella too ("gold will be their shrouds")

Joncon, hearing the bells of King's Landing, will go mad and attack wildly, setting off the wildfire caches under the city

Jaime will choke Cersei to death (valonqar prophecy), dying together ("we were born together and will die together")

the words of House Dayne will be revealed

the true identity of Azor Ahai's sword Lightbringer will be possibly revealed (probably Dawn)

the Sword of the Morning will be wielded in battle against the Others in the War for the Dawn

Darkstar's actual motives as part of the Dornish intrigue will be revealed

the reason for Ashara's death will be revealed

Tyrion will join with Daenerys and bring fire and blood to Westeros, confronting his siblings one last time before they die

Edric Storm and Gendry will return to the narrative

Loras will reappear, with his injuries likely recovered or non-existent

Illyrio and Varys' full plot and their full relation to each other will be revealed to us

Joncon, hearing the bells of King's Landing, will go mad and attack wildly, setting off the wildfire caches under the city set by Aerys' orders seventeen years ago; King's Landing will burn

[viperixsworld]

Born to die

━━ Benjicot Blackwood x oc

Chapther four: bravoosi dagger

Jon was never the smartest of the lot. When they were little, Corvin used to call him "Slow Jon" in the maester's lessons. Jon was the son of one of the kitchen maids, his father was a small-time hunter he didn't know, knocked up his mother and left.

He grew up in the stronghold of Raventree Hall, with Corvin, the son of master-at-arms, and the future Lord, Benjicot Blackwood. They were an interesting bunch. They had grown up together, fought together, once spent all day together roaming the Blackwood Vale.

Now, Jon was the stable boy and the good Lord Samwell tipped him well for it. Although he could not read, Jon had an excellent memory and remembered everything from roads to places he had been only once before to the seals of important houses. And for some reason, Lord Samwell had given him the task of collecting messages from the ravens arriving at Raventree Hall in view of the maester's poor health.

But then again, he wasn't the sharpest.

"Jon. Oi! Wise up!"

Corvin paced in front of him while Jon sat cross-legged in a hay bale.

"Don't leave me talking to myself," said Corvin.

"I'm sorry" apologised the boy "I think we got Benji in trouble".

"No, that's clear, I mean the other thing? Settle down, Lord Blackwood has said."

"Settle down... You mean on his bed?"

"Not like that, you muppet." Corvin looked up at the ravens flying over the grey sky. "Like in settle down to marriage."

Marriage. It was a foreign word to these kids. Jon's parents never married, Corvin's mother wears a metal ring on one finger. The closest marriage had been that of Lord and Lady Blackwood, but it was already a decade since the latter's death.

"Marriage... To a girl?"

"No, to a pig" Corvin replied "To a woman, obviously, and of high birth."

Just then, they saw their young Lord walking towards them. His brow was furrowed and the blood from his nose was already dried. Jon noticed that he had the face he makes when he reads the accounts, as if his head was straining.

"So... a girl," Jon blurted out abruptly.

"What are you talking about?" asked Ben.

"Sitting down, apparently," replied Jon.

"Setteling down, you dumbass," interjected Corvin.

"You were eavesdropping, you damned old gossips."

"No/Aye" said Corvin and Jon respectively.

"Bunch of bastards" said Ben plopping down next to Jon. The young heir pulled out the letters his father had received. Corvin snatched one from his hands.

"What is this seal?"

"Let me see," Jon reached out, but Corvin slapped his hand away.

"'Get off'" Corvin, who could read, took a second to speak again. "Lord of the Arbor, Luther Redwyne offers the hand of his third daughter, young Lucrezcia, blah blah blah" He paused for a moment "Arbor...why does that ring a bell?"

Of course, for two lads who had only seen a map of the Riverlands, the image of the Arbor is not at all familiar.

Jon's eyes lit up for a second.

"Wait! Remember the party in Riverrun last solstice? The one you sneak Corvin and I, with your cousin Davos?"

"The one where you threw up on a girl?"

"That's the one! The maester said the puking was from the slimy stuff I ate."

"Slimy stuff?" said Corvin with distaste.

"You mean the oysters?" asked Ben, completely lost with the point of the conversation.

"Yes! Those things! Well, the maester said they came from the Arbor, which was a very rich land in all the booze but that sea food could be somewhat indecent if not well cared for when transported from place to place."

"You're telling me that my future wife, that I know nothing about is likely to be a slimy thing that causes me to vomit."

"That's what I'm talking about, yes."

"Jon?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut the fuck up."

Ben ducked his head again. He was getting impatient. The conversation with his father had left him with a strange feeling of alertness. And to top it all off, a girl from a distant land would be arriving in gods knows how many days, to marry him.

A complete stranger who was going to live under his roof, eat with him and... procreate.

"Oi! Don't stress, mate," said Corvin, crouching down in front of his lord, "I mean, how bad can it be to be served a chick on a silver platter? Some of us have to work for it, you'll even get paid."

"You get paid to marry a girl?" asked Jon in total disbelief "I'm getting paid too?"

"I don't think so, stable boy" Corvin explained "Lords with daughters pay other lords with sons to marry them, I once heard your uncle Willem once say that the bigger the dowry, the uglier the daughter."

"Thank you Corvin, you make me very happy" Benji said sarcastically.

"So... " said Jon "We know she comes from the south, she probably smells like an oyster and she's filthy rich."

"I hope you're wrong about the oyster part, but otherwise yes, Jon, you've hit the nail on the head," said Benji.

"So... you're screwed."

"Pretty much."

"Sure she does not smell bad."

"Better than you, sure."

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"I need a bath."

They had walked for days, stopping at the odd village and resting in inns. The clothes on the carriage had mostly burned, as had much of their belongings.

There was still a day and a half to go before they reached Raventree Hall. Lucrezcia was beginning to loathe nature; she had guts, yes, but she was still a noblewoman, always used to the best.

Luther was not a very loving man to his daughters, but he had always spoiled them. The way he saw it, that's one way to love a daughter. Cover her in gifts, give her the best food, the best education, all the best.

So wearing the same dirt-filled slippers was proving to be a personal hell for Lucreczia.

Meanwhile, Black Aly was getting news from home. She had trained her hawk as a raven in addition to hunting. The bird was trained to only release the message from her brother, Lord Samwell.

Ben had received news of his marriage. And by the looks of it, he had not taken it with overflowing joy. According to the little parchment his brother sent, Benjicot and his two companions had spent the entire day outside the stronghold.

Perhaps he was angry. Perhaps he had simply needed time. Lucrezcia didn’t know him, and she didn’t particularly care. Not yet. But the thought of marrying some brooding woodsman in a moldy stone keep was beginning to grate. Especially in her state.

She scratched at her scalp, grimacing. Gods, she was starting to smell like Nyssa. The older girl had not minded the trip half as much, and even now rode with ease at the front, laughing with a passing peddler.

Lucrezcia sighed. "A day and a half," she muttered.

"What was that, my lady?" Black Aly asked.

"Nothing," Lu said, slumping back into the carriage seat. "Just... A bath. I need a bath."

"We can stop at White Hollow tonight if you please, my lady" said Butch, one of Black Aly's men. "It's getting dark fast and we know it's not safe to stay on the roads".

Lucrezcia felt an ick to the collar of her dress, then in her wirst. 

It had been several days since the ambush by those robbers. She, however, had kept the dagger that one of the bandits had left on the ground. The one that had helped her save Nyssa and Kyle. Among the few belongings she had managed to save, clothes, maps and a couple of pieces of jewellery, Lucrezcia had hidden the knife under some of Nyssa's mended clothes.

She would inspect it in the moonlight once she knew everyone was asleep. With the little light she was allowed, she had been able to decipher some of the engravings.

The dagger was dark and a bit dusty, chipped by the hilt but well conserved, with the shape of coin. Her Lord father was one for antics, he loved collectionism, there was a room in the Arbor castle, full of pictures and antiques from all over the world. One of the advantages of being a trading island with various parts of the known world. Her father dealt with rich men from all over, and in exchange for wine, some paid in spice, some in gold and some in art.

Lucrezcia had never seen such a dagger before. She was no weapons expert, but she had already spent several weeks surrounded by warriors. Hardened Riverlands warriors who used swords and arrows of ordinary steel. This dagger was dark as night, and its blade had words engraved on each side.

"Valar Morgulis"

and

"Valar Dohaeris"

Even for a lady educated in various languages such as Pentoshi or Myrish, she could not recognise what it was. The septas who had been in charge of her education and that of her sisters (the 13 septas in all, 9 of them frightened only by Lucrezcia herself) had never stopped to teach them High Valyrian. In the Reach, many Valyrian customs were taken heretical under the harsh rule of the Faith of the Seven. Even under a monarchy such as the Targaryen, High was a language few were fluent in.

Lucrezcia knew that her father could slur a few words and phrases useful in business, and he himself had seen to it that his daughters were taught characteristics of the various cultures of Essos. Not for nothing was her maid and best friend a Bravoosi girl.

"What are you doing?" 

"AH!" 

Lucrezcia gave a bellow when she felt Nyssa's nearness. Until a second ago she was further ahead, talking to the men. Her bravoosi accent sounded again “You've been quiet for a long time, it's quite unlike you, my lady”.

‘I just...’ Lucrezcia could tell her about the dagger, it's not like Nyssa didn't know how to keep secrets.

‘You were thinking about the dagger hidden in the cloths?’

This time, instead of screaming, Lucrezcia was stunned. She'd been careful, it wasn't that big of a dagger.

‘It belongs to the bandit Nyssa,’ the lady explained quietly, "He called me by my mother's name, no one has seen her for nine years. He put the dagger down and then said something like valorr.... vallor murgi..."

Nyssa's tanned face seemed to lose a shade.

‘Valar Morghulis’ she muttered.

"Yes! That was... I thought it was myrish or tyrish, maybe lyseeni? so, what language is it? It's not bravoosi, is it?" Lucrezcia seemed too delighted to have solved the mystery to notice Nyssa's serious face.

"It's Valiyrian, my lady" she said flatly, low so that others around her would not hear her "It's a phrase.... common... in Essos, it means 'All men must die'

Lucrezcia was intrigued, and let her maid continue.

"The dagger has another phrase, on the other side of the blade."

"Valar dohaeris" Nyssa guessed correctly "All men must serve."

The girls felt silent for a moment. It is not common for such sayings to reach Westeros. It is not safe. Nyssa knew that, but she also knew her lady and the deep hole that was carved the day her mother dissapeared. She saw it in his eyes, the way the green crystallised slightly at the mere thought of Vala Harlaw. Now she had this dagger, this clue, that could lead her to a man with answers or to almost certain death.

"I'll never talk you out of it, will I?"

Nyssa adored her lady, truly. Lucrezcia was an energetic, funny, clever girl, barely two years her junior. Nyssa had come to the Arbor by the hand of a ‘merchant’ who had captured her on Bravoos when her mother died of fevers. By cleaning and being quiet, minding her own business, she had managed to arrive unharmed on a remote island, where she could barely speak four sentences.

She remembered the day Lord Luther called her into his service. Or more exactly, the Lady Vala. 

The Lady of Arbor and mother of the Redwyne daughters, was the one who brought Nyssa into the palace. At the time, Vala had been heavy with her youngest child, and the household was in quiet disarray. Still, Vala noticed the Bravoosi girl on a walk through the harbour markets, skinny, clever-eyed, far too still for a child. She was being handled by one of those merchants who dealt in “indentures,” the kind of man who wore perfume over rot.

Vala didn’t make a scene. She simply paid.

“Westeros has no place for chains,” she told the merchant coldly. "Neither does my husband's land"

Nyssa was barely ten. She spoke just enough broken Westerosi to say thank you and keep her head down. She was first placed in the laundry  scrubbing, folding, invisible — until one day Vala summoned her personally.

“I have three daughters,” the lady said, already seated with embroidery in her lap. “One is married and gone. One thinks too much of herself. The other is too sharp for her own good. You’ll help with the last two.”

And so, Nyssa had been reassigned to the nursery, to help with Olga and Lucrezcia.

Olga didn’t like her. The second daughter of Arbor was devout, proud, and quick to remind anyone of their place. To her, Nyssa was foreign, improper, and suspicious. But Lucrezcia…

Lucrezcia was something else entirely. Curious. Lonely. Wild. And only a few years younger.

She would ask questions faster than Nyssa could answer them. About her city. Her gods. Her mother. Her accent. Lucrezcia made her laugh, and then made her swear not to tell anyone that she had. Nyssa quickly went from chambermaid to shadow. She helped her practice dancing, snuck sweets out of the kitchen, and kept quiet during her pranks on the septas.

It was not long before Lucrezcia began calling her “my maid,” even though Vala hadn’t given orders. It simply became fact.

And after Vala’s disappearance, it was just the two of them. Two girls on an island of silk and shadows  growing up too fast.

"You will not" answered Lucrezcia "But I will not burden you with this, I can solve it on my own" said the lady. Not in a rude or dismissive way, but as more lonely. 

"As if, my lady" replied Nyssa more lightly "I wouldn't dream of leaving you at your mercy with face-changing bandits, but we have to be smart"  said the bravoosi "We'll plan better when we get to the inn". 

Lucrezcia seemed pleased, and then added.

"Face-shifter-what?"

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Far ahead, in Raventree Hall, the boy lord of Blackwood was brooding beneath the boughs of the weirwood, trying to convince himself that he wouldn’t be married to a pompous Reach maiden with calluses where her heart should be.

Little did he know she was thinking the exact same thing.

“Get that cutthroat face off, my lord” Corvin's voice echoed at the entrance to the Godswood "Jon has the horses ready, if we hurry we will be at Old Netty's tavern in White Hollow before the hour of the Wolf".

Ben hesitated for a second, staring at the big dead tree

It had been several days since that talk with his father, the lads trying to cheer him up by taking him out of the fort, running races or going to taverns. In four nights they'd hit all the worst bars east of the Blue Fork.

Netty's was Corvin's personal favourite. It was the first tavern where Jon got really smashed. And Ben liked a good game of dice with some unlucky guy. No one even knows if Netty is real, but is has its charm. 

His father would not be pleased with him. 

"Benji! Oi, c'mon, ya deaf lordling!" 

But he was not pleased with his father either.

"Benny boy, let's go before Bessy snitch us up!"

Maybe it was childish, he was an heir and would have to get married sooner or later. 

But then again, a third daughter from a southern posh island that probably smell's funny, and a sense of uneasyness on his father need to secure the Blackwood legacy. 

Benjicot Blackwood turned to his friend. 

"Don't just stand there, mate" said the lord approaching his friend "You're going to have to buy me rounds when I beat you at the dice"

"What an abusive lord, I might just complain to Lord Tully".

"Let's go, don't keep our Jon wainting" said Ben amused. 

"As you wish" 

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