As he climbed off of his ship the Bloody Kraken, Dalton Greyjoy had a pleased grin on his face at the sight of hundreds of longships docked around the island.
It appears that the growth of his army has proceeded as planned while he was away and as he looked around, he couldn't help but feel ecstatic at the sight of his soldiers immediately bowing their heads.
"We greet the Chosen Lord!" they chorused in unison, Dalton waving his hand with a chuckle and letting them continue their work. He half-expected a sibling or two to run out and greet him before remembering that he had no such things.
Well, he did, but the bastards pissed him off and were a threat to his reign as Lord Greyjoy. Therefore, they had to go.
Still, as he stared at his salt wife waiting with a pleased smile, the woman squealed as he grabbed her by her hair and walked down to the sea.
Immediately, all activities ceased as everyone knelt down, their heads bowed low against whatever they were standing on as Dalton did the same.
His salt wife gurgled as his Valyrian Steel longsword Nightfall pierced through her throat, Dalton ripping it free before biting down and swallowing copious amounts of her blood.
He then threw the body to the side before spinning his blade around, piercing his own heart and falling face first into the sea.
"Great Drowned, your servant...has come to speak."
"THEN SPEAK," Dalton's eyes snapped open as he found himself floating underwater in a dark sea, one singular eye the size of Pyke itself a fair distance away.
He did not flinch like many others that had broken before the sight of the great one. He had heard the stories of the great Iron Island Kings of old that contacted the Great Drowned and grew mad.
Fortunately for him, Dalton was already mad, taking in deep gulps of the cold seawater.
"Great Drowned, we have returned from our journey with more ships, swords, sacrifices and soon, more lands."
"WHAT OF OUR TRUE CONQUEST?"
"Unfortunately, we returned empty-handed. The champion of the Old Ones has already been chosen."
"IS HE STILL ALIVE?"
"Yes, because the chosen of the Infernals is his consort."
"...WHAT OF THE FALSE ONE THAT DARES TO CLAIM MY WATERS AS HER OWN?"
"Her chosen is a young girl from House Martell. She would be easy to kill."
"THEN SHE IS YOUR FIRST. GO AND MEET HER."
"What if I fall for her, though? I hear she's quite young and supple," Dalton replied, his grin widening as the sea turned blood-red and a tentacle passed through the space in front of him.
"THEN TAKE HER. I CARE LITTLE FOR HOW YOU DO IT."
Dalton let out a bark of laughter, the sound bubbling through the water as he nodded, "As you command Great Drowned."
"DO NOT FAIL ME, CHOSEN," the eye narrowed, its pupil contracting as the sea around them split to reveal a monstrous humanoid figure with a kraken's head seated in front of Dalton. "THE FALSE ONE'S BLOOD SHALL CLEANSE THE DEPTHS SHE CLAIMS OR I WILL USE YOURS AS COMPENSATION."
"Consider her already drowned," Dalton bowed his head and the sea returned, obscuring the god once more. "Though, if she screams nicely, I may keep her a while."
"TAKE HER IF NEED BE, BUT MAKE SURE YOU RETURN WITH HER OR HER HEAD."
"Would not dream of it," Dalton replied with a wide grin and the god closed their eye as the sea churned. A vicious current carried Dalton deeper into the void and he gasped as water filled his lungs.
Jerking to his feet, he coughed up black, viscous water as he rose to his knees, removing Nightfall as his shadow reached up and stitched the flesh back together.
"WHAT IS DEAD MAY NEVER DIE!" the gathered army exclaimed as Dalton rose to his feet, dragging a thumb across his lips to wipe off the last of the black ichor before licking it off with a grin.
"Prepare fifty of the longships. It is time that we sail south.
"Are we at war, captain?" One of his crew on his flagship asked and Dalton turned to them with a grin. Raising his hands, the shadows of said man shot up and pierced through him, tremors rippling through the island as the screaming man was dragged into his own shadow.
"War? Hahaha! No! We're hunting, men! We shall reave, rape, pillage and take to our hearts' contents!" he exclaimed, raising his arms to the side with a cackle as his army roared.
As they burst into motion, Dalton closed his eyes, staring up at the young Martell chosen that looked back at him with shimmering green eyes.
"You wish to have me? You will fail."
"Oh, we'll see about that. In the meantime, prepare yourself. We're going to see how loud you scream."
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Vermithor roared as he soared through the sky, laughter escaping my lips as I kept tight on his reins. Right beside us was Silverwing, Helaena sitting atop her with an excited smile as they flew higher.
Not one to be outdone, a deafening roar echoed from behind us as Vhagar flew high, Aemond looking down at us with a smirk before Vermithor roared in irritation.
"I know, Vermithor! Show off!" I shouted, tying the reins around my waist and arms just as Vermithor flapped his wings. Each beat brought us higher and higher until we were level with Vhagar and Aemond, who turned to us with challenging stares.
Then, Helaena and Silverwing came up on the other end, but before we could do anything, a roar drew our attention from below.
Moments later, Caraxes and Daemon shot up in front of us, my eyes focused on the agile duo as Daemon laid back in his dragon's saddle while Caraxes did barrel rolls up until they reached the apex of their flight.
The red serpentine-necked dragon let out a roar as he turned, turning and letting us see Daemon looking at us with a smug smirk before they dove past us back to the ground.
"...HE WON!" I shouted over the strong winds, Helaena giggling at my words while Aemond let out a soundless scoff. Vermithor's growls took my attention back and I rolled my eyes as I saw the dragon having turned his head to stare at me with one eye.
"You can be mad, partner, but you have to admit that they wo-No. Nononono-Vermithor~!" I exclaimed as the dragon dove down to the ground, doing a spiral that had me clinging to his back before he stopped and flared out his wings.
The abrupt stops made me gag as the wind smacked in the face, but thankfully, I managed to stay steady enough to glare at the smug dragon.
"I'm going to punch you in the face," I grumbled, rolling my eyes at his pleased chortles as we flew to the outskirts of the city.
Vermithor and I was the first to touch down, Helaena and Silverwing following closely at our sides. Then there was Aemond and Vhagar, who decided to decimate an entire acre of forested area by crashing through a couple of trees.
"Must you have so little care for nature?!"
"You can fix it!" he shouted back as he climbed down, Helaena and I doing the same as I took my wand from the inside of my coat.
"Aching souls of the world, let your threads dance. Let your aether echo along their energies as they grow once more. Dance, Plant Growth," I whispered and a soft hum filled the air as threads of aether weaved outwards.
They drifted across the torn earth and splintered wood, sinking into the soil before the ground shuddered. Bark knitted back together and trees straightened up, branches unfurling with new leaves as grass grew upon the patches of ground that Vhagar had carved through the forest.
When it was done, I let out a slow breath before lowering my wand, turning back to see Aemond admiring my magic with a smirk.
"I still need to learn how to do that."
"Maybe one day. I'm still figuring out what my limitations are."
"Considering I just saw you bring part of a forest back to life, I'd waged that's going to take you a while."
"And I'll be there every step of the way," Helaena chimed in, my gaze flickering over with an amused smile at where Vermithor was trying to fend off Vhagar licking his head. Right beside them was Silverwing, who tried her best to get her off of her mate.
If anything, it looked like a mother trying to nag on her son while his wife tried her best to keep his attention on her.
"Don't bring attention to it unless you wish to be screaming at the top of your lungs again," Helaena spoke up, smirking as I shrugged before looking up.
"Now then, have you three had your fun?" Daemon asked as Caraxes touched down, who immediately joined in on the chaotic mass that was the dragons play-fighting.
"Unfortunately no, uncle Daemon. Why, is there a need for us?" Aemond asked, swiping Daemon's hand away with a frown when the man ruffled his hair with an amused smirk.
"You shut up, mini-me."
"I still hate you for calling me that," Aemond replied as he turned to me and I gave an apologetic smile, remembering the time where I had called Aemond a mini-Daemon about a year or so ago.
Unfortunately, a lot of people overheard us and it was not before long that Daemon called Aemond his mini-me every chance he got.
"In all seriousness, yes, there is. We have received an invitation in regards to the nameday of Princess Coryanne of House Martell."
"That's...strange," Helaena muttered and I nodded in agreement with a frown. While we did have Qoren Martell here for Helaena and I's marriage, I didn't believe that was enough for him to invite House Targaryen to his daughter's birthday party.
'Since relations between House Targaryen and Dorne itself is still shaky, they are definitely not going to send Rhaenyra, Daemon, Alicent or Viserys to go.
They're also not going to send Aemond since he is still to be married nor are they going to send Helaena, which means...Otto?'
"And the Queen is not going, I presume?" I asked, wanting to get to the bottom of this as Daemon shook his head.
"Not in the slightest. She also forbids any member of House Targaryen from going in her stead. Instead, she will send her two most trusted advisors."
'That would be Otto since she kept him as Hand and trusts his advice. Who's the second, though?'
"Well, Grandfather is one. Who is the other?" Aemond asked the important question and I felt my stomach drop as Daemon just turned to me with a smile.
"No..."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes, it is."
"...No?"
"It does not matter how you try to enunciate it. It is still yes."
"I am overjoyed at the honour of her Grace the Queen putting me on the same pedestal as the Lord Hand, but I do not believe I am fluent enough in the subtleties of court etiquette to be of any help."
"Oh, your work will be different. However, further information will only be given once you accept and meet Rhaenyra in her solar."
"...Helaena?" I asked, turning to my wife as she looked back with a piercing stare. After all, while single me would have gone, I was now a married man.
She didn't speak at first, simply stepping closer and letting her hand slip into mine. Her eyes were fixed on mine as I saw the calculations flashing behind her eyes before I sighed in defeat when she smiled.
"You will go."
"And?"
"And you will come back," she continued, squeezing my hand with a nod. "The old ones will watch over you as will the Mother."
'The Seven? Is she saying that she'll do a ritual?' I thought with a raised eyebrow, but I dismissed it and laid a soft kiss on her forehead.
"Very well. Your Grace, should I meet the Queen now?" I asked and the man smirked before gesturing for me to follow.
Well, time to see what I need to do.
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Qoren Martell was silent as he sat atop the throne in Sunspear's great hall, a few of Dorne's highest lords and ladies in the hall with him as they watched his guest enter.
Dalton Greyjoy had an arrogant swagger to his movements as he walked to stand in front of the dais to his throne, the Iron Islands' lord simply raising an eyebrow at him with a smirk.
"Well, well, good to see you returned home safely. It's a shame, though. I had so much I wanted to talk about with you," Dalton began and Qoren just hummed as he straightened his back.
"I suppose we'll have more time later to do so. Now, what brings the great Lord Greyjoy so far south? I half-expected you to not be able to pass the Redwyne's fleet."
"They were easy to evade."
"Not raid?" Qoren asked with a smirk and Dalton chuckled as he shrugged.
"No need to. I can do so when I return back to the Iron Islands."
"I see. Well, I will ask again," Qoren spoke, leaning forward and meeting Dalton's confident gaze with a frown. "What brings the champion of the Drowned One this far south?"
"Simple. I've come for the chosen of your precious water mother."
"Mother Rhoyne will be treated with the respect she deserves," Coryanne's voice echoed as she entered the hall, a curvaceous, dark-skinned woman walking in behind her while aiming an amused smile at Dalton.
"Ah, of course. I was wondering who would be loud enough to shout in my father's halls. Welcome, Lord Greyjoy."
"A pleasure to meet you, forgotten princess. Tell me, how did the waters of Sunspear taste?"
"As pleasant as always. Why do you ask, my lord? Are you perhaps that parched?" she asked, but Dalton grinned as he saw the nervous glance she gave her younger sister.
"No reason. So, am I talking to little Coryanne or the false mother?"
"HAVE CARE FOR HOW YOU SPEAK, SQUID," Coryanne's tone was quiet and yet, it carried through the entire hall as the ground trembled.
"Of course, of course. I simply came to make an offer to the lord of Sunspear," Dalton replied with his hands raised in mock-surrender, turning to the frowning Qoren with a smirk. "Of course, the answer I get will determine the outcome of our sweet little relationship."
"What is your offer?"
"There are three actually and they're all pretty simple," Dalton began, raising a hand with three fingers raised. "The first, of course, is that you hand over your daughter. The second is that you hand over Sunspear. The third is that you hand over both your daughter and Sunspear."
'Deny the first three and make a fourth offer,' Qoren thought in realization, glancing at Coryanne as she looked back at him.
"I will make you a counter-offer."
"I am all ears," Dalton replied and Qoren took one final look at the lords and ladies of Dorne before speaking.
"My daughter's nameday is coming up and I've invited House Targaryen. In response, they informed me that a blue-eyed wolf and a weathered old Hand will be attending in Rhaenyra's stead," Qoren responded and Dalton's grin widened as he nodded.
"Oh, I love where this is going. Please, continue on."
A/N: No more big timeskips as we kick off the 'cold' war. We have a bit of exposition with Dalton and Coryanne along with Torrhen now having his next target.
Next chapter: The Drowned, the Mother and the Old Ones.
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