Winter's Fire → Game of Thrones

xxviii. A Prince and King

"I always knew that foolish dragon king was wrong for a fierce she-wolf like you, Lady Stark."  

I turned to see who was talking and froze. It was an old friend from Essos. One I never expected to see again...

"Prince Alios," I greeted. "What brings you to Westeros? No. What brings you to a war camp, actually?"

"Prince?" Mother questioned.

Despite my brother and mother being in the room, it felt as if it was only Alios and I. I ran towards my close friend and tackled him into an embrace. It was good to see a familiar face who didn't think of me as either a little girl still or a former exile.

Alios looked the same as ever. His brown hair was at his shoulder blades now and his brown eyes carried a weight to them that they had not previously. His brown skin was covered with little cuts and bruises. The Prince of Pentos had undoubtedly been through something he was not yet ready for.

Something was off about my friend. He still carried himself like royalty, but there was a weight to it. There was a darkness within him now that had not been there before. What did they put Alios through that he was not ready for?

"Not anymore, my lady," Alios told my mother. "I am Alios of Pentos, the former Prince of the city. It is a pleasure to meet the mother of my one remaining ally."

They must have tried to kill him... The Magisters of Pentos want Alios dead...

I did not wish to bring up his situation in front of my mother or Robb. They would not understand and they would send Alios away when it was all explained. I do not want my friend to have to keep running. I know the feeling of exile too well, and Alios allowed Pentos to become a temporary home. I wish to do the same for him.

"Proper introductions are in order, I suppose," I said. "Alios, this is my mother, Lady Catelyn Stark. And behind her is my brother, The King in the North, Robb Stark."

To my surprise, Alios knelt before Robb. I expected a bow or an offer for a handshake, but I suppose Alios is working his ways to get in favour with my brother. He will need that favour to be able to stay and quite possibly to be able to keep a low profile. A compliant foreign prince is much easier to hide than a pompous one.

The next issue will be the lords. Not only will they have heard about the situation with my brothers by dinner, but Northerners do not tend to take well to foreigners. We tend to look down on people from our own country, so I imagine a young man from Pentos - and from my past - will not be treated with much kindness.

"How did you get into the camp past all of the guards?" Robb asked. There was worry clear in his eyes.

"Alessia's fight on the outskirts of the camp had most people distracted," Alios explained. "One guard noticed me, so I charmed him into keeping quiet. Then I knocked him out."

A smile flickered across Alios' face, which seemed to annoy Mother Dearest. He was proud of his own efforts and Mother did not like that much. Perhaps we need to strengthen our guards though. They need to pay attention and they need to put up a better fight.

"I am on the run from Pentos," Alios continued. "I was the Prince of Pentos, but they wanted me dead so I had no choice but to flee. I am trained in multiple forms of combat, I can speak many different tongues, I am an expert in the theories of warfare, and I am trained to rule a large city-state. I wish to offer my skills to you... In exchange for protection of course."

Mother would never agree to this, and that was clear. She had a frown on her face and it was turning into a scowl. She is much too proper and she is a true Westerosi. She never has taken well to foreigners. She struggled to get used to the North and embrace our traditions. I do not think she is able to keep up with our ever-changing world.