human
Whether or not someone ever really got used to basically being a prisoner, Myrissa Grandison didn't really have a clue. For months she had been there in Casterly Rock now as some sort of insurance that her grandfather, the current lord of Grandview, wouldn't go against them. Seeing as she was the only daughter to his first born son, they thought she would be one of the better people to take as a ward. Her only brother was already married, and he had been in Kings Landing for years now as a representative for the family, so using him wasn't as effective. Besides, isn't it better to have more than one person since it meant more leverage to use against them?
No one there treated her all that bad, but it was quite obvious her place. She didn't have say in much of anything involving herself, nor could she really go anywhere without some guard following her to make sure she wasn't doing anything suspicious. Already she was assuming that now she was in Lannister custody, the royal family would be choosing whoever she would marry whenever they decided to do so. The thought wasn't ideal since they wouldn't have her best interest in mind. At least if it had been her family they might consider her thoughts or feelings a bit more. Not that it mattered much, women didn't really have say in arranged marriages and she never expected to be ale to have any even if it had been her family making the match.
The day was normal, and somewhat boring, just as any other day. Usually she would go to the Sept just to get away from most everyone and pray, and that day wasn't any different. Most of the time the brunette would just sit in there and think. Sometimes she would go kneel to pray to one of the Seven and that was usually when one could tell quite clearly just how slim of a figure she had. Having to wear corsets that sometimes were tied rather tight also played a hand in any woman looking a bit slimmer than she really was.
Soon she suspected it would be close to dinner time and she would probably take it in her room. Usually none of the Lannisters seemed to care if she was in the dinning hall or not. Well except when they wanted to bother her and subtly remind her of the position she had there. They weren't completely horrible captors, but Myrissa wouldn't have thought to highly of anyone she was forced to go stay with and was using to keep her family from doing anything stupid. The thought of dying because her family decided to commit treason, or some other crime, was a shaky future having to walk on eggshells and she very much dreaded that even if it didn't really show outwardly.
~~~
Ever since going off with Lord Commander Mormont and a large group from the Nights Watch to find signs of Benjin Stark things had seemed to go downhill as far as Jon Snow was concerned. Not only did they find little sign of his uncle, aside from evidence of his group members, but he had been forced to act like he had betrayed the Nights Watch and join the wildlings. Betraying his oath had been a hard decision but not only had Yorhen half hand kind of order him to, but they both would have died and never made it back if he hadn't done it.
As he stood there now in the same position a deserter had before his father that they had watched behead, it was hard to believe how things had went so downhill for the whole family. His father was dead, his half sisters were prisoners in Kings Landing, two half brothers were thought to be dead by everyone and the other had almost been killed at a wedding. The casualties, he had heard were still high. Both the wife and mother were killed. While he had never been on good terms he never would have wished his siblings mother to be dead. Especially not after the northern army had gone to war because of Ned Stark being beheaded for supposed treason. It was kind of funny in a sad way he was about to follow his footsteps. The only difference was his crime was actually true whereas he didn't believe there was truth to his fathers.
The fact he was going to die on Dragonstone so far away from home was never something he had expected. Actually he had never thought he would die for committing any crime, let alone one where he had broken a vow. Then again what surprise should that be now? Just recently he broke a vow of his own will by sleeping with a woman. That wasn't apart of the whole pretending to join the wildlings to learn information. He didn't have to sleep with Yigrette while pretending to be one of them. That was something he did all on his own with only some egging on by the red head herself.
Jon really wasn't paying to much attention as the acting Lord while Stannis was away spoke. All he could think about was the half siblings he had been close to and what they would have thought of him had they known what he did. Arya might not have cared much, she never was much of one for 'rules' and what was expected of people and the norm of society. Bran and Jon, they were another story entirely. Rickon was to young to probably understand such things and would only know he was about to die. Him and Sansa had never been close on the other hand. She took to much after her mother. Ever since the day she learned what bastard meant she always went to calling him half brother and they hadn't had to many 'nice' moments like he did with the others.
"Do you have any final words?"
Snapping out of his thoughts, for once he couldn't think of a single thing to say. He had watched men be behead and give their finally thoughts but it was different now that it was him standing there about to kneel and have that happen to. "I've made my peace. I have nothing more to say."
gpt
The remaining Lannisters of Casterly Rock were just beginning to sit down for their evening meals, none present would have ever guessed what was about to unfold in their Familys Ancestral Home. And why would they, they were basically the royal family and no one would dare harm them now that the Starks all lay dead on the banks of the Green Fork of the Trident, or so they were laid to believe. In actuality Robb Stark had planned for the attack from the beginning and so his army came out mostly unscathed, however, he unfortunately did lose his wife, mother and unborn child. Now he wanted revenge against those that gave the dog Frey his orders, mainly the Lannisters, and what better way than to hit them than where it hurt worse, their little piece of paradise.
The Stark Army came in the cover of night, using the moonless sky to cloak them in shadow as the wolves readied themselves to hunt lions. The feeling in the air was eerie, like death itself threatened to fall across The Rock in a blanket of cold as summer for the Golden Fleeced Lords of the Westerlands drew closer to its end. Robb Stark himself, along with a dozen of his best climbers, had spent the evening scaling the high rock walls that guarded the Wardens of the West before peering into any of the open windows.
The window he reached first led to a kitchen where two servants scrubbed away at dirty dishes as they chatted about their lives under the Lannisters. After they were temporarily incapacitated he secured the long rope he climbed up with to the window seal before tugging; soon many of his fellow climbers did the same once their room of choice was cleared. As his army climbed their way up the ropes with the command not to scream if they fell he guarded the entrance to the kitchen and subdued any that came wondering over.
Meanwhile outside the City of Lannisport-controlled by a Cadet branch of the Lannisters-a portion of the Stark Army led by Edmure Tully readied the catapults and trebuchets before lighting their contents ablaze and sending them flying over the walls to send the city into panic. Their plan worked wonders because it wasnt long before the Lannisters of Casterly Rock were interrupted during dinner to hear the city below was being attacked by an unknown enemy. And just as Stark had planned they gathered much of their remaining forces to aid their kin, allowing his men to ransack the Castle and capture or kill anyone they came across. Winter is coming to House Lannister! Your summer ends here! Robb was said to have yelled in later recounts of the siege of the castle as he drove his sword into chest of a Lannister Lord.
~~~
In the deep of Night was always the best time to attack; especially a moonless, cloudy night that covered the land and sea in darkness so thick you could barely see the hand at your face. That along with the fogs of the coast made seeing far, even with torch, a guessing game. Luckily Daenerys Targaryen had heard enough about Dragonstone-her Ancestral Home-from her brother that she felt as if she could make her way around and through the place like she had lived there her whole life, avoiding any jagged and unseen rocks.
She herself stood upon the forecastle deck of her flagship Dragons Grace adorned in armor cast in Valyrian Steel while she momentarily seemed lost in thought as her mind journeyed back a few days before in the City of Pentos. There, in the Temple of Rhllor seeking aid and guidance, a priestess prophesied that she was in fact The Great Stallion That Will Mount the World the Dothraki talked about though in the priestesss religion she said it was known as The Flame That Will Consume All. She wondered if she was in fact such, if she was destined to unite the world under her rule, after all she did rule most of Essos from the shores of the Narrow sea to those of the Poison, abolishing slavery and gaining control of The Greatest City That Ever Was Or Will Be. She even had an army moving further east with one of her three fully grown dragons, Viserion, led by a descendant of a Valyrian Dragonlord like herself that she had met in the city of New Ghis that had later sworn allegiance to her.
Whatever the case was she seen her conquering as doing good, most of these places prospered in her rule, with many cities that were of poorer status gaining immense wealth for one reason or another where before they were about to fall to a greater city, and even those cities grew even more wealthy. The people of her growing empire loved her, calling her names like Mysha and Mother of the People and their had even been a few cities her army came to that had heard of her doings and simply surrendered to her rule, knowing they would be better off. And it was with this hope and this love that her armies followed her to Westeros, to return their Queen, Princess, Empress, Khaleesi, Mysha and the many other titles she gained throughout her empire-to her rightful place and allow her to sit at the Iron Throne.
First, however, she would take a small fleet to aid in her taking of Dragonstone as the rest the forces she sailed with moved on towards Kingslanding. So it was then, as the volcanic rock the Dragonstone was upon came into a misty view, that she raised her hand to the air with an order in High Valyrian for Dorgon to drop to the large Forecastle Deck of Dragons Grace. After he landed and bowed his head for her to mount him he was quickly off again high into the air where he then gave a loud roar as he descended upon the castle below him. Cities shall burn to ash if they defy me, Houses she be no more if they enrage me, I Daenerys Stormborn she birth a storm of fire and blood across the Seven Kingdoms if that is what it takes to gain my place at the Iron throne. And with that her forces began to barrage the city in catapult fire
human
Myrissa was reluctant to get up and head back. Being in a new place as a ward could be rather lonely and all one really had was themselves. Back home she could remember having more fun and not having to watch and be careful of her every move. But she just had to remind herself she really wasn't all that different than the Lannisters. The Grandison's were lions as well, just a cat of a different coat. She could be just as stoic and act just as friendly, even when she didn't feel it, as they were, and be just as distrusting.
It was about half way that she was back to her room that she heard screams, shouting, and not long after that there was metal clanging. Immediately it gave her a bad feeling. Just because whoever it was is clearly an enemy of the Lannisters, that didn't make them someone she could consider a 'friend' or just even someone she could trust enough to not kill her. Even though it wasn't very ladylike, she quickly ran off back into the castle and into her room. Locking the door she didn't suspect it to make a huge difference if someone really wanted to get in.
Trying to carefully look out the window it was hard to see the colors of the enemy so she could get a better idea of who it was. The only thoughts that came to mind were Stannis Baratheon and there was also the northern army. No one else would be foolish enough to try and take on the Lannisters. That was why the Tyrell's sided with the, after their beloved Renly died. Within a few more minutes she could hear doors being kicked open close by which made her more uneasy than she would ever have liked to admit. Nearly jumping out of her skin when her door flew open and hit the wall, she was positive had she blonde hair and green eyes they would have killed her. Luckily for her she had neither. Light brown hair, with small hints of red and brown eyes had more than likely saved her.
Those who weren't killed were all forced into the Great Hall and Myrissa had no clue what was about to happen. The men who had come to her room had Riverlands colors, she had seen and so that gave her the hint that this was the northern army. They had been either stupid or bold to attack here. From the looks of it they were bold because it seemed like they had won.
~~~
After that was said he was made to kneel before those who were gathered around. There wasn't many there to watch, and it was mostly men. Time felt slow down and fast at the same time as the acting lord started to sentence him in the name of Stannis Baratheon, their king. Nowadays there were to many self made kings. There wasn't just Stannis, the north, or the iron throne, but also the ironborn and there had been Renly Baratheon before he had been killed. Most said it was at the hands of his brother Stannis.
Jon waited, not closing his eyes as he expected the sword to swing down on his neck. He wondered for a split second how much it would hurt or if it would be rather quick and instant. The latter was probably more the case but surely there would be pain involved. Part of him would be just glad for it to be done and he wouldn't have to be in Dragonstone any longer. The only thing he regretted was he couldn't go to help his family get revenge on the Lannisters for everything they had done. That was why he had tried to leave the Nights Watch once, and that was where he had tried to go when he actually took off so Mel and Stannis couldn't sacrifice him.
Just as the words finished and the sword was raised, he found himself waiting and waiting. He started to wonder why they were waiting so long to get on with it but then he started hearing warning sounds and shouts. Chaos started erupting around him as the men went off to defend and deal with whatever the threat was. Getting up he could see fire in the distance. With it getting darker it was quite clear to see. While he didn't know who was apparently attacking he didn't really want to stick around and find out. If they found out who he was, then he would be just as dead.
Quickly he tried to take off towards the woods area of the island, but it seemed like almost every way he tried to go arrows were falling everywhere. The loud screeching caused him to look up and it was as if his eyes were playing tricks on him as he saw a huge creature and fire all around it. His first thought was dragon but that was impossible as they'd been extinct for thousands of years. This, in top of the arrows falling all around caused him to pause or else he'd probably get hit. After the arrows he took in the back and leg from Yigrette he would rather that not happen again.
gpt
It took less than an hour to seize control of the Castle, and once they had done so and gathered those left alive into the Great Hall-that mainly being women, children and servants-the bulk of his forces that had entered the castle through the windows marched out the front gates and to the rear of the Lannister forces as they acted like the hammer to Edmure's anvil. After which they would go on to siege the city of Lannisport and rid it of Lannisters as well. The Port Town offered a great advantage in the war, that along with the wealth the house of Casterly Rock had would fund the war quite nicely as well as limit Lannister Power in the Realms.
Robb began making a list of what Lannisters he had in his possession and who now lay dead throughout the Castle. It was important to check if he had any precious gems House Lannister would care for, and if any were worth trading for Sansa-someone both he and his sister Arya wanted back. That was the only good thing that came from heading to The Twins, having his sister delivered to him by The Hound while he was there; he had to remember that he had a debt to pay the man and at least now with the Lannister fortune he could do so. However, he was never one to care about familial ties of other houses or who hated who or would die for who so he wasn't really sure if there was anyone here Tywin would hand him Sansa for.
His thoughts left future plans however as he set his eyes on someone that was clearly not a Lannister, nor one of their servants. She looked of nobility, dressing like his mother or Sansa would in a gown that screamed restricting and barely breathable. He wondered if she was from one of the Lannisters Vassal Houses. "You're obviously not a gold pelted Lion so tell me, are you a wreath, boar, beetle, unicorn, jester?" he asked as he tried to name a few of the house sigils of the Westerlands.
~~~
With the attack on Dragonstone a success it wasn't long before the bodies of the dead were rid of and preparations to turn the Castle into a sort of non-combatant sanctuary for her forces during the war were started. She also sent out word to the Vassal Houses Bar Emmon, Celtigar and Velaryon that her house was now in command once again, of course they knew of her coming and was soon to join her forces it was still a formality of court, something her advisers seemed to make sure she did correctly. Anyone left alive from the siege of Dragonstone was taken to the Great Hall, though it was only about three dozen or so and most of them were children or women.
Once everything was secured and understood here she would move forward to Kingslanding to lay siege with the rest of her forces. She hoped the rest of her armies in the south and North of Westeros were fairing the same as she sat in her house seat in the Great Hall. To anyone else the seat and the castle itself would feel cold and lifeless but to her it felt warm and bursting with a power she had never felt before and wondered if this was what it felt like to be close to where she truly belonged. She wondered how great it would feel to sit upon the Iron throne as well and if she would feel even more at home there than she did here at Dragonstone.
As her eyes scanned the room of worried faces of the servants and families of former guards of the castle they fell on one face that stuck out among the rest the most. A raven-haired man dressed in black furs and cloth with his hands bound behind his back stood beside a group her her soldiers.
"Who is that man?" she asked Lord Sunglass that had traveled back to Westeros with her after fleeing a few months prior from here to Volantis and had now become a sort of adviser on recent affairs in the Seven Kingdoms.
"He's a member of the Night's Watch, it seems the guards were about to execute him for deserting before the attack. We're waiting on your orders to do the same."
"You, come forward, what is your name?" She asked loud enough for Jon to hear her.
human
A lot of those in the Great Hall looked nervous and worried about their fates. The only worry that Myrissa had was if she was worse off in these people's hands than she was the Lannisters. The royal family would be angry and what if they decided to sneakily take it out on her family? Slightly she frowned at the thought. They weren't stupid so maybe they wouldn't do anything since it wasn't her families fault.
Many of the men were gathering up in there no doubt to see who all they had as captives now. A lot of those in here were servants which only made her stick out like a sore thumb with her 'nicer' dress made if finer material. She couldn't really place a name to most of the people and only knew what house they were from because of the colors they wore as well as the sigils on their armor and swords.
The male that came up towards her had a direwolf sigil, she noticed, and his presence screamed the one in charge. Even though everyone and their mother seemed to be declaring themselves royalty lately, she didn't plan on doing anything that could come off as insulting or rude and cause them to want to kill her, rip or tongue out, or maybe even do both. She had to keep herself alive and to do that one had to play the game, say the right things, or give the correct titles that people expected.
"I am a lion, but of the Stormlands, Your Grace." Seeing as her family was sided with Joffrey she didn't expect them to see her as being any different than the Lannisters.
~~~
As he stood there for the short time it took for the boats to arrive, Jon was glad that Ghost was off in the woods somewhere. Having not wanted his direwolf to die along with him, he had the white wolf take off. Even though Ghost couldn't get off Dragonstone, that didn't mean he wasn't smart. Being a good hunter he could easily dodge anyone hunting him. Even if they could have found him, it would be extremely hard to kill a wolf that size without dying in the process. At least he was still safe and hidden somewhere out there.
When the attackers did reach shore and were taking out the rest of the forces here, people that didn't look to be of Westeros or Dorne had come at him. With his hands tied he couldn't exactly do much, but that didn't mean he hadn't given a good effort fight back and try to get away. Being that his hands were bound, it wasn't long before that little show of stupidity on his part was over. No one could say when he was killed that he hadn't gone down fighting at every turn.
Being taken to the Great Hall most of the others there were women and servants. Most all of them looked scared and he couldn't really blame them. Usually nothing good happened to those survivors when an enemy took their lords land and castle. They were either forced to join their side and die. This wasn't even taking into consideration the servants were usually given off to men in the army to use as whores after a battle celebration. Losses were usually worse when it came to men using camp followers or servants for a release.
A woman with white blonde hair had come in shortly after and it would have been a lie to say he wasn't a little surprised that a woman had led this attack. He wasn't sure who she was, seeing as the Targaryens were all said to be dead just as dragons were said to be extinct. He just stood there waiting for it to be said he was going down to be executed though it did weigh of his mind who most of these people were that had attacked this place. A lot of them looked to be foreign, yet that blonde girl had a different kind of 'foreign' look that he hadn't seen before.
His dark eyes glanced around at the people when she spoke up. Everyone seemed to turn their heads looking at him. Had he been unsure who she was talking to, all the eyes on him would have made it very clear. His eyes went towards the guards by him before taking a few steps forward and having his gaze fall on her.
"Jon Snow, My Lady." Whoever she was, she had the posture and demeanor of a highborn. What family she was from, he wasn't entirely sure.
gpt
He had to go over in his head what houses were in the Stormlands before he remembered which one of them were lions, his schooling as a young boy returned to him and he recited the knowledge that had appeared on many tests given to him "Of House Grandison of Grandview? I had heard rumors you switched from Stannis's side to the Lannisters, I'm guessing with your presence here it wasn't by choice. Are you perhaps a granddaughter of Greybeard?" He asked before realizing his rudeness and speaking to correct it. "Forgive me, I am Robb Stark, Lord of Winterfell and King of the North and the Trident, what may call you Lady Grandison?"
He didn't really hold any grudges to her house, he had yet to see their banners in battle against him, though that was mainly because the last time he had fought Stannis's men was before even Renly died and they had been in league with him at the time. So instead of vengeance his thoughts wondered to what he could get from her family for her safe return, perhaps their loyalty for his kindness of not killing her-basically what the Lannisters had had planned. That was the thing about this game among noble houses, everyone in it had a price, whether that was men, supplies or something precious and a woman of the main branch fetched a lot and if he was going to win this war he needed that.
~~~
"She is not just some Lady, boy" Lord Sunglass barked. "She is the Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Princess of Pentos, Queen of Qarth, Titaness of Bravos, Empress of Essos, Conqueror of the Free Cities, Breaker of Chains, Slayer of Lies, Mysha of Mereen and Mother of many Dragons. She is the Uburnt Ruler of all from the shores of the Narrow to the Poison Sea, Heiress to Dragonstone, True Queen of the Andals and the First Men and Lord of the Seven Kingdoms. She is Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, first of her name, and of the blood of old Valyria and you will refer to her with higher status than Lady."
"That will be enough, Lord Sunglass, he meant no harm in his words" Daenerys finally interrupted. Her followers could go on forever with tittles that had been bestowed upon her during her Conquest in Essos and she grew more impatient of them the more they grew in number. "Jon Snow? You don't happen to be the... I hate the title but... bastard of Eddard Stark, do you? I ask because I am sending word of an alliance to Robb Stark like I have done to many Noble Houses of Westeros and it would be an unhealthy first impression to be the one to execute his half-brother. So if you are in fact that Jon Snow, than instead of executing you I would offer you a place among my army as I take back my kingdoms and expand my empire. If you are that Jon Snow I would have you swear your sword and life to me like you one day did for the Night's Watch. Though I hope your allegiance to me isn't as fragile as it was to The Wall"
She detested the title of Bastard, it somehow meant they weren't of good enough blood to be claimed as the son of their noble parents. If the Lords of Westeros didn't feel keen on accepting their sons and daughters out of wedlock than they should keep their pricks in their pants and go around breeding with women they weren't married to. It was one of those topics, like slavery was in Essos, that she wasn't found of seeing in practice.
human
Myrissa gave a slight nod at the mention of her house. Unsure what to say about the it not being by choice they sided with them she kind of glanced away for a split moment. They might have sided with them, but her being there wasn't by choice. Just like she wouldn't have a choice in her fate now either. "I'm Myrissa, Your Grace. Lord Grandison is my grandfather," she answered his question even with being internally reluctant.
Now that they knew who she was, he was probably thinking of what he could get for ransoming her. Women usually were treated more like property than anything else. That was why they were pawned off into marriages with people they usually didn't know or like so their family could get alliances, money, or weapons. Only lessons from the septas caused them to try and make the best of their situation and be a good wife. Then there were also the times like these were they were captives and used against their family, selling them back to loved ones as another means for whoever to get the upper hand and get what they need.
~~~
Out of all of that really Jon only understood a few of the titles. Well more like only a few stood out to him that were important that would affect Westeros. The bit about true queen, being heir to Dragonstone, and of course the mention of her name. A Targaryen being alive.. he wouldn't have thought that possible. Maybe during the rebellion someone loyal to the dragons had snuck her out, that was the only thing he could think to make sense of this. There was other thoughts of maybe she was pretending to be one but she did have the Targaryen look so he didn't think that was the case.
Was his name really that well known that she knew he was Eddard Starks son? Considering there were lords of Westeros with her, presumably they could have mentioned it. Hearing that she was to offer an alliance to his brother, it made more sense that she would know things of the house like him being the bastard of their father. What surprised him, however, was the mention of joining her army. After having broken his word a couple times now he almost didn't think he deserved the honor of a possible pardon and not being killed as a deserter. When he thought about his father and brother though, he wasn't the only one who broke a sense of honor. His father had slept with a woman after marrying Catelyn which was how he was born, and his half brother had broken a vow to marry a Frey girl, so he wasn't the only one.
"I am honored Your Grace. I am the illegitimate son of Lord Eddard," he spoke and almost felt like he had to explain most of the reason why he had ran off from the wall. "I regret meeting someone such as yourself in this way. The Wall is taken over by Stannis Baratheon. His Red Priestess means to sacrifice anyone deemed to have kings blood, that's why I stand before you now. I have wanted to fight against the Lannisters since their execution of my father. I would gladly join you if you'll have me."