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Plans Within Plans

-Poniente. Crown Land's. King's landing-

-Tower of the Hand-

When Jon Arryn was told that the Lannisters were bringing important information from Asgard, he never expected to be told that Princess Elia Martell was in the realm and that her daughter was a great friend of Cregan Stark. Obviously, this worried the Hand of the King, fearing a plan of some kind courtesy of the Starks to place his blood on the Iron Throne.

Jon couldn't fathom the reason until it was Varys who explained to him that Princess Elia and Queen Ashara were good friends who grew up together so it was certainly believable that the princess and her friend were in cahoots to move the Northman for a potential invasion.

''Enough. I want results. How could we not have known about this threat before? Princess Elia Martell is the mother of not only Rhaenys Targaryen. But also Aegon the Sixth. They are a danger and a potential threat to the stability of the six kingdoms.'' And he certainly feared that they would somehow convince Lord Stark to launch an offensive. Gods know the trouble they caused House Stark for years.

''As you know, my lord, little birds are rare in the North. Not only are they in small numbers, but also few are willing to betray the man who has brought so much stability to the realm. So getting a single little bird is difficult.'' Varys was actually kicking himself. It should have been obvious that this was where the princess was hiding.

''The threat of Asgard using their wealth to support a military campaign, is that even possible? And who else would support such a military campaign like Braavos? After all, it is well known that they want their gold back.'' Renly offered his opinion despite how unpopular it was.

''For that to happen, House Stark would have to be in some way interested in conquering us. Why would House Stark be interested in doing such a thing when they have the north of the wall to conquer?'' Although Stanis was suspicious of the threat of what was the possible threat of war, he decided to think logically.

''You cannot seriously say that House Stark would think of focusing on the lands beyond the wall when they could conquer our rich lands. The riverlands and the western lands could become a target of Lord Stark.'' Pycelle decided that it was time to unleash the poison against House Stark.

''If we were to follow your words, Master, many of us would make mistakes. I'm not saying we shouldn't be vigilant, but I have to ask a question: since when has Haririrc Stark shown any interest in the lands beyond the channel?'' As a member of the Kingsguard and a decorated soldier, Ser Barristan offered his personal opinion.

''You're letting your fear of Stark magic cloud your vision. It's already clear that they are not our friends since they turned down a good match in the form of a marriage between Belladonna Stark and Prince Steffon.'' Petyr smiled. This was excellent, if they were lucky they could push for an attack to be launched safely.

''I would prefer military words to come from those who know of war. In this room only Prince Stannis or Kingsguard Ser Barristan know anything of war. I want advice from them at this time.'' As much as he hated House Stark, were the kingdoms prepared for war?

''The question you ask is, can Asgard declare war? The answer is yes. By proxy they might be able to. Their military is far superior to ours. They have more wealth, they possess magic, and above all they have a unified leadership. The six kingdoms are severely divided.'' Stannis offered his opinion bluntly.

''What Prince Stannis has also forgotten to add are the weaknesses of our own army. Their soldiers are professionals, while we barely have any professional soldiers. Their navy is simply better, they are better equipped and armed. The kingdom of Asgard is not far behind in advancements. And above all they possess wealth while we are in debt.'' At this everyone looked at Petyr who suddenly did not look so happy anymore.

''You honestly couldn't think that I could just stop the king from spending in any way. The king and queen spend. And when I say spend I mean spend it wastefully. Wine, whores and anything else they can see they like.'' Petyr wasn't so happy now. His constant stealing meant getting caught and therefore meant that the kingdom was now open to attack.

''Perhaps we could try diplomatic solutions with the Starks. Hariric Stark gives the impression of a strong but fair leader. Perhaps he only took the princess in to save his beloved's friend and therefore does not wish war in any way.'' Renly did not say that he wanted to reach associations that would allow him to expand his power.

''Even if we were to talk about reaching negotiations with the Starks, it would not be easy. Hariric Stark is a type of ruler who does not tolerate games or politics. Tell me, Lord Varys... do you believe in the possibility of a preemptive strike against House Stark or at least against Elia Martell?'' If they could harm House Stark, all the better, but he was content with killing the princess and her children.

''I would need to talk to my little birds to be able to get a more or less decent idea, my lord. But I would say that everything is possible, everyone has moments of weakness, it is just a matter of knowing how to exploit them.'' Varys smiled with that smile of his that was more false than anything, a smile that hid his true thoughts.

''Lord Hand let me say that if Hariric Stark is taking in Elia Martell and something were to happen to the child due to an attack and it somehow becomes known that it was us nothing will stop Hariric Stark from exterminating the bloodlines of every member on the council.'' Stannis was not happy about this and he had to say his words.

''We have no other alternative Stannis. The Targaryen threat is at our cursed door. If the Iron Bank does not see that we pay our debts on time then they will turn their eyes to the North. Not to those fleeing in Essos but to those backed by one of the greatest economic powers.'' Jon's justification was more or less correct.

''I do not like Lord Arryn. We are taking risks for little real gain. If Hariric Stark finds out that we had a hand in harming the child he protects and who is a friend of her majesty, her prince, he may well make war on us.'' Stannis was not afraid. But he knew where the possibilities lay.

Jon was at a loss for words. True, the Asgardian threat was real at this point. Thinking of simply launching an attack was foolish. More importantly, any plan that ended with the princess dead had to ensure that she wouldn't come back to bite them later. But there was also a crucial problem: Robert.

When Robert found out that the princess was in the north, he had ordered an attack no matter what. He didn't care what happened. He wanted the dragon spawn, as he called them, dead. The problem was that doing such a thing would mean pissing off a person who wouldn't hesitate to eradicate bloodlines as he had done with all those who offended him.

War was the last thing he wanted to face. Could they win against the Asgardians? Of course. By killing their commanders. Their leaders. Their king and queen. Basically, they would have to hire assassins. The problem was that Hariric Stark was no ordinary fighter, he didn't use ordinary tactics. His way of seeing war was unique and exceptional, giving him many advantages.

They might be able to successfully kill perhaps one or two commanders. But once they were seen, Hariric Stark would see the threat and act accordingly. Worse still, the assassins couldn't be ordinary assassins. They had to be the best of the best. And he knew the Faceless Men wouldn't have that. Not when Braavos was working on rebuilding its ties with House Stark.

Jon wanted to groan. It was so hard being the King's Hand right now, it was simply a difficult task. And he knew he wasn't the only one who would go after the woman in question. Hariric would make an example of those who would even think of laying a hand on his friend possibly. And it was quite possible that Rhaenys Targaryen was already engaged to Cregan Stark.

Damn the whole situation. I was very tempted to say the seven hells, but Stark had proven that when it came to waging war he was far more talented than the others and more importantly he was efficient in his daily work to ensure the prosperity of his kingdom something that was not being done with the same skill by many southerners.

-Varys office-

Varys frowned. This new information was not as positive as he would like to think. He had had his suspicions that Elia Martell might be in the realm of Asgard. His assumption was born from the fact that the woman was very good friends with Ashara Stark so logically speaking it was quite possible that the woman requested some sort of protection.

Truth be told, if Varys had to be honest, he would have expected Stark to have turned his back on the Targaryens with all his past transgressions. The wolf seemed to have more of a heart than he could have imagined, and was arguably a much better person than most of the lords of the Seven Kingdoms.

Part of the reasoning was that Stark was possibly thinking of putting Cregan and Rhaenys Targaryen's son on the throne. But he ruled that out as well, Hariric Stark despised the Iron Throne. Which meant that that was a plan that would never see the light of day. And most importantly, he despised the southern houses, it was more likely that he would put them to the sword than negotiate with them in any way.

Of course with his horrendous magic Hariric Stark had a military superiority in a sense. He also suspected that Hariric had been recruiting scholars in many fields and that included alchemists who did not support the Targaryens to improve and make new destructive applications of magic.

Magic offered the Starks an unprecedented advantage, and just as dragons had once given the Targaryens military superiority, magic now gave the Starks power. For the moment, Hariric Stark was controlled. He had no intention of expanding into the southern kingdoms. But his descendants were not the same.

Stark strength and military power guaranteed a crushing victory on the military field, which would surely be disastrous. So if they wanted to defeat the Asgardians and get them back into the realms, it had to be with cunning and intelligence. It had to be with a movement that was like a dagger that slid into their ribs and pierced them, preventing them from breathing.

But there was a problem with his plans, Harry Stark was no fool. And he had a feeling he would be making sure that no Stark after him would be an idiot. The family was growing and with its growth came influence and power. The more powerful he became the harder it would become for them.

For the black dragons to rule, a lot of strength would be needed. And to do that, he would have to eliminate the Baratheon dynasty, which was both easy and difficult. After all, thanks to his good friend Petyr, the crown was in debt, so all that was needed was guarantees and the Iron Bank would support another cause.

And that reared its ugly head in another way: Steffon Baratheon. Tywin Lannister had taken the boy in (or rather demanded it) and he was being raised properly. According to his spies' reports, the boy was shaping up to be a potential opponent. Tywin Lannister was raising him well and that was also worrying.

One fear I had was that Tywin would arrange a marriage with the Dominion. This would guarantee a force of thousands for Tywin. With those two forces on his side and the fact that the Asgardians were left alone, his chances of being able to win were low. Especially with the latest rumor.

Olenna Tyrell was not happy. She had taken out her anger on Lyton Hightower who had mysteriously committed suicide and also on her son who no longer seemed to have any interest in government affairs. The ruthless woman had beaten them both.

Leython had tried to steal the secrets of the ships of Asgard. Good for him, but the problem came when Hariric found out. Jorah Mormont had been secretly executed for treason and his wife too. Unofficially that was known, Officially Lynesse Hoghtower had been caught trying to steal secrets from the North and when she wasn't going to get away with it she killed her husband and tried to do the same with her son.

Hariric Stark had severed many ties with the Dominion and more importantly threatened to launch an attack on Oldtown. The news of what happened to Gulltown and the Iron Fleet was enough to chill anyone's blood and everyone knew that if Asgard attacked the city it would be ashes in the wind with their weapons of destruction.

Jorah had also been a spy he had in Asgard who was loyal to him. The man was unhappy with the lot he had in Asgard and wanted more. How stupid, the man was the lord of the main ship-producing and repairing island on the western coast. And they produced ice which was a very useful commodity that everyone needed.

The boy had been a fool who was only jealous of Harry Stark and hated him with a passion. Now he was dead, which was no less than he deserved. And now he was without a spy. The affairs of the North were impossible for him to know. The people were fanatically loyal to House Stark, and that was putting it mildly.

When the time came, House Stark would fall, but for now, he would contact Yllyrio. They would see if they could find a guild of assassins to kill Elia Martell. The woman could not be left alive. The same with her daughter. These were threats that would not be tolerated…all for the good of the realm.

-The Sea Maiden's Brothel-

Petyr cursed. What had initially seemed like a far from ideal scenario in the form of having the entire south against the Asgardian realm in his power now turned out to be everyone looking at him and blaming him for the lack of funds. Damn, the fact that he had stolen and the north took much of the profits made it very difficult for his kingdom to have gold, damn it.

For a moment he reasoned in his mind that he might be able to maneuver all the realms into attacking Asgard. They all kill each other. But here's where the downside came in: Asgard didn't play fair. He read about it from the many reports he got. And he shuddered at what Hariric Stark was said to do if anyone offended him.

His fighting style showed an unprecedented lack of mercy towards his enemies, wiping out entire houses. If the South were to be mobilized, they were more likely to face civil war than the possibility of drawing attention to themselves. Obviously, Hariric Stark displayed an unprecedented level of cruelty that caused panic among the southerners.

His spies in Asgard were few. He had initially tried to set up a brothel there only to find that the Houses of Aphrodite, as the chain of brothels was called, were under the control of a fierce and brutal businesswoman who would not give up an inch of her territory. It was an investment that cost him dearly.

Hariric Stark had to die. His wife had to die. His inexperienced sons could be safely manipulated and used. Pushed into a war. The problem is who has the balls to try to kill Hariric Stark. He was said to have an association with Ashai. Ashai was the last stronghold of power of the red priests or so it was said.

The chances of fighting Hariric Stark were low at best. So yes, trying to kill him might be the key. But the best ones wouldn't be possible. The House of Black and White wouldn't accept it because the Braavosi didn't want to further anger the House of Stark. The threat of being put to the sword was there and Hariric possessed magic which oddly scared them more than a little.

If he attacked his family he had to be pretty sure he could kill them no matter what. The only chance that would work of course was if his family was vulnerable. But again that would mean his wife would die. If possible his children too. And he would fall like a storm of fury over the south which would be good since he would emerge as the one to fix everything by handing over the Baratheon family.

Of course that would run into a problem. Robert was an idiot and could try, the man was a delusional moron. Cersei was a bitch who thought she was powerful when all the power she possessed came from her family. And her youngest son was a sadistic moron. Blaming them was possible, the problem was Steffon Baratheon. The boy was being raised by Tyrion Lannister, Gerion Lannister, Tywin Lannister and Genna Lannister and none of them were idiots.

Pissing off Asgard would be a difficult undertaking. Of course it wasn't just about attacking them with personal attacks. Their ships could fall prey to raiders or worse. Though of course doing such a thing could have the side effect of being considered an act of war.

But he was terrified. He was terrified of taking on the Starks. Unlike the other houses, they had a very simple mindset. They didn't give a shit about your rank or your position. They cared about nothing else in life other than whether or not you were a threat. And if you became a threat to the Starks, they would stop at nothing to get rid of you.

But Petyr believed that they would never think of him. Robert Baratheon's actions were what mattered. He was sure that with a little luck they could make both kingdoms collide. And from the ashes the nightingale would rise. That was the law for Petyr and nothing and no one would stop him.

-Western Lands. Casterly Rock-

Steffon Baratheon was not like his father. In fact, he was ashamed of both of his parents. Steffon was certainly raised by the Lannister family. But his uncle Tyrion said that raising him as a Lannister alone was not a good idea. He was Lannister and Baratheon. He must not forget his roots. It was surprising how Tywin Lannister saw things on that day.

Of the Baratheons, I could say that theirs was fury. To contain themselves? To calm down? Ha. What a joke. For the Baratheons, when something was a threat, they crushed it without mercy. And it could be said in many ways that House Baratheon was not the best at keeping their passions under control.

His uncle Tyrion taught him valuable lessons. Lessons that helped him understand and comprehend his kingdom better, leading him to the logical conclusion that his father was an even bigger fool due to the fact that he had not cut the problems in the kingdom at the root and instead was separating them and he could even say dividing them even more.

Steffon was a firm believer that his father was an unparalleled idiot who was only interested in drinking and fucking. He realized a long time ago that to his father he was not the son he wanted. He was Cersei Lannister's son, not Lyanna Stark's. And although he should hate the Starks a little, his uncle kindly reminded him that if it weren't for the Starks' outright refusal, he wouldn't have been born.

His mother was also a strong source of disappointment for Seffon. His mother believed herself to be powerful and constantly flaunted her power. His mother's power came from her own father and from being married to the king. No more, no less. So logically speaking his mother was an idiotic bitch who had no idea about half of the things she did.

Growing up with the Lannister family hadn't been easy. His grandfather expected a lot from him. But at the same time he could tell that he was defiant. His uncle looked at him strangely, Jaime Lannister looked at him strangely and carefully. And well, the rest of the family seemed to look at him as if they thought he had a great future ahead of him.

He would feel honored to be looked at like that if it weren't for the fact that his relatives were actually scared and afraid of the future. That future involved the powerful House Stark. The Kings of Winter. His grandfather was not happy because every attempt to steal the wealth of said house had gone completely to waste.

His grandfather and uncles were trying to find a way to replicate his many inventions, his improvements. Everything. They wanted it all so they could show it off. But no matter what they tried down south. No matter what each house tried. House Stark kept its secrets very closely guarded and anyone who tried to steal them ended up badly.

Steffon was walking towards the lord's living room. His grandfather had sent for him especially. When he arrived the sound of arguing could practically be heard. It didn't take a genius of any kind to realize that something had happened. So he walked in and there were his uncles and great-uncle standing with his grandfather.

''We have to do something now more than ever. The option for House Stark to go from a low threat to a high one is very high. The North is now considered a high-level threat because they have Rhaenys Targaryen in their security. They could try to use him to take the throne.'' Kevan was very serious, he was scared.

''First calm down brother. Before you think about doing anything stupid think about our future decisions and how they can affect us as a kingdom. If we make any move against House Stark they might turn their gaze on us. I'd rather not have the wolf's eyes on my back.'' Gerion knew better than anyone that attracting the wolves' negative attention was a bad idea.

''If we were to have any chance against the wolves we would have to start upgrading our military. The North has an army of seventy thousand professional soldiers. Much more than the lands to the west. But with our expenses it is a bit difficult to put together a professional army.'' As the chief military advisor Tygett knew better than anyone what he was talking about.

''Besides Kevan the girl isn't married yet. We could try to make a marriage alliance. Steffon isn't married yet and I think it might be in his best interest to marry him to the girl. It would surely eliminate the talk of throne stealers and make sure no one doubts us.'' Genna thought it best to bury the hatchet on this one.

''To trust that she won't be a threat is foolish. Especially when we all know that House Stark despises the southern houses with all their souls. They would stop at nothing to screw us over.'' Kevan had been shocked by Elia's presence. But that shock faded and turned into rage.

"Silence." Tywin's cold, emotionless voice made things clear. The discussion was over. He just made a gesture and everyone focused on Steffon.

''Steffon, welcome. We were discussing a very delicate situation and I wanted to know your opinion on it.'' Tywin looked at his grandson, making it clear to everyone that this was his will.

''Well, grandfather, I've heard enough. Elia Martell is in Asgard and her daughter Princess Rhaenys is living there as well. What you want is my opinion on whether she should live or if we should make an effort to try and kill her.'' Steffon earned a look from everyone as he looked at each of them.

''If you ask me, Father. I think it's a bit of a gamble for nothing. We all know of Hariric Stark's disdain for the South. A disdain that essentially tells him to fuck off. He's not looking to use the girl. He's protecting her. Which makes sense seeing as Elia is Ashara's best friend.'' Tyrion offered his opinion, earning the approval of many in attendance.

''Yes, but if there's anyone who's going to act without our permission it will be Cersei. She won't look kindly on Rhaenys and Elia being alive. I know her well enough to know that she'll act independently of our decisions.'' Now Tyrion's words weren't taken well. Especially by Jaime.

''Cersei is no fool. She knows better than to risk our family in a war. Because Hariric Stark would not rest until he had put to death all those who dared to even think they could screw with him.'' Jaime was nervous. He didn't want his children to be in danger and that's what would happen if Hariric Stark set his sights on them.

''I believe I asked Steffon for his opinion. I didn't ask anyone else's. And I certainly won't allow Cersei to act in an idiotic manner. If my will is one it will be done no matter what anyone else says.'' Tywin's gaze was as cold as steel and silenced everyone immediately.

''I think... we're acting without all the information. First of all, thinking we have the advantage is wrong. We're dealing with the people who defeated the Targaryen dynasty. Let's not make the mistake of believing ourselves superior. It would be a foolish move.'' Confidence was what led them to be slaughtered without mercy. He preferred not to take that risk.

''To start we need to know Hariric Stark's plans. Does he want to put her on the Iron Throne? Does he want to marry her to his son and then put one of the children on the Iron Throne? Or is he just thinking that the girl is somehow a benefit to his house? Those are the three options we have before us.'' Steffon could see that everyone was looking at him very intently.

''Personally, if you ask my opinion, I'm more inclined to believe that Hariric Stark wants nothing to do with the South. You've all told me of his disdain for the South, and I think we can all say that he wouldn't risk his family for a campaign in which he has nothing to gain.'' Now this caught everyone by surprise.

''Why do you say that it's a campaign in which he gains nothing? Forgive me for saying it but he gains control of the other kingdoms. How can you say that he's not getting anything out of it?'' Jaime looked at his nephew as if he had said the strangest thing in the world.

''Because it doesn't get you anywhere, man. Think about it for a moment. A campaign of conquest would mean waging war against the other kingdoms, subduing them and making them do your bidding. Not to mention you'd have to get rid of the faith that would never accept a defender of the old gods. And that's not even counting rebuilding. A crazy campaign.'' Steffon stated his deduction simply.

''...good. Then we will see if we can get her for you as a wife. The unification of bloodlines will then mean that no one can refuse to rule this new dynasty. It is the best we can do.'' Tywin nodded in agreement, but there was still one more thing left to say.

''As for Aegon the Sixth...he will serve better dead.'' That was the will of House Lannister. And no one would stop them from it.

Steffon nodded. He felt sorry for the other boy but he was going to be king. And he had many ideas of how to repair the damage caused by his lout of a father so he obviously wanted the whole matter settled in a way that made things clear. He honestly couldn't care less what anyone thought but Aegon was a threat and would be dealt with.

Of course there was the matter of negotiating with Asgard for the princess. Ensuring her protection and future. As well as guaranteeing her future marriage. And it wasn't something he was looking for too hard to be honest. Asgard wouldn't take that well. In fact, they would most likely refuse seeing as the girl was a potential wife for Cregan Stark which he knew wouldn't sit well with the Winter King if they tried to get in the way.

The more he thought about it, the more he wondered if such a tactic was worth it, but at the same time he nodded without hesitation. It was in the kingdoms' best interest if such a thing was done, and at the same time it would ensure and guarantee that the government he established had the full support of all the lords of the realm. Then… they could focus on reclaiming Asgard.

-The Domain. Highgarden-

Willas had been through the worst days of his life to be honest since he came back. His grandmother had been ready to spit fire. His father's absolute incompetence did nothing but damage his position, which was completely unacceptable in his grandmother's opinion. And to top it off Leython does something without her permission that ends up with them losing a potentially beneficial spy.

Willas wanted to groan. Yes, obtaining the Asgard kingdom's shipbuilding plans would have been a great prize. It would be about being able to revolutionize their military strength and hopefully amplify what they could do as well as stop feeling threatened by the damn ships that were better equipped and armed than their own.

As if it wasn't bad enough the situation got worse with Garth Tyrell trying to assault an Asgardian woman thinking that because his damn nephew tolerated him he would be perfectly fine in Asgard. The only reason he was still alive is because King Hariric Stark kicked them all out and they lost even more reputation.

The Dominion situation was a fucking powder keg of shit that was about to explode in everyone's faces if they weren't careful. But instead of paying attention to it, his father thought he was much smarter. He almost did something stupid but it seemed like his grandmother had had enough because she put him in his place.

And by putting him in his place she meant completely crushing and humiliating him, leaving him with nothing and at the end of the day making Mace Tyrell look like what he was: a puppet ruler. She would feel sorry for her father if he weren't so fucking pathetic and didn't stop making huge mistakes that cost them more and more each time.

Leython had left his position via the path of shame (i.e. suicide) and Baelor had ascended to the position. And the first thing Baelor did was do some research and prepare for potential hostile action from Asgard after his younger sister was caught doing something that was not only treasonous but also stupid.

Honestly, there were times when I envied Asgard. People there were clear, the few who didn't think like Hariric Stark were kept on a short leash and completely controlled. But the people there knew what they had to do. Their job was one and they had to do it no matter what. Nothing else mattered what they said, nor did it matter what others thought, the Starks were the absolute power.

She knew her grandmother had intended to truly unify the Reach under the banner of House Tyrell…but it had backfired. Mace was useless. House Tarly had been wronged too many times. House Redwyene was losing more and more power. And House Hightower was losing even more power.

When you stopped to think about it, House Stark had the advantage and that was because they had built on strong foundations. He sighed, he was very tired. He was reaching a room and there he found his brothers, Willas sighed. There was a division between his brothers. Loras was useless. Margarey was the reincarnation of his grandmother only more subtle. And Garlan was all military.

''I hope you have a very compelling reason to bother me. The amount of work I have to fix is ​​so fucking unprecedented that to be honest I shouldn't even be here.'' It wasn't a lie. He had to meet with a lot of people and make sure the alliances worked well. If not, they would be in serious trouble.

''Father has been practically ousted from his position and you take it as if it were nothing brother? Those damn bastards from the north should pay for what they have done. We should call the banners and attack them.'' Loras replied. He didn't like it when his family was put in a bad light and that's what the northerners did.

''Do you even hear yourself Loras? We're talking about starting a campaign with a kingdom that single-handedly and without anyone's help defeated the other kingdoms. And let's not forget that our so-called numerical superiority was completely crushed. Do you want to see Stark crush us again?''. Garlan spoke in a cold tone silencing his brother.

''Let there be peace. We understand that you have a lot of work ahead of you Willas and we don't want to suffocate you but I hope you understand that we would like to have some information that could be vital for us. Asgard has hit us in the face again which is painful.'' Margarey just sighed. Her brother Loras only had a head for tournaments and nothing else.

''What happened is that the whole trip was doomed from the start. Uncle Garth basically decided to be his cocky asshole self thinking he was superior to the Starks. We only got him out alive because I promised as heir to the Dominion that he would be punished.'' And he was punished. They couldn't send him to the Night's Watch anymore so he was practically exiled now. The house washed their hands of him (after ripping his balls off with a pair of pliers, his grandmother wasn't in the mood).

''What exactly did Uncle Garth do with the Asgardians? I don't know much but I do know that they take the protection of the people very seriously and that they are tough as nails when it comes to imposing sanctions.'' If there was one thing that Garlan could respect, it was those who fulfilled their obligations and seeing that the Asgardians did so, they had his approval.

''Garth decided to go out and try to get laid. Instead of going to a brothel because no sir we can't spend the coin on the barbarians of the north he decided to try to catch and rape a valkyrie of the north. He was completely crushed and Lord Stark was very tempted to detach his lower head.'' His uncle's monumental screw-up was no laughing matter.

''It should have been obvious. It would have been better to send you to Baelor. Dickon could have learned something about their military affairs. He has an eye for it. Then again you could have been the face of the kingdom. And Baelor would have been able to study its structures. Instead they sent a useless oaf.'' Margarey could see the danger in what was done which was wrong.

''Oh it could get a lot better. If you think about it from an intelligent point of view the Asgardians could have wielded more power. Instead they contented themselves with executing Lynesse and Jorah Mormont. Two traitors. And the laws of the North... are absolute.'' Things did not go well for them in Willas' opinion.

''And we're just going to stand by and watch those damn Starks get away with it? They've basically killed a lady of the noble house of Hightower. What we should do is charge in and wipe them out.'' Loras nearly screamed, but at the last moment the glances of his brothers told him everything he needed to know.

''I can't believe you're such a fucking idiot Loras. Charge? At them on their own land? Fine let's just think about it for a moment. Go ahead Loras, explain to everyone present how you intended for us to charge the Asgardians and get past their monstrous defensive barriers.'' Garlan was not happy with his brother's short-sightedness.

"We have superior numbers and if we unite the forces of all the kingdoms we would be able to overwhelm them." Loras didn't realize. He was too fast. The slap he received from his brother Willas surprised him. But the look of pure anger in Willas's eyes shook him.

''You're a fool. You're a bigger fool than I ever thought possible and I'm used to dealing with useless oafs who think they're special for one reason or another, Loras. But the fact that my own brother is such a giant oaf just makes me think you're a hopeless idiot.'' Willas was tired. Tired of the idiocies, the mistakes and the stupidities.

''While it may seem exaggerated to you, Loras, surpassing Asgard militarily is impossible. In the past when they had no way to feed themselves, perhaps it would have been possible. But now they produce their own food. Their greatest weakness is the size of their territory and they are covering more and more of it.'' Garlan decided to answer his brother.

''Politically, they are no longer accountable to the Iron Throne. There is no option for sanctions. There is no option for political attacks. There is nothing we can do. Do you understand that, Loras? Please tell me that you understand, because the last thing any of us want is to get killed.'' Because knowing Stark, he would do it without a doubt.

''You talk and talk. You demand and demand. But you do not know the way of the world. Power is what matters. For years Grandma worked to have the greatest powers of the Dominion on our side because even today there are those who seek to eliminate us from the power we hold.'' Willas glared angrily at his brother's stupidity.

''Father lost a lot of respect during the war that was the hour of the wolf. Because it was because of his unprecedented idiocy that we had to pay the consequences of defeat. A crushing defeat. The Asgardians proved back then that they were militarily superior to all the other kingdoms.'' Because what else do you call what they did to each kingdom huh?

''After that, Grandma worked to restore our family's reputation. A reputation once again damaged by our father's ineffectiveness in defending the domain from the assault of the ironborn. An attack that destroyed a lot of good reputation.'' Willas decided that he was going to twist the knife as much as possible.

''and he further destroyed our family's reputation when instead of acting like a lord he acted like a little idiot who sent a delusional imbecile to deal with a kingdom that despises our very existence. Do you even know how the Asgardians refer to the lords of the Loras domain and rivers?'' Willas did not like to see his brother trying to run away.

''Don't run away you coward and just sit there like a man. Accept that you fucked up you cowardly fool. They call us the cowardly rats. Because that's what we are to them. And believe me when I tell you this. If Hariric Stark could he would put our homes to the sword. If we give him one reason he will charge and crush us. And there is nothing we can do to stop him.'' No one would stand by them. Their father had destroyed too many bridges.

Loras stood there until his brother let him go. With nothing else to do Loras ran away not wanting to accept the words as the unfortunate reality of his existence. A part of him blamed the Starks in every way and wanted nothing more than to crush them into nothingness. No, he would be patient and one day he would be given the chance.

''...he's going to do something stupid and get us into trouble. I know Loras well enough to know that when he doesn't like something, he plots against it. Let's hope he doesn't plunge us into misery with his senseless decisions.'' Margarey wasn't happy. But this was her brother and she loved him despite his flaws.

''Let's hope he doesn't bring the wrath of House Stark upon us. No one knows their wrath better than the domain and that's why I know that if any member of this family does something idiotic regarding Stark the other houses would hand us over without a fucking moment's hesitation.'' Willas hated him. But it was what it was. His situation was far from being the best of all.

Margarey was sure they could somehow negotiate with the Starks or at least manipulate them in some way. But at the same time she had her doubts about it. Hariric Sark. She had heard of him, the most fearsome man in the North. If they could cajole his children it might be possible. In the end the Andals conquered not with strength but with brains. It was just a matter of doing the same.

-Dorne. Sunspear-

Doran couldn't fathom it. He couldn't believe it, but it made perfect sense. And it infuriated him beyond a doubt. Any plans to use his sister evaporated completely because he knew that doing anything with her under Hariric Stark's protection would be disastrous at best and suicidal at best because of what he would do.

The tension in Dorne was growing. More and more people were tired of him. Of waiting, but they had to wait. Because it was the only way to guarantee that they would catch all of their enemies. Of course with Hariric Stark having his sister either hostage or not that meant a lot of people would ask questions that didn't interest him at all.

He wished he could point the finger at Stark. Say he was holding his princess in his clutches. But his sister…she knew the truth. And she would tell people. A shudder hit him just from that. The thought of being told in so many words that it was known that he had sentenced his sister to death would only hurt his position.

Of course it was his sister's word. A sister who spent time with House Stark. A sister who spent time being raised and educated by the Northerners as well as their daughter. They couldn't believe her. But he knew there was a chance. And as small as the chance was, he preferred a martyr to a heroine back from the dead.

To be honest, Doran was debating internally whether or not he should attack Stark. He already had plenty of enemies, and working with a few of them to plan his destruction shouldn't be difficult. But the problem was that any attack had to seem small. Insignificant. An attack so precise that it would kill him for sure because he wouldn't see it coming.

Assassins were the best option he had but even he could tell that the chances of an assassin getting to Stark were low at best. Not with Stark being in the kingdom almost constantly and with few people willing to oppose him. Though if something were to happen to Stark then his family would be vulnerable for sure.

Of course, he also knew that this line of thought had its drawbacks. Namely, if he was wrong. If he made a single mistake in his calculations, then there was a chance that they wouldn't just kill him. But that they would also go after his entire family. And that was something he certainly couldn't allow.

He was trapped and he knew it and by the gods how he hated it. How was it that killing a person was so damn hard? How was it that trying to get to a young man alone could be so damn complicated? Life certainly wasn't fair in his opinion to be honest.

''I see you've heard about it too. Our sister is in Asgard but I wonder if you knew about it beforehand? After all, you were trapped there for a while. And knowing Stark, he would have enjoyed letting you know that you couldn't do anything.'' She turned to look at Oberyn. He looked more relaxed but there was still tension in him.

''Don't talk about things you don't know brother. You don't know what it is. You have no idea. He is more dangerous than you can imagine. Just think for a moment about turning your love of travel into a nightmare. Let no woman or man satisfy you. Let food turn to ash in your mouth. Let alcohol be of no use. That has been my life these years.'' He was not going to tolerate Doran talking to him however he wanted.

''It sounds like quite the curse. But I wonder how it's risen now? Have you done something to please Lord Stark in some way? Perhaps offering him privileged information in some way?'' Doran knew that threatening Oberyn was foolish. His wildling brother was not one to take things so easily.

''I don't know. I just know that one day the curse was partially released. Except for one small part: and that you suffer every day with the pain of not knowing what your sister's fate will be. That was her last curse. Every day and night my mind twisted in pain thinking about everything that could happen to my sister. That was painful, more than you can ever believe.'' Gods how I hated Stark for being a fucking asshole.

''So I suppose you're going to tell me that I don't have your support in taking down Stark, is that true Oberyn? That you're going to leave it to me to do all the work? To clean up your mistake. If you'd kept the girl trapped we could have used her for a trade.'' Which was a lie. The girl would be too useful.

''First, don't try to fool me. I know how you think, brother, and I know that you would value Lyanna Stark, who you could have used as a hostage, more than you would have allowed Elia to happen. You would have possibly ensured that something would happen to our sister and made her a martyr.'' Oberyn could sense the anger in Doran. It was good. He wanted him to know that he wasn't fooled.

''You can't deny that the young Stark's value as a hostage was very... useful. I certainly don't approve of what the prince did to her. But I have to be honest in saying that her value for what it was to keep the northerner under control would have been for the best.'' Doran could be callous, and really, what did he care what happened to an insignificant little girl in the grand scheme of things?

''Then you are more stupid. If you truly think you could have kept Lyanna Stark from her brother then you are mistaken. I have no love for Hariric Stark. These years have been hell on earth for me. But the reality is that I know better than anyone that standing up to a man that dangerous is completely foolish.'' Standing up to Hariric would only lead to their destruction.

Oberyn didn't give him a chance to respond. He knew what he had to do. He couldn't afford to let his family be destroyed. No matter how nice Doran's plans were, they would never make sense.

After all, he didn't feel the power or the fury of that man. He would never love him. Not after the curse he placed on him. But at least he knew it was better than facing him, damn it.

And honestly…he didn't trust Doran. He had too many cons for trusting him to even be an option.