"Storm's End? The weather there is dreadful," William remarked.
You'd get used to it.
"Mhm," Elizabeth nodded. "Can't we stay here? All the lightning falling from the sky is scary."
"Cease your whining and crying," Victoria rolled her eyes. "Stormfyre is in your name."
William glanced at her but gave no reply.
"Awww, big sister is being a big meanie again," Elizabeth pouted.
"The Storm has passed, sweetheart. There will be no more thunder or lightning. The seas will rise no more. Even the wind will be gentle as silk."
"Really?"
"Truly," I nodded.
"How long do we have to stay there?" William questioned further.
"As long as you need to," I smiled slightly. "I lived there for eleven years; it's not so terrible. It's the safest place in the world as of now."
"What's so special about it?" William raised an eyebrow.
"You'll see."
As I said farewell, I embraced the three. The dragon had three heads… history did not quite repeat itself, but it certainly did rhyme. They were the future. My legacy.
"Don't cause any unnecessary trouble, alright?"
I looked mainly at Victoria.
"Why am I getting the stare?" Victoria raised an eyebrow.
"You are too much like me," I chuckled.
"Listen to your guardians without failure," Daenerys added. "I shouldn't hear one complaint once we return."
"That's a bit harsh..." William remarked.
"It is not the time to take everything lightly. Hopefully, you will not be faced with the worst of it... But if you are, you must steady yourselves and be strong."
"Mommy is just making us worry," Elizabeth said, shaking her head. "Daddy will sweep away the bad guys very quickly... expedishiously."
"Expeditiously," I corrected, smiling.
"Exped... it's a hard word," She pouted.
"You'll get the hang of it," I shrugged. "Now, I'll leave you three in the care of lady Brienne. Be good to her, especially. No matter what happens, you can trust her to protect you from anything."
"Okay!" Elizabeth nodded.
The older two did so as well.
"Well..." I took a deep breath. "Take care of yourselves."
...
"You'll be going to Storm's End as well, I take it?"
I met with Margaery one last time.
"There is no place I'd rather be than with my children, as you know..."
"Of course," I nodded. Covered head to toe in furs, she still looked as beautiful as... ever, really. "I wanted to thank you for... everything. It seems that no matter what, Garth and Alysanne are fated for great things, and the common cause is you being their guiding hand."
"... What are you going to do?" Margaery looked concerned.
"Some things are better left unsaid, but... sometimes I imagine how things could have been different between us. If some events went differently, if I... was different. Our children would be all the happier for it, mayhaps they wouldn't even be bastards in the first place..."
"There's no use in contemplating that now..." Margaery shook her head. "You made your choice, and I cannot fault you for it. Arguably, you made the best choice for your legacy... and, admittedly, I made a grave mistake."
"I don't believe it was a mistake, I wouldn't even dare call it that..." I pulled Margaery to my side, embracing her. "Honestly, knowing what I know now, I wouldn't even need to be drunk to take you to my bed."
"..." Margaery chuckled. "Am I to take that as a compliment?"
"Truth is, I do enjoy our time together. Our unity is wonderful for our children, of course, and I am content with the way things are. But it's not all about me, you are stuck... I wouldn't leave our children, nor would you, yet I wouldn't take you as my woman while passively deterring anyone else from doing so. It's not an enviable position..."
"It does not concern me."
"You are a wonderful woman, and you deserve to be happy. If I can grant you that once all of this ends, I will..."
"... You don't have to."
"I want to," I replied, holding her close. "Neither gods nor men would move me. You only need to tell me if it's what you want."
"You should know already."
She rested her head in my chest.
"I just wanted to be sure," I smiled.
Not even after a decade of my disappearance did she turn to anyone else. That kind of loyalty... the Other Edric took it for granted. I will not.
...
"Only an embrace?" Daenerys questioned.
She was the one who suggested that I was becoming a little 'too much' for one woman to handle sometime ago. Given my physical attributes, she was right, although I wasn't too fond of the idea when she brought it up as I didn't want to 'dilute' my bond with Daenerys. I've seen the other side of that since.
"Now isn't really the time to be... doing more."
"What time is better than the period where you most believe that your time is running short?" Daenerys questioned. "Wouldn't you want to make the most of it?"
"I'd rather not have my focus divided."
"So, this is your way of tying up loose ends?"
"In a way, yes..." I nodded. "In the case that I won't be able to."
"I'm weary of thinking about that... possibility," Daenerys grabbed hold of my hand. "Please tell me that it's just some act, that you see a path to victory."
"Don't worry, this is my burden to bear."
"Our burden..."
"I won't let anything happen to you," I promised. "I love you dearly. During these years, you've... given me everything I ever wanted. I could have almost forgotten the world was fading away. No prophecy will ever turn me to sacrificing you - that's all I can promise."
...
"Three dragons, two dragonriders... and me."
Arthur stated as he joined us on the snowy field outside of Highgarden. Drogon was Daenerys' dragon, without a doubt, and Viserion had more or less become mine through constant use. Rhaegal, meanwhile, had remained riderless... trying Jon out was a thought I had, but, given my complicated relationship with the Starks and the distance, I hadn't done so. The best thing would be... this.
"Who am I going to be holding onto?" Arthur questioned.
"No one... you're going to be riding by yourself," I looked at Rhaegal, smiling slightly. "Your own dragon, right here, waiting for you."
"... Ahaha..." Arthur laughed nervously. "I much prefer riding from the back of a horse, personally. Dragons are far too unpredictable. Also, I don't have a drop of valyrian blood in me... I don't think the dragon would take kindly to me being on top of it."
"Hey, if you end up falling a couple thousand feet, I'll catch you..." I reassured him. "And if Rhaegal does anything in the first place, I'll skin him alive... or would it be scale? Scale him alive? I've always wondered how dragon soup tasted. That beefy boy probably has quite a bit of protein in him... we could fill many hungry stomaches."
Rhaegal blinked. He understood me.
"Are you certain this is a good idea?" Daenerys questioned. "Threatening Rhaegal into submission on Arthur's behalf won't make for a good pairing. It has to come naturally."
"Well, Arthur did slay a much bigger dragon once... there has to be some innate respect for such a formidable rider, valyrian or not."
"I'd rather not test that theory," Arthur admitted.
"You don't have a choice - hop on! Back in the old days, Daenerys didn't even have the luxury of a saddle. It'll all work out just fine."
"... I don't like your optimism, in this case... and she's as much of a natural dragonrider as they come, I'm not-"
"What, are you scared of heights or something?"
"Normal heights with the ground beneath me? No..." Arthur shook his head. "But hundreds, if not thousands, of feet of nothing but air is a whole different matter."
"Don't worrryyy, you got this. If you can manage to tame the dragon, it'll be a huge advantage for our side. We'd be able to devastate the Night King's forces and retreat without any losses, cutting down the horde with each engagement..."
"And if I can't?"
"There's no ifs, you will. Believe in yourself. If not... then believe in me. I won't be far behind."
"..." He took a deep breath. "Very well... I'll give it a try."
After getting up on the dragon, he mounted the saddle and strapped himself up. Rhaegal gave quite a shake. I threw him a whip.
"Unlike horses, the dragon turns whichever direction you whip it. All of the dragons I've trained do understand the common tongue, but favour and are more receptive to Valyrian."
"I don't know a single word in Valyrian..."
"Eh, you won't need it. Tell it to fly."
"... Fly," Arthur said.
Rhaegal didn't move an inch.
"Dragons don't respect weakness... you have to be dominant, in control. Command it as you would a dog. It can feel your fear and uncertainty, as well as your confidence and bravery. You have to believe yourself worthy and capable; otherwise, you will never tame a dragon."
Arthur nodded, raising the whip. "FLY!"
He struck its head, and Rhaegal leapt into the air, spreading its wings and soaring higher as it violently flapped.
"Alright, Viserion. Let's go tailing."
Viserion already knew the assignment before I even spoke, flying after Rhaegal. Drogon and Daenerys followed shortly after. In the first couple of minutes, there were quite a few scares as Rhaegal flew wildly. It had become the most stubborn of the three, having grown up largely riderless.
But... there was something unique about Arthur. Since he returned from his great journey to the further East, his aura very much resembled a dragon's to my eyes. Even my other senses pointed to draconic traits. Did being under dragon fire several times, and even using it as his own, affect his own magic? Or was it the fact that he slew one, mayhaps absorbing its spirit as well...
Once he got over the initial scare, commanding a dragon seemed all too natural.
I didn't have to attempt catching his falling body from high in the sky, at least...
Rhaegal seemed to even favour Arthur - rather quickly, at that. I was certainly glad it worked out. The dragon's speed and fire, along with its natural strengthening of the magic around it, paired with Arthur's versatile prowess with magic, from strengthening to defending to outright destroying, along with his affinity for fire, made for a tactical advantage in battle that only I could match while riding a dragon of my own.
Without me... he would be the one everyone would turn to.
Honestly, he was more of an 'Azor Ahai' than I was. His primary element was fire, mine was lightning. He definitely was more of the 'hero' type than I. But even he... would he sacrifice his loved one to save the world? Is the decision easier or harder when you have two to choose from?
Would he be capable of making that choice?
I am... clearly not. Does that make me less than Azor Ahai? He was able to set aside his love and make the difficult decision for the 'greater' good. He didn't have a Raiden waiting for him on the other side, either. The world would be saved, I'd get the wish I had been chasing from the very beginning, summer would come, and it would all be sunshines and rainbows... everyone could be happy again.
The only sacrifice would be Daenerys.
That... seemed like the most cruel fate of all to me.
She is willing to be the sacrifice, but am I willing to take her life? Is it truly my choice in that case - would it be selfish or selfless to deny her? I wanted so much, everything, yet like grasping water... it would likely all spill out of my hands.
If I am doomed to prophecy, chained to it... what was the point of everything?
I want to break free.
~
Once I was convinced that Arthur had truly tamed Rhaegal, we swiftly flew to King's Landing, where the majority of my main fighting force had been stationed. The Stormguard had risen from its forty-four remnants of the first century to a thousand and forty-four, completing the first legion. They were my pride and joy, each and every one being a veteran of at least one of my campaigns. Elites amongst the elite, no army of equal number could best them.
Every single man in the Stormguard possessed the finest equipment, from weapons to armour, all enchanted with magic. The archers wielded goldenheart and dragonbone bows with great accuracy. At the same time, the infantry and cavalry had the stoutest and most flawless of 'Edricarian' steel armours and weapons. Each man was practically a household unit of guards by himself. Given their distinct armours personally crafted by me, when a man saw a Stormguard, they knew exactly who they were.
The first century all had custom-forged armours and weapons, for that matter... not too far from the privilege that the Kingsguard got.
As for the rest of the royal forces, there were the two Iron Legions, who had been trained further, and ten thousand Unsullied who needed no introduction. They were all armed with mass-produced 'imperfect' Edricarian steel tips on their spears (imperfect because they could break), along with dragonglass replacement tips and daggers. I had realised that numbers alone would not win this war, given the food shortage... so I needed a large enough army of elites rather than a horde of hungry peasants who would only feed the Night King's army.
And so, I had the royal army, fifteen thousand strong... which could overcome armies many times larger, given the right conditions.
...
The Small Council.
"The prolonging of this severe winter has led to many revolts against those in power across the known world. Most notably, the recovering cities of Slaver's Bay have fallen to chaos. From the whispers I hear, Volantis has collapsed worst of all, being compared to a pit of horror where every man fends for himself," Varys explained.
"I've seen these things myself," I nodded. "It's a terrible thing, chaos."
Daenerys looked, rightfully, quite upset... but this was all too inevitable. Meereen would've needed several years of summer to recover from all of its wounds. The Winter had only torn through the bandages, ripping it apart...
"King's Landing is nearing that point... and so is much of the Realm. Thousands are perishing by the moon. Nobles being more conservative is not enough, the commonfolk believe we're keeping large stashes of food for ourselves," Renly sighed, shaking his head. "We're not so far from starving ourselves. If not for a few of the magic wielders creating environments where food is growable, not many of us would be left..."
Although he had lost his regency due to me coming of age years ago, Renly had more or less kept his status as 'regent' when I wasn't available. Essentially, he was a second Hand.
"When will this madness end?" Alester Florent questioned.
Everyone looked to me for answers.
"Soon," I said with confidence. "All of this will be over soon enough. I'll make sure of it."
"Thank the gods," Mace nodded.
"How could you be so certain?" Renly raised an eyebrow.
"While the length of this winter is natural, given the length of the summer we had, the severity of it... is not. It's artificially worsened by the Night King's magic. Once he falls, the season will become more manageable, if not reversible by my hand..."
I explained simply.
"He has begun to advance, and so, it is time for us to do the same. To be ready for what comes next..." I stood up from my seat. "Firstly, the council, nobility and anyone of importance will evacuate King's Landing and move to Storm's End."
Calling the smallfolk unimportant was quite ruthless, but... they were more of a growing problem than anything right now. They ate up food, did nothing of substance and were angry all for it. I couldn't blame them, given the number that have fallen, but that was the reality...
"That would only incite the panic," Renly countered. "The capital being left entirely behind?"
"Let them panic and cause chaos. King's Landing is too populated to defend, its magic defences are non-existent, and it's simply too large. If it falls... it falls. Sacrifices have to be made for the greater good."
"What will become of the people?" Daenerys questioned. "Will you leave them to fend for themselves?"
"As I said, sacrifices..."
"You can 'sacrifice' hundreds of thousands of people, but not..."
"- I truly don't want to hear it," I shook my head. "It's not so easy a decision to make. I hate seeing people suffer... but there's nothing I can do about it. Either you all remain here, defenceless by comparison and prone to a rebellion from a horde of smallfolk or take to Storm's End, which is far better equipped for these circumstances."
"Storm's End does sound far more appealing..." Mace agreed.
"I will not be waiting for the foe to approach," Randyll Tarly replied.
"You may join the main force, if you wish," I nodded. "We could use your command. Also, send word to my uncle to move to Storm's End as well. He will be needed in case Storm's End is under siege."
"That would mean you believe the Others moving far past the Wall is plausible..." Renly remarked.
"More than plausible. The Realm is far too large for one man, even on dragonback, to cover. In which case, the highest priority would be my family..."
Nothing else truly mattered nearly as much.
After I communicated my plans for the future... the small council chamber was just me, Arthur and a disapproving Daenerys.
"You may as well set the city on fire now," Daenerys remarked. "That may have been a kinder fate than what you've given them."
'Burn them all... make grandfather-in-law proud.'
"What a fine idea, Dany," I remarked, shrugging. "It makes quite a bit of sense... if the Others were to invade the city - why leave behind hundreds of thousands of soldiers for the Night King's horde? I cannot be certain of this possibility, so I've not done so."
"The fact that you can say all of that so easily..."
"This war won't be won by the soft-hearted," I sighed. "You think I want to do any of this? I don't... and so, I must make the difficult decisions."
"You won't make your Lightbringer, however..."
"And you are too keen on the thought of sacrificing yourself," I frowned. "Do you like the idea of being a sacrifice so much? To die, for the rest of the world?"
"Do you?" Daenerys questioned. "Is that why you're so stubborn, that you want to bear the 'sacrifice' all on your shoulders? To be the undisputed hero?"
"Hahaha..." I laughed. "Nothing is more laughable than that. I could not care less what the world thinks of me. What I want is to see my family whole... to live through this."
"Regarding sacrifices..." Arthur spoke up. "What if I were used to temper Lightbringer instead? Would that... work? Does it necessarily have to be Azor Ahai's wife?"
"..."
We both looked at him.
My dragon eye narrowed, seeing the possibility I didn't want to see.