Rise Like Dragons

What if Sansa had been older, Joffrey's marriage had gone off without a hitch, and Littlefinger wasn't such a cunning mastermind? Winter is Coming, With Fire and Blood. Inspired by historical songs and poetry.

Disclaimer: A Song of Ice and Fire and everything about it is obviously GRRMs, I'm just having some fun with it. The poetry and songs I use belongs to their respective creators, and I don't own them either. Poems or songs may be changed to suit my story.

If you don't like poetry, please note that this is just the epigraph, and I'm writing a prose story to follow. It will incorporate some poetry.

For SJM, who invented Smiley Moments.

Rise Like Dragons

Epigraph

As I lay asleep in Casterly
There came a voice from over the Sea,
And with great power it forth led me
To walk in visions of Poetry.

I saw Anarchy, with his kingly crown,
Riding a white horse, splashed with blood;
He was pale even to the lips,
Like Death in the Apocalypse.

With a pace stately and fast,
Over Westerosi land he passed,
Drunk as with intoxication
On the wine of desolation.

I met a maid who looked like Despair,
And I cried out in the air:

'My father Time was weak and grey
With waiting for a better day;
How idiot-like he would stand,
Fumbling as the palsied Hand!

He had child after child,
And the dust of death is piled
Over every one but me -
Misery, oh, Misery!'

Then I lay down in the street,
Right before the horse's feet,
Expecting, with a patient eye,
The King named Anarchy.

When between me and my foes
A mist, a light, an image rose,
Small at first, and weak, and frail;
It grew - a Shape arrayed in mail.

I met Murder on the way -
She wore a mask like a bird of prey -
Smooth she looked, yet sinister;
Seven blood-hounds followed her:
For one by one, and two by two,
She tossed them human hearts to chew.

I saw the Queen who stood unbowed,
As if her soul had cried aloud:

'Rise like Dragons after slumber
In unvanquishable number,
Shake your chains to earth like dew
Which in sleep had fallen on you -
We are many - they are few.'

- Written by the Lady of Casterly Rock,
For Queen Daenerys Targaryen,
Upon her ascension to the Iron Throne

TO BE CONTINUED

The poem used is:

"The Mask of Anarchy" by Percy Bysshe Shelley

(Shelley's poem was altered and rearranged to suit my needs.)