5 - Fics I Read 2.0

FanFiction.Net

Just In

Community

Forum

A Game of Thrones: Fury and Flame by JMIII

Avatar: Last Airbender & A Song of Ice and Fire Xover Rated: M, English, Fantasy & Drama, Mai, Azula, Stannis B., Eddard S./Ned, Words: 253k+, Favs: 822, Follows: 776, Published: Sep 2, 2016 Updated: Dec 17, 2020

455Chapter 5: (Sea Dragon Point) Commander Xie II

*The following chapter was written by reader sensfan90. Thank you sensfan90, for adding to this little world!

(Sea Dragon Point: 296) Commander Xie II (by sensfan90)

"A raven arrived from Dragonstone, apparently your baby sister is making a name for herself." Looking up from a stack of papers Dacey quirked an eyebrow before shaking her head. Her mother the Lady Maege had sent her youngest to become the first Northerner to attend the Dragonstone Academy and her older daughters had been oddly perturbed over the whole thing. What could possibly be the problem, he quite liked the spirit of the young bear.

"In a pleasant way I hope?"

"It does takes courage to walk up to Lady Azula and demand anything, if I already did not love a Mormont woman I would now." Placing her hand on her brow she shook her head, rumblings of her mother come again between curses reaching his ears.

"I love my little sister dearly but she reminds me of why my dear uncle the Lord Commander could hardly stand a day in my mother's presence. By the Old Gods please tell she did not say Hear I Stand in an argument."

"No, though apparently the North Remembers was spoken more than once." Groaning he chose to move on before Dacey felt the need to work off some frustration. He may be a firebender but he did not favor his chances against a crazed bear with a morningstar in a spar.

"In more pleasant news from Bear Island the Scorching Bear Academy has graduated another class, we should see an uptake in construction and skilled workers soon. The Scorching Chambers are also now appropriate for an expanded class." Truly they could have started earlier but the extra precautions in order to hide the firebending chambers meant longer time spent using personal tutelage. He trusted the men and women under his command to do their duty but only the most talented benders could get away without significant formal training. Far too many intricacies one failed to appreciate until you had others to compare and contrast.

"Good, the engineers never have enough skilled workers available and the captains proper artillery. One less headache to worry about, I can only be as fierce as my sigil so long before they forget and complain over manpower once more." Chuckling at the many memories of his She-Bear cowing hardened warriors of the Fire Nation in exasperated fury he turned to other business.

"How many of the children within Lyanna'a Bay have shown the talent?"

"Ser Royland leads a squad to confirm the most recent case but if the Lady Zhi is to be trusted another boy. That would be forty seven since you founded the town. Twenty Seven girls and Twenty boys to be exact. Alysanne's daughter shows promise but I cannot confirm until she visits."

"I gather she will not mention why in her raven?"

"Prudence most likely, Maester Ebbert took more than a little prompting the day he learned of your abilities. The current Maester of Mormont Keep is even more conservative."

"Worry not Dacey, it's not the end of the world. The Firelord took care of this eventuality years ago, suffice to say it is in the interest of his blood to maintain his neutrality. Ebbert at least we could bribe with knowledge and status, I gather Bear Island will require more overt methods at some point."

"As you say. On that note the new barracks is finished and Ser Royland believes we have enough local flameguard to begin exercises on the next moon. Are you sure Lady Ursa cannot make the trip? If your people are anything like my own it would have the same effect as a Stark favoring a local inn."

"No unfortunately, the Firelord was quite specific in leaving her in Winterfell. I believe she also wishes to avoid drawing any attention to Sea Dragon Point. As far as Westeros is concerned Lyanna's Bay exists to keep the Ironborn honest. Our relative isolation has indeed helped so far. A fair point I suppose, why create a reason to shine a light on what else we are building?"

"Sensible in any case. The harvest looks to be a good one at the very least and the taxes show no abnormalities. Lord Stark will no doubt be happy with the extra coinage in his coffers. "

"I know Lady Catelyn is pleased, she probably expected our taxes to drop after your Uncle. Luckily settlement continues to be higher than expected."

"Do I want to ask where the latest batch came from? King's Landing and the Crownlands were one thing but the easterners seem never ending."

"Freed slaves tend to be loyal to those who gave them a new life. Frankly I wager the Firelord wants to make it hard to for spies to settle themselves in. Everyone here that works in Dragon's Cove is interviewed and screened extensively. We may be in the North but the number of immigrants means just having the look of the first men will barely get you a job as a laborer without some questions. Do recall the collector for the Master of Coin was caught, tried and hung in less than a fortnight when he was egregiously giving bribes. Its harsh and I understand your concern but the threat is very real."

"Yes yes, the world will only know when it's ready and all that. Lord Ryswell's horse breeding has started to bear fruit, he promises a new stead for the girls when they are ready. Typical Rillboy trying to woo a highborn lady with an animal."

"Excellent, I was concerned the outer holdfasts would lag behind but my fears were apparently misplaced. By the end of the year we should reach the goal the Firelord demanded when I left Dragonstone. I'm sure she will be pleased we will likely surpass her estimate by the turn of the century. By the time Maege takes my place nothing short of the full fury of the North could hope to overtake our land."

"Forgive me If I do not share your confidence. A lady of the North knows not find herself with child in the fall rains or the winter snows. When the weather finally turns you will be hard pressed to meet your sovereigns' demands."

"I have been assured food will not be an issue for the people of Sea Dragon Point. We have friends in the very heart of Essos who can supply us in the worst months. Our Iron Fleet is not near as susceptible to sea ice as the wooden vessels this world prefers."

"Perhaps it may but I withhold my judgement for when the time comes. To understand winter is coming is not just understand the Stark words, they are a matter of life for the people above the Neck. There is another matter husband, one you have been hesitant to answer."

"I showed you the flames the day you were with child Dacey, I hardly think the conclusion required further explanation. You knew the girls would spend time in Dragonstone at some point, fostering is hardly a new concept for the nobility in both our worlds. Your mother had little issue with having Lady Lyanna take her schooling under House Baratheon of Dragonstone!"

"Lyanna is the fifth daughter of Bear Island, with our children she is likely to inherit nothing but a minor dowry. You know damm well Dragonstone is to endear herself to the household for the future."

"I know you worried about the incident during the last moon but I have it handled."

"Don't be smart with me, I work with benders as much as you husband. What is this about further education from the Fire Lord personally for my daughters?" He breathed slowly and carefully chose his words, Dacey was right for he had been dreading this topic and what it meant.

"Azula is mostly a courtesy, she lacks the talent of her namesake and would not learn any more than from a bender of my caliber. Frankly the twins are so close I do not wish to cause a divide if I can help it. Maege however, she is special even among her own people. Combustion is not a gift to be taken lightly and requires extensive and specialized instruction to use in combat. Most require years of study in order to unlock the talent and few do for its many risks. Maege destroyed a tree by complete accident …shit Dacey that could have been her sister! I quickly taught her some basic arts dissipate her internal energies but I am no expert in its advanced state." The look of horror on her face was repulsive but it had to be said. His wife may have learned to interact with firebenders but even among his people some skills were a cut beyond the normal cloth.

"You will not take my children from me, not so young!" His gut wretched as the look of fear and worry overcame his normally unflappable wife. Damm him for doing this but there was no other choice.

"If all goes well she will not leave for over a few months at the earliest. Maege was terrified when it happened and years of standard bending instruction can put further instruction off. But by the time she is a woman blooded she needs to have taken instruction under a specialist. The faster she can master the skill the quicker she can return home. Now please young Jeor wishes to see you before bed and you know he has the lungs of a mammoth when he thinks you are gone." Dacey looked at if she wanted to throttle him for more answers but seemed to stop herself after a moment even her mood was still poor.

Sighing he ignored his lovers continued withering glare at the harsh news. Years of success and pleasant surprise had finally come to end with his own child no less. The original plan had been for the girls to spend time with Lady Ursa in Winterfell, to have her as a standard to compare themselves to. He had been there years ago when she decimated Chang in a duel and if his daughters learned even a quarter of her skills they would have no trouble ruling Lyanna's Bay after he passed on. But it was not to be, the girls bending took longer than he wished to appear and more importantly gain an acceptable level of control. The revelation of the latter's gifts made the journey all the more impossible. He would not be the man to explain how his daughter caused the Fire Nation's most important allies within Westeros to unexpectedly explode. Worse something was going on in the south, the spies had grown ever bolder as they attempted to access the Cove. Thank the Old Gods foreign trade was almost non-existent outside of Fire Nation citizens in the area. Even within the North they had consciously chose to avoid all but the Starks, Mormonts, Glovers and Forresters, with the latter two more out of necessity for the best wood and simple geography. You could keep track of those who fell into neither category with a single piece of parchment. As it was little birds stuck out like a sore thumb, and those were the ones smart enough to avoid the tender mercies of the Red Priests. Thank the old gods a Baelish man was a loyal as his next meal, coin never quite endeared a man as much as fear and power. Pouring himself a deep glass of rum he took a moment to collect himself.

"Here's hoping the morning looks better." He heard the door open and the familiar sound of the Maester's Chains reach his ears, evidently it would not.

"Do I have to go father?" Not even the horrors of Azula killing him could stand up to the look of his daughter Maege upon learning she would leave the only she had ever known. The Firelord had been quite ecstatic to learn of her abilities' and had written personally to Dacey and himself to invite her to Dragonstone immediately. Maege and Azula would be perfect companions for her youngest Ty Lee. A sinking feeling in his stomach feared there was something she was not telling them. Regardless it needed to be done and his last meeting with the Lady Baratheon had reminded him she may be cruel and even sadistic but rarely faithless to those who have proven their loyalty.

"What is the status of the Northern Fleet?" Without making so much as a whisper Azula had appeared from the shadows in her chambers. Her Kemurikage as always joined her without breath or reaction. The calm orange torches of Dragonstone slowly bathed him in the stark azure glow of her presence. Evidently he was trusted enough to avoid the usual security checks or more likely he was cleared before he even departed on to the docks.

"We currently have three operational Zuko Class ships: the Iron Bear, the Rina in honor of your grandmother and the Argella. A fourth, the Rickard will be completed by the end of the two hundred and ninety seventh year after Aegon's Conquest. As I explained in my previous correspondence the demands for the new Azula class ship within Dragonstone has slowed its construction in deference to your quotas over the iron ore. We also have fifteen repurposed longships and 2 war galleys recovered from the Stepstones. We have several more former Greyjoy ships in dry dock but lack the men and supplies to man them continuously. As it is the ships often do not run with full crews, the colony needs the manpower to grow. I have adjusted some of the recruitment policies in response but standing protocols hamper any quick fixes. "

"Should I be worried over your progress? Was I misinformed by your abilities on Pyke and the Iron Islands? I have been quite charitable in procuring men and supplies from Essos. I took your recommendation and saw a new academy constructed on a far off frozen island. Are you telling me it is not yielding the results you promised?" The smirk of sadism she hid so exquisitely from the many graced her features and he steeled himself. He was either doomed or to be tested, the answer was the same regardless.

"The results are well within the parameters you set your grace, in fact I will note the number of flameguard within Lyanna's Bay is already double what you asked. The people already identify more with your teachings than they do with the family sitting on the Iron Throne. They speak of Azula, Steffon, Stannis and Robert with sparks and tinder of hatred brewing against the dishonorable Lannisters staining the Queen and her brood in their eyes. Smallfolk of the Bay and Bear Island are already spreading your glory throughout the North without any prompting. Construction efforts across the board continue to be on time and we have reached a degree of self-sufficiency you may verify as more than what was asked. It does not change the fact your standards for crew compliments simply cannot be met at the current time. Benders must be born and trained appropriately, secrecy restricts my ability to improve what we have started for many moons yet." As quickly as it started the flames returned to less prominence, a cruel smirk turning into a true smile. Exhaling a breath he did not know he was holding it was increasingly clear the Firelord knew the answer to every question already. She slowly made her way back into the shadows leaving him to wonder what she had wanted. Hearing the click of heels he was surprised to see the cold face of the Lady Mai with a new stack of papers for him. Evidently he had new orders and tasks to fulfill.

"Oh do not worry Commander Xie, Lady Azula is actually rather impressed with your work. However the politics in the South have worsened some of her old habits. The pageantry hollow as it is for one loyal such as yourself is still necessary."

"May I ask what the point of all this was?"

"Your wife Dacey has conversed with Azula multiple times over the past months. Innocuous things mostly, any spies who got hold of the raven's words would conclude she was looking for a Northerners perspective on Winterfell. Given Ursa is currently fostering within said castle anyone with a brain would draw the obvious conclusion. However they did speak extensively of your work and Azula merely wished to ascertain your progress in person. You have her near implicit trust Commander, something rare and something I suggest you strive to maintain. She will return in a moment, I believe she had some more questions over the future." Perusing the papers he was surprised to read the number and nature of the reports. These weren't merely updated expectations to meet these were protocols for potential conflicts within Westeros, some of which made little sense. His thoughts were broken as Lady Mai placed two cups for tea and a tray of fresh biscuits upon the desk in front of him. The flames immediately changed as Azula motioned for all but himself to leave them. The tea was a bad sign, the Firelord would not deign to serve it for the two of them if she expected any more visitors. As she sipped her tea and calmed herself he noticed the flames twinkle ever so briefly as they were not doing before. It dawned on him Lady Mai was speaking quite clearly, the women he met upon entering was one of pageantry, the woman in front of him was the true Firelord. The tea was a final sign of trust, to eat and drink to show no poison of ill intent towards one's guest.

"Seven years in the North Xie, perhaps six if we consider your time at sea. Do you consider yourself an expert on their people, their politics? Cressen and many of the lesser men and women of Westeros have gifted us with great knowledge but I am not so careless as to ignore firsthand experience."

"Among the Fire Nation unquestionably, though the brides for Lord Torrhen and Lord Roger will undoubtedly be quite informed." She nodded at the point, giving due credit to others seemed like the safe option.

"Then please enlighten me on its dynamics, its power as it pertains to the south. I have heard it is poor, frozen and barbaric. Yet it contains the longest unbroken dynasty in recorded history. How do you explain such a thing?"

"Much like the Fire Nation realized as it fought against the Northern Water Tribe climate is a major factor. Few appreciate how much different a fall or a spring is in the North is compared to a full winter in the South. They are not truly poor so much as focused on more pressing matters. It also benefits from being virtually unassailable by land, Moat Cailin is a natural chokepoint that would eat an army even as great as our own."

"The tales of the Crannogmen are true then? Of their poisons and tactics which would make the Yuyan Archers proud?"

"The Neck is the worst combination of the Great Swamp of the Earth Kingdom and the forest of the Fire Nation my lady. The locals hold an absurd advantage and there is only one route to cross via the causeway. Once the Kings of Winter brought the Marsh Kings down from the North it became virtually impenetrable. Truly beyond the Ironborn the Starks have faced nothing but internal threats for the better part of a thousand years. Should we ever claim the castle in the Neck as our own it would be all but impenetrable."

"Internal threats? Ah yes the Boltons of the Dreadfort. Tell me why are they still alive?" A queer feeling passed through him as the long rivalry between the families was common knowledge but he was in no position to refuse the indulgence.

"The exact reason may be lost to history but they did not simply walk away. The lands surrounding Karhold once belonged to the Red Kings as did the Sheepshead Hills and the lands of Highpoint. House Bolton remains powerful but they no longer threatened the Starks as equals. I wager it is a matter of internal politics, no House facing the Shivering Sea can hope to gain enough power to grow beyond Winterfell, a balance that would disappear if the Dreadfort faded away. The Boltons, Umbers, Manderlys and Karstarks contain each other without the need for a constant dynastic marriage akin to the politics of the Reach and Riverlands."

"What of Roose Bolton, he seemed the odd man out among them when I spoke with him after the Sack of King's Landing?"

"Experienced commander with a reputation for pragmatism, the man's an opportunist first and foremost but he is not foolhardy. The type of man who would follow orders but not shed a tear if he disappeared a few problems at the same time. I fear should Lady Ursa become involved with him during her stay." The light flickered again briefly, evidently he touched a nerve.

"Why would you believe that?"

"Do not misunderstand my lady if she learned from yourself she has nothing to fear from him. In fact dealing with such an influence will only improve her ability to function effectively in Westeros. House Bolton has survived this long for a reason. I fear she has yet to appreciate the difficulty of what to do once she wins." Truthfully he feared they would flay and burn the North to the ground trying to out think each other, or worse find kinship in spirit. He did not know which was worse and he sure as hell would not say that out loud.

"Worried over your new holdings in such a conflict?"

"I go where my Firelord wishes me. However I do have a family and will not endanger them if it does not interfere with my duty."

"A jest Commander, now to more practical matters. Military forces available and who to focus on should the need arise."

"The Starks have the most men, their vassals the Glovers and Tallharts have the same number of swords as many minor lords. After that the Boltons, Karstarks, Umbers, Dustins and Manderlys can raise more troops than the rest of the North combined. They can reliably raise twenty to twenty five thousand troops in good order but logistics slow their potential advance. I'd say thirty to thirty five thousand troops if they left it with the most minor garrisons, comparable to the Vale. I must note the fall of the Targaryen Dynasty and the War with the Ironborn has left them with a large number of veterans and experienced commanders."

"Do you believe Ursa could gain their trust, their loyalty in battle?"

"She is unbloodied and unproven in battle, barring the hand of Robb Stark she will have to earn it. Being the daughter of the Butcher will win her few if any favors, though the Northmen are the most tolerant of women in battle after the Dornish."

"Disappointing but not without logic. I trust my daughter will do well regardless, she has never disappointed me yet." The words chilled him and he could not ignore the obvious any longer.

"Firelord may I speak freely?" A small tilt as she enjoyed her tea answered him.

"These are not mere questions are they? How long do I have truly to make my land and family ready?" The briefest look of concern passed through the eyes of Azula, one he only recognized from the same look Dacey had when he went out to sea in response to a raider. Just as it appeared the iron visage of the Butcher replaced it.

"Years hopefully, months possibly. I cannot give you a guarantee only that you do your duty. Lyanna's Bay is a ripe fruit which will be targeted, you will hold it when the time comes." Kneeling with his fist firmly in his palm he swore with total conviction. He would do his duty for there was no other option when commanded by Azula.

Calming himself and lifting his two daughters he kissed them softly as Dacey spoke one last time with the captain of the Iron Bear. Poor Captain Lee was withstanding a barrage of questions his wife logically knew but could not help but worry. Feeling a tug on his sleeve he turned towards Maege. Green eyes cast under dark raven hair so like her mother trembled as her fears became apparent. Beside her little Azula bless her heart thought it all a grand adventure and wished to meet Aunt Lyanna again after playing with her for days on end within Mormont Keep.

"Can't I stay with you, I did not mean to make the tree go all sparkly and boom."

"It will only be a few months on Dragonstone and Lady Azula will help you learn to make things go boom whenever you want. Your sister will be with you all the time and Aunt Lyanna can't wait to see you again. Besides this way you won't have to listen to Jeor wail at dinner for many moons." Smiling he exhaled as the childish scuffles of her baby brother seemed to have lightened her mood. Despite the heavy feelings of late he was reminded of her innocence and by the old gods and the new he hoped for her to keep it.

Chapter 953 - 5