"They have our brother," Visenya heard Aegon mutter with his back turned to the council. Their army was nearly encircled at Riverrun and would have been destroyed had it not been for Cloudwynd and Balerion clearing a path for their troops to withdraw. Still, they had suffered five thousand casualties, stormlanders rivermen who remained loyal comprising the majority and the Valyrians the minority. Among them was Orys, who had been captured after he attempted to withdraw with his men, and the enemy had sent them a raven that demanded a parley after making them aware that they had him.
"They do, my lord." The messenger's voice was dulled by exhaustion. On the breast of his torn surcoat, the silver eagle of Seagard was half-obscured by dried blood.
They better not hurt Orys, or there will be fire and blood raining down upon them, Visenya thought. She took a sip of wine and did not say a word, thinking of Orys. Pain shot through her elbow when she readjusted Dark Sister on her waist, reminding her of how close they were to a decisive defeat. Acting on behalf of their lord father, Aegon assembled their captains and leading bannermen, all of whom had fallen silent as the courier told his tale of how the Lord of Storm's End, their brother, had managed to kill ten men before he was forced to the ground by Lannister bannermen. The only sound was the crackle and hiss of the log burning in the hearth at the end of the long, drafty common room within Saltpans' keep.
And more bad news had reached them from Riverrun days ago. Edmyn Tully had bent the knee to King Loren, thus securing the Red Fork for the Lannisters. Does he not understand that we have his nephew and thus kill him for his uncle breaking his oaths? Visenya thought darkly.
"How could this happen?" Lord Rosby moaned. "How? Your house secured the entirety of Blackwater Bay with dragons and you killed Black Harren at Harrenhal with dragons. We killed the forces of King Argilac with dragons … how could your house be defeated by those who do not command such beasts?"
"Watch yourself, my lord," Rhaenys warned. "You are referring to the house you're sworn to. And do not call our dragons 'beasts.'"
More than what can be said of you, you craven, Visenya silently responded to Jon Rosby. They might have suffered a defeat at Riverrun, but it angered her to hear her house be insulted by pissants like Jon Rosby, who didn't even draw any of his blades when the dragons flew over.
"You forget, Lord Rosby," Jaenyx responded, a good deal more calmly than Visenya might have but also showing contempt with his address to Jon Rosby. "We still have an intact army and all of our dragons remain in perfect condition. King Loren might have driven us back at Riverrun, but he lost thousands more than we did and my agents report that some of his key houses like the Leffords and the Paynes have been crippled and therefore unable to participate in further campaigning. So, with his forces dealt a blow like that despite us having to withdraw, can it really be counted as a victory?"
"Lord Belaerys speaks truly, my lords," the courier said. "I was able to infiltrate the burial grounds for the Lannister host and counted at least fifteen thousand corpses be buried. Among them was Lord Lefford himself, whose body had been so blackened by fire that even his heir had trouble identifying him. In addition, the Poor Fellows were dealt a blow at Riverrun, so they will not be able to operate at full capacity for a time."
"But that's not counting the riverland houses that have defected to the Lannisters," Crispian Celtigar pointed out. Indeed, while the battle at Riverrun might not have been a crushing defeat, it might as well have been given the number of houses in the region that switched sides. The most concerning were the Freys of the Twins and the Harroways, both of whom controlled the two of most important locations in the Trident. Fortunately, they acted quickly for the latter, with Visenya riding atop Vhagar to Harroway and prompting the townfolk to turn on their lord, thus securing the town.
"With the addition of the forces of the riverland houses that have now defected, King Loren can easily supplement his numbers and continue the campaign," Crispian continued.
Lord Dondarrion shook his head. "That's easier said than done. Even he can reinforce his army with those houses, there are two houses besides the Darrys that have remained: the Blackwoods and the Mallisters." The Mallister courier nodded his thanks to the marcher lord of Blackhaven. "The Mallisters will never side with King Loren as long as he is aligned with the ironborn, and the same could be said of the Blackwoods in regards to the Brackens. That leaves two important locations that King Loren will have to secure before he can turn his attention fully onto us."
Aegon turned his face to study Lord Dondarrion. Visenya saw a glimmer as the light reflected off her brother's irises, but she caught how Aegon lips curved slightly upward. Visenya couldn't help but copy his gesture, as it showed that their brother had at least one lord who remained loyal to him. And Lord Dondarrion spoke the truth. Both the Blackwood Vale and Seagard would be very difficult to take and secure, thus delaying King Loren from advancing further against them.
Aegon was oft quiet in council, preferring to listen before he spoke, a habit that he shared with Jaenyx. Yet this silence was uncharacteristic even for him, and his wine was untouched, not that he was quick to drink but that made the rest of their bannermen nervous.
"Well, now we know that dragons have limitations at night," Alyn Stokeworth prompted.
Visenya narrowed her eyes. "What are you insinuating, my lord?"
That surprised him, as the Lord of Stokeworth shook his head. "I wasn't insinuating anything, my lady. I am just pointing out that our greatest assets might have caused a lot of damage even at night, but our army had to retreat. It won't take long for the enemy to figure out that the dragons cannot be used to their full potential at night."
"That's hardly the most important detail, Lord Alyn," Daemon Velaryon spoke up. "It appears that we may have… underestimated the skill and resolve of King Loren and his bannermen. He must've figured that we would have struck at the north bank of the Red Fork first given the larger enemy presence, thus distracting us from the southern approach and his more well equipped troops. Even still, our schiltrons on the southern banks were able to hold them long enough before we could withdraw in good order."
Visenya saw that Lord Dondarrion was growing impatient. "We could discuss our current situation all day long, but I think we're forgetting the most important fact right now. Lord Baratheon is now a prisoner of King Loren. As the Lord of Storm's End and one of the most able commanders that we have, it is imperative that we get him back by any means necessary."
Visenya nodded her approval. While she remained distrustful of his intentions when he first arrived at her name-day celebrations, Lord Dondarrion was showing himself to be very loyal to their brother. It proved that Orys had used his time as a lord well.
"Lord Orys taken, Riverrun lost to the enemy as well as other key areas in the region … this is a catastrophe!" Lord Darry exclaimed. "I am sure we are all grateful to you for pointing out the obvious, Lord Dondarrion. The question is, what shall we do about it?"
"What can we do?" Jon Rosby posed. "While our own host is intact, we are outnumbered in the region and our key allies besieged. I don't have a lot of confidence in the Blackwoods and the Mallisters holding out indefinitely." The Mallister courier scowled at the Rosby lord's disrespect to his liege. "Our lines have been reduced to this small town and Black Harren's vanity project. The Lannisters can strike at us in this town and at Harrenhal and we wouldn't be able to stop even with dragons. And that's not including the Valemen and the Gardeners who have finally made serious advances against us. They can march on the Blackwater Bay if they want to. My lords, we are beaten. We must sue for peace."
"Peace?!!" Visenya felt so much rage for Jon Rosby, who she had to browbeat constantly to get him to contribute and now he was suggesting an action that would make them look weak, a suggestion that finally made her explode by picking up her wine glass and hurling it at the Rosby lord, who ducked just in time to avoid the glass pieces shattering onto him, but everyone was afraid of the dragon that had made itself known.
"There's your fucking peace, Lord Jon! The High Septon declared a holy war on Valyrians, a people that your liege is a part of. You'll have an easier time drinking wine from that cup compared to persuading those of the Faith, particularly the rulers who have declared for them, to not kill us. Plus, they have our brother and who knows what they're doing to him?"
"In addition," Jaenyx insisted. "The Lannisters, and by extension the Faith, have only won one battle. And while our lines might have shrunk, that makes it easier for our forces to hold and our allies at Raventree Hall and Seagard are keeping the enemy from going forward. We are far from lost."
"Perhaps they would consent to a truce, and allow us to trade our prisoners for theirs," offered Lord Darry.
"And who do you suggest we offer up?" Visenya asked acidly. "And what are we to offer for my brother?"
"For starters, you have Broden Tully under your control," Lord Darry said hopefully. "If we were to offer Edmyn Tully his nephew back, we might be in a position where—"
A hand slammed down on the table, this time from Rhaenys, who was also getting increasingly infuriated at some of their lords folding easily to setbacks. "If you really think that returning Broden Tully to his uncle would get Riverrun back in our fold, you're a bigger fool than I thought you were. Edmyn Tully has bent the knee to King Loren and thus broke our oaths to our house. Do you need reminding on what happens to oathbreakers in Westeros?"
Lord Darry became quiet out of fear for Rhaenys' fury, which surprised most as they didn't expect that from their young sister due to her being the epitome of grace and charm. They really don't understand that she is a dragon, just like the rest of us, mused Visenya.
Daemon snorted disdainfully at Lord Darry's suggestions. "I would also remind you that Edmyn Tully is now sworn to the Lannisters and therefore cannot conduct independent action without leave from his new king. Besides, King Loren would have to be an utter ass to trade the Lord of Storm's End for the life of a buffoon trout."
"Then we must ransom Lord Baratheon, whatever it costs," Lord Stokeworth said. Visenya rolled her eyes, as did Lord Dondarrion. Even though he wanted his liege returned safely, he knew that ransoming a major lord like Orys would have sent a very bad message to their enemies and his other vassals.
"I would caution against any notion of ransoming, Lord Alyn," Crispian warned. "Orys is the Lord Paramount of the Stormlands. There's no guarantee that the Lannisters would even agree to ransom him, as he is among our ablest commanders and thus a threat to his Gardener and Arryn allies alongside the ironborn. Even if they do, we might be hard-pressed to meet the terms of the ransom, as they would hold advantage and thus be in a position to demand crushing terms for his release."
"If we ask for a truce, they will think us weak," Arata Haru argued, with the Harus finally being allowed into their councils with Jaenyx's and Visenya's urging despite the other lords bristling at having to share a space with a foreigner. "We need to strike back at our enemies to bring the momentum back to us."
"With what troops, Lord Haru?" Jon Rosby questioned. "Our forces are over-extended. Besides the situation here, there were only a few thousand men to guard against the Gardeners in the Red Mountains, but they had to retreat when Prince Edmund Gardener arrived in force."
"Plus, there is word that the knights of the Vale have now joined the fight, crossing the Green Fork at the Twins and atop pontoon bridges across the river," Lord Alyn added. "We don't have the strength left to hold off both the Lannisters and the Arryns from the east and north and the Gardeners from the south. We need a truce with the Faith alliance before we become overwhelmed."
"Surely, the dragons could be flown to the Green Fork and burn the Valemen before they could reinforce the Lannisters, my lords," said the Mallister courier.
"It won't be that simple the next time, man," Daemon said. "Our enemies will certainly utilize the same strategy employed by King Loren at Riverrun. We might not have the same success that we have enjoyed before from here on out."
"And that's not including that we're facing an expert tactician and strategist in King Loren," Crispian added.
"As I said, we can always negotiate with King Loren," Jon Rosby reentered the discussion. "We all know that the King Loren is not the most pious to the Faith and that this holy war is driven by political ambitions. Maybe we should accept this parley from King Loren and see what he wants."
"If his terms are acceptable," Alyn Stokeworth stated. "I would suggest we strongly consider them. The same action could be done with King Mern and Queen Regent Sharra. Regarding the ironborn, piss on them."
Visenya held back a chuckle, as even cravens like Alyn Stokeworth and Jon Rosby knew better than to treat with an ironborn. However, she did not find the rest of their suggestions as amusing.
That was when Jaenyx's Valyrian vassals, specifically Ragaemor Tarareon, entered. "Do you really think that negotiations would ensure our survival, Lord Alyn?" he asked through his translator. "I was the first one to read the High Septon's declaration. There can be no peace with those that follow the Faith, for it will mean our destruction."
"You mean your destruction, Lord Tarareon," Jon Rosby answered. "You are Valyrians and we're not. The same could be said of the rest of the lords under your lieges and I can speak for everyone not of Valyria that our stakes in this war is not as high as your own."
Ragaemor's sister Maerys scoffed. "You really believe that? You surrendered to Valyrians. Do you think that these Faith scum would care that you bent the knee so that you wouldn't get burned? In their eyes, you're an apostate for following those of Valyrian blood and therefore could be subject to extreme punishment."
"No," Alyn Stokeworth shook his head, but Visenya could see a hint of doubt growing across his face. "But regardless of what the Faith will decide for us, I doubt that my house and my men will be willing to die for a culture that is endangered already."
Visenya balled her right hand into a fist, enraged at Stokeworth's essentially saying that he would follow his oaths to their house to the fullest. Unfortunately, before she could say anything, Jaenyx beat her to the punch.
"Oh, now your truly colors are showing, Lord Alyn," Jaenyx remarked calmly, but everyone could see that he was just as enraged as his wife by seeing a fire grow behind his eyes. "We've had a setback and you're already looking for a way out. Is that right?"
"My friend Alyn," Jon Rosby stepped in. "Is merely suggesting that you consider peace. There is nothing that can be gained from further fighting, especially when the odds are against us."
"As expected of you Andal dogs!" Aevor Rahitheon bellowed. "Someone strikes you hard enough and you'll lick their assholes!" That prompted chuckles from Jaenyx's other Valyrian vassals, even from Daemon and Crispian. Visenya saw Jaenyx and Rhaenys smile, as she also did. However, Jon Rosby and Alyn Stokeworth's faces turned red, but from anger.
"Of course you would confuse good sense with cowardice, Lord Aevor," Jon Rosby shot back. "Considering that you come from a civilization that is long dead."
"Which is more than what could be said of you, Rosby!" Aevor shouted. "You Westerosi slime care so much about staying true to your oaths, but when your liege is a moment of need, you seek to abandon him. I for one always saw you lot as hypocritical cretins."
"Ancient cunt!" Rosby barked.
"Half-breed bastard!" Aevor Rahitheon roared. The last one being too much for Jon Rosby to handle, he struck hard across Aevor's face. However, the Valyrian engineer quickly recovered and lunged for his throat, bringing both of them down.
Alyn Stokeworth moved in to defend his friend as he struggled against Aevor, but the Tarareon siblings pushed him away and pinned him to the ground. Soon, the rest of Jaenyx's Valyrian vassals clashed with those hailing from the Blackwater Bay. Rhaedar Tarareon kneed a Rosby man in the chest while a Stokeworth man headbutted another Vaeron. After her brother secured Lord Stokeworth, Maerys kicked a Mooton man in his balls before tackling him to the floor.
Daemon and Crispian tried to prevent the brawl from going further and pulled some of them from each other. But given the tempers running high in the room and that Daemon and Crispian possessed the Valyrian silver hair and violet eyes, some of the Blackwater Bay men also struck at them, prompting them to fight back also. Crispian did a hard uppercut on a Darklyn man while Daemon demonstrated his salty sailor side by throwing fast but hard jabs against a Mooton man's face and chest.
Visenya stepped forward to intervene, but Jaenyx grabbed her wrist and shook his head. She was about to protest, but she looked into his eyes and saw what he was thinking. Out of everyone in the room, she, Jaenyx, and Aegon were the deadliest fighters. If they got involved in the fighting, someone could get seriously hurt and really escalate the situation. Even Rhaenys would be able to deal some lethal blows thanks to her training by Arata Haru, who also was not getting involved. As the brawl occurred because of hot tempers, escalation was the last thing they needed.
Also, for their lieges to be physically involved in this vulgar scuffle would be unbecoming of their stations. Hells, it was unbecoming for the lords to act in such a manner, but they were doing it anyway. However, they were dragonlords and they would act above the current squabble. Visenya calmed herself down, but then reached out to Vhagar. Girl, need some help here, she said to her dragon.
Expecting only Vhagar to roar loudly, Visenya was surprised to hear four dragon roars coalescing into one large bellow. She looked at Jaenyx, Aegon, and Rhaenys, all of whom gave her knowing gazes. It seemed as if they read her mind on using her dragon to end the brawl rather than add to the fighting. Immediately, the fighting stopped.
Aegon straightened himself. "If all of you are done acting like brutes…" He gave a disappointing glance at Daemon and Crispian, expecting more of them, a glance that Jaenyx gave to the Tarareons and Rahitheons. "They have my brother," he said once more, in a voice that cut through the babble like a hot knife through butter. "And I shall discuss what to do with family only. Leave us." Everyone obeyed while rubbing their bruises and cuts, and Jaenyx also ordered the Tarareons and Rahitheons out while Arata and Konno Haru left without a word.
Visenya eased herself back onto the bench, anxious on what they were about to discuss, while Jaenyx sat next to her and Rhaenys remained standing.
Jaenyx streteched out his hand, seeming going for the jug containing the Dornish red, but Visenya shook her head. However, she had thought wrong when he went for the water and poured himself a glass. "Water, anyone?"
"Here," Aegon offered him his cup, which Jaenyx poured water into. Rhaenys also gave him her cup. When Jaenyx looked at Visenya, she shook her head. "I'm fine, Jae." He shrugged before he set down the jug and drank from his glass.
Aegon seated himself. "Lord Dondarrion is right. We have to get Orys back, but we cannot resort to ransom as the first option. That'll make look us weak."
"He's our brother," Rhaenys pointed out. "I highly doubt that King Loren would be so unwise as to seriously harm a valuable prisoner." Aegon gave her a sharp look, as did Visenya. "However, you're right. We have to get him back." She sipped at her cup.
"In addition to Orys' capture, our position is worse than most would imagine," Aegon went on. "We barely have enough men to hold onto the lands we have and even with the new lines making the task easier to accomplish, we cannot afford inaction."
Jaenyx nodded. "Agreed. But as we are in no position launch an offensive, we need to tighten our hold on the keeps and lands that still remain in our control."
The faintest flicker of worry played across Aegon thin lips. "The situation is changing too rapidly for us to establish proper defenses. Reports from the marcher lords told of a great Gardener host, forty thousand strong under the command of Prince Edmund Gardener, that have breached the defenses Orys established in the Red Mountains and thus forcing back the stormlords near the marches."
"Those are grave tidings," Rhaenys pointed out. "But Lord Dondarrion told me before the council that Lady Argella acted in Orys' stead and had the stormlords withdraw east of the Slayne before having them set up defenses on its eastern banks, in the rainwood and Cape Wrath."
Aegon nodded approvingly, as did Jaenyx and Visenya. East of the Slayne were lands that had formidable natural barriers from thick forests to stony mountains. Those obstacles would halt any advance through the Dornish Marches.
"It appears that Argella Durrandon is more acquainted with war strategy than I anticipated," Visenya thought aloud, but also in approval. Orys found an extraordinary woman after all, even it was just an arranged marriage.
Aegon bobbed his head. "Until Orys returns, I have decreed to the stormlords that Lady Argella would serve as Lady Paramount and thus has command over their forces."
"How is she taking the news?" Rhaenys asked with some concern. She confided in Visenya that she saw her and Orys act more… intimately just a few days ago, but they did not engage in coupling. Rhae, Rhae, Rhae… always expecting the best in everything, Visenya quietly mused. On the other hand, having her young sister remain that way after everything comforted her heart.
"She was calm about it," Aegon said. "But I could see that she was worried about her husband, which was more than I had expected."
"And what did you expect, Egg?" Rhaenys asked.
"At worse, she was happy that the man who killed her father was imprisoned by the enemy. At best, she saw an opportunity to usurp him," Aegon shrugged. "However, it appears that my presumptions about her were wrong. She does care about our brother at least."
Visenya frowned over the map, her hands rubbing her forehead as her attention drifted to other matters. "King Loren advances along the Red Fork while besieging the Blackwood Vale, the knights of the Vale crossing the Green Fork and helping to besiege Seagard while sending a force southwards, and the Gardeners marching through the stormlands… Egg, if we remain here, I fear we might be caught between three armies."
"I have no intention of remaining here. We must consolidate our forces today at Saltpans and Harrenhal to secure western and northern flanks. I will have cousin Daemon patrol the Bay of Crabs with his ships. Jae, can you spare Maerys Tarareon?" Jae nodded. "Thank you. She must patrol the eastern shores of the Vale. On the morrow, we make for Duskendale. Jae, I need Ragaemor Tarareon's cavalry to screen our movements. I'll give him as many men as he requires, and send them out in groups of four. We must have no gaps in our defenses."
"Of course Egg, but why Duskendale? That's a good distance away from here and we won't be able to project our fighting power as effectively from the Blackwater Bay."
"Duskendale is a good place from which to coordinate our defenses in the north," Aegon explained. "Unlike our citadel on the Blackwater Rush, Duskendale has a good port and proper defenses from which to safeguard our command. We can still use our citadel to coordinate our defenses in the south. However, we need to keep the Blackwater Bay in line, as Jon Rosby and Alyn Stokeworth are slowly cracking under the pressure, and Duskendale is close enough to both of their keeps."
"And if they act out of line again, it'll only be a short ride by dragon," Jaenyx finished.
"Exactly," Aegon replied, rising. "I shall the necessary preparations for our move back to the Blackwater Bay."
"Before we go, Egg," Rhaenys stopped him. "Shouldn't we send a message to Winterfell? To Brandon Snow?"
Visenya did not expect that. She had heard about Rhaenys gaining the dragon dreams and about the letter this Brandon Snow wrote to their family, which was sent personally by Lord Warrick Manderly. "Why should we contact your Stark friend, Rhae?" Aegon asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Brandon told me that his half-brother, Torrhen Stark, had assembled his banners at Moat Cailin, which is within striking distance of the Twins. We don't have the men to carry out an offensive even with dragons and with our key allies in the riverlands under siege, we need something fast."
"So what are you suggesting, Rhae?" Visenya asked.
"Brandon Snow talked about a pact between us, 'a pact of ice and fire' as he called it. And he said that we'd suffer a setback, which this is. He also said that once that happens, we should meet him, King Torrhen, and the northern lords at Widow's Watch. I think it's time we meet with the Starks, as they're the only ones that are in a position to help us."
"I don't know about that, Rhae," Visenya responded. "I imagine King Torrhen would ask for steep terms before he sends any of his bannermen to fight on our behalf."
"For now, all they want is the Twins and the Three Sisters," Rhaenys said.
In all honesty… those were acceptable terms in Visenya's mind. The Twins belonged to the traitorous house and the Three Sisters belonged to the Vale enemies. "Is that it?"
"As I said, for now. However, we have to arrange for the meeting at Widow's Watch. We need the northmen, as they're the only army in Westeros that has not been affected and not on the side of our enemies," Rhaenys reasoned.
Visenya trusted that Rhaenys wasn't pulling a mummer's act with the dragon dreams, but she was not sure on whether to trust the Starks or the northerners. If what she said on the abilities of Brandon Snow was true, they had to be wary of those that claiming to see into the future, as the future might not hold positive outcomes.
Aegon sighed before nodding his head. "Very well. We'll send a message to Winterfell. We'll them that House Targaryen and House Belaerys shall see House Stark and the other northern houses at Widow's Watch in a moon. We'll all go there with our dragons and bring an escort on board Daemon's ships."
"Agreed," Visenya assented. She looked to Jaenyx, who looked surprisingly accepting of the prospect of meeting with the Starks. Like herself, he had a good opinion of the First Men thanks to House Blackwood and was curious to see how the last region of pure First Men would be like.
Visenya and Jaenyx retired to their chambers after the meeting was concluded. However, the effects of Orys' capture had not fully set upon her until after Jaenyx closed the door. Once the latch was fastened, she collapsed with her knees against the floor and started crying. The stresses and worries of the last week, Orys capture notwithstanding, along with something that she couldn't fully explain had become too much for her. She was worried about Orys being safe, she was worried about their family being safe, she was worried about the threats that now surrounded them, and so much more.
Jaenyx got onto the floor with her and pulled her into a powerful embrace, his arms wrapping tightly around her while she bawled into his neck.
"Shhhh… shhhh…" Jaenyx shushed her while rubbing his hand on her bank. "It's okay, Vis. Let it all out."
"I don't know what they're doing to Orys, Jae," Visenya cried. "They could be hurting him and we're not there to protect him. He's our brother and we should be there for him."
"I know, I know," Jaenyx whispered in her ear before kissing it.
"And now, we can't trust our own allies to fight for us," Visenya continued. "Rosby can't be trusted. Stokeworth can't be trusted. All the while, our enemies seek our destruction and are closing in on us and I don't know if we can hold them back and—"
"Hey," Jaenyx drew back from his embrace to stare at Visenya directly in the eyes while holding her face in his hands. "What's there to worry about? You have me and you have Egg and Rhae here."
"But not Orys," Visenya continued to shed tears, which Jaenyx wiped with his thumbs.
"He's a hard man, Orys. He killed a king, so you can count on him being able to survive whatever a king can throw at him. However, I don't think he would want us to be weak because of him."
"What?"
Jaenyx sighed. "He's your brother and he loves you. I'm pretty sure that if he were here now, he would want you, Egg, and Rhae to stay strong for him. Continue the fight, kill the bastards that dare seek to destroy us, and survive. That's the most you can do for him now."
Visenya sniffed. "But how will we get him back?"
"Come on," Jaenyx snorted. "We were able to take Haystack Hall without losing a single man. I'm sure we'll come up with something."
Visenya perched her eyebrow. "'We?'"
Jaenyx nodded. "No matter my feelings for Orys, he is your family. And you care for him every much, so I should be concerned when someone hurts the family of the one I love. Just as you will do everything in your power to get him back, I will also do that."
"You'll do that for him, Jae?" Visenya asked, with hope.
Jaenyx shrugged. "How would I be able to care for my family if I won't go the distance for those they care about?"
Visenya grinned, elated that Jaenyx was willing to help Orys despite their spat from six moons ago. She pulled him into a kiss and pressed her arms tightly against his back, with the kiss becoming deeper with each dance of the tongue. When she pulled away from the kiss, she saw what she wanted Jaenyx to feel for her at the moment: lust and desire.
Visenya pulled him close to her again and kissed him roughly. There was zero hesitation whatsoever as Jaenyx kissed her back. She moaned into his mouth as her hands rested on his shoulders. If his willingness to help our family by saving Orys is not proof of his love for me, I don't know what is, Visenya thought.
With both still kneeling on the floor, Jaenyx guided Visenya to one of the walls without breaking the kiss. He placed his hand under one of her thighs and lifted it, hooking it around his waist. He grounded his bulging breeches against her core, causing her to moan in pleasure. Visenya rocked her hips against Jaenyx, increasing the friction and pleasure she was experiencing.
'You… too many… clothes… get them off… now!' Visenya ordered between kisses to Jaenyx's jaw and neck. He quickly removed his black leather vest and blue shirt, leaving his chest and abs exposed to Visenya. Her mouth watered as she took in the sight of her beloved husband. She bit down roughly on his neck causing him to gasp and her to smirk before she licked the spot and soothed it. She kissed every part of him that was exposed to her whilst stroking his hard cock through his breeches. His moans were loud and it was the most delightful sound in the world to Visenya.
Before she could get too far, Jaenyx grabbed both of Visenya's wrists and held them above her head. With his free hand, he stroked her cheek, which caused Visenya to shiver in anticipation. He kissed her slowly, gradually increasing his urgency.
Their kiss became sloppy and wild. Jaenyx slid his hand around her and squeezed her ass, which she rewarded him with a throaty moan. She then felt Jaenyx slide his hand into trousers and felt his fingers rub hard against her clit, prompting more moans to come out of her mouth. How do his fingers know how to work wonders on me?
Jaenyx pressed his fingers more rapidly against her entrance, feeling her juices while keeping his focus on kissing Visenya. Before she could explode, she felt him let go of her wrists. But before she could put them down, both of his hands reached for the hem of her blouse. She kept her arms up as he pulled it over her head and exposing her bare chest for his feasting eyes. She always felt her heart flutter whenever he stared at her breasts with lust and always saw stars in her eyes when he leaned down to suck on them.
Both of their eyes were dilated as Visenya pulled her trousers down. With Visenya's perfect round ass fully exposed, nothing could keep him from grabbing her hips and bringing her against the bulge in his breeches. She yelped when she felt his hands on her hips as she wasn't expecting it but moaned when her ass came into contact with his cock. "You don't have small clothes on?" he whispered into her ear.
"Fuck them. I can have you inside me quicker without them," Visenya replied. Jaenyx smiled as he returned to running his lips over her breasts. She rarely swore unless they were about to couple or were in the middle of it. Growing impatient, she grabbed onto his breeches. "Get your cock out," she ordered.
Jaenyx quickly disposed of his breeches and small clothes while Visenya remembered that her boots were still on, which she quickly took off. Finally, they were both completely naked. She made the first move by jumping into his arms.
"Now fuck me, Jae," Visenya commanded.
Both of Jaenyx's hands went to Visenya's ass, keeping her up. She wrapped her legs around him tightly as he impaled her with his cock in a hard thrust. "OH FUCK!" she screamed as Jaenyx plunged deeper into her wet cunt. Oh, how he makes me so wet. He pushed her up against the wall where her back met the cold stone. He fucked her cunt relentlessly with Visenya thrusting her hips back at him with just as much vigor. "Jae… Jae… Jae!' she panted as she got closer to her climax. His mouth was on her neck when he thrust deep inside of her before holding his position. She screamed his name when she felt how deep he was but frowned when he didn't move. "Don't you dare fucking stop," Visenya said between heavy breaths.
"Or what?" Jaenyx asked as he began to fuck Visenya again. She didn't reply as the sensations that Jaenyx was giving her made it difficult for her to even think coherently. And then he fucking pulled out of her, to her great frustration.
Visenya immediately dropped to her knees and took his cock in her mouth. Two can play at that game, she thought mischievously. He groaned and his knees nearly buckled. Internally, she smirked at what she could do to her dragon. She took as much of his cock as she could until it hit the back of her throat. She loved being on her knees for Jaenyx, sucking his cock. He was the only one she had ever done this with, now and forever. Visenya enjoyed it whenever she sucked off Jaenyx. She was his and he was hers. No one else's. He's mine. Now and forever. But her love for Jaenyx didn't distract her from the reason she was sucking his cock in this exact moment. Get him close and then do what he did to me and pull away. Let him know how it feels to be seconds away from his release only for it to be snatched away from him.
With one hand curled around the base of his cock, Visenya sucked on it hard and fast as Jaenyx made incoherent sounds. Her tongue swirled the tip of his cock and he instantly jerked his hips forward, pushing more of his cock down her throat. She hummed in approval before licking the sides of his cock.
"Fuck Vis," Jaenyx groaned. Her cheeks hollowed as she bobbed up and down his cock in a steady rhythm. He pushed some of her hair that had fallen out of her braid and was covering her face out of the way. Her amethyst orbs stared up at him lovingly before transforming into something else. A challenge? A split second later, she saw that Jaenyx had made up his mind. He thrust his hips towards Visenya and began to fuck her mouth. Her eyes widened but she didn't object. He felt himself get closer to his release and Visenya knew it also, so she pulled her mouth off of his cock. He looked down at her with an irritated expression but she just smirked back at him. She slowly stroked his now wet cock with both of her hands, reveling in the small whimpers he was making.
Jaenyx lifted her up and she instinctively wrapped her legs around him again. He brought her down to the stone floor just on the side of their bed. As soon as her back touched the cold stone, he was sheathed inside her tight cunt and she let out a loud moan. '"Jae," she moaned hoarsely. "Fuck me faster!"
And he did. Jaenyx pounded into her hard and fast. She fucked him back just as fast which added to the pleasure both were experiencing. It was passion and almost animalistic. Like how dragons should be. The sound of their sweaty skin slapping together echoed throughout the room along with the sounds each of them made while they fucked. She spread her legs wider for him and it allowed him to get even deeper inside of her. Her nails dug into his back as she held onto him tightly. Visenya would've felt guilty that she drew blood from him, but she was lost in the pleasure that he was giving her.
Jaenyx squeezed one of Visenya's breasts as he ravaged the other. There was a dark purple spot appearing on the side of her neck and undoubtedly her breasts would have the same mark soon. Her breathing quickened and all of the signs that she was about to reach the edge were there. With his free hand, Jaenyx reached to where their bodies joined and rubbed her clit. Visenya arched her back and wailed as she reached her peak. Her nails dug into his back even harder and it caused Jaenyx to wince slightly but he ignored it as he continued to fuck her.
Visenya's liquids covered her cunt and her inner thighs as well as Jaenyx's cock. Her walls tightening around it was too much for him and Jaenyx spilled his seed inside of her. He grunted before kissing her deeply, which she reciprocated eagerly. When they pulled apart, both were panting heavily but there was an naughty glint in her eyes.
"We're not done," Visenya said in her lady-like voice. Jae is the only one who I will act as a lady to.
"Good, because I had no intention of finishing this just yet," Jaenyx replied. He pulled out of her, which resulted in a small whine escaping Visenya's lips. He placed his hands underneath her and lifted her up effortlessly. Her arms and legs wrapped around his neck and waist respectively.
Visenya was biting, licking and kissing his neck, making sure she marked him just as he had marked her. He was gently carrying her to the bed, but Visenya made it clear to him that she wanted him sitting up and not on his back. Their eyes locked together and it was a battle to see who would make the first move. Jaenyx decided to by slapping her ass, which resulted in a surprise squeal by Visenya. Liking the sound that escaped her lips, he slapped it again.
"Harder," Visenya huffed as she stroked Jaenyx's cock back to its full length. He obliged and slapped her ass cheeks harder, leaving a light red mark on her fair skin.
"Inside of me. Now!" Visenya lifted herself up and Jaenyx positioned his cock so that when she came down, his cock would be inside of her. They both groaned in unison as she lowered herself on him. Initially, Visenya rode him slowly but that quickly changed and they fucked hard and fast again on the mattress. She rocked her hips against his, causing him to gasp as the change of angle increased his pleasure.
Jaenyx kisses her, moving up her body from her breasts to her neck, cheek, and finally her mouth. The lips collided, with his tongue immediately entering her mouth. He held her hips as he pistoned upwards quickly over and over again. Visenya moaned into his mouth before forcing him to loosen his hold on her hips as she wanted to ride him at the same time that as he was thrusting into her.
Jaenyx leaned back and Visenya saw him stare into her eyes. She knew that he wanted to see her lose control and he had quickly got her to the point where she was close. He applied just the right amount of pressure on her clit with his thumb, sending Visenya over the edge. Her whole body was shaking as she came. She cried out his name while she spasmed in his arms. Her eyes were shut tightly as wave after wave of pleasure jolted through her body. Jaenyx followed her quickly, filling her with his seed.
Visenya laid her head on Jaenyx's sculpted chest and he kissed the top of her head. It was a blissful embrace after their rough coupling, which Visenya further enjoyed as she felt a mixture of his seed and her juices flowing on her thighs. She felt thoroughly… ravaged and she suspected that she would share many of Jaenyx's reddish-purple love bites. "How is it that you make it feel like the first time every time?" Visenya looked up at him.
"I know just how to please my wife," Jaenyx reverted to High Valyrian. "Plus, I felt like you needed it now."
"Because of Orys?"
Jaenyx sighed, but he offered a comforting smile. "He's your brother and I would be a shit husband if I didn't care about your family. And I promised that I would treat all of you with love and respect."
"I know about your promises," Visenya replied. "But what about your feelings?"
"I had to do a lot of thinking, as you know. And maybe… I was wrong about him. Valyrian blood flows through his veins just as it does mine and I would be a hypocrite if I just simply dismissed him. Also, I've seen how you, Egg, and Rhae treated him. You're my wife, Vis, and Egg and Rhae have become my family. Maybe it's time I embrace the last one as my own."
Visenya smiled widely and kissed him deeply. "I'm glad you feel that way, Jae. So… about the parley with the Lannister king--"
Jaenyx shook his head. "I'm tired, Vis, and we just fucked each other's brains out. Can it wait tomorrow?"
Visenya nodded. "Sure," she said before laying her head on Jaenyx's shoulders and falling into the waiting hold of sleep.
Visenya waited alongside Jaenyx, their father, their mother, Aegon, and Rhaenys as they sat in a tent outside of Harrenhal. Their mother insisted on participating in the war effort despite the need for her to remain at Dragonstone, so their father appointed Quenton as its castellan until she returned.
After relocating to Duskendale, the captains and bannermen sworn to Dragonstone reinforced the defenses of the town while Jaenyx directed Aevor Rahitheon to construct a road between the port and their citadel on the Blackwater Rush. They also kept a sizable force at Saltpans, Harrenhal, and south of the Gods Eye, with the last one being the most worrisome since patrols from both sides clashed for control over the Blackwater Rush. It was imperative the forces of Dragonstone maintain control over the eastern banks of the Rush, as it was the only natural barrier that barred the Lannisters and the Gardeners from advancing into the Blackwater Bay.
They had also received reports from Storm's End, written in the hand of Lady Argella herself. The stormlords took all of the crops, livestock, and valuables while burning the rest and slighting their own castles to prevent the enemy from using them. Many of the stormlords protested against destroying their own keeps, but Jaenyx promised compensation once the war was done and reasoned that if the enemy couldn't use their castles against them, their hold on the land would be severely crippled. More importantly, they had successfully held off the enemy at the Slayne, the rainwood, and Cape Wrath.
By now and despite the reinforcements from the Vale, the lines had stabilized in both the riverlands and in the stormlands within three weeks. Their father had recommended to Aegon that they needed to have boys as young as ten serve in their forces, thus freeing up thousands of older boys to reinforce their infantry. Jaenyx and Aegon made their training rigorous, as they needed to understand that their enemy would inflict severe pain upon them even if they did surrender and they needed to fight to the best of their abilities. Progress was slow, but steady, and they added four thousand more to supplement their ranks.
Even though the situation had improved, they were still not in a strong enough position to mount a counteroffensive. Such was the reason why they agreed to a parley with King Lannister outside Harrenhal, their westernmost possession in the riverlands.
"Do you think he will bring up the ransom for Orys, father?" Aegon asked.
"Well, that was the motivation for King Loren to call this parley," their father answered.
"We're not going to pay it, are we?" Rhaenys was worried.
"It depends, Rhae. If it's just gold, I will pay it. Anything more will make us look weak."
"If he demands lands, father, will we give it?" Aegon asked.
Their father shook his head. "As I said, paying anything more than gold will make us look weak. And land exchanges only occur when both sides seek a cessation to hostilities, which is not the intention of this parley."
"How do you know, father?"
"Because we're not done fighting, Egg," Jaenyx spoke. "And our position is more secure than it was weeks ago."
"If the Lannister tries anything, I'll burn him to a crisp," Visenya declared.
"And we won't stop you, Vis," their mother replied with approval. "But it won't hurt to see what King Loren wants."
"Didn't know you care that much for Orys," Visenya thought aloud. However, everyone heard, prompting a heavy sigh from their mother.
"Orys might not have come from my womb, but you all see him as your brother and nothing less. And as you all know, I value my family above all else. I would be a fucking hypocrite if I showed no concern for your brother," their mother simply said. Visenya snorted in amusement, which got her a cross look from their mother.
One of their bannermen, another Mallister, entered the tent and dipped his head to their father. "Lord Aerion, King Loren has arrived."
"Send him in," their father ordered. He rose from his seat, prompting all of them to do so, as the King of the Rock and his ranking bannermen entered through the tent flap and took their seats in the table opposite of theirs.
Visenya took in the five men that had accompanied King Loren. They were all dressed in ornate robes and all had well-maintained beards, but all had hair colors ranging from copper to dirty blonde. She saw their sigils on their surcoats, from which she identified the burning tree of House Marbrand, the bridled boar of House Crakehall, the seashells of House Westerling, the golden lion and anchor of the House Lannister of Lannisport, and the red lion of House Reyne. Five of the most powerful houses sworn to Casterly Rock, Visenya thought.
Then, Visenya turned her attention to King Loren himself. He had golden blonde hair and green eyes, with a beard that covered his jawline and chin but did not grow past the middle point of his neck. In addition to the surcoat sporting the golden lion against a red background of the main House Lannister, he also wore a crown that was made of gold and had a roaring lion on the front of its band. He also wore velvet robes and had a golden necklace around his neck.
However, Visenya saw past King Loren's dress and looked into his eyes. His blue irises moved to and fro, looking at their family closely. Like Darvin Hoare when he first came to Dragonstone, his eyes resembled that of a predator as it scrutinized its prey, looking for any spots to take advantage of and thinking of ways to bring its prey down. But unlike "King" Hoare, there was a… calm collectiveness behind those searching eyes. Whereas Darvin Hoare would have jumped quickly onto the first chance to kill his prey, King Loren seemed to take his time and looked as if he waited only when he could catch his quarry in the most efficient manner possible.
Not only that, King Loren had a small grin on his face, as if he was happy to be talking to their family. What are you happy about it?
Their father sat down, prompting Visenya, Jaenyx, and their family to sit. King Loren and Lords Marbrand, Crakehall, Westerling, and Reyne followed suit.
"Thank you for agreeing to this parley, Lord Aerion," King Loren started. Their father didn't answer. "I would have understood if you allowed your heir and your good-son to be involved in our discussion, but why bring your whole family?"
Their father blinked. "My wife has been an important contributor for many years, as are my daughters. After all, it's not every day that a simple lord like myself can speak to a king on equal terms, so I require my entire family before making the next move."
"I see…" King Loren nodded, but Visenya could tell that despite his hesitation to engaged with women, at the same time, it was much more subdued than the other men she had to deal with and it looked as if he didn't care. Interesting…
"You say that you have come to discuss terms of a ransom for my brother, Lord Orys Baratheon," Aegon said. "We're interested in hearing the cost of his safe return."
The Lannister from Lannisport scoffed. "Only they would elevate a bastard to a lord," he whispered to Lord Crakehall, who sat next to him.
"What did you say?" Visenya was angered at their insulting their brother.
Before the Lannisport Lannister could respond, King Loren gave him a scolding look, which silenced him. "Please excuse my cousin, my lady. He has a rather… delicate constitution onshore whenever he's not sailing his boat and him speaking out of turn is just one aspect of that."
Visenya gave him a look that communicated her being unconvinced, which King Loren ignored. He then turned to Aegon. "You must Lord Aegon," King Loren addressed her brother. "I've heard much about you and your exploits, and I must say you are off to a great start if you wish to take your father's place when he dies."
Visenya clenched his teeth. Oh, already he's talking of our father's death? She turned and saw that her father was also irritated, but he suppressed it.
As for Aegon, he wasn't one for flattery and Visenya saw that he already knew that King Loren's words were empty. "Thank you, King Loren," he replied courteously.
"Respectfully, King Loren," their mother jumped in. "We're not here to comment on the events of the moons past. We came to discuss the ransom of Lord Baratheon."
King Loren looked at their mother. "Valaena Velaryon. Well, I must say that the tales of your beauty fall short of the real article and that your lord husband chose well, as Westeros would tolerate relations between cousins as opposed to those between siblings."
Visenya's breath flared through her nostrils. You've got some fucking nerve to insult Egg and Rhae in their presence! She could Aegon and Rhaenys doing the same.
King Loren turned his attention to Rhaenys. "And it appears that you have inherited your lady mother's beauty, Lady Rhaenys. I must say that you match well with Lord Aegon, as one inclined for battle must be tempered by one inclined to song, even though you are married to your brother."
Lords Marbrand, Westerling, Crakehall, and Lannister all chuckled derisively, except for Lord Reyne, which Visenya found curious. She was aware that House Reyne traded energetically with their family, paying them for their goods and a red-colored Valyrian steel sword Lord Reyne called "Red Rain" in silver and gold bullion instead of sacks of gold and silver pieces like their other business partners in Westeros. Until the Faith's holy war put a stop to their trade. She could tell that being here was the last thing that he wanted and that he wasn't on good terms with his king. What's going on over there?
Whatever his thoughts, their father was obviously insulted at their derision. "Are we here to discuss the ransom, or are you just wasting our time, King Loren?"
"We are here to discuss the terms of the ransom, but Lord Baratheon is your natural-born son, so naturally, I must discuss your family, which brings me to you, Lady Visenya," King Loren gazed at her. "If only you were born a man, then every knight in Westeros would have sought to spar with you and every aspiring knight would have wanted to be you squire, for I heard nothing but good things about your battle prowess. But alas, you're a woman and such predispositions for war does not suit a lady well."
Visenya's first thought was to draw Dark Sister, run over to King Loren, and decapitate him for his insults. However, such an action belonged to a self that existed before she married Jaenyx, who never belittled her for not being a traditional lady and instead encouraged her to become a better warrior, offering her tips and having Arata and Konno Harus push her to her limits during their spars. She found a man that made her feel whole, and her family didn't stop her from mastering combat, so she felt no need to be insulted by lesser men. Anyone else who thinks lowly of me can go fuck themselves.
Visenya calmed herself before speaking. "How boring your life must be if you only know one type of lady, King Loren. I do hope that your cock hasn't gone feeble from fucking daffodils and whores who only spread their legs because you're a king."
Now it was their family's turn to chuckle at King Loren's expense, keeping a neutral face but she could see that he was bothered, meaning that she hit a nerve. She felt Jaenyx squeeze her hand under the table, giving her a big smile and she saw that he was struggling to keep himself from guffawing like a fool.
As for the lords of the Rock, the smiles on their faces disappeared, shocked that a lady had the gall to insult their king directly in his presence. All except Lord Reyne, who looked rather amused at Visenya's intrepidity. The situation with House Reyne is getting more intriguing.
"You will retract your words to King Loren, Lady Visenya!" Lord Marbrand bellowed.
Their father shrugged. "Why should she? You laughed at our expense when it came to my son and heir and my daughter. Consider us even, my lord."
"A lord daring to insult a king, who outranks in every manner?!" Lord Westerling exclaimed. "It baffles me how your tiny island was able to survive with your brazenness."
"Enough!" King Loren barked, causing his lords to stand down. "All right. The terms of Lord Baratheon's return are a thousand sacks of gold pieces and the return of Broden Tully to Riverrun. Once that has occurred, the Faith is ready to call for a truce along the current lines of control."
"Do you speak for the Starry Sept?" their father asked.
"The High Septon has bestowed upon me the title 'Marshal of the Faith,' so in all matters concerning war and diplomacy, I do speak for the Faith."
Their father sighed, fighting the headache that was creeping on him from the ridiculousness of King Loren's new title. "Do we have your word on that, King Loren? In exchange for the thousand sacks of gold pieces and Broden Tully, we will have Lord Baratheon returned in good condition?"
"Yes."
Visenya looked at their father in shock. Are you really doing this? She wanted Orys back, but he seemed to be folding too easily.
"But I'm guessing that's not all of your terms," their father stated.
"Indeed," King Loren confirmed. "Enough blood has been shed and there is a possibility for peace between our peoples."
"And what would they be?"
King Loren leaned back in his chair. "First, you must order all of your bannermen and captains to stand down and cease all fighting."
Visenya narrowed her eyes. What the hells?
"Second, you must withdraw your forces back to your tiny island and stay there while the forces of the Faith move in to secure the lands not directly under our control. The Gardeners will take the stormlands and Storm's End, I will take over the riverlands, and the Arryns will take Blackwater Bay. You must sign a document that confirms the new boundaries of control and stamp your seal confirming the dissolution of the union between Orys Baratheon and Argella Durrandon."
Their father scoffed at the ridiculousness of his terms, but wanted to see how far it will go. "And I assume you have a final term?"
"Take your dragons, take your vassals, leave Westeros, and never come back. We don't need your incestuous practices or your foreign religion infecting the minds of our people. We're fine on our own and Westeros will benefit from having its traditions and customs remain uninterrupted."
Their father scoffed and shook his head. "Come now, King Loren. You don't care about Westeros, and your designs are as clear as day. You want the riverlands for the simple reason of enlarging your kingdom."
"Whatever my feelings, Lord Aerion, I have a duty to the Faith and these terms have been endorsed by the High Septon. No one else has to die."
Visenya wanted to laugh at such bullshit coming from King Loren's mouth, as she knew that no one apart from simple-minded people would put any stock in the Faith.
It was then that Jaenyx spoke. "You ask such steep terms, King Loren. What makes you think that we will accept them without a fight?"
"Ah, the Blue Dragon finally graces us with his presence," quipped King Loren. "I hear you are quite the bigot, from what little your Maester Harrion told me."
Now, that was unexpected for Visenya and the family. "You've met Maester Harrion?" Rhaenys asked.
"Yes," King Loren replied. "And he had many things to say about you and your family. This is how I do things. I never launch myself against my adversaries without prior knowledge."
The next time I see Harrion, I will kill him, Visenya thought darkly.
"You didn't answer the question," Jaenyx pointed out.
"That's 'Your Grace' to you, dragon cunt," Lord Marbrand blurted out.
Unlike Haru, no one called their family by that name and Visenya was about to yell before King Loren spoke up. "Whatever our feelings for each other, my lord Marbrand, even I have to admit that was too far."
"No need for him to apologize, King Loren," Jaenyx said. "If he does, it'll be the biggest horseshit that I would have heard today."
Visenya snorted, as did Aegon, Rhaenys, and their parents.
"But going back to the central issue, what makes you think we will accept such preposterous terms?" Jaenyx questioned.
As if expecting that, King Loren pulled out a sack and gestured to one of the Targaryen household guards. Getting the nod from their father, he took the sack and placed it in front of his liege. He opened the sack and poured its contents, which were six digits of fingers, the ring finger and pinky from what Visenya could see. They also gave a horrid smell, as the flesh had rotted.
"What is this?" their father asked in indignation.
"There were no terms regarding Lord Baratheon's constitution prior to this parley, but even I knew that he had to kept alive for us to come to terms."
Visenya could see Aegon's face become red, which Rhaenys and Visenya also did. "You harmed our brother?" he barely controlled his rage.
"He may be a lord in your eyes, but he's a bastard to the rest of us," the Lannisport Lannister said acidly. "There is nothing that condemns pain inflicted upon bastards."
Visenya wanted nothing more than to call Vhagar and have her burn the lords that dared to spite their family. That does it! I will not give them a second thought when I feed them to Vhagar!!!!
Their father sat up from the table, pure rage evident in his face as his eyes bared dragonfire to Loren. "We're done here," he simply said before he stormed out of the tent. Visenya and the rest followed him out, the evidence of the harm done to Orys ending any more discussion with the Lannisters.
Their father flied into a fury as they walked back to their dragons outside the walls of Harrenhal, "I want to get this fuck where he stands! I want to ride into Casterly Rock and to Riverrun and burn everything to the ground! I want that bastard Loren Lannister DEAD! I want his house DEAD! I want his castle burned to the GROUND! I want to have the dragons burn his body and I want to PISS ON HIS ASHES! And I want the same for everyone that dared to fight against us! They will never, EVER know a world without fire EVER AGAIN!!!"
Their mother grabbed the back of his neck and kissed him deeply, ceasing his vitriol and calming him down. But from what Visenya observed, she was also enraged at King Loren daring to harm their brother. Now, there shall be no quarter given to those that stand against us.
Visenya was relieved to see Jaenyx incensed at the audacity of the King Loren, but he was much more calm about it because he knew what it was like to see your family hurt. "Good-father, I understand how you feel. And believe me, I want to see our enemies disappear into the nothingness. But before we could act, we need to get Orys back first. We have exhausted the peaceful approach, so let's get him back ourselves."
"How do you intend to do that?" Aegon asked.
"First, we need to find out exactly where he is. I still have agents in action in the Riverlands, so they'll tell me what we need to know. Then, we mount a rescue."
"He'll be guarded, Jae," Rhaenys pointed out. "The enemy will not let our brother so easily slip through their fingers."
"Leave the worrying to me, Rhae," Jaenyx assured. "I promise you all, I will get him back."
"You mean we," Visenya grasped at his arm.
"You want to help, Vis?"
"You need to ask that question, Jae? I would do anything for our brother and I can't just sit around while he languishes in their chains," Visenya asserted.
Jaenyx nodded. "All right. You can join."
Visenya kissed him on the cheek, happy that he just accepted and that he knew that arguing against her involvement would lead nowhere.
Before they mounted their dragons, with their father riding with Aegon and their mother with Rhaenys, Daemon ran towards them. "Lord Aerion," he caught his breath.
"What is it?" their father called from atop Balerion.
"We have a response to the message sent to Winterfell. King Torrhen Stark and the northern lords have agreed to the meeting at Widow's Watch. They'll be expecting you in two weeks."
Visenya was surprised that the Starks would respond so quickly. But if what Rhaenys said was true, they needed the northmen to join the war on their side.
Their father nodded. "All right. Send a message to Winterfell and prepare some ships. We're going north." As soon as Daemon nodded, he stepped back as all four dragons rose into the air. They first would need to stop at Dragonstone before sailing north.
I hope this works.