House Lannister

"Hear Me Roar!"

Askeladd sighed as he jumped off his horse once again to prepare for the night. The journey to Kingslanding was slow and uneventful. The royal carriage was the main reason for their slow travel. It had been raining in the North and many areas of the Kingsroad had been flooded. The carriage had become stuck multiple times and soldiers were forced to stop and pull the carriage out of the mud. The journey was also delayed by Robert's desire to visit every town and brothel on the way to Kingslanding. Every night he could, the king and several companies of his guard would drink and whore the night away. Askeladd shook his head at the rowdy undiscipline of the king. He may be a king but he acted more like a boy with more septims than sense.

The slow journey did not help the tempers of the men guarding the caravan either. Tempers had flared up as the haughty Lannister men looked down on the warriors of the North. Several brawls within the camp had already occured. However it was the Hofkiin soldiers that were recieving the worse of the scorn. It was well-known that Hofkiin emplyed both bastards and women into their army and the Lannister soldiers taunted them for this. Askeladd admired his soldiers for their patience but he was not surprised when one of his soldiers snapped.

A kingsguard by the name of Ser Meryn Trant had insulted Valfar after a very slow and miserable slow day. When the caravan had stopped to make camp after a long day of marching through the mud, the knight had stolen Valfar's mead and wasted the bottle by pouring it on Valfar. Valfar flew into a berserk rage and before anyone could stop him, the northern barbarian pounced upon the knight. Valfar pounded the man's skull with an iron-plated fist. When the soldiers pulled Valfar off Meryn, the knight's face was a mess of broken bone and pulverized flesh. Robert was forced sentence Valfar but his judgement was waived after Askeladd handed Robert four large bars of transmuted gold ore.

This was not the only incident concerning Hofkiin and Lannister soldiers. Iona the Axe Mistress was assaulted by four soldiers wearing Lannister colors. She fought them off, cleaving one's skull and dismembering another before Stark soldiers arrived to stop the fight. Robert was forced to hold a trial because of the incident. Iona spoke well and managed to escape any punishment. Her attackers on the other hand were also let off. However all three died in a series of unfortunate events. One died from his injuries. Another was crushed underneath the queen's carriage. The last drowned after slipping in mud and falling into a flooded river. Though there was no evidence, fingers were pointed at the Hofkiin soldiers for arranging these murders.

"ASKELADD!"

Askeladd was ripped from his musings when a shrill voice screamed his name. He immediately stood to his feet with his mace in his hand, whirling around to the source of the scream. His heart stopped when he saw Arya covered in blood. Arya ran over to him with eyes streaming with tears.

"HAKON! Hakon's hurt! Please help!"

"Where?!" Askeladd roared. "Show me!"

Arya led Askeladd and a group of Hofkiin soldiers to the banks of the Ruby Ford. Hakon was laid against a shady tree with his guard, Argus. He was frantically pasting a poultice on the young boy's chest, trying to stop the bleeding. Askeladd fell to his knees and immediately cast a strong surge of healing magic at the boy. The boy's labored breaths began to subside as the magic stabilized him. One of the soldiers near him had the good sense of giving the small boy a bottle of healing potion. When Hakon's breath evened, Askeladd stopped the magic to allow the boy's body to rest.

"What should we do now?" Argus asked in a nervous voice.

"Get me two poles and a bolt of cloth to make a stretcher!" Askeladd barked out to his men. "Carry Hakon to Celestine while I solve this mess. By Talos I swear that Hakon will have justice. Either by his king or I'll send him to Molag Bal!"

The soldiers quickly made a stretcher and carried Hakon back into camp. Before Argus could react, he felt the wind leave his body. Argus wheezed in pain and he weakly looked up to see the furious visage of Askeladd. Argus could feel the rage solely directed at him.

"You MEY (fool)! How could you let our THUR (lordship) become injured like this? This should have not happened before your MIIN (eye)! I should tear you apart for your FUNTAAS (failure)!"

Argus had never felt such shame as Askeladd roared at him, occasionally slipping into the dragon's tongue. He could feel his bones shake at the fury of Askeladd's shouts. He groveled at Askeladd's feet, not daring to look up.

"My thane I beg you to hear my explanation!" Argus cried out.

Askeladd snorted. "Begin."

"Lady Arya and Lord Hakon were stick fighting along the Ruby Ford as they have for many days. However it was the appearance of Prince Joffrey and Lady Sansa that caused them to stop. I did not hear what they said but the words from Joffry caused Hakon to become distressed. In response, Arya hit Joffrey with her stick. Joffrey pulled out his sword and swung wildly at Arya. Arya was pushed away by Hakon and Hakon took the brunt of the blow. At the sight of Hakon's blood, Sansa screamed. This caused Arya's direwolf to appear. The wolf stood over Hakon and snarled at the prince. The prince fled, taking Sansa with him. I told Arya to go find you while I treated the boy as best I could."

There was a long moment of silence before Askeladd spoke. His voice though was brimming with untapped fury.

"Rally our men and have them guarding the young lord with their life. I will speak with the king. If he will not punish Joffrey than I will," Askeladd hissed.

Argus nodded and sprinted as fast as he could back to camp. Askeladd turned to Arya who was silently waiting for Askeladd, clutching Nymeria for comfort. Nymeria was also eying Askeladd but with respect and fear, understanding that Askeladd was a beast beyond her.

"Go to your father Arya. Do not leave his side. Blood will be shed tonight and the safest place you can be is by your father's side."

Arya nodded and ran off. Askeladd watched as Arya ran off with her wolf running by her side. A small smile spread across his face as he watched the young girl run to her father.

"She will become a great leader. Either by the sword or by the pen. She is born for greatness," Askeladd mused.

A fury had finally settled but not quenched. The red haze had finally lifted but his anger was still there ready to be unleashed once again. He pulled out his mace and channeled magic into it. The mace crackled with lightning and ice. With his left hand, he channeled magic throughout his body making it as hard as ebony. He will have his voice heard and no one would stop him.

When Jon arrived at the wall, he and the other recruits were shoved into a hall. At the forefront of the hall was a man dressed in scale hauberk with a heavy pelt around his shoulders. In his hands, he sharpened an axe against a whetstone. Standing next to him was a woman that took Jon's breath away. She had dark red hair and warpaint covering her face yet it did not hide her feral beauty. Despite the cold, she wore a thin armor that would be scandelous down south. She gave them a haughty stare that morphed into disgust as she spotted the lusty leers of the men. Before any could react, she whipped out her longbow and fired an arrow. The arrow crashed through two posts before deeply embedding into a third. The sheer brutality of the action startled the recruits, making the woman smirk in satisfaction. The man merely chuckled before standing to address them.

"Thank you for their attention. Greetings bastards, criminals, and doomed men. I'm Agmaer. You will hate me more than that whore of a mother that spawned you into this brutal world. Yet once I'm done with you, each an every one of you will be able to survive the wilds beyond the wall. Make no mistake. Whatever tales you've heard of the North, they're all true. Beyond the wall, monsters that would make a knight piss in terror exist. I will train you so that you will not piss yourself and freeze your cock off at the sight of a shadow. You may arrive here bastards and dishonored men but once I'm done, you will become brothers of the Night's Watch, more worthy of praise than any prissy knight of the south."

Agmaer then turned to his companion who was twirling an arrow lazily with her finger.

"Do you want to add anything?"

The woman nodded and stood to her feet.

"If anyone of you try to desert or murder your brothers, I will personally hunt you down and flay you like an animal. The Wall is the harshest land. Everyone works so that none of us will die in the darkness with our blood turned to ice."

She nocked an arrow on her bow and drew it back. The recruits dove to the floor as the arrow lazily flew and embedded itself deep into a wooden post. The woman pointed at Jon.

"You there!"

Jon pointed at himself.

"Me milady?"

The woman snorted. "Yes you. Count the nocks on the arrow."

Jon stood up and counted the small cuts along the arrow.

"There are fifteen ma'am," Jon called out.

The woman gave Jon a smile that would have been perfect for a wolf's face.

"Aye. Fifteen men slain by that arrow. That's a special arrow that I save for oathbreakers and deserters. Remember my name, Aela the Huntress, you recruits," the woman said. "Cause if you run, I will find you and I will hunt you down like a dog."

She walked towards the recruits. The recruits gave her a wide berth as she ripped out the arrow from the post. After retrieving the arrow she left the hall, leaving the hall completely quiet. The silence was broken by a deafening bang. The recruits jumped and turned to see Agmaer with a wide smile on his face.

"OUT IN THE YARD BOYS! LET'S SEE IF YOU CAN FIGHT!"

In the King's camp, the Hound was busy pouring tankard after tankard of wine down his gullet as he read the message that came by raven this morning. He wasn't sure if he was angry or happy at the message so he decided to drink again and again. It was after his tenth tankard of wine that he decided he was happy at the message.

"Read it again!" Sandor ordered.

The man sighed but read the message again.

"Ser Sandor Clegane. We regret to inform you of the death of your older sibling Ser Gregor "Mountain" Clegane. His corpse was found in his room in a grisly spectacle unlike any we have seen. His head was chopped off and his skin was flayed out like an animal skin. The main body was hung and charred and a dog's head was sewn back on. House Lannister is spending no expense to discover the killer of your kin. Once we have discovered his murderers, we shall inform you. With regards, Tywin Lannister."

Sandor snorted in amusement. "HAHAHA! The irony! My face was burnt but your body was grilled to perfection! Must've smelled like burnt dog meat! HAH!"

Sandor raised his tankard up high again, a broad smile across his ruined face

"TO my brother! May he burn in hell forever!" Sandor roared.

Sandor downed the wine and motioned for the man to read it again. Sandor wanted to hear the message over and over. He couldn't wait for that little shit of a prince to get home. He wanted to ride back and piss on his brother's corpse. He was definitely happy and if he ever met the killer, he would thank the man before giving the man a very quick death.

As he was raising his tankard again, a horn was blown alerting everyone of an attack. Sandor cursed and he stood to his feet only to crash into the ground.

"Of all the time to attack, it has to be right fucking now!" Sandor snarled. He clambered back to his feet and ran as fast as he could towards the king's pavilion. The entire Lannister guard was there but to Sandor's surprise only one person faced the army of Lannister soldiers.

"The hell is he doing?" Sandor mumbled. "We're all gathered because of him?"

"That's no ordinary man," a knight near Sandor whispered. "That's Askeladd, Hammer of the North."

"Krakensbane," another whispered.

"What's so special about him?" Sandor hissed.

Before the knight could answer, Askeladd's entire being burst in flames so hot that the entire army around Askeladd recoiled as they felt the hot air singe their skin. Sandor could only stare in fright as Askeladd swung his mace. A bolt of lightning crashed into the ground startling the men that faced him.

"JOFFREY! GET OUT HERE OR I WILL TEAR THROUGH YOUR ARMY JUST SO I CAN CRUSH YOUR SKULL! I SWEAR IT BY THE NINE DIVINES!"

"Archers! Shoot him!"

The air filled with arrows but they were incinerated by the fire around Askeladd. Askeladd turned to the archers that dared to shoot him. He reared back and before every man, a gout of fire came from his mouth and engulfed the archers. The men didn't even have time to scream before their armored bodies were melted into a flaming pile of molten slag. Sandor could feel all the wine come back again. He was not the only one as multiple people vomited in disgust and horror at the sight.

"WHERE ARE YOU JOFFREY?!"

"Askeladd, stop this madness!"

Askeladd turned to see Lord Stark and a group of Stark soldiers rushing towards him. Lord Stark stopped a safe distance away as he could not bear the stifling heat that surrounded Askeladd.

"Askeladd, I beg of you. Stop this. Demanding the prince's blood will not solve anything," Eddard pleaded. "Let me speak on your behalf."

Askeladd snorted. "Do you believe that you will be able to persuade your friend to punish Joffrey. That bitch of a son will just hide behind his mother's skirt while she shrieks at us."

"Please," Eddard begged. "Allow me to speak to Robert. I promise you that if I cannot persuade Robert, then you will. I swear on my honor."

Askeladd gave Eddard a long stare but nodded. The fiery aura around Askeladd vanished, causing all the men around to let out a sigh of relief.

"We'll do it your way for now," Askeladd muttered. "But if you fuck this up, I'm going to kill the prince myself, damn the consequences."

Eddard nodded and strode towards the King's Pavilion. The men guard the king quickly let him through, understanding that this man was their only hope of survival against a monster of a man. Eddard pushed through the flaps of the tent to see the two kingsguard, Jaime and Meryn, pointing their blades at him while Robert clutched his warhammer in his hands. Behind him were the cowering forms of the queen and her children. Joffrey looked particularly pitiful as pure fright was apparent on his narrow face. Robert's worried expression relaxed at the sight of his friend and he let out a large sigh of relief.

"Ned! Thank the gods you're here! I assume you've placated Askeladd," Robert said. "What's got his balls up his ass?"

Eddard grimaced at Robert's crude statement but let it slide. Eddard did not speak at first but merely pointed his finger at Joffrey. Robert stared at his friend in confusion but his gaze followed Eddard's finger. When he realized what Eddard was pointing to, Robert let out a thunderous groan.

"Seven hells Ned? What happened?" Robert asked.

Before Eddard could speak, Cersei stood to her feet and pointed an accusing finger at Eddard.

"That man's wild daughter and her friend attacked my son! Your son is innocent of any blame that savage is trying to place on his head!" Cersei screeched.

"A savage that singlehandedly broke Castle Pyke," Eddard affirmed. "And right now he is more than willing to make Tommen the heir at the cost of all your men if Joffrey is not punished for his actions against my daughter and the heir of House Skyrim."

"I know who that damned man is Ned!" Robert snapped in exasperation. "I still don't know what the hell is going on. Tell me right now."

As Eddard explained, Robert's face grew more and more red underneath the massive beard that hid his plump face. When Eddard reached the part where Hakon was injured, Robert glared at his son with so much anger that Joffrey visibly recoiled behind his mother. Cersei did not speak but glared defiantly at Eddard. Eddard ignored the glare and waited for the king to speak. Robert let out a loud groan and swung his warhammer at a nearby chest. Even though it had been years since he fought, Robert's strength had not diminished. The chest was completely obliterated into pieces despite it being made from solid oak and wrought iron. Robert threw his warhammer to the ground in disgust before turning to Ned.

"So what now?" Robert asked.

"You should execute him that man, my love," Cersei demanded. "He is dangerous beyond all reason."

"He is," Eddard admitted. "But it was your son that provoked him by nearly killing Hakon. If my son had done what Joffrey did, I would have him sent to the Night's Watch or have him face the punishment of the injured house. In this case, Askeladd's judgement. If you do, I will persuade Askeladd for a lenient punishment."

Robert groaned but glanced at Joffrey who was cowering behind his mother. At the sight of his tear-streaked face, Robert turned to Eddard and nodded.

"Do it. Talk with Askeladd. Gods know this would have ended in blood if you weren't here," Robert said.

"It may still," Eddard whispered to himself. He strode out of the pavilion to see the Lannister army still facing Askeladd. However Askeladd was not alone as he was joined by several Hofkiin soldiers guarding a very weakened but alive boy. Eddard approached them and managed to catch the last words of the conversation.

"He does not deserve your mercy!"

"And did mankind deserve Stendarr's? And yet he gave it to us as you taught me."

Askeladd let out a furious roar that startled several soldiers. Eddard smiled at Hakon before turning to Askeladd.

"The king has decided that Joffrey will undergo any punishment you deems fit," Eddard replied.

Askeladd gave Hakon a glance before sighing.

"Though I feel that Joffrey deserves more, Hakon has deemed the Burden of Stendarr a suitable judgement," Askeladd said grudgingly.

"And what does that entail?" Eddard asked, confused.

"Joffrey's hands will be cuffed and shackled to a large weight for seven days and seven nights. He will not be able to take them off at all and each day the weight is increased. He cannot ride any horse or any carriage and no man or woman can ease his burden. At the dawn of the eighth day, he will pray to a shrine of Stendarr. If Stendarr answers, the shackles will be removed. If not, Joffrey will have to take the brand of Stendarr on his hand before the shackles can be removed," Askeladd explained.

Eddard nodded. "Who is Stendarr?"

"He is one of our Nine Divines. He is the God of Righteous Might and Merciful Forbearance. Though he was not the one to create us, he is the one to create the first laws to protect mankind from themselves. He also gave us the power to fight the monsters that lurk in the dark," Askeladd explained.

Eddard nodded. "I assume you have a shrine of Stendarr on you?"

"Aye," Askeladd said. "I keep one in my tent."

"I'll tell Robert. Will you put the chains on tonight?" Eddard asked.

"No," Hakon said. "As I was the one injured. I will be the ones to place them at dawn tomorrow."

"I shall inform Robert," Eddard said. "Askeladd, I am grateful for your restraint. Robert and I know that you are fully capable of mowing through the men here and yet you did not. Hakon, I thank you for your mercy."

While Hakon nodded and bowed, Askeladd let out a rough snarl that reminded Eddard of a wild beast.

"Make no mistake Stark," Askeladd snapped. "My people have endured too much. Though Elisif swore her loyalty to your house, I will not hesitate to break my oaths for the sake of the people of Hofkiin. This is my warning to you."

Eddard's warm eyes narrowed. "Do not confuse your friends with your enemies Askeladd. I am on your side as much as you are on ours. If you prove to be a Mad Dog than the warrior that I thought you were, I will put you down for the sake of my people."

For a moment, Eddard saw Askeladd's eyes turn yellow and his pupils turn into slits. However it soon morphed back into familiar blue eyes. Askeladd smiled at Eddard and bowed his head.

"Then we have an accord. Hakon, I believe it is time for us to take our leave."

Askeladd turned around and began walking away. Hakon gave Eddard another quick bow before trotting after Askeladd with his guards closely around him. Eddard let out a sigh of relief and went to walk back to the King's pavilion. He had managed to stare down a dragon and lived to tell the tale. Now he had to relay the news to the king and his family.

They wouldn't be pleased.

Not at the least.

Deep within the seaside caves of Hofkiin, a young woman was gracefully cleaning the tools of her trade. Her amber eyes were staring at the sharp blade within her hands, searching for any imperfection on the stone blade. After a long moment, she placed the blade down to glance at the other occupant in the room. Unlike her, he was gasping in pain at the torture he was undergoing at the hands of the woman. His hands and feet were chained. Though he wished he could die, the woman had done some strange magic. Despite the amount of damage his body endured, he was unable to die. He needed no food nor water. All he received was pain.

The woman turned towards him and he immediately began whimpering, fearing the next cruel torment this monster would bring. He was right as from the woman's hands, a bolt of lightning came forth and struck his chest. He howled at the searing, burning sensation that seemingly engulfed his entire torso. His body writhed painfully and old cuts broke open from the sharp movement. After several minutes, the lightning stopped and he slumped, thankful for relief.

"Tell me once more. Who did you work for?" his torturer asked.

"Varys. I worked for Varys!" he sputtered.

"Why were you spying on us?" she asked.

"Varys wanted to know anything he could use. Anything at all," he gasped. "I told you all I know! Please let me die!"

Her mouth turned into a wicked smile and she shook her head.

"Not yet. You see, you aren't the first spy we've caught. Nor will you be the last," she said in a teasing manner. "Let me show you what we do to spies."

She pulled a lever that made a wall move back. He visibly recoiled to see the blank faces of all sorts of people shackled to a wall. The woman smiled, revealing unnaturally sharp fangs that did not belong in a person's mouth. Her smile only became larger when she noticed the spy's fright.

"Confused and scared are we?" the woman drawled. "Perfect. That makes your blood all the more tastier when I drain it out of you. Fresh drained blood is always the best before you become thralls."

The spy could not help but shiver violently as he realized what the woman was implying. The rattling of his chains was music to the woman's ears as she slowly strutted towards him. She leaned over to his neck, licked it, then savagely tore into the spy's neck. She ruthlessly drained the blood of the spy, ignoring the man's screams of pain and terror. Her victim's movements gradually became weaker and weaker as the blood left his body. When she finished, the spy was a limp sack of bloodless flesh. She wiped her mouth, licking off any remaining droplets of blood before leaving the room.

"Ugh, the blood of these people are no better than animals. Foul and thin," she whispered.

"Serana!"

She turned around to see a dark-skinned man in a blood red cowl walk towards him. In his hands was a letter. The man grinned and passed the letter to her.

"A message from your precious lover," the man teased.

"Enough Nazir," Serana snapped. "Don't you have some whelp to teach?"

"You'd have to do better than that to drive me away, my dear," Nazir taunted. "Besides, I would also like to know why our high and mighty leader is up to these days."

Serana sighed. The redguard wasn't normally this intruding but he had a point. With all of his duties, it would be nice to know what the man was doing. She broke open the seal and began reading the letter aloud for Nazir's sake. She skipped over the parts solely meant for her though.

"Serana, much has happened since I've seen your face. I assume by now you've heard of Lord Stark's woes. His son, Bran, was injured when he fell off a watchtower. He was appointed as Hand of the King by Robert himself. As of now, we are travelling to Kingslanding as part of Lord Stark's guard. However I fear there is someone in the shadows waiting for us. I need you in Kingslanding to protect his daughter, Sansa. There is no one else I would trust to her protection. You will understand once you meet her."

Serana pocketed the letter and turned to Nazir. Nazir chuckled at her expression.

"Seems the almighty Dragonborn needs our mistress' help. Nice to know he hasn't forgotten us," Nazir muttered. "So onto Kingslanding are you?"

"It appears so," Serana agreed. "I've never been there before. Have you?"

"I have. Keep your wits about you. It is the dirtiest, most rotten city I have ever seen. Not even the ratways under Riften could compare to Fleabottom. However, we do have contacts there. If you need some special supplies, go to Fleabottom and find a tavern called Nightshade. Tell the bartender that you want Black-Briar Mead and pay him with a nightshade. He'll understand."

Serana nodded. "Thanks Nazir."

"Anytime lass. When you come back, give us some interesting tales. I daresay Babette would be saddened if all you did in Kingslanding was sit around drinking wine," Nazir said.

"Don't worry. I'll be sure to have some tales that would make Babette smile. Besides, when has any adventure with the Dragonborn ever been boring?"

"I fucking hate Lannisters."

This was all Sandor could think as he walked besides the crowned prince, Joffrey. Normally the boy would be in his carriage but today he was marching along the knight, shackled to an iron weight. Joffrey complained incessantly about the weights at the top of his lungs. His screams and complaints pierced Sandor's aching head almost as much as fire did. Sandor had no doubt that if that brat wasn't the grandson of Tywin, he would have cleaved the boy from skull to feet. Another round of shrieking from the prince elicited a growl from the Hound and the irritated huffs from the men around the Prince.

"I AM THE CROWN PRINCE! I DEMAND THAT YOU UNTIE ME FROM THESE SHACKLES. IF YOU DO I, I SWEAR BY ALL THE SEVEN GODS I WILL NOT EXECUTE YOU ON THE SPOT! DO YOU HEAR ME?!"

"By the Divines, you have Talos' voice yet none of the power," a man muttered. "And please stop your screaming. You're only wasting your breath."

Joffrey glared daggers at his escort, Brother Olric. He was dressed in robes befitting a priest but also wore armor and carried weapons like a warrior. The man was assigned to make sure Joffrey would undergo his punishment.

"I AM THE PRINCE! RELEASE ME AT ONCE!"

Olric sighed and opened a flask at his side. He took a draft of the flask before offering it to the Hound. The Hound took it and sniffed the flask, noticing it was alcohol. He gave the priest a curious glance.

"I thought you priests don't drink or fight," Sandor said.

"I'm a Vigilant of Stendarr. We're the same as any other soldier. We cannot marry, have heirs, or own land. It says nothing about drinking or laying with a whore once in a while," Olric replied. "Our only requirement is that we must slay any unnatural monsters that threaten humans like werebeasts, vampires, and the daedra."

Sandor chuckled and drank out of the flask. "I like that, priest."

"HOUND! GET THESE CHAINS OFF ME!"

"Don't bother," Olric replied. "Those chains are welded shut with magic. They will only open after eight days."

"I wasn't," Sandor said, passing the flask back to the priest. "So what are those monsters you talked about?"

"Werebeasts are the cursed followers of Hircine. Werebeasts come in many forms but mostly like fierce beasts. The most common and savage are werewolves, half-man, half-wolf. Then there are werebears, half-bear beings. Then werealligators and weresabers. All of these creatures are alike in that they are many times stronger than a man and under the full moon they have an insatiable desire to hunt down man and devour their hearts," Olric explained. "Silver is their greatest weapon and can pierce their tough hide like a hot poker through butter."

"What about vampires?" Sandor asked.

Olric took another drink from the flask before handing it to Sandor. "Vampires are blood-sucking monsters that feast upon human blood. They are weaker in strength compared to werebeasts but are gifted with magic that can raise the dead, hypnotize humans, and unleash cold magic. They can be defeated like any other human but are most vulnerable to fire or sunlight. Taking out vampires is easiest with a crossbow. Bolt's too fast and small for a vampire to notice before its too late."

Sandor nodded and took a draft of the flask. "What about the last? Daedra you called them?"

Olric shuddered. "Aye. Those daedra are the worst. Demons with no entertainment other than to torment humans. If you ever see one, it is wise to run for their armor is harder than steel, their blades burn with fire, and will take you to their void where there is no escape and only endless pain for their own amusement. You can kill daedra like any other person if you can get past their armor and magic. However a daedra has enough skill and power to tear through groups of soldiers with ease."

"Have you ever seen one?" Sandor asked.

"Aye," Olric replied. "The last one I've met nearly cleaved me in half with a flaming sword as big as I am. If it wasn't for my brothers, I would have died from the wound. Even though it was only one, it took down five of my brothers before dying."

"ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME! RELEASE ME!"

Olric sighed and gave an annoyed glance at Joffrey before turning to Sandor.

"Do you listen to this all day?"

Sandor groaned. "Aye."

"You must have the patience of a divine," Olric said as he watched Joffrey howl again.

"RELEASE ME! I COMMAND YOU!"

"Even if I could, young prince, the Shackles of Stendarr will not be removed by any mortal means until their burden has been met," Olric replied. "You must bear this punishment to remind you that even if you are royalty, even royalty must kneel to higher powers."

"DID YOU NOT HEAR ME, PRIEST! UNSHACKLE ME!"

Olric let out a sigh and quaffed down a lot of mead, emptying the flask. He let out a disgusted snort and ruefully pocketed the flask.

"This is going to be a long eight days," Olric muttered.

"I HATE YOU!"

Askeladd rolled his eyes once more as Sansa began her long tirade of the consequences of his actions. While amusing at first, it was beginning to wear his patience down. The warm, humid environment of the more southern regions was not helping his temper either. Lord Stark had assigned him to stay near his daughter's cart, hoping to stave off any Lannister reprisal. He hadn't counted on Sansa continually scolding Askeladd as if the warrior was a wild dog that should be tamed.

Arya and Hakon were also in the same agreement. However the recent scuffle with the Lannisters had cowed Arya's bold nature due to the near death of her close friend. Hakon was annoyed but his easy-going temper allowed him to simply ignore Sansa's voice. Jordis however kept of glancing at Askeladd, hoping the man would not cause any rash actions that would jeopardize House Skyrim's position. She became more and more worried as she could see small wisps of smoke literally pouring out the man's maw. A clear sign of his irritation.

"I wonder why father did not punish you! Your actions caused my love to walk around like a mere slave! And you call your actions merciful. He is a prince, not some dog to be shackled!"

"Milady Stark," Jordis pleaded. "What is done is done. There is no use speaking about it."

"And why not? Joffrey is a noble man who shouldn't have-!"

"Enough Sansa."

Sansa turned to look at the stern face of her father. Sansa seemingly swelled with indignation but a harsh glare from the stony face of the northern lord quickly caused her to cower in meek submission.

"Yes father."

"Do not let Joffrey's position as prince blind you, my daughter. He is a man before a prince and for each action a man does, there will be consequences. Do not forget that."

"Yes father," Sansa replied. However it was clear she was merely humoring her father. Eddard noticed it as well but decided not to start another fight. He turned to Askeladd.

"We will be setting camp soon. Have your men camp on the opposite side of the camp from the king. There's been enough blood between House Skyrim and Lannister."

"As you wish," Askeladd replied. "Is there anything else?"

"No. However I received a letter from my son in Winterfell. You should read this."

Elisif smiled as she gently played a lute while watching her daughter feed Bran at his bed. She could not help but sigh in happiness at the pure love that shone from the two children's eyes. It was clear to any person that Tyra deeply cared for the young Stark boy. Ever since they arrived, the young girl had not left Bran's side. Before Tyra, Bran was afraid of walking as the slightest step caused him agonizing pain. Yet with the young girl's support, Bran finally started to walk. A few steps easily winded Bran but the sight of the young lord on his feet lightened the dark atmosphere that covered Winterfell since Lord Stark left.

However that happy feeling was shaken when an assassin came in the dead of night to kill young Bran. Bran's direwolf, Summer, tackled the assassin before the man could stab Bran. Tyra's scream of fear caught the guard's attention and they managed to capture the assassin before Summer could rip out the man's throat. The man was subdued and hauled off to the dungeons of Winterfell to be interrogated.

When news of the attack spread, Elisif had contacted the Dark Brotherhood to interrogate the man. The members of the dark guild would pry out any information, no matter how well trained the assassin was. There was no group more ruthless than the Dark Brotherhood. It took only two nights for two members to arrive. Though Lady Stark was apprehensive of the two, Elisif persuaded her to let them interrogate the prisoner.

"Come on Bran. Eat up. The healer said its good for you!"

"But Tyra, I hate beets."

"Eat it Bran or else I won't tell you more stories!"

"Tyra, you're being unfair!"

"No, I'm helping you. Now eat."

Bran moaned but obediently ate the spoonful of beets that the young girl was offering him. Elisif giggled at how easily her daughter was able to persuade Bran. Bran may be the calmest of the Stark children but he had a quiet strength about him that resembled his father. He was also the most stubborn of the Stark children when he took a stand.

A knock on the door caught everyone's attention. The door opened to reveal Lady Stark's face. The matron's face brightened at the sight of her son smiling at her. Elisif and Tyra stood to their feet and curtsied to the lady.

"Good morning Lady Stark," Elisif said. "My daughter and I were giving your son company. I hope you do not mind."

"Not at all," Catelyn said with a warm smile on her face. "I was actually looking for you, Lady Elisif. Those interrogators you hired said they have news for you and refused to speak until you were present."

"I see. Lead the way my friend. Let's see what the assassin revealed."

Lady Catelyn led Elisif to the peaceful godswood sanctuary. Robb, Rodrik, and Maester Luwin were already there waiting. Rodrik nodded his head in greeting when he saw the noblewomen arrive.

"Miladies, glad you are here. I was beginning to feel uneasy about those people you hired. No offense Lady Elisif," Rodrik said.

"Do not worry, Rodrik. Those two are from the Dark Brotherhood. If you did not feel uneasy about them, I would be worried about your competence. Now, Nazir what did you learn?"

Rodrik whirled around to see the smirking face of the dark-skinned assassin and his childlike companion. Nazir bowed low to Elisif before speaking.

"Honestly milady, it was Babette who deserves much of the credit."

"Apologies Babette. What did you learn?"

Every person in the clearing shivered as Babette recounted her interrogation in a callous manner.

"The man was hired to kill Bran by a man who gave him a hundred gold coins to murder him with a specific weapon. The man that hired him wore a cowl so that it was difficult to recognize him. However he had a pin that resembled a small bird like a sparrow or a mockingbird," Babette reported.

Catelyn frowned. "That's not very much to go on."

Nazir shook his head. "On the contrary. We are looking for a man who is extremely rich by the fact he was able to give away a hundred gold coins to an assassin with no backup plan, no reinforcement, and no guarantee that he would survive. This narrows the suspect list by a wide margin. We also have a symbol to go on by the sign of a small songbird. And finally, we have the weapon itself."

Rodrik pulled out the weapon. Just glancing at it, everyone in the clearing could see the unique feature that the weapon held.

"Valyrian steel," Robb whispered.

"Exactly," Nazir crowed. "The man that hired our assassin is powerful enough to acquire such an unnecessary and gaudy weapon when a simple steel blade would have been enough. This points out he was attempting to frame someone. If we find out who the knife belongs to, we may be able to track the killer."

Luwin nodded in agreement. "I agree, Lady Stark. I will start looking through my records to see if there are any houses with small birds as their sigil. I highly advise we use caution before any rash action to be taken."

"I can ride to Kingslanding to warn Lord Stark," Rodrik offered. "In any case, Kingslanding would be a good start to search for our unknown enemy."

"No," Catelyn protested. "I need you here. Lady Elisif, do you know of anyone who could be trusted to bear this news?"

"Yes, Farkas can be trusted with this. He'll give it to Lord Stark or die trying."

"Excellent," Catelyn said. "Make no mistake. We must not let our enemies know we are coming for them until we have them cornered. I want to see them executed for daring to hurt my boy."

"Understood," Rodrik said.

"Mother, what should I do?" Robb asked.

"You will continue to rule over Winterfell just as your father wished. However, keep a close eye on Bran. He is the weakest and easiest target for out enemies."

Robb nodded and left the clearing. Rodrik and Luwin also excused themselves in favor of their duties. Elisif laid a friendly hand on Catelyn's shoulder.

"Milady, we of House Skyrim will do everything we can to make sure your family is protected. Your husband gave us a chance to live and to thrive. We will fight to our last breath to make sure that any enemy of House Stark will rue the day they pointed a blade at your family."

Cersei could not hide the tears from her eyes as she saw the wretched figure of her son after the seventh day. His wrists were bloodied from the chain constantly rubbing against his thin wrists. Black bruises littered his forearm from the chains whipping his arms. Yet the most startling change was his posture. The weights of his burden had caused his upper body to bend down as if in penance. The fierce spirit of her son was broken by the harsh punishment. It galled her to see the mocking smiles of the soldiers around her. Her son did not deserve this punishment. Her son deserved better than to be broken like a slave.

That priest would pay for the treatment of her son. He refused to help Joffrey with his burden. He instead hauled Joffrey to his feet and kicked him to start moving. He tormented the prince, preventing him from getting his rest. She tried to see her son but that cursed priest prevented her stating that Joffrey must suffer this alone. Clegane was allowed as he was only around to prevent Joffrey from being attacked. Fed with only crusts and water, Joffrey's punishment was by far the worsts he had ever endured.

Now at the dawn of the eighth morning, the entire camp watched as Olric dragged the tired, sobbing figure of her son to a small alter where a statue of a drinking horn pouring water was placed. That damned man, Askeladd, was standing at the alter waiting for him. Olric roughly tossed her son at the feet of Askeladd. Cersei let out a wail of despair and tried to run to her. However a strong hand stopped her. She turned to see Robert shaking his head.

"That's my son, Robert!"

"He deserves this!" Robert grunted.

"He's just a boy!"

"No, not anymore. He is of my blood and must face the punishment of his actions. Even I did at his age," Robert muttered.

Cersei screamed in frustration but quieted as Askeladd began to speak.

"Stendarr, we call upon you to act as this penitent's judge. We ask you to judge him according to your divine wisdom. He has undergone your Burden as per your instruction and now is ready to bear your judgement."

Stark had always been a devout of the Old Gods. Yet his faith was shaken as the shrine of Stendarr began to glow with an ethereal light. Wisps of golden magic floated to Joffrey. Joffrey swatted at the magical streams but the streams slowly circled him. An ethereal voice began to speak but none of the people could understand it. However it was awe-inspiring. Several soldiers on both sides began to kneel, afraid of the otherworldly presence.

"By the Divines," Robert whispered.

Cersei nodded in agreement. She could feel hope spread through her chest as the wisps of magic continued to glow golden. She continued to pray for her child's safety as she could only watch Joffrey seemingly undergoing the judgement of a god.

Her hopes fell as the streams of magic became red. The gently streams became wisps of fire as the gentle voice became low and angry. The wisps whirled angrily around before shooting back into the shrine. A thundering boom deafened the camp as the makeshift alter cracked, leaving only the shrine on the ground.

Robert turned to the nearest Hofkiin soldier with a confused expression.

"What happened?" Robert demanded.

"Stendarr has judged Joffrey to not be worthy of his mercy. Therefore he will be branded before being released of his burden," Valfar replied.

"NOO! MY SON!" Cersei screamed.

She ran to her son but was stopped by several soldiers. Cersei screamed, cursed, and begged for her son. However the Hofkiin soldiers in front of her would not budge. She turned to the Lannister soldiers at her side.

"GET MY SON!"

Several of the knights exchanged uneasy expressions, clearly worried about divine punishment.

"Don't interfere!" Robert barked.

Cersei turned to her brother with pleading eyes. The expression on his face was clearly torn. He seemed to be struggling internally on what to do. He laid his hand on his sword but two strong arms grabbed his shoulders. Jaime turned to see his fellow Kingsguard shaking their heads. Jaime turned back to see his sister's pleading eyes. He shook from his comrades' grasps and shot off to rescue Joffrey. Several soldiers reached out to stop the Kingsguard but he whipped out his sword, slashing furiously. He jumped over an injured soldier but was so focused on reaching Joffrey that he did not see an armored gauntlet reach out to grab his cloak. Jaime's felt himself lifted off his feet and slammed into the ground. Before he could gain his wits, an armored boot kicked his temple, knocking the Kingsguard out.

Olric roughly grabbed Joffrey's hand and held it in an ironclad grip. Joffrey watched in confusion as Askeladd pulled out an iron brand and held out an empty hand. An orb of fire appeared in Askeladd's hand and he placed the brand's head in the fire. Joffrey realized what was happening and he furiously began to writhe and shake. He tugged as hard as he could but his feeble form could not shake the paladin's grip. The brand became red hot and glowed evilly in the morning sun. Askeladd held the brand high and pressed it into Joffrey's right palm.

"JOFFREY!"

Joffrey's screams could be held as the hot iron seared his flesh. Askeladd refused to move it as the acrid stench of burning meat filled the air. Joffrey began to seize at the pain, screaming in agony as the metal burned through his soft flesh. Normally Olric would feel a shred of pity for the boy but after seven days listening to the vilest insults and threats had hardened the man. He continued to hold until the shackles on Joffrey's arms fell off. Askeladd and Olric released the boy and backed away. The deed and was done and Stendarr's judgement was received.

After seeing Joffrey released, the soldiers holding back Cersei stepped back allowing the queen to see to her son. Tears of sadness fell from her eyes as she tenderly turned her son's face. Even though the boy was unconscious, his face was twisted in an expression of pure agony as he clutched his wrist. Cersei's tears increased as she saw the ugly brand burned onto her son's hand. She screamed for a healer and the soldiers around her scrambled to help the prince. The prince was loaded onto a stretcher and carried to the nearest healer. She took one last glance at Askeladd and felt fury beyond all reason fill her mind.

That man would pay and she would make sure that House Skyrim, House Stark, and all those families hold dear would fall at the sword of Lannisters.

After all, a Lannister always repay their debts.

Alrighty then, another chapter down. This chapter was a bit difficult to write as I must have written several different versions of it. Always going back and forth on different ideas. I hope that everyone here enjoys this chapter. I won't be able to write much nowadays but I will do my best to keep this story alive.

Peace! Oso1991