1st Month of 300 A.C. King's Landing
Melisandre
The walls of her room were dark red and black, everything had been created in the image of the Targaryen family in this room, it was fitting she thought, the priestess of fire being kept in a room of fire. She had always known that she would come here, that this would be how things would end, Stannis, Stannis had been a means to an end, and he had served that purpose. Melisandre's life had been a long one, she did not remember her mother's face, the face of her father or her sister, but she remembered the things she had done, the person she had lived as for many years, and she knew that there was but one thing left for her to do in this life before she met her death. The dragons had been restored to Westeros, as was their right, but there was an uncertainty to them, a hesitancy that would need to be removed before they left to face the destruction that was coming. The Great Other was coming and with him, his hordes of dead things, and it was a necessity that the dragons knew what to do when they were confronted with the thing that was coming. Her flames had often shown things that she had misinterpreted, but she was confident about this, the dragons would need to do what she had seen to succeed, nothing more, nothing less.
The door opens, and in walks the King and his two queens, flanked by the Kingsguard, those white knights that she had suggested to the very first queen all those years ago when she had been naught but a girl. That had been a long time ago, and now, well now it was time to speak to truth. "Your Graces." She says rising and curtseying before the three of them, when they bid her sit she sits, and she looks at them. "What would you have from me?"
The King with his mess of silver and brown hair, and his violet and purple eyes speaks. "We would have answers from you priestess." His voice is simple but commanding, just as it was all those years ago.
"And what answers would you have from me Your Grace?" Melisandre asks.
"We would know why you came to Westeros, when you came to Westeros and why you chose Stannis Baratheon as your master." The King says.
"I had heard of you when I was in Volantis, you had quite the reputation." The second queen Daenerys says.
"I am sure I did. Moqorro and Benerro were always like to emphasise certain things over other things." Melisandre replies. She sees a hint of fear cross the second queen's eyes at the mention of her old masters' names and nods, that is good, at least the girl has some sense.
"So why did you come to Westeros?" the King asks, his voice betraying his impatience.
Melisandre fixes her attention onto the King and responds. "I came because I had had a vision within my flames. I was needed in Westeros, not for any conversion, but because there was a darkness coming." She gestures to the wolves that lie on the floor at their masters' feet. "Those wolves you have, they were the first sign of this great omen, when I heard, and then when I saw, I knew I had to come."
"What did you see?" the second queen asks.
"I saw flames, and in those flames I saw fire and blood. I saw the beginning and the end, and I knew I had to come." Melisandre responds.
"So you came to Dragonstone, to Stannis Baratheon, a man who changed his allegiance more times than I have seen the snow here in King's Landing." The first queen says. "Why?"
Melisandre considers this question for a moment, wondering how best to answer it, before eventually replying. "I went to Dragonstone, to Stannis because his wife asked for me. She wanted some way of repairing her relationship with her husband and she thought I might provide the solution to that issue of hers."
The King snorts. "Instead you ended up sleeping with the man. Tell me, what did you want with Stannis?"
Melisandre looks at the King and then at his two queens before replying. "I needed a way to get to King's Landing, it was important that Stannis felt he could trust me. He needed to know that I supported him. He was so desperate for love and affection that he willingly took what I gave."
"Why did you need to be in King's Landing so badly? What was so important that it necessitated you coming to Dragonstone and making use of someone?" the King asks, his voice filled with barely disguised disgust.
"You were coming Your Grace." She replies, seeing the confusion on the King's face she elaborates. "I saw your victory in the war that has passed, and I knew I had to come to be here when you were crowned. I knew that this conversation would happen, I knew that for it to happen, I needed to be here."
"Why was this conversation so important?" the King asks, sounding intrigued.
Melisandre hesitates for a moment, unsure for the first time, just how much detail she should go into, eventually she says. "Because of the prophecy."
"What prophecy?" The King asks.
"The Prince That Was Promised." The second queen whispers.
"Yes, the Prince That Was Promised." Melisandre agrees. "You three."
"What is this prince that was promised?" the King asks.
"A prophecy made millennia ago, when the world was young, foretelling the arrival of a saviour who would come when the darkness threatened to engulf the world once more. A person who would emerge from the shadows and ensure that the darkness was defeated once and for all. You, Your Grace." Melisandre replies.
"What darkness are you speaking of?" the King asks, and Melisandre gets the impression that he is merely humouring her.
"The Great Other and the emergence of the White Walkers once more." Melisandre replies.
She expects laughter, she had heard if often enough before Stannis fell under her spell, but instead the King merely replies. "So it is true then, the White Walkers have returned. I did not wish to believe it at first, but now, now it does make some sense."
"Your Grace?" she asks surprised.
"Word has been filtering through for moons now, of strange happenings beyond the wall. The wildlings have been gathering in great numbers, for what none knew, but now, now I think I do. I remember the stories, there was only one thing that could ever truly unite the wildlings, and it was that, that fear of death. Though, I do have to ask, why did you not come to me straight away?" the King asks.
The question surprises Melisandre. "I… I knew I needed to get information first, I needed to be sure."
"What information? You keep mentioning information, but you do not specify what." The first queen asks.
Melisandre hesitates for a moment then, unsure of what to say, of how to best explain, and then she says. "I needed to find out more about the threat, and where it might come from. There are books here, books that explain things in great detail, and I needed to know if my powers worked."
"You needed to know if you could perform the magic your lot perform then, is that it?" the second queen asks disgust in her voice.
"Yes." Melisandre says simply, not seeing any point in lying.
"What methods are those?" the first queen asks though Melisandre gets the impression she knows well what methods her wife is meaning.
"Sacrifice. I needed to know if there would be enough strength within my power whilst I was here, to do what needed to be done." Melisandre replies.
"There will be no sacrifice." The King says then, his voice firm. "So tell me Melisandre, what did you learn whilst you were here aiding my enemies?"
Melisandre swallows suddenly nervous, aware of what this could all mean. She takes a breath then says. "I learned that there is much and more about the Long Night that remains a mystery, but I know now what is needed to ensure that they do not cross into the lands of the proper north."
"And what might that be?" the King asks, the mention of the north drawing his interest.
"The Horn of Joramun, and the Horn of Fire." Melisandre replies.
The King looks at her then, something akin to realisation dawning on his face. "So you're suggesting those horns might actually do something of note?"
"Yes Your Grace, I believe that they are necessary to defeating the White Walkers." Melisandre replies, seeing the confused look on the two queens' faces she elaborates. "The two horns were created many millennia ago, by people or peoples long since forgotten by this world. But they were created with a lot of power, the power to turn an enemy to dust when sounded together. Furthermore, they also contain the power to unlock the secret of the White Walkers."
"How? What gives them this power?" the first queen asks.
"There are runes on the horns, runes that come from the time of the First Men, I believe, and I think it is these runes that give the horns their verbal power." The King says.
"Yes, I believe that is so." Melisandre replies, impressed.
A contemplative look crosses the King's face. "Well, Robb has the Horn of Joramun, and from what I have been able to work out, it has worked quite well for him against the false Stark and his followers. Though this horn of fire, I do not know where it could be."
"I believe that it is north of the wall Your Grace. One of the false people beyond the wall holds it, for that was where it was buried long ago." Melisandre replies.
"Why would this horn be buried north of the wall, and not somewhere where it could be used by people who actually understand it?" the first queen asks.
At this Melisandre gives a small laugh. "Because Your Grace, there were times when the wildlings knew more about the way of the world than the people south of the wall, and furthermore, because magic has been forgotten here, with maesters and logic taking over. There are things that only those who have never known another way can remember, and it is to them that they must be trusted."
"Couldn't both horns therefore tear the wall down? If they can turn people into dust, what is there to stop them from turning the wall to dust?" the first queen asks, fear in her voice.
"The fact that the Wall is old and powerful." Melisandre replies.
"What do you mean?" the first queen asks.
"I mean that there is more to the Wall than meets the eye Your Grace. It is old and it is powerful there is old magic in it, magic that not even a horn can bring down. No the Wall shall hold, but there are other threats coming that shall need to be dealt with there." Melisandre responds.
"What do you know of these threats?" the King enquires.
Melisandre thinks for a moment, remembering every tale she had ever read or heard about the beasts coming from the lands beyond the wall, and eventually she speaks. "I know that only dragon steel can defeat and slay a White Walker, and that there are only few deposits of dragon steel anywhere on this continent. I also know that there will be a general commanding them, someone who once had everything, but now has nothing."
"Do you know the name of this general?" the King asks.
Melisandre looks at the King and responds. "I believe you might well have already met him Your Grace. For his name is writ down in the histories of Winterfell as an infamous son. His name is Edric Stark."