Oldtown 294 AC.
Tyrion.
When his father was alive Tyrion was rarely allowed to travel, his house's shame was kept in the West lest people see the Imp of Casterly Rock. So now seeing the Hightower for himself, seeing Oldtown in all its glory, Tyrion felt a sense of excitement that was only matched by the one other person who'd never been here, Sansa Stark. As the others readied to disembark, Tyrion and Sansa along with Sansa's wolf, stood on the deck looking on as the ship pulled into the dock.
While Tyrion, Oberyn, Ellaria, and their guards would be staying on, Sansa and the others would be leaving directly, a riverboat ready to take them up the Mander and onto Highgarden. Tyrion would on another occasion, love to make that journey too, to sail up the river, to see Highgarden, to enjoy the bounty of the reach as it was picked from the trees in front of him. But this was not a pleasure trip, it was far too important for that and so reluctantly he went to his cabin to get his own things.
"I thought I'd lost you to the sights." he heard Oberyn's voice as he walked down the stairs.
"You nearly did." Tyrion said with a chuckle.
He continued on to his cabin and made sure his things were ready to go, the ship would continue on it's journey to Kings Landing, leaving them here for at least a moon before one of the other pinnacle ships returned this way. Oberyn had suggested they could be here longer than that, which for Tyrion was something he was looking forward too, more than a moon in the library in the Citadel, even away from their purpose for being here, just the idea of it, the thoughts of it were exciting to him.
Once he was sure he had everything in order, he called for the guards and had them carry his things on deck, Jaime had insisted he had a dozen with him, along with Oberyn's own half a dozen he felt it overkill. But on this his brother wouldn't be moved, he was a Lannister, he was expected to travel in a certain way, expected to behave in a certain way which was also why when it came to coin, he carried a small fortune.
By the time he reached the deck again, the ship was tied up and people were walking down the gangplank, at dockside he saw Sansa, Olenna and Margaery, their company around them moving their things to orders from Olenna. After he walked down himself, he went to say his goodbyes, for over three moons the Tyrell's and Sansa had stayed in his home, he found he had enjoyed their company and would miss them until whenever next they met.
"Lady Olenna it seems this is where we say our farewells."
"It is my lord, I wish you good fortune in your time here." Olenna said looking into his eyes.
"I shall do my best to find something to keep me entertained." he said moving to Margaery.
"My lord, I thank you and your family for your company and look forward to seeing you and your home again." Margaery said and Tyrion found her words and smile to be genuine, though he wondered if it was his home, or the dark haired lad who lived there she wished most to see again.
"It was my pleasure to meet you Lady Margaery, I too look forward to seeing you and your family again, perhaps next time I'll visit Highgarden." he said moving to Sansa.
"My lord, I shall be sorry to see you go." Sansa said and Tyrion smiled warmly at her, while not having the same feelings for her as he did for her brother, he had enjoyed her company both in Casterly Rock and on the Lion's Roar.
"My lady, I look forward to seeing you again also, as I'm sure Jon will too, enjoy your travels Sansa, until we meet again."
He watched as they got into the carriage, heading off up the road to meet up with the riverboat, had it been him he may have stayed the night, but he understood them wishing to leave immediately. Looking around he found himself alone with his guards, no sign of Oberyn or Ellaria anywhere. He didn't have long to wait for them though as a few moments later, they arrived in an open cart, Olenna apparently having taken the last carriage.
"Well, you going to just stand there." Oberyn said with a chuckle and Tyrion smirked as he was helped up to the cart.
The streets were narrower than he had expected, a series of crisscrossed alleys and wynds, Oberyn pointed out which led where, this one to the Starry Sept, this one to the Thieves' Market. He pointed out the one which led to the Citadel itself and Tyrion was almost too eager to go there immediately, but instead, they carried on. The tavern Oberyn picked was large and elegant, they had to cross to a small island to get to it and Tyrion found it surprising, just how many of these islands there were.
"Have your things brought to your room Tyrion, it's time we get drunk." Oberyn said and Tyrion laughed, he was certainly going to enjoy his time here too.
Two hours later he was sitting in the Quill and Tankard, being served by a pretty woman in her thirties who looked at him like he was an exotic beast. He had seen other dwarves since he arrived, so he wondered if it was his clothing or the coin he spent. Oberyn was surprisingly quiet and instead, it was Ellaria who made most of the conversation and who pointed out what it was that the woman found so fascinating about him.
"Your sigil, even here they've heard of the Imp of Casterly Rock, Tyrion, as we had in Dorne and no doubt others have around the realm, the lion you wear so proudly marks you, this is a good thing no." she said with a warm smile.
"Why?" he asked curiously.
"Your family carries weight Tyrion, people will see you and those who would treat your unfairly, those who would wish you harm, would take a far different approach, a dwarf may be easy pickings, but not this dwarf." she said and he laughed loudly the sound forcing people to look to him.
A few moments later he saw a young girl, no more than nine or ten name days old looking at him curiously, she was hiding behind one of the doors, almost afraid to come outside. Tyrion smiled and she smiled back and over the next few moments, she moved closer, sneaking around the room and making her way to him.
"Do you tumble?" she asked softly.
"I've been known to tumble from time to time."
"Can I see you do it?"
"Maybe on another visit." he said and she nodded as she turned to move away.
He took out a few coppers and placed them in her hand making her smile before asking her name.
"Rosey." she said running away when the serving woman came back carrying more cider.
After a while Oberyn joined in the conversation and as they drank the cider which Tyrion was regretting ordering, he saw what it was that had taken Oberyn's attention away. In the corner sat a group of boys, aged from ten and four to ten and eight if Tyrion was to guess, all of them from different parts of Westeros, Tyrion would wager.
"Acolytes." Oberyn whispered "This is where they come, it's good to listen to their gossip." Oberyn said and Tyrion looked at him and then the boys and could hear nothing.
"Maybe we should get closer?"
"There is no need, I've learned all I need, Marwyn is in the Citadel, he will be at the brothel tonight."
"So even among the esteemed men of the Citadel, they hold their vows as tightly as I'd have thought." Tyrion said with a chuckle.
"Men are men Tyrion, give them a grey robe or a white one, tell them what they can't have and more often than not they'll find some way to have the very thing denied to them." Ellaria said and Oberyn leaned in to kiss her.
"Ellaria speaks true, men who deny themselves pleasure in public will often seek it in private."
"And you?" Tyrion asked.
"Me, oh I learned years ago to not deny myself any pleasures at all." Oberyn said and Tyrion laughed again, yes he would be having fun on this trip he thought.
The Mander/Highgarden 294 AC.
Sansa.
Sailing on the sea in the pinnacle ship was unlike anything she had ever imagined, she had heard of the sickness of the sea, heard of the large waves, the ships being crashed upon them, but instead, it had been as if she had never left the land. So smooth was it that at times she forgot she was on a ship at all and would find herself momentarily surprised when she saw the sea and felt the waves crashing by. On their journey to Lannisport she had stayed closer to Jon, rarely going on deck, now though she could appreciate it more and she and Fang enjoyed the sights. Sailing on a riverboat she found to her cost was not the same, not the same at all, something she was finding out even more clearly as she leaned over the pail.
Behind her Margaery held her hair back, Fang sitting almost as far away from them as she could, the smell coming from the pail no doubt being the cause. Almost an hour into the journey she had begun to feel it, within moments she had emptied her stomach for the first time, since then it was almost regularly on the hour every hour. She hadn't even ate that much, which confused her because she was still throwing up, she wished to ask Margaery, but she had felt such a fool with what she'd said earlier.
" I don't understand." Sansa said.
" Understand what sweetling." Margaery said rubbing her back.
" It's called sickness of the sea, but we're on a river, how can I get it here."
Margaery had explained it was the sailing that caused it, not the sea, which Sansa understood and which then made her feel stupid, though in another way she was angry too, should it not have been called sickness of the sailing then. She didn't have time to think too much more on it as she felt it come again, the heaves bringing tears to her eyes. They had stopped off at a small village, Lady Olenna sending one of the guards to get her something that she said would help.
Finally, Olenna and a woman entered, the woman carrying a cup of tea in her hands, she gave it to her and Sansa was told to sip it, once finished she felt a little better. Well enough to lie down and within moments she was asleep. It was dark when she woke, the cabin was clean and empty, Margaery's bed still undisturbed. Fang was laying at her feet and she reached down to pet the wolf, before getting up and making sure she looked well.
Walking from the room she and Fang heard the sound of talking coming from a larger room and went to it, opening the door she found Margaery, Olenna and some of the guards inside, eating their meals. Her stomach rumbled a little and she felt her hunger come on her, so she took her seat and a meal was brought to her, along with a half leg of deer for Fang.
"Do you feel better Sansa?" Margaery asked a note of worry in her voice.
"I do, thank you." she said smiling.
She very much did, quickly finding the meal to be delicious too, she ate most of it and shared the rest with Fang, she drank some warmed juice which she enjoyed, and then Margaery asked if she wished to come on deck to see the night sky.
As they walked out onto the deck it was like something from a dream, the boat was sailing slowly up the river, the night sky illuminating the way. Around her, she could smell the freshness of grass and trees, the hints of sweet flowers and fruits. But it was the sky itself which took her breath away, the moon was fuller than she'd ever known it to be, the stars sparkling and too numerous to count, She stood there looking up, Margaery and Fang beside her.
Over the next few days, she got used to the sailing, only once more needing to drink the tea, at night she would speak with Margaery, getting to know the girl better, getting closer to her. She learned some things she didn't know and confirmed some she did, Margaery liked hawking and riding, liked embroidery too, which she was grateful to know. She and her brother had met not long after Jon had left Winterfell and had become friends over time.
Sansa noticed the smile which would appear on her friends face when she spoke of Jon, how her eyes would light up, she had seen the little looks and whispers, how they always had time for each other. Jon would always make time for her and time for Joy, never would he leave them unattended, but she had noticed he spent more time with Margaery than either of them and listening to her friend talking of him, she could see why now.
"You like him don't you." she said one night when they were laying in their beds.
"Of course I like him, he's my friend." Margaery said.
"But you like him more than that don't you?" she said and Margaery wouldn't answer.
As she lay down to sleep that night she thought more on it, she knew nothing of love apart from what the books said, but perhaps that's what her brother and Margaery were feeling, she hoped so, they'd be good together she thought as she looked to her friend's bed. Margaery was laying there a smile on her face as she played with a little box, Sansa wondered what it was, but saw Margaery roll over to sleep and before she knew it she too was asleep.
"Come quickly." Margaery said waking her the next morning.
"No, too tired, let me sleep." Sansa said yawning.
"No you must get up now." Margaery said grabbing her arm and pretending to drag her from her bed.
"Margaery." she said annoyed.
"Sansa." Margaery said giggling "Come trust me, you'll like it."
Reluctantly she got up from the bed, dressing herself far too quickly and not being allowed to even check if her hair was all right, she was this time almost dragged up the stairs to the deck. When she got there though she was glad her friend had done so, around them were apple trees as far as the eye could see. The smell was incredible, she breathed in and could almost taste the apples themselves, something she was able to do not more than a moment later, when Margaery handed her one.
"We're less than a week from Highgarden now." Margaery said and Sansa couldn't believe it, she had thought this journey would take far longer.
Over the next few days the sights changed as they passed through fields of different crops, from wheat, to barley, from peaches to grapes, apples to fireplums. But it was the flowers which Sansa couldn't bring herself to look away from, in Winterfell the Winter Rose grew in the glass gardens, to Sansa it was the most beautiful sight, the sweetest smelling thing she'd ever known. Seeing the flowers grow so abundantly here, this she believed almost matched it.
"There's so many." she said excitedly to Margaery.
"If you think this is a lot, you're going to love the roses's that grow at Highgarden." Margaery said.
At dinner that night they spoke excitedly about the rose garden, the pathway leading to Highgarden itself, Megga and Elinor spoke of wearing flowers in their hair and dancing, while Alia spoke of the bards they'd see yet again. Sansa found herself even more excited about what was to come, what her life would now be like, when she woke the next morning they were there, finally they had arrived.
Lord Mace had sent them a large wheelhouse and after their things were taken from the boat, they got inside. The roads were smoother yet again than even those in the west, something Lady Olenna was taking great pleasure in given how comfortable the ride was. They had been traveling for less than an hour when Margaery ordered the wheelhouse to stop, sticking her head out the window she then turned to her and told her to join her outside, much to Olenna's annoyance.
"Margaery we're almost home, can we not do this another time." Olenna said.
"No grandmother, this is how Sansa should see Highgarden first." Margaery said and then they were outside.
"Look Sansa." Margaery said turning her around and showing her the most beautiful sight she'd ever seen.
Both Winterfell and The Rock were large imposing places, they were pretty but functional, built for war more than show. Highgarden must have been built by the gods themselves she thought as she looked at it, it had to have been, something like this could only have been created by them. It rose from the fields around it as if it had come from the earth itself, three rings of white stone walls, covered in plants, flowers, and everywhere she looked she could see trees.
Around her was nothing but green, it looked as if winter never occurred here, never dared to show it's face, if Winterfell was built for snow, Highgarden was built for sun, built for the light and she stood there mouth agape. This is where she'd be staying, this is where she'd spend the next six or seven years of her life, she couldn't wait for them to begin.
"It's beautiful Margaery, I never want to leave." she said and Margaery laughed as she helped her back into the wheelhouse.
She could barely keep her head inside the wheelhouse when they set off again, it felt like an age until the finally made it to the keep itself. Stepping from the wheelhouse, she stepped out into yet another dream, she was led through a labyrinth, listening as Margaery's cousins laughed and japed, coming out the other side the courtyard was as beautiful as the rest of the keep. There were statues, fountains, little paths that led to groves.
In front of her stood Lord Mace, Lady Alerie, Ser Garlan and Leonette, and another man older than Ser Garlan but who must be his brother stood with a cane. She went through the formalities of meeting each of them again, looked at the other man who stared at Fang, before she stood in front of him herself.
"Lady Sansa may I present my son and heir Lord Willas." Lord Mace said.
"Lady Sansa it's a pleasure to meet you." he said kissing her hand.
"You too Lord Willas." she said and when he smiled at her she couldn't help but return it with a smile of her own.
Oldtown 294 AC.
Oberyn.
Marwyn must be in the coin somehow he thought as he found he had not been in the usual low rent establishments that he frequented, instead, he was in one of the better ones, something Oberyn was glad of. While he didn't mind going to some of the others some days, he preferred the comfort, he had the coin after all, why not enjoy it. Something Ellaria certainly was doing right now, once he'd seen the Maester was here, he had allowed his paramour to pick the night's entertainment.
Looking at the boy and girl she had picked he was glad of it, Tyrion looked on shocked at the way he looked at the boy, at first thinking he was for Ellaria, once he realised he was actually for Oberyn he blushed, which Oberyn found incredibly amusing. He was surprised to see the dwarf speak to an even younger boy, but relieved when he saw he was making conversation and not a purchase, though coin did change hands.
"What was that all about?" he asked as the boy ran off somewhere.
"The lad knows this town better than I, he seemed disinclined to the offer the man over there made him, so I paid for him for the duration of our visit, he can run errands for me, show me the way around while you're otherwise engaged." Tyrion said with a chuckle.
"You've a soft heart Tyrion." he said.
"Look at him, he's Jon's age, Loras's, the thoughts of what they'd make him do." Tyrion said and Oberyn nodded, never having liked the idea of children in these places.
"Marwyn will not be long, I'll speak to him then, will you not partake, my treat." Oberyn said and Tyrion smiled.
"Then how could I refuse." Tyrion said.
The girl was a tall blond and Tyrion and she left leaving Oberyn to speak to the boy when he came back, his name was Satin and he seemed far more intelligent than he had been expecting. While Ellaria was in the back, Oberyn found himself talking more and more with the boy, finding he knew of some of the Maester's who frequented this place, knew Marwyn. After telling him to grab himself some food and handing him some coin, he asked him to fetch him if Marwyn tried to leave before him.
"Oberyn my love, what kept you." Ellaria moaned as the girl sucked on her nipple.
"Work before pleasure my love, you know me." he said calling the boy over and watching as he undid his breeches.
Satin came in a few hours later, Oberyn had moved onto the girl some time ago, when the boy saw him he nodded and Oberyn got up, asking him to fetch Tyrion too. He quickly dressed and going outside he found the mage sitting down drinking at his table and so he took a seat opposite.
"I heard you had arrived back in town." Marwyn said.
"What can I say, I missed you Maester."
"Hah, from what I remember of you my prince, you rarely miss."
Tyrion arrived a few minutes later, and Oberyn watched as Marwyn looked at him strangely before seeming to recognize something in him.
"Your eyes they are mismatched." Marwyn said.
"Is that what they were and here was me thinking I was just drunk." Tyrion japed.
Marwyn stared at the dwarf a little longer before turning back to look to him.
"So what's the real purpose for your visit my prince." Marwyn said and Oberyn handed him one of Rhaegar's letters to Aemon.
He looked as the Maester read through it before looking to them both, a look of sadness on his face.
"The realm lost it's last hope when the last dragon fell, without him, without them we are all living our last days."
"You believe in the prophecy?" Tyrion asked the Maester.
"Prophecy is a fickle mistress my lord, what she may whisper in one mans ear, she may speak far different to another."
"That's doesn't answer my question." Tyrion said and Marwyn laughed.
"That is my answer my lord. But I'll give you another, without the last dragon we are lost, without the dragons that flew even more so, my esteemed friends at the Citadel have doomed us all with their stupidity." Marwyn said drinking his drink in one swallow.
"You think they played a role?" Oberyn asked without looking to Tyrion.
"Who do you think killed all the dragons the last time around? Gallant dragonslayers armed with swords? The world the Citadel is building has no place in it for sorcery or prophecy or glass candles, much less for dragons. Ask yourself why Aemon Targaryen was allowed to waste his life upon the Wall, when by rights he should have been raised to archmaester. His blood was why. He could not be trusted. No more than I can."
Oberyn looked to Tyrion who smiled at him, the letters were right, Aemon was right, if there was one man who could be trusted, one man who could be relied upon it was the man in front of them.
"Marwyn we need to speak somewhere more private, somewhere where no one can overhear, where your friends at the Citadel will never deem to look for us." Oberyn said and Marwyn looked at them both with Intrigue.
"The undercity, it's the only place where we can go, the old woman's house, I'll meet you there."
"How can we find it?" Tyrion asked.
"The boy knows where it is." Marwyn said looking to Satin who was standing off to the side.
"How do you know of the boy?" Oberyn asked even though he knew the answer.
"I am a mage am I not." Marwyn said laughing before swallowing the remainder of his drink and standing up "The hour of the bat."
After he had gone Tyrion looked at him as if to say something, but Oberyn just waved him off and got up to walk back to Ellaria.
"Where are you going?" Tyrion asked and Oberyn smiled.
"It's a very long time until the hour of the bat, Tyrion." he said chuckling.
In the end it wasn't that long, they left Ellaria back to their tavern and then they, a couple of guards and Satin made their way to the undercity. Speaking to the boy, he found him far more relaxed and intelligent then he had been in the brothel, almost as if he had been hiding his true self, or playing a mummer. Tyrion seemed to enjoy the boy's company even more so and he led them to meet Marwyn easily, knowing exactly the easiest route to get to the old woman's house.
Though calling it a house was being far too generous, it was no more than a shack, a beaten down one at that, Marwyn was already inside and so leaving the guards to make sure they weren't disturbed, he and Tyrion entered. While they hadn't discussed how much to tell the mage, they knew the things they'd not, though Oberyn knew with Marwyn, there was a fine line, between the truth he needed to know to help, and that which would bring him onto their side.
"Now my prince, what can I help you with."
He told him then of Walys, of the things they found in his journal, of what Rhaegar had said in his letters, leaving out Lyanna and Jon's part, before they got around to Creylen. Walys it seemed didn't interest him, nor the northern part of things, whether he knew of them already, or he felt that wasn't their real concern, Oberyn couldn't' tell. But Creylen, his involvement in this had Marwyn listening eagerly, almost licking his lips, so eager was he to add something to the conversation.
"Walys's father still lives, Walgrave, though the man is losing his wits, but he's a good friend of Theobold and so he keeps his chain." Marwyn said with a look of disgust on his face as he spoke both names.
"Creylen?" Tyrion asked.
"One of Theobold's protégés, though not very bright. He is dead?" Marwyn asked though they'd not hinted he was or wasn't.
"Why would you say that?" Tyrion looked at him.
"If the prince is here and suspects him this strongly, I'd not say you let the man live."
"He killed my mother." Tyrion said a glimmer of anger in his eyes.
"Then he deserved to die my lord." Marwyn said "But there is more, there are things you are not telling me, things you keep to yourself, I would know why?"
"We don't trust you." Oberyn said and the mage laughed.
"Good, then you're learning."
"We need to know who we can trust, there are some names we trust more than others." Oberyn said and Marwyn looked to him "You are one, Maester Luwin of Winterfell another and Loamara the former Maester of Dragonstone, Aemon Targaryen being the last and the only one whose trust is unequivocal."
"I know Luwin and Loamara, though he left the order many years ago, Aemon is the best man I know, you're right to trust him, but this, this is about more than just finding out Maesters have their own agenda. If Aemon is who you trust completely, this is about dragons or more precisely the family who controlled them."
Both Tyrion and Oberyn sat saying nothing, not even looking at each other as Marwyn continued to speak.
"The child, the child lives, the prince, he lives." Marwyn said smiling broadly his red stained teeth clearly seen now.
"What child?". Oberyn asked but Marwyn was off in his mind his eyes closed.
"I will help you root them out, root them all out, the prince lives and must be protected, otherwise we are all lost, he will need help, four of us will not be enough, and you will be sent a traitor. I can do something, yes, yes, I can use this, names, I'll find you the names." Marwyn said.
Tyrion looked to Oberyn a look of worry on his face, but Oberyn himself was smiling, they had raised Marwyn's interest and he knew once they'd done that nothing else would matter to the mage. This line of prophecy though was bothering him and he couldn't stop himself from asking.
"This prophecy, this danger you seem to think we're destined to face, this thing the prince is the only one to save us from, what is it."
"The Prince that was promised will birth dragons from stone, he will wield the light and bring the dawn, without him we are lost, he must be protected, he must be saved or none of us can be." the old woman said and both his own and Tyrion's head turned in her direction.
Casterly Rock 294 AC.
Jon.
Three times he had lost in the last three days, Loras, Brienne and Cregan all had beaten him far too easily, his arm was healed, but he was out of practice, he was slower, his moves far too predictable. As he sat on wall overlooking Brienne beating Cregan, he heard Walder speaking to Jors and tried not to listen in, but hearing his name he couldn't help himself.
"He's missing her that's all." Walder said softly.
"Aye he is, though I didn't think it'd affect his spars."
"Daeron says a clear mind is needed and Jon's mind is not clear."
"Give him time, he'll be back up to speed soon."
He'd have liked to agree with them, but it was more than just missing Margaery that was clouding his mind, it was Lygaron, it was not being able to speak to his dragon, not being able to talk to him as he did Rhaenix. At times in his head he'd hear him, hear him calling for him, then it was as if a door opened and he could speak, he could reassure his son, but on other occasions, it was like being shut out and he didn't understand it.
Sarella too was having more difficulty with his son, while she couldn't understand what Rhaenix said, they could communicate, they could to some degree understand each other. Lygaron was like a mystery to her, he was aggressive too and Sarella had been scratched so much that she'd started to keep her arms covered more often than not. Along with missing Margaery and his sister and the dragon problem, was the fact that Joy too was taking their departures badly.
Trying to explain that they needed to go, that she'd see them again but not for some time was hard as he could tell she felt a little abandoned, she had liked having friends at the Rock. Since the first problem was one of distance and couldn't be solved as of yet and the second was one he had no idea of how to go about solving, he decided to concentrate on the last and so instead of taking part in the spar he should have, he left in search of Genna.
"Cregan, take my place against Loras will you, I've something I need to do." he shouted and his cousin smiled, moving to fight against his friend.
He found her going over household expenses with Dacey and Jaime, all of them surprised to see him, he had noticed how Jaime spent even more time with Dacey since her illness but was glad to see her looking well.
"Jon, is everything all right?" Jaime asked.
"Aye it is my lord, I wished to speak to Lady Genna about Joy."
"Joy?" Genna asked.
"She's not been herself since Sansa and Margaery left my lady, I think she missed having girls here, friends, I was wondering is there anything that can be done about it?"
Genna sat quietly for a moment and then smiled which made Jon feel relieved, she had come up with an idea, one he hoped would work well for Joy.
"We could gather some girls for her, it's very early to have ladies around her, but no, this would be good for her, yes, leave it to me Jon,"
He nodded and turned to leave, but Dacey looked to Jaime who nodded and then he was asked to stay for a moment.
"Jon, Dacey and I have some news." Jaime said.
"I am with child." Dacey said a large smile on her face.
"My lady, my lord, I'm incredibly happy for you both, truly." he said seeing clearly now what Dacey's illness was but then he thought of his own birth, of Jaime's mother's death and his grandmother's experiences at the hands of the maester, his face darkened and Jaime noticed and immediately realized what he was thinking.
"We've taken steps Jon, Kevan is hiring some healers from Essos to bring over, some were recommended to him from our contacts over there, Dacey will have the very best of care, don't worry." Jaime said and Jon nodded, his relief clear.
"I'm sorry my lord, I didn't mean to.."
"No Jon, it's good you worry, it means a lot to me knowing you care so." Dacey said.
He felt a lot better as he walked back to his room, Ghost was even more constant by his side now that Dusk was with Cregan, his cousin being overjoyed the day he'd gone to speak to him with the black wolf. Cregan had settled in quickly, Ashara a little less so, Arthur had suggested she take on tutor duties for Joy and while that and seeing her son with Jon helped her some. It seemed to him there was a sense of sadness that surrounded the woman.
He had spoken to her of his uncle and it was clear she still missed him, still loved him, Jon wondered what that was like, to lose the love of your life and be forced to carry on, to need to carry on for the sake of a child. Would his own mother have felt the same? Would she too have been sad so many years later if she was here? Would she resent him, hate him, see him as a reminder of what she lost?. As he entered his room those thoughts were cleared from his head quickly though.
"Father." he heard it clear in his head and looked to his son, he was there on the ground and something was very wrong.
Jon rushed to the bronze dragon, Sarella was leaning over it with Rhaenix chirping worriedly beside her, he picked his son up and looked into his eyes, he went looking for the door and found it closed firmly.
"Please son, let me in, Please let me in." he said in a panicked voice and then he was there, the door was wide open and he was inside.
The mind of a dragon was unlike anything he could imagine, he had warged into many animals, with Rhaenix he had never fully done so, feeling it wrong somehow and instead it had been more a connection he'd formed. With Ghost it was something far different, he was a welcome guest in his wolf's mind, a favored visitor and Ghost made room for him. Here in Lygaron's it was like being in a wild open wilderness, he was lost and needed direction.
He saw the light then in the distance and so he walked to it, finding a tower he knew all too well, though this time there were people moving about, Arthur he saw Arthur and a man with a black bat on his armor, Oswell, Ser Oswell Whent, Jon smiled sadly thinking of one of his first protectors. He passed them and walked up the stairs, finding the door open and walked inside seeing his father and mother laying on the bed, his father's hand resting on his mother's swollen stomach.
" He is resting my love, don't disturb him." his mother said.
" I shall try not, though I long to hold him in mine own arms, to see his face."
" As do I, do you really have to go?" his mother asked worriedly.
" My father commands it, they march Lyanna, your brother, Robert, Jon Arryn, they march and should they not be stopped I fear for Elia and the children, should I not march to stop them I fear for what my father would do to punish them."
" Be safe my love come back to me, come back to us." his mother said kissing his lips.
Jon found himself outside, his father mounting up on his horse, he and his guards ready to leave, Ser Gerold had joined Arthur and Oswell and while he wished to look upon the White Bull, his eyes were drawn to his father. He rode to his death and he in some way was part of the cause, but seeing him, seeing him smiling, seeing how hopeful he was, Jon felt the cruelty of what was to come even more. As his father turned to ride off he shouted after him, screaming at the top of his lungs.
" Father, don't go, don't go"
His father looked back, almost as if he heard him, but he turned and rode on and Jon fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face.
" Why?"
" Why show me this?"
" Why let me see?"
The roar was loud and he turned to the tower, the bronze dragon flying over it, feeling its eyes on his he turned as it landed.
" Time is a river father, you must learn how to sail it." the dragon said.
" How?"
" Use it, use what you have, the magic in your blood is the wind, it will power the ship to allow you sail."
" Ship?"
" Magic needs a focus, a conduit, you have what you need, use it, use them, learn to sail father, for in time you'll have need of it."
He woke up on the floor, how long he'd been out for he didn't know, he heard his sister's voice and heard Sarella and while both were concerned, they weren't overly worried so he doubted it was for long.
"Why did you do that?" he heard Rhaenix say while Lygaron chirped back "What do you mean it wasn't you.?" more chirps from Lygaron "What gods."
"Rhae, I'm unharmed." Jon said stroking both dragons, Lygaron's chirps the same happy ones that Rhaenix would make.
Once he'd reassured his sister and had calmed her and Sarella down, once he'd ensured Lygaron felt no ill effects from what they'd shared, his dragon's happy chirping proving that, he stood up and walked to the chest. Taking out the glass candles, he held the green one in his hand, looking at it he remembered what he'd been told, it was time to learn how to sail through time. Closing his eyes he heard the gasp from Sarella as it lit up and the louder gasp as she saw her father and Tyrion speaking to a man with a broken nose.
"How?" she asked and Jon said nothing as the images changed.
Arya drawing a bow and shooting a target while an older woman looked on approvingly, Robb sailing on a pinnacle ship laughing at Ser Wendel. Richard speaking to a woman in a shack while a man stood guard, Cregan and Loras fighting to a draw as Arthur watched, Joy being taught by Ashara as Gerion stood at the door smiling. When he saw Sansa and Fang speaking to Willas he felt his heart race as Margaery and Leonette walked by, he tried to concentrate, tried to see more of her, but the images changed and flashed even more.
He gasped as he let go, and had to steady himself before falling to the floor, once he did he put the glass candle back and walked before falling on to his bed. He was asleep in moments, drained completely, he would need to train, just like with his sword, just like with his studies, he would need to train. Tyrion told him a mind needed books like as sword needed whetstones, if so then what did magic need, what did it require?.
Highgarden 294 AC.
Olenna.
Arriving back in Highgarden she couldn't wait to get started, there were things to do and while she'd leave the settling in of Sansa to her granddaughter and her Gooddaughter, she could get on with the important work. So instead she at once went to Mace's solar first, not surprised in the least to see he was organizing a feast to welcome them home, as if that in itself was a huge achievement. Once he saw her though he quickly ignored what to him just moments earlier had been the most important work ever, and began to speak on actual things of importance, much to her relief.
"I sent the new offer to Lord Stark mother." he said looking to her.
"Which was?"
"A quarter discount and the opportunity to do more business in the future." he said and she nodded, he had done well.
"The crown?"
"We've received no reply mother."
"None? Not even from the Hand or Master of Coin?"
"None at all."
That was surprising she had expected Jon Arryn to try something, to demand something, still best that it happened while she was here herself, rather than Mace had received it while she was not, she tried not to chuckle at the panic he'd have gone through.
"Anything else I need to know?"
"A letter from Renly Baratheon, suggesting he may come visit in the near future if that's acceptable mother."
"Did you reply?"
"I did, I told him he'd be more than welcome." Mace said and something was off about how he said it.
"Mace?" she said and watched him gulp.
"I just thought that perhaps since we're not looking at Prince Tommen, that maybe Lord Renly and Margaery would hit it off, he's Lord Paramount of the Stormlands mother, the kings own brother."
And a man who'd have no interest in bedding Margaery under any circumstances whatsoever she thought, though said nothing.
"We will not be betrothing Margaery to anyone for a long time Mace, do you understand."
"Mother." he said indignantly.
"A long time Mace, well after she's flowered, do you understand."
"I do." he huffed as he turned to walk out the door before stopping "Mother, the bastard, he's a good lad and all, but a bastard all the same, is it wise he's so friendly with Margaery."
"That boy will be a powerful ally in the future and he is his father's son, Margaery will be perfectly safe with him Mace." she said and Mace nodded, a smile on his face as he left.
She found her grandson speaking to Margaery about the Direwolf and she shook her head, had Sansa Stark just been a ward then Olenna may not have allowed her to bring the beast here with her. But after seeing Ghost and knowing how Jon felt about the wolves and that it was he who gave her the animal, things were very different. She waited until her grandson had finished speaking to Margaery and then signaled for him to follow, it was time to find out what had happened while she was away.
"You're looking well grandmother, a good journey?"
"Very." she said as they walked into her solar and took a seat.
"Now tell me what I've missed."
"Where do you wish me to start, here or Essos?".
"You found the dragons?" she asked curiously.
"No, but I found news of them, are you sure about Viserys grandmother, from my reading he seems far too much like Joffrey or his grandfather, I'd not like to see him anywhere near my sister." Willas said a look of disgust on his face.
She couldn't help it, she laughed and laughed for quite a bit of time, so much so that Willas began to look at her strangely, worriedly.
"Grandmother?"
"If only I'd had this knowledge before I went West, I'd have felt less of a fool."
"Grandmother?" he asked confused.
"Move closer Willas, there's something you should know."
She told him then all of it, Jon, who he really was, the Maesters and then she told him of her agreement with the Lannister's, of the real reason for her removing their support from Robert.
"What if they try and play us false grandmother, use our support but don't give us the marriage?".
"We have nothing to fear there Willas, Margaery will be queen, on that I'm certain."
"But, I don't understand it, if the boy knows he's king, then why keep the betrothal secret from him?.
"This won't be just a political alliance Willas, you've seen the presents the king has sent your sister, speak to her of him just once and you'll see how she feels about him, if you spoke to Jon you'd see the same, they will decide to marry even if we had not already agreed to it."
"The Lannister's have no desire for their own blood on the throne?".
"Lord Jaime loves the king as if he was his own son. Willas trust me on this, for the first time in years we may end up with a good man on the throne." she said.
"And a good woman." he said and she nodded.
"Now what else should I know?."
He told her then of the strange events in the Riverlands of Ser Brynden and Lady Catelyn both making their way to Riverrun, she knew it then, her suspicions were correct, she hoped whoever the Lannisters used was aware of this. Her immediate reaction was to send a raven, but she couldn't, not until they knew of Lomys's loyalty.
"We need to do something with our letters Willas, until we know more we need to assume Lomys not to be on our side, Tarly's Maester is certainly involved, but we need to know if we can trust our own and I'll not risk him on anything until I do."
"We can bring in Elinora from the town, she's a healer, a good one, if we're not sure of Lomys she can help, as for the letters, I may be able to do something with the hawks, but it'll take time."
"Do it, if we can take control of sending our own letters it can only be of benefit."
"Speaking of Tarly, I head a disturbing rumour about his son." Willas said.
"Samwell or Dickon?" she asked.
"Samwell." he said before continuing "Apparently he was beaten in a spar so badly that Tarly had him dressed and paraded in his mother's clothing, just to teach him to be a man. The boy's not cut out for fighting, but he has a keen mind grandmother, very keen."
"Out with it." she said looking at him.
"What?"
"You have an idea, what is it?"
"I was thinking, I spoke with him briefly on Margaery's last nameday, he wished to become a Maester but knew his father would never pay for his studies, perhaps if we were to do so he'd be grateful."
She looked at him and almost grinned inside, thank the gods it skipped a generation, if he and Margaery had not come along she'd have been stuck with more Mace's.
"Margaery has a nameday feast coming up soon, see to it that the lad is there. I'll speak to him myself to be certain, but an ally in the Citadel that we can trust would be an asset."
"As you say grandmother." Willas said standing up to leave.
"Oh and speak to Lady Sansa, make her feel welcome." she said and Willas glared at her.
"Grandmother, she's a child."
"As were we all once, speak to her, of the Direwolf if she has nothing else of interest to you." she said seeing her grandson's curiosity rising.
"As you command Grandmother." he said smugly, though this she allowed to pass.
Oldtown 294 AC.
Tyrion.
Spending weeks in Oldtown with Oberyn Martell really was tiring, during the day he found the prince like him, loved to read, they had gone to the Citadel as visitors and while allowed access to only certain books, he had been in his element. It surprised him that Oberyn too seemed to have a thirst for knowledge, what was even more surprising though had been the way their welcome seemed to go from friendly to not all of a sudden.
One day they were barely being looked at, and then the next he found that certain Maesters stared at them with suspicion, certain Maester's went out of their way to be in the library when they were there. When Satin brought him the note one evening from Marwyn they found the reason why, Jaime had informed the Maester's of Creylen's death and so people wondered about them. That it was only certain ones, showed to him that not all the Maester's were aware of certain things, not all involved.
"Ah Lord Tyrion, an interesting tome don't you think?" Archmaester Ebrose said looking at the book he was reading, Maester Aklards History of the Great Houses.
"Indeed Archmaester, though nothing I've not read before."
"Hah, another who wishes access to higher learning, forge a link like your friend there and you too shall be allowed access." Ebrose joked as he walked away.
"That man is an idiot." Oberyn said smirking.
"Perhaps that's the secret of how to become an Archmaester, only idiots need apply." Tyrion said laughing.
If days were spent reading, then how they spent their nights was learning in a very different capacity, by the end of their first moon they had, he assumed at least, sampled every brothel and every worthy whore in Oldtown. Oberyn's appetites only surpassed it seemed by Ellaria's, he had even been invited to share a bed with the prince and his paramour and while the offer was tempting, he had no wish to either insult the prince by being with his love or by not being with himself, so he declined.
The boy Satin he found to be a godsend, quick and witty when pushed, quiet and respectful when not, he delivered messages to and from Marwyn, to and from Ellaria to Oberyn, and from himself to the prince when they were not together. He had learned he had been born in a brothel, had been raised up and sold to men for a number of years already, even at the tender age he was and that was giving him pause. Their time here was almost up, Marwyn would give them what he learned and they'd move on, but what to do about the boy.
"Satin."
"My lord?"
"Do you wish to go back to the brothel?"
"I have no choice my lord, where else am I to go?"
"If a place could be found for you, a role more suited would it be to your liking?" he asked seeing the boy look at him curiously.
"My lord?".
"I find myself in need of a page, a squire or steward, would it interest you?" he asked and the boys eyes lit up for a moment but then just as quickly faded.
"My lord, a man such as yourself cannot have someone like me in your employ, it would not be seemly."
"Do I look like I care of what is seemly lad?" he said laughing "Let me worry on that, would it interest you?"
"Greatly my lord." Satin said.
That night he paid the brothel owner three gold dragons for the boy, feeling sick to his stomach to do so, but the boy was free now and his life would be better, it wasn't as if he would be a slave or need to whore himself out. Oberyn laughed at him when he told him, but Ellaria looked at him fondly. Satin was like her a bastard, a Flowers not a Sand but her brother all the same and he knew had he not already been in her favor, he'd have made a friend with this act alone.
They met with Marwyn in the old woman's house the next day and Tyrion was glad she herself wasn't there, she had spooked him with her thoughts on Jon, something which they now knew Marwyn himself had figured out, He left it to Oberyn to decide if the mage could be trusted knowing what he did and should the need arise he knew the Dornish prince, wouldn't hesitate to do what needed to be done.
"Ah the giant of Casterly Rock and the Prince of Vipers, what good company the mage keeps now." the man said laughing as they entered.
"What have you found?" Oberyn asked irritated.
"Much but not enough, these men keep their secrets well, names I have but few outside these walls and not enough inside, some I can swear by though which should add to your list of four."
"Who?"
"Myles, Lomys, Vyman, are good men, you can be assured they're not directly involved."
"Caleotte?" Oberyn said and Marwyn shook his head and Tyrion reached a hand to calm him down.
"Your Maester is a good friend of Theobold's, they studied together and keep in touch often."
"My brother's illness?"
"I do not know if they caused it my prince, but Myles should be placed in charge of his treatments, all his treatments." Marwyn said.
"Who else?".
"Theobold obviously and Walgrave too though the old fool is barely sure what he's done, Theobold may lead them now, but I wonder on some of the others, I have no proof you see, I need more time."
"Outside?"
"Coleman, Caelotte, Creylen you know of, Cressen too, Arden, Pycelle obviously, there are more, but I need more time, I need more time."
Tyrion though was dumbfounded, the Vale, Dragonstone, Casterly Rock, Sunspear, Kings Landing, almost all the great houses and then he began to wonder, why not Highgarden and Storm's End, why not the North again?.
"I don't understand it, Storm's End?" he said and Marwyn shook his head "Highgarden?, the North?"
"What about them?" Oberyn asked.
"These Maesters, they are almost in all of the great houses, the North had Walys until Luwin arrived, Lomys is at Highgarden, the Maester at Storm's end?"
"Jurne." Marwyn said.
"How are they not part of this, why are they different?"
Marwyn sat silently and then he looked at them, a smile on his face.
"Timing Lord Tyrion, Timing, Luwin was named in 282, Jurne too, Lomys some years earlier, but in 282 Archmaester Lardis was the Seneschal he would have had final say on the appointments, they mustn't have been in the position to challenge." he said before suddenly looking up at them "Those crafty bastards."
"What?" Oberyn asked.
"They changed it, changed the rules, the seneschal used to be yearly, when Theobold moved for it they made it a life appointment, they must have realized their folly."
"So now they handle the appointments?" Tyrion asked.
"The seneschal does, oh this is too good, your new Maester, I've seen the man they wish, trust me my lord, that's the last person we need anywhere near the prince. I shall handle this personally, inform your brother my lord, should any other Maester than Jardene arrive then trust him not."
"If it's Jardene?" Tyrion asked.
"Then trust him as much as you would me."
"We don't trust you." Oberyn said and Marwyn laughed.
"Good, the prince must be safe, I've done what I can for now, I shall keep in touch if I'm successful."
"If not?" Oberyn asked.
"Then mourn my passing for I shall be dead." he got up and got ready to leave.
"Ah, I almost forgot, Loamara, you can find him in Pentos, he works as a healer there, a good man, bring him home if you can, no man will serve the prince better than he."