MEMORIES OF YOU (Game of Thrones)

-26-

As they marched into Riverrun, Cassana had been riddled with ceaseless proposals on faring members for her small council. And her answer was always the same. She was going to reserve the honor and right to the people that fought most ardently beside her. 

"I shall give honors to the people that earn respect. Bloodlines will get you nowhere in my council. Earn my trust and I'll see. You do not have to prove anything to me. If you must, prove it to yourself first", Cassana, said as she rode her steed next to Arthur Connington, who asked what was the criteria of men she wanted to ensemble in her council. 

The winds had been unmerciful. They rode together. The dornishmen, the men from the reach, and the stormlanders. Mayhaps an odd mix, but if anything, it just proved a skill as a leader to unify people, just as her little brother was doing in the wall. 

"And do tell me, your grace. I assume you already have your master of whispers. The feared Shadow of Westeros. Ser Damon Mormont. That is an easy one to expect. The man is better with a sword in hand and has a web of spies far vaster than Varys himself", he scoffed. 

"Nice, do you want a lemon cake for that? That is rather obvious. He has been by my side since my betrothal with Robb. He has proven himself trustworthy. He is the only one who knows of all my evil plans", she jested, although part of it was true. 

Before she sacrificed herself to the vipers in King's Landing, she had tasked him to unify the North under her command, and he had done it so. He knew the last command she ever gave to him. To locate Sansa and save her. He was the only communication she ever had with Jon. It was because of him that Jon knew of Sansa, and knew she was still in that Winterfell. 

"Rutting hells, I just pointed that out, no need to be snarky. Let's see that leaves master of war to your lord husband. The sea snake reborn, and the wind of the tides. Small folks say that they have never seen a warrior like that. Not since Aegon the Conqueror", Connington let out as he tried to see if they were any closer to the gates of the castle, however, was that the Blackfish had been killed and the Lannisters were about to take Riverrun. 

That was the reason why they marched so hastily with their forces. A small detachment of 1,000 men was sent to the wall to be commanded under Oberyn Martell. Cassana had tasked him to keep Jon safe. 

"I know the skill my husband has. He trained with me after all. He too is someone I trust with my complete being. But one cannot be master of war and king consort all the same—"

"As hand?", he interrupted. 

"No. I was thinking someone else might be a better hand. Certainly not Oberyn. My brother was right in some way, we need some of the Stark loyalty and wisdom. Before Robb died, I would have named him the hand. Now, I don't quite know"

"It is alright not to know, Cassana. You do not have to complete a council—"

"Danaerys Targaryen is already at Dragonstone. She has allies. Ellaria Sand has betrayed us, and Olenna Tyrell has been summoned as a loyalist to the Targaryens. She has the fleet of the Ironborn, the unsullied, and the Dothraki. Varys is her master of whispers, and yet he sent me this letter. To beware of the thorns. Not only that, but her hand is Tyrion Lannister, a man that knows his way to playing this game. I cannot risk it", she exhaled. Sucked in another breath. 

Arthur too had warned her that Olenna Tyrell wanted to see which queen would serve the most. Out of the three queens, one had butchered her family by exploding a sept, one had dragons, and the other had united people. She was no Daenarys. She did not command dragons or foreign armies that were bred to fight. 

"So, Arthur Connington. You have served me well. Your father served Rhaeger until his last breath. Loved him as a brother would, perhaps more. I know that you are reluctant in matters of court, but one thing is certain, you use your logic before deciding something. That is why I am offering you to be my hand".