Thank you
Michael Donovan
Indrawan Theja Pranata
HugoH
Sheppard3rd
Liam Brady
Auzzo
Lakaylynn Hillman
isa akhtar
sawyer moffatt
Ashley
Nikki Davis
Sebastian
Brendan Cooper
doompie
Nathan
Murat Atıcı
ahmarijah
Daniel Thomsen
Justas Krukonis
Kris Cannon
kay4t123
zTheory
MaskedMonk
Tony Brittain
Jean Hernandez
Marivi
Johnathon Lewis
KratosDragon
Kal Odinson
Luffy
Justas Krukonis
Aeden Emrys
Hardstuck4ever
Jessica Viklovszki
matt
Manu Aadapu
Wojciech Przychodzki
A11StarReader
For Joining my Patreon.
Support me and read advance chapters at my patreon.
5 Chapters for 1$
10 chapters for 3$
20 chapters for 10$
30 chapters for 20$
40 chapters for 30$
Patreon.com/Shahsank_bhatt
__________________________
[After Daenerys is escorted away, Jorah and Viserys are alone.]
"We're still not far from Pentos, your Grace. Magister Illyrio has extended his hospitality. You'd be more comfortable there."
"I have no interest in hospitality or comfort. I'll stay with Drogo until he fulfils his end of the bargain and I have my crown."
"As you wish, your Grace."
"Well, Mormont, as brutish as this life is, I suppose it is preferable to beheading. What did Ned Stark want you for? Buying from a slaver?"
"Selling to one... Some poachers I caught on my land."
"Under my reign, you won't be punished for such nonsense. You can rest assured of that."
"Slavery isn't nonsense" Rhaegar muttered to himself. He decided to not hear Varys when he assessed his brother's nature the first time. He did not like what he was hearing or seeing.
[Scene changes to Joffrey finding Tyrion asleep in the dog's pen of Winterfell.]
"Why are you in the dog pens?" Joanna made a face.
"I may have passed out after a night of drinking" Tyrion shrugged. He'd woken up in worse places.
Joanna did not look pleased.
"Better-looking bitches than you're used to, Uncle. My mother's been looking for you. We ride for King's Landing today."
"Before you go, you will call on Lord and Lady Stark and offer your sympathies."
"What good will my sympathies do them?"
"None. But it is expected of you. Your absence has already been noted."
"The boy means nothing to me. And I can't stand the wailing of women."
[Tyrion slaps Joffrey across the face]
Everyone blinked in surprise, while Robert grunted in approval.
"Boy needs to be hit more" the King grunted. He would have been the one to do it, had Cersei not made that threat all those years ago after he had hit the boy once.
"One word and I'll hit you again."
"I'm telling Mother!"
[Tyrion slaps Joffrey across the face again]
Robb cheered silently. He did not mind seeing the pompous prick get hit around.
"Go! Tell her. But first, you will get to Lord and Lady Stark and you will fall on your knees in front of them and tell them how very sorry you are, that you are at their service, and that all your prayers are with them. Do you understand?"
"You can't..."
[Tyrion slaps Joffrey across the face again]
"You might just be my new favourite little man," Theon said with a grin.
"Always a pleasure to bring joy to the Lords and their Wards" Tyrion bowed comically.
"Do you understand?"
[Joffrey walks away]
"The Prince will remember that, little lord."
"I hope so. If he forgets, be a good dog and remind him. Time for breakfast "
[Tyrion walks from the courtyard to the dining hall where his family is eating breakfast.]
"Bread. And two of those little fish. And a mug of dark beer to wash it down. And bacon burnt black."
"Little brother."
"Beloved siblings."
"Is Bran going to die?"
The Starks stiffened at the question. The boy had fallen from a great height and they all counted him dead already. But there was always that bit of hope, that tiny kernel that wanted to believe the opposite. No matter how illogical it was.
"Apparently not."
Eyes widened in surprise.
"What do you mean?"
"The Maester says the boy may live."
"Gods" Catelyn sobbed, clinging to Bran tightly. She had sat the boy between her and Ned. Ned on the other side placed a hand on his son's head and ruffled his head. Sansa smiled through tears and Arya's face brightened. Jon and Robb shared a grin, while the dead Starks looked relieved. They could do without another of their family joining them so soon.
"It's no mercy, letting a child linger in such pain."
"Afraid he'd speak about what he saw?" Theon drawled. Cersei was not there to react, but Jaime was. The man flared at the squidling, who grinned at him.
"Only the gods know for certain. All the rest of us can do is pray. The charms of the north seem entirely lost on you."
"I still can't believe you're going. It's ridiculous even for you."
"Where's your sense of wonder? The greatest structure ever built, the intrepid men of the Night's Watch, the wintry abode of the White Walkers."
"It's very curious he'd mention that with the White Walkers on the move," Renly mused out loud.
"I have dreamt it, of course. I saw the walkers making homes along the wall" Tyrion rolled his eyes at the man.
"I wanted to visit the Wall" Joanna mumbled to her son, "for those very reasons except the White Walker part."
Tyrion smiled at his mother.
"Tell me you're not thinking of taking the black."
"And go celibate? The whores would go begging from Dorne to Casterly Rock."
"I can assure you half man, the whores in Dorne care very little about you," Oberyn said with a sharp smile.
"I'm sure you know all of them quite well Tyrion matched the smile with one of his own, not as sharp.
"I just want to stand on top of the Wall and piss off the edge of the world."
"Tyrion..." Joanna sighed.
Tyrion smiled softer at his mother.
"The children don't need to hear your filth. Come."
[Cersei leaves with the children]
"Even if the boy lives, he'll be a cripple, a grotesque. Give me a good clean death any day."
"Speaking for the grotesques, I'd have to disagree. Death is so final, whereas life... Life is full of possibilities. I hope the boy does wake, I'd be very interested to hear what he has to say."
"Did you know?" Brandon the elder asked the Imp with a growl.
"No, but no doubt I suspected something. Of course, I can't say for certain, since it hasn't happened yet" Tyrion answered, a sardonic smile on his face.
Brandon glowered, he did not like the little Lannister much either.
[Scene changes to Bran's room with Catelyn at his bedside, Cersei coming to console him. Catelyn stands in greeting]
"Please."
"I would have dressed, your Grace."
"This is your home. I'm your guest. Handsome one, isn't he? I lost my first boy, a little black-haired beauty. He was a fighter too... Tried to beat the fever that took him. Forgive me. It's the last thing you need to hear right now."
"Did she?" Myrcella looked at Tyrion. She couldn't look Jaime in the eye after what she'd seen, the thought making her head spin.
"Yes. Just a year after she married your father. You would have had a brother before Joffrey" Tyrion explained kindly.
"Did they name him?" Myrcella asked, while her mind was restless at the father's comment.
"Steffon. After my father" Robert answered his daughter, looking at the girl with a small smile. "He had my hair and your mother's eyes. Came screaming into this world... and left quite the same..."
Jon Arryn placed a hand on Robert's shoulder and gave him a comforting squeeze.
"I never knew."
"It was years ago. Robert was crazed, beat his hands bloody on the wall, all the things men do to show you how much they care... The boy looked just like him. Such a little thing... A bird without feathers. They came to take his body away and Robert held me. I screamed and I battled, but he held me. That little bundle. They took him away and I never saw him again. Never have visited the crypt, never."
"I haven't either" Robert grunted. He had thought that perhaps that had been his second chance, a son to raise to not be like him. He had hopes for the boy, dreams even, which was stupid considering how young he was. His passing only weeks later had left him a more broken man.
Robert inhaled deeply and exhaled just as he felt something tickling him in the eyes. He felt another hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Ned standing there with a hand on his other shoulder, understanding in his eyes.
Robert smiled at the man. He could count on Ned and Jon to be there for him when he needed them..
"I pray to the Mother every morning and night that she return your child to you. Perhaps this time she'll listen."
"False courtesies" Catelyn spat in disgust.
"I wouldn't be so sure, Lady Stark," Tyrion said gently. "As terrible as my sister is, she is not a bad mother. Perhaps seeing your pain and remembering the pain of losing a child, perhaps she was genuine this time.
Catelyn scoffed at the imp.