Children of Destiny - A Rise of the Dark Lord's Tale

Chapter 17 - Arrival in Westeros

BRIANNA, ARYA, JON, ADELAISA, MAIUS, TYRION AND ELEVEN OTHER BLADES LOOKED UPON KINGS LANDING. The Master of the Blades did not need to see the rising smoke to know that something was terribly wrong. The host did not see any people along the road and not one of the knights heard a thing; they rode their horses immersed in silence. As they passed the gates of the city, Jon and Brianna began to see the bodies of those killed with a sword. Limbs and heads littered the streets. Arya dismounted and checked the pulse of a body of someone she recognized. Finding her friend amongst the dead, she stood up and looked around and noticed the thousands of piles of ash. The young widow was confused at what caused the strange ash piles. There was very little structural damage to the buildings, but other than the corpses and body parts the city appeared abandoned. Arya looked at Brianna and the Akaviri Master seemed to know what happened. She heard Jon sigh and agree with his wife and Arya needed answers, but secretly feared she already knew them.

"Where is everybody? What are these ash piles? I don't understand" Arya cried.

"Arya, those ash piles are bodies. Everyone here has been slain. Some were killed by the sword and the rest fell to magic. Only a person with the knowledge of the dark magic of Mordor has the capacity to do this" Jon answered.

"But why would Morgoth and Sauron sack Kings Landing? Westeros has no quarrel with the Dark Lords" Arya asked confused.

"Arya, Westeros is actually the last remaining piece of Beleriand so naturally Morgoth would want it back. The Dark Lord probably hopes some of the lost stones of Feanor are here, perhaps even a Silmaril. Morgoth lusts for the Silmaril's like a drunk craves alcohol" Maius told Arya.

"Unless Eddard learned the truth about his history" Brianna commented. "Nobody told him that he was an heir to the throne of Westeros. If this was an attack by Morgoth or Sauron, they would have occupied the city and enslaved the inhabitants. Nay, this was Eddard and he is consolidating his power. His next target most likely will be the last of Daenerys's supporters and Wildlings."

"That means Bran and my sister Sansa . . ." Arya's retorted her voice trailing.

"Are most likely dead" Jon answered.

Arya ran to her horse and mounted. Brianna shouted at her to stop; warning her it was too dangerous. But the former assassin paid no heed to her words and spurred her horse, heading for the Red Keep. Brianna and her company found Arya in the hall of the Red Keep, holding the broken body of her brother. Bran had been dead at least a day, his neck broken and his body had been tossed aside like a piece of trash. Brianna felt a pang of sympathy for her sister-in-law. In the past four years Arya lost her husband Kellian and now she lost a sibling. As her tears flowed down her face, Arya looked at Brianna her eyes full of pain and anger.

"I am the last surviving member of the House of Stark. My son has been corrupted by the greatest of evils and become the bringer of death. There is nothing for me now. I have no desire to survive this war" Arya said, her grief consuming her.

"Sansa's body and the Kingsguard have not been found" Tyrion reported. "It is possible that they escaped the purge of the city."

"Her body is probably one of those ash piles we found outside Tyrion. I hope she didn't suffer" Arya managed to say.

"Arya, the Kingsguard are nowhere to be found. They would have stayed to defend your brother to their last breath. If they are not here, they led her outside the city to the harbor. Bran must have ordered her to safety" Jon said as the slightest noise caught his attention. He looked behind the throne and found a young boy, terrified and frightened. He was no older than six, but seemed well fed and clothed. Jon kneeled down and looked at the frightened sole survivor. Brianna joined her husband.