The Northern Dragon

CH 14: I CAN. SO I WILL

As serene as the wind Rhaenys walked alone through the dark forests of Storm's End, her companions staying far away by her orders. For no reason were they allowed to follow her and leave their location, not unless their lives were in immediate danger.

There were no changes to her expression as she walked, nor were there specks of fear. Most women would jump at the slightest of sounds if they were in such a place in the middle of the night, but that wasn't the case for her.

Fear was when she was three-years-old and people she believed were supposed to protect her invaded her home and murdered her family. Fear was when she was taken to an unknown place by an unknown man. Fear was when an assassin sneaked into her chambers with a blade. Fear was when she returned to the place where she was born and where her family's blood bathed the halls. And fear was when in that same place, she had lost everything once again.

She had survived all of that. She had walked through fire and had come back alive. Fear was something she had left behind the moment she entered those flames.

Rhaenys did not stop walking until she arrived at a small bonfire in the middle of the woods, a young handsome man sitting before it on a log. Stefan Tyrell.

Seeing her appear, the man lifted his head with his curling lips, "Queen Rhaenys. For a moment I believed you were not coming to meet me."

"If you had thought that you would have left by now. Or at least look more troubled." she grinned back at him, seeing right through his teasing, and sat on a log that was across from him, "Yet you seem quite calm. I take it you have not been waiting long?"

Rather than embarrassed as someone would usually act after being caught, his interest was peaked even more by her, "I heard you were quite the fascinating woman. Now I see they were right. Which brings me to my question. Why call me here? House Tyrell has made an alliance with King Renly. Which means that anyone who opposes him or poses a threat to his reign is our enemy. If you wanted to renegotiate you should have talked to my father or eldest brother. Not that it would do you any good, but it is worth a try."

No ripple formed on her beautiful face, her smile only growing, "And I heard you and your grandmother were much similar. You did not disappoint. Though, what I really called you here for wasn't anything of the sort. House Tyrell will join me in due time. I am more curious about something else."

"You're quite sure about that." said Stefan, the dragon continuing with her question, "I was just wondering, what exactly do you win? I know Margaery has always wanted to be Queen and Loras, well, he is in love with Renly so there really isn't much of a question on how the Tyrells joined forces with him. But what do you win? Tell me, Lord Stefan, what is that you truly wish for?"

His dark curls fell over his blue eyes and he watched her intently before changing the subject, "King Renly might just acquire the Iron Throne, though. He has 100,000 men to his command now, and soon enough he might even get the North to aid him. Lady Catelyn is here with those same intentions. To form an alliance between the Baratheons and the Starks once again. We both know how that ended the last time."

"Last time was much different." Rhaenys straightened her posture but her expression remained relaxed, "This time, Renly and Stannis are going to have a battle of wills once the sun rises. Then Stannis will plot and sooner or later he will take Renly's life. With him dead, Renly's men would have no choice but to join Stannis's side. However, the Tyrells would never do that. I'm sure that is something that Lord Baelish will take more than enough advantage of."

His blue eyes widened at the mention of Baelish but he did not speak, narrowing his orbs on her as he continued to intently listen to every word.

Something that she noticed. "You sister would still want to be Queen and seeing as Stannis is already married and Robb betrothed, then her only choice left would be Joffrey. At the same time, your brother would desire revenge, something I am more than sure that Baelish will press on as he gives his precious offer. By the end of the year, the Tyrells and the Lannisters will have joined forces and prepared to unite in holy matrimony. Did I miss anything? Or was that all?"