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Chapter Text

Jin Guangyao didn´t like this, but he had to be faster. If he hadn´t dodged at the correct time, if Su She hadn´t been fast enough to get him away from that brute Nie Mingjue´s fierce corpse, if the mask hadn´t slipped from the face of that little bastard Nie Huaisang a few seconds earlier than it should... he would be dead. More than dead, he would certainly be rotting in his mother´s coffin along with that resentful creature, something he was sure was the “Headshaker´s” aim.

Hah, Headshaker… the little brat had played him well. More than well.

“Bravo, Huaisang, you played well. This is your victory. Da-ge would be proud” he spat along with some blood on his mouth. “Enjoy it while you can.”

He would be impressed if he wasn´t in such a situation thanks to that fucker and his band of friends. Dragging his sword, which he barely managed to recover. His injuries ached… the ones in the arm were enough to make Xichen, sweet kind Xichen, ask for medicine for him. The one on his side… he hoped that it won´t kill him. It hadn´t yet and he managed to escape the temple, certainly something that Huaisang wasn´t planning… though the little snake had managed to ruin his reputation so badly that he wouldn´t be able to remain in the Cultivation world. No, he was banned from the Empire from then on, least he suffered the condemnation of all the Sects, minor and major.

Fuck, he needed to find a place to rest for the moment, one where he could recover enough to pick a ship out of the Empire. But he didn´t have time, and barely had resources to spare except of what he carried with himself… he couldn´t risk entering Koi Tower to get his money and valuables back, a messenger butterfly surely must have already been dispatched so he was arrested on sight… Jin Ling had seen everything and the disciples, once loyal to him, knew what he had done and why the order has been issued. He won´t be able to escape this one. So he needed to get into a ship as quietly and fast as he could and leave. Remaining alive was a top priority. If he was still alive he could… he could…

What could he do exactly? Rebuild himself somewhere else? But he had been working so hard all his life to become a true Jin, the Sect Leader and master of Jinlintai. He couldn´t… he gritted his teeth and continued running. Obviously that wasn´t an option anymore. On the run, injured, with barely money, sword and the clothes on his back… and his mind… he was going to have to find fortune somewhere else. So seek a new future.

“Fresh fish!! Fresh fish!!!”

Jin Guangyao smiled despite the paleness of his face. Despite having everything against him, he had managed to reach a port city that wasn´t under control of the Sects. Of course, they must have some dealings with them, there was no way they won´t, but at least…

“Hey, have you heard the last news?”

“About the former Jin Sect Leader? The bastard of a whore? That he was behind the murders of his father and brother? That visited brothels that offered old prostitutes frequently?”

Excuse him? He had never visited a brothel in his life since he got out of his mother´s so called workplace. There was a reason he set that building on fire, the place was nothing more but a slave house covered as a brothel. His own mother never wanted to sleep with men that weren´t his wretched father, she had to because of him and the contract her family made when they sold her to the madam. Just speaking of brothels made him feel nauseous…

“No, that´s old news” the fishermen continued. “He also murdered the former Nie Sect Leader, so the Headshaker has offered a huge reward for his capture. Enough to make a beggar as rich as one of those successful wine merchants!!”

“Truly? Maybe I should try my luck at finding the bastard!!”

“Nah, what could normal people like us do against even the weakest of the cultivators? We would be killed at the first provocation!!”

“Yeah, you are right.”

What?! Huaisang… oh, he had lost so much blood that he could barely think, barely remember that the little snake wasn´t the useless, whinny brat he thought he was. And if he did, he was easy prey for whatever cultivator that was in the vicinity. Specially now that he had a price on his head. But he wasn´t going to give the fucking snake of a fan user, that besotted fool Lan Wangji or his whore demon the satisfaction. Not even to Xichen…
Xichen… Er-ge… who had been about to give him a medicine…

He needed medicine urgently to at least threat his wounds enough for his golden core to cure them. Then he would get into the first ship that looked strange, as if it would leave this land, and escape. He broke into the apothecary, stealing the medicine without much difficulty despite his injuries, and ran towards the piers. He had procured a dark clothe to hide the ruined Jin finery he was still in. He quickly looked around the place, finally locating a ship that looked… off. He was in luck, not every day such a strange looking ship was available in the piers. Now he only needed to…

“What are we doing here exactly? It´s not as if the Jin bastard could have moved that much with the injuries he was sporting.” He hid behind a wall. Two cultivators in the Qinghe Nie uniform were walking right in front of the ships, their sabers hanging from their belts. “You already heard Zewu-Jun, we should focus on places near Guanyin Temple. Looking for a body is the most realistic…”

“That bastard has managed to dodge dead enough times for us not to give him the benefit of the doubt. You already heard Sect Leader Nie, he won´t even give him the option of escaping. Nor will we after what he did to Chifeng-Zun.”

Nie Huaisang was being too open now. The Sects would surely have noticed by now how he had manipulated them all. The brat should be careful or no one was going to trust him anymore in the future… though something told him that the snake would be able to rise even more in the next few years. Another reason to leave.

“Even so…”

“If Zewu-Jun brings the dead body, then me and Sect Leader will have to accept it, but until then…”

“Yes, I get why you are saying that. Chifeng-zun… was very special for all of us. I can´t remember all the times I survived in the Sunshot Campaign thanks to him” there was a sigh in there. “I admired him… I would have done anything to return him the favor…”

“Concentrate in finding his murderer then”

“Or whatever is left of him”

“Concentrate”

Jin Guangyao didn´t move until he was sure they had left. Then he lowered his improvised hood to cover his face, especially the vermillion mark that he still had on his forehead. He was going to have to… remove it, no? Well, there was no time to do it now. Rushing, he got into the ship. He didn´t move, confining himself to the dark corner he hid himself in, deep in the storage, until he felt the ship sailing away from the coast. He breathed in relief as the vessel sailed further and further away from the coast.

“Hey, recently the provisions are getting low, don´t you think? Practically since we left that weird place… what was it´s name again?”

“I don´t know, we sailed so much out of course because of the storm that I don´t know where we end up in.” another sailor answered. “The captain might, though, he has maps from all over the world.”

“I might ask him… I´m still worried about the provisions though” the first one shuddered. “What are we going to do if we run out of them before reaching another shore?”

“We have enough”

“From what we received today, I´m not so sure.”

The disgraced former Sect Leader bite into a piece of bread. Normally he would gag at the flavor, being accustomed to the lavish banquets of Jinlintai, but he was also the son of a commoner who lived with her in his childhood and a veteran of the Sunshot Campaign who had been on the run more than once, so he had experience pushing down his throat whatever he could pass as food. He had to practice inedia for the first few days, until his core could heal his injuries enough to recover his full mobility, but once he did he raided the kitchen more than once. The only bad news was that his core was depleted. If something happened now, then he wouldn´t be able to…

The alarm sounded in that moment, or what he thought was an alarm. Jin Guangyao swallowed whatever he still had and went to hide. It wouldn´t be good for him to be found in that place, the sailors surely were going to throw him overboard. Unfortunately for him, the honest sailors from the ship he had boarded weren´t the worst of his problems. Shortly after the sound arrived, he was dragged out of his hidden place by a dirty, smelly man, towards another one dirtier, who put manacles on his hands. Pirates, he understood in that moment. What were they going to do to him?

“Do we chain all the prisoners in the goals, captain?” one of the pirates asked. Of course, Jin Guangyao didn´t have any idea of what they were saying, the language too different from the one he was used to, and his mind too concentrated in trying to call his sword. But one look at the new ship told him everything he needed to know about that scum. They were not only pirates, but slavers. Fuckers.

“Hummm” the former Sect Leader swallowed his humiliation when he saw the man looking at his spiritual sword as if it was a big prize and nothing more.

“Get your hands away from… huh!!” he was kicked into his knees. Why hasn´t his core recovered already? He was Liafang-Zun, he shouldn´t be threated this way by scum not even fit to clean his boots with their tongues…

“Hey!! Careful with the merchandize!!! Specially with the one that might actually be worth something!!” the captain approached and, without another word, grabbing the cultivator´s face to appreciate it. “This is a face that would attract more than one look. I bet some Lysene pillow houses will pay handsomely for such an exotic beauty, even if it´s male.”

“He has an attitude problem.”

“The Lyseni can deal with that for us. Put him down, with the rest of the cargo that it´s worth more than a few copper coins. The rest on the gallows, we need to make haste for Slaver´s Bay!!”

As he was thrown into a room with a lot of terrified, manacled people, Jin Guangyao cursed his luck. Nothing was going according to his plans since that fucker Nie Huaisang decided to get in his way. He should have killed the little snake along with his brother… but he seemed so harmless that he didn´t bother. Not like the furious brute he had for a brother, the one he had to eliminate no matter what…

Thinking of Chifeng-zun brought Zewu-Jun back to his mind. Xichen… Er-ge… how would he be now that his A-Yao has vanished from earth? Will he think he had become a fierce corpse or that he was haunting some place as a vengeful spirit, perhaps the ruined Guanyin temple that he erected? He had no reasons to return to that place, not even in spirit now. Not now that his mother was no longer there. He visualized him there, waiting for the fierce corpse he must surely be by now in his mind, to put him down and send his soul back to the wheel of rebirth with that kind, sad expression of his… it was enough to give him some good dreams. And apparently some rest, because when he woke up again, his core was a little bit better. At least enough to manipulate his sword and get rid of the scum. He enjoyed it, especially the captain´s screams as he cut his manacles and killed him with his flying sword.

“Well, that´s all” he said as he kicked the corpses of the pirates to the ocean. The slaves that he apparently just freed then walked up to him. Some of them were the people from the ship he had escaped in… they should know how to man a ship. “Excuse me, someone here knows how to arrive to safe port?”

They looked at each other, not understanding. He sighed, actually pinching his nose. This was the bad things about living in an isolated Realm, you don´t know anything from the actual world outside it. He once thought it was for the better, but now… returning to the reality, he actually needed someone to captain a ship. He could fly his sword just fine now, but with the current energy he had, he would probably collapse and drown before arriving to any kind of shore. And he didn´t fancy being enslaved.

“Lucano… Venerro” the captain suddenly walked up, pointing at himself. He gave him a strange look, but he did the same gesture and words. “Lucano Venerro”

“Ahhh, your name. You are telling me your name” he said, understanding. “I´m…”

Wait… what name is he supposed to give? The name Jin might mean a lot in his homeland, but here it doesn´t mean anything. Or any name he ever had, because his home was so isolated from the rest of the world that… should he say his original name? No. Even with everything that happened, with everything that viper and his friends have taken from him, he refused to return to be Meng Yao again. He loved his mother, he really did… but he hated being Meng Yao more than he could explain, specially now that he had tasted being Jin Guangyao. Though… he couldn´t use that name either. Even if his homeland was isolated, there was a risk that the name with Jin would somehow attract attention. There were very few merchants that ever-visited Jinlintai or the piers from other lands, but there were some, and if they informed them about the significance of that…

“Liafang-Zun” he answered. His title was safer to use. Surely no one outside of the Cultivator Sects have ever referred to him by it in front of strangers.

“Lifan-Su?” the Captain asked in confusion.

“Liafang-Zun” he corrected, not wanting his title from the time he was in the Venerated Triad to be badly pronounced. “Now, this ship… a safe port…”

The captain nodded and then went to reunite the few sailors that were taken alive from his crew apart from some that were already there, that could explain to the others what to do. The disgraced Sect Leader also gave a hand. And while he did, he started learning their language. It turned out that the sailors he had escaped with had come from a place called Braavos, one where slavery was banned. In fact, they seemed to hate it. He also learned that Braavos was the exception between the cities of Essos, because most of them practiced slavery. Specially a place called Slaver´s Bay… just the name sent a shiver down his spine. One of deep repulsion.

“Lord Zun, look at the map” the old captain said one day, showing him the map of Essos that had been taken from his ship and now he recovered. Jin Guangyao had been learning their language fast and, now that he had a better grasp of it, he could understand things better. Including the interesting bits of knowledge about Essos, the continent most of them came from, he managed to get. “Do you recognize it?”

“No” it was not a surprise for him that they had a different language than the one of his homeland, but an entire different writing system and runes? That was something he hadn´t been expecting. So he stuck to the captain while he could, one of the few literate people there, and started learning how he could. “What´s this?”

“Yi Ti, where you come from… or so I think” the captain said. “We stopped in a pier from there after a storm and didn´t make any other stop until the pirates attacked. Is it familiar to you?”

“We call it by a different name” again, another nasty surprise. But if the names were different, that meant that he had successfully escaped that place and whatever punishment Nie Huaisang had planned for him successfully.

“Do you want to return there? There are very few ships that…”

“No, I have nothing to return for” he answered. He was right, after all. A-Su was dead, A-Song too, his father, his brother… and whatever family or family of family he still had, they surely hate him now that they knew what he did. “I want to see the world, seek my own fortune now that I have gotten out of that place too.”

“Oh, you are not going to regret that decision!! Essos is a little bit dangerous with the Dothraki and the slavers everywhere, but Braavos is perfectly safe!! Unless you find some braavos or water dancers, but I don´t think you would have any problem.”

“Hummm…”

“And there is the Colossus!! You have to see it at least once in your life!! Or the thousands of temples that liter the city!!”

“Hummm”

He wasn´t sure it would be that impressive… a few days later, he was swallowing his words as he stared at the colossal statue that guarded the entrance of the city of Braavos. He had never seen something as incredible as this. He felt small… and so out of place. So out of everything he knew… but that was the deal, no? He couldn´t be part of the Cultivation World anymore, so here he was. To form a new future.

-Somewhere in Yi Ti-

Nie Huaisang practically threw himself over the tomb of his older brother, shedding tears of pure frustration. The tomb was magnificent, created in a holy land in the Unclean Realm… all to contain the resentment energy filled remains of the former Sect Leader and member of the Venerable Triad Chifeng-Zun. If he paid enough attention, he thought he could hear the screams of the corpse trapped inside that thing… trashing and roaring his fury to the heavens, not resting in peace as he deserved.

“Da-ge” he sobbed. “Da-ge… am I really this useless? I was just… just so close!! I nearly had him where he should be, suffering something worse than dead as his legacy shattered around him, but… somehow he escaped…” he continued. “I don´t understand!! It should have been perfect!! Jin Guangyao should have died an ignominious death for what he did to you!!”

“Oh, are my ears deceiving me, Lan Zhan? Was that a confession?” Huaisang raised his eyes from the tomb and looked behind. Right there, the Grandmaster of Diabolism and the Second Jade of Lan were standing. Since when were they there. “The great puppet master behind that conspiracy is now revealed.”

“What do you want?” he asked. He wanted to be left alone with his Da-ge, who he endeavored so much to put to rest. If this could be called rest. If only that bastard Meng Yao hadn´t escaped….

“Just wanted to give you a gesture of our appreciation. After all, being embroiled in your plan was so fun for us!!” Wei Wuxian´s eyes grew red as he approached the tomb he had helped to seal. Seal, because that was the only thing that could be done. “You see now what happens when you play puppeteer, Nie Huaisang?”

“I don´t know why you are complaining” he answered, completely serious now. Gone was every trace of the character they called the Headshaker. No, this was the Nie Sect Leader, a worthy one, who wasn´t afraid to wield the saber of his election against whoever stood in his way. Even if that saber was his mind.

“Why should I… are you even listening to yourself!! You are here, complaining that you didn´t manage to get Jin Guangyao and lock him for all eternity in the same coffin as your brother or something horrible like that… how could you believe that your brother would want to share eternity with that lying bastard.”

“As if you care about what Mingjue would have wanted.” He rolled his eyes. “With the role he played in your demise…”

“You are right, I don´t care about what your brother would have wanted and much less about Jin Guangyao. In fact, I wish the fucker the most terrible death ever for what he did to the Wens, to Wen Ning, to... to…”

Ah, yes, he was not the only one that had lost a sibling to that piece of trash, Huaisang remembered. He had just been so focused on Nie Mingjue that he never cared much about the role Jin Guangyao had taken in the murder of Jin Zixuan and Jiang Yanli. Nor the pain it caused to Wei Wuxian, to believe himself at fault for the deaths of his brother-in-law and martial sister. Then again, the demonic cultivator should be thanking him for that. Not only had he helped to clear his name, but to get revenge for them… almost.

“Again, why are you complaining? You got to know the truth and some revenge too… you even won more than me, as you not only that, but you got revived but a happy ending with your beloved Lan Zhan” he gave the Second Jade of Lan a knowing look, who only replied with a cold stare. “Seems like you are the true winner.”

“True winner? You bastard…”

“Seriously, what´s the…” he was suddenly grabbed by the neck of his robes.

“Why?! WHY?! Because you, fucking revenge obsessed bastard, nearly got my son and my nephew killed with your insane plan!!” ah, that. It was true, he had used those adorable little juniors as bait to make the couple follow his instructions… a very good bait. Nothing could have been better. “How could you, Huaisang?! They were children!!”

“I´m aware” he answered, grabbing Wei Ying´s hand and prying him away from him. Yes, he kind of feel bad for having put those kids in mortal danger over and over again, but something needed to assure the adults in their lives´ cooperation. “And it´s not as if I didn´t give them a fair chance of survival…”

“Chance of survival? Huaisang, you sent them to the hunting territory of Xue Yang… the freaking lunatic who exterminate a whole sect!! The one that played House with my mother´s shidi and made him annihilate entire villages just for his own twisted entertainment!! that Xue Yang!! And you sent Jin Ling there!! He is… he is the only part of Shijie that still lives and you sent him there… A-Yuan too… and the others…”

“I´m conscious of that” he answered. Damn, since when had Wei Ying become like this? It must be the parenthood. “The brat was alright in the end, no?”

“He got corpse poisoning!!”

“And he was fine!! You were there to give him the antidote, no?” he straightened his clothes. “I made sure to send them close enough to you so they will have someone to turn to if things turned bad.”

“Bad, my ass” the demonic cultivator said. “You sent those children to their deaths, Nie Huaisang, including my nephew and my son and I…”

“THEY. WERE. FINE” seriously, it was as if his former friend thought he was a heartless bastard. Of course, he was consumed with revenge when he made those plans, but that didn´t mean he was going to simply sacrifice the children. They were children and innocent after all.

“Listen here…”

“You between all should be thanking me. Didn´t I get you your happy ever after? Didn´t I?” he continued as Wei Wuxian growled. “And not only that, but you got to see you’re A-Yuan again, your baby. Wasn´t a relief to see the fine young man he has become in your absence? To see that he didn´t die along with the other Dafan Wen?”

“To see him poisoned by Xue Yang? To see him in danger as the corpse of your brother ran amok or kidnapped by bloody Su She or whoever it was that hanged the juniors in the Demon Slaughtering Cave? Chased by the Stone Goddess?”

“You were always there to…”

“Wei Wuxian, show some decorum” another voice joined their conversation. The Yiling Patriarch looked back, seeing Zewu-Jun standing in the entrance of the tomb, guqin in hand. What was he doing there? Last they heard about him, he was preparing to enter seclusion on his own volition after searching unsuccessfully for Jin Guangyao. “As a member of Gusu Lan, you can´t go around threatening whoever you like.”

“Who says I´m going to join your Sect?” he answered, his anger under control now.

“The moment you decided to accept Wangji´s proposition to get married, you did” the former Jiang Head Disciple didn´t give any answer. “But we are not here to discuss happy news, at least not…”

His expression turned mortified as he stared at the tomb. Then he sighed and walked directly to tomb, where he lit an incense stick. After offering some prayers for the eternal rest of Nie Mingjue, something that was going to be difficult considering the state of his body and soul after Jin Guangyao´s deceiving, he raised his head again.

“We found a place where we believe he rested… or died.” Xichen answered. “It´s difficult to believe that he could have survived… perhaps his corpse… I have sent some Lan disciples to track it, so…” he looked at his future brother-in-law. “you know…”

“Don´t look at me, I refuse to bring back such a lunatic” the older Sect Leader lowered his head. “I´m sorry, Zewu-Jun, but that bastard was too dangerous. He had a facility to get in your head, in the heads of people… no, I won´t do it.”

“Xiozhang, we should listen to Wei Ying”

“Wangji, I know that you love him very much, but…”

“I´m with them in this too” Nie Huaisang added. “We all saw first-hand how dangerous Meng Yao could be given the appropriate circumstances. Beginning with the Siege of the Burial Mounds…”

“That´s…”

“He had a hand in that, turning the whole Cultivation World against Wei-gongzhi was not the work of Jin Guangshan only.”

“I know, Huaisang, I know!! It´s only that…”

“Well, all of that is conditioned to if you find the corpse or not” Wei Wuxian said, crossing his arms. “And let me tell you that the more the time between the dead and the ritual, less is the chance of returning them consciousness. And don´t mention Song Lan, I was lucky that punk Xue Yang kept his soul… though I don´t think he felt lucky at all.”

“No, I don´t think so either. And I think… neither would A-Yao” Xichen finally admitted. “It´s just that… there are so many things I need an answer for…”

“This is not the way to find them, Zewu-Jun.”

“I guess not” he sighed. “I will maintain the order to search for A-Yao´s corpse though. He was a powerful cultivator despite his weak golden core. If he turned into a fierce corpse as I fear, then we can´t let that creature run amok, killing innocents everywhere.”

“No, we can´t”

Nie Huaisang stared darkly at the others. He had… ideas… about what to do with the corpse if they ever found it and putting the soul of his brother´s murderer to rest was not in that list. Perhaps keep the corpse in the dungeons, prolong his suffering by dismembering him as he had done to Mingjue or something worse… his eyes held an unusual cruelty in him. He was going to get his revenge, one way or another. And no one´s hurt feelings were going to stop him. No one´s.

-In Braavos-

Jin Guangyao, now known to the citizens of Braavos as Liafang Zun, was now packing his things from the small room that has been his since he arrived to Braavos. As he tied his long hair in the same style as all his life, he planned his next step. He had stayed the better part of two years in Braavos, in the small inn owned by the Venarro family, helping them around. He felt he was debasing himself by doing servant´s work, but he put on a smile anyway. Why? Because his aim was to get enough information about the outside world as he could and learn the languages well. Meanwhile, he had food on his table and a roof over his head… and time to plan how to rise again. And now, his moment had finally arrived.

“Are you sure you want to do this, Lord Zun?” Luchia, the captain´s goodaughter who was in charge of the inn, asked him as he finally went down with his meager possession… though a lot more than the ones he had arrived on that house with. “Westeros also has a ban in slavery, but they are not precisely open to foreigners.”

“I´m sure” he answered.

“If you are” she sighed. “But remember that you are always welcomed to come back if you need to. I will always remember what you did for Father.”

“Thank you for your kind words and I will have that in mind.”

Of course not. Why would he want to stay and clean tables, serve drunks and made small talk with stuffy merchants that think too much of themselves when he could be recovering at least a meager bit of what he once had? It should be easy, last time a war served him well to rise in the ranks of cultivators. And he had heard that Westeros had troubles, probably a war on the horizon. Something about a Mad King, a Prince kidnapping a Lady and something about a Lord Paramount and his heir being killed… what was a Lord Paramount again? Was that similar to the Sect Leaders of the Major Sects?

Well, it didn´t matter. He said his last goodbyes to the Venarros and departed in a ship towards Gulltown. When he arrived, he noticed the clear signs of a recent battle there… along with something else. He had never liked brothels and didn´t want to enter one ever again, but he noticed a person lurking around suspiciously near it. Following his instincts, he followed the person, a woman with few clothes, despite his obvious revulsion. The other girls came closer when they noticed him, but he sent them away. He followed that woman, finding her just when she was about to plunge a dagger in the heart of the man she was bedding. A dark-haired, blue-eyed man that looked well-groomed even without his clothes. And the assassin… he was definitely someone important. So he threw his sword, killing her before she could kill her client.

“Seven Hells!! That was close!!” the man said, pushing the corpse from him. “I knew that mad Aerys and his lapdogs were mad at me for storming Gulltown, but to actually send an assassin to get rid of me… bloody dragons” he covered himself a bit. “You have my thanks!! If not for you, I would have been skewered by that bitch!!” he jovially thanked. “May I ask what is your name?”

“Liafang Zun… from Yi Ti” he answered in an accented Westerossi.

“Well, Ser Zun, I´m Robert Baratheon, Lord Paramount of the Stormlands!!”

“A pleasure to meet you, my Lord”

Like he said, his moment to seize the opportunity had arrived.

Chapter Text

Jon didn´t trust that foreign interloper one bit, also didn´t believe one single thing that came from his mouth… perhaps the part about coming from Yi Ti he believed, his maester actually said that he looked like the portrait of a yitish courtesan he had seen in a book in the Citadel once… but something told him that he lied every time he opened his mouth. Though there was little he could do to make him go away. After all, Robert had taken a liking to him for having saved him, then having a sparring match with him in the courtyard. If he were to take his new favorite toy away, then he would be faced with an epic tantrum that he would be forced to waste time and energy stifling. Besides, a foreign interloper he might be, but that man Liafang Zun was skilled with the sword and he needed more of such men in this trip to King´s Landing.

Humm, perhaps they would be lucky and one of the Targaryen knights would kill him before he needed to actually deal with him. He was quite skilled, yes, but skilled swordsmen died in battle very often. They only needed bad luck. For now, it would be best to endure his presence. After all, he had saved Robert from an assassination attempt and he didn´t want to be seen as ungrateful.

“I see that you have taken to spar with the lowborn, Lord Robert!!”

And talking about headaches, there was another. Lyn Corbray had been captured in Gulltown fighting for the loyalist cause, but he had joined the Rebels immediately after. Jon Arryn had to accept him, specially after his father begged for his second son´s life. The knight was also a pretty accomplished swordsman for his age, so he might be useful, but Jon trusted him as much as he did the strange, exotic new pet Robert had acquired.

“Liafang here is very good. He even gave old Ser Edgen a sound defeat!! Why shouldn´t I want to better myself fighting with those that are better than me? Than those that trained me in the art of war?”

“But is he really that good? Or has he been intentionally fighting green boys and old knights like the no name sellsword that he is?” Lyn Corbray advanced towards the sword rack. Jon Arryn´s eyes narrowed, wondering who could win such a fight. The Valeman was very good for someone that has only participated in tourneys, but this Liafang Zun had the eyes of someone who had fought and survived one. He could be very dangerous. “What were you before you joined whatever company you found in Essos, a street rat?” the man in question remained silent. “Where did you get that pretty sword too? I would like it. How about you let me buy it for you? I would pay handsomely.”

“Won´t serve you” he said, looking at his blade. “Only serves me”

“Come on, I said I will pay. Couldn´t you just buy another sword with that? Or a good whore or ten?” the knight pulled out a tourney sword from the racket.
“How about this? I get to keep the sword if I win this fight, you Essosi scum.”

“Yi Tish”

“It´s the same”

Jon Arryn looked down with interest as the combatants took their stances. His eyes didn´t deceive him, both of them had formal instruction. Perhaps not on the same style or kind of sword, but he could tell that both had been trained by good masters. Which added to the mystery of Liafang Zun. With the other things the servants around the castle had told him from carefully watching him. The Lord of the Vale too. He had invited Liafang Zun to dinner after receiving the first reports, wanting to asses the man himself. He was surprised of what he saw. Indeed, this man was no ordinary one. The way he walks, he eats… it was ingrained of him along with the air of nobility. He also could see that he had been formally trained, probably in the sword forms of Yi Ti. But why would a nobleman leave his homeland and incomes to come to a distant land where he had nothing? That was strange… though explainable. He could be a branch family member, the third son of a third son, posed to inherit nothing. Or he could be a bastard, who learned from seeing his trueborn relatives or training with them, if his father was generous. Both were reasonable explanations.

As he watched, the Falcon Lord could tell immediately that Lyn Corbray had bitten much more than he could eat. Liafang Zun was not only well trained, but was well trained in different styles. And he could pass between them as easily as the wind or the waves. One seemed to be made by a stronger and wider sword, others for a slimer one and another… he was a complex mixture, one so proficient that it was no surprise that he confused the Corbray knight enough to send him to the ground. The Corbray knight growled, complained that they other had cheated and then left the courtyard in anger as Robert laughed. Ser Edgen looked up at him, confirming Jon Arryn´s suspicions. He had also seen it.

“What could you tell?” he asked his master at arms after some hours, when he knew they were alone.

“He is well trained, in many styles… worse, I can tell he was holding back against young Ser Corbray. I´m sure he hasn´t showed us all the tricks he has under his sleeves” the aging knight answered him. “I think he has also been with your maester lately. Apparently, he has asked for some paper and ink.”

“Really?” this cemented his believe. “Come with me.”

The next stop the men took was the maester´s tower, where the old man showed them where the strange visitor had been working. Also a piece of his work… apparently one that hasn´t been very well in his eyes. It looked like a normal piece of paper, rectangular in shape, with strange writings in the Yi Tish language. The handwriting was immaculate, though, he could tell. It might be different in Yi Ti and he could be mistaken, but here in Westeros literacy was something that only the rich could achieve. Nobles, rich merchants, septons and the like. And from the work put on the letters, he could tell that this person was used to writing and had a perfect hand at that, something that could only been product of a good education. His suspicions that he was a nobleman grew up. Of course, here in Westeros most noblemen only knew the basic of letters and wrote like chicken scratches, but he had seen plenty that put some effort in it. Those that actually give intellectual pursues their due, like Lord Leyton Hightower.

“Keep an eye on him as much as you can” he ordered. “And make sure to keep him in my host. Robert has already taken too much of a liking to him, I would hate for him to have some weird ideas that he is welcomed more than he is.”

“Do you want me to get rid of him?”

“No” he didn´t like it, but they needed as many good fighters as they could. And lose such a good one right now would make him no favors. “Wait for now, until all this has settled down. Then we decide what to do with him.”

“As you order, my Lord.”

Lord Robert Baratheon left for the Stormlands a few days later. The mysterious Liafang Zun accompanied them, keeping to himself most of the time, but getting somewhat along with some of the younger knights Jon Arryn sent with his ward to the Stormlands. It made him enraged that Robert insisted in his new pet accompanying him, but he was not surprised by his ward´s whims. Better to let him do as he wanted. Then, as he gathered his lords and convinced those reluctant to join him, news about the Battle of Summerhall arrived. It made him smile to realize how effortlessly Robert had turned those that were enemies into allies. That was the charm the Lord of Storm´s End had. Or should he say the King? He was thinking more and more that crowning him was the only option by now. But the war couldn´t be all victories. As he was marching to meet him, news arrived of a defeat at the hands of Randyll Tarly.

“And Robert?” he asked, practically shaking the messenger. “What happened to Lord Robert?! Was he captured? Killed?”

“No, my Lord” the man answered, shaking his own head. “In the middle of the battle, a man appeared ridding a sword.” Jon Arryn couldn´t mask his confusion.
“I swear!! He was flying on a sword!! He took Lord Robert away when the army was trying to leave, towards the Stoney Sept!! I swear!! He was a magician!!”

“What did that man look like?”

“I don´t know, strange? He seemed to be a foreigner, but he didn´t look like any Essosi I have ever seen. Not that I have seen many, I´m not a sailor.”

The Lord of the Eyrie didn´t need to hear much more, he had an idea of who had rescued Robert from Randyll Tarly. But a flying sword… that sounded like something the loyalists have invented to make up for their failure to capture the Lord of Storm´s End. He gritted his teeth, he still needed to negotiate with Hoster Tully to bring his forces to the fight. The stubborn man certainly was going to try and win everything he could from their negotiation, but he had no other way to win this war. He only hoped that Liafang Zun had taken Robert somewhere safe, somewhere he could wait without being captured until Jon Arryn could arrive and save him. Only for that, the Lord of the Vale would cover the sellsword in gold.

Though there was something in Liafang Zun´s eyes that worried him. The man was an opportunist, he was sure of that. But so were many men, he couldn´t fault him for his disloyalty when he had arrived so little time ago in Westeros, where he didn´t have a family or a lord he is loyal to. Then again, he doubted the sellsword would throw his lot with the Mad King. Liafang Zun should be by now very aware that Aerys might as well burn him alive for demanding any sort of reward for killing Robert Baratheon.

So he continued with his plan to go to Riverrun, while he trusted that his former ward was in good hands. Once he joined with the Stark army (a pleasant surprise that they arrived just in the right moment) and the Tully one (after accepting to marry his heir and Eddard Stark to the daughters of Lord Hoster for his army), they managed to throw back the loyalist army in the Battle of the Bells. Robert joined them in the middle of the battle, having been hidden in a brothel all this time. By his side, an exhausted looking Liafang Zun slew men with the same easiness as always. Apparently, the man had worked hard to keep the Lord of Storm´s End safe while he whored his way through the Peach.

“Ned!! I´m so glad to see you!! We almost lost this one, no?” Robert said, hugging his brother in all but blood as his sellsword sheeted his sword.

“I´m glad you are fine, Robert” Jon Arryn said, accepting a hug from his jovial ward. “Connington escape, he must be halfway to King´s Landing. We need to move to ally territory before the loyalists release another attack.”

“Alright, alright, tell the men to get packing” then he turned to the Yi Tish man. “Pretty skills you were hiding from me, eh, Liafang?” he then patted the man in the back, nearly throwing him to the ground. “Seriously, Jon, you should have seen this slip of a man protecting me!! He slit the throats of every dragon lover that got too close to me!! And none of those bastards noticed that until they were choking on their blood!! I saw it plenty of times from the window of the whorehouse!!”

“I only served the Lord Robert” he answered. The man probably deserved a rest… though Lord Arryn was going to have him watched closely now. If he was such a skilled assassin, then he was going to need to unless they end up with all their throats slit.

“And what you did with your sword… it´s the second time you save my life and I haven´t repaid you, only gave you more work.”

“That could wait”

So it was indeed Liafang Zun who took Robert away from Ashford, when his army lost the battle against the loyalists. Jon still doubted the veracity of the flying sword´s history, but at least that part was truth. And he kept Robert safe until the Rebels could arrive to Stony Sept to defeat the Targaryen army. They owed him a lot… and that was something he didn´t like at all. He was about to say something when he noticed pieces of paper with Yi tish writings plastered to the walls of the brothel. Just what the… a shiver crawled down his back. Could it be that the sword and the paper…

“Ah, of course, you haven´t met Liafang yet, no, Ned?” Robert suddenly pushed the Lord of Winterfell towards his pet sellsword. “Liafang, this is Ned… well, Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Lord Paramount of the North. Ned, this is Liafang Zun, from Yi Ti. He has saved my life quite a few times.”

“I´m glad to meet you then, Ser” Ned answered carefully. Apparently, he was of the same opinion as Jon, this man wasn´t to be trusted. “We owe you quite a lot.”

“I´m not a knight by your standards… I don´t even follow your gods” the Yi tish answered, but still bowed in front of the Lord of Winterfell. The way he bowed… it was strange, but it denoted practice and elegance. Again, like a nobleman´s.

“Perhaps we should fix that, don´t you think, Jon?”

“We need to talk about other things before, Robert”

“Alright, alright, but you are going to do it, no?”

“Of course” he answered with a tense smile.

So Jon Arryn knighted this foreigner in the same afternoon as Robert Baratheon was named King of the Seven Kingdoms by the Rebels. He became his Hand, probably because he was the only person apart from Ned that the new king ever listened. Liafang Zun kept himself in the background during the important parts, but he was always watching and listening. Jon Arryn knew that he was learning too. He was going to need to watch him more carefully now. A knighthood was something he could give, specially considering that there were plenty of hedge knights barely surviving, but things like lands and…

“I´m bored!! Is there a minstrel here to sing us something?!” Robert suddenly called. A young man approached with a harp in his hands, but ended up taking a step back when the king sent him a dirty look. “Forget it, I don´t want to hear to any lousy singer. Maybe we can organize a short tilt in the name of…”

“We are at war, Robert, we can´t spare men just because of entertainment´s sake”

“You are a joykiller, Jon” he sighed. “Well, does someone know some good history that I haven´t heard before? Something new… ah, Liafang!! Perhaps you know of some history from your distant homeland that could entertain us?”

“Of course, your Grace” the sellsword said immediately, making Jon Arryn narrow his eyes. “It´s about a Rebellion like this of the sort… though it was a little bit different. I participated in it when I was younger, too. Before I left Yi Ti.”

“I don´t understand, did your people rise against the God Emperor?” one of the Riverlords asked, interested. He seemed to know a bit about that distant land… perhaps he should talk to him later, when they were alone.

“No, against the Chief Cultivator. It´s… something like the Hand of the King, but he rules almost without interference of the God Emperor himself, who rules the rest of the people directly with his council.” He joined his hands. “The Chief Cultivator I´m about to talk about was considered a wise person once, strong in mind and body, but he was also full of pride. So prideful that he took any insinuation that something he owned was of inferior quality to what others possessed as a personal insult. Be it a sword or losing an archery competition… everything was an insult to his person.”

“Hah, what a madman!! Another Aerys in the other side of the world!!” Jon Arryn doubted it. From that small information, he could tell that this man was an opponent much more dangerous than Aerys Targaryen. “And what was the lunatic´s name?”

“Ruohan… Wen Ruohan, Lord of Nightless City and leader of the Wen Clan” eh? The family name first? Was that the way names were said in Yi Ti? “You see, Wen Ruouhan had governed for a long time, he lacked nothing as a leader. Though cruel, his reign was a time of prosperity until the moment he realized that his sons, Wen Xu and Wen Chao, would never reach him, as Wen Xu was a loyal follower but not a leader and Wen Chao a lackwit. In other words, he didn´t have a true heir to his legacy and his clan was lacking” He stopped dramatically. “It was made obvious when he organized an archery competition and none of the Wen competitors reached the first places… he had killed for less. And he did” Liafang moved his hands as if he was playing some kind of instrument. “he started attacking neighbor clans, then demanded the heirs and an honor guard of each clan, major or minor, to be sent to him for reeducation.”

“Obviously they said no!! It was like sending him hostages!!” the new Lord Cafferen, a hot-blooded youth, screamed. “So you rose in Rebellion?”

“They complied. But then the heirs were nearly killed by Wen Chao´s incompetence, though they manage to escape the Wens and return to their homes. It was then that Wen Rouhan did his first big move. He attacked a Major Clan, the Yummeng Jiangs, when their holding of Lotus Pier was unprepared. Their Lord, Jiang Fengmian, and his wife, Yu Ziyuan, died in the attack, but their children managed to escape along with the family´s ward. Their people was massacred then… and young heir Jiang Cheng swore revenge.”

“Good!! The boy had courage!!”

“He made a dangerous trip too, but managed to reach a summit of the clans, where he spoke to each clan head, trying to make then declare war against Wen Rouhan. Some were reluctant, but after showing how many of our people were eager to rid this world of him and gaining the aid of Clan Leader Nie Mingjue, he managed to make them declare war. A war that was soon called, because the symbol of the Quishan Wen was a blazing sun, the Sunshot Campaign.”

Jon Arryn couldn´t help but get lost in the tale. It was just… so many things that attracted the imagination. Chifeng Zun, the sable wielding hero that conquered the Wens with his strength and war tactics, cutting the head of the Wen heir and displaying it like a trophy. Zewu Jun, the elegant and calm leader of the Lans, who also participated to avenge his people, and his younger brother Hanguang Jun, who was looking for his lost love at the same time as he triumphed in a war. Sāndú Shèngshǒu, the avenger of the Massacre of Lotus Pier, fighting with his whip Zidian that was covered in lightning. And Yiling Laozu, the black witch that was once the Jiangs´ ward, that had been turned into a heretic and a monster by the torture the Wens put her through… as he managed to get back to himself, Jon Arryn noticed that he wasn´t the only one caught by the narrative. Ned too… and several lords who were probably taking notes in their heads to commission songs from their bards. Something told him that suddenly, the tale of the Sunshot Campaign of Yi Ti would be made popular…

-Much later, in Riverrun-

Ned didn´t trust that man Liafang Zun at all and much less wanted him in his wedding… though, to be fair, he was merely participating of the banquet as any mere soldier would. He wasn´t even attending like Robert or Jon would. Even so, he would be relieved if the man decided to cut his loses and return to Yi Ti once the war ended. Surely the spoils of war would be good enough for a sellsword, no? Anyway, he should be putting his attention on Catelyn, on getting to know her as more than Brandon´s bethrothed… which she wasn´t anymore. She was his own wife.

“You look very nice in that dress, my lady”

“Thank you, my lord” she answered with a nod of the head. “It´s… it was a nice ceremony too, despite everything” and by everything she means her sister crying all the ceremony as she was dragged to Jon Arryn by her father. “I´m sure Lysa didn´t mean to offend Lord Arryn, it´s just that… she is so young and doesn´t understand already that this was done for her own good. Now she is going to be the Lady of a great house and Lord Arryn is an honorable man. He will treat her well.”

“Yes, he will” he assured her. “Though I feel a bit of pity for her. A younger groom might have been more… acceptable.”

“Perhaps” Catelyn nervously scanned the place. “The music is also good. Maybe we can get down and dance a few pieces…”

“Here are my new goodsons” Hoster Tully approached, the newly crowned King Robert Baratheon by his side. "His Grace was telling me that you got someone from Yi Ti in your entourage. Mind lending him to me for a few seconds? I have recently acquired some things from Yi Ti on a whim and wish to know what in the Seven Hells I bought. I´m pretty sure one is a musical instrument, but I don´t know how to use it."

“Liafang Zun is a warrior, not a musician though”

“But he is well educated according to his Grace, he might know”

Ned frowned. Yes, he had noticed it in the way the supposed sellsword moved, bowed and talked. He was a cultured man, a literate man to both, and both spoke of nobility. But if he was nobility, then why was he in Westeros and not in Yi Ti? Perhaps he was one of those Wens he heard about. Songs based on the tales Liafang Zun had told in the camp, the Sunshot Campaign, had already been written and some were starting to get popular amongst the smallfolk. He was pretty sure that soon enough, some bards working for the noble houses of Westeros would pick the tale and make their own songs based on that. Or the Lords that heard them would commission some. Returning to the foreigner, he still didn´t want him, but there was no way to convince Hoster Tully to leave this for later. So, Liafang Zun was called amongst the nobility once more and showed some strange things, including a musical instrument that he had never seen before.

“It´s a guqin” he said, passing his hands through the silk chords. “May I?”

“Go ahead” Lord Hoster said. “I want to hear how it sounds”

“Alright”

The guqin was then put on the floor as Liafang kneeled in front of it, his fingers passing through the chords and making some arrangements. Ned knew little of music and instruments, but he could tell when someone was familiar with the use of a particular thing. This man has instruction… again, something related to nobility though not dominated only by them. Once he finished toning the instrument, Liafang Zun started to play it. The song was… refreshing. As cold water in the face during the heat of the summer. Immediately, his mind was clearer than ever and some minor discomforts disappeared. Even that slight headache that he had since the start of the war, thanks to his worry for Lyanna.

“It´s a beautiful song” Lord Hoster finally said. “What is the name of this particular piece?”

“Clarity” he answered, taking his hands away from the instrument as he ended the song. “It was one of the first pieces I learned with the guqin. Once upon a time, I enjoyed playing it for a close friend that is no longer amongst us.”

“You are a gifted musician, Ser” Catelyn said.

“Not at all, I merely had a good teacher” he said, smiling softly. Apparently, this teacher meant a lot to him. “You should have heard him play, my Lady, he could have charmed the very gods to give him immortality… though he was by admission better at the flute.”

“He was a wandering minstrel?”

“No, he was…” he stopped himself. What was he about to reveal? “Maybe the ladies would like another piece. I know some others that might be adequate for a wedding, even if they were not made to dance.”

“Bah!! We have had enough of songs!! Maybe a history again!!” Robert said. “One filled with battles and blood and…”

“Robert, it´s a wedding” Ned reminded him softly. “Perhaps a song about romance would be…”

“Or a tragedy, that would be something to hear” all the eyes focused on the new Lady Arryn. It was the first time she had talked since pronouncing her vows on the Sept, preferring to weep in silence. Hoster Tully sent his daughter a glare and she recoiled.

“Hummm… battles, romance, tragedy… perhaps some short histories would be better” he said, thinking about it. “Like the history of Baoshan Sanren´s children.”

“Who?”

“Lady Baoshan Sanren´s disciples” he answered. “She is a wise woman who lives in a celestial mountain in permanent seclusion in Yi Ti, only the children she takes as her own for company. She is said to be well versed in the Six Arts, having achieved immortality a long time ago. As she lives away from the world, the only news of her people get is from those of her disciples that decide to leave her mountain to join the world, though if they leave, they are never allowed to return.”

Again, the audience was captive. Immortality… that seemed too hard to believe, but he was sure some of the lords were already imagining it. Of course, Baoshan Sanren could merely be a title that was passed down in Yi Ti as a tradition to a female high religious figure or something like that, keeping the memory of the first woman alive… but that doesn´t make the history lack less interesting.

“Those disciples that leave, they have all had been gifted in the Six Arts… and met tragic ends, as they were poorly prepared for this world.”

“All of them?”

“All of them” Liafang continued, his hands moving along the guqin to make a soft sound, so the music was accompanying the tale. “The first one was Yanling Daoren, many generations ago. He quickly became famous for his skills in many arts, and people admired and flattered him everywhere he went. But he had never seen the evils of the world, never experienced the dark truths, having lived in a blessed mountain all his life until that moment. As time progressed and he saw more of the evil of this world, he became horrified by it more and more. He then decided that the people themselves were what was causing the evil and decided to eradicate them. He became then a villain that could slaughter thousands of people without blinking twice. An army was gathered to stop him, a whole army against a single man, a proof of his skill in the art of war. He killed quite a few of them, but in the end, Yanling Daoren ended up piercing by thousands of swords. Thus ended the first disciple.”

“That Yanling Daoren… who do you think would have won if he and Arthur Dayne ducked it out?”

“Ser Arthur, of course!!”

“Yes!! He and Barristan Selmy could put the brotherhood of the Kingswood in their place, surely they could have put some Yi Tish pansy in it´s place!!”

“Hey, Yi Tish, who was the second? You said they were three.”

“The second disciple was a woman, Cangse Sanren. She descended from the mountain when the generation of my parents was alive” Liafang continued producing music, which turned sad. “In our country, it´s not strange for women to be trained in the Six Arts too” apparently, he had noticed their shock when he mentioned a woman fighting. “She was said to have been as strong as she was beautiful, with a mischievous nature that only added to that. She visited the major clans and learnt from them. She also met their heirs, many of them who became infatuated with her, including Jiang Fengmian and Lan Quiren… though the latter would deny it after an incident where she shaved his beard in revenge for having nearly gotten her and her friends killed.”

“Surely she ended up marrying the other”

“Not at all. She felt in love with Jiang Fengmian´s best friend, Wei Changze… I think you would call him a household knight… and married him. They became a wandering family for some time, lending their strength to those that needed it. They also welcomed a child into the world, Wei Ying” the music turned sadder in that moment. “But they didn´t live for long. When the child reached four years of age, his parents fell on a battle. Wei Ying was raised then by her rejected suitor Jiang Fengmian as ward… the ward that would eventually become known as the Yiling Laozu.”

The Yiling Laozu… the lords mumbled between them. At least those who knew the history or had heard from someone before. The septon had a frown on his face. Obviously, he didn´t want all these foreign nonsenses to infect the young lords and ladies in attendance… or anyone at all. The Faith of the Seven was not known for being open to new ideas and the one that women deserved the same education as men…

“The third and last disciple was one I personally saw once, Xiao Xincheng. Was dressed in a white robe and walked as if stepping on clouds… and always accompanied by who he claimed was his only friend, Son Lan. When looking at them, people used to say that Xiao Xingchen as the bright moon and gentle breeze and Song Lan was the distant snow and cold frost. He had come down the mountain with the aim to save the world… a naïve dream that would cost him dearly eventually.”

“What happened?”

“Together, Song Lan and Xiao Xincheng defeated many evils. Between them was an evil mage called Xue Yang. You see, this man was no mere lowlife. He had the protection of people in power because of his knowledge of the dark arts, knowledge he had used to kill and maim as he pleased. It was known that he had exterminated a whole minor clan in one night thanks to that knowledge… so the rightful Song Lan and Xiao Xincheng hunted him down and brought him to justice. As he was dragged to the dungeons, Xue Yang promised revenge on those that had brought him low. And he did. He slaughtered Song Lan´s family and managed to blind Xiao Xincheng permanently, though he learned to fight without the use of his eyes. The two friends separated after that event, to heal” His hands stopped for a second. “Many years later, it was said that Xue Yang was executed. In truth, he had escaped his prison. As he escaped, he found Xiao Xincheng again… and decided to execute his revenge.”

“Murdered?” someone asked.

“Xue Yang was rescued from a certain death by Xiao Xincheng and noticed that he couldn´t recognize him without eyes. He executed his vengeance over a long time, travelling with him and gaining his trust, using that trust to make him kill innocents in the night. Thousands of lives were sacrificed in such a way, to Xue Yang´s delight… Song Lan then came to find his friend and realized what the criminal had done… but was defeated by him, with the aid of Xiao Xincheng, who hadn´t recognized his dearest friend. He suffered a faith worse than death, enslaved and permanently silenced by Xue Yang´s dark arts, his tongue ripped out from his mouth.” Liafang continued, capturing the collective imagination. “Though there were victims of Xue Yang that had it worse. The leader of the Chang family, in particular, he was killed by lingchi.”

“Lingchi?” Robert asked, and for some reason Roose Bolton paid attention.

“Death by a Thousand Cuts, reserved for crimes viewed as especially heinous… though I haven´t heard of anyone applying it recently, even to traitors, but Xue Yang” his melody never stopped. “It´s kind of gruesome and also quite the humiliating form to die, slowly cutting the flesh away from the body… he victim pleads for death long before it´s over.”

“And that Lord Chang…”

“Oh, I´m sure he was begging for death at the end, but Xue Yang was cruel and petty, so he didn´t give it.” He stopped for a second. “Returning to Xiao Xincheng, when he found out exactly who he had saved and trusted, he confronted Xue Yang. But the criminal was ready and revealed his vengeance, everything he had done. Even what happened to Song Lan thanks to Xiao Xincheng. Horrified by his crimes and by what he had done to his dear friend, Xiao Xincheng turned his own sword towards himself and sliced his own neck, taking his life in repentance.”

“Suicide?” the septon suddenly said. “But that is sin!!”

“Xiao Xincheng didn´t want to live anymore, considering how he had stained his hands and his soul… and by our traditions, taking one´s life in repentance for atrocious crimes is not badly viewed” Liafang explained. “The punishment then arrived for Xue Yang. As the cooling body of Xiao Xincheng laid on the ground, he cried for the first time in his miserable life. Xiao Xincheng had been the only person to treat him as a human, not as a weapon, tool or even something without value, but as a person… and in the middle of that, he had fallen madly in love with the moon that he could never reach. It was an obsessive one, that lead him to keep the body to the best of his ability, with the aim of using his dark arts to return Xiao Xincheng to live. He kept on killing too, using Xiao Xincheng´s own sword and the techniques he learned from observation, searching for the only person more knowledgeable in the dark arts than him: the Yiling Laozu.”

“Hah!! Rhaegar the Rapist would have made good friends with that deviant villain!! They were made of the same cloth!!”

“I hope so, for your good, your Grace. Xue Yang was finally stopped after all and cut down by Huanguang Jun and the Yiling Laozu. Song Lan was freed too, though he remained a mute. Weighed by grief and knowing that it was not his dear friend´s fault, he decided to wander the earth with his sword and his remains, waiting for the moment where Xiao Xincheng´s soul would finally find peace again and both could reunite in the other life.”

“It´s beautiful!! And so sad!!”

One of the ladies cried, followed by another. It almost mimicked Rhaegar´s performance in Harrenhal… almost. And Liafang Zun said that he was not that gifted a musician? Or perhaps storyteller. Ned then noticed that the room had been rendered speechless during the duration of the tale. Even the bards seemed to have taken to listen, wanting to keep notes of the history. More songs were surely going to follow that night, about the friendship of Xiao Xincheng and Song Lan… and the obsession of villain Xue Yang with the distant moon that saved his life. Or perhaps it was a love history? Some people might claim that the masculine pronouns were an error in the translation… weren´t women allowed to become warriors in Yi Ti after all?... Liafang Zun had arrived from his homeland shortly ago too... and write Xiao Xincheng as a woman. Soon, his or her true gender would be forgotten and Xiao Xincheng would become a warrior maiden with a tragic death at the hands of a villain, leaving her lover behind to mourn her death.

-Later that night-

Jin Guangyao was very pleased with himself. Not only had he managed to coddle with the upper echelons of nobility in this distant land, but he had managed to capture their imagination with their tales. War shouldn´t be a time to share tales, sure, it was a bloody time… but who didn´t want to forget it? And wasn´t a good story a good distraction between battles? Certainly there were others, but… anyway, this was enough for now. He had Robert Baratheon, soon to be King, as his ally. He needed to keep that post so he could climb again to the position he used to hold. Chief Cultivator sounded well, Hand of the King will sound even better alongside it.

As for Xue Yang… well, he never claimed they were friends before. He was a useful tool at most and he knew it. They had an agreement to recreate the Yin Stygian Tiger Seal, nothing more, nothing less. And he had fulfilled it. Besides, he had done more than his actual part of the deal because it benefitted him. Though if he had to hear Chengmei say once more how perfect and pure Xiao Xincheng was or hear his dark fantasies about the same person, he might have been tempted to actually take his head. Only for that he deserved a bit of that, no?

He then heard someone passing. It was one of the bards, playing a lyre as he practiced something that sounded a bit clumsy. A new song? Then he heard then the names of Xiao Xincheng and Song Lan… apparently a new song has already been born. Along with others. He wondered for a second what Xichen would think about this, certainly he would find it hilarious. Maybe…

Chapter Text

Jin Guangyao hadn´t expected this to come so fast, but the final battle of the Rebellion was finally there. Robert´s Rebellion, as they had taken to call it. And he had very juicy information from his careful spying. Apparently, Jon Arryn had been disposing of letters sent by Prince Rhaegar Targaryen with the aim of calling a parley between the Rebels and the Loyalists by order of his dearest ward, without informing his other ward at all. He knew because he had heard them talking… but why weren´t they informing Eddard Stark about that? Why leaving their main ally out? Well, it didn´t even matter, he said to himself as he polished his sword as a good cultivator should before the fight. Even if it was against other human beings.

“Liafang, my friend, there you are” Robert said when he exited the tent. He seemed in a good mood, perhaps even lusting after a camp follower or two. “Ready for the big bloodbath? Tomorrow is going to be a great day!!”

“I´m sure, your Grace”

“That magic sword of yours... perhaps you should lend it to me. Normally the only blade I have on myself is the knife Jon gave me, but for a magic sword…”

“It only obeys me”

“You Yitish can be quite prudish, you know” the would be king said. “But I´m not going to insist. After all, I would still prefer my Warhammer instead of your fancy magic sword!!” he patted the weapon as if it was a dear friend. “Though I wouldn´t mind if you give me another ride. It was quite the experience, to fly over everyone… wonder if that was how the Targaryens of old felt, before they lost their minds and their dragons.”

“I doubt flying on a sword and flying on a dragon are the same” he smiled softly. “I wouldn´t mind giving you another ride, your Grace.”

“Then give me one when I enter King´s Landing.” The man answered, very sure of himself. “It would be kind of an image, no? Aegon the Conqueror entered the place for the first time on dragonback as king, I will do it on a flying sword.”

Quite frankly, in A-Yao´s mind, Robert Baratheon was fitter for the life of a mercenary or a wandering knight than that of a great Lord or King. He was quite brutish, not at all like the cultivated men he was used to see in power in his homeland… even Nie Mingjue was a gentleman in comparison to this man. But this seems to be the man all Westeros wanted in charge of them… and that was an opportunity for him too. Nothing better than a gullible king completely uninterested in ruling for those around him to thrive.

The next morning, they found themselves facing the royal army on the river Trident. Liafang Zun had to admit that it was an intimidating sight. The enemy had twice their number if not more, so he thanked that he had been so careful and laid some traps with talismans. His handmade versions were not as powerful as the ones people like Wei Wuxian or Lan Wangji would be able to make, despite being based on the former´s designs, but surely they could be enough to throw some knights from their horses and stop some foots. And if not, he could use his sword and the talismans on his sleeves to take down key enemy leaders. Talismans that he threw towards the Dornish cavalry as soon as they charged on their horses. After that, everything became quite blurry, but he managed to down every enemy that came his way.

“Rhaegar!!! Come out and fight me, you rapist!!” he heard suddenly from his side. He turned around and saw Robert going directly towards a man in a dark armor, filled with rubies.

“Cousin, let me explain, I didn´t do what you are accusing me of. If you only put down your hammer and listen to what I have to…”

“I don´t have to listen to the ramblings of some mad dragonspawn!!”

“You leave me with no option then, Robert.”

Rhaegar wielded his sword, engaging his Baratheon relative in single combat. The former head of the Jin clan could tell that both combatants were good. The Lord of Storm´s End was an amazing warrior with a superior brute strength, while the Prince of Dragonstone was as elegant as a dancer as he moved around. On a certain moment, he gained the upper hand, as the Warhammer was not as fast as a sword. That wouldn´t be good. He sent a talisman flying over to Rhaegar, temporarily paralyzing him on the spot. It was not going to work for long, but it gave Robert all the time he needed. The Warhammer caved in the silver haired man´s chest, rubies flying around. It was over. The loyalists retreated or were captured, everything lost for them when their beloved Prince fell. Some stayed behind, the greedy ones indeed, to collect the gems that fell from his breastplate. The Jin didn´t follow them, preferring to watch over the prisoners. Especially high-profile prisoners.

“So you are the man I have been hearing about, the one that rescued Robert Baratheon in Ashford, fleeing with him on a flying sword” Ser Barristan Selmy asked when the cultivator sat down to talk to him. “I wouldn´t believe it if I haven´t seen it.”

“It´s nothing to be surprised of, in Yi Ti any person with training is capable of making a sword fly” he answered, putting his weapon to the side. “Arrays and talismans, on the other side, those require talent.”

“Are you calling yourself untalented?”

“Not at all, simply that you Westerossi are easily surprised” he continued. Barristan didn´t seem to like him, probably recognizing him as a schemer at first sight. He had been at court enough time to recognize one. Jin Guangyao would need to keep an eye on him. “It would be on your best interest to bend the knee now.”

“King Aerys, Prince Aegon and Prince Viserys still live.”

“Perhaps, but are they going for long now that Rhaegar has fallen? This Rebellion is happening, Ser Barristan, and it´s winning. Bending the knee to the Baratheons is the only way to assure your survival” he smiled at the knight. “You understand why Aerys has to die? The Lords hardly would have endured a madman that threatened to burn them for any actions he doesn´t like on the Throne.”

“Rhaegar would have made an amazing King”

“Perhaps, but he is not breathing anymore”

“Aegon could still be”

“A long Regency? The Lords would hardly accept something like that, not when they had proclaimed and supported another adult King. And that he is the grandson of a madman won´t help gain their support” he joined his hands. “Robert Baratheon is going to be King, Ser. Think about your survival and not what could have been” he got closer, almost to whisper. “Or think of them, those sweet children of Rhaegar.”

“What?”

“Think about them. Who else but you could assure their survival once the Rebels have taken the capital?” he continued, knowing that he had him. “I have heard Jon Arryn saying that they are marrying Rhaenys to Robert´s heir and Aegon could become a ward in the Eyrie before taking the Black, go to the Citadel or join the Faith with his sister. Viserys can do too… and that babe Queen Rhaella is expecting could share their fate. It´s not ideal but they don´t have to die fighting.”

“Why did a man like you left his homeland, Ser Zun?” Barristan suddenly asked. “You don´t deceive, you are a man well-versed in politics, you know your way around a court. And not only because he was educated that way, you have held real power. Why would someone like you abandon everything to come here?”

“I would say that because I ran out of luck, but that would only be part of the history.” The cultivator answered, his eyes sharpening. “Perhaps because, at the end of the day, I was too low for the power I held. Once someone of a higher birth was ready…”

“You sound like someone who would have managed to cling to whatever power he got.”

“Who said I didn´t try? One has to know when to cut his loses too, so I left” he got up. “Think about my words, Ser Barristan. The destiny of those children could be on your hands… and you know what Robert Baratheon thinks of dragonspawn.”

It was no surprise that Ser Barristan the Bold bent the knee that day. Liafang Zun was smiling all the way. He still had to be more than wary of the man, even if he was a warrior and not a politician at all, as he knew how a schemer thought way too well. Anyway, this Rebellion was practically over the moment Rhaegar fell. Now it was time to reap the fruits of his hard work. And they were going to be sweeter than ever.

-In King´s Landing-

Tywin Lannister was standing on the Throne Room, waiting for the new King with an offering no one could reject. The death of Elia Martell was a little unfortunate. Originally, he had planned on only killing her spawn and sending the Princess back to Dorne to avoid making an even bigger enemy of the Martells. After that, she could remarry or continue a widow for all he cared… but that brute Clegane couldn´t contain himself and had to kill her. Now he was going to have to think about ways to pacify those vipers before they slip poison into their cups. Even so, the elimination of the remaining children of Rhaegar was a success and now he only had to wait until Viserys and Rhaella Targaryen were also eliminated on Dragonstone.

As they waited, Eddard Stark was sending daggers towards his son. Jaime would soon be released from his vows and Cersei would take her rightful place as Queen once she marries Robert Baratheon. The presence of the wolf lord reminded him that he should take care of that wild girl Lyanna Stark in case the King still wanted her. It shouldn´t take much, she could be killed on the way by bandits. Though he would have to be careful that the men he sent were smart enough not to kill Eddard Stark. The King would probably put everything on hold if they were to kill his dearest friend.

It was in that moment that it happened. Robert Baratheon entered in a clearly flying sword, right behind a man with long hair, obviously the owner of such a vehicle. Ah, so this was the Yitish pet he had heard about, the wizard whose achievements on the battlefield and whose histories of his distant homeland the bards were singing about lately. What was the name again? Oh, yes, Liafang Zun. He lowered the King carefully and then put the sword back on it´s sheat. Or more like the sword sheated itself. A nice trick, but not much more. Though… real magic… if half of what he heard was true, then his power should be added to the Lannister bloodline. Of course, he should offer the correct bait. For the moment, a few Lannister girl from Lannisport, distant relatives, came to mind, but something made him stop in that track of mind. The man´s eyes… he had seen that look in plenty of courtiers. The man might have come to Westeros with only the clothes on his back, but he had the mind of a real schemer and was politically aware. He had held power before…

“Your Grace” Tywin bowed as Robert Baratheon took his place on the Iron Throne… after he had passed over the bodies of Elia Martell and her children. Everyone around could clearly hear him calling them Dragonspawn, something that seemed to put Lord Eddard and King Robert more at odds. Perfect, that perhaps would be enough to cancel the betrothal between him and Lady Stark. “My army has successfully conquered the capital and won you the Iron Throne. I am your loyal subject.”

“Conquered? More like sacked like a bunch of savages” Lord Eddard said.

“Lord Stark, you certainly didn´t expect that the conquest of the capital would be a bloodless affair” the foreigner talked for the first time since he entered the Throne Room. “Even in my homeland of Yi Ti, when the Sunshot Campaign was at it´s end, the sacking of Nightless City was filled with blood and people doing things that under other circumstances they would never dream of doing. It was as if they all lost their sanity once Wen Ruohan fell…”

“This is not Yi Ti and King´s Landing is not Qishan, Ser Zun” the wolf lord answered. “Though I can see the parallelism between your Wen Ruohan and Aerys Targaryen, this are too very different countries, so the situations...”

“People have certain natures, Lord Stark, it´s very plausible that people from the Westernlands lost their minds just as it happened to mine.”

“And I´m supposed to believe that Gregor Clegane and Amory Lorch going directly to the royal apartments and slaughtering the Targaryens is also something that was done in the heat of the battle?”

“Yes, it was something unfortunate, but done in the heat of the battle.”

“In the… Lord Lannister, don´t even try to tell me that Clegane and Lorch´s actions were anything but your orders to secure not the hold of King Robert on the Throne, but the position of your own daughter as Queen!! You surely believe that´s attainable now that my sister is spoiled goods, as you would certainly call her!!”

“Lord Stark…”

“Enough!!” Robert said, silencing his pet wolf. Tywin also kept silence for the moment. He wasn´t intimidated by that foolish brute that called himself King now, but he needed to convince him to marry Cersei, so his blood finally was on the Throne. “You know that I wouldn´t replace Lyanna, not for anything in the world, Ned. I fought a war for your sister, I´m still going to marry her.”

“Robert…” Jon Arryn tried to intervene. Apparently, he also believed that Cersei was a better candidate for Queen than Lyanna Stark now. “Perhaps we should discuss this…”

“I will marry Lyanna, no one else will take her place until news of her fate have arrived!! And that´s an order!!”

“Excuse me, Lord Lannister, but the King is tired. I will talk to him” the falcon Lord said, respectfully. At least someone here knew the weight of the name Lannister, even if it was an old man that wouldn´t last long. An old man that for now was Hand of the King. “Please, the servants will show you to your rooms once they have prepared them. Ser Zun, can you please escort Lord Lannister for the time being?”

“Wait, we still need to talk about the murder of the Targaryen children and their…”

“Children? Children?! I see no children, but Dragonspawn!!”

That phrase was enough to cause a fight between the new King and one of his strongest supporters. Screams could be heard even if Jon Arryn tried to pacify both of his former wards, to hide the situation from the Lannister men… Tywin heard it all. As he followed the YiTish pet, he assessed him. He acted like a dog with a leash for now, but he knew that soon he was going to show his claws. He had already wormed his way into Robert´s inner circle, perhaps he was aiming to Ser Barristan´s post of Commander of the Kingsguard… he would be the first foreigner to achieve that.

“Ser Zun, I have heard many things about you. Your fame on the battlefield precedes you… and also as a bard and storyteller” Lord Tywin started the conversation, earning no reaction from the man. “My daughter specially enjoyed the tale of Song Lan and Xiao Xincheng… it had a romantic tone despite the tragedy. And she is not the only lady of the Westernlands, or Lord. Though those rather enjoy the tale of the Sunshot Campaing. Tell me, Wen Ruohan was truly as mad as Aerys?”

“Some would say that yes, considering that he had an entire wing of his Palace in Qishan that acted as dungeons. The Inferno Palace, it was called. I got to see it once” or more than once, Tywin could tell from how he was speaking. “Thousands of corpses hanging from the walls, with brands of the Sun on several places, lash marks… I couldn´t describe the horrors of Wen Ruohan´s dungeons even if I wanted.”

“Sounds like Aerys had competition for the maddest ruler in the world” Lord Lannister said, thinking about the man. He had never heard of him before, though something told him that if he hadn´t been stopped by his own rebels, he would have ended up meeting him in battle.

“It wouldn´t be that much of a competition as Wen Ruohan, mad as he was, retained his wits. And believe me when I said that they weren´t exaggerated by the songs. Wen Ruohan was a man strong in both body and mind, but in the end, his arrogance was his perdition. He was stabbed from the back while he was fighting several of the Sunshot Campaign leaders at the same time.”

“So I have heard” was that a warning about his own pride? A lion didn´t need to concern himself with the opinion of sheep, much less foreign ones that were only there because of the favor of a fickle king. “I also heard that you played a strange instrument for Lord Stark´s wedding. Might I be able to hear you?”

“A guqin? I´m afraid I don´t have one right now. The one I played for the nuptials was left behind in Riverrun and I doubt there is another one here in Westeros.”

“Nonsense, I´m sure we can get Lord Tully to lend you that instrument again for his Grace´s wedding.”

“I´m not that good of a musician, I merely learned the basics from a very good master. You should have heard him playing, it was truly marvelous.” He answered without offering much information about himself. “But sure, if his Grace and the Lords demand it, this humble one will play the guqin for you. After all, I have heard that the music of that particular instrument can be quite… soothing.”

“Yes, that would be of great help for the bride” Lord Tywin continued. “After all, she is to be rather nervous on her wedding night.”

“After all she had suffered, I´m sure Lady Lyanna will appreciate it. Or your daughter, if she is unable to fulfill the betrothal.”

Lord Tywin was puzzled even more. A learned man, with musical skills and a way of speaking that you would expect from a nobleman despite being in a foreign land with not even the language in common. The way he moved too… he needed to investigate him further to decide what to do with this man. So, after he was settled, he called for one of his men between the servants and told him to bring him whatever he could find on Liafang Zun. Then he called for Lorch, telling him to follow Stark, who had stormed off after his fight with Robert Baratheon to lift the Siege of Storm´s End and find his sister. He left it very clear to the butcher what would happen to him if he dared to hurt Stark. He only needed the girl dead, not the Lord of Winterfell. As the days progressed, he finally got something. Apparently, he was not the only one looking for information on the wizard.

“What is this?” he asked, Jon Arryn by his side, as his man gave him a drawing of a flower. It looked pretty much like heraldry, like the lion of Lannister embroidered in his own clothes or the Falcon of Arryn on Lord Arryn´s. “You said that this pattern was stitched in a tunic that you found in his chambers?”

“In the very bottom of the chest” he answered. “I have never touched something like that, but I could tell from all the times I saw the former royal family and nobles that it was a something very fine, milord. It was a little bit old and mistreated, but it was golden and that´s not an easy color to find.”

“Anything else?”

“Paper and ink on the desk, but he didn´t write any letters. He draw some strange things that looked like crossed sticks…”

“It´s the language of Yi Ti. Unfortunately, none of us can read it.”

“You only had to ask” Liafang Zun entered through the window in that moment, they were on the Tower of the Hand, how… was it his sword? Or was this man able to climb such heights without alerting the guards? “That´s the heraldry of Clan Jin from Jinlintai, in Yi Ti. Their castle is known as Koi Tower… the Golden Carp Tower. They are said to be as rich as princes… well, some of them are.”

“Why did you have a tunic with this heraldry?”

“I´m a low-ranking member of House Jin”

“I thought your last name was Zun”

“Liafang Zun in reality is a title, like the Bold or the White Bull. A title I took as my own name as I left Koi Tower to make my own way” he looked at the sigil drawn on the paper. “It´s very dear to me, as I gained it after I slayed Wen Ruohan himself.”

“You? Killed that Tyrant?”

“Wen Ruohan was powerful and strong, but he was prideful… and I have always been sneaky. While he was distracted fighting at least four leaders of the Sunshot Campaign, each of them stronger than me, I sneaked behind him. As he tried to slay then, I took the chance and silently struck him down with my sword. He never saw me coming…”

“If you were such a hero, why did you leave? Shouldn´t you have been honored by your people and thanked with riches and titles?”

“The Lords didn´t think much of me, considering my lower than desirable birth” so, he must be of really low birth, perhaps only distantly related to the Jins of Jinlintai. Like the Lannisport Lannisters… or their poorest descendants that could barely pay for a plate of food despite being Lannisters. “Yes, I received a nice title and nice clothing, a vermillion mark on my forehead and a place in a banquet at Jinlintai. A nice marriage to the daughter of a vassal who gave me a son too… but luck doesn´t last forever. And the Jins looked down on me at every chance they got. Then they died… first A-Song, then my poor A-Su. After that happened, I didn´t have anything that tied me to Yi Ti.”

“My condolences” Jon Arryn said. “I have also lost a child, I know it´s hard.”

“It was a long time ago, but the pain is still there” he touched his chest. “Anyway, my history with the Jin Clan is an old one too. I haven´t been to Yi Ti in more
than a year, I doubt anyone there remembers me” for some reason, Tywin doubted it. There was something in his voice that told him so. “If that is all?”

“No” Lord Lannister stopped him. “Ser, would you be so kind as to tell us your true name?”

“Does it matter? I stopped using it a long time ago” he bowed in the Yitish way that they had seen him using, with his hands in front of his body. “My Lords, I bid you good night.”

A good education indeed, despite being from a branch family. He was probably taken as a ward by the main family or something like that, after a contribution of his family or showing some promising, and well educated. But his low birth kept stopping him, so he decided to leave behind his homeland and come here. Foolish, to think that someone believed that they could rise high merely because their status was unknown in another place. Though… he might still have his use. And Tywin wanted that magic, the magic he possessed, in the hands of House Lannister, where it should belong. After all, it was their due as the most powerful House in Westeros.

-In Qinghe-

Huaisang put a paper butterfly and a painted fan over the tomb of his brother. More objects to suppress evil had been added over the years, as Chifeng-Zun´s resentment grew. He gritted his teeth. Perhaps he had destroyed every facet of A-Yao´s life, but the bastard had vanished into thin air. He knew that he was most probably dead, but until he had seen his dead body… not even being named Chief Cultivator at such a young age could erase the bitter taste from his tongue at knowing that his brother´s murderer could be at large. Steps were heard from behind him, but he didn´t turn around.

“You are out of seclusion” he said as Lan Xichen lighted some incense sticks for his brother. They haven´t talked much since Wei Wuxian explained just how involved Huaisang had been in the whole case. Someone would say that the First Jade of Lan hated him… “Is this the first place you visit after your self-imposed confinement?”

“It was only right” Zewu-Jun answered as he bowed. The Nie Clan Leader allowed him to present his respects in peace. “After all, it´s the anniversary.”

“Yes, the anniversary of his death” he caressed the altar that had been build there, over where the coffin was buried, with several arrays to suppress evil. “Da-ge deserved so much more than this, he deserved happiness…”

“I´m aware… but now, we can only hope that someday he can rest and find some healing in heaven” Xichen pulled out his guqin, starting playing Soothing Soul. “I wish that for the both of you, A-Sang.”

“Who said I need healing? I´m a viper, if you haven´t heard” by then, his involvement in the discovery of Jin Guangyao´s misdeeds and the truths behind Wei Wuxian´s demise in his first life was a well-known fact. He hadn´t expected the clan heads to eventually worked it out, but he had underestimated the heirs a bit. “What do they say now? If Nie Mingjue was the Master of the Red Steel, Nie Huaisang is the poisonous viper of Qinghe.”

“And even so, you made it to Chief Cultivator.”

“Only because they were afraid of voting against me after my candidacy was announced.” He fanned himself with his tessen, the elegant and more fitting war fan that he made out of his melted saber, that he almost never used. “I did such a good job my destroying Jin Guangyao that no one would ever…”

“A-Sang, I´m sorry” Huaisang froze. “When it happened… I should have taken better care of you. And I shouldn´t have believed so blindly in A-Yao. If I haven´t done so, then you wouldn´t have to…”

“Finally admitting your mistakes?” he fanned himself more quickly. “Well, better late than never, no, Zewu…”

“A-Sang” he stopped cold. Xichen got up and walked to the alter, picking the paper butterfly. He undid it, finding something written on it. A poem…

What have I done? What have I become?
The vengeance for you my self engulfed whole
Looking in the mirror, I can´t recognize
The viper that into my eyes gaze at
Da-ge, dear brother of mine, of my own soul
Please forgive and absolve this snake
That on his knees begs and prays for your praise

“It was a rapt of inspiration” Huaisang fanned himself quicklier. Xichen stared at him in worry, like he did immediately after Mingjue´s death. “After all, Da-ge would hate the person I have become. He wouldn´t forgive me for becoming a schemer like Wen Ruohan instead of an honorable warrior like himself and…”

“Da-ge would never hate you, A-Sang”

“How could you say that?! When you hate me too, for what I did to A-Yao…”

Xichen embraced him on that moment, allowing Huaisang to break down in tears against his chest. They were alone, no one would see him crying like that. Not that it would be unusual, only that now they knew that his tears during those years were a mask, crocodile tears he used to hide his fangs. Xichen-ge merely stayed there, patting his back. He should have been there more for Huaisang after Da-ge died, perhaps if he had done so, he would have been able to stop A-Yao earlier. Huaisang, for his part, allowed himself to cry. He hadn´t been able to mourn Mingjue in the right way because he was too busy planning his vengeance, it wasn´t that easy to find a torn apart body and evidence of an old crime. He also cried in anger, anger that he would hold into himself. The poison he had against the one that killed his brother… it hasn´t gone. And it won´t go until Jin Guangyao was buried as his brother was. And this viper will eventually find out where he was and end him. For good.

-In Westeros-

Tywin Lannister got his wish at last, receiving his daughter in the entrance of the Red Keep when she entered with the honor guard selected for her as the future Queen Consort. No one would ever call poor Lady Lyanna fortunate, but Jin Guangyao was pretty sure that her well timed death had saved her an even more terrible fate at the hands of Amory Lorch. Though he had to say, he had revealed a bit more about himself in the last few days than he would have liked it. It started when Lord Stark brought his bastard son to court. Seeing a bastard like himself being loved and cared for by his father, like he never was by Jin Guangshan, like not even the favored Mo Xuanyu was before he got rid of him and he committed suicide, made him lose his calm a bit. So he took Lord Stark aside and addressed him directly.

“You should have left him with his mother.”

“Ser, I don´t see how that´s even your…”

“Do you know how the life of a bastard is? Even the life of a noble´s bastard? It a perilous way and he would have to shoulder things no child should” he continued, not caring about the Lord´s answer. “My own father was the Jin clan leader, Jin Guangshan, Lord of Jinlintai. He was so rich, so highborn… he allowed his wife to throw me all the way down the stairs of Koi Tower, because she couldn´t stand me, the son of a mere mistress.”

“Your father´s lady was wrong, but I think my own lady wife…”

“I saw my half-brother at his birthday banquet for the first time, do you know what seeing the difference makes to a child? Do you think I didn´t compare myself to golden Jin Zixuan, with his fortune and beautiful fiancé?” he continued. “I had to join the ranks of the guards of another clan after I grew up, to serve in any way I could during the Sunshot Campaign… even when I killed Wen Ruohan himself, he refused to acknowledge me until some people with power I had befriended pressed him too. And what I received? A nice title, the right to use the Jin heraldry, a vermillion mark and a name that told everyone that I was nothing but a by-blow. Jin Guangyao… it should have been Jin Ziyao. Naming conventions in Yi Ti as serious as your own, you know. By using the first name of the former generation, my father signaled that he didn´t consider me a son.”

“Your father was a cruel man, Ser, but it has nothing to do with Jon. I will raise him with love…”

“He will always hear the whispers behind his back, my Lord, just like they followed me all my life.” He continued, his expression turning smug. “No matter what he does, he won´t ever be more than a bastard… the son of a…”

“Don´t you ever say that again” Eddard jumped, enraged. Did that woman… actually meant something to him? His mistress… “I´m aware that perhaps that will happen and I´m sorry it happened to you, Ser. That you were born on the wrong side of the sheets was not your fault. I hope that Catelyn doesn´t behave as Lady Jin did. I´m sure that, even if she doesn´t become a mother to him, we can live in harmony.”

“That a delusion, Lord Stark, and you soon will know how right I was” he turned around. “I wish luck to the boy, he is going to need it living this kind of life.”

He had screwed up and he knew it. Immediately after leaving, he heard footsteps rushing away from his path. He was fairly sure that Tywin Lannister and Jon Arryn already knew about his particular heritage… though he was glad he had managed to keep his mother´s profession as a secret here. He didn´t want to be called the son of a whore ever again, much less by those Westerossi who didn´t understand anything. So he kept a good face and watched Stark gush over his son. Soon he would understand the harshness of a live as a bastard, no matter how much his father loved him.

Stark left before the wedding, eager to return North. He took his boy with him. Soon enough, Cersei Lannister arrived to take the empty spot left behind by Lady Lyanna Stark. The ceremony was big, so big that it threw shadow on the one that joined his half-brother to Jiang Yanli in Jinlintai. He was also surprised by the wedding traditions of these lands. Normally, in Yi Ti the bride and groom would wear red, but in this one they appear to wear the colors of their family. And exchange vows in a different way.

During the banquet, he played the guqin as Lord Tywin requested. He played Clarity, which was the song he knew the most. And while he did so, he could see Cersei Lannister look down at him. It brought him back to the times he played for Nie Mingjue. Da-ge preferred not to look at him as he did so, but when he did, he always did so as if he was staring at vermin. He guessed that only Xichen´s insistence kept him in that position for so long… enough to make Da-ge pay for those stares.

“This is getting boring” Robert Baratheon said after a few other performances. “Why don´t you tell us another history from your distant homeland, Lianfang? It was entertaining enough during Ned´s wedding, you must have another one that might catch my attention. Perhaps one from your Sunshot Campaign…”

“Husband, this is a day of joy. Surely a tale of love would be better” the new Queen said, a smile on her face. Normally it would look sweet, but right now she seemed to be mocking him. “Well, Ser? I have been wanting to hear another history since I heard the Ballad of the Snow and Moon.”

She probably did, though he believed that she had only listened to them to hear what the bards had to say about the beauty of Xiao Xincheng… who was depicted as a maiden here in Westeros. He could already tell that Cersei Lannister was a very proud woman who didn´t like anyone to say another was more beautiful than her, so she might have taken offence at the description some of the bards made of the deceased Daoist, as vague as it was. Though she probably found glee in the miserable end Xiao Xincheng had. What a cruel woman.

“I think I have one that might satisfy the both of you, your Graces” he said with a bow. “Have I ever told you about the Yiling Laozu and Hanguang-Jun?”

“Yes” one of the Lords said. “One was a dark witch that could raise the death and another was a model of rectitude, the perfect knight from Yi Ti” Jin Guangyao´s hands started to play with the guqin he still had in his possession. “Don´t tell me it was him who banished her? Or outright killed her?”

“Wei Ying is still alive, last I heard of him. But you are not wrong, anyone would believe that Hanguang-Jun hated such a person. In fact, most of the people believed that of that model of rectitude” his eyes went directly to Cersei Lannister. “But in truth, he loved her. And he was loved back. Enough for Wei Ying to choose love over power and returning with him to Gusu, where he reunited with their son.”

Yes, he knew who Lan Sizhui was for a long time, it was difficult not to when you put the pieces together. Still, he didn´t say anything, let Lan Wangji cling to that last piece of his lost love for Xichen´s sake. But that was not the point of the history. As he told it, he exaggerated some of the facts, including Wei Wuxian´s beauty. He recognized that the Yiling Laozu was a beautiful man, both in his first and second bodies, but not so much as to make anyone sing their praises about him. At least, not anyone that wasn´t his Lan Zhan. No, this was done to give Cersei Lannister someone to hate, even if she would never see her enemy in person. It will retire some of her unwanted attention from him, so he could move freely. After all, there was still much to do to reach the top on this land.

Chapter Text

“Why are you here, Ser?”

“The King thought you might need some help, Lord Hand, due to your advanced age. I´m not suggesting you are incapable of doing your duties to the Realm well, not at all, only mentioned that I have some administration experience and could put in your service. His Grace was gracious enough to agree, also thought that you might like the idea of getting some extra help.”

Jon Arryn didn´t like it at all, but he couldn´t deny one of the King´s wishes. Or, more likely, orders. He tried not to glare at the bastard, who looked very sure of himself at his door, that damnable smile in place, and gave him some work. As Liafang Zun left, the Lord of the Eyrie sighed and took some counsel in that at least Robert hadn´t appointed him to the Small Council… even if this shows that the foreigner had his ear. And at least he wasn’t as alone in his dislike for the man as one would believe. Varys seemed to distrust whatever whose precedence he couldn´t corroborate and, for the moment, the only thing he managed to find out about Liafang Zun was that he indeed was from Yi Ti, but nothing more. Stannis Baratheon didn´t dislike the man per se, but he considered him a foreign interloper who shouldn’t have anything to do with the government of Westeros. Unfortunately, Robert wasn´t inclined to hear any council coming from his brother. Specially not since he failed to bring him Queen Rhaella´s children. Anyway, it wasn´t exactly as if he could disobey the King… but he could block the Yitish way to power and information by handling him lower rank work…

If only he wasn´t so good at his job. In a week, Jon Arryn had to admit defeat and use Liafang Zun as main aid. Not only because the man had a prodigious mind for organization, but because he seemed to be more than competent, at least more than the many noblemen he tried to use for the positions, in anything that lands on his hands, no matter it was a military, economical or organizational. It was obvious that the man was learned, probably raised carefully to aid his legitimate brother in the administration of their lands. Their father, that Lord Jin, could have been a cruel man, but he without doubt gave his bastard a good education. Which was how he ended up being nominated to the Small Council after a few years of service. To become Master of Coin.

“I still don´t know what you have against Liafang, Jon. I expected something like this from Stannis, but from you…” Robert said when his petition was denied. “He has done an amazing job at fixing the Gold Cloaks since you appointed him as their regulator. He even managed to rout out corruption!! The people in the streets said that King´s Landing hasn´t been safer since the times of the Rouge Prince!!!”

“Which is exactly why I think we should make the position permanent. I mean… Lord Renly is still too young and learning the ropes of his office to handle the Gold Cloaks himself. And we already know the work he put into fixing them after revealing everything Janos Slynt was doing under the table” as much as he didn´t want to praise the man, he had to give it to him that he had done an amazing job. “My suggestion is that Ser Liafang Zun becomes the new Lord Commander of the Golden Cloaks.”

“And the Master of Coin position?”

“I already have someone in mind for that. A Valeman, who I have been told has a fame for having the best mind for numbers and fixing the tax problem in Gulltown” and Lysa had been singing his praises too every time news about her childhood friend arrived. “I just say we should use the talents of each individual where they are most needed.”

“You might be right… Liafang is good at economics, but he is a better warrior than many of the scum that joined the Gold Cloaks before he fixed them. And he indeed trained them into some semblance of soldiers…” Robert seemed to be thinking about it. “Well, I will decide after you have introduced this Valeman of yours, Jon, and saw what he can do.”

“Of course, your Grace”

He immediately returned to his solar to write a raven, calling Lord Petyr Baelish to court. His wife was at least going to be very pleased… though he would have to watch them carefully from then on. He couldn´t let their familiarity to start rumors around court. What didn´t surprise him was that someone announced the visit of Liafang Zun not even an hour after the raven has been dispatched. No, he had been expecting this. The interloper was surely going to be furious about him blocking…

“So, Lord Arryn, are you satisfied with yourself now?” he didn´t seem angry in the least. Why was he so calm when such a powerful position that suited him so well just got out of his hands? “It´s not as if I was aiming for being the coin counter of the court. Especially when the King and Queen are spending the national treasure at such a fast pace… it´s like asking to have your head removed eventually.”

“Not if you are good.”

“There is a limit to what someone can do and gold, sadly, doesn´t appear from thin air. And if you incur in debt…” his eyes hardened. “Anyway, I didn´t come here to thank you for the favor you did to me by avoiding such a destiny. I came to inform you about an interesting conversation I had over tea with Lord Varys.”

“I didn´t know you partake into Lady´s activities with a eunuch.”

“In Yi Ti, the culture of tea is no merely ladies´ pastime. When I was taken to Koi Tower, one of the first things I was taught was to prepare and pour the tea in the perfect way for both my father and my brother… and anyone who was my better” he sighed. “Of course, for my friends too, thought those were more relaxing times.”

He was certainly thinking about one determinate person, perhaps that deceased wife of his. Jon Arryn wondered for a second if he put the same face when someone talked about Jeyne or Rowena. Certainly not Lysa, and not only because she was still alive, but because there wasn´t any sort of romantic love between them. But that was not the issue he should be focusing on right now, no? That Varys and Liafang Zun had been reuniting without his knowledge and possibly exchanging secrets, specially as the eunuch seemed to despise the man´s use of magic more than anything in the world, was worrying. He should put more attention to what they were doing in the future.

“And what did you and Varys spoke about?” he asked, genuinely interested. “Certainly not about the perfumes and silks he seems to import from Yi Ti.”

“Myr, if I am correct. The quality is… not the same as one that came from my homeland” he stared straight at the falcon lord. “There are some concerning rumors coming from the Iron Islands” he said. “I´m afraid it´s not a section of your Seven Kingdoms that I have endeavored much to learn about. From what I could gather, those islands are more like a barren den of pirates than anything else… but they share something. A culture and a… deity” he frowned. “It seems to be enough to make them… have certain believes.”

“Certain believes?”

“That they could govern themselves again, like in the times of House Hoare… which I know about because Aegon the Conqueror torched them to ashes in that castle you keep giving to innocent people despite being cursed.”

“The castle´s name is Harrenhal”

He didn´t know why, but during the Rebellion, Liafang Zun had categorically refused to enter Harrenhal. His reasons were that he hadn´t seen that much resentful energy since the Nie Clan´s ancestral Sable Hall in the Unclean Realm. He didn´t know what he was talking about, but he also didn´t pay much attention. It was a certain way to keep Robert from that foreigner that seemed to have wormed more and more in his inner circle.

“Speak clearly”

“Those concerning rumors are about Balon Greyjoy declaring himself King of the Iron Islands by their own laws and customs.”

“Huh, not even the Ironborn are stupid enough to believe that they could take on the might of the Seven Kingdoms on their own. And it will be the might of the Seven Kingdoms, because now they are united under the Baratheon banner” Jon Arryn smirked at him. “And even if they are, they would be crushed…”

“There have been occasions when numbers and might have been crushed by things that are often underestimated. And besides having the advantage of being at home, if they lure they might of the Seven Kingdoms to their seas…”

“Which they might do, considering that the Ironborn are better at the sea than at earth” Jon Arryn gave him the reason. “Even so, I doubt…”

“And I tell you, Lord Arryn, never underestimate a good tactician. They are the ones that could turn the entire battlefield around, no matter the advantage someone thinks he has. They are the true masters of not only the battlefield, but the game you are so eager to win.”

“You are talking from experience”

“I used to be a tactician for the Sunshot Campaign… but there was another that surpassed me in both skills and acting” he smirked. “Zewu-Jun was strong, Hanguang-Jun as much, Wei Ying stronger, Chifeng-Zun… oh, his strength would have made you are tremble, even Robert Baratheon” he smiled. “But none of them were the most dangerous person in my homeland. Chifeng-Zun´s little, fragile brother, who was always hiding behind his shadow and a fan… he prepared the scenario for the fall of one of the most powerful persons in our world… all from behind the shadows.”

“Sounds like a natural player” Jon Arryn said. If it was true, then the young Lord Nie was someone the falcon lord didn´t know he could win against in the game of thrones. Luckily, if this person existed, he was a world away. And Yi Ti doesn´t have any interest in Westeros that might drag such a person´s attention towards them. “But I´m still not convinced. The Ironborn are not the brightest people in Westeros and I give it to you, they have done some questionable moves, but they are not the stupid enough to go against the rest of the Seven Kingdoms. And they are not good tacticians.”

“A few of them might be” he got up. “And you are underestimating them.”

Almost as if it was prophecy, a few weeks later Jon Arryn was informed that Lannisport was attacked and nearly completely burned. Tywin Lannister was seething and demanding the King to do something. Then the Reach was attacked, which earned Mace Tyrell to that bunch. And soon, the declaration of Balon Greyjoy, that he was now King of the Iron Islands, arrived. He couldn´t help but curse the foreigner, even if it was not truly his fault. Also admit that he was a good tactician… a pretty good tactician.

“We should bring him with us, he could…”

“I know you trust him a lot, why not trusting him with guarding the city? Your family?”

Jon Arryn merely didn´t want the up-jumped, foreign knight to gain more recognition in the battlefront. Robert already trusted him too much, gaining more honor could give him more power, perhaps even access to more important people, even if he had enough of that at court. He didn´t want him to gain more allies… besides, he trusted the Westerossi battle commanders, Stannis Baratheon more than any. He could guide the Royal Fleet to victory without the aid of Liafang Zun and his unorthodox methods, which still give more than half the septons the shivers. Enough to deny him the entrance to the Great Sept of Baelor, at least when the King wasn´t interfering.

Too bad that it proved to be a mistake too. He found out after many months of fighting those pirate scums that, indeed, there was a brilliant tactician between the Ironborn. Or at least quite good enough. Too bad Liafang Zun was better. And he seemed to have a foresight skill amongst his mystical ones, who had suggested that Shireen and Renly Baratheon to be moved to the Red Keep during the duration of the war. Jon Arryn was against it at first, but it would be easier to protect the members of the extended Royal family like that, and Renly still had to remain there as a member of the Small Council. Stannis wanted him to come and see fight for the first time, but he was too inept. In the end, he remained there. Returning to the event, apparently the Ironborn had planned to send their own force to kidnap the Royal Family, but they couldn´t even enter the city, apparently because of something the magician called “a protective array”. It also allowed him and the Gold Cloaks to destroy the ships and capture important prisoners, prisoners who knew about an ambush waiting the own royal fleet when they approached Pike… or so he said.

“Can we really trust him?” Stannis asked. “His information comes from Ironborn prisoners if he is telling the truth even. He could be…”

“My family, your family too, brother, was saved because Ser Zun was the one guarding the city. What would we have done if the Ironborn had gotten little Shireen hostage? Joffrey or baby Myrcella? Renly?” in that Robert was right. If the Ironborn had gotten at least one member of the Royal Family hostage, then they would have to acquits to their demands. “Scan those damn islands, Stannis, and if there are any Ironborn longships…”

The ambush was a reality, soon the ships that awaited them were sunken and the survivors taken prisoner. Jon Arryn was alongside Robert when they were notified of that and the assault on Pike began. Soon, they had Balon Greyjoy and his family on their knees, in front of him, and Jon Arryn enjoyed a bit when they told him that his brilliant tactic had failed. If only it wasn´t because of that up jumped foreigner…

“Perhaps we should thank him after all” one of his subordinates said. It was one of the Lord Royce´s vassals, rather poor. “Perhaps we should give him his own feud.”

That was the last thing he wanted, especially in the Vale. He had enough Lords that covet what was not theirs and would probably want to court his wife once he died, which, considering his age, would be most probable that he died much before Lysa. He denied that suggestion, but he wasn´t going to be able to stop other lords from offering him the same thing. At least that would take him away from King´s Landing… for a time. And he could use that time to wane his influence on Robert and the court, perhaps even on the Gold Cloaks. Ser Jacelyn Bywater, the second in command, was a good and just man and capable of succeeding him. He had learned well too, even if it was Liafang Zun. He was crippled in a hand, but Jon Arryn considered him a good option still. A good enough one at least.

-In the Lannister Camp-

Tywin Lannister looked at the woman in front of him, who had been brought directly to their camp after having been rescued from the Goodbrothers. She was finishing the cup of moon tea that was offered to her by the master, a courtesy that was not offered to the most of the rescued saltwives. But well, she was a Lannister. A Lannisport Lannister that had taken captive during the attack, but a Lannister still. Teora Lannister, a cousin from Joanna on her maternal side. And despite her spoiled state, the girl had some of the beauty of her house. Perhaps enough for his plans.

“Thank you for your assistance, Lord Lannister” the girl said, bowing deeply. “I hope that whatever I can do to assist you, I do it to your content.”

Good, the girl knew that the courtesies extended to her were not for free. She knew that she was low, she had lost her purity too, so she was probably not going to be asked to marry into a good family… probably not even a landed knight. But she will have to do it. Whatever was asked of her, or the consequences for her, and her family, could be rather severe. It was good to know he had the respect and fear of even the lowest of his extended House members.

“I´m going to offer a piece of land with a small fisherman village to a promising knight. I doubt the King opposes, as it´s the man who has just saved his family from an Ironborn attack, my daughter included” he said in a neutral tone. “But, as a condition for that, I want to bind him to the Lannister family. Though not any of the main line fit the profile.”

“I…” the girl trembled. Obviously, she wasn´t comfortable with having to give her body to another man so closely after the Ironborn attacked her. Fortunately, her sense of self-preservation was stronger than her rejection towards men. “Of course, Lord Tywin, I will marry whoever you deem fit for me.”

It was a good choice. She was Cersei´s age, so she surely had grown up with histories about what had happened to the Tarbecks and Reynes when they dared to disobey him. Probably had even seen the Tarbeck sisters when they attend to the dead in Lannisport, heard the whispers that followed them. He had followed them their whole lives, even after he sent them to the Silent Sisters. He knew that the eldest died of greyscale five years ago and the other of an unknown disease the year before. And Teora probably heard of them too, or at least her father and made it known that disobeying Lord Lannister was a death sentence. He nodded and then ordered Kevan to send a messenger to both Casterly Rock and King Robert, then he would send a raven to King´s Landing from his own hand. After all, this was a great victory, it would be pointless not to celebrate it. And a tourney seemed like exactly the kind of event that fit such a description.

And Robert Baratheon was of the same idea, because he heartfully agreed. As they returned to Lannisport, and the Queen surely was making her way towards her ancestral home with the royal children and an escort of both her guards and the Gold Cloaks, Tywin Lannister prepared everything for the stage. He instructed Teora Lannister in everything she needed to know about the man she would marry if everything happened as he hoped. She attempted not to make an expression, but she surely looked horrified at the perspective of marrying a foreigner that doesn´t even follow the Seven, who was also a bastard, no matter that he was legitimized according to him. But she seemed to be resigned to her fate.

Teora Lannister, for her part, was internally praying. Her father would never dare to disobey Lord Tywin Lannister and the King seemed to favor this up-jumped foreigner, so he agreed rather quickly to the proposal his goodfather was making him. The feud they would receive was small, probably would yield barely enough for them to live, but it should be enough. More, considering her current state. She still trembled. And continued to tremble moons later, when, with the King and Queen present, she was married to Liafang Zun in the small Sept of Lannisport. Her trembling got worse when the men carried her to the marital room, leaving her alone with her new husband. This one didn´t take any steps to do anything to her, merely going to the table. He poured two cups of wine and offered one to her.

“Don´t worry, I don´t plan to do anything to you today. Or any day you don´t want” he said as he handed one of the cups to her. “I despise the men who force their attentions on women, almost as much as those that use whores.”

“You despise whores?” she was surprised.

“Not the whores, but those that employ their services. I have… bad experiences with them” he admitted. “My father… he was notorious for his whoring. He even forced himself on ladies of lower stance and serving ladies when he was drunk… or sober.” Teora understood that, having been a victim of that. He also pitied those women… wait, was he telling her that he was the product of such an attack? Was he begotten when his mother was forced by her lord? “Perhaps we should talk about something else, you surely don´t want to hear depressing histories tonight. It´s” he sat down on a chair, far from her. “Our wedding night after all.”

“I have heard you were married before… with a child” she said, drinking more of her wine. She was still nervous, as she was conscious of his eyes on him, but she was slowly getting calmer. He wasn´t going to force himself on her like the Ironborn had done. “Can you… tell me about them?”

“A-Su and A-Song?” he answered, his expression turning a bit sad. “A-Su… oh, her name was Qin Su. She was my wife for thirteen years, it was an… arrangement between our families. Her father resisted a bit, but he was a vassal and I needed his influence to… it was around the same time as my only legitimate brother, Jin Zixuan, and cousin, Jin Zixun, died. Yanli, Zixuan´s wife, died shortly after too and my father wasn´t young anymore. At least, not enough to wait until Jin Ling, Zixuan´s son, was old enough.”

“How did she die?”

“She killed herself after our son died. When he was seven years of age.”

“I´m sorry”

“I can´t really blame her, not after what we went through” he sighed. “A-Su… she wasn´t like me either, she had been raised as a well-breed lady, cherished by everyone around her. A-Su was a magnificent wife, supportive and loving… but she was delicate too. And that got to her eventually.”

“Do I… remind you of her in any way?”

“Certainly not, and I wouldn´t want to” a shiver seemed to go through him. “My marriage with A-Su was something sweet, and I did my best to honor her, but it´s also something I would want to leave in the past.” He smiled at her. “Don´t try to be anyone but yourself.”

“Thank you, my Lord”

“Please, call A-Yao. It´s… how my friends called me back in Yi Ti” he seemed to think of someone in specific. Was that the long-deceased wife he didn´t want to talk about?

“Yes, I remember that despite everyone calling you that, Liafang Zun is your title, not your actual name. What was it again?”

“Jin Guangyao, but it´s way too long, so please, call me A-Yao.”

“Then, please call me Teora.”

It was the night she began to think that perhaps this can work, that this wasn´t going to be the nightmare she had been imagining. Her husband actually kept his word, not forcing himself on her or straying from her, not even going to the whorehouses as other lords… she actually thought about it, that they might find love together, until she actually came to his bed and heard him whisper a name while they were together as man and wife. Not Teora, not A-Su like his former wife. Xichen. Who was this person? She continued to wonder that even after the birth of their first son. He allowed her to name him, as he said it would be better for him to have a Westerossi name. And she did, not wanting her child to carry the name of a stranger that was burned in her husband´s memory. But a memory that person was and nothing more. After all, she was a world away, in Yi Ti. Why bother being jealous of a person that will never be in their lives again? She surely could make him forget…

-Years later-

Petyr Baelish had a problem. And no, it was not about convincing he Iron Bank to lend the Throne of Westeros another huge sum to maintain the costly life of their Drunkard King and Vain Queen. It was about that fucking up-jumped knight, Liafang Zun, Jin Guangyao or whatever his name was. He had managed to amaze a huge fortune with his whorehouses and as master of coin in the Small Council, he was one of the most powerful people in Westeros. He should have no problem buying the Gold Cloaks for him… and he had done with a few officers threatening them with their secrets, which his workers gave to him… but the entire institution continued to be far from loyal to him. Which was thanks to their commander.

“Damn Liafang Zun” he said as he crossed Pentos. He needed to deal with one of his contacts to get another loan for Robert from a cartel before going to the Iron Bank… to pay enough of the last debt for them to loan them more.

He just didn´t know what was the matter with that man. He was… playing to a level Petyr didn´t know anyone but him and Varys could. For the small secrets about him Baelish managed to get, he found more about Petyr. With the aim to trap him, he had invited him to meeting in his whorehouses more than once, but no matter what spectacle or whore he presented to him, even the gender or beauty of the whore, the man didn´t seem to budge and use them. He looked at them with a face that told him exactly how much he despised that line of work. Exactly what kind of man despised whores? And which Lord hasn´t used their services more than once? Even the Commanders of the City Watch didn´t…

“Wait!!” a girl that was being dragged by someone that was surely a slaver, screamed. The strange thing was that the girl was one that seemed to be winning… and that her clothes were very strange. Almost as if… “You… you said Liafang Zun, no?” she smiled. “I know who he is. I can tell you everything about him.”

He merely walked away from…

“His true name is Jin Guangyao!!! And he is the bastard son of the former Lord of Jinlintai!! I know because my mother used to be a disciple of the Jin clan!!!” Petyr Baelish continued walking. Surely this girl wouldn´t tell him anything that he already didn´t… “He is a wanted man in Yi Ti!!!”

This caught his attention. A wanted man? He meant… a criminal, no? He didn´t know why, but he believed that girl. And bought her. She wasn´t exactly the prototype of beauty, merely exotic, so she was rather cheap, but once they were alone, she proved to be a mine of information despite having never seen Jin Guangyao in person. Apparently, her mother had been a servant or something like that of his family when he first joined. That´s how Baelish knew that his first name was Meng Yao and he was the son of a lord and a prostitute that had caught his attention once. He had gotten his fame from killing Wen Ruohan, but first he had acted as a spy in his court, becoming the man of trust of the former Chief Cultivator. He even killed for the position, men he had formerly served with under the Nie Clan. So much that he willingly gave his back to him… and that´s when he was stabbed. But that was not the end of his history. And what he found out was so juicy that the first thing he did after returning to Westeros was inviting him to one of his locals.

“I thought that you have learned that I don´t like this kind of places” Liafang Zun said as he sat down in front of him. “I only came because you said it was urgent business.”

“I imagine that you don´t like my fine establishments… must remind you too much of your own childhood, no, Meng Yao?” that name stilled the hand that was taking the cup to his lips. “I met a delightful girl on my trip to Pentos, Yi Tish like you. Her name was MianMian or so she said.” He clearly didn´t recognize the name, but he kept on interested. “She told me a lot of things about you because, apparently, you are quite the famous person in your homeland.”

“I tend to impress people with what I´m able to do”

“Like protecting a criminal who murdered a whole noble family? The now infamous Xue Yang, of all people” Baelish drunk the wine like the sweetest thing on earth. And it was the highest quality of Arbor Gold indeed. “Or planning the murder of your brother and his wife? I am also capable of a lot of things, but even I would bat an eyelash at kinslaying.”

“I didn´t murder Zixuan, wasn´t even there when…”

“Oh, but you planned it. And your minion executed it… what was his name again? Su Minshan” yes, he clearly remembered that person. “But it´s not the only time you have kinslayed, no? Tell me, was it easier with your father? Because you killed him too.”

“That fucker deserved it” he admitted it. “Jin Guangshan was a whoremonger and a rapist, worse than even the Ironborn if that is possible. My mother… she was a good woman, but she was quite naïve. And he noticed it. He promised to free her from the brothel, but he never did. He only used her once, left her with child and abandoned her to her fate. And, for the first few years of my life, I believed her. I believed that my father would save us enough to seek him out… then he allowed his wife to throw me out of Koi Tower, all the stairs down.”

“You don´t deny that you killed him”

“There is more than one reason for that monster to die. As for what happened to Zixuan and Zixun, they died in a crossfire, just like Yanli. It happens if things got out of control during an ambush. Or if you walk into a battle in nothing more than mourning clothes” he shrugged. “And, if I would have wanted to become the true Lord of Jinlintai, I would have killed Jin Ling too. Why leaving him alive when I could have easily murdered him?”

“Perhaps his uncle, Lord Jiang, was too much protective.”

“You still have nothing”

“I have the girl”

“No one would believe you if you say otherwise, it´s my word against yours. Or the word of a girl no one knows against mine. And I have gotten quite a few allies in my time in court. Just like you” he smirked. “But unlike you, I also have proof of the embezzlement and bribing you have done.”

“Smart” Petyr had to admit that, he was very good. “But there is one person who you wouldn´t be able to make your ally or bribe into shutting up. After all, he was the one to bring you down back in Yi Ti… no, former Chief Cultivator Jin?” he smirked widely. “I have heard that he had had quite the growth in the last few days.”

“Oh, Huaisang, dear Huaisang” the expression on his face turned darkly, but he didn´t lose the damn superiority that seemed to be a characteristic of his. “I wouldn´t play with him if I were you, Lord Baelish, you will find yourself quickly overcome.”

“That you were too weak or too unsuited to fight him doesn´t mean that I am not”

“Ah, Lord Baelish, you have already committed the first mistake when ATTEMPTING to play the Game of Thrones with someone like Nie Huaisang. You believe that you are the smartest played on the table.” He tapped on the table. “He doesn´t commit that mistake. He wasn´t particularly brilliant as a child, nor I believed he was as an adult. He was the disappointing Nie heir, always in the shadows of his older brother… that´s why he is such a brilliant tactician. He doesn´t underestimate anyone and capitalize on those who underestimate him.”

“He won´t be able to” Baelish said, very sure. “From what I heard from Nie Huaisang, he still had a bone to pick with you. You killed his brother, he wants your head on his walls. If he could kill you again and again… oh, but you are not alone anymore. You have a wife and children now. Three, no? One word to Lord Nie and…”

“I also thought that he was just a harmless little fellow with a bit of power, a puppet I could control” he said, picking up one of the grapes. “I never saw it coming, much less from him. One single false step and he will eat not only you but the whole of Westeros alive. He is that good… good enough to make me seem like an amateur.”

“He is no danger to ME”

“In that, you are sadly mistaken. You are in danger, Lord Baelish, of being manipulated” he ate the grape. “Nie Huaisang is a viper, one you can´t understand until after he is done with you. I didn´t do it… and you haven´t yet been able to play to my same level. Tell me, are you going to risk playing with someone that´s even better?” he finished his wine. “Good day, Lord Baelish”

Petyr Baelish merely stayed there, biting his lip. He didn´t want to admit it, but he couldn´t play to the same level as Liafang Zun. To bring an unknown, probably better player into the fold… no, he couldn´t risk it until he got more experience, was better. But just for being sure, he will keep Mianmian. The girl could be used as an informant, perhaps being placed as a servant until he needed her. Nie Huaisang was still a piece he could bring into the game, and, despite being so smart, he was a vengeful person too. He had experience with such people, manipulated them before. He could do the same… once he was ready.

-Years later-

Jin Guangyao watched as the Lannister twins talked on the other side of the Sept. He shouldn´t be there, he knew, but he had a special dispensation to show his respects for the deceased Lord Arryn… though he didn´t really have many. The man wasn´t a very good Hand, he hadn´t managed to curve the King and Queen´s behavior, their urge to spend all the money that should be spent on the Realm on themselves. He would have never allowed such a spending on Koi Tower and he had spent quite a lot on the renovations after his father died. Returning to the twins, as someone who had actually slept with his sister (he hadn´t touched A-Su again after finding out, he cringed at knowing that someone would do so consciously), he knew what that exchange mean. He had known for years… but believed that such information would be better used in case he really needed a safe. Besides, with his Koi Port making business with Lannisport, it was in his best interest to remain on Tywin Lannister´s good side.

He looked down at Jon Arryn wondering why the King hasn´t already found out that he was poisoned. Robert wasn´t a smart person, but Jon Arryn had showed too many symptoms of poisoning by Tears of Lys, a known poison, to be ignored. His own maester, the one he used when Pycelle was deemed too dangerous, could confirm the diagnosis. And he knew that Varys and most likely Stannis already knew. Why else would the King´s brother flee the city in such a rush? Then again, he probably had the wrong suspect. The right one had already fled the city… well, one of them. Why did Petyr Baelish made Lysa Arryn murder her husband now? What was he trying to achieve? Oh, well, he would know with time. For now, he would watch out for more weaknesses to exploit in the members of the Small Council and Royal family.

Talking about that, Joffrey made him sure that he had taken the right decision when he killed Rusong. The children born from brother and sister, they could end up being very wrong. Tommen and Myrcella weren´t bad, but…

“Liafang, my friend” Robert came from behind, still dressed in mourning clothes unlike the Lannister twins. “Yes, I´m very sad about this too. Jon… he deserved better, much better. He took care of me for so many years…”

“Of course, your Grace, but we can only pray for his soul. You will pray to the Seven and I will pray for his rest.” Though he was sure that Jon Arryn wouldn´t become a fierce corpse. “What are you going to do now? Are you going to name Tywin Lannister your new Hand? Have heard talks about it in the Small Council.”

“No, I don´t trust him. And there are enough lions in this court!!” it was true, the Lannister presence was growing stronger than it was advised. “I will go somewhere to pick my new Hand myself… and I want you to join me. Leave Bywater at charge for a few months and come with me to guard me along with the Kingsguard on our way.”

“Where to, your Grace?”

“The North”

Interesting. So first the honorable Jon Arryn and now the honorable Eddard Stark were going to be Hand of the King, fools both men were. They definitely didn´t have what it took to reign in someone like Robert or his Small Council in, which means the Kingdom would grow more into debt and the schemes were soon to arrive. Someone like Tywin Lannister would give him trouble, but Eddard Stark was a chance to grow… as short as his reign would be. And it was going to be short, he was sure of that.

Chapter Text

Catelyn had made sure that everything was ready for the arrival of the King and his court, as was the job of a Lady of a great castle, like Winterfell. And her efforts seemed to be recompensed. The Crown Prince couldn´t help but look at her Sansa with a smile, which the girl returned. It was a match she had been hoping for her precious daughter, her perfect little lady. Then the King himself asked her husband for the hand of their eldest daughter for his son… and she couldn´t help but think that all her dreams were about to become true. She only needed to leave a positive impression on the Royal Family for the rest of the visit and her daughter would be the next Queen of Westeros. That was why, in her free time, she shadowed her steps to make sure that no one ruined that. Much less the rubble that the King had brought with him in his entourage. Like it was happening now.

“Oh, I´m sorry, my Lady!!” Silena Zun said as she covered her mouth in horror. Of course, Catelyn knew that the girl was probably acting. She was, after all, the daughter of a bastard. No matter that her father was Yi Tish and her mother a Lannister, that girl inherited her father´s bastard blood. “Was the tea too hot? Should I call for the maester?”

“No, it wasn´t that bad, I merely need to change my dress quickly before the lesson with the septa, Lady…”

“Silena, Silena Zun, Lady Sansa” she bowed deeply. Her dress was strange, in a fashion she hadn´t seen ever before, her hair too… perhaps both had some Yi Tish touches to make the girl more exotic to the view. Though she wouldn´t need that to look exotic, as her looks seemed to have been inherited from her father. “I´m a Lady in waiting for Princess Myrcella, as my mother is a distant relative of the Queen. A Lannister from Lannisport.”

“Really? Then you must be really acquainted with the Princess herself” her daughter smiled at the girl, who returned the gesture. “How is it to be her friend?”

“I wouldn´t call us friends, not really” she answered, shaking her head. “Rosamund and others that are more closely related to the Queen and Princess hold that place. Though she is kind to me and enjoys talking about flowers with me. She even has a flower garden and has asked me to write to my family so she could get some exotic ones for it.” The girl´s smile widened. “Some are already blooming, she was really happy.”

“Truly? I would wish to see that” Sansa seemed genuinely interested now. “We have glass gardens here in Winterfell, but the only flowers that we row there are the Winter Roses. I would like to see some other kinds of flowers for once.” Her girl sounded so dreamy that Catelyn almost felt bad for wanting to interrupt. Almost. “What kind of flowers do the Princess grow there?”

“All kinds of them, but my family gifted her the Jazmin. It has adapted so well that the princess is gracious enough to allow me to cut some blooms to make tea.”

“Tea? With flowers?”

“Yes, though I don´t blame you for not knowing that, it´s not very usual.” Silena Zun continued, faking her friendly attitude without doubt. “In fact, it´s a tradition my father brought with him from his country. He is Yitish.”

“What? Aren´t you from Lannisport?”

“Not really. My mother is a Lannister from Lannisport, but my father received lands after me made great contributions in both King Robert´s Rebellion and the Ironborn one. He originally came from Yi Ti, so he brought some of his own traditions with him” she looked down at her broken glass tea set, the thing she had been carrying. “And Koi Town is not really big, not when you compare it to Lannisport.”

“It´s quite the new House too, perhaps that´s why I never heard of… oh, I´m sorry, I mean no offence, Lady Zun!!”

“None taken, it´s indeed quite the new House. And one that has foreign roots too…” she looked away. “Oh, but I have taken too much of your time with my babbling and you have the lesson with the Princess and your septa. If you excuse me, I will call for the servants to clean this up myself.”

“Don´t you have the lesson too?” Silena nodded, but it was clear that there was something else that took precedence for her. Mainly the ruined, broken tea set of the floor. “Was that for the Princess? And it was a glass set!! Must have costed a lot!!”

“I have another, but I would appreciate it if it could be replaced. My father had it made according to certain specifications… and there are not many of them in Westeros” so that was the aim, getting another set of that costly glass tea set!! Catelyn was pretty sure that the bastard had wasted more money than he had to have those things made, now wanted to profit from House Stark. But if he… “Don´t worry though, eventually it is going to get replaced if not.”

“Still…”

“Forget it, Lady Stark, and go change. I will join you shortly… if the septa allows me after how late I´m going to be” she bent down to pick the blossoms that were on the floor.

“I will explain it to her, don´t worry”

Fortunately, the girl actually departed with her Sansa after that. As Catelyn watched Silena Zun leave, she thought that the girl was sharper than she let anyone see. And probably had some nefarious plans, backed or put in her head by her bastard father. They could even be related to the Crown Prince!! Hadn´t Liafang-Zun shown that he was a social climber, arriving to Westeros with nothing until he got a small lordship and the leadership of the King´s Landing City Watch? He could be aiming to make his daughter Queen. Wouldn´t be the first time a bastard or a foreigner tried something like that. She was going to have to watch that one really closely while she stayed… but she couldn´t actually mistreat a lady-in-waiting from the Princess. That would be a discourtesy towards her guests, something that would stain the honor of House Stark and she wouldn´t allow that.

“Mother? What are you doing here?” Sansa asked after she met Catelyn at the entrance of the chambers where her lessons with the septa took place instead of overseeing the servants or entertaining the guests. “If it´s about me being late…”

“No, I´m merely here to oversee your lessons” the girl frowned. Despite of Arya´s atrocious attitude, Lady Stark hadn´t overseen their lessons since Sansa was ten namedays of age. “I thought that since the Princess was going to be present, I better make sure you and the other girls could concentrate.”

“Then I hope you have place for another one”

Both redheaded ladies turned around to see the very Queen of Westeros approaching. Catelyn frowned, Cersei Lannister hadn´t wanted to pray with her in the Sept that very morning, saying that she was too tired from the trip, but apparently she wasn´t tired enough not to oversee her daughter´s lessons. But she couldn´t deny the Queen, so she bowed and sent a servant to bring another chair for her, as she gave her own to the other woman. For the first few minutes, the girls sewed in silence under the guidance of the Septa while their mothers oversaw there. There were some corrections from the Lannister woman, who expected perfection from her daughter… she couldn´t blame her for that, Myrcella was a Princess after all… but she seemed to at least approve of Sansa… it was that moment when the peace was broken by the late arrival of Silena Zun.

“Ah, Lady Zun” Septa Mordane, who was informed of the girl´s bloodline by Catelyn, frowned at her as she arrived with a new glass tea set in her arms. “You finally arrive. Perhaps you can show us how the Yitish stitch.”

“I will do what I can, Septa” she answered, though it was made obvious that embroidery was not really her thing. Catelyn nearly smirked, what kind of Westerossi Lady didn´t embroider?

“Ah, Silena dear” Cersei said with a sickly-sweet voice to her relative. “We are getting quite thirsty here. Perhaps before you get to work, you could serve us all something to drink.”

“Yes, your Grace.”

Now the girl was also cupbearer for the Queen? An honor that should belong to a much higher born lady than the daughter of a bastard, specially a foreign one? Exactly how much influence has Liafang Zun been amazing in the capitol? Perhaps she should write to her old friend Petyr to learn more about his moves, more now that her daughter was posed to marry into the royal family. She wouldn´t want her sweet Sansa to end up suffering the jealousy of a lousy, ambitious woman that might use underhanded methods to steal her husband. Thought the bastard´s daughter was merely a girl, and she dressed quite comely, Catelyn didn´t let that mislead her. She knew how her kind thought.

Though she had to admit that Silena Zun was an elegant girl, something that betrayed her noble origin… on both sides of the family. At least if Liafang Zun is to be believed, and both Ned and her father seemed to believe that, he was the bastard of a nobleman of Yi Ti, who had seen to his education. Something he had in common with… the boy. She tried not to glare at the daughter of such a reminder of her own problem, waiting for the beverage that she was going to offer. From what she could gather, it was some kind of tea. Tea was not a beverage that was drank much in Westeros, at least not over wine and fruit juices, but sometimes ladies import it as a way to impress their guests. She had also heard that lately, different kinds of tea had been made popular, but she never thought to try it. The Northerners were conservative in their traditions, so she didn´t have much interest in that. And why using a glass set for tea? From little she knew, porcelain was the favored for tea sets.

“It´s an unusual pastime for a Lady” the septa commented, though Catelyn knew what she was truly saying. Brewing the tea should be a servant´s work. The comment was probably regarding her station or her birth status. “Brewing tea…”

“Yi Ti has a centenary tea tradition” Silena answered as she put the blossoms on the cups and started pouring the water in way that made her look so elegant that Lady Stark gritted her tea. “My father told me that in his homeland, a lady must know how to perform the tea ceremony and to serve tea in an elegant manner for her guests. It´s one of the few traditions from his homeland that he passed onto me.”

“We are not in Yi Ti”

“No, but that country is still in my bloodline… besides, I enjoy brewing tea. Specially this one, it´s Jazmin tea” the blossoms bloomed in the water and shed an enjoyable aroma. Now Catelyn understood why the tea was served in glass cups, it was so the spectators could see the flower bloom and marvel at that. Sansa and friends surely did. “I like it a lot and it´s become quite popular in King´s Landing, I hope you also enjoy it, my ladies.”

She had to admit it, the tea was good. It was obvious that Queen Cersei and Princess Myrcella were used to it too, so it was quite popular indeed in the Capital. Silena Zun was truly skilled at gaining the attention of the people from a higher social status… probably taught by her father, specially to gain the attention of the Crown Prince. She was also capable of embroidery. Not as well as her Sansa, much to Catelyn´s delight, but the girl was capable of embroidering a simple pattern of a flower in a handkerchief. A peony amongst the snow, according to her.

“My father said that when he lived in his father´s state, there was a garden full of these flowers” the girl commented. “That they were as golden as the silks that adorned the walls and the gold adorning everything…”

“Perhaps he should have stayed there then” the Septa commented, returning the embroidery.

The girl didn´t answer, but she continued attending the lessons through the day. Just as the Queen and Lady Stark did. Apparently, the Lannister woman didn´t trust her daughter´s lady-in-waiting either. Or she had the same suspicions as Catelyn herself. Anyway, she showed to be elegant in her manners, proficient in what was expected of a lady, though a bit unconventional. Her voice wasn´t that good, and she couldn´t play the harp, something in which her Sansa was proficient, but she used that class to show her exotic blood by playing that instrument the older redhead remembered from her wedding, the guqin. By the time the lessons ended, it was time to have a private light lunch with her family.

“I have to say, I wasn´t expecting Princess Myrcella to be like she was. Or to like flowers so much that she has her own garden!!” Sansa chatted away, earning a roll of the eyes by her sister. “Nor was I aware that they had such exotic things there… Jazmin tea was wonderful!! And the way Lady Silena prepared it…”

“Sansa, I think that you shouldn´t make friends with such a girl.”

“But mother…”

“She is the daughter of a bastard, after all” there was a cough from somewhere in the room, a place she didn´t deigned herself to see. Her eldest daughter covered her mouth with her hands, looking surprised.

“But… she is a lady-in-waiting from the Princess… and she told me her father owned some lands because of his feats in the…”

“It´s all true” Ned Stark sighed, looking at his wife in a stern way. Certainly, he didn´t want to talk about it, specially in the present company, but now that all of his children had heard it. “Liafang Zun was knighted by Jon Arryn for saving Robert´s life during the Rebellion and given lands by Tywin Lannister in the Westerlands after he saved the Royal Family from the Ironborn in their own Rebellion” he stopped as he saw Theon tense up. And the boy listening carefully. “He also confessed that he is the legitimized bastard of a Yitish nobleman, that he left Yi Ti to seek his own fortune…”

“He was legitimized?” the boy suddenly asked before anyone could say something else. Catelyn frowned, her gaze finally finding his. He shrunk under her, but still remained interested. “How?”

“Apparently he achieved a great feat in a war there… I don´t know much more” Ned looked straight at his son with a nostalgic view. “But I would prefer if neither you nor your brothers ever see what he had to see… from what I gathered and what I have seen myself of war, it was quite the horrible experience.”

“But he was legitimized because of that…”

“Jon…”

“And here I thought she was nice!! That we could be friends!!” finally, Sansa talked again. She was consternated that she had interacted with someone like the daughter of a bastard without knowing. “How could someone like her be lady-in-waiting to the Princess?”

“Her father is quite the smart personage. And he managed to ingratiate himself to the King to get a high post and some power” Lady Stark answered. “But you have to remember it well, my dear, what the Seven say.” Her eyes wandered to her husband´s own by-blow as a reflex. “Bastards have an envious nature, always coveting what´s not theirs, what´s their trueborn siblings. They are born of sin and lust, so their nature is like that.”

“Mother…”

“Remember you all well.”

The boy didn´t say anything, merely take it, but she was sure that he was already planning to speak to Liafang Zun to ask him about what he had done to get himself legitimized in his far away country. It was one of the reasons why she forbid him from getting close to the main table or even the tables on the front during the banquet. And he was also to leave soon, it would be an insult for the Royal Family to endure the presence of a bastard that they haven´t invited themselves. Of course, she couldn´t do anything else but keep the boy as far away from Laifang Zun as she could… though she truly wished she could banish both of them from her halls. Perhaps she should have truly written to Petyr before, to prepare for the visit or some kind of excuse not to receive him…

“I heard that we might share grandchildren one day” the voice of the Queen called for her attention. She focused on her during the banquet, especially during the examination Cersei Lannister made of her daughter. Enough to forget about both Liafang Zun and the boy until they had both disappeared from the banquet hall.

“Your Grace, please excuse me, there is something I need to see to” she excused herself, bowing to the Queen.

“Please, don´t let me stop you” the Lannister woman answered. “I also don´t trust that man… much less since he brought his daughter to court. I think he might be planning something, but I still haven´t found out what it is?”

“Has she tried something with your son?”

“Not yet, but I have heard that Lord Jast´s heir was… interested, for some reason.”

Definitely, that girl was proficient in captivating men. But right now she was not the problem, but her father. If he managed to get an alliance with the boy… with the power he had, it was more probable for him to take Winterfell from Robb…

“Let me give you an advice, bastard” but the voice she heard was not the one of Liafang Zun, but the one of Tyrion Lannister. A trueborn Lannister. “Never forget what you are, because the world won´t. Wear it like an armor, so no one could use it to hurt you.”

“What do you know about being a bastard?”

“All dwarves are bastards in the eyes of their fathers”

“And he is quite right” she immediately recognized the voice of the Yitish bastard and tensed up. What was he trying to… “I was legitimized for killing Wen Ruohan, a man that had gone mad with power and killed thousands of people, and putting the end to a war. I received the right to use my father´s name, a room in his home, a set of fancy clothes and some coins… but nothing more changed. In the eyes of many, I was the same lowborn trash that I ever was, the same one my father´s wife had thrown from the stairs of Koi Tower. And with my father´s and trueborn brother´s untimely death… well, it was better for me to leave Yi Ti.”

“But you were legitimized, you got the name…”

“Yes, I was called Jin Guangyao” he crossed his arms. “And nothing changed. Not about me, nor about my father. Nothing will change with a name” he turned around. “So you better don´t forget your place in the world.”

“You have advanced” the boy said. “I can do so too. In the Night´s Watch, I can become Lord Commander, rise high.”

“As you say, boy”

Catelyn shook her head and left the place. What was she expecting from a bastard? They weren´t even able to help one another. The boy would still go to the Night´s Watch and, once he had said his vows, he could become Lord Commander for all she cared. He wouldn´t be a risk to her children anymore. She then decided to write to Petyr, to make sure the other bastard and his daughter weren´t either. Silena Zun could seduce the Jast heir for all she cared too, she won´t rise higher. She won´t take her daughter´s rightful place.

-In a guest room-

“What did you learn about our future Queen?”

“Well, she is a naïve little girl” Silena answered, taking her hairpins from her hair and playing with them. They were really sharp and pointy. “Joffrey is definitely going to destroy her once they marry, as she isn´t made to withstand his cruelty. He might end up even killing her if she doesn´t catter to his tastes.”

“Hummm”

“And she definitely doesn´t know anything about politics. She was raised to be the perfect, pretty broodmare that her mother and septa wanted her to be” her eyes landed on him. “You also believe it, no?”

“I also don´t think she is the right one for the likes of Joffrey.” He admitted as he took to his lips a cup of tea. “Or to be Queen at all.”

Anyway, they shouldn´t think about it that much. It was not like he had the power to change anything… not yet at least. And he wouldn´t even try. Cersei believed that he had brought his only daughter to court as Lady-in-Waiting for Myrcella, a favor from Robert for lending him a considerable amount of money, was a move to position his daughter as possible Queen by getting into Joffrey´s bed. She was convinced of that… but it was quite the contrary. After all, he knew the Lannister twins´ little secret and, after Rusong, he didn´t want anything to do with incest or children born of it. Theora had birthed him four amazing children, healthy in both mind and body… he had also been quite fortunate with A-Su. No one had noticed A-Song´s mental disability until he was much older, and he was also nothing like Joffrey.

Returning to the reason Silena was at court… well, it had less to do with finding her a match above her station and more to have another set of eyes as sharp as his. When she was born, he had been worried about her, maybe because she resembled Meng Shi quite a lot, even as an infant. He was worried that she also inherited her grandmother´s worst personality traits, including the naivety that lead to her doom. But, as she grew up, he realized that he had nothing to fear. Because, while her daughter was Meng Shi´s granddaughter with her beauty, she was Jin Guangyao´s daughter in her mind. More than any of his children, the male ones, who were more martially inclined. She was definitely his favorite… he could use her eyes and mind as an extension of his own. He was quite proud of her too, as she was quite the talented cultivator. Her golden core was stronger than her brothers.

“Naivety is not a good trait to have as Queen” Silena nodded. “But I doubt she is going to realize until it´s too late. Also, she isn´t going to allow us to become friends. Her mother might have let it slip that you are a legitimized bastard.”

“Without a doubt” he answered, looking back at his daughter. “I had a small chat with the bastard of Winterfell and he seemed to know everything. He was also… interested in how I got legitimized. I bet he was quite disappointed when he heard that having the name didn´t change much.”

“But it did… at least you held power in Yi Ti, I am sure of that.”

“There are some things, my child, that should remain hidden.”

“But why?” she asked. “You have already told us that you were regent for your nephew, the only son of your trueborn brother, until he was of age and shared his custody with his uncle Lord Jiang. That you were married to a Lady names Qin Su and had a son named Jin Rusong, our older half-brother, who died young. But I know that you held more power than…”

“Silena, it´s enough” he stopped her. “If I hide some things about my past, it´s because it´s better for you to remain ignorant of them. Focus on the future, it´s the only thing you can change” he answered. “You might retire for the night now.”

“Of course, I bid you goodnight, father”

She retired. He sighed after he saw her leave. Jin Guangyao´s daughter indeed, her mind was as sharp as his own when he was her age. And her golden core much more powerful. Smirking a bit, he remembered the day she was born again. Theora had labored for hours, more than her other children, and was quite disappointed to have a daughter, but he told her that after two sons, a little girl was a blessing. When he was showed his daughter, his froze for a moment because of the likeness she had to Meng Shi. The thought crossed his mind to honor his mother giving her granddaughter her name, but… he could never give his daughter, a Lady, the name of a prostitute. Also, Theora and he had decided that the children would have Westerossi names, for their own sake. So he asked his wife to think of a Westerossi name that started with Shi or something alike… she couldn´t think of any, but she liked Cerelle, which she changed a bit to form Silena. Westerossi enough and still connecting her to the mother he never could forget. What could have happened to her? In the hands of Nie Huaisang… perhaps Silena was the only reminder of his mother he was ever going to have.

Anyway, like he said, he had to look forward to the future. Koi Town and it´s port was developing very well, making him a wealthy man. Through contacts in Essos he had managed to get goods from his homeland, goods that merchants couldn´t get anywhere else and he had made popular between the nobles. He had been as subtle as he could, not wanting to attract the attention of that viper Nie Huaisang. He had also consolidated his power in King´s Landing, as the City guard was loyal to him, more than money or even the King. Something that turned Petyr Baelish red with fury.

Talking about Petyr Baelish, how he had found out about his past still bothered him. How had he managed to procure someone from Yi Ti, from the cultivation world? Because only a cultivator would know the kind of details he gave in that reunion. It had to be a rouge cultivator, as the Sects would send someone after a disciple who had disappeared and punished the slavers. But a rouge cultivator… perhaps he should renew the efforts to find the identity of that person.

“I can´t let anything get in the way of my success now.”

-In Yi Ti-

It had taken MianMian several years, even being a cultivator, to escape the vigilance of Petyr Baelish, the man that had bought her, and return to her homeland. After a tearful reception from her parents and brothers, she had convinced her mother that they had to make a trip to Qinghe immediately. Luo Qingyang probably got the sense of urgency from the voice of her daughter and took the warning serious, because she immediately saddled their donkey and, saying goodbye to her husband and other children, took her eldest to the Unclean Realm. There, they demanded to see the Sect Leader, who was Chief Cultivator too. For rouge cultivators like them to do something like that…

“The Chief Cultivator is too busy to receive someone like…”

“Like what?” a voice suddenly joined to the conversation. All the eyes turned towards the person, bowing deeply when they realized that it was Nie Huaisang himself that had approached them. “Please, come in. I have indeed some letters from Sect Leaders to answer, but I always have time to listen to the problem of other cultivators.”

“My Lord, please, heard out my daughter´s plight” Luo Quingyang talked. Nie Huaisang´s eyes sharpened, probably recognizing her as the girl that had spoken in favor of Wei Wuxian in that reunion in Jinlintai so long ago. He had probably recognized her even before, which was the reason why he hadn´t ignored them.
“She was captured by slavers in the coast while on a night hunt and enslaved for several years outside of our homeland. She had just come back to us…”

“That´s terrible!! I pity you, my dear, and promise you that a case like this will never happen…”

“Lord Chief Cultivator, that is not the only reason I came to you” Mianmian said, still bowing deeply. “When I was taken by those slavers, I was bought by a man from a land where slavery is forbidden. He still… used me as a spy against his enemies. He also bought me for my knowledge about one of them, a certain Liafang-Zun.”

Rage flashed in his eyes for a moment before the Sect Leader Nie opened his fan, hiding his face except for those dangerous eyes. It was obvious that he didn´t need the thing to hide his emotions, that his face was perfectly blank, but still did so. The guard looked at his Sect Leader with a bit of worry. After all, it was the first time in years where that title resurfaced. And there was only one person who used it. A man all of them had concluded that said man was dead and the reason his corpse hadn´t appeared was because it had turned into a fierce corpse. If by some miracle he was alive.

“Are you sure?” he asked.

“I never saw him in person, so I can´t be” the younger woman answered. “But he made me a lot of questions about Liafang Zun. And from what I gathered from becoming Baelish´s spy, it could very well be the same man that… killed Chifeng-Zun all those years ago.”

“I see”

“Sect Leader…”

“I commend your valor, my girl, I will surely remember it. And deal with that pirate scum that dared to take our people” he answered, chilling the blood in both mother and daughter´s bodies. “You have also given me much to think about. Please, make use of the accommodations of our compound for tonight, we will provide you tomorrow with everything you need to return home.”

“Thank you, Chief Cultivator”

“Thank you for bringing me the news”

Calm and collected, Chief Cultivator Nie Huaisang walked towards his office. He must have been expelling resentful energy or something like that, because everyone that crossed his way suddenly disappeared. Once in his office, his sanctuary where no one else could see him, Huaisang let his rage out. He grabbed a vase, a very ugly one that Sect Leader Yao sent him believing that liking artwork meant liking everything that was made by a known artisan, and hurled it towards the wall. He gritted his teeth.

“Fucking bastard… how could you still be alive? How could you have escaped me? I… I saw Er-ge mortally wound you, you shouldn´t have” his fist clenched. “No worry, I won´t make the same mistake twice. I´m going to find you… and destroy you once and for all.”

But to do that, he was going to need to play the long game again. Perhaps not as long as last time, as Jin Guangyao was already a known criminal for the cultivation world. No, the problem was to convince the Sect Leaders that, in that far away land he had found himself a home in, he was still a problem and a danger for the Sects. To do that, he needed to convince not only the small sects, but the Great Sects… which meant dealing with Lan Xichen, who might try to excuse his former sworn brother. But if he managed to show them all that Jin Guangyao was amazing power and becoming a danger again, not even Lan Xichen would be able to shield the former Chief Cultivator from his just deserve.

He started to put his ideas in order, using a board and pieces of go to do just that. First, he needed someone to go to that land Westeros and make sure that it was indeed Jin Guangyao and not other cultivator that had taken his name and title. If he sent someone from his own sect, the Leaders could say that the Nie were lying because they wanted to fight after such a long peace period or that, in their wish to avenge Chifeng-Zun and put his soul to rest, they were trying to blame anyone. No, he needed someone who was not part of his sect, who was impartial but also had some experience with the man so they wouldn´t fall for his tricks so easily. Normally he would go to Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian for such a work, but they had gotten rather difficult to control after he manipulated them into collecting the pieces of his brother. And would say no or get distracted by one another. Besides, the Yiling Patriarch was still quite the controversial figure…

“But it doesn´t have to be them, no?” he smirked.

Sometimes, people forgot that the two of them were not only married, but had a son. Maybe it was because Hanguang-Jun and Wei Wuxian hadn´t exactly raised their boy together, but that didn´t mean that Lan Sizhui didn´t consider them both his parents and they him their son… which meant he was not only raised as such, but trained as such. He had become quite the capable cultivator, called along with his friends and usual night hunting party for several missions… a night hunting party that coincidentally was close right now. Apparently, the news had arrived just in time.

“Please, intercept Lan Sizhui´s party on their way to Gusu and bring them here. Tell them I want to share a meal with them to discuss some important things” like revenge. A revenge he knew burned inside Lan Yuan´s heart too, as Jin Guangyao had actually killed Wei Wuxian once. “Oh, and don´t let them tell anything to Lan Xichen yet.”

The man nodded and left. Huaisang picked a few other rocks and put them in their place on the board. He knew he was playing with lives, including his own, because if something happened to Lan Sizhui, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji would make sure to make his brother´s death look merciful with what they would do to him, but it was nothing that he hasn´t done before. Then again, the word of Lan Sizhui and his friends wouldn´t probably be enough to make the Sects do his bidding in this issue. Or the support of the Lans, which those boys would give him. And for that reason, he was going to add another piece to board.

“Go to Koi Tower as fast as you can” he ordered another agent, quickly writing a missive and handing it to him. “Make sure that this missive reaches Sect Leader Jin´s hands and his alone. When he has no one around, understand? And if you can do it while he prays in or after he leaves the family temple, better.”

That way, he would drag the Jins and Jiangs to his crusade. Of course, Jiang Wanyin, Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji and whoever realizes he had manipulated them would want to kill him for this; and Lan Xichen will call him viper again… but this was the way he did things. And no one was as efficient as him. It was the reason he achieved Chief Cultivator so young. He would get what he wanted… and finally, Jin Guangyao´s head will decorate HIS wall.

Chapter Text

Lan Sizhui knew he was being manipulated as soon as he stood in the presence of Nie Huaisang, the Chief Cultivators… or should he said Chief Manipulator? He knew that when his uncle warned him that one was a little snake that rivalled Wen Ruohan in strategy and manipulation skills, managing the cultivation world like a puppeteer would his theatre, he meant it. But that didn´t mean anything when he heard about what happened to MianMian, daughter of one of his fathers´ acquaintances. He was about to accept the mission to rid the coasts of slavers when he was informed of something more. So THAT´s why the Chief Cultivator called for him too. He couldn´t leave, so he called someone that also had a bone to pick with Jin Guangyao, after recovering his memory. And the issue of the Burial Mounds. Also because he had developed a protective strike for his father since he returned. Nie Huaisang knew and he was counting on it.

“Sizhui…” Zizhen whispered to him when the dinner was finished. He knew exactly how that name affected him and he would follow his friend to the end, but that wasn´t enough reason to cross the sea in an adventure that could spell their doom. Much like Nie Huaisang was hoping they did.

“I know” he answered, clenched his fists. He knew it, he knew that Zizhen was being the voice of reason, that Nie Huaisang was manipulating him towards his own ends… but he simply couldn´t help it. Not when the architect of the death of his blood family and adoptive father was still out there, living as if nothing happened. “I still have to do it.”

“That´s the thing, Sizhui, you don´t have to. You can simply go back to Cloud Recesses and live as if you haven´t heard about it, leave Nie Huaisang to do his dirty work for once” he stopped the other. “Please, Wei-qianbei and Hanguang-Jun couldn´t lose you, they won´t survive it after so much pain so little ago.”

“I simply will have to survive, then”

“That´s right” Lan Jingyi grabbed them both from behind, earning a look from Zizhen. “We have already survived several things that would have killed an older cultivator. Remember the Second Siege of…”

“We survived because of the Wens, not because we were good” the Ouyang heir answered. “Besides, from what I remember, we were captured by puppets and weakling Su She before of that. Su She!! How long did we spend hanging from those rocks, eh? How long?” the two Lans seemed to retire on themselves.
“Enough for Sizhui to lose it for once and get into a fight with Jin Ling and his cousin.”

“Jin Chan is an asshole”

“That´s not up to discussion, he inherited that from his father” yes, Jin Zixun´s only son was a pain in the neck. Only that he was a pain on JIN LING´s neck most of the time, as the Lans didn´t deal with him much. “What´s up to discussion is what we are going to do. Only the trip would take months… and we could be lost to our families for more than a year if we are to fulfil the mission.”

“I´m sure Nie Huaisang is going to inform our families” Jingyi said.

“Please, are you going to trust Nie Huaisang to do something that doesn´t benefit him? The man is a viper, he doesn´t do something unless it brings him some benefit” the only not Lan crossed his arms. “And telling our families would only bring him death.”

“I doubt my parents…”

“Oh, yes, they would. Definitely”

Zizhen was trying to be the voice of reason of the group, while Jingyi was always the little demon who wanted more adventure. Though he wanted to hear to the first one, the issue was that this was Jin Guangyao. Since he recovered his first memories, despite having been shielded from the worse of the Siege of the Burial Mounds, Sizhui still remembered something. And remembered more clearly the corpses and how they emerged from the pound they had been unceremoniously thrown in by the Sects. He had worked on that, entered seclusion willingly a few months to let go of that hate… but the one for Su She, Jin Guangshan and Jin Guangyao continued. It burned, just as fiery as the first time he remembered who he was. When he dreamed about the dead body of Wei Wuxian, about the burning of Wen Qing, the murder of his grandmother or the nails being sunk into Wen Ning´s head by Xue Yang. When he imagined the expression of Baba while he desperately tried to save the love of his life´s life. When he did so, he couldn´t help but imagine returning the blow to the bastard. And a strange kinship to Nie Huaisang.

“Well, if you have already decided, let´s do this right. Book places in a comfortable, trustworthy boat, find a map that depicts the lands outside of our country… there is so much to do” Ouyang Zizhen gave up. “You will be the one to inform your parents of our departure and remind them why it´s not a good idea to kill the Chief Cultivator.”

“Do you really think we need to? They are on a night hunt for a couple of weeks…”

“You do it or we are going to return to an outright war. And I´m not going to suffer the fury of either Wei-qianbei, Hanguang-Jun or Nie Huaisang. Or Lan Quiren, because he is also going to have something to say about it.”

“Alright, you win”

The only thing he didn´t mention was that he didn´t plan to tell them face to face. He left a note in the Jingshi when they were on a night hunt, explaining what he was going to do, and then escaped through the back of the Cloud Recesses. There he met Ouyang Zizhen and Lan Jingyi, his accomplices, and went away. They reached the coast before his parents returned… at least he hoped so, because he didn´t want to be stopped by his pissed off fathers. However, he found another unwanted presence.

“Jin Ling? What are you doing here?” he asked the golden dressed nuisance. Did he really think he didn´t stand out to the eye with just that cloak. One could see that color from a hundredth paces away.

“Let me guess” Zizhen crossed his arms. “Nie Huaisang contacted you and told you that your former favorite uncle is probably still alive and in a foreign land.”

“I… he betrayed me in the worst way possible” the Jin Sect Leader answered, lowering his head. “Xiao-shushu… Jin Guangyao killed my father and mother, my grandfather too… and while Jin Guangshan wasn´t a huge loss for the Sect, my parents were. And he committed multiple crimes while being the Sect Leader of the Jin Sect… it´s my responsibility as the true heir and new Sect Leader to bring him to justice. To clean the reputation of my Sect in front of the whole cultivation world.”

“I think you have already done that.”

“Of course not, the stain in honor he left was too deep. Or have you ever seen a Sect recover from such a scandal as a Sect Leader that was also a Chief Cultivator that not only committed incest, but killed his brother and sister-in-law, his father, tried to kill several cultivators in an attack and activated an array that would have murdered several people if not an entire city with demonic cultivation?”

“Alright, you have a point… though I would say that Nie Huaisang should have also faced part of the scandal, as it was his fault that a dangerous fierce corpse was in the loose.”

“No one could have proven that, while he provided the witnesses and evidence for the crimes of Jin Guangyao” Jin Ling frowned. “Anyway, you are not going anywhere without me. I will clean my Sect´s reputation, even if I have to take his life myself.”

“Jin Ling… did you tell your uncle Jiang that you were doing something like this?”

“And you? Did you tell my martial uncle and Hanguang-Jun that you were leaving the country to chase a dangerous criminal?”

“Alright, point taken”

“And we should definitely leave before any of those mentioned people appears, especially if they are going to be as furious as I think they are going to be.” Zizhen reminded them.

With a sigh, Lan Sizhui surrendered himself to his fate of a long travel in not only the company of his friends, but of that brat Jin Ling. He knew, they were technically cousins, but Jiang Wanyin and Wei Wuxian hadn´t seen each other face to face since the later last visit to the Lotus Pier, when Lan Wangji had practically to carry him out after they presented their respects to Jiang Fengmian and Madam Yu. And he doubted they were going to join forces any time soon… he hoped so. He didn´t want to go back to the Nie Clan taking up arms against the Jiang, Jin and Lan Clans after all.

-In King´s Landing-

When Sansa heard that there was going to be a tourney, she asked her father for gold for more dresses in the southern fashion and she styled her hair in a more complicated manner than she usually did. She had seen the Queen´s and Princess´s ladies-in-waiting and they definitely used those styles more than the simple northern braids she had been using until then… it almost made her feel like she was inferior. But not anymore. Now she really looked like the daughter of a Lord Paramount, with her silk dress and her red hair in a more appropriate fashion. Arya was less prepared, but then again, there was nothing strange in that. She was… seriously, her sister almost didn´t seem like a lady. She should grow up already.

“Through here, ladies” Septa Mordane said as she guided her charges towards their seats, where her father will join them soon.

“Oh, Lady Sansa, I´m glad to see you” Silena Zun said as she waved to the redhead. Apparently, she, her father and a lady with golden hair were positioned right next to them. “Let me introduce you to my mother, Lady Teora Zun.”

“A pleasure, my Lady” and her condolences for her shameful marriage.

“Thank you for being friends with my daughter, my lady” Lady Teora answered with a shy smile. "Silena could barely shut up about you when she returned."

“I´m glad” she refused to offer anything with a smile. Why was the Yitish bastard´s daughter spreading rumors about her being her friend? Did she want to ruin her reputation so she had more chances of seducing the Crown Prince?

“Two of my sons are going to compete in the melee today. Silena was so gentle as to make favors for both of them… she said you gave her good advice on her sewing.”

“I guess… thought the compliments are to the Septa, truly, she was the one who gave us that lesson.”

Sansa almost scoffed when she noticed the presence of the girl there, more when she noticed that she was with her family, though she guessed that he could stand the bastard and his get for a few hours. It was for the tourney, after all. And she couldn´t deny that they had helped her a lot on the way to King´s Landing, when Arya got them both into troubles. Of course, their wolves were sent back to the North and she missed Lady, but she couldn´t help but believe that it would have ended much worse if both Liafang and Silena Zun had witnessed the events and declared in the favor of Arya´s version… as much as it angered the Prince and the Queen. At least now they were nice to her again… and they hadn´t invited Arya to the tea with her and the Princess anymore.

“Who are your brothers, Lady Silena?” she asked with curiosity. If she was going to avoid someone, she better knew who.

“The ones with the golden capes embroidered with the peony”

The northern daughter noticed them immediately, despite not being dressed as fancy as some of the other knights. At first sight, one might confuse their emblems with the ones of House Tyrell, but the more you see, the more you noticed the difference. And not only in the darker hair, but also in the factions. They looked a little bit… different from the Westerossi ones. It must be the Yitish blood running through their veins, amplified by the way they grow their hair, long like a lady´s. Both of them held it up, be in a high ponytail or a bum. Their father also wore it long, but…

“In Yi Ti, that´s the way noblemen wore their hair” Silena said. “My father has also trained them in the Yitish way of combat, though Luceon preferred the archery while Rolland the sword way.”

“I can understand that they were trained formally in the combat way of your father´s homeland” Sansa knew that men learned those kinds of things, specially when they leave home on a tour or something like that. “But why wearing their hairs like that? We are not in Yi Ti.”

“It´s pretty anyway”

The Stark daughter frowned, but didn´t comment anything else. One thing was teaching a daughter of the house like Silena the way to pour tea or style her hair in the Yi Tish way, and she had to admit that the exotic look made her more eye catching and prettier than she would be with braids like Queen Cersei´s or hers; but another completely to teach young lords. After all, they were born in Westeros and were going to be part of the Westerossi society, no matter how humble or improper their ascendance was.

“Lady Sansa” a voice came from behind, distracting her from the Zuns. There was a slim, short man with a pin of a mockingbird on his neck. “I have hoped to talk to you for a while. I was a good friend of your mothers when we were children and I was fostering on Riverrun. Has she talked to you about me?”

“I don´t think she mentioned you, Lord…”

“Baelish, my Lady, Petyr Baelish”

“He is the master of coin of the Small Council” Ser Zun suddenly talked, his expression one of amusement as the other lord got the answer. “And, despite his House´s heraldry being the Titan of Braavos face, he styled himself one with a mockingbird.”

“Talking about heraldry, should you or your children be wearing the peony of House Jin so openly, Ser?” the member of the Small Council said. “I know that we are far away from Yi Ti, but words fly fast and someone could mention that there is a House in Westeros using the peony of the Jins of Jinlintai as their heraldry.”

“What can I say, I feel the need to be connected to my own homeland… something your grandfather surely felt when he received lands on the Fingers.”

“How patriotic for someone that hasn´t returned to his land in years” Petyr Baelish said. In that moment the melee started and they stopped their conversation to watch the knight clash against one another. Sansa´s eyes went wide, as Arya cheered besides her. She had never thought that tourney could be so… so barbaric… and bloody… “If the Mountain was participating, he would easily win against everyone. Ser Zun, I guess it was a relief for you that he didn´t participate in the same event as your sons.”

“My sons are more than capable of taking care of themselves, I know because I trained them” he was so certain that he thought they could win against the Mountain? She had heard that the man was more monster than human… why was he so calm? Indeed because he wasn´t participating in the melee? “Though I have seen the Mountain fight and have asked myself the question more than once… who do you think would win in a fight? Gregor Clegane or Nie Mingjue?”

“Why bothering to ask that? We will never know. And not only because your Yitish Lord would never leave his lands in the far east, but because he is already dead” Renly Baratheon joined the conversation. “But I would want to see a fight between you, Ser, and the Mountain. That would be something worth seeing, especially after what happened in the last tourney you participated in.”

“My way of fighting might not be… well received by some of the participants.”

“Indeed, my love” Lady Teora said, pulling a painted fan out of her belt and fanning herself. What a smart lady, bringing a fan to keep herself cool. Her daughter followed, showing a fan with a very vibrant, vivid painting of a fish on it. Not the Tully fish, but another… “I was glad when you said that your tourney days were over.”

“I didn´t want more troubles because someone got offended that humble old me won against a trueborn highborn of Westeros” he answered.

Little old him? Exactly how old was he? From what Sansa could see, he looked younger than his wife and the rest of the Lords there, but he seemed to be old enough to have participated in Robert´s Rebellion, so he was at least her father´s age. How did he retain such a youthful appearance? Her mother was still beautiful despite her age, but Sansa had seen her beauty slowly disappear as the years passed. She knew it was bound to happen as people aged, no one staged young and beautiful as she was… but some people were better preserved than others. What if Silena Zun inherited that from her father? What if Sansa´s beauty disappeared as she aged and Silena remained the same? A Queen couldn´t be so easily displaced, but she would be shamed in front of the entire court if her husband took a lover. Or a mistress to give him bastards like Aegon the Unworthy had done to Queen Naerys. Didn´t one of those bastards tried to take what was his trueborn brother´s? The Blackfyre Rebellions… she didn´t want it to happen to a son of hers.

As the tourney progressed, she got distracted, but during the banquet she couldn´t help but watch Silena dance with several knights, including Loras Tyrell. She was probably younger than Sansa herself, and her way of dressing didn´t show much of her curves, but it indeed made her look exotic. And she was exotic. She was probably the only lady at court with Yitish heritage. And she not only have that, but Lannister blood… she would become a beautiful woman once she grows up a bit more. She already saw a few young men watching her, including her golden prince… she couldn´t allow it.

“My Lady, the Queen invites you to join her” a servant informed, offering her a tray of lemon cakes. She nodded before taking some and moving towards the Queen in a position of honor. Joffrey wasn´t there, he had gone already. As well as the King.

“She is a cunning little vixen, don´t you think?” Cersei Lannister said, her eyes never leaving the young lady Silena. “When she came to court, she was a young thing with strange customs and less charm than a duck. I thought that she was going to be no problem… especially when Joffrey saw her in the training yard with that sword of hers.”

“She has a sword?!!” Sansa was horrified. For a Lady to be wielding weapons… was Silena more like Arya than she believed? “How could she? Does her father´s knows that she trains with a sword?”

“Who do you think taught her?” the Queen seemed amused. “Apparently, it´s another tradition of Yi Ti, to train the women as they do the men. And they could also be quite good, there are even some renowned women warriors in their history… recent history” Sansa seemed more surprised. “Oh, dear, haven´t you heard the songs that were made popular since the arrival of Liafang Zun to Westeros, no? I thought that with a sister like that, you would have heard them all more than once.”

“I…”

“Perhaps you could accept an invitation to hear the songs with me and the rest of the ladies from the bard of the court. They are quite fun when you hear the correct version… Lady Silena also didn´t seem to enjoy them very much. She said that they were altered a lot from the original versions told by her father.”

“Tales from Yi Ti have been popular here for a long time?”

“There was a time when they indeed were, especially since Liafang Zun played a weird Yitish instrument in both your parents´ and mine´s own wedding” the Lannister woman took a bit of wine. “You know, perhaps we should ask Lady Silena to perform for us. She is somewhat talented with that weird instrument, as she showed to us in Winterfell.”

“The guqin, you mean?” she remembered from the visit too.

“Yes, that one” Cersei nodded. “Do you play something, dove?”

“I´m proficient at the harp and have been told that I sing very well”

“You indeed do” the smile that was offered to light up her day. She had never been as talented as her brother Jon with music, something that sometimes made her angry, though she wasn´t as terrible as Arya either. “But your true talent resides in your embroidery. You truly are a talented seamstress… would you still be open to make something for me?”

“Of course, your Grace!!” she was happier now. She could show off her talent to the Queen and possible her darling Prince… that was enough to make her forget that Lady Silena even existed. At least until she saw Prince Joffrey walk straight to her, probably to offer her a chance to dance with him. “What is he…”
From one side of the room, she saw Liafang Zun push one of his sons towards his daughter, intercepting the way of the Crown Prince. This one offered his sister a hand and took her to the dancing floor, leaving Joffrey without a partner. Sansa watched, not understanding. Weren´t the Zuns trying to get their daughter to get closer to her beloved Joffrey?

“Fortunately for you, her family knows their place” Cersei said, drinking more wine. “Silena might be a little vixen, but it´s a controlled danger. Her father is ambitious, yes, but he knows exactly how far he could go. He has his eyes on one of my cousins for his daughter and the Lefford girl for his younger son.”

“I thought she was trying to…”

“They are still craving more than they should, but Liafang Zun didn´t survive all this time in court by taking too many risks. Nor has he became the Commander of the Golden Cloaks and reformed the institution without some amount of talent… and contacts” she continued. “Still, I would keep my eyes open on that one. Her father might restrain her for now, but she is quite cunning and ambitious as him. She might still try something.”

“Even married?”

“You think the daughter of a bastard would care about the laws of marriage or decency?”

Sansa nodded and continued watching as Silena was kept away from her beloved prince Joffrey. Her brothers practically didn´t leave her alone for a moment until she retired along with her mother, something that made the Crown Prince´s eyes never leave her. Sansa felt even more threatened. Liafang Zun might not want to make his daughter Queen, but that doesn´t mean that he didn´t have a plan to gain more power, maybe make her a mistress of the future King. And if not him, Silena herself. She could notice it in her eyes, she was a smart one. Perhaps keeping her distance was part of the game she was playing.
The next day, during the archery tourney, she barely looked at the participants. Her eyes were on Silena Zun, who was fanning herself with an elaborate fan with a design of a peony garden. From the other side of the fan, a tassel made from a green jewel hanged. Her hair was also braided in a less elaborate way than before, replacing the hairpins she seemed to favor until then by two buns of braids and her hair hanging loose behind. She looked weirdly Westerossi… but also Yitish, because of the jewelry she was wearing.

“My Lady” Sansa talked to her, forcing herself to smile. “I´m afraid I don´t know the kind of gem you are wearing. It´s quite pretty.”

“Oh, this? It´s jade” Silena answered, playing with her necklace. “My father said it´s quite popular between the Ladies in his homeland and even the lords. He says that there is the superstition that jade brings blessings and good fortune.”

“It´s beautiful” she continued. “A treasure your father brought from his homeland?”

“No, he acquired this later, for one of my namedays… but he has some pins that I saw once. I think they belonged to my grandmother…”

“We are not talking about that now” Liafang Zun said, his expression turning sour. From what Sansa had heard, his mother was the peasant that seduced a nobleman, or at least that´s what the Queen had told her during one of their meetings. He probably didn´t want his daughter to follow that woman´s example. “Let´s enjoy the tourney, please.”

Their eyes returned towards the arena, where the archery competition was finishing. The next day, Silena Zun´s hair was back to it´s normal Yitish style, with jade and gold pins keeping it together. Sansa was easily distracted from her by her favorite part of the tourney, the joust. The knights in shinning armor, wearing the favors of their lady loves… that was the romantic part that she always enjoyed in the songs. When she received the rose from Ser Loras Tyrell… she felt she was on the Seven Heavens. She still wouldn´t change her golden prince for the Knight of Flowers, but she dreamed of being crowned Queen of Love and Beauty. And she wouldn´t reject it even if it wasn´t her prince crowning her. Perhaps it might even make her more desirable? It seemed to work for Silena.

“I would be a bit more careful with that one if I were you, Lady Sansa” the very same lady she was thinking about said with a smile on her face. “He doesn´t have what we call the usual tasted here in Westeros.”

“What?”

“He is a cutsleeve”

“A what?”

“And not only that, he is a cheater” the girl continued as she watched the horses carefully. Her father did too. “I might not know anything about horses, but I know that there is something wrong with that one.”

“Ser Loras would never…”

“I have to agree with Lady Silena on this one, Lady Sansa” Petyr Baelish interrupted, lowering himself so he might speak to her ear. Her father, on her side, put an arm to put some distance between them. “Ser Loras´ mare is in heat, the stallion from the Mountain could smell her from where he is. And it´s knight is going to lose control soon… or would if he didn´t have the strength we know the Cleganes have. I still wouldn´t bet against the Mountain, my Lady, he has quite the temper.”

“Would you bet some money on that, Lord Baelish?” Lord Renly got into the conversation in that moment, a smirk on his face.

As the lords talked about who was going to win, the joust began. The prediction of Lord Baelish was made true, except that the Mountain was actually thrown off his horse, making Ser Loras the winner of the joust and Lord Renly the winner of the bet. As they were taunting each other, Gregor Clegane beheaded his horse, then attacked Ser Loras, who barely had time to put on a defense. As Sandor Clegane jumped to defend the knight of house Tyrell, Sansa screamed and begged her father to do something, to save Ser Loras. King Robert then screamed for the Cleganes to stop. Sandor stopped on his own volition, but his brother seemed ready to behead him… until a flying sword placed itself against his neck. Gregor Clegane then threw his sword and left.

“Liafang, thank you” King Robert said.

All the eyes, including Sansa´s, went towards the Yitish man. He was on his feet now, his fingers in a strange position. The sword then flew towards him and returned to the belt by itself, then he sat down. Sansa recoiled even further from the family near her, as did many around her. Sorcery!! They were practitioners of sorcery!! The Septa started to pray, practically putting herself in front of the Ladies that were her charges as she tried to stop Arya from gawking.

“I guess we should leave already, father” Luceon Zun said, extending a hand towards Lady Teora as she and her other son got up. “We will send a butterfly when we are at home.”

“Have a safe trip.” Liafang Zun answered, sighing himself. Silena instead laughed, covering her face with her fan.

“Try not to fall from your sword this time, Luceon. After all, father is not going to be there all the time to catch you when you lose your footing” she told her brother, then turned towards Sansa. “Fancy a flight, my lady? I would carry you myself if you want.”

The redhead recoiled. She wanted even less to do with her now that she knew she was a practitioner of dark magic. How could she and her family do such a thing? Exactly what foul things they have done to get that power? Now she knew why she didn´t have to worry about Silena Zun, despite her being a vixen, a witch would never be Queen of Westeros while the Faith was still standing and the child of the same witch would never inherit the throne, not while the Seven were protecting them. Her love for the Prince, and the light of the Seven, will protect him from her and her foul ways.

“Silena, you are scaring Lady Sansa” Liafang Zun offered his hand to his daughter. “Let´s return to our rooms for now. It seems like the right time of the day to practice some meditation in a quiet place.”

“Yes, father”

-In Qinghe-

“Nie Huaisang!! What are you planning now?!!”

The Chief Cultivator´s eyes lifted from the document he was redacting to see Jiang Wanyin and Wei Wuxian barged into his office. Together. What an unusual event, to see the two former martial brothers actually working together again, in synchrony… the twin Prides of Yummeng indeed. Though one had long since left his former home for Gusu Lan. And talking about Gusu Lan, Hanguang-Jun walked right behind his husband, also ready to help both of them to kill him and hide the body. It was an intimidating sight… and more than unusual. Everyone knew that the opinion of Lan Wangji of Jiang Wanyin couldn´t be worse, less since he got used to use his nephew´s dog against Wei Wuxian on some night hunts. But he guessed that his actions had turned them into temporary allies… scary.

“I guess that you were informed already that the boys have gone off on some mission for me… away from our land.”

“Where is my nephew/son?” oh, the synchronization was terrifying.

“I don´t quite remember the name of the place, but I have a map somewhere that details the lands away from…” Zidian actually sliced his desk in two. Okay, now he was angry too. Did he realize exactly how much work it was going to take to redo the documents that were probably ruined now? And that desk was a unique piece he had ordered a master artisan to make!! A piece of art!! “I see that you are upset.”

“Upset?! You just sent our children on a mission on foreign lands, with no reason more than a rumor that Jin Guangyao could still be alive there!!” Wei Wuxian yelled, crossing his arms. Jiang Wanyin and Lan Wangji merely glared, but they almost seemed to be trying to set fire to him with their eyes. “And with no surety that they would return!! Do you know what kind of dangers they could find there? Slavers, pirates, murderers…”

“If they could handle yao, they could handle that.”

“Perhaps, but that´s no reason to put them in danger like you did. And don´t even try to convince me you didn´t manipulate them to get them to accept.”

“I only gave them a push, they were the ones that accepted the mission out of their own volition. And if you ask me of why they did so, I would blame the wildness of youth more than the words of an old man” Huaisang smiled nostalgically. “Ah, to be young and wild!! Remember in how many troubles we got at that age? Sneaking alcohol into the Cloud Recesses and food that wasn´t for rabbits to eat…”

“It´s not the same as…”

“Oh, and the Sunshot Campaign!! We were still quite young when we participated in that war, weren´t we?” the Nie Sect Leader got up from his seat, using his fan to hide her smirk. “Who could have told that our children would also have their own wild youths? Just look at us, already over forty and most of us parents…”

“You are not” Wei Wuxian said. “And neither is Jiang Cheng. He didn´t even managed to land a wife for himself.”

“Sorry to break it to you, but Jiang Cheng has been a parent since his sister died. Didn´t he raise Jin Ling in her stead?” he raised an eyebrow. “And did a magnificent work, considering with whom he was raising him with. My compliments, Sect Leader Jiang.”

“I don´t care what you have to say, bring Jin Ling back so I can break his legs!! That way he is going to learn that he can´t just up and leave!!” Jiang Wanyin demanded. “Oh, and those two´s spawn too. I know Lan Wangji isn´t going to admit it, but I think that one is going to cry if he doesn´t get buried in rabbits periodically.”

“Jiang Cheng…”

“And Hanguang-Jun might kill you”

“No, you are not. And that´s because I am the only one who knows exactly the place where your children have gone. Also the one that they will contact once they have seen if the rumors are true or not.”

“Fine” the Yiling Patriarch let himself fall on one of the chairs. What was he trying to… “But you better get ready to host us in the Unclean Realm for a season. Because I´m not moving until I know that A-Yuan is safe wherever you have sent him.”

“What he said” Jiang Cheng also took a seat, pretty much like his former martial brother had done so. “And don´t you even dare to hide us any information they sent to you, we are going to be watching you.”

Lan Wangji gracefully took the seat next to his husband. Apparently, now he was going to have some company for a season. Joy.

“Alright, it´s understandable” he answered. “Do you want to play a board…”

“NO!!”

“You don´t have to be like that” he then turned to Wei Wuxian, who had already been handled a bottle of alcohol and was drinking straight from it. “I that Emperor´s Smile?” from the etiquette, he could tell it was. “Would you share?”

“Get your own” Jiang Cheng smirked as he was refused something he wanted.

“Seriously, you don´t have to be like that”

“And you didn´t have to manipulate our children to accept a mission that, in case they found who they are looking for, will drag our Sects along with your own to a war on foreign lands so you could get your revenge, but that´s exactly what you did.”

“You know me a little too well”

“Comes with having been your victim once”

Chapter Text

“You could use the rooms I set up for…”

“Quiet” Jiang Cheng said as he continued to use Huaisang´s board to try and beat Wei Wuxian at the game. Huaisang didn´t know why he even attempted that, it was obvious that the Yiling Patriarch would have won like three movements before if he hadn´t felt pity for the Sect Leader and his own former martial brother. “You are the reason we have to leave our own homes and come here, so you get to be the one that endures us until news or the children arrive safe and sound.”

“So overprotective”

“We are not! This is totally deserved after what your last scheme with the juniors nearly killed them like three times in a gruesome way!!” the owner of Zidian screamed, glaring at him. And he said he wasn´t a helicopter parent? “Jin Ling got the worst part, you could at least have the decency to leave him out of your revenge scheme instead of showing him first person how evil someone he loved and trusted could be.”

“He would have learned it anyway”

That was a hard truth, as it was that Jiang Wanyin would never be able to beat Wei Wuxian in anything without some aid. And, as he had not a dog on himself nor he had something he could hold over his former martial brother, he got beat in the game. The demand for a rematch was quite loud, something that annoyed Huaisang. It annoyed Lan Wangji too, but he didn´t let it show, merely continuing reading a book on the history of the Nie Sect as he hovered protectively over his husband. Well, at least they weren´t trying to kill him again, merely annoying him with their continuous presence… at least they hadn´t been accompanied by the…

“Wangji!! I read your note!! You said something bad had happened regarding Sizhui and the other juniors regarding Sect Leader Nie sending them on a dangerous mission again, so I cleared up my schedule to come here and…” his eyes landed on Huaisang on that moment, who give him an unimpressed look.
“What did you do now?”

The brush almost snapped in half in his hand. He had rid the world of one of the most dangerous people out there and that´s how they thanked him? Bunch of ingrate people, specially when he had done them all a special favor. Hadn´t he eliminated Jin Guangyao before he could do something bad to Lan Xichen? Corrected his mistake of empowering him? Helped Lan Wangji get the love of his life back? Helped him and Wei Wuxian prove his innocence and avenge his and the Dafan Wens´ deaths? Jiang Wanyin to keep his brat of a nephew alive? To make him recover his position as sect leader even if it was a bit early? To truly avenge his sister and his brother-in-law? Oh, the ingratitude.

“Well, I´m waiting, A-Sang”

“You haven´t called me A-Sang since you realized, or were told, what I have done to Jin Guangyao” he said. He had to say, he enjoyed to hear it. And the warmth that used to accompany the name was back too. It was… nice. Since learning about his true personality, everyone was quite fearful and cold towards him. It was nice to hear someone still held some nice feelings towards him. Anyway, he put his brush aside. “I also thought that, since then, you knew me quite well.”

“Enough to know that you are a poisonous snake? Yes, we are all aware of that”

“Jiang Cheng…”

“Tell me that you or your husband don´t think the same!!”

“Sect Leader Jiang, please” Lan Xichen looked at him quite pleadingly, then looked back as his sworn brother´s younger brother. “A-Sang…”

“If you actually bothered to know me, you should know that I´m always aware of some limits that my predecessors ignored and that practically murdered them. Also, that I´m always aware of the political climate.”

“Yes, we know. Which is exactly why you involved Jin Ling and the Lans in…”

“Jiang Cheng…”

“It´s the truth!!”

“Perhaps, but I also don´t want to cause an open rebellion against myself, as Wen Ruohan and Jin Guangyao did. Some kind of Sunshot Campaign against the Nies because I pissed all the other Great Sects.” he informed. “I´m also aware of the limits of my own strength, not having ever been in the mood to get gruesomely killed by some of the strongest cultivators in our world, who are the very protective parents of the people that I sent. I mean… you still see them like children, even if they are adults by our standards, for Heaven´s sake. What tells me that you wouldn´t skewer me when you found how far I sent your ducklings like some overly protective mother ducks?”

“I´m not…”

“Nie Huaisang!!”

“Mnnn…”

“Then what did you do?”

“What else but send your babies well protected?” he answered, giving them a glare. “When he heard that Jin Ling and Lan Sizhui were taking a mission for me and doing such a long trip, he dropped everything he was doing to follow them. And he caught them just in time.”

“You mean…”

“Yes, exactly what I´m implying”

That was calming, but at the same time a bit worrying. All of them, especially Wei Wuxian, knew that the person in question could very well take care of himself at the same time as he cared for the juniors. What they didn´t know is how a person with such a complexion and… state would be received by the people in another land. Did they even know what fierce corpses were outside of their homeland? Or that he was not a normal one that they should exterminate, but a fully conscious being?

“Well, I guess we can be calmer now” Wei Wuxian said, but nervousness was still obvious on his voice. “The kids are in good hands.”

“You said that because your plaything is with them. I still don´t trust him around Jin Ling, especially after what happened with the peacock and A-Jie” he turned towards the Chief Cultivator. “So that´s your plan? Sending that thing along with them?”

“It´s a HE, not a thing!!”

“Yes, keep telling yourself that, whatever makes you sleep better at night after what you did to create it” Jiang Cheng continued. “What is going to happen if it goes berserk again and Wei Wuxian is not there to control it?”

“Please, Sect Leader, he has gone berserk before and never harmed another living person unless they were threatening him, not again” Nie Huaisang smirked. “Without Su She or another like him, we can perfectly trust him with the safety of the children. He is also very good at hiding… weren´t you unable to find him while you were actually searching for him?”

“You little…”

Nie Huaisang was pleased. He might not have expelled them from his domain, but at least he managed to tame them. And they were calmer now, which will help him to work. After all, the Cultivation World was not going to run itself. Nor the Nie Sect, despite the efforts both him and his cousin did. Sometimes he regretted accepting this position, despite the power and freedom to act that came from it. Couldn´t he return to the better times when he could simply practice her calligraphy and paintings without worrying about running a Great Sect or the whole cultivation world. Da-ge… how much he missed his Da-ge… and not just for that… but something told him that he would cross paths with his murderer soon again. And when he did, his vengeance would also be complete… finally.

-In King´s Landing-

To say that his friend was a hands-off king was being too lax. Since the Tourney of the Hand, Robert Baratheon hadn´t showed himself in the Small Council Chamber. In fact, he was quite sure that he hadn´t shown himself even once in the entire time he had been there. That, along with the secret reunions he had with some members of the Small Council, made Eddard very worried about him. That and the spies Cersei had sent to the Tower of the Hand…

“Do you need something else, Lord Stark?” Lady Silena Zun asked in a sweet voice. “If you want, I can prepare you something else than wine.”

“No, thanks, just leave it as it is” he answered, not trusting her at all. Nor her teas… or that there is any privacy in that tower with the arts she practiced. “I heard that Sansa has tea with the Queen today. Arya is still busy with her dancing lessons, so it would make me a favor if you were to accompany her.”

“It would be my pleasure too” she bowed in a strange way. She seemed to notice it and laughed a bit embarrassed. All fake, of course. “I´m sorry. I was taught by my father the Yitish way of bowing too and sometimes I get confused. Please, don´t mind me.”

“Sure, don´t worry. I know how important it´s for some people to keep some of their traditions imported from a distant homeland” he answered with a smile. “Though I´m sure you mother preferred the bowing and hairstyle traditions than the sword ones.”

“What can I say, Yi Ti isn´t as safe as Westeros and a woman, even a noble one, needs to keep herself safe.” She bowed correctly. “I will be taking my leave.”

Silena Zun doubled as a lady-in-waiting for Sansa, along with another Lannister cousin, and cupbearer for Eddard Stark by petition of the Queen. He didn´t know what he did to deserve such an attention from Cersei Lannister, but the woman seemed to have doubled her efforts to keep him in check since he started visiting the same brothels as Jon Arryn, as part of the investigation of his death. He even found the smith boy, Gendry, at Tobho Mott´s shop and found out that not only Jon, but Stannis Baratheon had come to visit him and the other Baratheon bastards. Why? Stannis had never shown an interest in his bastard nephews and nieces according to the rumors at court. Jon Arryn saw that they were cared for and sometimes found them apprenticeships, but that´s all. Edric Storm seemed to be the only case that was raised like a Jon Snow was, and that was because his mother was a noble lady and because she could prove the boy was the King´s because she was actually deflowered by Robert Baratheon in plain sight of several witnesses… in Stannis own marriage bed, on his wedding. That was something that had kept him from ever visiting the boy, he had heard from several sourced. So why now?

As the Lord Hand was thinking about it, his daughter was walking towards Maegor´s holdfast along with her ladies-in-waiting and Septa Mordane. And, as much as she was happy to have gotten rid of Arya, he entourage left her feeling unsatisfied, specially considering who was in there. She sent a discrete look of distaste to Lady Silena Zun. The girl who before, in Winterfell, seemed to sophisticated and southern had become an eyesore to her with her exotic appearance and her even more exotic abilities. Sansa would never dream of using a sword, and had become horrified when she had caught Silena teaching Arya a few tricks with her own. As the Septa had sent a prayer to the Seven, she went to complain to her father, but the only thing she got was a petition to endure it and a sight of Arya flying on the sword with Lady Silena, laughing the both of them. Her dark arts… the chilled her to the bone.

“I must say, that dress fits you rather well, Lady Sansa” her other Lady-in-waiting sent by the Queen, Lady Tyshara Lannister, told her. She sent her a sincere smile. They had become good friends after she had became her lady, as Tyshara came from a true Lannister line, even if she was a Lannisport Lannister and close cousin to Silena. “I wish I could embroider like you… so I could change my dresses like that, to make them more beautiful.”

“I can teach you to, if you want”

“Truly? Thank you, my lady!!”

Sansa smiled deeper. My Lady… soon she would be a called a Princess and then Queen. Then she would kick Silena Zun to the furthest corner of the Realm. In fact, why didn´t she do it now? She could ask the Queen to make Myrcella take her back into her service. Or better, she could convince her to send the bastard´s daughter away, back to the Westerlands. Her father had too much power in the Capital by being the Captain of the Golden Cloaks, she would hate for Silena to think that she could climb over her station and become, perhaps not a Queen, but what if she took advantage of her closeness to Sansa and try to marry into her family? She had an unmarried uncle and a brother who was of age. Silena could end up trying to become, if not lover of the King, the Lady of Riverrun or of Winterfell.

“Oh, Dove, I´m so glad to see you again… come on, sit down and I will introduce you to our new acquaintances” the Queen told her. “That´s Lady Sybelle and Lady Jeyne Westerling, who are visiting King´s Landing” both ladies sent her a smile, but she could see that the older one was faking. She probably hoped to get her daughter to attract the Crown Prince but Lady Jeyne, while pretty, was a plain mouse compared to Sansa. “And Lady Rhonda Hightower, Lady Bethany Rowan and Lady Lanna Jast. Dear Lanna here is a cousin of mine.”

It noticed, thought the other Lannister woman wasn´t as beautiful as the Queen. It also noticed that she had had children, as her shape hadn´t remained thin like Cersei´s after that. She could tell, her mother had complained once that she had never completely recovered from Rickon´s birth. Anyway, she was sophisticated and obviously a well-bred lady, like Lady Tyshara. She was saluting the newcomers when she heard her addressing Silena.

“Silena, dear!! I´m glad you came, I wanted to talk to you so much since receiving that last letter… you have to tell me how you did in the North, I want to hear everything.”

“Of course, my lady, but we can do that later. I think we are interrupting the Queen right now, we can do it in our free time” she bowed to the other Lannister in the room. “Your Grace, my apologies, but I haven´t seen Lady Lanna in much time and we wanted to greet each other.”

“Sure, my dear” the Queen answered, smiling sweetly, what an understanding woman, Sansa wanted to say, but she merely sat down. “But tea time is about to start and I guessed you could entertain us with some of your… abilities”

She then noticed something to which Sansa turned too. There was a Myrish glass tea set there, with boiled water. The set seemed even finer than the one Lady Silena had showed in Winterfell, with fierce lions roaring in the front. And in a pot made of the same material was a bunch of closed blossoms. The other girl nodded and immediately went to prepare it, the ladies gasping in delight as the blossoms opened in their cups and the smell of jazmin invaded the room. The redhead had to admit it, it was a nice smell. Perhaps better than many of the teas she had tasted in the North.

“I had heard about your abilities, dear Silena, but never that you were so good at preparing exotic teas” Lady Sybelle said, aiming her sharp look towards her. There was perhaps some bad blood between them. “Lady Theora hasn´t talked to me about that in our last encounter, at Lannisport. I´m also an enthusiast of herblore… I supposed you already knew that.”

“I have heard a few things”

“Perhaps we can exchange secrets then, as you seemed to know more about herbs imported from Yi Ti than from Westeros.” She continued. “I will tell you a few recipes. I know of a few teas that could make your skin as pale as alabaster and others that could increase your beauty and juvenile aspect.”

Then why is your daughter such a plain mouse? Sansa wanted to say, but she bit her tongue. She drank her tea and talked with the other ladies her age, while the Queen entertained the older ones. Lady Silena had such an easy time talking to the other women, older and younger, than even she had. It made her feel terrible inadequate, but she didn´t let that sensation defeat her. She continued talking to them. And noticed that she was not the only one that was an enemy of Lady Silena in that table. Lady Sybelle Westerling seemed to be trying to insult her and her family at every turn.

“I have to say, my ladies, that this was an enjoyable meeting, but it must come to an end” Cersei finally said. “I have some matters to attend to, please, excuse me”

“Of course, your Grace.”

“Sansa, dear can you accompany me for a time? You can return after.” Sansa and the Queen left the room alone. “I bet that you have some questions, you can ask me as much as you want. We trust each other, no?”

“I was wondering why Lady Sybelle seemed so interested in insulting Lady Silena” she didn´t know how to put it in another way. “I know that her ascendance is not exactly the most illustrious one, like the Westerling´s…”

“Lady Sybelle is a Spicer by birth, a new House that was stablishes at the Westerlands. And they were allowed to marry their daughter to such an old family because the previous Lord Westerling incurred into a debt” Cersei informed. “She isn´t from an illustrious family at all, but she likes to remind everyone that she is a Westerling now. And Theora was her favorite target, after what happened to her during the Greyjoy Rebellion and her low marriage…”

“Oh, dear, I didn´t know!!” Sansa covered her mouth. Now some of the comments from Lady Sybelle sounded crueler than she had first thought. “That´s not something to make fun of, I wonder how Lady Silena didn´t react.”

“Like I said, that little Vixen is good at hiding her emotions” Cersei continued. “I´m sorry for sending her to you, dove, but I thought you might want to have her watched closely. That girl is not someone who should be underestimated”

“No…” Sansa frowned. Perhaps having Silena close wouldn´t be so bad, so long as she could have her watched until she could send her to the furthest corners of the Realm wouldn´t be such a bad idea. “But for it to persist for so long.”

“It didn´t actually persisted, more like it was… reignited” The Queen continued. “The Westerlings incurred into a debt again, their castle is also about to fall on their heads. They needed money quickly, so Sybelle made a plan to marry her daughter and oldest son to someone rich. She tried with one of cousins, something that earned her the reproval of my own father, thus the Westerland´s, and then decided that perhaps she should search for someone that was merely rich. She tried to bully Theora into marrying her daughter to her younger boy. Liafang Zun didn´t take that well.”

“And I guess that didn´t made them any good”

“Not at all, but not in the way you might think. It turned out that Liafang Zun made some good connections from Essos, connections that benefited his city and prejudiced the Spicers and Westerlings even more. It was a disaster for her… so she took her anger out on Lady Silena.” Cersei smirked. “She is a petty woman, and quite a stupid one. As if Liafang Zun would let his daughter to marry someone as poor as her boy.”

“Because he wanted to use her to climb.”

“More like, for some reason, she is his pride and joy. More than his own sons” for some reason, Cersei´s voice had turned sour at that. Then she smiled. “But enough of that, let´s talk about something else. How is your father? I heard that he has been visiting brothels lately.”

“Father? I… I don´t think he would dare, he… he would never…”

“Don´t be afraid, I know that he isn´t making use of their services… but he seems to be visiting them because of my dear husband´s bastards” she felt sorry for the Queen for a moment. The King was so openly unfaithful to her, despite Cersei being so beautiful and wise, that… “Has he said something in front of you?”

“No, not about that… but he left for a moment before the Tourney began. Jory mentioned something about a Ser Hugh of the Vale…”

“I see” the older woman smiled at her. “Something else?”

“I have heard him saying something about Jon Arryn in the dead of the night, when someone I didn´t recognize visited. I don´t know what they were talking about, but they mentioned that he could have died by poison… Tears of Lys, I think they mentioned.”

“Tears of Lys?” the blond frowned. “It´s quite the difficult poison to get, only someone with connections and money could have obtained it… then again, it´s perfect to sneak into someone powerful´s drink and kill him.”

“You think…”

“It might be nothing, the old Hand of the King was already old, he could have simply died of an ailment of the bowels… though I wonder if we should hire testers for me and my family members, just in case. Sometimes you have to be careful. It´s something you will learn once you become part of this family.”

“Yes, your Grace” Sansa nodded, grateful. “And for the tea too”

“You don´t have to thank me, dove” she patted her head. “Run along, go to enjoy the rest of your day. I´m sure you have a lot of things to do, including your lessons. And the Septa is not someone to endure late arrivals, no?”

“I will leave now, your Grace.” She bowed and left.

-Inside another room-

Cersei served herself a glass of wine, something she preferred over the weak Yitish drink that the other ladies seemed to have taken a fancy to. As she enjoyed the taste of the fine Arbor Gold, she wondered what else Lord Stark was poking his head on. She hadn´t killed Jon Arryn, but had recognized the symptoms and ordered Pycelle to make sure that he died. And her father´s creature obeyed, as he should do. Then Jon Arryn was dead, taking with him the secret that she had taken such precautions to keep like that… or that´s what she thought, until she heard Stannis had fled the city. And that he had accompanied Jon Arryn in some of his walks through the city. That the Mountain had killed Ser Hugh was also lucky, as the man had accompanied his master and Stannis and could do something… now, if only Stannis could do her the favor of dropping dead too…

She was pondering deep into the night, until she heard a knocking on her door. Lady Silena Zun entered the room, dressed in her sleeping wear and an over robe over her form. She was slowly becoming a beautiful woman, but with her bloodline Cersei didn´t think she should worry about her. No one would allow a bastard´s daughter to become Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. Not even Laena Velaryon, another daughter of a legitimized bastard, could do it and she was much more noble. Even had Targaryen blood.

“Well, what news do you bring?” she asked the little vixen. A little vixen that had probably gone to see her fox of a father before her. What Liafang Zun wanted to do with all the information he gathered, she couldn´t even begin to think. After all, he couldn´t climb higher than he already did being a simple landed knight. “Quickly, girl.”

“Lord Stark has indeed been visiting the brothels and taverns that are often visiting by his Grace, even talked to the whores that his Grace has once favored… tomorrow, Lord Baelish is even going to take him to one of his own brothels, where a young woman named Maeghen has recently given birth to a dark haired, blue eyes girl” Cersei rolled her eyes, another bastard for her husband? “And he has also mentioned that the boy from the smithy resembles Renly or Mya Stone.”

“Oh, I had almost forgot that he had met his first bastard, the girl from the Vale” the blond woman said, drinking more wine. By now, her pitcher was nearly empty. “Anything else you might inform me?”

“Not about Lord Stark, but my father told me something when I went to visit him in the afternoon” Lady Silena approached, lowering her voice quite a lot. “Remember Lady Catelyn´s visit to the Capitol, the one I informed you about while Lord Varys and Lord Baelish kept it to themselves?” she now sounded like something funny had happened. “Well, it turns out that in their way back, Lady Stark crossed paths with Lord Tyrion. And apprehended him, saying that he was
the one to throw her son from a tower in Winterfell.”

Tyrion? The one that threw that boy from a tower? Ha, wrong brother. Totally wrong Lannister in any case. And Tyrion wouldn´t even dare, at least not in such a way. His ways to get rid of unwanted things were… much more subtle, sometimes softer. He also had a soft spot for children. Though, she wouldn´t put it pass Baelish putting something like that in that empty headed woman´s head. She would think Varys, but she was sure that he wouldn´t be able to do it in such a short time, not without already having the woman´s trust. Because, despite being quite naïve, the lady was not as stupid as her sister. Catelyn Stark could be quite easily to manipulate… if she thinks she could trust you.

“And something even funnier” Lady Silena continued. “Father told me that she had the help of several knights from all the Riverlands. He already sent the message to Lord Tywin, and tomorrow by afternoon it will be known in all of Westeros. So, the Riverlands are about to be set ablaze.”

“Very true”

While not necessarily like Tyrion, her father still recognized him as a Lannister. He was a trueborn son of the Lannister House, so touching him was an afront to him. And he would never tolerate someone affronting him, even the Lady of another Great House, born in another Great House. That stupid woman had just ignited a war, one that could only be stopped with the King´s intervention… though she was sure that her husband would never leave his pleasures to stop him. Perhaps… she could use it to her own purposes. Specially with the thing she had discussed with Silena.

“Do you have the herbal mixture you talked about? The one that is said to magnify the effects of wine on a person?”

“Of course, your Grace” she answered. “I can have it delivered to you tomorrow… discreetly, of course.”

“Of course” Silena was a careful girl, clever of her. Then Cersei couldn´t accuse her of anything regarding what happened to her husband. When she said discreetly, it meant that the mixture will simply appear in her room or something like that. “Are you sure it works with wine?”

“Yes, I have already tested that.”

“Truly?” she was not telling her on who, again, clever. She threw a pouch of gold towards her. “Then go ahead, return to your room.”

“Thank you and good night, your Grace”

The little vixen bowed and left. Cersei lifted her glass to the moon. Apparently, soon her problems were going to be solved. Perhaps she should also tell Jaime about Tyrion´s fate, that might take care of Stark… the girls would also be quite the useful hostages, no? The oldest, specially. She was quite malleable, the perfect one to be married to Joffrey while Cersei held her strings in the shadows.

“Soon everything is going to be on it´s place.”

-In Dragonstone-

Wen Ning haven´t taken his eyes out of the children since they departed from their country… though they were not children anymore. Still, he couldn´t help but still see them as kids, considering how much older he was. And at what age he had met A-Yuan, who was one of the oldest amongst them. Also that he technically was the same age as their parents… though he had stopped aging when he became a fierce corpse. At least, he didn´t seem to experience age as the others did. He had only became quite tired of living, tired of being there while the world moved on. And now…

“Hey, what are you doing?!!!” the scream from little… well, not so little Sect Leader Jin made him get out of his thoughts and prepare to fight. He noticed that the table the juniors were currently eating in was surrounded by soldiers. Armed soldiers. “Who do you think you are?!! I am…”

“Jin Ling, shut up. I don´t think anyone here knows who you are” Ouyang Zizhen said, sounding like he had already been waiting for this. “And, in case you haven´t noticed, there were too many ships here… it´s like they are preparing for a battle.”

“So… you mean they are preparing for war? That we have arrived in the worst possible moment?” Lan Jingyi said as he eyes the guards. Their hands were already on their swords. They could use talismans and their own swords to escape, but they weren´t here to damage anyone or to make themselves enemies of this country. “Just how bad is our luck that…”

“Remember that we also got involved into Sect Leader Nie´s revenge scheme and nearly died like three times?” Lan Shizui now sounded bored, almost as if he had been expecting this too. And, considering what he lived through during that particular incident, perhaps he did. “Yes, I wouldn´t put much trust in OUR luck.”

“It couldn´t be so bad as…”

“It indeed is”

“Lan…”

The strangers said something in their language, something that Wen Ning didn´t understand, but then they tried to take the juniors by force. He intervened then, sending them flying against the wall despite them being very heavy. Was it iron armor that he was feeling? Certainly some kind of metal. Cultivators never used that kind of armory, but he used the amount of force to make sure he didn´t kill them, merely left… before he knew, more had entered and an outright brawl had broken in the tavern. The other clients fled while he and the juniors fought. They were winning, though he could see that they were getting tired already, probably because of the lack of nutrition and spiritual energy…

Then an old man entered, accompanied by someone else. Both of them looked like sailors, but the older one looked more taken care of than the other. A rich merchant? No, he wasn´t rich at all, but how…

“Please, please, we don´t want to hurt anyone, just stop” Wen Ning relaxed a bit at hearing his own language. Or someone that spoke it. “The guards merely wanted to question you, because of your clothes… they thought you might be spies from that Yitish interloper.”

“Yitish interloper?” Jin Ling raised an eyebrow, lowering his sword a bit.

“Yes” the sailor continued. “They thought that you might have been sent here to spy or outright assassinate Lord Stannis Baratheon, the Lord of the City, by the Queen, with whose family he is allied” who? “As he is the true heir to the Throne.”

“Queen? Like… an Empress” La Sizhui asked.

“Come with us and you might be able to talk with Lord Stannis himself… after some precautions have been taken, of course.”

Wen Ning nodded and allowed himself to be taken. He was confident that he could get the juniors out of any danger these men might pose. Also, that Lord Stannis might have some information that would be valuable for them. Yitish… perhaps it was the term they had for cultivators or people of their homeland. If it really meant that, then perhaps they would be able to point them in the right direction. Towards someone connected to Jin Guangyao or the man himself. And as soon as he could redirect the children towards home, the better.

-In the castle-

Stannis didn´t tend to believe in luck, but now that he heard about what happened in the city and who his guards had actually tried to capture… he couldn´t tell anything else but this be a strike of luck… or a sign of R´hollor that said that he was in the right path. As Melisandre had said, soon he was going to have some very interesting visitors. And here they were. The translator worked to make sure they understood each other. As they bowed, he looked them one by one. Wen Ning he had heard about. Son of a disgraced, disbanded House that was destroyed because of their leader´s arrogance, leaving him as their only survivor. He received the title of Ghost General for supposedly returning to life by the magic of a dark witch, who was now his master. A dark witch that was married to the younger brother of the Lord of Gusu, Lord Lan.

Ah, yes, he remembered that from the meager information his research on Yi Ti have given him. The four Great Houses of Yi Ti: Jin of Jinlintai, Lan of Gusu, Nie of Quinghe and Jiang of Yummeng. Two of the boys claimed to be Lans… in fact, one of them said he was the son of the second master Lan and his dark witch, which means that he was probably high in the inheritance line. Or as high as a son of a second son could be. The other Lan was a cousin… there was also an Ouyang Zizhen, who seemed to be the heir of a minor House. The true surprise was the last member of their group, one that he immediately could tell was family of Liafang Zun due to their resemblance. Apparently, he was hosting the young Lord Jin, head of a House that was said to be as rich as the Lannisters…

“What are they doing here?” he asked the translator, who immediately did his work. The answer didn´t take long. “Well”

“They said that they are in a mission for Chief Cultivator Nie, to track down a criminal that escaped Yi Ti, supposedly to here. A dangerous one with a long list of victims amongst the nobility.”

“Really? Who?”

“They called him former Chief Cultivator Jin Guangyao, but that he might also bear the title Lianfang-Zun”

Stannis´ eyes opened. To think that a criminal and murderer had been so close to his brother for so long, being given more and more power. He started to ask about him and found out that some of the things he had said were truth, but his past was much different as he told. He was the bastard son of Jin Guangshan, Lord of Jinlintai, by a prostitute, legitimized when he killed Wen Ruohan, but not in battle, but using treason as a weapon. He was a talented spy, also, because he was able to play Wen Ruohan, a man skilled in deception, and kill him by ramming his sword through him from behind. He was not only guilty of poisoning the former Lord Nie, Nie Mingjue, who died a painful death because of it, but also his own father and trueborn brother and goodsister, and usurping his then infant nephew´s right to Jinlintai. And if that was not enough, he also murdered his wife, when she found out that he had married her to secure his position, despite knowing that she was his (fellow bastard) half-sister, and son, that done to hide the incest and political gain.

“Perhaps I can give you some assistance” he said, already planning something. After all, he knew exactly where that man would be. “If you are willing to help me with something else, then I will deliver you your target.”

“They say they would need to see first if it´s the same man they are looking for”

“Oh, he is” Stannis said, looking right at young Lord Jin. “But let them decide that. Ser Davos, can you help them sneak into the city and out?”

“Yes, my lord”

“And in how much time will you be prepared?”

“In a few days, my Lord”

“Good” he looked at his guests. “Tell them that I offer them my house so they could rest for now. As soon as Ser Davos is ready, he will take them to see the man that calls himself Liafang Zun, so they could see with their own yes if he is their criminal or not.”

As soon as the message was delivered, they bowed in a strange way and gave something that even he could understand as a thanks. Perhaps destiny had started to smile on him after all. On the true heir to Westeros… until his brother could actually sire some trueborn children, if he was capable. He wouldn´t put it past Cersei killing him to crown her golden haired bastard as soon as she could after all.

Chapter Text

Meng Yao had expected this to happen, truly, ever since Silena asked him to help her make a potion to strengthen the effect of wine for Cersei. He knew why she would need something like that, even better than the end it would have. And why. Eddard Stark had not been subtle at all when he had investigated the brothel workers and the other bastards. When he “secretly” asked Cersei to meet him in the gardens, probably to talk to her about her bastards, and made “secret” plans to send his daughters back to the North, he knew what was to come. And with whom to side. Eddard might think that too, so he went not to him or to Jacelyn, but Baelish, who paid one of his officials to bribe him. He knew he would take the bribe for weakness and confessed it when he asked, but he let it pass. Only that time. Then Silena informed him about Sansa´s betrayal of her father, sealing his fate. And her own, along with her own sister´s… but Arya Stark seemed to have been too troublesome for the Lannisters to control. She escaped, getting lost in the city and probably murdered on some alley… his daughter insisted that she was made of thoughter material, but he wasn´t sure a lady could survive the streets of King´s Landing´s poorest parts on her own. Though he had not expected it to end like this.

“Ser Yllin, bring me his head!!” the boy king demanded with cruelty in his eyes, earning the dumbstruck look from nearly all the small council. And of him too.
Joffrey´s words made his blood chill on his veins. This would cause a war, he thought to himself, as he prepared for what was to come. The fear of himself, of what he had done with a minimum of men to the Ironborn invaders, would not protect them against the Northerners. Nor he could fight in many fronts, as it was likely to open once Stannis and Renly Baratheon, who had escaped too, pressed the older brother´s claim. He was pretty sure that both men already knew that Cersei´s children were bastards… or at least suspected something. They have the might of the Westernlands and the Riverlands were already weakened by the sacking the capture of Tyrion Lannister caused, but there was no way the Westerlands and the Crownlands would be able to…

An arrow interrupted his thoughts. An arrow that was strange because it was impregnated with spiritual power. A cultivator? Another cultivator here? Ser Yllin Payne fell down in that moment, released the mighty Valyrian Steel sword with which he had been about to cut Eddard Stark´s head. Everyone made silence, surprised by the event, until a chain shot up from somewhere amongst the crowd, grabbing the Lord of the North and yanking him towards him. Jin Guangyao´s eyes widened when he realized those chains could only mean… no, it was impossible. They couldn´t have found him so far… not even him… no, it was something that he would do, but how… but he couldn´t even draw a bow last thing he knew, let alone wear a saber… though he couldn´t say he knew him a lot since he was fooled so badly by him. Was he the one… he heard the voice in that moment, talking in his native language. A very known voice that transported him to the past.

“Zixuan?” he asked, only to remind himself that his half-brother was dead. And then he located the person who had attacked as he drew the bow again. “A-Ling?”

He nearly didn’t have the time to dodge the next arrow, that came towards him. Not to kill him, but probably to incapacitate him. He didn´t send his sword against wayward nephew though. If he wanted to convince Jin Ling and whoever came with him that he was better left alone, that he didn´t have any wish to return to Yi Ti at all, perhaps he could get away with this and evade Nie Huaisang. After all, his nephew once upon a time had loved him a lot, almost as much as he loved his uncle Jiang. Perhaps…

As Jacelyn Bywater took charge because of his temporary incapacitation, Jin Ling and his companions started to escape with their new captive. He saw a small figure approaching… he couldn´t believe, Arya Stark?! She really survived in the streets!! And was now in the arms of who he supposed was Wen Ning. As he reacted, he ordered to take all the important people to the Sept. They still had Sansa Stark, and for now she was their only Stark hostage. If Jin Ling and his companions managed to escape… then he saw the flying swords and the young men on them. Apparently, the same nighthunting team of juniors Nie Huaisang loved to put in danger had gotten together again. Last time, this group of juniors were instrumental to his fall from grace, mainly because of their connections. If they were to… he saw some Gold Cloaks trying to take them down with arrows, but they seemed to dodge them easily.

No, this was no time to think about this, he needed to keep the Royal family and other important figures safe. He took over and started to give orders to his men. They form a protective wall around the royals, as Sandor Clegane dragged Lady Sansa inside the Sept for the Lannisters. Now her value had doubled, if not tripled, as she was the only Stark hostage they had to use against the North. He continued to give orders until the Royal Family and Small Council members, plus Lady Stark, were safely inside the Red Keep, putting talismans on the door to block the entrance of other cultivators. Silena watched that last thing with interest, as she had never seen him worried about other cultivators. Then again…

“Do I have to worry about something?” she asked as they walked towards the Throne Room. Or, more importantly, the place where King Joffrey was throwing a tantrum for not being able to execute his future goodfather. “Is there something I need to know about your past?”

“Many things” he answered, frowning. As he entered, he heard the screaming of the boy king about how the Gold Cloaks were useless for having allowed Lord Stark and his rescuers escape. As if he could have done better. “Your Grace”

“Hah, you have some face to show yourself here after failing in such a great way” he said, his mother sneering at him. Cersei never liked him or considered him a true member of the court and she delighted to have a reason to look down on him. “Well? How are you going to excuse your incompetence?”

“Incompetence, your Grace? I was injured, in fact, I still am. This arrow was shot at me with the aim of incapacitating me so I couldn´t give them chase.”

“Huh, what use do you have if you can be incapacitated in such an easy way?” he frowned. Cersei´s smirk widened. Like he said, she wouldn´t be sad if he was sent directly to the Wall for this. Or for any other reason. And then she would send his daughter to become a Septa or simply kill her, only because she was becoming beautiful. “In fact, I heard you say some words. Perhaps… names” he smiled. “You know who it was that rescued Eddard Stark.”

“I can´t deny that” he answered, keeping a straight face despite knowing the kind of monster he was facing. He had faced worse ones, though, than a boy who thinks that because he wore a crown he could do whatever he wanted. Nie Mingjue and Wen Ruohan between them. “I said first Zixuan, because the boy reminded me of my brother back in Yi Ti.”

“I think I heard that history before” Varys approached, the same smile as ever in his face. Though Jin Guangyao could tell that he was relieved that someone saved Lord Stark. Don´t misunderstand him, he was too. Perhaps like that and with Sansa Stark they could negociate peace with the North. “But wasn´t your brother dead?”

“It´s his son, Jin Ling… Lord Jin now” he was a bit bitter when he remembered that everything he had once possessed, including Koi Tower for which he had worked so hard, for which he had killed family member, was now Jin Zixuan´s son´s. “He is the son of my legitimate half-brother, Jin Zixuan, and his wife, Jiang Yanli… from the Yummeng Jiang. It was the only one they managed to produce before they died.”

“Your nephew, then” Joffrey seemed to find it quite funny. Or perhaps he was imagining what to do with him after he finished his history. Perhaps he could have his beheading… but Jin Guangyao was not going to be defeated so easily.

“Jin Ling and I were once close, as I actively participated in his raising and was even Regent for a time at Koi Tower, as he spent his childhood and youth between Lanling and Yummeng, with his uncle Jiang.” He sighed. “But our parting was not nice. In fact, it was Jin Ling came into a power a bit young, as I had to leave Yi Ti.”

“Have to? I thought that you left because you had no reasons to remain after your wife and son died?” the Queen Mother talked again. She didn´t care for his fate, but she probably still needed him for the war to come. Specially if the northerners or one of the Baratheon brothers had acquired his own magicians from Yi Ti. “Have you contacted your nephew in any way while you were here in Westeros? What have you told him?”

“What could I tell him that was not immediately known by the Spider or Grandmaester Pycelle or even Lord Baelish? Or you, the Queen who takes care of her son with the spirit of a true protective lioness” that seemed to stroke Cersei´s ego enough that she believed his words. “Jin Ling and I have had no communicated since I left Yi Ti, just after he became Lord Jin at a very young age.” He looked away. “Besides, I doubted he would want to hear of me, as I caused many troubles in my final days as Regent and left him with a disaster to take care of.”

“And here I thought you were efficient while doing your work” Joffrey said, expectantly. “Perhaps I should replace you anyway, wouldn´t want you to leave a disaster like you did in your homeland…”

“My son, please, let him speak. He has done a good work here, so let´s allow him to explain himself” the Queen Mother said, putting a calming hand on her cub´s shoulder from her seat right besides the Iron Throne. “And well, Ser Liafang Zun? Tell me, what disaster you made that you had to cut ties with your family in Yi Ti and begin again?”

“It was not one of my own making.”

“We are still waiting.”

“I guess that the time to hide it has been gone” he answered, giving Cersei his best look of sincerity, though he doubted she believed him. Or anyone in the world. “During my last days as Regent for Jin Ling” he explained in a way they could understand it, or at least that he could appear less guilty. “some scandal enveloped the House Jin. Though we were not the only ones going through an scandal, as the second young lord of House Lan had gone and married against the wishes of his family, to someone everyone considered a dangerous criminal: Wei Ying, the Yiling Laozu.”

“Yes, we already heard that. In fact, there are several songs about their great love history… and the bastard that they had” the Lannister woman said with some anger in her voice. She didn´t like any character, not even ones in songs, who was said to be more beautiful than she was. And both Cangse Sanren and Wei Wuxian had been described as beauties by the bards who heard his original history. “But how is it related to you?”

“A month after Jin Ling´s birth, something strange occurred. My cousin and spare heir of my father, Jin Zixun, was poisoned with something called the Hundred Holes. It´s a slow acting poison, but as dangerous and lethal as the Strangler. It makes the innards rot… and if not handled carefully, it could leave a mark on the poisoner. It´s almost always the case” he lowered his gaze a bit, as if he was sad about something. “Returning to Zixun, my father did everything he could to find a cure, but was unable to. Then Zixun heard that the one that poisoned him and condemned him to a slow death was Wei Ying.”

“Sounds like an interesting lady, that one, a criminal and a poisoner… and she was your goodsister´s foster sister, no?” Joffrey said, clearly enjoying the image that was projected as he described the effects of the Hundred Holes Curse. “Couldn´t it had been done at the behalf of Lady Jiang… or was she Lady Jin by then?”

“Jiang Yanli was a compassionate woman, too much for her sake” Liafang-Zun told a truth, as he knew that spinning some of them through his web of lies made them all sound true. “Returning to my cousin, when Jin Ling reached the moon of life, a banquet was prepared in his honor. Jin Zixuan, because he knew it would make his wife happy, decided to invite Wei Ying to the celebration. So Zixun prepared an ambush for him. Zixuan, having heard late of the issue, got horrified. Last I heard, he left the banquet to stop Zixun in a rush… and came back as a corpse. Zixun too.”

“How did they die?” Cersei asked, interested.

“Zixuan died in the crossfire between Wei Ying´s guard dog and the men Zixun have brought with him. Zixun was killed by that same guard dog” he shook his head. “Back then, they all blamed Wei Ying for what happened and demanded the death sentence. Hanguang-Jun was the only one that wanted to protect… but can´t.” he lowered his gaze again before raising it again. “It was dark times for the Jins. Jin Guangshan´s only legitimate heir was a babe in his swaddling clothes… and a legitimized bastard that was born from an affair with a lowborn.”

“Again, what did it have to do with you? Apart from benefitting you, because it put you in position to become at least regent for your nephew” the Queen smirked. “Not precisely in your favor, don´t you think?”

“I didn´t kill Zixuan or Zixun” that wasn´t entirely a lie, the one who actually did the deed was not him. “I admit that my cousin was not someone I would like to spend my time with. Zixun was an arrogant person, one that took pleasure in seeing his lackeys abuse those that he thought were under him. Not something that should have been done by someone who was merely a spare and being pushed down the line of succession” Joffrey seemed to agree with that way of thinking. “And Zixuan was always good to me, even when my stepmother tried to keep us apart most of the time.”

“Your stepmother?” Silena didn´t know that she had talked until she had already done so. He looked at his daughter with a serious expression. “My apologies, father, my lords, my ladies, your Graces. I shouldn´t have talked.”

“No, but you brought an issue up, dear Lady Silena” Cersei said, sweetly. “You never mentioned that your father had a Lady Wife.”

“Lady Jin was not a Lady who should be trifled with, as she had been a warrior in her youth. In fact, she was a good friend of Lord Jiang´s Lady Wife, Yu Ziyuan, who was a famous warrior who earned the moniker of the Violet Spider. It was that friendship which led to the arrangement between the Houses to betroth their children” he continued. “My father was terrified of her, but that doesn´t dissuade him of his… ways. Some of which are similar to the late King Robert´s.”

“Ah” Cersei and many other understood. Jin Guangshan enjoyed whoring as much as her beast of a husband. She felt some strange sense of kinship with the old Lady Jin, a woman who probably was dead and not a threat to her and her beauty. “Do I take it that Lady Jin didn´t take it kindly to you?”

“I doubt any Lady would do, with a bastard in her home” all except Cersei herself, who seemed willing to do whatever to put her own on the throne. Her incest-born bastards that she passed as children of the late King. “Once, I dared to show up at my half-brother´s birthday banquet, but she got sight of me and demanded that I was thrown out. My father, to please her, threw me down the stairs of Koi Tower.”

He still remembered that fall, along with the way Jin Guangshan crushed the pearl he himself have given to Meng Shi. And seeing her expression of pain, that woman finally crying, kneeling on the floor… it had made the deaths of Jin Zixuan, Jiang Yanli and the Massacre of Nightless City much sweeter.

“But you haven´t yet told us how you were related to those events that led to you leaving your homeland for Westeros.”

“Thirteen years after the events, Hanguang-Jun wanted his clan to accept his decision for a bride without them succumbing to the same destiny as other brides that are deemed unfit inside the Clans. Such a scandal had shaken the previous generation of Lans and he was more than aware of how badly it could end, so he led an investigation which reviewed Wei Ying´s supposed crimes. And he came with definite proofs of his intended´s innocence… also of the guilt of someone else. Someone that I had the misfortune to be close to.” His eyes narrowed, knowing exactly who to blame. “The one who poisoned Zixun and told Zixuan of his plans, even going as far as to make sure he died in the ambush, was Su Minshan, a dear friend of mine and leader of the House Su of Moling.”

“A Lord was your friend?”

“He was not always a Lord, your Grace. Minshan, sadly, started with a rather humble background. Not as humble as mine, but House Su was one branch of House Lan that recently had separated. Without the history and not in the best terms with the Great House, Minshan was nearly the same as your landed knights and not precisely one of richer ones. As such, we were both ostracized by the upper echelons of society in Yi Ti, sometimes abused by the same people, as was the case of Zixun… so we developed a friendship. We took care of one another as much as we could…”

“And this Su Minshan was the one who killed your half-brother and cousin.”

“Jiang Yanli was also murdered by him, and he nearly killed Jin Ling too” his eyes hardened, or at least he made it look like it. “During the thirteen years that I was Regent, House Su grew in power more than a small house should because of his connection to me, so I guess that it was his aim… or he started to develop that plan after befriending me.”

“I find it very hard to believe that you had nothing to do with that, considering how close you admit that you were with this… Su Minshan” Cersei said. Low cunning was the only one she had, but it was cunning. Enough brains to know how the nobles of Yi Ti had seen it.

“It was exactly what the bad tongues said, them and Lord Jiang. House Su and Minshan himself were destroyed shortly after, his subordinates in an attempt to kill Hanguang-Jun, Wei Ying and Lan Quiren, who formerly was regent of House Lan during Lan Xichen´s minority.” He sighed. “Some time before, I had lost my wife and son, so I decided that I didn´t have anything else linking me to my homeland, and with the bad tongues wagging, I decided to cut my loses and parted to exile with a few heirlooms that rightfully belonged to me. Barely more than the clothes on my back.”

“Hummm, why didn’t you fight back?” The Queen continued with her interrogation. “From my years of knowing you, you are a good orator. I´m sure you could have made a very compelling case in your defense…”

“That was not the only reason I had everything against me.” He answered. “During my time as a soldier of the Sunshot Campaign, I also became good friends with Lord Lan Xichen and Lord Nie Mingjue. My father… he became Chief Cultivator after that, but the other Great Houses didn´t like his decisions. The Lans were very weakened, as were the Jiangs, but the Nies… Chifeng-Zun was not someone you could trifle with easily. Not even Wen Ruohan could do it without paying the consequences.”

“Father…” Silena touched his arm, adding her own performance.

“The Nie family produces mostly big and physically powerful sons, but for generations, they had been plagued by a sickness that leads them to die early. It manifests first as irritability, but develops into fits of violent uncontrollable madness before a painful death” he sighed. “Nie Mingjue was conscious of that and took precautions, with healers and medicines… my father, when he found out, decided that he could take advantage of that. Specially given that the Nie only heir was Chifeng-Zun´s younger brother, a useless heir according to many, not even able to use his sword.”

“Your father poisoned a Lord?”

“I visited him quite frequently because we were friends, so he used that to sneak the poison, making me his unwilling accomplice. I was forced to watch him die in front of me during one of my visits… while I held Huisang back so he couldn´t be hurt. As I watched him crying, I realized what father had done. And I wasn´t the only one” he sighed. “Nie Huaisang wasn´t the useless heir he was said to be, but not even he realized the danger he could be once he stepped out of his brother´s shadow. By getting rid of the tiger, my father had freed a snake.”

“A snake?”

“Nie Huaisang is a patient kind, different from his brother, who was the strong kind of warrior, who is always in the frontlines.” He could practically read in Cersei´s mind that to her, Nie Mingjue was a brute the same as Robert Baratheon. “He might not be greatly skilled in combat, but he made it up with his abilities in strategy and manipulation. He was also as good as Lord Varys at managing a spy network… without offending, my Lord.”

“I´m not offended” the eunuch said. “I have always known that, somewhere in the world, there was someone that could match me in spying. But could he?”

“Who do you think lead Hanguang-Jun all the way through a crumbs trail so he could proof Wei Ying´s innocence? Who made sure that Su Minshan´s crimes came to light? That uncovered all my father´s crimes even after his death, or that he made me his accomplice?” he crossed his arms. “After planning and spying for years, in just a few months, Nie Huaisang had eliminated all those implied in the death of his brother, found crucial witnesses and close a case that have stayed opened for years. And gathered a lot of secret information not only of the Langling Jin, but several other Houses.”

“I have to admit, it sounds like someone who could match me in a fair game” Varys said with a smile on his face. “And probably who informed your nephew of
your presence here in Westeros, if not more.”

“Yes, I made a lifelong enemy out of Huaisang, even when I left Yi Ti entirely” he lowered his head a bit. “Have I solved all your doubts, your Grace?”

“For now” the Queen Regent said. Again, she wouldn´t mind to see his head rolling, but she still needed to make use of him if she wanted to win against Stannis or Renly Baratheon. “Go back to your duties.”

“Mother…”

Cersei whispered something to her son´s ear and the boy made a dismissive wave with his hand. He also dismissed the court, probably to go torment his betrothed. Jin Guangyao returned to his office in the company of Silena, completely in silence. She might be young, but he was sure she was one of the few that had seen through his lies. Despite having a stronger golden core, the girl was nearly all him. And she knew that all the things he said, the murders and the framing, wouldn’t have happened without his knowledge. Or his planning. Much less if an underling of his has been involved. Then again, he could trust her to keep this knowledge to herself. Why? Because it benefitted her. After all, when dealing with people, even when they were family, that was all that kept them faithful to each other.

-In Dragonstone-

Eddard Stark didn´t know what was happening until he was placed in the deck of a small ship that was more fit for a smuggler than the knight that was currently sailing it. He had an arm around Arya and was looking at his mysterious rescuers… well, not so mysterious. They had identified themselves, at least four of them had, as Lan Sizhui, Lan Jingyi, Ouyang Zizhen and Jin Ling in a broken Westron. It was obvious that they were barely learning it. But he recognized two of the last names. Jin… like Liafang Zun… Jin Guangyao. They must be relatives, but if they were, why had he shot at him? Why bother to save Eddard? The Lans he understood even less. From what he could remember, no one else but Jin Guangyao had been outside of Yi Ti from their kind.

“Excuse me, Lord Stark?” Ser Davos Seaworth asked as they approached a pier. He saw the island with some regret in his eyes… the shadow of what could have been for… but there was no reason to think of that. In fact, he shouldn´t. “We are about to arrive. You and Lady Arya better prepare.”

“Thank you, Ser”

As they landed on Dragonstone, the wolf Lord was immediately taken to the castle. Then, he and his daughter were presented to King Stannis and Queen Selyse. They were dirty and caked in rotten fruit and other disgusting things, certainly not attires fit to meet the King, but considering from where he had just been rescued, he didn´t think the man would blame him for not wearing something finer. After they kneeled, Queen Selyse called for a Lady in waiting and a septa to take Arya to her new chambers to bath and dress appropriately. She pouted, but didn´t say anything. After she was gone, Ned wondered how he should address with Stannis the need to contact his son Robb and to send a mission to save his daughter Sansa, who was being held hostage. He was about to do that, when the King raised a hand.

“And well, Lord Jin?” Lord Jin? The boy was a Lord of Yi Ti? He truly looked like one, once he shed his dark cloak. But why had a Lord of Yi Ti come all this way? Certainly not to visit a bastard relative that had left the country.

“It´s him… xiao shushu… no, the criminal Jin Guangyao” he gritted his teeth, then started to talk in his own language, which a translator traduced. “I have to admit that I´m impressed. He has actually managed to worm his way into the heart of another government, despite not having the backing of the Jins. Perhaps it´s his experience as Chief Cultivator which he put to use here.”

“Your bastard uncle certainly it´s resourceful”

Eddard didn´t understand. Then King Stannis told him what he had learned from their visitors from Yi Ti. Apparently, Jin Guangyao was a former Chief Cultivator that escaped Yi Ti after it was revealed that he had committed a series of crimes that included kinslaying, murder, framing and attempted usurpation. His eyes grew wide when the boy told him how he had even killed his own son and forced his first wife to commit suicide to keep his secrets, including that he knew even before the wedding that she was his half-sister. He couldn´t believe it… not only Cersei and Jaime Lannister, but Jin Guangyao and Qin Su… was having children in the Targaryen way something that suddenly became acceptable?

“You now understand how truly dangerous this man is” King Stannis said, as his master took a look at Lord Stark´s leg in the very throne room. He didn´t believe he could manage to walk to the maester´s tower in his condition, but apparently Stannis didn´t care if he was threated in front of him. “But he is not the only concern we have. Joffrey Hill has been crowned King and is occupying my throne in this moment.”

“I´m aware of that, my Lord.”

“And not only that, but my brother Renly has decided to betray me. My wife´s uncle has informed me that he is planning to marry Margaery Tyrell and crowning himself King in my place, as if that´s not against the laws of men and gods.”

“I´m a second son who became a lord, so I´m the least one who should talk, but I only accessed the throne of Winterfell after my older brother died childless. Had Brandon survived, I wouldn´t have even thought of becoming Lord of Winterfell in his place.”

“You are a better brother than Renly or Robert ever were…”

“Your Grace, King Robert was a brother to me…”

“A brother by choice, I know. The brother he wished he had instead of me… or of Renly” Stannis got up from his seat. “But we are not here to debate on that. We are here to make some decisions. You are an honorable and dutiful man, Lord Stark, and that´s what the realm needs at it´s head now.”

“Your Grace, I…”

“Which is why I name you Hand of the King” he continued, as if the northern lord wasn´t about to reject it. “Ser Davos is going to be my master of Ships, he is one of the best sailors I know, I also trust him more than Monford Velaryon” very sensate, specially because if Lord Velaryon or any of the lords of the Narrow Sea knew of… no, he was at the Wall, there was no need to think about that any longer. “Cressen will take the duties of the Grandmaester for now, we will decide the rest of the Small Council later.”

“If we survive the battle” Eddard answered, knowing that there would be a battle. And not only in their front, but in the Riverlands, to sniff out the Lannister Rebellion. “As Hand, I advice you to make peace with your brother Renly.”

“He is a traitor”

“He is still your brother, the only one you have left” the wolf lord countered. “His future wife also comes with a great army, something that we are going to need sooner rather than later. You have the army of the North, of course, but it´s going to take my son Robb some time to gather it and bring it to us. Besides, he would have to cross the Lannister infested Riverlands, which means that they will need to fight their way towards us.”

“We have other allies”

“Do you mean the mercenaries you hired?”

“Not only them, the Yi Tish” Stannis said with a hard tone. “From what I gathered from Lord Jin and his companions, the new Chief Cultivator has quite the big grudge against Jin Gunagyao. His brother was one of his victims, he died in a particularly gruesome way and the man wants revenge. Just like Lord Jin wants revenge for his parents´ murders” he crossed his arms, then made a gesture to the translator. “Tell them that if the Chief Cultivator Nie can bring an army here to help me reclaim my throne, I will give him the head of Jin Guangyao.”

“They said they have already sent the message, your Grace” this one bowed. “And that you will have your army.”

“Then we should receive an answer soon, and reinforcements” Stannis turned towards Lord Eddard. “We don´t need the Tyrell Army…”

“Are the Yi Tish truly going to arrive in time? Before the Lannisters send an attack force here to eliminate us all?” Ned still tried to make him see reason. “Please, your Grace, don´t start your reign shedding the blood of a member of your own family. Ask for a Parlay with Lord Renly, with the aim to make peace with him. Once you have the Army of the Stormlands as well as the one of the Reach, we will crush the Lannisters without problem.”

“Renly is a traitor for conspiring against me… but I couldn´t be seen acting against my own brother and killing him without trying to make peace with him first. It would be a bad start for my reign indeed” he frowned. “Only because of that, I will attempt to make peace with Renly. But this is the only chance he will have.”

“Thank you for listening, your Grace.”

“Cressen, send a servant to call Pylos and bring some paper and ink. Lord Stark and I have some ravens to send.”

-In Qinghe-

Wei Wuxian had never seen any familial resemblance between Nie Mingjue and Nie Huaisang, but in that moment he could see the Chifeng-Zun in the normally calm and refined Viper of Quinghe. He had come to his office when he heard that a butterfly from the Jin Sect has arrive, apparently one that was sent by Jin Ling in person. Worried about his son and nephew, he went to ask him, only to find Huaisang destroying his beloved office as he screamed, waiving what looked like a saber in his hand. Of course, he barely managed to do some damage, there was a reason why his main weapon was not a saber. He waited until he got tired to knock on the door and entering.

“Bad news?” he asked.

“That fucking vermin is still alive… and apparently has found quite the prosperity in a land called Westeros” Huaisang laughed bitterly. “Can you believe it? He even got himself new land, a new wife and children… and power.”

“Being evil pays, you should know it better than many” Wei Wuxian said as his former friend threw the saber in some racket without much care and grabbed his fan. The Yiling Patriarch looked at him. “What are you going to do?”

“What else? They are about to go to war, so I´m going to support the opposite side” he answered without a minute of doubt. “I´m going to need some time to prepare and some accurate maps and information, but I´m sure I can develop a strategy that…”

“Wait, you first need to convince the Sect Leaders to go to war in a foreign land. And I don´t think they are going to enjoy the perspective of fighting and possibly dying on a distant land for the benefit of some foreigners.” Wei Wuxian crossed his arms. “Take a lesson from your predecessors and don´t try to make impossible things happen.”

“I´m not” Huaisang looked straight at his eyes. “Aren´t you aware that everything is coldly calculated? I´m the main interested, Leader of the Nie Sect, but the Jiang Sect, Jin Sect and Lan Sect, apart from the Yiling Laozu, are on my side. Or don´t you want to go to bring your son and nephew back?” Wei Wuxian didn´t answer. “With the four Great Sects involved, do you really think that there is going to be someone that speaks against my plan?”

“There might be”

“Even if they are, I hold the secrets of every Sect Leader out there and they knew it” a wicked smile and mocking eyes appeared on him. “After all, I need something to keep them controlled.”

He opened the door and entered the hall that was already full of Sect Leaders. It was obvious that they had rushed to come when the Chief Cultivator had called early in the morning. They also looked terrified, which remembered Wei Wuxian why no one dared to go against the Viper of Qinghe. As he sat down on his throne, Nie Huaisang looked every bit a King, with full control of his court in his hands. It was much more than Jin Guangyao achieved.

“Let´s begin” Nie Huaisang let his fan hit his palm.

Chapter Text

Tyrion Lannister was preparing everything in his office, reading everything he could about the city and the Blackwater Bay to make an attempt at stopping Stannis Baratheon´s Fleet when it attacked. He had already put watchtowers with a chain to prevent the ships from entering and was planning on using Aerys´ legacy, but there was a problem they haven´t exactly had before, because until then it hadn´t been a problem at all: the possibility of the Yitish intervening in the battle in favor of the invaders. And he had Liafang Zun to thank for that because, surprise surprise, he had hidden a few things about his past. Like the lifelong, powerful enemy he had made or his lordly nephew who apparently still wanted his head. Shaking his head, the dwarf closed his book and left the office.

“Lord Tyrion, I wasn´t expecting you to come here so soon” the very same knight said, his annoyingly gently smile on his face. Tyrion wasn´t a novice, he could tell that he was playing the game… but people as simple as the ones who conform the Golden Cloaks didn´t. and they were loyal to him, so he had to be careful with him. “Have you come to talk about the defense of the city? Let me reassure you that I am conscientiously preparing the men for…”

“What I have come here to discuss is rather delicate, Ser” the Lannister answered. A theatrical silence happened between them before the other sighed.

“Jacelyn, please, replace me. Lord Tyrion and I... need to talk”

As his second in command took his place to train the men while Liafang Zun followed him to the office of the Commander of the Golden Cloaks. Tyrion made a sign to Podrick Payne, who served some wine from a skin. He had heard the rumor, now confirmed, that the Yitish never drank anything alcoholic while at work. A shame, because he knew exactly how good of a head the man had for wine. He seemed to never get drunk… then again, he was the very image of professionalism and efficiency at work, so he did everything to keep that image. Though there were also some rumors circulating around him now that his history in Yi Ti was revealed. The Golden Cloaks were almost fanatically loyal to him and didn´t believe the accusations against him… and Tyrion recognized their value, specially when about to fight a battle, so he had to be careful there.

“I guess you are here to talk about… my particular past in Yi Ti” he actually took a sip from the Arbor Gold before continuing. “Frankly, I never wanted to talk about this again. I really thought that I could start again here.”

“From my point of view, you have done exactly that”

“Not when my own daughter makes me questions and people start to look at me with those eyes of mistrust…” he shook his head. “I haven´t seen them since Lady Jin died. Or since I left Yi Ti after I was accused of several crimes that would have made the sanctimonious people of my homeland condemn me… as if they had never killed someone.”

“People tend to be hypocrites like that” Tyrion answered. “But we both know that you are lying in many things that you said. And I don´t blame you, there are some things that shouldn´t be mentioned in public. Much less in front of gossiping nobles.”

“What makes you think that? I have been nothing but a law abiding citizen…”

“But you were not innocent of everything you were accused of” the dwarf continued. “And I wonder exactly how far you are willing to go… perhaps kinslaying?” there was a flash in his eyes that told Tyrion that he had him. “So that´s how things are, you are not entirely innocent”

“You are very perceptive, Lord Tyrion” Liafang Zun said, crossing his arms. Apparently, the man knew that he had to give something or the dwarf would use his own talents against him. And he didn´t underestimate anyone, much less people who appeared harmless. “You are right, some of the crimes I was accused I did actually commit. But it wasn´t exactly as they said it was… not that they would understand.”

“Then you killed your brother or your cousin?”

“Worse, I killed my father” Tyrion Lannister apparently was speechless. It was… something he had dreamed of for a long time, but right now, he was in front of someone who had actually done that and survived. And he didn´t seem cursed. “Between all of people, you should know why I did it. After all, you are a dwarf… and aren´t all dwarves bastards in their fathers´ eyes?”

“I see that you have ears in all places… bastard” the Lannister stared at him. Luckily he had sent Podrick Payne outside the room after he served the wine. He didn´t want him to listen to such a declaration… it could lethal. “But I doubt your father could have been as bad as mine. You don´t know what he did to me.”

“Try me”

Tyrion reluctantly shared his tale, despite it being one of his most closely guarded secrets. Tysha, the blood, when he found out the truth, the silver stags and the gold dragon she got for enduring something that no one should endure. At the end, Liafang Zun nodded in understanding. But he didn´t seem much surprised about how he had been treated. Though perhaps he had been treated in such a way before. Didn´t he said that Jin Guangshan ordered to have him thrown down from the stairs of his precious golden tower in Yi Ti to placate his wife´s ire?

“Jin Guangshan was a bastard since the beginning” he started to share too. “He whispered sweet words and nonsenses to poor young Meng Shi in the population, leaving her before she even noticed she was impregnated, with a pearl ornament as a reminder of him. A pearl reminder that he gave to all the women that he fucked… willing or not” he bit his lip in anger. “After I got legitimized and gained some prestige, I started to court a young lady that I have met and saved during the Sunshot Campaign, Qin Su.”

“Your wife”

“Back then, she was still the beloved only daughter of one of the vassals of Jin Guangshan, Qin Cangye” he sighed. “Her father wasn´t very impressed by me or looked favorably towards the match, so I asked my father for help. I was surprised when he agreed to help me convince Qin Cangye to marry his daughter. I was ecstatic, thinking that he was finally starting to accept me as a son despite my humble beginnings, despite not being Zixuan…”

“Yes, it was a nice dream” Tyrion Lannister said, probably from his own experience with a Tywin Lannister. “I have done everything I could to prove myself to my father and I have never been the same in his eyes as Jaime. And I´m a trueborn son of my mother.”

“Has he ever helped you with malicious intensions?” Liafang Zun asked with a bitter smile. “Once the betrothal contract was sighed and the wedding was planned, Lady Qin fall ill. She only allowed her servant of utmost confidence to take care of her, falling more and more sick as the wedding approached. She died a few days after, something that was very sad for A-Su. She was in deep grieve until our A-Song was born a few months later.”

“It´s a nice history, but why…”

“My father used me to kill Chifeng-Zun, and as part of his vengeance, Nie Huaisang located Bicao the servant and paid her to give A-Su a letter from her mother, the last letter she wrote, a confession she hid for years because of the shame and horror it could cause both her late mistress and the young lady. She… I don´t know, perhaps she was going through financial problems after leaving the Qin´s service… A-Song had recently died of something that I thought was poisoning, but it was a birth defect.”

“It sometimes happens, just look at me.”

“Be thankful that it´s not a fatal one”

“I´m not entirely sure of that, my father might have drowned me in the beach near Casterly Rock for being born like this if he hadn´t recovered his senses early enough. Specially because I killed my mother with my birth.” Tyrion drank more wine. “Returning to our conversation…”

“A-Su had barely recovered her smile after A-Song died, she was getting better, me too. Then Biccao appeared and gave us the letter, which contained something more. A pearl ornament, exactly like the one my mother had been given by Jin Guangshan when she had that affair with him” Tyrion coughed the wine, hoping it was not what he was thinking. “Like I said, the fucker liked to give them to the women he fucked, willingly or not.”

“Aren´t you saying…”

“Lady Qin revealed in the letter that she had gotten sick because of the thought of us two marrying, not because I was a bastard or lower than her daughter, but because we were brother and sister” Tyrion nearly let his cup fall. He knew the Targaryens… and apparently Cersei and Jaime… “Jin Guangshan had raped her during a visit to her home, and got her pregnant with A-Su. And the fucker must have known it, because he left the pearl with her… and I heard him saying as if it was funny that a bastard deserved a bastard. And when his whore asked if he was talking about me, he told her to forget it. In the end, he didn´t care at all for me, no matter how much I did for him.” He twirled his wine in the cup. “A-Su committed suicide that very same night with a dagger and I burned the letter, so no one could know our shame… or that we were siblings that had shared a bed.”

“I never thought I would have something in common with you, Ser, but now I realize that we do” the dwarf said, then drank all his wine. “We have very twisted fathers. Tell me” he was genuinely interested. “Did you poisoned him?”

“He had always been a whoremonger. And by his last days, an illness took over him that left him bedridden. Even so, he sent me to get some whores for him… and I did. All the whores I could get, instructed to give him the best attention” he smirked. “It turns out that too much sex indeed could lead to dead. Then spread the news… it was a scandal of huge proportions when it got to the ears of the other Lords and Ladies… and a great shame to House Jin.”

“I think you gave him too sweet a dead.”

“They were old, withered prostitutes with wrinkled faces, truly hideous so what he enjoyed the most in his life could really become what will put him on his tomb” he answered, smirking. “Though I never knew if it was the horror or the sex that killed him. Probably both.”

“Good planning indeed, Ser, my applauses. I wish I could do something like that to get rid of my own wretched father, but Tywin Lannister remains strong” he grabbed the skin he still had on him and served himself more wine. “Returning to the issue at hand, do you really think the Yitish would ally themselves with Stannis?”

“I don´t know if all of them, but the Nies certainly will. After all, they know I participated in the plot to kill their beloved Chifeng-Zun. Nie Huaisang, their current Lord, hates me with the passion of ten burning suns” he actually drank this time. “He won´t let any opportunity pass to avenge his beloved brother and mount my head in front of his memorial tablet.”

“But the other Houses perhaps could be convinced?”

“Perhaps” his eyes narrowed. “Jin Ling is young and barely has experience in the eyes of several of the veterans of the Sunshot Campaign. They might believe he is not ready to fill his father´s and grandfather´s place, the elders might even try to seize control until he is a bit older, especially considering what he has done now, running off to get into trouble on the other side of the world.” He smirked. “Remind him how every mistake could be used against him and he might go back to Yi Ti in peace. And if he does, then his uncle Lord Jiang would also remain in Yi Ti.”

“And the others?”

“The Ouyangs are vassals of the Lans, very obedient to them. Neither of them would take action if you remind the heir and his cousin what they stand to lose… in the case of Lan Sizhui, remind him of his dear A-Niang and why he was motherless for thirteen years because Wei Ying refused to bow to what the world demanded” he stopped. “But be careful when interacting with them. Wen Ning is probably with them and will follow them everywhere, to make sure they are safe. Wei Ying´s old dog always does what his master says, more when it concerns his son.”

Wen Ning… he had heard that name before, in one of the tales Liafang Zun told of his homeland. Wasn´t he the one which was supposedly murdered at a labor camp by his cousin Jin Zixun and returned to life by Wei Ying´s dark magic? The last survivor of House Wen? He even had a title that… oh, yes, the Ghost General. He was supposed to be the Gregor Clegane of Yi Ti or something like that, strong enough to supposedly bend iron with his hands. Or at least, that´s what the bard of Casterly Rock said when they told Tyrion the history. Anyway, Wen Ning, just like Liafang Zun said, was rumored to be insanely loyal to the Dark Witch of Yi Ti, so he would be very protective of her son. That won´t stop his plans though. It was the only way to take the Yitish out of the conflict peacefully, crippling Stannis again. And he had endeavored very hard to get the message to the envoys without it being known to both his sister and her former goodbrother, or their entourages.

And just as he hoped, that night, in the darkest hour, while he waited with only Bronn and Podrik to protect himself, in one of his new towers. Just as he hoped, the young men in swords landed in front of him. The light revealed Lord Jin Ling, Lan Jingyi, Lan Sizhui and Ouyang Zizhen. Behind Lan Sizhui the overly pale and big image of Wen Ning gave him a pause. He certainly looked threatening, enough to believe he had been dead and resurrected by dark sorcery. He wasn´t as tall or as burly as the Mountain, as he imagined he would be, but he was sure he could give either of the Cleganes a run for their money in a fight. And his father´s pet monster wouldn´t necessarily be the winner. Which meant that he needed to clear this misunderstanding and take them out of the game, fast.

“Lord Jin, my lords” he addressed the one with the highest rank by his name. This one had a clear resemblance to Liafang Zun, enough that no one would deny that they were relatives. Jin Zixuan and his half-brother must have resembled each other very much too… he motioned for the only person not of his confidence to be there, a translator he found. “I have come to offer you a deal so you could return to your homeland early and without having to risk your lives… and with something that make the travel time worth it.”

“My Lord, they ask what could you offer them to back down on their word, especially since your family harbored a criminal” the translator shivered. “Lord Jin is angry that you allowed his bastard uncle to rise so high in the world again.”

“And just with a word, I can make him fall in disgrace again. We need his Golden Cloaks, but if you promise to back down, I will make sure that once Stannis´ attack passes, the head of Jin Guangyao is delivered to your Golden Carp Tower. Or I can send the man entire, if you prefer to give him a trial or whatever you do in Yi Ti.”

“They didn´t seem so sure to believe someone that was, apparently famous for having a silver tongue… if not a golden one.”

“Oh, my Lord, you have been deceived about House Lannister” he smirked. “While our House words are officially “Hear me Roar”, we have another saying that goes well with us: A Lannister will always pay his debts” he joined his hands. “If you strike this deal with us, I will honor the terms even if I have to travel to Yi Ti myself to deliver you Liafang Zun in chains.”

“They say that they have indeed heard that, but also why they should believe someone whose sister was unable to honor her own marriage vows, preferring to have an affair with her own brother. Of someone whose family is holding the weak and those who trusted them hostage.”

Damn, Stannis have used all his weapons in this. But Tyrion had his own.

“Perhaps, instead of focusing on what you could lose from this, which isn´t much, as I have already promised to deliver you your criminal in chains and are… eager to visit your distant and exotic homeland” the little lion answered. “You should focus on what you can lose. Lord Jin, you came into power quite young, and after having that very same criminal looking after you since a very young age… a criminal that, from what I could gather, also bedded his own sister” the boy seemed at loss of words. “At ten and three namedays of age, here in Westeros most young lords would still have their Regents teach them how to rule. And you… from what I also understood, you are not only the Lord of Jinlintai, but the only heir of Lord Jiang of Yummeng, who is still unmarried… with his power, won´t your uncle or one of your relatives think that there is a need to interfere?”

That only seemed to anger the boy, but one in white seemed to put a hand over his wrist to calm him down. It must be Lan Shizui, the heir of House Lan… at least until his uncle finds a bride. Though, from what he could gather, despite his reputation, Lan Xichen seemed perfectly eager to remain unmarried and push the lordship when his time came into his brother, no matter the questionable marriage he made. But that questionable marriage could be of value to him now, when the boy of that couple was the one making negotiations in the name of his own House. Lan Sizhui was supposed to be a calm, educated and smart one… Tyrion could work with that.

“And you, Lord Lan… you are not only your father´s heir, but your uncle´s” he started. “I know you have a reputation to maintain, especially because of your… circumstances of birth. Think of what they would say in Yi Ti if they heard about you getting into a war in a foreign land… wouldn´t they comment about not only you, but your Lady Mother?”

As soon as the message was delivered, the expression on the boy´s face changed. It turned feral, almost the one he would see in a roaring lion. He seemed about to draw his sword, but the corpse like Wen Ning moved to grab him before he could do so. He whispered something to him that made him release the handle of his blade. Tyrion cursed, apparently, he had been played by Liafang Zun. His mother must be a sore issue for Lan Sizhui, but not because of her reputation, but because he was very protective of her. He thought… that perhaps he would have been like that with Lady Joanna too if she had survived his birth. At least Wen Ning was there to return him to calmness when it was needed.

“You should consider my offer, though, before you do anything harsh. And your ally back home… Lord Nie Huaisang, I think it´s his name…”

“My Lord?” the translator said after they interrupted rudely. “They said it´s Chief Cultivator Nie Huaisang” what? Oh, now he understood why Liafang Zun called that young man a smart little viper. He had managed to convince the whole Yitish society that he was harmless until it was time to strike… and strike he did. Until he reached the top. He wouldn´t be surprised if it was Nie Huaisang who ruled Yi Ti now instead of the Emperor. “And that he was already notified.”

“Noti… you have already sent the letter” he crossed his arms. “With how long it´s going to take for him to gather the army and mobilize…”

“They say that if someone can achieve it in the time he has, it´s Nie Huaisang”

In the end, the reunion ended up badly. It seemed that neither Lord Jin nor the Lan heir were listening to him after he mentioned it. But, if there was a silver lining, with the arrival of Nie Huaisang he would have someone with actual political power above the young ones to negociate. Though it was going to be though, considering that if he was right, Liafang Zun had actively helped his father murder the man´s brother. And if Nie Huaisang and Nie Mingjue were as close as he and Jaime… the only thing that would convince the Chief Cultivator to retire from the war would be to offer him the chance to murder Jin Guangyao himself. Or he could want more blood to flow… from those that the murderer shared his blood with. He had never been particularly close to Lady Theora or Lady Silena, but that didn´t mean that he wanted to see either of them dead. Cersei would discard them without a second thought, but he… he might give it a thought, despite his own ruthlessness and political wit. Besides, it might not even be enough to placate the young Lord.

He better prepare… for the better or the worst.

-In the Riverlands-

Robb Stark had sighed in relief when he received the letter from Dragonstone announcing that his father and one of his sisters were rescued by allies of King Stannis. His father had already sworn the allegiance of the North to him, sending him instructions about how the army was supposed to join the naval forces to attack King´s Landing. Along with it, came the explanation of why. In a more formal letter, signed by the King himself and addressed to all the Lords and Ladies in the Realm. Robb passed the first one to his mother first, hoping to get her to sweeten up to him again, perhaps even cheer her up. She had been so somber since he sent someone to recall Jon from the Wall before he could swear his vows. Lady Catelyn had thought it a disgrace for him to rely so much in his bastard brother, but nothing would convince him that he hadn´t taken the right decision by not allowing his brother to throw his life away. And she should be thankful she did, she had something to offer to Lord Walder that wasn´t her trueborn daughter, even if that would give Jon a lordship.

“Thank the Gods” Lady Catelyn said, exhaling in relief. This meant that Lord Stark would be taken care of, any injury he had would be seen to by a maester, and he would be safe for now. Unless they entered battle, of course. Meanwhile, she could be assured that at least one of her daughters was safe under the care of the Queen. But there was still something that sat heavy in her heart. “And Sansa?”

“Nothing is mentioned about her. Apparently, they could only grab Arya because she was out of the Kingsguard´s reach, but Sansa was dragged into the Sept with Queen Cersei and her son before they could reach her.”

“My poor girl…”

“Mother… there is something else you should know”

He passed her the second letter, watching her as her expression turned into one of horror and disgust. The simple fact that someone was willing to commit such an atrocity… to sleep with her own brother and beget bastards from incest, to pass them as the King´s trueborn heirs and kill a Lord Paramount to hide it… now she knew why Aunt Lysa was so sure it had been the Lannisters who had murdered her husband, Jon Arryn must have warned her before he died, so she could flee with their son in case something went wrong. Just like Stannis was ready to flee with his family to Dragonstone the moment the death of the former Lord Hand was made known to the inhabitants of the Red Keep.

But apparently, the Lannister twins were not the only ones to commit incest. And she was not talking about the Targaryens. As she read the letter about Liafang Zun, the crimes he supposedly committed in Yi Ti… as she believed. She never trusted that bastard and hated that Robert Baratheon had elevated him so much!! That her husband was forced to spend time in the presence of him… hadn´t she warned her children always about how bastards were, creatures of sin them all? Even in the far East… hadn´t that one killed his trueborn brother and cousin to attempt to usurp their rightful place? And he would have killed his nephew too, she was sure, if his uncle hadn´t be careful enough to separate him from the man. Hadn´t he also, apparently, killed his own son to hide his incest with his half-sister Qin Su? Killed the woman when she found out their blood relation before she could talk? And Joffrey Waters was no better. Hadn´t the Lords that actually visited King´s Landing told her that the boy delighted in torturing his whipping boys, brother and sister? She was going to have to watch her husband´s own bastard more carefully from now on.

“Jon is not like that” Robb said, almost as if he had read her mind.

“How could you be so sure? Have read his own mind perhaps?” Catelyn lowered the letter. “This should be enough for you to understand why I always feared the boy.”

“I know him, he wouldn´t do that…”

“Do what?” Jon Snow asked in that moment, entering the tent. Immediately, Lady Stark´s expression turned sour. Though she handed over the letters to the bastard anyway. Perhaps it would be enough of a warning for the boy not to try anything. It was well known that he had talked and perhaps even admired the older bastard, for achieving legitimation. “Gods…”

“That´s exactly the same that I thought, brother” Robb put a reassuring hand over his shoulder, making sure he knew that he didn´t believe he was the same as Liafang Zun. “But doesn’t surprise me that much after what we found in the Broken Tower. At least now we knew what Bran saw that had him thrown from it.”

“My poor boy…”

Catelyn put a hand over her heart. She hadn´t thought about it before… but Tyrion Lannister was probably telling the truth in that he hadn´t thrown Brandon from that Tower. Though the malformed creature perhaps was the one to… no, she remembered that Ned said in his letter that he asked King Stannis about the dagger and this one said that he had attended that tourney and saw when Robert won the dagger from Baelish, that he had gifted it to his supposed firstborn, Joffrey Waters… and the Lannister incest spawn also had the means. So Tyrion Lannister was spared by the Gods in that trial by combat because he was indeed innocent and because of Ser Vardis Edgen´s lack of talent. It was Joffrey Waters who had tried to kill her son to hide the secret of his true origins. But why had Petyr… that snake!! She was never going to believe in anything that came from his lying mouth ever again!!

“Mother, actually… I was going to ask you something after…” he sighed. “King Stannis is on his way to Storm´s End to parlay with his brother, who had married Margaery Tyrell and named himself King against the laws. Father asks of me that I send an envoy to Lord Renly to soften him up, so he understands that his claim comes only after his brother´s.”

“It´s going to be hard to leave a crown after…”

“I´m sure you could find a way, especially as Lord Renly is going to be heir to the throne, as Stannis only has a daughter and no woman has ever held the throne. And I doubt the King would want to risk his only child the same way as Viserys I risked his own” he nodded. “In the meantime, I´m going to send part of the troops to father. Mainly those that are knowledgeable in naval battle. I was thinking about the Manderlys…”

“A wise choice.”

“And Jon”

“What?!” both brothers looked at the source of that yell.

Lady Catelyn couldn´t help but raise her voice. Hadn´t her son already understood the dangers of bastards? Daeron the Good and his descendants have been plagued with the Blackfyres Rebellions since Aegon the Unworthy sired that bastard with his whore of a cousin… and in the Far East, both Jin Zixuan and Jin Zixun died because of the schemes of one of Jin Guangshan´s bastards… both men had had plenty more, but at least Jin Guangshan hadn´t legitimized them all, just one, and under pressure. And Jon Snow had always been a smart boy, she dreaded what he could scheme with a legitimization from the king, something he could achieve during a war, and that mind of his? It was bad enough that she was forced to say to the Freys that the boy would receive a lordship so he agreed to marry one of his own bastards to him, but now she had to stand this too?

As she saw Jon Snow leave with the Manderly men at arms, she turned towards her uncle. She wished, not for the first time, that the boy was gone, that her husband was a little bit less of a good man and sent him to foster with one of her lords, that she had raised a less of a good man who wouldn´t want his brother to return from the Night´s Watch… she wished him gone, then became horrified by that. Wasn´t that the same wish she had done when the boy was down with a pox? Hadn´t she learned when the Gods punished her for her wishing the dead of a child? Her uncle held her hand, calming down. She looked at him, but she didn´t have the voice or the want to voice her thoughts.

“It´s curious” Brynden Tully suddenly said.

“What?” she asked him, willing to take the bait to talk about something else.

“He reminds me of someone that I met long ago… if only I can remember… oh, yes, Duncan and he are identical.”

“Ser Duncan the Tall? Uncle, when you met him certainly he must have been an old man already…”

“Not that Duncan, Duncan Targaryen” he continued. “A little bit younger, yes, but he reminds me a lot of the Prince of Dragonflies.”

“Really?”

-In another place-

Silena Zun already knew the truth since before her father voiced it to her in the confidence of his secret office. She knew that Su Minshan was only a well-crafted instrument he used to get what he want, that he had killed her grandfather because of his disdain for him, her uncles because he was an impediment to him becoming the Leader of the Jins, Chifeng-zun because he was an impediment to his rise in power and framed Wei Ying because he had something he wanted, a weapon to be clear, no matter that he was going to hurt people that he had come to love. They, even those he had developed feelings for, were all stepping stones in his path towards the top… something that she respected. And also should have in mind. But she was also a Lannister by blood and the way to remain in power was to make sure her own blood remains in power. What happened after… well, there were many things she could do once that happens. For now…

“You should wear this to the court today, Lady Sansa” she said with a smile on her face, holding up a light blue dress, embroidered with images of peacocks. She had heard that her uncle was always called one when he still lived by her aunt´s brothers. And, in her mind, the girl in question was one too. A pretty, empty headed thing that only served to be paraded around. “It will fit you great”

“Tha… thank you, Lady Silena”

The girl hadn´t stopped crying since she learned of her “beloved Prince Joffrey´s” true character. She shook her head mentally, why was she surprised? Practically everyone around the court knew that the boy was a cruel little menace. But she could tell that she was also relieved that her father and sister had managed to escape the city. Being the only hostage of the Lannisters had made Cersei keep her relatively safe, untouched by her brat of a son. If not, then Joffrey would have forced her into his bed or outright killed her instead of merely forcing her to look at the heads on the spikes. The heads of people she had known nearly all her life and, in her naivety, had betrayed. In fact, she was sure that this was the moment for… the girl surely was looking forward having an ally in court. And it would give her an opening she could exploit soon, especially if this naïve girl ended up really becoming Queen. What did her father always said? Use everyone as a step towards the top.

“My Lady” she said when the other ladies-in-waiting exited the room. “I know what it feels like to be ostracized by the court. I also know what it´s like to… feel trapped. I felt it for many years after arrived in this place, as the people already knew that I was “a bastard´s daughter”. I was lower only because of that. But I fought to survive, and eventually, I found my place in here. A place that now keeps me safe.”

“You are a Lannister…”

“I´m a Zun, or a Jin, depending on who you ask. A peony that sparks amongst the snow… snow like in the North” she continued. “If you need someone to talk to, I´m here to hear you. And I will help you as much as I can.”

“Can you help me escape?”

“I´m sorry, I can´t” she answered, sadly. “The Queen insisted that I handed over my sword just in case I had the idea to help you. Or anyone else, like my cousin, who I have also only known by sight, and not a very good sight” she offered her a reassuring smile. “But I will do as much as I can to help you in other ways. You only have to come and confide in me, it will never reach the Queen, I promise.”

“Thank you, Lady Silena” the redhead answered, clearly believing him. “Do you know that I have a bastard brother? I mean… Robb was closer to Jon growing up, but right now I repent being mean to him while we were at Winterfell. I… perhaps you could tell me about your father´s past in Yi Ti, it will help calm me down before court. Was he close to your uncle? The legitimate one?”

“Uncle Zixuan? No, I… don´t believe so. For a great part of his youth, fuqin was fostered away from him in Quinghe, so he knew Nie Mingjue and Nie Huaisang better. The first time he saw him was at the disciple exchange in Gusu… and even then, he always told us that he met Lan Xichen better than he did my uncle” she looked at Sansa´s curious eyes. “Excuse me, is there something you want to ask about?”

“What´s a… disciple exchange?”

“Oh, it´s a custom amongst the noble families in Yi Ti. According to my father, every year the Lans, who are practically custodians of knowledge and etiquette, hosted it. There, young Lords and Ladies of high birth with their entourages, learn about the rules of etiquette, lessons about history and other things that they need to know. He says it´s like being in the Citadel for a year, learning everything you can.”

“Sounds interesting” she said, veridically. “And they saw each other for the first time there?”

“Yes” Silena smiled. “But they didn´t share much until they were adults… oh, but they share namedays.”

“Robb and Jon also have close namedays. My father celebrated both”

“Fuqin says that… his father celebrated uncle Zixuan´s nameday with a great banquet every year” Silena answered, making it clear to Sansa. Not all bastards or their get were as fortunate as the one her father sired. “Only once he dared to attend, but Lady Jin saw him and her husband, who greatly feared her temper, ordered to have him thrown down the stairs of Koi Tower. After that… well, he didn´t dare to attend any other celebration until his legitimization. And always with an invitation.”

“My mother… she always had a sour face when we celebrated Jon´s nameday, but that´s the only thing she did.”

Silena smirked inwardly as she continued to extract information from the girl in front of her. Of course, it won´t go straight to the Queen, she promised… only once they had been filtered, she will go to Cersei. First, she went to her father, who was already waiting for her with a cup of jazmin tea on the table. He looked happy with himself… apparently, his plan to avoid the Lannisters from handing him over to the Yitish had been a success. But now they had to think about what to do, to avoid the Yitish from taking them by force. Or worse, the person that her father now knew was the Chief Cultivator in his place: Nie Huaisang, the Viper of Quinghe.

-In Yi Ti-

“I was looking for you” the figure raised his head, in silence as ever, but clearly doubtful of that affirmation. “Alright, I have always had an eye out for you. What did you expect? I can´t let a strong, sentient fierce corpse roam around the country alone without any sort of supervision. Don´t you think so, Song Zichen?”

WHAT DO YOU WANT? Was written in a paper.

Nie Huaisang elegantly sat down in the completely inelegant chair in front of Song Lan. He didn´t pull out his fan or anything, he didn´t need to talk this man into obeying his plan. He would merely if it was sincere… because he also had an interest in seeing Jin Guangyao pay for his many crimes. Perhaps the only person that would like that as much as himself. Perhaps not, perhaps Hanguang-Jun and Lan Sizhui had the same amount of interest. Wei Wuxian had been returned to them, but they knew that they were of the fortunate sort. If they were less fortunate or Nie Huaisang less smart, they would have never recovered their beloved and father like they did.

“I came with a proposition. Do you know who Jin Guangyao is, no?” he smirked. “I happen to know where he is, I´m on my way with some others to handle him… would you mind to join us, Daohist Song?”

The change in him was immediately, as the fierce corpse clenched his fists. Song Zichen had tried very hard to exorcize his own pain and grief for what happened with Xue Yang and Xiao Xincheng at the same time as he exorcized evil beings with his deceased lover´s sword and the souls of that very same man and his ward in his qyanku pouch. He had tried very hard to forget, as Xue Yang was not there anymore, neither was Jin Guangshan, the man who pressured for his change of sentence... but Jin Guangyao, the one who protected him until he could meet Xincheng, until he could ruin him, was still alive. And Nie Huaisang was offering him an opportunity to see him dead, to make sure that he paid for what he had done by letting that wretch live.

“So we have an agreement?”

The corpse nodded and he went away, satisfied that he had brought Song Lan into his side of the battle. He was going to need all the advantages he needed to…

“Why? Why do you insist to bother poor souls that only want to heal?”

“Isn´t that a question you should be asking your brother-in-law instead of me?” he answered to Lan Xichen, who was there, crossing his arms with a judgmental face. “Besides, who says that both are exclusive to each other? I have slept better since ruining your precious A-Yao… and I think I´m going to sleep even better once I put his head over the tomb of my brother, where it belongs.”

“Revenge only poisons the soul”

“That´s what you Lans say”

“That´s what the precepts say”

“And here we care ALL about the precepts, no?” he opened his fan, giving himself some air to calm himself down. “You… you allowed so many horrible things to happen, not only to strange people, but to your own brother, merely because someone else, mainly Jin Guangyao, told you that it was the correct thing to do. And what did you get in the end? Not even him, only the remorse of what you did. Remorse for not preventing him from killing Da-ge, remorse for the deaths of Qin Su and Jin Rusong, remorse for allowing your uncle and the other cultivators from your Sect to stain their immaculate hands with innocent blood, because that´s what the Wens in the Burial Mounds were… remorse for allowing your brother to be whipped by the discipline whip as if he had done something wrong, when he was the only one who did something right in that event… Face it, Er-ge, that´s all you are.”

“At least I feel remorse”

“Indeed, in that we are different from one another” he answered. “And I can´t be gladder. Because I actually did something instead of allowing MY REMORSE OR MY HELPLESSNESS DROWN ME IN SELF-PITY!!”

Huaisang stormed off, leaving the Lan there alone. He couldn´t believe… that there was a time when he looked up to Lan Xichen. At least he had woken up now, become a man that could truly get something done instead of the useless heir he had been. He had grown up… he hoped that his Da-ge was proud of the man he had managed to grow up into. But if he wasn´t, he couldn´t tell that he truly regretted it. He did what he had to do… just like now, he was doing what he had to do, what everyone had to do. And that eliminating a threat to their lands and lives. As Chief Cultivator, that was his duty and he would do it, he promised it.

Chapter Text

Sansa hadn´t known anything about her family, not even of her brother, until Joffrey ordered the Kingsguard to strip her in front of the whole court and beat her. After that, she and her ladies returned to her room, where Silena Zun prepared some sort of tea that soothed her aches. It was marvelous how much a woman could learn if they truly were allowed to. Perhaps Arya was right and they should have used their times to learn something more important than manners and embroidery. After all, that didn´t help her at all. Could she embroider herself an armor? Bowing her way out of the city? Her only comfort was that Lady Silena apparently, kept her words and her secrets. She had been truly mean to her… and to Jon, as she was starting to learn. Apparently, bastards were not all like her mother and Septa tell her. It was something she should apologize for as soon as she returned to the North.

“It´s helping… a bit” Sansa said when Silena covered the bruises with ointment and bandages that smelled weird. “Did you learn from a maester?”

“No, my father taught me one or two things about healing that he learned himself during the Sunshot Campaign… though they are the very basics” she answered as she frowned at the injuries. “Neither he nor I were Wen Qing.”

“Wen Qing? It´s that… another famous person from your homeland?” Sansa asked, genuinely curious. She had heard the songs about the Sunshot Campaign and Wen Ruohan more than once when she visited different northern castles with her father and brothers, but never about a Wen Qing. “Who was he?”

“She… was the niece of Wen Ruohan” the younger woman answered as she continued to work on her injuries. “Also a famous doctor… I mean, healer… in Yi Ti. They even dare to say she was the greatest expert in healing in all the known world.”

“A woman?”

“Precisely” she sighed. “During the Sunshot Campaign, Wen Qing served as the head of the Wen healers. Even before, her branch of the family specialized in healing, so none of them shed blood in battle. In fact, they all medics, according to father, and even helped the other side when they could. Wen Qing and her brother, Wen Ning, at a great risk of themselves, helped hiding the heir to the Jiang House and their ward in the early days of the war, enough for them to heal. Wen Ning also stored and returned the bodies of Lord and Lady Jiang to be buried correctly by their people.”

“Sounds like good people” the redhead said, a bit more distracted. “Were they forgiven?”

“No” Lady Silena spoke. “At the end of the war, the fate for the name Wen was too strong in all the noble houses in Yi Ti. My father said that all the survivors from the House were interred in forced labor camps under the charge of his cousin Jin Zixun, who was cruel, spoiled boy and Jin Guangshan did nothing to stop him. Then he nearly killed Wen Ning, for which Wen Qing escaped and asked the help of Wei Ying, the Yiling Laozu, who had only been ward of the Jiangs and owed them along with the new Lord Jiang.”

“They rescued them?”

“Only Wei Ying, who was already feared. A dark witch… the future was dark anyway. And Lord Jiang wouldn´t risk his political position for them, no matter what he owed to them. After Wei Ying rescue them… I don´t know exactly what happened, only that Jin Zixun tried to ambush Wei Jing and ended up killing both himself and the Jin heir, Jin Ling´s father. Jin Guangshan used that to demand the lives of Wen Qing and Ning… but that was a ruse. He didn’t care about them, he wanted something. During the war, Wei Ying developed a weapon that could kill thousands with ease. Which was what Jin Guangshan wanted. And for that, and to erase what he had practiced slavery with the Wen captives, he needed to convince the other noble Houses to help him kill them all.”

“Wasn´t Jin Guangshan…”

“My lordly Grandfather? Yes” she shook her head. “His tale is the one father used to teach us that not all the nobles had good intentions. It´s all a game of power… and my father paid the ultimate prize for his own father´s grab for power. Wei Ying´s husband never lost hope, so, while he raised their son, he looked for the clues to determinate the true guilty party on the fate of his wife. When Wei Ying returned, the last of the pieces were recovered and fell in their place. And my father, who was not only friends with Su Minshan, an accomplish of his father, but hidden some of the clues to keep the Jin´s reputation intact, was blamed for everything now that his father was no longer in that world. He had to renounce to everything and leave Yi Ti with barely the clothes he had on his back.”

“Sounds like a tragic history”

“But we learned. My father learned and passed us that knowledge: this is a game of power, Lady Sansa, and you have to do everything you need to survive. Also, you have to choose your friends carefully” she grabbed her hands, smiling. “Only those that won´t use you and keep your secrets.”

“I barely trust you these days…”

“Good, you are learning”

Sansa was glad for that. She had been an idiot for trusting the brilliance of Prince Joffrey and fake gentleness of the Queen. If only she hadn´t told Cersei about her father´s plans to send her and her sister back north… but she wanted to remain in King´s Landing so much… now she would do everything in her power to leave that wretched city. Thought she was sure she wasn´t going to be able, much less before Princess Myrcella left for Dorne. As her hair was brushed softly by her friend, the redhead hear her humming a light tone that helped her calm down. It was as if the melody was made for that…

“I can play it in my guqin too, if you want to hear”

“Yes, please”

Something told her that it would be even more effective.

-In another place-

Jon Snow couldn´t help but gasp when he first put a foot on Dragonstone. It was as if… something had suddenly woken up in him when he had touched the land. The others didn´t seem to feel it, so he kept it to himself as he was directed by a Baratheon contingent towards the Keep. But as he got close, the sensation grew more and more. What was happening there? It was almost as if the castle itself, with it´s dragon statues and it´s dragonglass decorations, was calling him in. he ignored the sensation in favor of not embarrassing himself in front of the King and Queen, who were for the moment using the Throne of Dragonstone. He might be a bastard, but he had a duty to show all those lords that not all bastards were like Joffrey Waters and Liafang Zun. Besides, he didn´t want to embarrass his Lord Father with a poor performance. Not when he surely was embarrassed enough by his taking Robb´s offering to leave Castle Black when he sent for him.

Talking about his father, Lord Eddard Stark seemed to be a little pale in the face. Was he still hurting from the injuries he sustained in King´s Landing? Perhaps it was the amount of work he was forced to do as King Stannis´ Hand, especially considering the current situation. Not only had Renly Baratheon crowned himself King, but formed an alliance with the Tyrells to complete his attempted Usurpation. He knew that Lord Stark had sent an envoy, namely Lady Catelyn, to talk some sense in the young Lord, at the same time as he called for those that knew how to handle a naval battle, but Jon couldn´t help but believe that everything will end up being resolved in the battlefield. Not that he wanted to, they were going to need all the men they had to defeat the Lannisters, it was something that he was made aware of during his fight in the Riverlands, alongside Robb. Ghost suddenly bumped into his hand, his eyes on the throne. What was his direwolf doing now? Well, he couldn´t exactly ask the beast to behave like a human being, so it would be a waste of time to tell him to behave.

“Rise. Lord Manderly, Ser Manderly, Sers, welcome to Dragonstone” the King said, not even giving him attention despite the huge white beast he had by his side. It was alright, Jon told himself, he had done everything alright… and soon he would show everyone what he was able to do. His father was looking at him, which was all that mattered. “I hope you didn´t find it too difficult to reach us.”

“Apparently, the Lannister Fleet had other things to worry about than us, so we didn´t cross any dangers on the way” Ser Wylis Manderly answered, getting up from his knee with much difficulty. “But we received concerning news regarding the Ironborn, about them gathering a fleet around Pyke. For the moment, there haven´t been any attacks…”

“Let´s hope that it remains like that… or that Lord Balon has decided for once to do the right thing and join us, at least for his son´s sake” Stannis said, his eyes hard as steel. “Though I won´t put much faith in the loyalty of squids. Lord Stark” he turned towards his hand. “Do you know what you will have to do if Lord Balon doesn´t attack our enemies, but our allies, am I right?”

“I will do my duty, your Grace, no matter how much it hurts” Lord Stark answered, bowing his head. Jon tried not to imagine it, but he actually saw Theon´s head rolling on the ground as that deserter´s did when his father beheaded him. “If you excuse, your Grace, my fellow notherners have just arrived after many days at the sea. I´m sure they want to refresh themselves before discussing matters like war.”

“Of course, you can retire for now” he waved his hand. “The servants have prepared your rooms already, please follow them towards them”

Jon was about to do so when his father looked at him. Holding Ghost´s collar, he walked towards him and followed him outside the room. He was about to apologize about how he hadn´t joined the Night´s Watch when Ned Stark shook his head. He was then taken towards the private quarters of the Hand… or at least those that he was used until he could reclaim the Tower of the Hand. Though he doubted his father would be using that place much, not with how much his leg seemed to ache with each step he took. The cane he was using didn´t seem to do much to alleviate that, merely helped to keep going. As they were left alone in the room, Jon Snow prepared his apologies

“Father…”

“I´m not angry” Lord Stark said, thought there was a trace of something else in his voice that he couldn´t help but think was worry. But what should he be worried about? Even if he fell during the war, so long as Robb and his other siblings didn´t… “Jon, I… imagine that perhaps the Watch ended up not being what you imagined. I already knew, but didn´t do much to dissuade you… I even ended up following Cat´s advice that it was the best path for you.”

“Father, you only wanted what was best for me. And it´s true that bastards like me didn´t have many options in life, at least not outside of the Watch, where they could rise high. I would have stayed if not for Robb´s call for me back, that there was a Lannister plot ahead… it arrived just before I took my vows.”

“And you decided to merely up and leave?”

“Lord Commander Mormont didn´t want to see me leave, but I explained the situation to him. Also, uncle Benjen told me that the Wall would be there after a few years. I can always join at a later day.”

“I heard you are betrothed now though.”

“To one of the Frey bastard daughters, but… I think that she wouldn´t mind marrying someone else. I heard that Lord Hornwood and Lord Bolton both had bastard sons that might be able to take my place… though if the Freys insist, then I´m willing to take on the duty.”

“Jon…”

“The Wall… is still a path that will be open to me after a few years.”

There was something hidden in his father´s look, but he ended up nodding. Then he sent him off to find Arya, who was most probably running from her lady-in-waiting duties towards Princess Shireen. He smiled, that indeed sounded like his little sister. He went to the courtyard, hoping to find her there, which he did… in the company of a boy dressed in white. He seemed to be teaching some movements with the sword, which his little sister copied. These must be the famous guests from Yi Ti, the ones who had discovered to the entire world the crimes committed by the equally famous Liafang Zun. Then he noticed another figure practicing archery nearby. He resembled the mentioned knight and legitimized bastard quite a lot. It must be his nephew, Lord Jin.

“My lord” Jon saluted, not daring to get in the middle of his sister´s lessons. Arya had always wanted to learn to wield a sword and apparently the Yitish didn´t have anything against teaching her… now that he thought about it, in one of her letters Arya told him that it was normal there for some women to learn to use weaponry.

“Ser” this one answered in a heavily accented voice. He was also unsure of having addressed him correctly, something that seemed to be important for them.

“Jon Snow” he presented himself.

“Jin Ling” the other one answered, probably not understanding what the Snow name meant. From what he could gather, in Yi Ti bastards, even noble ones, inherited the names of their mothers not their fathers. “Lord of Jinlintai and head of the Jins.”

So this was indeed Lord Jin. He looked his age… but perhaps was a bit older, like Robb. But that was terribly young to already being the leader of a Great House. Of course, there had been lords and ladies, even Kings that had been younger, but… then again, considering what his last regent did, it was no surprised that he, with the help of some people, had pushed for his rise to power earlier than it was needed. Besides, he felt some kind of pity for the boy. Jon Snow might not know who his mother was, but this child didn´t truly remember both of his parents, who had been murdered by his uncle when he was a babe. Considering that, he was truly lucky that Eddard Stark was a truly honorable man not only to raise him, but along his trueborn siblings, allowing them to love one another like true brothers and sisters. Perhaps if Jin Zixuan and Jin Guangyao had been raised like that… but there was no reason to dwell in the past now, that was done was done. He was about to attempt to continue the conversation, no matter how inappropriate it would be because of their different status, but then the sound of chains interrupted both the training figures and Jin Ling´s archery practice.

“Jin-zonzhui”

“Gui JiangJun”

An overly pale figure in dark clothing and chains around his wrists and ankles. He bowed stiffly, keeping his eyes low. They exchanged some words in their own language, but Jon managed to recognize one. Wen Ning… the Ghost General. He had heard about the famed warrior once during a visit to White Harbor with his father. According to the tale popularized by the bards, the Ghost General had been risen from the dead as some sort of wight by the dark witch Wei Ying after he had been dishonorably murdered as a prisoner of war. His loyalty to his mistress that had given him this second life was unquestionable, even after she had left her dark ways to return to her husband, the Light Bearing Lord of the House Lan, and her child. And now, seeing the man in person, Jon could see why some people would think that he had actually died and being revived. The man looked… literally like he had stepped out of a tomb. Including those overly pale eyes…

“Jon?” having lost her training partner, Arya noticed the presence of her favorite brother. He smiled at his little sister and opened his arms. “JON!!!”

He embraced her, trying to take in her smell. She was here, she was safe… and apparently not even a Queen could force her into being a Lady, much to Lady Catelyn´s dismay. As he allowed her to chat his ears off about what had happened since her last letter. Apparently, she had to spend some time on the streets, taking care of herself, to escape imprisonment by the Lannisters like her sister. It was something that horrified him, as he knew that the streets of King´s Landing were no place for someone of high birth, who had never been without servants, to be, but at the same time he was filled with pride that his little sister was though enough to survive a place like that on her own.

In their chatter, he completely forgot about the Yitish visitors until it was time for dinner. But even so, he wouldn´t have been able to talk to them anymore. As people of high birth, they were put on the high table while he was relegated to one of the back ones, with the squires and less important knights. At least he was allowed to take part in the feast… and that allowed him to watch the Yitish closely. They seemed tense, not making conversation with anyone. Their eyes darted everywhere, as if they were expecting danger from whoever was close. Sometimes, their eyes landed on Melisandre with something he couldn´t explain. In some cases it was distaste, in others… conflict. Specially for one white dressed boy, different from the one he had met before in the training yard.

After that happened, the whole thing between maester Cressen and Lady Melisandre happened and he couldn´t help but thing that they were right in feeling nervous, as this was something that they clearly weren´t accustomed to. The tension grew to a level after that, even between the Westerossi Lords who had witnessed the burning of the Seven by the Red Priestess, that no one dared to eat and drink more since that moment. The King soon dismissed them all and Jon couldn´t feel more grateful for that. His room might be more fit for a squire or a servant, but it was good enough for him. He changed, then allowed himself to drop asleep in the bed… and woke up very early in the Throne of Obsidian of Dragonstone. He was immediately horrified and ran all the way back to his room, spending the rest of the day in his duties, trying to forget about that… but it kept happening. Every night, he went to sleep in his room, and every day, when he woke up, he was on the throne. No matter what he did or that he locked himself up, it always happened. It was why he became so grateful when King Stannis announced that he, Lord Stark and the army would move to parlay and possible engage into battle with his brother Renly. Everything should go back to normal once he was away from that damn island.

“You don´t have to look so nervous, son” Lord Stark said as they boarded the ship, smiling at him. “I know that it´s going to be your first battle if it actually ends up being that, but I have plenty of faith in Catelyn to change Lord Renly´s opinion.”

“It´s… it´s not that…”

“Then what is going to happen on King´s Landing?” his father put a hand over his shoulder. “You don´t have to be worried about that. The Lannisters are trying to gather a fleet, but they don´t have enough strength to present a battle, not against us. I know that I never taught you to fight on a ship, but…”

“Father, I… have been worried ever since I arrived here” Lord Stark took his hand away as if he had been burned, his eyes wide. “I… there are some nights that I wake up to see that I have wandered through the hallways and…”

“It´s nothing, Jon, I… I think it´s just the nerves and the worry over everything that has happened lately…”

“Father…”

“You don´t need to worry about that, soon we are both going to be out of here and in the Stormlands… then I´m sending you back to Robb, who is going to need you and Ghost more than me. Besides, I need someone to escort Catelyn back to Riverrun.”

Was it only him or his father didn´t want him at Dragonstone? Being frank, he also didn´t want to be there at all. The castle was… giving him some weird sensations. Like… in his dreams he saw a lot of people speaking to him in a strange language, but acting as if they were family. Pale and almost translucent, dressed in finery that he had only seen in southern lords. Some of them even wear crowns… but just in the moment they were all organized, when he thought he could recognize some of the figures, the boy woke up on the throne of Dragonstone. He had never gotten to know what those imaginary figures wanted from him, but he could tell somehow that it was something important. Perhaps it was only his mind playing tricks on him, perhaps it was ghosts trying to mess with the bastard, the wretched creature spawned from sin and lust… but he could tell that some of them cared for him. And he wanted to know what they were trying to communicate to him.

Whatever strange that was happening, it stopped as soon as he got on the ship with the direction to the Stormlands. It was sad to leave his little sister behind, but she was going to be safe with the Queen and Princess. Some of the visitors from Yi Ti had joined them, but they didn´t seem to be very interested in the outcome… or at least that´s what they try to project.

They arrived to the outskirts of Storm´s End a few days later and Stannis demanded Ser Cortnay Penrose to open the doors to the king. The knight said that he only recognized King Renly as monarch, something that didn´t seem to please King Stannis. The next day, Ser Davos Seaworth and Lady Melisandre disappeared and the next one the door of the castle was opened, as apparently Ser Penrose had died that night, and his successor was less of a loyal man. Or perhaps he was scared to be assassinated too. Jon´s father looked troubles as, along with the castle, a young boy was handed over. When he asked, as he had been too far away to truly listen the parlay with Ser Cortnay, his father shivered.

“His name is Edric Storm, one of King Robert´s bastard children” his father answered, shuddering. “He is also the son of Queen Selyse´s cousin, Delena Florent.”

“So… he is twice cousin to Princess Shireen?” not that it would be of much importance to many, no matter how noble the mother was. For all he knew, his own mother could be a highborn Lady, but he was still threated as a bastard. “Father, what´s happening?”

“Edric Storm was… conceived during the wedding of King Stannis and Queen Selyse. When the bedding ceremony was being held and the bride and groom were being taken to the marital bed… the guests and they were surprised by the image of King Robert already bedding his new goodsister´s cousin in the marital bed prepared for his brother” Jon blanched in that moment. “It became a rumor in no time… both Stannis and Selyse never manage to overcame the humiliation of such a thing. Much less when Robert was forced to recognize and send the resulting bastard to Storm´s End.”

“For the Old Gods and the New” Jon said, covering his middle. He already knew the shame of being a bastard, but one conceived in such a way… though earning the ire of his uncle and aunt before even being born… “Is he in danger?”

“I hope no, but I would want you to become a friend of the boy. And to tell me if you see any signal of anything wrong happening to him.” He frowned. “Forget it, it´s too much of a risk and you have to concentrate in the battle ahead. Renly is on his way here.”

“Father, I can…”

“I said forget it” Lord Eddard said, turning around to leave the tent. “We will talk later about this, alright? Just… not now.”

Jon frowned, the feeling that his father was hiding something from him, something more important than even the name of his mother. But at the same time, Lord Stark was right, he needed to prepare. This was going to be his first battle, and the knights of the Reach were famous for their martial formation and prowess in battle. They even had a renowned battle commander in Randyll Tarly. And the host of the Reach outnumbered them greatly. Renly had everything he needed to win. Though that didn´t seem to stop his brother. His father returned from that parley shaking his head, apparently without finding any way for the brothers to understand each other despite the intervention of Lady Catelyn. As both parties returned to their camps without an understanding, to prepare for war or at least try to avoid it one last time, in the case of Lady Stark, Jon wondered if he would survive this. After all, many…

“Lord Stark!! Lady Catelyn has arrived with her party!!” he heard someone yell outside the tent. “And she has not come alone!! She also said that it´s urgent!!”

He opened the flaps, thinking that it was impossible, that Lady Stark wouldn´t escape while she clearly hoped to still accomplish her mission. Jon quickly went to his father´s tent, where he found Lady Catelyn embracing her husband, while the rest of the Stark men that were sent with her were around a big, ugly woman with a light blue armor. He stayed away from Lady Catelyn´s eyes, pressing himself against the canvas of the tent and trying to merge with the environment so that he could hear and at the same time don´t drive the attention of his father´s Lady Wife towards him. He got close to a man called Alyn.

“What happened?” he asked in a whisper. The woman shuddered, but didn´t speak despite apparently having heard him.

“Lord Renly Baratheon is dead” the man at arms answered, frowning. “Lady Catelyn and Lady Brienne were there when it happened… they said it was a shadow that stabbed him through the heart. They escaped before anyone could blame them for that, but we bet someone else has already blamed Lady Brienne for the murder, as she was the member of the Rainbow Guard on duty tonight…”

“Rainbow guard?”

“Renly´s Kingsguard” Alyn answered. “There were also servants there, so they must already be spreading the news through all the camp, that´s why we came so fast… the Lady feared that they might put the blame on her or on Lady Brienne. But some of us think that as soon as the servants spread the tale, the suspicions would fall on the Yitish, who are known allies of Stannis Baratheon, or on his Red Priestess.”

“Lady Melisandre I understand, she has done more than one questionable thing and threatened Lord Renly, according to witness, at the parley. But the Yitish? Why would they become suspects?”

“There were some tales that arrived not only to the Lannisters, but to Olenna Tyrell, about them and the… particular ascendence of one of them. Remember those songs we heard about a Light Bearing Lord that married a Dark Witch?” he nodded. It was a love ballad that Sansa enjoyed very much. “It seems like one of them is their son?”

“That doesn´t mean anything. At the end of the tale, she abandoned the dark path to return to her husband and son… and I doubt any of them knew how to do something like that. Wouldn´t Liafang Zun already be a corpse if they did?”

“Remember that he also knows the mystical arts”

“Remember that he admitted not being the most powerful of their users” then Jon realized something. “I know that rumors travel fast, but how did they arrived so fast to not only the Tyrells, but the famous Queen of Thorns? I have heard she has ears all over the Reach, but I have never heard…”

“That´s another thing” Alyn whispered. “Shortly after we arrived, an envoy from the Lannisters did too. Lord Petyr Baelish.”

“Lord… isn´t he master of coin? The one who sold father to the Lannisters?”

“Yes, precisely that one.”

“And what did he wanted?”

“I´m afraid we have yet to find out.”

-In the Tyrell camp-

The Stormlords were already leaving to their own keeps or to Stannis camp, whatever way their loyalties have swayed after Renly´s untimely death. Petyr Baelish watched everything with glee. He had planned to have the Prancing Stag killed anyway, to sway the Tyrells towards the Lannisters and cause more chaos through that little beast Joffrey. But this was even better, as he didn´t have to dirty his hand in any way. Now he was walking directly to the tent where Mace Tyrell and the rest of his family were staying while they decided what to do. Because they couldn´t stay without moving, they needed to do something… and they couldn´t exactly join King Stannis. Everyone knows about his animosity towards the Tyrells. Not only because they had supported his brother´s claim against his, but everyone knew that he was still bitter about the Siege of Storm´s End. And without much options, unless the whispers he heard from the Iron Islands were true and even that option would be discarded very quickly, they will have to join the Lannisters. Besides, that was also the only way to give their precious Golden Rose a crown again, as they have always wanted.

“Lord Mace, Lady Olenna, Ser…”

“Oh, enough pish pash, talk directly, you snake. I´m not getting any younger here” Lady Olenna said, clearly upset. From what he could gather, she had been against this plan of her son´s and grandson´s to marry Lady Margaery to Renly… for more than one reason. “Say what you have to say or leave. We need to make decisions here.”

“I´m here to make things easier for you to do that, my Lady” he answered, bowing towards her. “You know very well that Lady Brienne of Tarth wasn´t…”

“If you are going to say the obvious, then you should better go talk to my grandson, who must still be crying over the corpse of his sister´s husband, as if he was married to the man himself, under the guise of accompanying his sister, as if no one else knew what was going on between the two of them.” She rolled her eyes. “That boy has never has an ounce of sense.”

“Mother, you shouldn´t…”

“Should up, Mace” she ordered her idiot of a son. Seriously, the only reason that boy didn´t ride off a cliff like his scatterhead of a father was because she always kept a tight grip on him herself. If not, he might have long ago made Willas Lord of Highgarden… though perhaps that might not have been such a bad thing. “What do you want, Baelish?”

“I want to offer you a deal… and a crown for your granddaughter” he said, smiling at her. “King Joffrey is a handsome, prudent king. He is currently, sadly, betrothed to the daughter of Lord Stark, who is a known traitor and supporter of Stannis, but his treason is enough for the Queen Regent to break that engagement. That leaves him free to marry whoever he wants. And, having heard of the beauty and grace of your Lady Margaery, he wants to arrange a betrothal between himself and the Golden Rose of Highgarden.”

“My granddaughter´s beauty and grace or the strength of our army now that he needs one? Or the food from the Reach now that King´s Landing is dying of hunger? Or our gold, now that the peasants are being arrested by many to try and kill Golden Cloaks because they are unhappy with the Crown?” she smirked. “Or is it because the Yitish army coming his way?”

“My dear Lady Olenna, you certainly know how to read a map and realize that Yi Ti is almost on the other end of the known world. It will surely take the Yitish army a long time to arrive, and by then, we together would have already crushed Stannis and return everything to order. We will try to make sure to capture the boys that came here to exchange them for the Yitish not attacking when they actually arrive… and, of course, we will hand over Liafang Zun, to show that there is no ill will between us and them… and that Westeros doesn´t harbor criminals.”

“You sound very certain that they would accept something like that.”

“One of them is already a Lord, and two are heirs. The fourth is of noble blood too… I think they will make excellent bargain chips, especially considering their parents. We can even… take a page out of the Rogare´s book and demand a ransom, which they would certainly give. Yes, a ransom that will beneffit both of your families.”

“Us or merely the Lannisters?”

“I´m offering to make your granddaughter Queen, my lady, what else could you want? Isn´t your greatest wish to put a crown on your granddaughter´s pretty head? Enough to marry her to a man that would prefer her brother to her?” The man offered a smile. “Also, from what I could gather, it´s your only chance not to lose the position of Lord Paramount or even Highgarden to the Florents. The wife of Stannis Baratheon is a Florent and, while she had been unable to bear a son for him, that doesn´t mean she has any power. Stannis is also not Robert, who preferred to leave other people to rule the country for him. No, he will take an active role as a monarch… and you know what he thinks of your family.”

“Is the Lannister army so weak that they might lose to a green boy, a crippled wolf, an army of unwashed savages and another so small that they fit in a small cluster of ships?” Lady Olenna asked. “Perhaps Lord Tywin should look around his chamber pot and gather enough gold to hire some sellswords from Essos.”

“You just have to think of your own survival, my lady” the coin counter continued, smiling at them. “Stannis Baratheon and his wife will do everything in their power to bring you down. To protect your family, you only have one choice...” he smirked deeply. “And don´t even think that he won´t dare to touch you. After all, he already sent a catspaw to offer his own brother. What wouldn´t he do to his widow and her hated family?”

“We will consider it”

Baelish bowed and left, but he already knew that they were going to accept. If something characterized the Tyrells, it was their greed. That and their will to survive to grow strong. The Tyrells also needed that connection to the Lannisters, to the crown, so they could be respected as the House Paramount of the South. Their lineage was not as extraordinary as many of their vassal´s… even the Tarlys had a stronger connection to House Gardener and thus more claim to the Reach than them. Let´s not talk about the Florents, who always shouted it on their faces that Highgarden should have passed to them. And without the Targaryens, who had risen them to power… it was not only a matter of greed anymore. Which was why he already knew that Olenna Tyrell had made her decision.

“Grandmother” he heard Lady Margaery say as she entered the tent her family was in. Alone.

“Sit down, my dear, there is much to talk about”

Like he said, he already knew how this was going to end.

-In Dragonstone-

Lan Shizui hadn´t stayed in that island merely out of a whim. That place… reeked of resentment. Not as much as the Burial Mounds, but it was very clear that every stone of that very place hated the one sitting at the throne. The others also felt it, making them uncomfortable, but as it seemed plenty of safe… at least for now. Shizui doubted it would stay like that for long, as he could tell there was something similar to an array on every stone, on every decoration, on every thing the tapestries of ships or decorations depicting stags, tried to cover. It was a kind of force he didn´t understand, as old as cultivation, but… different. And he could also tell that it was kind of… demonic. Too much like the demonic cultivation his A-Die used to practice when he didn´t have a golden core. Even so, it had softened in the last few days only to return with vengeance when the King departed.

“That´s an interesting instrument, my Lord” Pylos, one of the maesters, who had taken the role of languages teacher for the visitors, said in a slow way, perhaps to make it easier for him to understand. “Is that a guqin?”

“Yes” he answered as he passed his hands through the chords. “My… father taught me to play”

“I heard that is part of the education of your noblemen and women to play some instrument”

“It´s more than that”

He remembered when his Baba first taught him to play the instrument… back then he didn´t know who he was reaching for… not remembering his A-Die enough to even make out his face or his voice… but Baba still taught him in case someday he remembered, he could play with him… even if Lan Wangji never got the answer he wanted or contacted the spirit he so much wanted to talk again to, to feel the presence of. Not until Mo Xuanyu did that forbidden ritual and gave his own soul up to give them the greatest of gifts. Lan Sizhui could never thank destiny enough for the grace it had bestowed upon them… or for having the luck to survive the Jin camps, the Burial Mounds and Jin Guangyao´s plans.

But leaving that aside, now he had a duty to do. Most of the resentment there seemed to be harmless, though it was indeed affecting those that lived there now. The Princess had told him about some strange dreams and the King and Queen had been so easily influenced by that woman that reeked of resentment… that was using something that she didn´t realize might be demonic cultivation… or something even darker. He had heard a lot of things about gods that devour souls, even seen one in the Heavenly Maiden, but nothing good came out of their worship. And in the end, the own user, the one that feed them souls of the living, ended up paying with their own soul.

Which was why he was there, playing Inquiry. Whoever had built this castle, he was more like Wei Wuxian than a worshipper of a soul eating god. They had used something akin demonic cultivation to build this place and, while Stannis seemed to be begrudgingly accepted by them for now, he had not escaped being punished for taking it. As he asked those spirits why they hated Stannis so much, their only answer was USURPER. When he asked who was the true heir, they didn´t answer. He tried again, but he only was pulled into a trance pretty much like Empathy. There, he saw, more than a memory, a recollection of ghosts waiting for something. And most of the ghosts had dragon themed clothes. Women and men, children and old men, they were all looking to the throne as they waited for the true heir to sit on it… he could tell they all believed that he or she might. Then they would return to their rest. As he was watching, one that looked like a young man turned around to face him.

“The Prince´s Pass in Dorne, there is a Tower they call the Tower of Joy” he told him, showing him an image of the place. “That´s where you will get the answers you want. Please” he pleaded. “Protect my child.”

As Lan Sizhui returned to consciousness, he couldn´t help but think that this might be more important than he believed. So that night, under the cover of the night, he left Dragonstone to search for the place that ghost told him about. He finally found it after some hours of evading patrols and bandits, he finally arrived to the forgotten place that the man showed him. As he entered, he saw the remains of a fire. And not precisely one that would render only a section to ashes. Even the stones had burns on them… but they could not erase the sadness that permeated the place. And resentment, strong resentment. Someone had died here, someone that knew that his or her last wishes wouldn´t be observed, someone whose wishes had been ignored more than once to his or her detriment… the resentment was still present despite the time that this place has been empty even of the ghost of the person. He sat down and started to play Inquiry. Sizhui then marveled to know the person that had been in there had been a woman. A recent bride in love with a man who loved her back, but not the man her family had chosen for her. A recent widow with child, crying for the man she had loved and cursing his killer with all her resentment. A recent mother, dying on the birthing bed, as she handed her most precious possession, her lovely child, to her brother, in hopes that he would be well… only for her brother to take everything from him for an unworthy man. She hated them, but haven’t become a resentful spirit. And the child was…

Humm, it all made sense now. But what should he do with that information? He didn´t want to get himself or his friends into troubles… but at the same time, he knew that lying was against the rules for a reason. And such a big lie… he was sure it was hurting both people involved. He sighed, then retired back to Dragonstone. He won´t meddle, but he would have a talk with Lord Stark before leaving for home after the war. After that, he didn´t think they would see each other ever again.

Chapter Text

Margaery Tyrell hadn´t expected to make her grand entrance to King´s Landing before the battle? What was Stannis Baratheon waiting for anyway? Surely a commander like him wasn´t expecting the reinforcements from Yi Ti when it took so long to arrive, no? Of course, that the forces of the Reach had joined the Lannisters was to be kept secret, so, for the moment, she was taking residence with her grandmother and other ladies in one of the nearby castles. She wondered for a moment how King Joffrey Baratheon was. He was said to be as golden haired and green eyed as any Lannister, handsome to boot… and more than a bit cruel. The rumors about how he beat his former betrothed in front of the whole court, going as far as ripping her clothes in the process, had reached even her. It was something she didn´t want to experience herself, so she was going to need to use all her charms on him. But something still felt… odd. As if they were walking straight into a trap. Though if they didn´t join the Lannisters…

“Don´t think about it too much” Lady Olenna said as the servant placed a whole display of different cheese between them. “I´m not like your imbecile of a father, who thought that marrying you to a stupid boy like Renly Baratheon was a good idea. That man was never going to be anything but a fool.”

“But at least he was going to be gentle to me”

“Like I said, don´t worry about that” the old lady continued as she started cutting the food to sample it. “Stannis Baratheon might have a strong fleet, but with the Redwine one and the Lannister one coming from the Reach, that advantage is to banish soon. And the Stormlords also haven´t sworn to him, thanks to the tales I have spread.”

“So you believe the tales of the servants?” Margaery asked, drinking some sweet wine. She was accustomed to it, she won´t get drunk from a single cup. And had no wish to since Loras got drunk after they sent Renly´s corpse to Storm´s End to be interred. She had to babysit him the whole night as he sobbed, something that wasn´t pleasing. “I didn´t take you for someone who would believe such claims as a shadow assassin, even after witnessing those Yi Tish techniques in a few tourneys.”

“I´m not”

“Then why? Why discourage the tale that Lady Brienne…”

“Bah, that woman was unable to kill Renly Baratheon. Didn´t you see how she looked at him? She was in love with the little prancing stag” Olenna rolled her eyes. “She certainly did her best to protect him. Now, saying that it was enough… well, a well-trained assassin has gone past other Kingsguards and skilled knights before” her eyes sharpened. “But I´m more than certain that it wasn´t the Starks who sent him, much less with Lady Stark there. And neither were the Lannisters, though with Baelish there they certainly had a plan of their own. No, Stannis Baratheon sent the assassin to get rid of his brother before he could get in the way of his plans. He certainly thought that with his brother gone, we would go to him, but, like you see, those plans of him certainly were too naïve.”

“I´m pretty sure that even without your help, grandmother, more than one of the Stormlords would have theorized that it was Stannis that killed Renly and refuse to swear his Oaths to him because he is a kinslayer.”

“Yes, I merely… put my own grain so more would jump into that conclusion” the old woman smiled. “And more than half took the bait. And who has joined Stannis? Honorable Lord Stark, as unbending as him, his grandfather and the Florent foxes. The Lords of the Narrow Sea are as trustworthy as snakes, wanting for a Targaryen to come back to rise against the stag and even Stannis distrusts them… not the army one would wish for.”

“I see your point” Margaery took another sip before finally sampling one of those apple pies that looked so good in the table. “But what if he, against all odds, wins? In war everything is possible. He might win and sit himself on the throne. The Lannisters, of course, will try to make Tommen King, but that might be a short lived rebellion. And with Florent skank as Queen, we will be more threatened than ever.”

“In that you are right, my dear” her grandmother conceded, her own eyes gloomy. “We will just have to trust that everything works in our favor. And if not… then we will have to do whatever is needed to survive and retain as much as we can, including our position and home. Then we will have to make sure that Selyse Florent´s reign as Queen will be a short one.”

“Stannis Baratheon will never agree to marry a Tyrell or anyone from our family” the young lady said, knowing that her family´s ambition to make one of their own Queen wouldn´t stop there. “Much less me or even Desmera, as our fathers feasted on plain sight of Storm´s End as he and his people slowly died of hunger.”

“Yes, that´s a problem… but we can still influence the new Queen in our favor. I doubt that, with Selyse gone, Stannis won´t select a bride to do his duty to sire an heir. He already has a daughter, but I doubt he wants to risk what happened to Rhaenyra happening to her. He will probably turn to the Stormlands or the North… where you are going to make friends as soon as we arrive in court.” The old woman smiled. “Tell me, my dear, what have you heard about Sansa Stark?”

“Some” she answered with a smile. “And most said she is a naïve little girl, won´t be hard to convince her that I want to become her friend.”

Whether she was going to be Queen or not, she was going to need the support of the North and the best way to obtain it, and a powerful alliance for her family, was to befriend Sansa Stark and convince her to marry her brother Willas. Or convince Lord Stark, in case Stannis won, that the best way to keep things stable in Westeros, something that was his duty as Hand of the King, was to marry his eldest daughter and thus give his support to House Tyrell. It was going to be hard if Stannis or Selyse Florent choose to interfere, but… it can be attainable.

Anyway, there was still one problem they haven´t discussed, one that should be taken care of in the chance they won.

“And what about Cersei´s Golden Lion? What if we win and I marry him? Who says he is not going to treat me just as he threated Sansa Stark?”

“My dear, that is something your pretty little head won´t have to trouble itself with” Olenna answered. “Just leave that to grandmother.”

-In King´s Landing-

Liafang-Zun listened as Cersei whispered threats to her brother Tyrion for having sold Princess Myrcella to the Martells. Frankly speaking, it was a masterful movement. Gaining the Dornish as allies as well as the Reach would help them match the strength Stannis had gotten by gaining the North, the Riverlands and tentatively the Vale as allies, which was all his new Hand Eddard Stark brought. The only good thing was that Lysa Arryn, madwoman she was, still forced her knights to stay home. Some of them had disobeyed her, of course, like Robar Royce, but they were a minimum. He had the suspicion that Petyr Baelish had something to do with Lady Arryn´s erratic decision making… but he didn´t really care so long as his plans worked in his favor. Of course, the time to get rid of the viper was coming closer and closer, specially now that he seemed to have put his eyes on the biggest price he could think of. And poor Sansa Stark didn´t have an idea that she was being manipulated into Baelish´s hands by that lackwit Dontos Hollard.

Talking about that, the girl was there, standing along with the Royal Family and looking like she wanted to be anywhere but there, neatly arranged and seemingly well-taken care of, with the clothes befitting her station and braids in the southern fashion… but everyone could understand that she was merely a hostage by how her mopey face seemed about to cry at any moment. And not because of the Princess´ departure. She could have spent some time with Myrcella Baratheon before becoming a hostage, but even then, Silena was more known to Lady Stark than the Princess. And since her father was declare a traitor, she wasn´t allowed to spent any time with the other girl without her mother there to do the conversation for her. In other words, right now, Sansa Stark was closer to his own daughter than Myrcella Baratheon or any other girl of high birth. Which was strange, considering the distaste the redheaded girl had for Silena during all those months as daughter of the Hand of King Robert Baratheon… and the loyalty of his daughter, though no one knew other than himself.

“Stop crying, you pest” King Joffrey said to his little brother. “Princes don´t cry.”

Ah, another problem that should be addressed soon. He had noticed it before, but didn´t really wanted to be the one to mention it. Cersei would surely use all her power to expulse him from court and the City if he did and Tywin would prefer to deal with this in private, he would not be amused that one of his own bannermen was saying such things about his grandson to everyone. Besides, by then the rumors would have reached the Lord of Casterly Rock and he was devising his own plan to get rid of the faulty heir and crowning the younger one. More malleable, friendly childish Tommen, who he would be able to control easily and teach without much interference from Cersei until he became the King Tywin was hoping to continue his legacy. So he kept his mouth shut… though he hoped that the Lion of the Rock would quickly return and deal with the little bastard, before he could do irreparable damage. Unfortunately, he had underestimated the chaos Joffrey, in combination with his mother, could cause with their disdain for the crowds of the common. Specially when a woman approached with a dead babe in her arms and extended it towards him.

“Leave them, your Grace” Cersei said, attempting to sound soothing. “You can´t do anything for the poor thing.”

The mother heard what the Queen said and started to insult her, alluding to the rumors spreading through the city that she had slept with her brother. Then someone threw cow dung to the King, who started demanding the head of the man who had dared to do something like that to the King. Lord Tyrion and Liafang Zun exchanged a quick look and he started to scream orders to tighten the security in prevention of a riot, while making a signal to Silena, who was armed with talismans, to stay near Sansa Stark. They couldn´t lose her for anything, she was their most precious hostage, and he trusted his daughter not only to protect her, but take care of herself. Then Joffrey ordered his sworn shield to attack the multitude and pandemonium started. The Golden Cloaks, despite the extensive training he had given them and protecting talismans, were overcome by the crowds of the common folk, who were screaming and trying to pull the highborn and other figures from their saddles. Which was the case of poor lackwit Lollys Stokeworth and Aron Santagar, the master at arms from the Red Keep. Even the High Septon himself succumbed to such destine as he was pulled from his litter and ripped apart by the crowd. Ser Preston Greenfield tried to help him, but ended up being stabbed to the dead by the commonfolk. There were screams calling for Stannis or Renly, as if several of them didn´t know he was already dead, but then someone demanded bread and that became the popular clamor. They all demanded food and they would take it, bread or the lives of the highborn… or would, if Liafang Zun wasn´t so good at his work and his Gold Cloaks not so well-trained that they would have fallen to the rioters. Thanks to him, they arrived to the castle in one piece. As he took a breath before starting to look for his daughter, he heard the king ramble as he was tended to by a maester.

“Traitors… I´m going to cut all of their heads, I´m…” the punch that was delivered to him by his uncle was one of the most epic things Jin Guangyao had seen and he had seen the Siege of the Burial Mounds. And it was as satisfactory.

“You are an imbecile!!”

“They were traitors. They called me names and attacked me!”

“You set your dog on them! What did you imagine they would do, bend the knee meekly while the Hound lopped off some limbs? You spoiled witless little boy, you've killed Clegane and gods know how many more, and yet you come through unscratched. Damn you!”

“You can´t speak to me like that, I´m…” another punch.

“Oh you blind, bloody fool! Don´t you see what you have done?!!!”

"You can't insult me!"

"We've had vicious kings, and we've had idiot kings...but I don't know if we've ever been cursed with a vicious idiot for a king!"

Then he kicked the idiot boy. It was so satisfactory that he wanted to continue seeing the spectacle, but he needed to find his daughter. Silena was too strong a cultivator to allow herself to be touched by the rabble, but if she had managed to protect herself and Sansa Stark, it was another thing. They needed the girl, after all, untouched if it was possible. When the Lannisters finally stopped fighting amongst themselves and noticed the absence of their main hostage, Cersei wanted to send someone to look for her. She ordered the Kingsguard to go find her now that Joffrey was secure, but they were reticent. A fight was about to break again when the Hound rode into the courtyard, Sansa Stark on the back of the mare, hugging him and Silena Zun in her own horse, throwing talismans behind them.

“Daughter” he released a sigh of relief as he saw his girl safe and sound. He helped her to get down her horse and addressed her state. It was obvious that keeping Sansa Stark safe and reinforce the horse without her sword and only talismans had been a great effort for her. She was all dirty and her hair was terrible.

“Are you alright, my girl?” Tyrion Lannister approached the other girl. It was obvious that she was not, but she managed to talk despite the trembling.

“They ... they were throwing things ... rocks and filth, eggs ... I tried to tell them, I had no bread to give them. A man tried to pull me from the saddle. The Hound killed him, I think ... his arm ... He cut off his arm.”

“The little bird is bleeding, better take her to her cage and have someone see her injury” the Hound said, with an unusual tenderness. Apparently, he had developed some softness for this girl. “They have killed Santagar.”

Then Clegane explained how the master-at-arms died, which was gruesome, as Liafang Zun remembered. As soon as he passed Sansa Stark to maester Frencken, other people started to beg for them to look for the people who were snatched, including one of the Lannister cousins of the Queen. It was enough to made Cersei comply with his plans for once. It was a surprise for Liafang Zun too, but not when he thought about what had just happened. Finally, after Silena was escorted inside Maegor´s Holdfast, he went to pacify the streets of the city. It was a tiring work, as they were terrible. He didn´t return until the night, going directly to his rooms. He was surprised to find Silena in her sleeping clothes, clearly having waited for him practically since he left.

“You didn´t have to, you could have told me everything tomorrow” he said in Yitish, a language he and his children used when they needed to feel safe or keep something secret. Or at least attempt to, as he was sure that the Spider had hired a few teachers on the language and he was not the only one. “Daughter…”

“I was scared”

“It was just rabble, you could have taken care of them even without your sword.”

“It was not that kind fear, fuqin, it was because I nearly failed in my mission” she clenched her hands. “I have never failed at anything, much less on something so important as to keep a key piece safe and in our power. I thought… I thought I could do it, but while I was fighting they pulled her from her horse and I lost her from view. If the Hound hadn´t arrived in time… I helped them return, but that is…”

“Silena, there are some things you can´t control.” He sighed. “Besides, you need to learn from this. You might thought that you had everything coldly calculated, that you have everything in hand… but reality is not like that” he said, remembering how he had learned that. “Be it because of another player or simple bad luck, there will be always something that escapes your calculations.”

“You never fail in your calculations and my mistake… losing Sansa Stark for just a few minutes… do you know what could have happened to her? Or to us if she ended up being deflowered by those street urchins? Raped over and over again? The Starks would already been at our throats and with reason.”

“Silena, understand that no matter how good we are, there are some things that are out of our control… or someone better” his eyes sharpened. He knew exactly how he had learned that lesson and that the person who had taught him that was coming too… though he might not participate directly of the fight. “Go to sleep, I need you awake for what´s to come.”

“My brothers are going to come for the battle, no?” she asked. “Why letting them fight and I have to stay with my mother and the Queen in the banquet, despite recovering my sword. I´m your best fighter.”

“You have another mission for now” Liafang Zun smirked at her. “Do what you are told and don´t complain. You are to be entrusted with keeping the royals safe… well, all of them except for Joffrey. Are you up to the task?”

“It will be done”

-In Dragonstone-

Eddard Stark knew that they couldn´t delay the attack any longer if they want to keep their advantage, so it came as no surprise for anyone that the attack was announced for that night, despite the reinforcements from Yi Ti having not arrived. Though no one was expecting them to arrive in time for such battle. He meant… they were supposed to sail half the world to reach merely Dragonstone, then they would need to rest. He had the hope that they perhaps arrive in time to lift whatever blockade the Lannister Fleet or their possible allies put around King´s Landing when they arrive. As Lord Velaryon and Davos Seaworth lead the Fleet, with Stannis on the deck of the Fury. Ned prayed for Sansa, remembering his promise to bring their daughter back to her alive. He hoped that nothing horrible happened to her before he could get to her… there were news about a riot in King´s Landing and a noble lady being raped by many men.

“She is going to be fine” Jon Snow assured him, touching his arm. He couldn´t help but feel guilty every time he looked at him. Most said that he looked a lot like him, but Eddard could never say it. Never tell him what he had done, to forgive him. “I´m going to go with Lord Jin and the others to make sure of that.”

“Jon…”

“I´m going to be fine, don´t worry” his son told him, unsure with wanting to reassure him more than himself. “Ah, by the way, Lan Sizhui told me that you had something to tell me. That it was about my mother…”

“I… I will talk about your mother once this is over” he promised, but he didn´t think he would ever be able to speak to him about Lyanna. It hurt very much.
And it did more when he saw her son get on a sword with the mentioned boy. This one looked him in a way… did he knew something? How could that be?
He didn´t have time to think of that anymore, as he heard the rising of the chain of the Lannister towers ahead of them. In the darkness, the chain was not visible, but Davos Seaworth and Monford Velaryon, both seasoned seafarers, would be able to dodge it. Or at least to stop it from sinking their ships. They were probably doing that when the first explosion occurred. Eddard nearly screamed in fear as the blast of green and flames that followed appeared in front of him. The Lannisters had clearly became insane, it was wildfire!! They were using wildfire to attack them!! Couldn´t they see that they could kill their own men too or it didn´t matter to them?

“Cersei Lannister has lost her mind” someone near him said. He prayed that Jon was safe and out of the blast´s reach. The same with the other boys, but mostly his little sister´s…

“Continue with the attack” Stannis ordered.

“Your Grace, it´s suicide to try to get through it with so much wildfire around.”

“The Yitish have placed protections against the fire. We don´t know how effective they are against wildfire, as they had never even heard of that kind of substance, but we have to believe that it will work.”

“Your Grace”

“Send the signal, Lord Hand”

Lord Eddard didn´t have any other choice but to do that. Though the ships have resulted damaged, the protections their allies have placed on their ships have managed to keep them complete and the sailors safe. As they got closer to the turrets, the ballistae prepared to take them down, but the small ships packed with wildfire was not the only surprise the Lannisters have waiting for them. How had the Alchemy Guild produced so much wildfire in such a short time for them? He didn´t understand. The production of the substance was difficult and could be proved lethal if not carefully done, so it couldn´t be rushed, so how had they done it so fast. The Northerner shook his head, it was not time to be asking himself that. He needed to keep his head in the battle.

And he did. Even if he couldn´t participate in the battle because of his injured leg, he was there to watch his men fight and be with them. The Manderly fleet was also there, so it couldn´t be said that the North wasn´t fighting. As the first few ships, damaged as they were attacked the watchtowers to get rid of the chain and let the Fleet invade. As they were able to do so, despite more ships getting damaged, they managed to conquer them and then follow into the city. The earth troops were bound to find them there. The defenders opened the door to repel their attack, or at least he saw that through his Mirish lens. There was the sound of a horn and then another army appeared and attacked, one with the Tyrell sigil. The Tyrells have allies with the Lannisters? Eddard cursed, there was a chance that…

“Ships!! From behind!!”

“What?!”

Eddard turned around as fast as he could, hissing when his injured leg hurt. He pointed his Mirish eye, almost expecting to see the Redwyne or Lannister Fleet about to ambush them with all their might, but the kind of ships he saw was one he had never seen before. And that puzzled him… at least until the first swords started to fly over the ships, with warriors ready to engage the moment they jumped from their weapons. And not only weapons, some carried other things, like musical instruments that were apparently used as weapons too. Were these the arts used by the warriors in Yi Ti? He couldn´t help but be impressed. He saw someone in purple moving around with what seemed like a lightning in his hand, taking down several knights at the same time. And that was not all. The corpses of the death started to rise, like in the tales of wights and the Others, at the sound of a flute and attack their former allies. The Tyrells and the Lannisters, obviously caught by surprise and completely overtaken by fear, were retreating now. Several were captured by the waiting soldiers loyal to the true King. Before the doors of the city could get secured, someone dressed in white used a guqin, something he had came to recognize after so much time, and released a powerful sound that did the work of a battering ram. The doors were thrown open. The invaders cheered and entered the city. The Yitish followed them, doing away with the defenders. It wasn´t much longer until a messenger came back with news from the King.

“Lord Stark!!! It´s a success!!!” the boy, one of Stannis´ squires, announced. He was smiling very widely. “King´s Landing is ours!! And the false King Joffrey has been found in the Throne Room!!! He is facing King Stannis right now!!”

“Take me to them”

It wasn´t much surprise to Ned Stark to find Joffrey Waters screaming with madness that he was king and that his supposed uncle was a traitor, that he was going to behead him and made that ugly daughter of his kiss the Hearteater when he caught her. Stannis was furious because of the mention of his daughter, but he didn´t lose concentration. He fought Joffrey himself… though it wasn´t much of a fight. The boy was an inept at sword fighting and, without his Kingsguard, which had already been eliminated, he was nothing. He only moved the blade madly, without any of the ability his true father was known for. It didn´t take Stannis Baratheon long to run his blade through him, ending the life of the young usurper. This one gurgled, drowning in his own blood before he finally died.

“Take the head” Stannis ordered. “I want the Lannisters and any other person in the city to see that justice has been done, that the true King has finally taken the Iron Throne.” One of the knights, a Estermont from what Ned saw, took the body to where they could chop the head off and mount it on a spike. “Where are Queen Dowager Cersei and her other bastards?”

“They have fled, my… your Grace” one of the nobles that were being held hostage in the Queen´s banquet hall, Lord Giles Rosby from what he could see, signaled. “In the middle of the battle, Liafang Zun entered the banquet hall and took her and the prince… the Queen´s bastard away along with his daughter. They were taken to the battlements, where they expected to find the… the Usurper, but… I think they fled.”

“They fled” Ouyang Zizhen then made his apparition, some people dressed in the Yitish fashion following him, a small one glaring daggers at another in white, who kept his expression neutral. “They used their swords and then used a talisman so we couldn´t follow them immediately. They fly off towards the West, from what Zewu-Jun and the Chief Cultivator said.”

“What do you mean?” Stannis asked, looked at the newcomers with other eyes. One of the big men behind the small figure, with two sabers on his back, seemed about to interfere in case anyone tried anything, but the smaller, much more elegant figure didn´t seem worried.

“Your Grace, let me introduce you to Lord Lan Xichen, the Leader of Gusu Lan, and” he went from the white, clearly noble figure to the smaller one. “The Chief Cultivator of the Empire, Lord Nie Huaisang of Quinghe Nie.”

“Chief Cultivator, Lord Lan” Stannis respectfully saluted. These ones returned the salute in the Yitish fashion. “Could you explain what happened?”

-A few moments ago-

Jin Guangyao cursed, but it would be just like Nie Huaisang to use talismans in such a way… and just like Wei Wuxian to create that type of talisman to store wind to make the ships go faster. Lan Wangji couldn´t keep that mind distracted for enough time for him not to come up with more ideas. Fortunately, him and Silena had devised their own way out. And while the Tyrells might turn on them after this fiasco, the Lannisters were still a force to be reconned. This was not over yet, which was why he was helping Cersei Lannister and her child escape in that moment. Besides, due to his ties to the Lannisters, it would be too much to ask for Stannis Baratheon to protect him…

“I knew you would try to run like the rat you are” someone said, steps sounding in the stone of the tower he and Silena planned to use to escape to Casterly Rock with the Queen and her son. “Hello, San-ge, it´s been a long time.”

Jin Guangyao´s eyes widened when he heard a voice in Yitish he hadn´t heard in more than ten years. He turned around to see at the front, where the Lannister warriors were on the floor, in ponds of blood, while two hulking figures stood at the side of a small one. One of them was wielding two sabers, almost protectively standing near the one in the middle. Nie Zonghui. The other was less known, but the completion, apart from the silence and the damage in some of the crimson cloaks killed around, with frost around, he knew it had to be Son Lang. He cursed Chengmei, not for the first time, for making that man into a fierce corpse. Couldn´t he simply had disposed of him instead of trying to play with his victims? But that paled in comparison to the anger he felt at himself for not noticing before the danger the harmless looking man in the middle posed as he held a perfectly poised stance, holding a fan to his face.

“It sure has been, A-Sang” Jin Guangyao and Nie Huaisang squared at each other for the first time in years. Or perhaps for the first time in their lives, because before Lianfang-Zun had never considered him a threat… because the younger man never showed his true capabilities until the end. “Your Grace, let me introduce you to Nie Huaisang, younger brother to Chifeng-Zun, Lord of Quinghe.”

“And why should I care?” Cersei Lannister said as the fragile looking man didn´t offer her any platitude, preferring to close his fan. “Get rid of him and his bodyguard so we can get to my son and then to Casterly Rock.”

“I´m afraid that that´s no longer possible, your Grace, the king must be dead or captured by now if he is not in the battlements” the woman looked about to scream. “But that´s not the only problem we have. Cutting our way out is not only the current Chief Cultivator, but two of the strongest fighters in my homeland: Nie Zonghui and Son Lang.”

“The one from the songs?” little Tommen asked, but Silena kept him behind his mother, catching the Viper of Quinghe´s attention.

“Is that your daughter, A-Yao? Reminds me a bit of your wife… or was it your sister” he chuckled. “Perhaps I should take my time with… you followed.” What? Who… then someone came out of the shadows. Huaisang clapped with sarcasm. “Finally you have learned something, no, Er-ge?”

“Xichen… Er-ge…” Shouyue was pointed towards him. “Again, Zewu-Jun? Weren´t we already over this?”

“Is that the only thing you are going to say, A-Yao?” Lan Xichen answered, his hand not shaking. “The promise I made to you on that temple is still on. We are no longer brothers, not after what you did to Da-ge, to Wei-gongzhi, to your wife and son and nephew… You better give yourself up. You still have chance to receive a fair trial at home.”

“And what? Die like Wen Ruohan did? Come on, Zewu-Jun, you know better than me that the only thing that waits for me back at home is a dishonorable death.” He held his sword, Silena behind him, pointing her own at the Nie disciple and fierce corpse. Both of whom she had no chance to win against. “No, I prefer to fight.”

“A-Yao”

“Or, more likely, to survive”

He activated an array he had drawn before in that precise place, using a talisman he always had hidden on himself. He had several of them around the city, in the best places to flee towards the Westerlands, just in case he needed a rushed escape. A curtain of dust hid him from view at the same time as it trapped all the cultivators except for him and his daughter on the ground. Knowing that Silena understood was he was planning, he grabbed Cersei despite her cries and took off. Just as he expected, his daughter was right behind him with young Tommen. As they left the city behind, he took a final look at Xichen. There was sadness in those normally kind eyes, but also determination. But it was nothing in contrast with the burning fury in Nie Huaisang´s. They would see each other again, he was sure. And then, perhaps only one of them would survive.

-In another place-

Sansa wasn´t expecting to find the Hound in her room when she fled the banquet hall, scared by what Cersei was planning. Ser Ilyn was there to make sure that none of the nobles were to get out of there alive in case Stannis took the city… her hope almost evaporated when she heard the Queen saying that. How could she ever have thought that woman was a nice, gently person? Was she so idiotic as to think that because someone was beautiful on the outside it meant they also were on the inside? Why hadn´t she learned when Cersei asked to have Lady killed in the place of Nymeria? She should have known she was a vicious beast, more than the Hound, in that moment. All those thoughts crossed her mind as she continued to sign a hymn to the Mother for Sandor Clegane. She was scared… but not that scared of him. In fact, she considered him much more honorable than the knights of the Kingsguard that beat her at the behest of that beast she was betrothed to. Oh, how much she hoped that she wasn´t a stupid little girl who thought that Joffrey was a Golden Prince after everything he did!!
Meryn Trant arrived at the very same moment that Sansa finished with her song, pounding on the door, demanding it to be opened. As the door was taken down, Sandor Clegane put himself in front of her, his sword ready to protect her. Why? Wasn´t he Joffrey´s sworn sword? Why was he protecting her, the daughter of an enemy? Of Stannis Baratheon´s own Hand? The knight of the Kingsguard ordered him to step down, that he had been sent with orders from the Queen Regent to execute Sansa Stark before she could be recovered by the enemy. She took a step back, hiding behind the Hound. The redhead prayed to the Seven and the Old Gods that the Hound wasn´t about to do as he was told, that he won´t let her alone to be killed, that she might see her father again… her mother and brothers and sister… her sister. She was right all the time, no? Ladies needed to learn something more than sewing and courtesy. Courtesy was not an armor, it won´t save her now. Like it had not protected her against the punches of Boros Blount, Mandon Moore and Meryn Trant. She should have learned to take care of herself, to protect herself… if only she had done that… then Sandor Clegane attacked and engaged Trant in a fight. Those that accompanied the Kingsguard tried to help this one or get to her, but then someone else came up from behind. The guards turned around to protect themselves, fighting the intruders.

“Sansa!!” a voice she recognized from somewhere yelled.

Sansa felt her knees give up as the Lannister guards were slaughtered by those invaders. Then a hand was offered to her. It was a boy apparently from her own age, perhaps a bit older, dressed in a golden robe with a symbol that she recognized from somewhere else. She explored his face, he reminded her strongly of her dear friend Silena. The girl wondered why, as no one but her father had such facial structures. Even the color of his hair was similar to the one of her friend. She found herself trusting him without knowing why, as she took his hand to get back on her feet.

“Stark-guniang?” the boy asked. She had spent enough time with Silena to know a few words in Yitish, which made her recognize that she was being called Lady Stark. She nodded, still not finding her voice. Her terror had not entirely dissipated yet.

“Jin Ling!!”

“Sansa!!”

She let go of the other boy, forgetting everything to run into the arms of the person who he now recognized. The redhead hugged her brother, crying and repeating over and over again that she was sorry, that she didn´t want to treat him so badly when they were growing up, that she understood now that she had been unfair to him, that she was sorry… Jon Snow hugged her and tried to calm her down. He smiled down at her and reassured her, calling her little sister despite all the time he hadn´t call her like that, since she found out what a bastard was and started to call him her half-brother… she called him brother now. Because he was her brother, the one that had come to get her.

“Come on, Sansa, let me get you to Father”

“Jon, Sandor… he helped me. When Joffrey ordered the Kingsguard to beat me and when I tried to save Dontos Hollard from being drowned into a barrel of wine… he helped me, Jon, but he was at the service of the Lannisters. But King Stannis could…”

“We will see what can be done for the Hound, Sansa, but now we have to get to father”

“Go, little bird” the Hound suddenly said. “I can take care of myself”

She didn´t think so, but she allowed her brother to take her to father. She didn´t know much about Stannis Baratheon, though with a bit of luck, he would show some mercy towards Sandor if she begged for his life. If her father was serving him, then he would at least be fairer than Joffrey, less inclined to beat people that displeased him. As she walked through the fortress with Jon and his companions, she calmed down enough to wonder who these people were. Her eyes went for time to time towards the golden dressed one. The two in white also give her some thought, but not as much as the one she met first did. Though they all looked noble, she could see it on plain sight.

“Sansa!!!” Eddard Stark yelled in relief when he saw his daughter entering the Throne Room by the arm of his son. “Jon!! Are you hurt?!! Any of you?!!” he looked around them. Some of Sansa´s bruises were visible, which made him frown. “Sansa, what happened to you? Did someone hurt you?”

“The Kingsguard” she answered, her eyes scanning the room. She couldn´t believe that only a few days ago Joffrey was sitting on that throne, humiliating her in front of the entire court. Now the one sitting in there was Stannis Baratheon, an older man with a cold and hard expression, but she was sure was going to be a better king than Joffrey ever could dream to be. “They were ordered by Joffrey to beat me.”

“I´m sorry, my girl” he hugged him. “I´m truly sorry, but it´s all over now. You are going to be fine from now on.”

“I know, father” she returned the hug. “You and Jon are here, I feel safe with you protecting me. But Arya… I don’t know where he is. She escaped the Lannisters before they could catch her and…”

“She escaped with me, my girl, and it´s fine. Arya has been making Princess Shireen company” Eddard Stark explained. “She is going to come with the Queen and Princess when they come from Dragonstone and you will be able to talk.”

Sansa sighed in deep relief. Her father was there, one of her brothers too and soon her sister would be there and she will be able to apologize to her. Perhaps she might even, with time, return to Winterfell and see her mother and the rest of her siblings. She will be fine, the nightmare was over, Joffrey was over and she will have the pleasure of seeing his head in a pike, probably in one of the same pikes as he had showed her septa Mordane´s and the rest of Stark household. The nightmare was over…

She was thinking that when her eyes wandered again towards the boy that she had seen before, now seeming to shrink in front of a man, perhaps older than them but not that old, dressed in purple that seemed to be scolding him in Yitish. Despite that, he was… she wouldn´t put all her confidence in someone that wasn´t part of her family now and certainly didn’t believe first impressions, but he seemed like a nice boy. Perhaps… she could know him better, maybe only to find out why he looked so much like Silena. She knew that he was a Jin because of the heraldry he was wearing, but not exactly which. And she wished to know more about him.

Chapter Text

King´s Landing was certainly not a city he would have wished to be in, Lan Sizhui thought as he tried not to cover his nose. Seriously, when have they gave maintenance to the sewers of the city for the last time? It was an if there were human wastes everywhere. But that was not the only thing that made him uncomfortable in that place. The way the people looked at him and his companions… but he couldn´t say that he was behaving in a different way as any member of the gentry of this place. In fact, he was behaving strangely for an heir when he came here without more escort than Wen Ning.

“Perhaps we shouldn´t have come” Lan Jingyi said. “Sizhui…”

“I know”

The disciples that accompanied the Lan heir were also uneasy. The looks they were getting from the people around them and the whispers that seemed to follow them were certainly not ones that allies would have. And as they walked, people ushered the children away from them, the women too. On the corners he could see strangely robbed men making hand signs and saying strange things every time they passed in front of them. He was pretty sure that they were sutras or some kind of prayer from this land. They were monks? Certainly they didn´t seem to be like the ones of his homeland, specially because their heads weren´t shaved. His eyes wandered to the other part of the city that was strange, the temple. It was… weird. He could see it from all directions, but in his homeland temples were usually build in isolated locations. It was strange for a temple to be in a city, the only one he could remember that was in a city was… he shook his head, remembering what his uncle had told them about Jin Guangyao. The man had managed to escape again, like a cockroach.

They crossed a group of them that were wearing clothes that could only be described as rags, some of them with a star carved on their foreheads. They seemed to get on guard as soon as they noticed the style off clothing they were wearing, their hands flying to the weapons they were carrying in their belts. Since when did priests carry weaponry? He meant… he knew that Song Zichen Daohzang carried his own weapon, but these priests seemed more alongside the ordered buddhist monks, that didn´t dedicate themselves to anything but reciting the sutras and peacefully reflect on the teachings of the doctrines. He wouldn´t be surprised that this religion had an armed branch though. And not precisely to do exorcism. Something told him that they were… overzealous. Also that they didn´t see with good eyes the ascend to the throne of a King that didn´t follow their religion. And that this King had made allies out of foreigners, especially ones that didn´t follow this faith. He had never missed home so much, mainly because of the several gods that were followed and religious tolerance that they practice so long as they were not soul or men eating deities.

“My Lords!!” he was taken out of his thoughts as a group of well-dressed men approached them, lead by a red headed young man. The fish in his clothes… Maester Cressen had taught him quite a bit about the heraldry of this land, making him able to recognize him as part of House Tully. “I didn´t know you would be here.”

“Lord Tully” Lan Shizui bowed in respect, followed by his cousin and the disciples. The man´s smile widened a bit. “I didn´t think I would find you here. Weren´t you in your lands?”

“I was trapped there, indeed, but the Lannisters have been forced to retire to their own Lands since they lost King´s Landing and your forces arrived. It was funny, seeing the Great Tywin Lannister run with his tail between his legs” it took him a bit to understand that. “Along with his forces and pet monsters.”

“Pet Monsters?”

“The Mountain, Amory Lorch and the Bloody Mummers… all of them who committed heinous crimes on all the Riverlands. Raping, pillaging, murder… there are some rumors that Hoat even made some of the captives he took fight with a bear in a pit” horrified looks took over the disciples as Jingyi translated what the man had said. They had been pitied against beasts stronger than bears before, but not unarmed and definitely not for enjoyment. And they would never commit such heinous acts. “Oh, where are my manners? I am Edmure Tully, heir to Riverrun and the Riverlands. These are Ser Marq Piper, Ser Karyl Vance and Lord Lymond Goodbrook.”

“Well meet” he bowed again in respect. These were members of the gentry, after all, and he had been raised to show his respect. “I´m Lan Sizhui, my cousin Lan Jingyi and our disciples. We are members of the Lan Clan of Gusu.”

“We have heard a bit of your House for a while” the one named Goodbrook said, finding something funny. “Is it true that you have four thousand rules carved into a stone wall at your home and get whipped if you broke one of them?”

“The use of the discipline whip is reserved to those that broke the most serious rules or break many of them usually” he explained, his eyes hardening. They weren´t barbaric people to behave like that. “Normally if one breaks a rule, the punishment is copying lines from famous books written by our ancestors, which one depends on the infraction.”

“Liafang Zun said your Library is as big as the one of the Citadel”

“I haven´t seen the Citadel myself to affirm anything, but we are indeed proud of our Library Pavillion and the collection of texts we have, both ancient and new” he nodded. “If you ever visit Yi Ti, perhaps I could arrange a visit to our home, so you can see for yourselves the collection of knowledge we have amazed.”

“Perhaps a maester would be a better guest for you than me. Or anyone” the other men laughed. “Maybe you should take advantage of this travel to… learn to enjoy yourself, Lord Lan. How about you accompany us to Chataya´s? there are some girls there that could help you let loose a bit.”

“What?”

“I think” Jingyi said, as uncomfortable as one of the bunnies of Cloud Recesses when they approached the original white one. “that he is inviting us to go along with them to a courtesan house from this lands.”

“It´s against the rules!!”

Was the first thing that came out of his mouth. It was in Yitish, but his scandalized expression was surely more than enough for the Westerossi to understand. They laughed, apologized in mockery and left after a brief goodbye. Apparently, they already understood that they would have had more luck with inviting one of the Jins or something like that, but they wanted to have a good laugh at the stiff Lans´ expense. He shook his head, apparently righteousness was not something easy to find in these lands. Then he looked around, noticing that the armed monks had disappeared somewhere while they were speaking to the gentry members. Well, better that way, he didn´t want to attract too much attention. He continued looking from stall to stall until he found something. A hairpin of a black stone that shone.

“How much?” he asked, picking up the adorn. It was pretty, in a style he hadn´t seen before but still reminded him of the jade pins some cultivators, both male and female, used.

The merchant was more than welcoming towards his clients, but that was perhaps because he was a foreigner like them. Or so he believed, because of the silver bangs that he sported. He had seen people of many colors of hair in Westeros, even silver… how could such a diverse land had such prejudice against people from other lands. As he walked back to the Red Keep, where they were staying for the moment, Sizhui heard some words in his own language. He looked back to see a displeased looking Jin Ling being dragged by some of his cousins, in the company of Edmure Tully and his friends. Apparently, Jin Chan still considered him merely an orphan to mess with… or drag when he wanted something. Like a translation. It made him angry, and more than a bit proud of Jin Ling for not using his power to get out of it. Everyone knew how much he disliked brothels. Well, he guessed he could endure it for once, at least until his cousins learned to speak the language, if they ever did.

As the Lan contingent returned to the Red Keep, then Maegor´s Holdfast, the young man watched that new arrivals had come. He knew that it could happen, specially considering that the new King had the alliance of several cultivators. Besides, he had just dealt the Lannisters a nearly devastating blow. That very morning, a very fat man had kneeled in front of King Stannis, along with who he thoughts were his principal vassals… they had been apparently the family of his brother´s widow and then the Lannisters had tried to ally with them, but Stannis and his allies won before they could act, so they decided to join peacefully, though it noticed that the new King like them as much as they liked him. Nothing. But the green and gold clad people with the rose banner were not the only ones. A carriage with the King´s banner arrived then, from which emerged the Queen herself and the Princess. Queen Selyse carried her head very high, looking at the others from beneath her nose.

“What an arrogant woman” Jingyi said in their language.

“Jingyi…”

“I know, but it´s true. Just look at her”

Sizhui merely sighed, walking away towards the guest wing the Yitish were using. Though he couldn´t help but ask himself if that was how Madam Yu, the wife of Jiang Fengmian, looked at his own father before she died. Though Yu Ziyuan certainly had been more beautiful than Selyse Baratheon could ever claim to be, he didn´t think Selyse would have any problem blaming let´s say Edric Storm for the destruction of her lands in the hands of the Lannisters as Yu Ziyuan did to Wei Wuxian when the Wens attacked Lotus Pier. And no, neither of them would have cared of who was truly guilty or if the blame was put on one person just because of an excuse. They would have done so merely because they hated the person in question, period. But enough about the Queen. For the first time in his life, he could hear arguing voices exiting the room his parents were occupation. And it was not playful, but the serious kind of arguing. He knocked on the door, interrupting what his parents were doing.

“A-Yuan, we weren´t expecting you back so soon.” Wei Wuxian said as he opened the door. He was wearing his usual dark cultivator´s attire, but his hair was down from it´s usual ponytail. He also seemed tired.

“There wasn´t much to do in the city, especially when people doesn´t like you being there” he said, then took the pin out of his sleeve and presented it to him. “For you”

“Thank you, my little radish” he gave him a smile as he entered. Baba was there, in his usual immaculate white. The strange thing was that there was another Gusu Lan uniform extended on the bed, of the cut and style a member of the main family would use. He saluted him with a nod of the head.

“Baba…”

“Don´t worry about this, we were just having… a slight disagreement” Sizhui knew that it was unlikely for his parents to never had disagreements before, but he had never heard them arguing that way. “It´s nothing really…”

“If it´s nothing, then why were you arguing that way?”

“Shufu ordered Wei Ying to use the Gusu Lan robes for the banquet tonight” Hanguang-Jun explained, clearly agreeing with his uncle. He had never tried to force his husband to do anything, even if it was wearing his sect´s uniform, something he had never done, even as a young Jiang disciple, but right now he seemed to be adamant. “As it´s expected of him on such a formal occasion.”

“And I was reminding Lan Zhan that I can do what I want. I´m a master by my own right, never exactly following the teachings of the Gusu Lan despite marrying into the Sect. I will wear what I want to that damn banquet.”

“Wei Ying…”

“No, Lan Zhan” he glared. “The Jiangs couldn´t make me wear anything else but my own colors, unlike any other disciple. Why would I do it simply because your uncle decides that it´s my duty to wear them?”

“Shufu is right to ask you to follow the traditions” Hanguang-Jun answered. “And you didn´t wear the Jiang colors and uniform because Madam Yu didn´t want you to. We both know that she would have whipped you with Zidian if you had.”

“Madam Yu doesn´t have anything to do with it.”

“Wei Ying…”

Lan Sizhui sighed. On one side, Wei Wuxian was right in that he was a Grandmaster of his own right, even if it was on demonic cultivation, and, despite marrying into the Gusu Lan Sect, just like those that were like him or married from other Grand Sects, had a right to wear his own colors. But, on the other one, he had married into the Gusu Lan Sect, which was a Great Sect, and he was expected to wear the Lan colors on certain occasions. Even Jiang Yanli had worn gold in her son´s nameday celebration. Besides, the last thing they wanted was to drag attention to themselves and he had already noticed the cultural differences their homeland had from this land. Specially relating to the… cutsleeves and… he just didn´t want his parents to get hurt or to have tensions rise between the people from this land and the cultivators while they were there.

“A-Die, please” he used puppy eyes, something he should have grow out of as he aged, but was glad he could still do so. “Things are different in this land. You know that. And how their society works… you married into Gusu Lan, you should wear their colors. At least while you are here.”

“A-Yuan…”

“Please”

“Alright”

Lan Sizhui felt like he had won a great victory in that moment. And how could he not? Wei Wuxian might be the Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, the Rebel between Rebels, but he had never been able to resist his son´s puppy eyes. Thought… he also had to say that he also did plenty of things merely because it made his father happy. Like eating that overly spiced porridge that sent him into a déjà vu to when he was small and would faint at the first taste of the things Wei Wuxian prepared. Though they were great antidotes for corpse poisoning. And also great to teach young, unruly disciples never to commit the same mistake again when handling fierce corpses. One taste of the supposed antidote and they never committed the same mistake of getting careless when fighting the things ever again.

Anyway, after receiving a look of gratefulness from his other father, the boy bowed and left the room to get changed and dressed for the dinner. After all, with the stink of the city and the filth on it, his normally immaculate Lan clothes were bound to become ruined. When he reunited with the Lan entourage, he was surprised when he saw Lan Quiren practically leading there while his uncle, Lan Xichen, only looked away in sadness. Had coming face to face with his sworn brother again affected him so much? Or perhaps he was mourning the loss of the advancement in his relationship with Nie Huaisang, who was there too, purposely ignoring him between the Nie retinue. He even had his fan extended, hiding half his face in displeasure, the black tassel hanging from it clearly a reference to Nie Mingjue.

“I see that at least you made him presentable enough” Lan Quiren said, scanning Wei Wuxian. He was wearing the Lan Sect robes, but the forehead ribbon he had received upon marriage was being wore as a hair tie instead of in the right way, mimicking the hairstyle he used as the Yiling Patriarch. “Make sure he remains quiet, we don´t want him offending anyone of renown here.”

Wei Wuxian completely ignored the Grandmaster, but clenched his fists. Lan Zhan discreetly grabbed his hand and this one relaxed. Well, at least Lan Sizhui could remain calm about his father´s relationship being intact. Not that it was weak enough for a small fight to end it, specially not one that had been started by one of Lan Quiren´s suggestions to make Wei Wuxian appear like a respectable member of the gentry. They were then announced by the herald and the retinues entered. First the ones of the Great Sects, then the smaller Sects. The Nies made an imposing figure, except for their leader, who was scanning everyone with overly intelligent eyes from behind his fan, the Jins made sure to display their wealth like a bunch of peacocks with their golden robes and jade ornaments, the Lans were the picture of austere elegance, earning murmurs from the crowd, the Jiangs caught the attention too and more than one whisper, specially with their leader marching at the front; Zidian sparking in his hand.

“My Lords and Ladies” King Stannis Baratheon said as he addressed the crowd. “Here we receive our friends and allies from the East, the noble warriors of Yi Ti. Young Lord Jin, who despite his age has shown a lot of valor leading his forces. Brave Lord Jiang, who valiantly fought along my forces, along with Hanguang-Jun. And Lords Lan and the esteemed Chief Cultivator Nie, who infiltrated the Red Keep to keep the false King from escaping. My brother´s treacherous widow might have escaped with one of her bastard, but now Joffrey Waters, the monstrous usurper, is decorating the Traitor´s Walk. To our allies!!”

“To our allies!!!”

The people drank, though the Lans merely faked it. Unless it was Wei Wuxian or Lan Sizhui himself, who didn´t get drunk with a single cup. As the banquet progressed, some of the ladies started to timidly look towards the young members of the gentry. There were also whispers amongst the young knights. Perhaps… they couldn´t be thinking about marriage alliances in the situation they were in now, no? Because, while he knew that some sects organized marriages during the Sunshot Campaign, or re-engage in some out of love in the case of Jin Ling´s parents, a war was not the appropriate time for something like that. There were even some young knights, some that he recognized from his encounter with Edmure Tully, that were pointing towards his father and talking.

“A-Yuan, what they are saying?” Wei Wuxian whispered, as he hadn´t learned the language of the place yet. Their sharper senses made them able to hear them despite being so away…

“A-Die, perhaps we should discuss this in private.” His eyes wandered towards his Baba, who tended to be jealous of his beautiful husband. And towards Jiang Cheng, who despite not being on good terms with his former shixiong, considered himself and to a degree his nephew the only ones who could insult him. “It´s not something we should talk in public.”

“A-Yuan…”

“A-Die…” but his father was not going to drop this, apparently. “They are making bets, saying that they could make the Dark Witch of Yi Ti open their legs for them.” The sparks on Zidian and the sudden glow of rage from Hanguang-Jun´s eyes made him aware that he was right. “I told you…”

“Humm, and people says I´m shameless” the Yiling Patriarch smirked before hugging his husband rather dramatically and shamelessly for being in a public place. “How could they think that when they aren´t even a tenth as beautiful as my Lan Zhan?”

“Wei Ying…”

Lan Sizhui sighed, at least no one would die today. Then he noticed a Lady on the other side watching them carefully, specially Nie Huaisang. She was beautiful, even by the standards of this land. She also seemed highborn. So why was she watching one of the least desirable bachelors in the whole Jianghu like she wanted to arrange something with him? Though, from her calculating gaze, he could tell that she would be a good match for the calculating Viper of Quinghe. He already feared that…

-Before that day-

Margaery Tyrell was trying very hard to bite her tongue, not to insult the new Queen. Selyse Florent, though, was doing her utmost best to try to insult and demean the Tyrell Ladies, lording her new position as Queen over them. She also dared to say that she would name Margaery a lady in waiting of hers and help the widow of her goodbrother to find a good match, perhaps to one of her cousins. To HER!!! To the Golden Rose of Highgarden!! Someone who had been raised to be a Queen!!! But that couldn´t be anymore. Not only hadn´t that hateful shrew been unable to give her husband a son, but she refused to die in her many abortions or in her daughter´s birth to clear the way for Margaery. Not that she believed that she could win Stannis, the man would first fall on his sword that marry a Tyrell.

“Excuse me, I´m feeling a bit dizzy. I will return to the Maidenvault, your Grace” she apologized when she had enough, but instead of returning to her accommodations without even waiting for the response of the Queen, she went to one of the many gardens of the Red Keep. She needed to get some air before she started to throw things around, as if she were a little girl. But what was she to do now? To recover face, to get more power, to… “oh, Ser, I´m so sorry!! Am I interrupting something?”

As she was mussing and walking at the same time, she nearly collided with a man who was drawing nearby. He was dressed in a Yitish fashion, but she could tell that his clothes were of high quality, so he was a member of the nobility. No matter, she was trained to act with courtesy no matter which station someone held. Even so, she was weary of him. The Yitish were not necessarily staunch supporters of Stannis, but for the moment they were allies with him. And only for that they needed to thread carefully with them. But he didn´t seem to be that much of a threat. Not that Margaery wouldn´t take him for one just for that. Normally, those that seemed to be unable to harm you had the most dangerous thorns. Though this frail looking man was also…

“Can I ask you what you are drawing, Ser?” she pointed to the sketch and earned a smile. “I see that you are a talented artist.”

Then they shared a conversation… or what could pass as a delightful conversation when neither of them understand each other, making mimics and pointing to drive the point home. The both of them ended up laughing, something that lifted Margaery´s spirit despite the awful afternoon she had. At least until a big, burly man with clothes the same color as her new friend, possibly a cousin or a retainer, and two big swords at his back appeared. He made a bow towards the frail looking man.

“Zongzhu” he said with respect, followed by a few words in their language. The boy sighed and got up. Then started to leave, but then turned around suddenly and pointed at himself.

“Nie Huaisang”

“Lady Margaery Tyrell” she answered, having understood that he meant that it was his name. Nie Huaisang, eh?

“Tyrell-guniang”

He bowed and then left with the other. Margaery stared for a moment. Well, at least his afternoon was not completely lost. She had made a connection, or so she hoped. Perhaps this Nie Huaisang would be of use, perhaps she could simply enjoy another afternoon and learn some more of their culture for possible exchanges later. She returned to the Maidenvault, not thinking about it more. Besides, she had to make herself presentable for the banquet soon to take place. She was the daughter of a Lord Paramount, after all, and even if she would be condemned to be practically a servant of that pathetic shrew Selyse Florent, she would never stain the honor of House Tyrell by not showing herself on her best appearance and behavior. She was leaving when she noticed a known face amongst the Yitish, also wearing Yitish clothing. Wasn´t she Mya, the maid that disappeared some time ago? They had taken her from a minor house because she was efficient, something she seemed happy about. Then she suddenly left and they found she had been a spy for Baelish… perhaps an unwilling one which was why she escaped. Humm, maybe she should extend an invitation to her.

She attended the banquet with the rest of her family, still not having to face the humiliation of having to help the Florent fox get dressed for the celebration. She was already seated when the Yitish made their entrance. It was surprising to see the man she had met, Nie Huaisang, at the head of the committee from a Great House. So, he held a high enough rank to be placed there, eh? Their eyes crossed in a certain moment, but he ignored her. Then something came to Margaery´s mind, as she watched his interactions with the other members of the Yitish nobility. Some of them seemed to be purposely avoiding him, while others kept a close watch. Her interest somehow grew.

“My Lady?” Lara said when she called her maid late at night, to help her get undressed and into her night clothes.

“Can you get this to Mya, Lara?” she asked her maid, passing her a piece of paper. Her other maid was smart, besides having an education. She could speak and write both Westerossi and Yitish with the same ease, so much that Margaery never thought she was anything but a normal maid. “I think I saw her with the Yitish”

“Of… of course, my Lady”

Lara was resourceful, she surely would find a way to see Mya and give her the message from her former Lady. She knew that the Yitish had a sense of honor too, so she would come. So, the next morning, she had all prepared. Lady Olenna even accepted to accompany her, surely wondering what her dear, smart Golden Rose was planning now. Margaery didn´t explain it to her, not wanting to spoil the fun. So, when in the middle of their tea, their former servant girl, dressed in a Yitish fashion, entered, the old Lady was actually surprised.

“Mya!! I almost couldn´t believe it when I saw you with the Yitish!! And here I thought you were from Westeros, my friend!!” the other girl smiled, a bit uncomfortable. “There is no need to feel like that, Mya. We aren´t mad at all by your association with Lord Baelish. We know the… lows he could reach to get what he wanted” she trembled a bit. So that was it, eh? “Oh, I guess that your name is not truly Mya, if you are Yitish. Can I ask how are you truly named?”

“I´m Luo Quingjiao, my Lady” she answered, taking a seat.

“Luo… are you noble?”

“No, but my family has served the Jins for generations… and my mother managed to rise our status before becoming… well, she grew up being one of Lord Jin´s father. She even served in the Sunshot Campaign under his command.”

“What an amazing thing, a woman who fights with men… though, from what I learned from the Yitish women, it´s not that weird, dear… Quingja… Quing…”

“You might call me MianMian, my Lady, my friends call me that.”

“MianMian, then!!” Margaery clapped, animatedly. “Talking about your homeland, how is it? You once said that you found our Highgarden very peaceful and beautiful. Isn´t Yi Ti the same?”

“I´m not going to lie, Yi Ti is an old, beautiful land… but it´s also full of dangers. Men and women have to learn how to fight, or many does, as the land has very fierce beasts and mysteries laying around” she answered. “The nobles… well, in that, the laws of the nobility are pretty much the same as this place. Except perhaps that they didn´t follow the same gods as you.”

“Well, that´s understandable” and something she was going to get used to, if her plans flourish. “It´s only that I had an encounter yesterday with a gentleman… Nie Huaisang…”

“The Chief Cultivator?”

“Excuse me?” Margaery was surprised. She had heard Stannis addressing Chief Cultivator Nie yesterday, but she didn´t think it was her new friend. Wasn´t he supposed to be the Yitish Hand of the King or something like that?

“Nie Huaisang, the Leader of the Nie House” MiamMian continued, looking at her with some surprise too. Perhaps she was used to people recognizing that man everywhere he went, as he was such a public figure. “Also called the Viper of Quinghe.”

“May you tell me some more about him?”

Margaery continued smiling sweetly as she coaxed more information out of her former maid. Apparently, her new friend was not only Hand of the King, but the equivalent to a Lord Paramount in Yi Ti. Born the second son of the then Lord of Quinghe, he was not expected to inherit and was known for being a useless spare. Then his father died when he was still a child and his brother Mingjue rose to position of power. No, not died, his father was murdered by the former Chief Cultivator, Lord Wen Ruohan… the one called the Yitish Aerys in some of the songs she had heard. Mingjue showed to be a great warrior, earning the respect of many others on battlefield, and a good lord. Huaisang… was not. Known for being the useless heir of the Nie House, he was underestimated by many, even his own brother, who was named Chifeng-Zun for his victories on the battlefield. But Huaisang was… smart in other ways. When his brother was murdered, he was the only one to know there was something weird. Also, the only one who noticed that his brother´s tomb was robbed. After unraveling the complot, he used the spy network he had developed since he was young to not only kill them, but destroy their lives completely. And after he did, even when Liafang-Zun escaped, he came out of the shadows holding the worst secrets of not only his enemies, but his allies. Soon, his name changed from the “Headshaker” to the “Viper of Quinghe”, for he had sunk his venomous fangs into his peers and elders. A master in the art of spying, information recollection, planning and manipulation, he was said to be able to look into the people´s minds and predict the future. And anyone who went against him…

“Frankly, I didn´t think he was that kind of man when I met him” the Tyrell woman continued smiling, pleased with the connection she had made. “He was sketching a painting of the gardens when I met him. A very good one.”

“It´s one of his many talents” MianMian answered, looking away. “Everyone knew that he was an art enthusiast from a young age. He used to collect works of art before becoming Chief Cultivator… his favorite were fans, which he still carries everywhere he goes.”

“I saw it yesterday, at the banquet” she liked what she heard. A smart one for a change also sound good to her. “Is he married?”

“My Lady…”

“Please, MianMian, I´m curious”

“No, he is not” the former maid answered, lowering her gaze. “Before, it was because most thought that he won´t dare to make a choice or that he will marry whoever Lianfang-Zun or Zewu-Jun suggested… then he showed his true personality and the fathers became too terrified of him to marry their daughters to him. The women of the gentry too.”

“Too bad, he seemed like such a nice person”

“He can be charming, hides his fangs truly well” Margaery didn´t mind the hidden fangs. After all, she had thorn herself, as any rose. And she remembered that she had heard once during a tourney that House Nie had a bloodline problem. One that might be cured with the introduction of new blood from another place.

“What about the other Lords? I think I saw some that were young and nice also.”

“You have to be careful some looked younger than they are”

“Most maidens wouldn´t mind”

Margaery spent the rest of the tea time talking to her former maid, getting as much information about the Great Houses of Yi Ti as she could. She still thought that Lord Nie was a good choice if she wanted her family to grow strong (he was not only powerful, but well connected and smart), she had enough cousins to form more alliances. And, after having seen their power, she was beginning to think that allying with the Yitish wouldn´t be such a bad idea. She was also sure that she wasn´t the only one who thought about the value of such an alliance. After all, Lord Tywin had recognized the value of Liafang Zun and he was just the bastard of a Great House. An actual Lord… and a powerful one… so she listened carefully to what her former maid had to say. So she learned of the Great Houses of Yi Ti and their Lords and heirs.

First, she learned of the House Jiang of Yummeng. They had suffered greatly during the Sunshot Campaign, as their home was one of the first ones to be attacked and most of their men and the ruling family was slaughtered. Lord Jiang and his sister were the only survivors, but the sister ended up dying long ago. Now, his only blood relative and possible heir was the nephew he raised, Jin Ling. He was said to have inherited a strong temper from his mother in contrast with his calmer predecessor, which in part was the reason he had not married despite his power and reasonable wealth. Also, he had a good territory, with Yummeng being in control of the waterways of Yi Ti and being a key commercial location. He also had been blacklisted by the women of the gentry, for his strict requirements for a marriage partner: naturally beautiful, graceful and obedient, hard-working and thrifty, noble born, not too highly trained, personality not too strong, nor too talkative or loud and must treat his nephew well. She considered him a good partner for Desmera, who fulfilled those requirements, but Bethany Rowan could also fit in well with him. Though…

“Why are his requirements so strict?” Margaery asked, surprised by this Lord´s strictness in those requirements, as well as the anecdote where he insulted a woman who had not met them or used a strong perfume. “I mean… surely most of the women are highly trained in your country.”

“Well… it´s no secret that his parents´ marriage was a hellish one. Lady Yu Ziyuan and Lord Jiang Fengmian were married for political reasons, but there were rumors that said he has always been in love with Cangse Sanren, who married a much lower friend of his. Also there were rumors that Cangse´s son was Jiang Fengmian´s bastard, but those were rubbish. You only have to see the timetable. When Cangse Sanren gave birth, she and Wei Changze hadn´t been in Lotus Pier for nearly two years. There was simply no way.” She shook her head. “Still, she used that as an excuse to lash out at her ward.”

“Wei Ying, no?”

“Hummmm, yes…” she answered. “Returning to Lord Jiang…”

“Yes, him…”

“Despite his parents being a match made in the Seven Hells, his sister´s marriage was a good one. And Lady Jiang Yanli was known for being a gentle, but weak woman. Completely different from the harsh, warrior like Lady Yu Ziyuan. And her husband loved her dearly, despite their marriage being one arranged since birth.”

Well, there was no problem. Desmera was a nice girl and, despite being the youngest child, tended to mother her younger cousins. She was also the smartest between Paxter Redwyne´s children, already knowing how to handle a household from a House of significant wealth that specialized in commerce. She won´t mind Lord Jin being like a stepson to her and was quite beautiful. In case that didn’t work, Bethany Rowan had some younger brothers. She was a bit daring, but smart. She also would fit.

Then, she was told about the House Lan. Their head of the House was Lan Xichen, also called Zewu-Jun for being a source of hope during the dark days of Wen Ruohan, and was still unmarried despite his age… though he did look young and attractive. But, despite lacking a wife, you couldn´t say he lacked an heir. His younger brother, Lan Wangji, with the title Hanguang-Jun, was happily married to Wei Ying, also called the Dark Witch in the songs. It was not someone you want to cross, according to the tales Margaery had heard. Also, there was the thing about the Lan House marrying only for love, as they were said to be stoic people outside and very passionate inside, searching and only marrying their “fated one”. And trapping them by sleeping with Zewu-Jun wouldn´t work, as it was said that the Lans lived by their thousands of rules and only break them in special occasions, mainly because their “fated ones”. Shouldn´t she attempt to pair another of her cousins or even Leonette´s sisters to Lan Sizhui? He might be easier, as he was younger… then again, his mother could be a problem. Wei Ying probably will not take it good that they attempted to baby trap her son.

“Is Lan Sizhui very close to his mother?” the lady asked. By then, Lady Olenna probably already guessed what she was planning. And if she hadn´t interrupted, it meant that the Queen of Thorns was also thinking about it… and give it some merit. “Considering that she disappeared most of his childhood.”

“Very close, he was one of the Yiling Laozu´s staunchest supporters when his innocence was still at doubt, followed only by Hanguang-Jun.”

“Hummm” that was to be complicated.

Finally, rich as the Lannisters, were the most known House because Westerossi nobility had already contact with one of their members, a bastard member. Lanling Jin. Their Lord was quite younger than the other Lords, being practically a child compared to the likes of Zewu-Jun or even Nie Huaisang. The nephew of Lord Jiang Wanyin, who was also his main backer and the one that helped him achieve the place of Lord after the exile of his bastard uncle. Jin Ling was made seem by his mostly older peers like a child, but he had been able to stabilize the Jins after much scandal, using not only wealth and family connections, but smarts. He might do well with one her Hightower cousins. Rhea and Denyse, the oldest daughters of her uncle Baelor and her wife, might do him well. They were also quite young, but of age to be married. And they were sweet, something that would probably remind the child of his own mother, who was said to be a delicate, gentle woman. Though there was the problem that, as daughters of House Hightower, they were very devout. Convincing them to abandon the Faith of the Seven would be hard.

“Please, tell me that you are not planning to arrange a marriage to any of them, much less to the Chief Cultivator” Mianmian suddenly said. “My Lady, please reconsider. Yi Ti… it´s not a place for someone that doesn´t know it´s dangers. And it would take much more than a pretty face to convince a member of the Great Houses to wear red with you.”

“Red?” Margaery asked.

“Oh, it´s that in my homeland, during weddings, both the bride and groom wear red clothing” the girl explained. “The bride goes out of her house in a palanquin, wearing a red veil, that conduct her to the ceremony, carried by strong men.”

“Sounds magical”

But she also was going to need to thread carefully… and have in mind what Mianmian said about Yi Ti. She wouldn´t want to leave Westeros, much less to become something that was not a Queen, but ultimately, she thought it wouldn´t be so bad. Besides, Nie Huaisang sounds like an interesting person. And she found him quite the pleasing company. It was more than many ladies could ask in a marriage. She wasn´t in love or anything stupid like that, but she filled him as a possible marriage partner in case she didn´t have many options. As for the others… it wouldn´t be that bad if at least one of her cousins got to marry into a strong family of Yi Ti. After all, despite Westeros being wary of foreigners, connections were always needed by nobility.

-In an empty manor, close-

“You look happy, Sect Leader”

“I haven´t noticed, it´s only that I have found one of the most interesting people I have ever met” Nie Huaisang said, sat down like in a throne in the chair with lions on the handles. “She is pretty, of course, but has smarts and ambition in her eyes… she might even be my match in manipulative talent.”

“You sound quite taken with her”

“Only time would tell, cousin. But for now” his eyes showed his satisfaction as the Nie disciples dragged a bound and gagged Westerossi knight to him. He looked awfully like a Jin to be a Westerossi too… though the likeness would only be noticeable to someone that had met Jin Guangyao and Jin Guangshan rather well. “You said that his name is Jin Rolland?”

“Yes” Zonghui answered, grabbing his hair to make the youngster one of the head disciples had captured in battle and hidden until he could be of use to make him bow his head. “He is the son of Lianfang-Zun with his second wife, Theora Lannister.”

“Then perhaps it´s time to send a message to my dear San-ge…” he said, his shut fan hitting his palm. “Don´t you think so, cousin?”

“Sure, Sect Leader” Nie Zonghui unsheathed one of his sabers, making the boy´s eyes lit in fear. “It´s time we have some revenge for what he did to Chifeng-Zun.”

“Of course, but do it carefully. We don´t want him dying too soon after all” he put something on a nearby table. “You have the talismans here, and a box for each thing to be sent to A-Yao when you finish. Call me when it´s done”

“As you order, Sect Leader”

Nie Huaisang left the room. He still didn´t like the bloody thing and had some… concerns about how some people was going to react to what he was about to do. Last time, they had acted like moralistic little nuisances. And he hadn´t even been the one to kill Jin Rusong. Though he wasn´t sure he wouldn´t have done so if the child had been alive by the time he began with his revenge plan. As he heard the screams, he noticed that he didn´t tremble anymore. Has he really… became so cold over time?

“Da-ge, what would you think of me now?” he asked to the Heavens. Then his hand clenched around his fan. Mingjue deserved his rightful revenge and Huaisang would be the one to give it to him, no matter how many innocents he had to hurt. Nor anything else.

“Sect Leader” Zonghui came to him, holding an elaborate box to show him the contents.

“Deliver it to Casterly Rock at once, he will be there” he ordered. “A-Yao will know what it means when he sees it.”

Chapter Text

Lord Tywin lowered the last letter down. King´s Landing had fallen, his eldest grandson was lost to him… not a big loss, the child had proven to be a lost cause. Liafang Zun had managed to smuggle his daughter and youngest grandson away from the city before Stannis could capture any of them. He would have promised him a reward, if not for what he had recently learned about him. Tyrion´s letter to him a few weeks ago hadn´t truly surprised him. He had always treaded carefully with that one, despite being his liege lord. He had put spies apart from Theora in his household to watch his every move, but he was careful. So much that he wasn´t surprised when he learned that he had been in a position of power in his homeland before having to escape in a hurry after some of his crimes were discovered. Because he was sure that the murder of his own father and another nobleman weren´t his only crimes. In fact, he would be surprised if he hadn´t delivered the poison to Nie Mingjue knowing full well what it would do to him. Unfortunately for the bastard, he had underestimated someone who was not only of higher birth, but better than him at the game. Tywin Lannister wouldn´t commit that mistake. And he didn´t have a problem with sacrificing Liafang Zun in an attempt to negotiate with the Yitish. He had already gotten what he had wanted from him, after all. And the possibilities that their apparition in Westeros opened… that the Martells were sending Myrcella back after learning of Stannis victory also worked in his favor. Specially after the information he received from some of his still active spies in King´s Landing.

From what he could gather, Lord Nie Huaisang was the best catch of them all. Normally, he would offer him Cersei, who was beautiful and had been Queen. The problem was that with time, he had become aware of his daughter´s many faults. Her selfishness and coddling of her eldest son, along with her inability to control the monster she created, would ruin whatever alliance he could make if it was outside of Westeros and his reach. Besides, from what his spy had told, the man was quite young, so he might prefer a younger bride. Myrcella, perhaps, will do the deed. She was a Princess, after all, and soon to be sister to a King. You can´t have a better offer even if he tried. And if he managed to turn Lord Nie, all the Lords of Yi Ti would follow, as they all seemed to fear him. He will have to sacrifice Liafang Zun, as apparently there were matters to be solved between them, but the bastard had already fulfilled his role.

For the first time, he lamented the lack of Lannister girls from the main family that were on age to marry. Janei was still a young child, the same as Joy Hill, though she might be looked down because of her bastard origins. Though he might be able to strike a long betrothal for Janei with Lord Jin, who was rumored to come from a family as rich as the Lannisters, because of how young the boy was said to be, but he would have to convince his uncle first apparently. Lord Jiang Wanyin of Yummeng. He probably kept a close eye on his nephew and close control on him as well. He would do so if a relative of his had inherited a Great House at such a young age, pretty much as he pretend to do with Tommen. Besides, despite Nie Huaisang being the most powerful between the Lords of Yi Ti due to his position, Lord Jiang was the most well connected. Not only had he married his sister into another Great House and fostered his nephew when both she and her husband died, but he had married his father´s ward, who was indebted to them, to another. Of course, Wei Ying had married the spare, but considering that Lan Xichen hadn´t married yet nor had any children, his brother Lan Wangji continued being his heir and thus Wei Ying´s husband and son were the most likely to inherit Gusu. And not only that, but according to the rumors, his mother was a Yu, who was exactly a Great House but still hold a decent amount of power, like an important bannerman. He actually wondered why someone like him wasn´t married already, but he had heard something about him having impossible high standards in a bride. Perhaps he should pair him up with Cerisse Frey, the only daughter of Genna´s second boy. She was a bit young, but already a maiden flowered.

And about his connections, if he played his cards well, he might be able to use it to make another alliance with a Great House of Yi Ti. Before her marriage, Wei Ying was the daughter of a simple household knight and a lady that was much higher in status due to her parentage, or at least related to a religious or important figure called Baoshan Sanren. Still, she had rather humble beginnings and not the best of reputations, being called the Yiling Laozu or the Dark Witch of Yi Ti. Also, from what he could gather, while she was the mother of the heir to the heir of the House Lan of Gusu, she had given birth to Lan Sizhui before marriage, making him a bastard legitimized by the marriage of his parents. The woman was actually lucky that Lan Wangji, Hanguang-Jun, was an honorable fool, one in love, to recognize the child and marrying her, even after years of absence. He doubted he could convince Lan Xichen if he had dodged a political marriage for so long, but he could pull some strings with Jiang Wanyin if he manages to make him agree to a marriage with Cerisse to make Lan Sizhui marry Joy Hill. Of course, after he makes Tommen legitimize her as a Lannister. A legitimized Lannister for a legitimized Lan, surely no one would have any objections, as both Houses would end up winning. There could be worse matches to be found in Westeros, like with one of the Freys.

Talking about the Freys, perhaps it was the time to set up some betrothals for Genna´s progeny. After all, some of them were actually quite smart and the Yitish had brought more than one woman of a good background. And Tion and Walder weren´t too bad themselves. He might have to sacrifice them to the Freys to humble the Starks and Cersei to the Bolton bastard to make sure the deed was complete, but he was confident that he would be able to recover Sansa and Arya Stark with the City. The Tyrells could be turned if he convinced them that their arrangement for Lady Margaery´s hand was still on. Then he would finally make Jaime quit the Kingsguard and marry a Lady like he should have done long ago. He will marry Tyrion to Sansa Stark and Tywin Frey to Arya Stark to make sure that Winterfell fall into Lannister hands after their father and brothers are taken care of. Shireen Baratheon would be captured too and married to Lancel Lannister to bring Storm´s End and the Stormlands under Lannister control. He had already married Tyrek to Lady Ermesande Hayford, but the babe could die any day as most babes did and he would be free to marry again… with his own castle, and lands, which would make him a more attractive prospect. Maybe to even a gentry lady of Yi Ti. Talking about that, it was also time for Silena Zun to become of use for him. After all, Theora Zun owed him and was soon to become a widow, she will need for someone to marry her daughter before her husband´s execution dragged too much attention. Daven Lannister would make a good partner for her. If not, then Lucion Lannister was too… and eventually her descendants would be good enough to marry into the main Lannister line. As for her brothers, he already talked to Ser Stafford about marrying Cerenna to the oldest one…

“Were you calling for me, my Lord?” he was taken out of his thoughts by that voice. “Your maester said that you sent for me.”

Liafang Zun himself entered the room. The man certainly knew why he was called there… and that Lord Tywin might be planning to send him to Nie Huaisang as a gift to remove the Yitish from the board, no matter that he had gotten his daughter and grandson out of the doomed city. He was a clever little viper, one that he had always kept an eye on. He had always thought that there was more to his banishment from his homeland than what he was telling, and what Tyrion just told him in his letter confirmed it. Because, as much as he despised his dwarf son, the little abomination was effective when gathering information. And much better than Cersei when it came to curb Joffrey´s impulses… though that didn´t matter anymore. In fact, he wouldn´t be surprised if Tyrion was made even shorter by Stannis Baratheon.

“Yes, Ser” he answered, showing him the letter that arrived, especially the signature that was on the paper. And the seal. “It seems that there were some things that you hid from both your liege lord and your king when you described your leaving Yi Ti. Mainly, the criminal charges that we were unaware of.”

“I knew that there was no way I would be able to rebuild my life if anyone knew that I was branded a criminal” he answered, sitting down. He was not bothering denying it, perhaps because he knew that Lord Tywin wouldn´t believe him. “I left my homeland with the aim of creating one, so I didn´t have any other choice.”

“No other choice, you say?”

“Wouldn´t you have sent me, then a poor bastard who own practically nothing, to the Wall for his sins even if they were committed on foreign soil?”

“If that was true, Gregor Clegane and Amory Lorch would be long since there, making you company” the Old Lion served two cups of wine, putting one in front of the other man. “My son claims that you confessed to killing your own father. Why should I put my trust in someone that is willing to commit such a sin as kinslaying? Did you again not have any other option but to kill him?”

“If Jin Guangshan had been your father, Lord Lannister, you would have wanted to kill him too. I admit that I was unfilial, but he… Jin Guangshan lacked wits, foresight, and was as vain and greedy as Lord Tarbeck. He thought he could do whatever he wanted and everything was owed to him only because he had a lot of power and money… and he made some pretty stupid plans to get what he wanted. If not for me, he would have gone down with Wen Ruohan, to whom he was secretly sending information.”

“So you got rid of Wen Ruohan and the evidence of his double playing” Lord Tywin said. “And he legitimized you for all your troubles, though that didn´t change your situation until all the other heirs except for a babe were dead.”

“Even then, he would have preferred to leave the Golden Carp Tower to Jin Ling and his Jiang uncle than me. Ti him, I was nothing” he continued. “But, if you have read the letter, you already know that my reason to kill him was much more personal.”

“Your first wife… or should I say your half-sister?” the Old Lion continued with his interrogation. “I want to hear the history from your own mouth.”

“I met A-Su… Lady Qin Su during the Sunshot Campaign. She got into troubles with some Wen cultivators and I helped her to get out of there alive. After the war, we kept frequent correspondence, met on several occasions… she was the daughter of a vassal of my father and we were in love. I thought… that we could marry. I asked my father for his help and was surprised when he actually accepted to help me.” He actually grabbed the cup and drank some of the liquor to continue. “It was his cruelest joke.”

“He knew she was his daughter?”

“Or at least he suspected, as Qin Cangye and his wife hadn´t been able to have a child for years and suddenly, right after a visit in which he raped Madam Qin, news about her being pregnant arrived to Jinlintai. Especially when it never happened again.” He finished his cup. “A-Su told me that her mother had fallen ill as soon as she learned of our betrothal and refused to get out of her room. She only let her old maid, Biccao, tend to her.”

“Lady Qin knew the truth too.”

“Of course she did. In fact, she came to me in secret days before the wedding to tell me the truth. I was shocked, but I couldn´t cancel the wedding by then. After all, what excuse could I have given to Lord Qin Cangye? And let´s not talk about me and A-Su´s secret encounters, during which we let thing go a little further than they should, saying that it was fine because we were to be married… by then, she had already told me she was pregnant. What else could I do but marry her?” he sighed. “I didn´t have the heart to tell her that she had bedded her own brother, I knew that it would drive her to madness… and I never touched her since that moment, not even during our wedding night. I tried to be the best husband possible to her in every way except for that.”

“And the child?”

“A-Song… Jin Rusong was born seemingly normal. Or that´s what I thought, until I noticed that his intellect wasn´t developing the same as his body. In other words, my first son was a simpleton” Tywin Lannister refilled his cup. “I was wondering what I could do when he suddenly fell ill and died. A-Su was so deep in grief that she could barely eat. And me… at first I thought that it was some political rivals that poisoned him, but then the autopsy was made and the healer said that the boy died because of a heart condition that he hadn´t seen before… because it mainly only happened to inbreed people.”

“It happened because he was a product of incest.”

“I blamed myself entirely for that, my grief was so much that I merely walked around Koi Tower without knowing where I would end up in… until I somehow ended up in the door of my father´s rooms, where he was, as ever, entertaining whores half his age or younger” his fingers were clenching the chalice. “Jin Guangshan was already drunk and satiated, telling the whores that he knew, that he had always known and let it happen… because the only thing a bastard deserves is another bastard.” He drank the whole chalice again. “I then realized why he had been so helpful and felt completely enraged. But I also retained my analytic mind. I couldn´t let anyone knew what my father just spouted, so I killed the whores first… then I continued serving Jin Guangshan for a time, until he fell ill and it was the right moment… then he sent me to hire whores for him despite being in such a state. I hired several of them, to serve him over and over until his heart stopped. I was watching the whole time. One of them tied him up, but I instructed them not to stop, not even if he told them to stop… and they didn´t. Soon all the gentry knew that Jin Guangshan had died from indulging in whores. Humiliating.”

“But they didn´t know that it was your plan… at least not until much after.”

“Exactly. And it was the plan, giving him an humiliating death for what he had done to me and to A-Su, to A-Song allowing brother and sister, his children, to lay together… yes, I killed my father, something no one would understand, but, at the same time, I saved the Jins from his excesses and his stupidity. He had already gotten on the nerves of nearly the entire gentry, what would have happened if he became known as the new Wen Ruohan? Especially if it became known what he had made me do to Nie Mingjue.”

“Chifeng-Zun… I hear that Nie Huaisang wants your head for that.”

“He trusted that he wouldn´t realize what truly happened, and to a degree so I did. He was known for being an unintelligent, untalented brat that wouldn´t know what to do if becoming a Lord… but he was a viper waiting for his chance. And once I murdered my father, he had his eyes set on me and everyone close to me. He wanted me to feel the pain he felt at losing his brother, so he searched for the truth… it turned out that I hadn´t silenced all the witnesses of my incestuous marriage. Biccao, the servant of Lady Qin, knew and kept a letter from her mistress. Huaisang bought her, so the letter would be delivered to A-Su. The very same day she learned that I was her brother, she confronted me… and committed suicide a few hours later.”

“And he exposed you as the murderer of your father and his brother… also made you seem as an accomplice to the murder of your own brother and cousin, which was committed by your friend Su Minshan. It´s one of the many crimes of which Wei Ying was framed for, no?”

“Exactly.”

Lord Tywin didn´t believe at all that this man was innocent of that. No, this little vermin had carefully manipulated and cultivated Su Minshan, moving him to a place where he could commit the murder and at the same time keep himself clean in the eyes of everyone. Wei Ying was just a convenient person to frame, thanks to her awful reputation as the Dark Witch. And with the trueborn heirs out of the way, except for a baby that couldn´t do anything, he could take over Jinlintai and manipulate everyone to become Chief Cultivator… until a stronger player decided the time was ripe to make a move. He had to give it to Nie Huaisang, he was meticulous and more than patient. He had played the game masterfully, knocking the apparently most powerful man after the Emperor in his whole Realm down, acting only when he had all the pieces to show his culpability. According to what he heard, he put on a carefully cultivated mask of uselessness until he could pounce, not only on his chosen prey, but on the whole nobility… and won. Which meant that this individual was very dangerous. Something that lead to only one question…

“Why should I keep you when I would be better served sending Nie Huaisang your head as a peace offering, breaking Stannis´ alliance with the Yi Tish?” the Old Lion asked. “And don´t try to convince me that they are here for something else than the fear they have for that man. I know what it´s to be Hand of the King, how to make people OBEY…”

“Because that´s the only way you are going to keep what you have gained by marrying me to Theora” he answered. “Nie Huaisang doesn´t only want to kill me, he wants to see everything I have built for myself in ashes and that includes that nice port city I build that is given you so many benefits and the children you were planning to eventually assimilate into the main Lannister line…”

“Cities can be rebuild and new alliances could be made”

“You shouldn´t take the risk, not with Nie Huaisang. You don´t know the extremes he will go to…”

There was a scream in that moment. Liafang Zun ran towards the source. At a more leisured pace, Tywin Lannister followed. He found Theora Zun on the floor, being comforted by her daughter and second son, as the woman clung for dear life to a severed arm that she seemed to have procured from a box. The piece of wood itself was far from simple, carved probably by an expert artisan with designs of peonies… no, of sparks amongst the snow. Liafang Zun advanced towards the box, picking the letter that his wife seemed to have read before falling into hysterics.

“Huaisang… he is playing with me.”

“Rolland… what has that man done with my baby boy? Why?” Theora continued to sob as she finally looked at her husband. “We need to do something, save him…”

“I´m afraid it´s too late, Rolland is gone” he answered, his hands clenched. “We are going to find his body in pieces, the legs probably in the new family crypt, the torso in a place related to death… and the head with Huaisang himself” he gritted his teeth. “He reenacted what happened to his brother´s corpse with our son.”

“What? What are you talking about?”

“When Chifeng-Zun was murdered, I had no idea I was involved. But then my father called me and told me what he had made me done… and how I would be blamed if someone were to know what had truly happened to Nie Mingjue. I was scared… and the trail could involve father in the murder too, so… he ordered me to dispose of the proofs. Including the body” he covered his head with one hand. “I managed to steal it and cut it into pieces… then hide the pieces somewhere separately.”

“What… Liafang, that´s desecration of a body!! Of a nobleman!!”

“You think I didn´t know? I didn´t want to do it, but it was the only way for me not to end up facing the blame for the murder of a member of the gentry because, believe me, Jin Guangshan would have thrown me towards the executioner´s block himself!!” he ended up raising his voice. “Unfortunately, Huaisang was smart enough to notice what happened. It took him years, but he gathered the proofs and the pieces of his brother´s body… he left me with no choice but to leave Yi Ti and everything I knew behind.” He looked down at the arm again, his son´s arm. “This is a message, he says that he is coming not only for me, but for my children.” He looked through a window. “If I were you, Lord Lannister, I would keep my eyes on Castamere and Tarbeck Hall.”

“Why?”

“Resentment” he answered. “There is a lot of that in those places. And no one could capitalize on that better than the Dark Witch of Yi Ti, the Yiling Laozu.”

-In King´s Landing-

Jon never thought that he would even put a foot in King´s Landing, but now he wished he had never done so. The whispers of the nobles followed him and let´s not talk about the smell… at least the smell wasn´t that bad in the fortress. Right now, he was looking for Sansa, hoping that Lady Catelyn wouldn´t be with her. Their relationship was better than before, considering that he helped save her daughter, but she still threw him those looks that made him froze for most of his childhood. He knew that she wished he had never left the Wall or that he will return to it as soon as the war ends, alliance to the Freys be dammed. But, as much as he had liked some of the boys there and admiring the Old Bear, Jon couldn´t see himself returning. He wants to make something more of his life than leader of a penal colony.

“I have always enjoyed embroidery and sewing the most, but I grew up hearing histories about your homeland and found them inspiring.” he heard Sansa´s voice animatedly talking to someone. He followed it and was surprised by the sight of Lady Catelyn and Sansa having tea with Lord Jin and some of his entourage. The man seemed to be a bit uncomfortable. “Is it true that your father participated on the Sunshot Campaign?”

“Yes, he did” the boy answered, a bit less uneasy. “My uncle and mother too… in another way”

“I thought women in Yi Ti were allowed to become warriors” Sansa asked. What was that? She had never been attracted by histories of women warriors, that was Arya´s domain, so why was she asking about that?

“Yes, but mother was born with a weak constitution, so her talents laid elsewhere” Jin Ling answered, his eyes lowering. He knew that look, it was the one of a child that had never met his mother. At least he got to hear about her. “She served as a healing aid and cook during the Sunshot Campaign. My father, on the other side, fought on the frontlines along with my uncle” he patted his sword. “Suiha was the sword he wore during the war.”

“I´m sure he would have been proud of you, that he is from wherever he is” Lady Catelyn said, perfectly polite. She was scanning him with critical eyes, as she did every heir that spent some time with her girl. “And your uncle… I hear that he is the Lord of another Great House. Can you tell us a bit more about him?”

Jon shook his head. Lady Catelyn had arrived not only with her son´s and brother´s army, but also an entourage of Ladies from the North and Riverlands. He thought that she would rush to see her daughters, but once she got the message that both were safe, and caught wind that the Yi Tish had arrived with several unmarried noblemen and woman of good breeding, she took the time to gather the entourage. Even when the war was not won yet, she was already thinking about making political matches for the North and the Riverlands. And with Sansa´s interest in Lord Jin growing the more she saw him, even if Lady Catelyn would prefer a match for her closer to home, she probably decided that it was worth a try. Specially when the boy was well connected to the Great Houses of Yi Ti, like the Jiangs and the Lans. She probably still had doubts about the Lans, after all Lan Xichen was already famous for not wanting to marry and Lan Sizhui… well, his mother could be a problem. After all, one doesn´t get the moniker of Dark Witch for anything. But the Lady of Winterfell had high hopes about a match between Arya and Lord Jiang, despite the age gap. Apparently, she had actually heard the songs that were sung about the Yi Ti Sunshot Campaign and was aware of the reputation of the late Lady Jiang, the Violet Spider. That the women were freer to become warriors there was also a plus, as she was beginning to believe her daughter would never change her ways and become the kind of lady Westeros accepted… but she could become the kind of lady that Yi Ti did. Arya would probably prefer that too, at least in her mind. Jon wasn´t entirely sure.

“Excuse me, Lady Stark? Sansa?” he said, interrupting whatever tale Lord Jin was saying. The Lady of Winterfell sent him a look that clearly said this better be important or he will be paying dearly for it. “Lord Stark is calling for you.”

“Very well” Lady Catelyn answered, getting up. While she was doing so, someone in purple approached and bowed, saying something in Yi Tish towards the Lord. “I´m sorry, Lord Jin, but apparently we are going to have to cut this meeting short.”

“No problem, my Lady, my uncle is also requiring me. Though it´s been quite a pleasing evening, something I would like to repeat.” He bowed to each of them. “Stark-furen, Stark-guniang.”

“Lord Jin” Sansa answered, a besotted expression on her face. Pretty much like the ones she used to direct Joffrey before finding out the kind of person he truly was. Or that he was a bastard of incest, the only thing he could think worse than being a bastard. “I hope we can see each other again.”

As he escorted Lady Catelyn and his sister to the Tower of the Hand, he heard the chatter of the younger redhead while the older completely ignored his presence. He thought that Sansa might have become enamored with another golden prince, now one from a foreign land. He wouldn´t put it beyond her capabilities. After all, she had always been quite naïve. And while her time as a hostage had toughed her up a bit, making her a bit more mature, she still had much to go before being considered mature. As he saw his father serve his daughter and wife some wine, he wondered if he would ever be treated in the same way. Then his mind turned to poor Tommen and Myrcella Waters, so used to being treated with reverence by everyone, being suddenly reduced to being bastards. And not only bastards, but ones born of incest. It narrowed their prospects even more than his own bastardy did his. He couldn´t help but pity them, trapped as he was in a situation that wasn´t their fault.

“Ned, why did you call us here with such urgency?” Lady Stark asked after taking a sip of her wine. It has been probably some time since she had savored Arbor Gold, as it was not as common in the North as it was in the South and he doubted that in a war she had gotten many opportunities to drink good wine.

“I have been approached by Mace Tyrell this morning. He proposed a betrothal between Sansa and his eldest son, Willas. He is also offering a generous dowry, in the form of food and aid from the Reach in the coming Winter, just what the North needs.”

“Ned, those are wonderful news!!” Lady Catelyn seemed relieved. Of course, she wanted a match closer to home for her eldest daughter, and, sadly, she won´t be able to be a Queen anymore, but a Lady Paramount wasn´t that bad. Specially from the Second Richest House in Westeros. And how much it would benefit the North and Riverlands. Then again, knowing the animosity King Stannis had towards them and the enmity with the Florents, who were the relatives of the Queen, they need to thread carefully with them. “Tell me at least you told him that you would consider it!! The Tyrells are offering a great deal and are in need of allies, not only between their own bannermen but with other Great Houses… we might even get a betrothal between Robb and Lady Margaery if we play our cards well.”

“Robb is already betrothed…”

“Something we could bypass if we offer them another deal with the same value. And Edmure is still unmarried and in need of a wife, with the same rank as Robb. With the King backing you and the Lannisters about to lose this war, I´m sure he will be more than amenable to the exchange.”

“Mother, I still want to marry Lord Jin” Sansa said, timidly. She wasn´t used to talk back to her parents. “He was so brave while saving me…”

“I know, Sansa, and I´m not completely discarding him, but we need to think this well. Better than we did last time” her mother frowned as she thought of Joffrey and the big mistake they almost made by allowing Sansa to get betrothed to him. “I´m merely considering it. Besides, have you thought it well? Yi Ti is almost half a world away, we probably wouldn’t be able to see each other anymore. And you don´t know anything about the culture there, not even the language. You might find yourself even more lost than here.”

“I doubt it could be worse than what I went through here.” Her parents shuddered, probably remembering the bruises they saw when the maester checked their daughter. “Besides, you are open to let Arya go there and she is younger.”

“What? Cat, what were you doing?”

“Nothing, I… merely arranged a meeting between Sansa and Lord Jin, as I wanted to meet the man our little girl is so in love with. And I have to say, what I saw… he might not be that bad of a prospect” she answered. “I also asked about Lord Jiang, Lord Jin´s uncle. He looks young, though, so there must have been some large age difference between him and his sister, the late Lady Jin.”

“Still, isn´t he too old for Arya? She is still a girl…”

“And she will never be the kind of Lady I would want her to be, that Westerossi society is going to want her to be… but she could be a good Lady on the Yitish standards” Ned Stark couldn´t say anything against that. After all, he had been the one to give his daughter those sword lessons that helped her survive in the streets of King´s Landing. “And it might give us some powerful allies. You know how some of the Yitish products have been made popular between the noble Houses of Westeros and the Jiangs control the waterways of Yi Ti, which are apparently crucial for commerce. The Jins are also as rich as the Lannisters…”

“But we don´t know anything else about their characters, their way of living” Ned Stark continued. “Cat, we need to have more information about them before we trust any of our daughters with one of them, even if they are Lords.”

“I know, Ned, especially after the problem rushing a betrothal before because it looked good on paper caused.” She answered. “I´m being careful, nothing is said or done, but I´m also keeping the options open, just as many of the other noble houses have done. Or haven´t you heard about Lady Tanda inviting Lord Yao to dinner with her daughter Lollys? I hear he has an unmarried son of thirty namedays that she might want to get married to her. He is a third son and his brothers already have children, the oldest have just had his oldest betrothed… he won´t get much.”

“Lady Tanda has been trying to push her daughter into any available nobleman she has at her reach, including Tyrion Lannister and Petyr Baelish.”

“That doesn´t change that suddenly, the prospects of alliance have broadened. I agree to be careful with how we move, but don´t discard them entirely.”

“I will keep that in mind”

“That´s all I ask” Lady Stark said, smiling at her husband. Then she seemed to notice that he was still in the room. “What are you doing still here? Surely you have other things to do with the household guard.”

“I was merely thinking about Tommen and Myrcella Waters, my Lady” he answered, something that was strange from him. “So used to be treated like prince and princess… it´s going to be hard for them to get used to the reality of being bastards. I hope that the King is compassionate with them, considering that they have no idea of the sins their parents committed and had no way to choose on which side of the sheet they were born in.”

“King Stannis is not lacking compassion and is aware that Tommen and Myrcella have no conscious part on their parents´ treason. We have discussed it with the Small Council and decided that, if the Lannisters stop pushing his claim, Tommen Waters will have the choice if joining the Citadel or the Faith once he is older. As for Myrcella, she is going to be given to the Faith, to a Motherhouse where she could live her life peacefully.”

“That’s wonderful, father!!” Sansa said with a smile. “The Prin… I mean, Myrcella Waters is not a bad girl. She doesn´t deserve to be executed because her mother is an adulteress and her father an oathbreaker.” Then she realized something. “But… what if the Lannisters continue to press their claim?”

“Then Myrcella is going to the Silent Sisters… and Tommen will be sent to the Wall. Should they be captured alive, of course”

There was some silence before his father dismissed him. Certainly, Lord Stark didn´t want to talk about how he was sent to the Wall… or how he should have stayed. Because, more than once, he thought his father wished he had stayed. He was walking the corridors in search of something to do, perhaps with the household guard or anyone that truly needed help, when he heard a beautiful music. It was like nothing he had ever heard before, so… full of a feeling that brought him to tears. He followed it and found a lot of nobles reunited around one of the inner gardens, also listening. Some of the lords and knights had tears in their eyes, as the ladies were openly weeping or cleaning the tears with a handkerchief. And in the center, as if nothing else existed in the world, was a couple. One was dressed in white, sitting down on the floor as he played an instrument he identified as a guqin. The other was in black, standing up and playing a flute, accompanying it. They were perfectly synchronized, creating a harmony of sound that…

“It´s fantastic, no?” he heard from behind. He turned around to see another figure dressed in white, clearly a Yi Tish. One that he had seen before. Lan Shizui. “It´s a composition Baba made for A-Die when they were still ten and five years age.” he smirked. “Wangxian”

“Why weren´t they betrothed in that moment?” Jon asked in that moment, before he could catch himself. Besides, one could tell by merely having heard the song. Wei Ying was the daughter of a mere household knight while Lan Wangji was the spare heir of the Lan Great House. It was obvious why she would be considered too low for him. “I´m sorry, my Lord, I shouldn´t have asked.”

“Don´t apologize for asking something, you did nothing wrong” he sighed. “Lan Quiren, who was… you would call him Regent… for my grandfather and uncle in that moment had something against him. And his mother. Cangse Sanren had played a rather cruel joke to him when his sticking to the rules put her and her friends at risk during a night hunt.” He sighed. “Besides, there were some rumors… about A-Die having only been accepted into the Jiangs and becoming head disciple because he was Jiang Fengmian´s bastard.”

“What?!” he hadn´t heard about that. But if it was… “Was it true?”

“Not at all!! My grandparents hadn´t been in Lotus Pier or even near Jiang Fengmian for almost two years before A-Die was born. And they didn´t saw each other until he was nearly two years old” Jon lowered his head. He should have known, no bastard would be able to… “But there were still some people who believed it, namely the wife of Jiang Fengmian. From what I could gather, Yu Ziyuan used her position as Madam of Lotus Pier to make his life a living hell, including whipping him for the slightest mistake… or mistakes made by others. It was so bad that the discipline whip doesn´t hurt him at all.”

Jon Snow lowered his head, knowing what it was like to be hated by the Lady of your father… or your guardian. Of course, he could consider himself fortunate that Lady Catelyn Stark would never consider using a whip on him and barely acknowledged his presence enough to punish him with some extra chores, never lifting a hand against him. Her glares and cold stares, along with her cutting words and discrimination, were the hardest he had to deal with. His eyes wandered towards the flute playing figure. He had heard about how rumors of supposed bastardy could ruin a Lady´s possibilities and he was happy that it hasn´t happened to Wei Ying, but apparently he could consider himself fortunate that his father´s wife didn´t have the same temper or violent tendencies as Yu Ziyuan. He was indeed very lucky for that… whatever she had said when Bran was unconscious.

“With your permission…”

“Maybe it would do you well to talk to him”

“Excuse me? But you want a bastard to speak to your mother? Why?”

“I don´t know what kind of impression we have given you Westerossi, but our little family is quite the strange one. Before Jiang Fengmian found and took him in, A-Die spent some time as a beggar child on the streets. Baba never even saw his father, who went into seclusion when he was young, and was only allowed to see his mother once a month until she died when he was still a child. Me” he signaled himself. “I met Baba when I was four. And by then, the Sunshot was long over and A-Die was already the Yiling Laozu. He took me in and gave me his name after the Siege of the Burial Mounds, where he tried to save us both, but only managed to help me. I was about to die then and forgot about A-Die… until we reunited when I was already sixteen. He recognized A-Die because he was the only person outside him who had ever heard it apart from him, so you could say it´s what brought them back together. Still they have to go through a lot of trials, trying to search for proofs of his innocence… once he was declared innocent, they got married.” He smiled at him widely. “So we have been the subject of the rumors for the gentry for a long time. And I know A-Die won´t mind, he is always willing to talk to youths in need.”

Jon Snow watched him as he walked towards his parents, the music coming to an end shortly after. He continued looking as he watched the father and mother talk with their son in their own language, wondering what it would be like to have something like that. A father so in love with his mother that he would keep missing and loving her for years, until they saw each other again. He wondered if Lord Eddard Stark had loved his mother, whoever she was, half of what those two have ever loved one another… it was a question, along with who she was, that he was beginning to think he would never find the answer to.
Perhaps he should talk to Wei Ying after all.

-In the Black Cells-

“Perhaps we shouldn´t be here, Sect Leader”

“Don´t be like that, cousin. After all, what they could do to me from where they are? And there is much to win if we manage to take Casterly Rock when no one managed.” Nie Huaisang said, keeping his fan over his face as if that would keep the smell away. Finally, they reached a cell that opened to reveal a dwarf.
“Lord Tyrion Lannister, I think.”

“And who would you be?” the little lion asked. “Let me guess, you are the Chief Cultivator, Nie Huaisang. Let me tell you, from the description of your brother, I thought you would be taller and burlier.”

“Many people has said that” he shrugged, sitting down.

“You talk Westron rather well for having just arrived.”

“I hired someone to teach me the language as soon as I could. And when I put my mind into something, well…” the smirk never left his face. “But enough about me. Let´s talk about you. I have heard around the court that you are a rather smart person, also that you are underestimated by several for being a dwarf, which makes you a useless bastard in your father´s eyes… no matter how much you show him he is mistaken” he chuckled. “In my experience, people like tends to murder their parents in rather humiliating ways.”

“Like Liafang-Zun, you mean? Killed by whoring too much, what a way to go for the Lord of a Great House.”

“Better than the death he gave my brother.”

“Yes, I heard about the poison that exacerbated his symptoms. One he delivered to him unknowingly, according to him, under the orders of his father” he rolled his eyes. “Amongst ourselves, I think he did it knowingly, but still under orders.”

“Oh, of course, that´s what he did”

“Sorry if I don´t feel bad, but considering that I never knew your brother…”

“But you know your brother Jaime, no?” Tyrion froze. Jaime, what has happened to Jaime? Last he heard, he was a prisoner of the Starks. Was he sent to the Wall? “I heard that you have a much better relationship with him than with your father. So had I with Mingjue… or better, because he actually raised me after A-Die died. He was so like the sun… strong, shiny and impossible to reach…”

“You could be describing Jaime too” Tyrion answered. “Except for the raising me part, my aunt Genna and uncle Gerion, even my uncle Kevan to a level, did that.”

“Then imagine what it felt like, to lose any of them in a horrible way. To lose Jaime in such a way, right in front of you… coughing blood, losing his mind completely with rage, bleeding from ears and eyes and nose, you trying to hold him and begging him to resist, not to leave you alone, not to die… and then seeing his dear friend, yours too, and sworn brother of your brother smiling at that. It was only a fraction of a second, but he did. And I noticed” of course he did, Nie Huaisang managed to hide it rather well, but he was always smarter than anyone thought. “Then I noticed someone had robbed my brother´s tomb, searched for his body only to find it in pieces… courtesy of that same sworn brother.”

“Liafang Zun really got you angry, no?”

“Angry doesn´t even begin to describe it” the Nie Sect Leader crossed his arms. “But that´s enough of a sob history. I want Jin Guangyao dead, preferably with his body chopped in parts and the head on the walls of the Unclean Realm. And for that, apparently, I have to take Casterly Rock. Because I´m sure your father won´t just accept defeat.”

“He might want to hand you what you want… if you offer to bring your forces back to Yi Ti”

“Unfortunately for him, A-Yao would find a way to escape before that happens if he smells treason is close, so I will have to do it while he is still allied with him. And if you were to help me, perhaps you could make some points with King Stannis and become Lord of Casterly Rock. And your brother would still be alive, despite his treason… though, of course, he will have to… how did they call it? Take the Black?” Tyrion didn´t answer. “And your family, they would be pardoned, even the children. Well, anyone but your father and sister, who will have to face the headsman block. Tommen and Myrcella would be given to the Faith or the Citadel when they are of age, but which is going to be his decision and until then, they are to be your wards. It´s a good deal, however you see it.”

“You think you can convince Stannis of that?”

“Don´t underestimate me, I can be really convincing. Just ask Er-ge or A-Yao.” He turned around. “I will leave you some time to ponder on it.”

Zonghui followed his Sect Leader as they left the Black Cells, then to his rooms. He left him to the other guards, so he could have some rest and think a bit. Not that he doubted Nie Huaisang´s words that he could convince King Stannis to agree to the deal he presented to the dwarf… he had seen his manipulate power first hand… but he was beginning to tire of his ways. He missed the times where Chifeng-Zun lead the clan in a different way, a more honorable and frontal way. Of course, Nie Huaisang had made them more powerful than his brother ever did, becoming Chief Cultivator himself, but at the same time… anyway, there was no way to return to the past. And no way for his current Sect Leader to be the person his brother was, not now that he had learned to use his talents. Also, no way for him to break the last promise he did to Chifeng-Zun and abandon Nie Huaisang. No, he would protect the little viper from any frontal attack that…

“Watch out!!” he was taken out of his thoughts when he nearly collided with a woman. She was a Westerossi, but was dressed in a strange fashion for them. She was also carrying a Morningstar on her belt. “You nearly collided with me.”

“I´m sorry, my lady, I was merely thinking too deep”

“And that´s a reason for nearly running someone over, you brute?”

“No, it´s not” he bowed. He tried to remember the correct words in her language, leaving her waiting until he gather them. “I apologize. With your permission…”

“Wait” she stopped him before he could leave. “You are one of the Nies, no? The one that is always standing behind the one that looks more like a girl than any of my sisters, but holds a rather high position… what was his name again?”

“Nie Huaisang, the Chief Cultivator” he answered, the title still feeling weird despite the time that has passed since he took over the charge. “And I´m Nie Zonghui”

“Ser Nie, a pleasure then” she extended a hand. “I´m Jorelle Mormont”

They shook hands. Perhaps bumping into people was not that bad after all.

-In another corridor-

Arwyn Frey was nearly crying. Both she and her sister Shirei were appointed as ladies-in-waiting for the Princess Shireen, an honor bestowed to them thanks to the help House Frey had given in the Riverlands, but now she wished she didn´t have it. Not that the Princess was a difficult, because she was the nicest girl ever, but the Queen… Selyse Florent had found her trying to convince the Princess to try new hairstyles and yelled at her for trying to make her daughter look bad by revealing her greyscale scars. It was the last thing she wanted, but she got so verbally mauled that she run off the room in tears and didn´t stop until she was forced to, because she fell from some stairs and hurt his ankle. The stairs were small, reason why she didn´t hurt herself too much, but now she couldn´t stand and was covered in mud. She felt so miserable. This was supposed to be better than the Twins, but instead…

“Are you okay, my Lady?” a male voice made her eyes wide. Great, now someone had seen her. She lifted her gaze to see a young male dressed in a Yitish fashion. Probably one of the foreign allies. “Do you need help? I can carry you to a healer.”

“No, I´m fine, I…” she tried to get up, but her ankle hurt too much. “Perhaps I could use a bit of help, Ser, if that isn´t too much to ask” he nodded, then lifted her from the floor effortlessly. “I´m Lady Arwyn Frey, might I have your name too?”

“I´m Ouyang Zizhen, pleased to meet you, Frey-guniang.”

Ouyang Zizhen… he didn´t look that badly dressed. And from the way he spoke, he seemed like a well-educated gentleman. Besides… he was quite handsome and… yes, she knew that he could be a minor member of a low nobility family, but many of her relatives had had worse marriages and Lord Walder wouldn´t doubt it to marry her to old Lord Estermont if he thought that would curry him favor with the Master of Laws. Yes, moving to a place as far away as Yi Ti could be scary, but nothing could be worse than the Twins, no? Maybe she would continue with this, see where this could be taken. If something could be achieved of this.

Chapter Text

Nie Huaisang was pretty satisfied with himself, wondering how A-Yao had received his gift. He had returned the little rat his son in pieces, just as he returned his brother. Only that he wouldn´t have the head back. No, that was going to remain in his cabin with conservation talismans, to be placed in his brother´s tomb along with his father´s when he returned. As for his alliance with King Stannis… he was starting to believe that ending up so far from their homeland wasn´t merely because of his own stubbornness and Meng Yao´s miraculous escape. No, he had started to hear Lady Melisandre´s tales and made some side investigation. Even in the Jianghu, there had been tales of the Bloodstone Emperor and the path of terror he had left through the entirety of Yi Ti. Such dark times had those been that even Xue Chonghai´s creation of the Yin Iron and the war it ensured, the creation of the Burial Mounds, paled in comparison to it. Though everything that was known about the original Long Night in Yi Ti, when the Jianghu rose against the Emperor to fight an evil greater than any current cultivator had ever faced, had long since faded into legend. And apparently it was the same case with Westeros. He didn´t find anything in the Library when he tried to learn more. Perhaps he should ask the Northern Lords, preferably after his little issue with Jin Guangyao and the Lannister Rebellion was finished. Then he would be able to decide if an intervention to the North would be preferable before the Jianghu retired from Westeros. Or at least if delaying the departure to visit their famous Wall was needed to make sure the Long Night was truly not coming back.

“Lord Nie!! A surprise to find you here” he lifted his face from the book he was reading, one of few pieces he found about the Long Night in Westeros in that poorly kept Library to find Queen Selyse smiling at him. The translator he kept with himself quickly did his job, making the illusion that he didn´t know the language. “A glad one though.”

“Sure, your Grace” he said, though it was through the translator.

“I wanted to talk to you about a meeting you had in the gardens with a… certain person” the ugly woman continued, smiling at him as though they were friends. But Nie Huaisang could see right through her. She wanted something from him. Something he wasn´t sure that was going to be as beneficial to him as it was to her. “One of the servants told me that you had a meeting with Lady Margaery Tyrell.”

“Tyrrell-guniang?” he said before the translator could say something, making sure to mispronounce the name. That seemed to please Selyse, as it was obvious that she disliked the maiden in question. Or perhaps her whole family.

“Yes, Lady Tyrell… who was before married to my late goodbrother” she continued. “I have been trying to help her, making her lady-in-waiting for me and trying to find a match worthy of her… I don´t think that Renly would have wanted for her to be left despondent. After all, even if he didn´t love her, he cared for her. Her brother was one of his closest friends, your see… or perhaps not…”

Oh, was she implying that he was a cutsleeve? He knew that the Westerossi didn´t have the same view of cutsleeves as the Jianghu had. Of course, there were still expectations put into clan heirs and Sect Leaders, but if a cultivator decided to take a cultivation partner that was of the same gender, even to marry like that publicly, no one would have waved an eyelash at them for choosing that path. Religions also would be very tolerant of that… it came out as a surprise that the Faith of the Seven was not. After all, what could be better than true love? Cultivation was also better if it was accompanied by authentic feelings. But there were arranged marriages too, of course, like the ones of Yu Ziyuan and Jiang Fengmian or even Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan. Some turned into love matches, some were a lifelong, ugly condemnation to an awful life full of hatred to a person you were chained to that hated you too… but cutsleeves also had the chance to enter that kind of arrangements with persons of the same gender. All in all, life in the Jianghu would have been better for Renly Baratheon, from what he heard… and perhaps for his partner and Margaery Tyrell too. But why was this bothering Selyse Florent, the Queen, enough to make her come to him?

“I don´t know if you are aware, but House Tyrell and House Florent have quite the complicated history. It begins in the Conquest, when Aegon Targaryen, First of his name, unified all the Kingdoms in Westeros” she started with her history lesson. “For that, he had to overthrow all the other kings, including the Gardners, who were the Kings of the Reach… and close relatives of the Florents, my family. Closer than of the Tyrells, who are the current Lord Paramounts and Lords of Highgarden.”

Oh, he saw right now. Even as he listened the history the woman was telling him about the Gardner Kings and the origins of her supposed superior lineage to that of the Tyrells, the entitled woman was telling him only one thing: she felt inferior to the Maiden of Highgarden. And counted her as a threat despite being Queen. Also, that her family was ambitious enough to try and drag their current overlords down for something that they should have gotten over thousands of years ago. They were still salty because, despite their supposed superiority, the Targaryens had granted Highgarden to the Tyrells, not taking into account that the Tyrell ancestor had shown his loyalty to the dragons by giving up Highgarden while the Florents have fought alongside the Gardeners and only surrendered because of the massive lose they suffered against the Black Dread. It was obvious who the Targaryens would grant Highgarden and the Title of Lord Paramount between all the claimants. Besides, he couldn´t agree with this woman´s posture about the supposed superiority of some bloodlines to others entirely. After all, the Nies were descendants from a butcher. He was sure that if he mentioned that detail, this woman would look down on him as if he was an upstart. Just as she looked down on Margaery Tyrell for being the descendant of a steward.

“I am sure that someone of such an outstanding ascendance wouldn´t want to mingle with someone like her. The Tyrells are known to be climbers, even their own House words are related to that” Selyse continued, Huaisang paying close attention to her. “They would use you to expand their tendrils of influence or as a shield to protect themselves… surely your brother, the great Chifeng-Zun, wouldn´t have wanted you to mix your bloodline with one of such low origins. Don´t you think so?”

Nie Mingjue wouldn´t have troubles with whoever Huaisang choose, so long as said person made him happy. And Huaisang couldn’t help but think that he liked the wit, the charm and most importantly the ambition he saw in the eyes of the Rose of Highgarden. He was a smart, ambitious person too. He had discovered that, much to his surprise, when he searched for revenge against Jin Guangyao. During his youth, he was content with life, but when his fury ignited and he really saw what he was capable to do, what no one else thought him capable to do… well, ambition ignited. And here he was, youngest Chief Cultivator. He hadn´t come here searching for a wife, but he was starting to believe that perhaps someone with the same ambition as him wouldn´t be so bad. Besides, the Nies could use some fresh blood, even if it wasn´t from a cultivator, and some business partners. Though, he still had to test Margaery more to see if she was worth the time. After all, a mere encounter in the garden and some information from second hand sources wasn´t enough to get to know someone´s character well. He had learned that lesson well.

“And what do you suggest, your Grace?” he asked through the translator.

“I´m glad you asked” the Florent Queen said, her smile looking more and more as her House symbol. As if he needed more clues that she was after something more than a pleasant conversation. “I have a few young and unmarried cousins that could interest you. They are not fighters, but they are all well-breed ladies that might impress you.” If they look like Selyse herself or her daughter, he doubted it a lot. “I have called a few of them for you to meet… and the other unmarried Lords of Yi Ti. I sincerely think that Lord Jiang and my cousin Melessa´s daughters, Talla or Samantha Tarly, could be a great match. And Lord Lan might like my aunt Rylene´s Florys or Melara Crane. They are considered old maids by now, but they are still fertile. My family´s maidens are fertile.”

The Queen continued talking about the possible matches between the maidens or the knights in her vast extended family and the ones with some of the heirs and Sect Leaders that had been brought here. As if he had any say in that… though he was scary enough for the minor Sect Leaders like Yao or Ouyang to marry their heirs or daughters to them. But he noticed something that made him listen with more interest. She outright excluded families like the Yu´s, perhaps because of their matriarchal ways that were probably looked down by many of the Westerossi, and Lan Sizhui. That was interesting. Yes, Lan Xichen as Sect Leader would be a more attractive catch by their hosts´ standards, but his nephew should also be considered a good option. And, as far as he knew, the Westerossi didn´t know that Lan Sizhui was adopted, that both his parents were males and unmarried when they adopted him. So why… oh, he saw that now. It was because of Wei Wuxian´s lower status in Selyse´s eyes. She was more willing to take risks with a notable bachelor than with a household knight´s daughter, no matter how highborn her husband was. He should share this with Wei Wuxian, he might find it interesting. Along with the information that he was considered a Lady by the Westerossi.

“I will consider it, though I have considerably less power over the Great Houses that you might believe” he answered, a polite and politically correct answer, but not a promise. “Your lovely cousins are going to have to convince them himself.”

“And you too”

“And me too, but, as you probably knew, I didn´t come here to find a wife. Neither did many of the people that accompanied me.” He commented. “The opinions of the people you have to change might be… difficult to do just that.”

“We will have to trust my lovely young cousins after all.”

Nie Huaisang wasn´t so sure in that front, but he would let Selyse play her cards. After all, it might prove interesting after all. Da-ge might have yelled at him for having so much fun during a time where he should be focusing on work, specially if something like the Bloodstone Legacy was returning, but he was having so much fun… what should he do first? Perhaps returning to his room would be the best thing to do now. Then, should he tell Jiang Cheng about his former shixhiong being considered a female in Westeros? The man smiled as much as Yu Ziyuan, perhaps laughing a bit would make him less of a nuisance for him later. Or should he tell Wei Wuxian first? Jin Ling? Both would find it funny. Lan Wangji less, but you can´t tell with that man. And Lan Sizhui would…

“Sect Leader” his cousin Zonghui saluted as he entered. There, obviously having entered through one of the recently mapped hidden passages of the Red Keep, were MianMian and a whore he had bought with his gold. Both of them had the important role to give him information he couldn´t get himself. “Your informants have come back.”

“I see that” he sat down to hear their reports. “Well?”

“Lady Margaery Tyrell is interested, though I had warned her about your… particular attitudes. Specially because she involved Lady Olenna Tyrell, the true head of the Reach. She makes the important decisions on that family, as her son is an incompetent fool.” MianMian started. “She asked about the other Sect Leaders too, as she was interested in matches for her own family members with them. To protect and strengthen House Tyrell´s grasp on the Reach now that the Queen is a Florent and her family is gaining influence.”

“That if something can influence Stannis Baratheon, that man is unbending” Huaisang mentioned, fanning himself as he faked lack of interest. As for the Stag King, being unbending was not the best of the personality traits for a King. You need to learn to compromise to be an effectful leader. “And you?”

“Edmure Tully and his friends were in my mother´s pleasure house last night” Alayaya answered in fluent Westerossi. “They were accompanied by people dressed in gold, I think they were called Jin. One of them was very uncomfortable, never even touching one of the girls, but was the one in charge of translating for the others. Weird, because he seemed to be the highest ranked amongst them by how the other highborn treat him. When they mentioned something about having a bet about bedding a certain Yitish Lady he got up, clearly insulted, and walked away.”

“Ah, I see” he sighed. “There wasn´t much to do in that front, considering that the LADY they were talking about is practically an aunt to that boy.”

Jiang Cheng didn´t like it, but Jin Ling´s and Wei Wuxian´s relationship had become much better since they actually developed one. He hadn´t been able to do anything about it, which frustrated him… or something like that. Despite his efforts to hide it, Nie Huaisang knew that Jiang Wanyin still cared about his former shixiong like a brother or at least had recovered those feelings after realizing that he wasn´t the one behind the murder of his sister, that more than an accident it was a murder, one of the many perpetrated by Jin Guangyao… which means that Jin Ling better never tells his uncle or Lan Wangji about it or they might face a diplomatic crisis there. The murder of several noblemen certainly would cause one, and either of them was capable.

“What else?”

“The fish talked a lot after I serviced him. He told me that he normally didn´t favor women of my features, but he was in the mood of something different” she continued. “He also mentioned that his sister is interested in arranging some marriages between Ladies from the North and the Riverlands and some of your own highborn countrymen. That Lady Catelyn told him that Lady Sansa Stark was interested in Lord Jin, but she would prefer a match closer to home for her, namely Willas Tyrell. Instead, she thought about a match between Lord Jiang and her younger daughter Arya.”

“That won´t work, even if the age gap wasn´t enormous.” He shuddered, having already heard about that particular girl and her famous temper. Her cultivation was low, but he doubted she would be nice to the likes of Jin Ling. “The girl is too much like Yu Ziyuan in temper to meet his standards. She might have more luck with one of the Yu boys than him.”

“She was thinking about Lady Carellen Smallwood for one of them, though. Apparently, she is heiress to her own castle and needs a strong husband to help her keep her position. Or Lady Dacey Mormont, who is also an heiress and a strong fighter to booth. The Mormonts would benefit of more fighters that would help them against Ironborn attacks.”

“Hummm” he wondered. “What else?”

“She thinks that her sister, the widowed Lady Lysa, might be a good match for Lan Xichen, though, according to Lord Edmure, she is unsure. And alternative she considered is one of the Bracken girls, Lady Lyra Mormont or Lady Gwyn Whitehill” Er-ge, marrying? More probable that Jin Guangyao became an actual good person. “He actually commented that it was funny how his sister even had an alternative, in case Lan Xichen still refuses to marry. She considers that Lady Lyra herself, Lady Mira Forrester or even a long engagement with Lady Bethany Blackwood might be good options for Lan Sizhui.”

“They would have to get through Wei Wuxian first, for all those matches” he commented. “And he might not like that those ladies are trying to trap his son in an arranged marriage. Lan Wangji would agree, as the Lan Sect has the tradition of only marrying for love.” He smirked. “But going back to that, I guess I was mentioned too.”

“Some of those prospects were mentioned, yes, including Lady Lysa or even Lady Ysilla Royce if the Vale were to join them.” Alayaya answered. Woow, this fish boy truly got chatty after he has been serviced by a whore. And his sister trusted him way too much with her plans. “Mark Piper, who was serviced by my good friend Alys, a gossip like no other, also mentioned that Edmure told him that Lady Catelyn is aware of the interest the Rose of Highgarden has in you… and that several Ladies related to both Lady Margaery and the Queen has been called to court as possible matches.”

“Interesting” he made a waving sign to tell them to retire. So, the Lady Rose was also interested, eh? Well, let´s see if she would keep the interest… or if she perked up his interest again. But before… “Zonghui, how are my marriage prospects in the Jianghu?”

“No father or mother, even those that don´t love their children, are crazy enough to offer them to you. Many of those that we have considered have already made up excuses and even rushed betrothals for the ladies” his cousin said, as if it was his fault the idiots have done things idiotic enough for him to get control of their lives. And they should have considered that not always what was private remained private. “I´m afraid you might have to find a marriage partner somewhere else, even if it´s not a cultivation partner.”

“That might have it´s benefits too… might give me some years to rebuild my reputation amongst the younger cultivators to get a second wife when the first one is no longer there… and new blood could help us with the qi deviation problem.”

“You seem to be looking for excuses to marry someone from here.”

“I´m merely keeping my options open… though you yourself know that I´m not going to get some marriage partner in the Jianghu. I might not die as young as my brother or any other Nie, but I will eventually do. Do you want you or your children to become Sect Leader? When you have them, of course.” Zonghui seemed to rethink his position on the issue. “Just say it, this was easier when Da-ge was alive.”

“At least many ladies of the gentry wanted to marry Chifeng-Zun.”

“Yes, the problem was that Da-ge didn´t want to leave behind a young widow with children so young to be in the crib when he dies.” A servant entered in that moment, bowing in an awkward way before handing a letter to them. He quickly left after that. Nie Huaisang quickly read it and smirked. He was not accustomed to others making the first step to put things into motion, this was refreshing. “I´m invited to a tea with the Rose of Highgarden.”

“Roses have thorns, Sect Leader, be careful.”

“She has her thorns, I have my fangs, all hidden beneath a surface of prettiness and courtesy. It´s what makes it so easy for us to fool people around us when they didn´t know us well” he put his fan down, exchanging it with the one of the jade tassel he wore when things were getting serious. “We might work after all.”

It was how he, Nie Zonghui at his back, ended up having tea with Margaery Tyrell. She truly had displayed her whole repertory, using rose tea to symbolize House Tyrell and displaying the bounties of the Reach, so he could have a clear view of what not only an alliance but trade agreements with the Tyrells would mean for the Unclean Realm. The flowers around were artistically put, also the paintings that were displayed, showing great taste. Also that they might have known about his preference for arts. Lady Margaery herself had dressed to impress, showing her impressive beauty but with a more conservative gown than she would normally use by Westerossi standards, probably to not appear vulgar to her Yitish prospect. It was a nice expression of political and diplomatic correctness, showing how smart she was. Much more than Selyse Florent… like the old Lady that accompanied her. Lady Olenna Tyrell watched them carefully, clearly evaluating him. He could already tell that she was wary of him… the Tyrells really have done their homework. Perhaps he should be more careful with the information he allowed to be filtered. The Rose of Highgarden had proven her wit and information recollection abilities… but what about her adaptability? With a wave of the hand, he made the translator go and focused on her.

“I have to say, Lady Margaery” he started, obviously startling the two ladies, but they hid it pretty well. And recovered their poise quickly. “I expected you to come much faster towards me. Especially considering the move her Grace made this morning.”

“Did that ugly shrew manage to convince you into marrying one of her relatives? Consider it well, my Lord, they say that the Florents have quite the big ears… and mustaches to both” the Rose of Highgarden answered. “The only ones less fair than the Florent maidens are the Freys… though I have heard that they have a few Frey maidens are fairer than Selyse Florent ever was. And most of them look like vultures or stoats.”

“At least she came to me with a plan.”

“Who says I don´t have one?” Huaisang was actually enjoying this. The young woman was indeed witty, which made her company enjoyable for him. Though he was still not sure a woman raised like her would enjoy or even survive for long in the hostile environment of his homeland. He would have to test her strength of mind too. “I have always been raised to be a Queen. Now that it is no longer possible… well, I have to look for other options.”

“So you wanted to become a Queen?” he smiled softly after a drink. “I´m afraid I can´t offer you a crown or a throne. I might have quite a lot of influence, but it would never cross my mind to replace the Emperor. The Jianghu doesn´t work that way… and I doubt the people would enjoy having the descendant of a butcher on the throne.”

“As much as they would a descendant of a steward as Queen, I´m sure, no matter how far her family has gone” Margaery continued. “But they underestimate me, just as they underestimated you in the past… no, useless heir of the Nie House?”

“You certainly have researched me well” not enough, but for now that was more than he was expecting. “But you haven´t truly answered the question, why to settle for a Lord, even the Chief Cultivator, when you wanted to be a Queen?”

“Not a Queen, my Lord, THE Queen… but there are other ways to be that without wearing a crown. And I´m sure you know it, as aren´t you plenty of powerful even without the title of Emperor?”

“Well said” he continued, smiling sweetly. “Explain me your plan”

Margaery´s smile in response was covered in honey, just as her words when she explained her plan and the matches she expected to get for some of her cousins. Some that might actually work, including for Lan Sizhui if he happens to fall in love there. Zonghui was trying to mask it behind him, and the Queen of Thorns perhaps too, but they were a bit worried. This kind of exchange between people that didn´t take their power from bloodline or strength, but the enormous intelligence they had. A thing that those who underestimated ended up regretting. Olenna certainly had never dealt with a man as smart outside of her own family, and even then the men in the Tyrell bloodline could be rather dull. You only have to see her son, Lord Puffish, and that lovesick Loras. As for Zonghui, he had expected his Lord never met someone who could stimulate that manipulative side of him again. But… what the girl said made sense.

“I have to say, Lady Margaery, this has been stimulating. Would you mind to reunite with me again after the attack on Casterly Rock. It would be stimulating to have a match of go or shogi with you.”

“Only if you don´t mind playing cyvasse with me too, My Lord”

“Sure thing” he bowed to the women in respect. “Until later.”

-In the Sept of Baelor-

Wei Wuxian was wondering why he was hiding instead of simply telling Lan Quiren to keep his opinions to himself. If A-Yuan hadn´t given him those puppy eyes… and Lan Zhan hadn´t adored to see him in those Lan robes enough to give him such a good night… anyway, if only he hadn´t accepted to wear them nearly the whole time while they were in Westeros… now the Grandmaster insisted that he should wear it even during battle. At least they allowed him to wear the forehead band Lan Zhan gifted him on their wedding day as he wore his ribbon during his time as the Yiling Patriarch. Though… right now he was wearing it like he did during his time as a disciple or masquerading as Mo Xuanyu. Why? Because he was in the mood of that. And he was in the least place the Grandmaster would search him in, the most constricting place in the whole Westeros in the terms of behavior. Seriously, this septons could give Lan Quiren a run for his money in sternness.

“Are you sure you want to come here?” he was surprised when he heard a known voice, in the language of his homeland. “They are not like us, they don´t respect our traditions and certainly won´t pray for someone that doesn´t share their own. Daozhist Xiao or A-Quing wouldn´t be in their prayers even if you do lit a candle.” There was some silence. “Well, if you insist. For my sister and Popo and the rest of the family too.”

He peeked from behind the pilar he was hiding behind and saw Song Zichen accompanied by Wen Ning, both sentient fierce corpses under the altar of a god they called the Stranger. He was supposed to be the personification of death, to guide the souls of the deceased to the afterlife. He understood why both of them would be there. One probably wished for his lover to find his path to the other side, to recover of what Xue Yang had done to him; the other had lost nearly everything and everyone he ever loved, so he wished for them to rest in peace. He understood… and felt with them. One of the people they were praying for was his martial uncle, the other ones had been a second family when he lost the first one. And all were good people who deserved more than they got. He got out from where he was hiding, in the dark clothing he used to wear all the time when he was travelling with Lan Zhan, then lit a candle for both of their prayers and a third one for the good men he had turned into sentient fierce corpses. They didn´t deserve such a half-existence, they deserved better… but he didn´t regret what he had done.

“Master…”

“Let´s go back” if Lan Quiren had something to tell him when he returned, about going around dressed like the Yiling Patriarch, then he could say that to him to the face. He wasn´t about to go into battle in robes he was unfamiliar with. Song Lan separated from them in the city, excusing himself, while Wen Ning remained with him. “We are leaving soon. Chief Cultivator Nie wants us to move in a few days towards a place called Castamere, then to Tarbeck Hall. He says that there is much resentment for me to use… and I need my Ghost General leading my army of ghosts.”

“Yes, Master”

“You don´t have to continue calling me that, you are not my slave.”

“I want to”

He sighed, then continued walking towards the Red Keep. Everywhere around, people of all statuses that were merely walking through the streets of their city, quickly got out of the way and whispered as soon as they thought he had passed. He didn´t care, he was used to those kinds of views. He was, after all, the Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, the monster parents used to make children behave, the culprit of the Massacre of… a hand slipped on his own. He lifted his head to look at the person doing that, meeting the worried golden gaze of his husband. The younger man shook his head, it was nothing.

“Wei Ying…”

“It´s nothing, Lan Zhan” he said, sighing. “It´s just that everywhere I go, my reputation follows me like fleas to a dog. Even in a land as distant as this, they have heard about the dreaded Yiling Patriarch and his horrible deeds.”

“Mnnn” his hand was clenched in support.

“Perhaps I merely thought that I could escape here, maybe make some new friends that aren´t scared that I will turn them into ghosts at the beginning…” they had entered the Red Keep by then, reaching the Gardens. The city might stink like shit, but the gardens of the manors and castle were beautiful. And had a lot of herbs he had never seen before. He was admiring them when a young disciple in white ran towards him, making a respectful bow to the couple. “What is it?”

“Hanguang-Jun, the Grandmaster and Sect Leader told me to get you. There are some things they want to discuss with you before the strategy meeting with Chief Cultivator Nie.”

“Go, Lan Zhan. I will be waiting for you here”

Wei Wuxian sat down in one of the many chairs in the gardens, admiring the place. He wondered for a second if Tarbeck Hall or Castamere were as beautiful as that. But no, that was not probable. He had heard a song about how those castles and the families that owned them were completely destroyed by Tywin Lannister. He had heard it by accident, while he had been searching for something to do around the Red Keep, to kill time before he had to set off towards the Westerlands, which were already being attacked by the Northern forces. For what he heard, his entrance into the war was going to be smooth… if only there was something to do meanwhile. From what he heard, most of the spouses of Sect Leaders or heirs have been invited by Westerossi nobility to teas or something else, but he guessed his reputation prevented the gentil people from…

“Master, someone is coming”

“I know”

As Wen Ning protectively put himself in front of Wei Wuxian, the person that was approaching stopped. The Yiling Patriarch turned to see a boy the age he was when he departed for the Cloud Recesses the first time. That seemed so long ago… he was awfully young back then. This child, because that was what he was, no matter that he apparently was old enough to participate in a battle by Westerossi standards, also reminded him of his own boy when he was that age. And he seemed to have approached him with a reason. But who would want to talk with the dreaded Yiling Patriarch?

“I… I don´t know… how to start this, but…” the boy looked shyly at the fierce corpse between him and the person he was trying to reach. Wei Wuxian made him a signal so he retreated, well conscious that his master could deal with a youngster that wasn´t even a cultivator. “Do you understand me?”

“Yes… a bit… enough to communicate with you” he answered, smiling at the nervous boy. He looked adorable like that. “Maybe we should try to speak slowly, so we can understand each other.” He also didn´t know where to start. “Who are you, by the way?”

“Jon Snow… bastard son of Lord Eddard Stark” he answered. Ahhh, so those rumors have also found their way to here, no? And here he thought reason had eliminated them. “I… Lan Sizhui said I should talk to him, that there were unfounded rumors about you being the bastard of the late Lord Jiang… how… how did you get over them?”

“Well, I never believed them in the first place.” He said, being truthful. Uncle Jiang was nice to him, but he was never a father to Wei Wuxian. And he knew that. He wasn´t the best father in the world, though even he could see how much he cared about Jiang Cheng and Shijie… he was only meant to be the shield. “Uncle Jiang raised me, gave me a lot of things, but it was merely so I could be of use for his son. I was never a son to him, merely a shield for his children.”

“I´m sad to hear about that. At least, my father always treated me as a son. Not like Robb or Bran or even Rickon, but…” Jon Snow sat down near him as Wen Ning listened carefully to their conversation. “And Lady Catelyn never whipped me. Though she threw those looks at me that…”

“Don´t let them affect you” he waved it off. “And more than anything, don´t let that define your life. Or what your father thinks you should do. I was supposed to be a shield, you were supposed to be a…”

“A member of the Night´s Watch… an ancient order that was supposed to be an honorable call, but I found out was more like a glorified penal colony for the unwanted and scum of the Realm or those that had nowhere to go. Like a bastard” he sighed. “They said I could rise high.”

“The last words Uncle Jiang said to me before going off to join Madam Yu to try and save Lotus Pier was that I should protect Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli, even if I lost my life in the process. That I must devote my life to protect them” he sighed. “In the end, I choose with my own conscience. And somehow I don´t repent it. I… sacrificed a lot for Jiang Cheng and the Jiang legacy and it was never enough… then Lan Zhan came… and A-Yuan… also those I saved. Perhaps I was being selfish, but they made me see that enough was enough. I wanted to be happy too. To live with my son and marry the man I loved.”

“But what Lord Jiang…”

“He was not there anymore… and neither was Yu Ziyuan” he continued. “She said she hated me as her last words, that what happened to Lotus Pier was my fault… but that I should sacrifice everything for her children. That it was my duty” he sighed again. “But when it came to protect me, they abandoned me rather easily. I understood it too… so I still loved them… but Lan Zhan protected me even if it meant to lose face, that he would be hurt. And A-Yuan loved me for who I am, since the very moment I had him in my arms.”

“What is honor compared to a woman's love? What is duty against the feel of a newborn son in your arms ... or the memory of a brother's smile? Wind and words. Wind and words. We are only human, and the gods have fashioned us for love. That is our great glory, and our great tragedy.” Jon Snow said. “A very old and wise man told me that at the Wall.”

“And he was damn right, though in my case, it was a man” Wei Wuxian smirked. “Don´t worry about Lady Catelyn Stark, she can only hurt you as much as you allow her with those looks. And she is not the violent sort, like Madam Yu was. You are so young… live your live while you could and give yourself time to decide what to do.”

Wei Wuxian had seen Lady Catelyn Stark and knew from first sight that the Lady would never be as bad as Yu Ziyuan was. Both him and Jon Snow were in the same situation, where they needed to hide their capabilities or do worse than their brothers to not incurred in the rage of the women who were married to the men who had some control over their lives… but only one of the women was more prone and had the temper to bodily hurt one of them.

“Thank you, my Lady, it´s been really enlightening to me”

“Ehhh?”

“I will keep everything you said in mind.”

Wei Wuxian was frozen in his place as the boy left, Wen Ning actually laguhign behind him. My Lady? Did that boy believe that he was… no, that was not truth. He meant… surely Lan Zhan looked more like the Lady than him. And A-Yuan wouldn´t have told anyone about that joke he once said about birthing him… he wasn´t even sure the boy remembered it… though he had indeed called him A-Niang more than once before he died the first time. But no, he wouldn´t be that cruel as…

“I guess that you already found out, no, Lan-er-furen?” Nie Huaisang appeared, hiding his smile behind his fan. The Yiling Patriarch threw him a glare and the other one raised his hands. “I assure you, Wei-gongzi, that I didn´t have anything to do with that. Apparently, Jin Guangyao described you in one of his histories to the Westerossi as the wife of Hanguang-Jun and Lan Sizhui never bothered to correct that… though that was better, as cutsleeves are not as accepted by the society here as it is in Yi Ti.”

“I knew that man was going to continue being the bane of my existence, even after not seeing him for such a long time” he promised to raise the entirety of Castamere and Tarbeck Hall and sick them on Meng Yao. Guided by both Song Zichen and Wen Ning, who hadn´t stopped laughing. He would allow that though, the fierce corpse needed to laugh more. “Why did you come? I doubt it was only to have some fun at my expense.”

“I need your help at something. Or more, I need your experience as the Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, as we might have reasons to extend our stay… because of the Bloodstone legacy” Wei Wuxian´s eyes sharpened. He had read about the Bloodstone Emperor in the Lan Library more than once and Wen Ruohan also possessed books on that, which had been taken to the Cloud Recesses after the fall of Lianfang-Zun. “Oh, and Lady Lan´s help.”

“Nie Huaisang…”

“It´s something rather easy, I tell you, and perhaps it would be good to bring it to your attention before it progresses somehow and cause a diplomatic incident” he fanned himself. “It turns out that many Westerossi nobles are interested in stablishing marriage alliances with the Sect Leaders and Heirs of Yi Ti. It includes several Lord Paramount Houses and even the Queen herself. And several of the possible candidates are connected to you” Wei Ying was more than confused. “My name, Jiang Wanyin and Lan Xichen´s have been between those mentioned… even Jin Ling, Ouyang Zizhen and Lan Sizhui in some cases.”

“My A-Yuan?” he was now scared. He knew that eventually his baby boy would have to marry, perhaps even one of his adoptive cousins because neither of the Twin Jades had heirs of their bodies to continue the line of Lan An, but… “A-Ling and him are too young to marry!! The other boys too!! They are children and definitely too young to…”

“Weren´t Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan engaged as babies?”

“And look at how it ended!! Shijie was trapped with a fucking, idiotic peacock!! One I completely blame for A-Ling´s bad character traits!!! Well, him and Jiang Cheng, but that´s only because of the dog…” he frowned. “Even so, my baby and the other juniors are…”

“Yes, you already mentioned your ducklings are too young to get married, no matter that they are of age” Nie Huaisang waved the hand with the fan. “If this consoles you, the Queen isn´t interested in getting him married to anyone of her family. I think it might be because she finds him too low for one of her relatives.”

“Because I´m the Yiling Patriarch?”

“No, because you are, as Madam Yu would say, the son of a servant” Wei Wuxian could feel rage ignite inside of him. The time when he allowed someone to do him, or his son, less because of his ascendance, was long since passed. “I would suggest you first evaluate the options before deciding anything.”

“Why would I need to decide anything? A-Yuan is not getting married to…”

“But Jiang Wanyin might… and who knows, it might end up happening that one of your boys like a Westerossi. I heard that Jin Ling has made good friends with that redheaded girl of the Starks.” No, no… not that. Shijie, please, don´t let your son get married at such a young age!! He needed to prevent it!! “And it would be beneficial to at least know the candidates.”

“Sure” to spook them away from his babies… though he might give it a try in Jiang Cheng´s case. After all, he had gotten himself blacklisted by every woman and man in the Jianghu… not that he liked men. “Who are the proposed candidates?”

Nie Huaisang smirked.

-Inside the Red Keep-

Jiang Cheng couldn´t stop laughing. He meant… this was truly funny!! The funniest thing he had heard in several years!!! And such a weird occasion to have fun at Wei Wuxian´s expense without having to deal with that Ice Cold Jade Statue of his… it was even funnier than sticking Fairy on him!!! Jin Ling merely looked at him as if he was crazy, but the idea that some of those idiot Westerossi nobles think that his former shixiong was a woman… he had never found any of Jin Guangyao´s plans even the least funny, even before he had found out that he had planned the deaths of his nephew´s parents, but the idea of making the dreaded Yiling Patriarch a Lady because of one misunderstanding and a love song that had been popularized by the bards there… it was just hilarious!!!

“Jiujiu, you shouldn´t be laughing so hard. Those idiots were disrespecting Daifu, and thus disrespecting the Jiang Sect” Jiang Wanyin continued to laugh. Wei Wuxian wasn’t part of his Sect anymore, so he wasn´t his responsi… “And speaking of him as if he was a whore, saying that they would make him open his legs for him…”

The laugh immediately stopped, as the Jiang Sect Leader could feel a vein in his forehead about to explode and Zidian emitting sparkles in response to it´s owner´s rage. They said WHAT?!! HOW DARE THEY SPEAK ABOUT HIS BROTHER LIKE THAT?!! Though… though they weren´t brothers anymore and Wei Wuxian wasn´t a problem of his either, as he wasn´t a Jiang disciple any…

“Yes, Edmure Tully and his friends had a bet about who would get to bed Daifu first. A stupid thing, because we both know that he would never… hey, Jiujiu, where are you going?!!”

Jiang Cheng was furious, enough to throw possible caution and diplomacy to the wind and murder those idiots. In the corridor, he found Lan Wangji, who seemed to be on the same state as him despite his icy outside. Good, the man had married his brother, it was his duty to protect his honor too. Just like it was his duty as Wei Wuxian´s brother to defend his honor when it was put into question. And this Edmure Tully and his stupid friends have done more than enough to earn death by Zidian. Or by Bichen. A slow and painful death.

Chapter Text

Queen Selyse was surely not expecting this, Wei Wuxian though with a smile on his face, though he rarely did what people believed he would do. All his life, the only person that could predict his movement was Nie Huaisang… and that was because he could manipulate anyone, even the mastermind Jin Guangyao, into doing whatever he wanted. Still, he approached and bowed to her, as it was supposed to be done. If he was going to act the part of a Lady of a Great House, as it was said in Westeros, then he was going to behave like one. With a certain amount of pride, of course. Selyse seemed to like this even less. He smirked, of course she wouldn´t like that sort of attitude in the daughter of a mere household knight, as he was in her mind, no matter to whom she was married, but refrained from saying something. After all, she couldn´t anger the Yi Tish now that they were finally going to join the Starks in their attack on the Westerlands.

“Shouldn´t you be prepared for moving towards Castamere, Lady Lan?” the Queen said as she slurped some tea. She hadn´t received an official answer from Nie Huaisang… though she wasn´t expecting one either. The girls that she would be offering the highborn Yitish weren´t yet there. “You shouldn´t underestimate the Lannisters simply because you are a very capable fighter.”

“I am not, but before going, I have to talk about something with you” Wei Wuxian dared to sit down in the chair in front of the woman. “It´s reached my ears that some young knights from the Riverlands have managed to offend my beloved husband, my shidi and my martial nephew at a time. Apparently, they were heard saying that they would be able to bed me and were betting on who would be the first.”

“Perhaps if you didn’t have such an awful reputation…”

“Yes, that again… but I can´t help it, I have had that kind of reputation since I was young. After all, there were rumors about my parenthood” he answered. “They said that Jiang Fengmian was my true father. Madam Yu hated me because of that. Even when those rumors were discouraged, she still took it out on me during my time as her ward.”

“And how, if I would know, were the rumors discouraged?”

“Because Jiang Fengmian had been in Lotus Pier all the time, taking care of Yummeng, while my father and mother left it shortly after deciding to marry. They didn´t return nor were they close to Lotus Pier until they visited when I was two namedays old” even Selyse Baratheon had difficult rebating that answer. “Yu Ziyuan knew that really well and still whipped me quite often or whenever she had the humor.”

“Is that everything you want to tell me? A few knights that are talking about bedding you because of your awful reputation? Your husband being angry about that? He should have married a better wife if he wanted to avoid something like that. And neither me not the king could control what some nobles say, much less with your reputation, you and your husband very well let it go.” she lowered her teacup. “A long dead woman using your supposed illegitimacy to take her anger out on you? That´s not something new in any land and I think you haven´t suffered much from that in the last few years. And definitely were not above using your… assets… to win a good marriage.”

“Oh, believe me, I wasn´t the one to first approach Lan-er-gongzi back in the day.” He smiled. “But no, that´s not the only thing that I wanted to talk to you about. It has come to my ears thanks to a friend, that you are offering members of your own family as brides to some of the Lords, including my goodbrother, Lan Xichen” he continued, watching every reaction Selyse had to his words. “And while I think that it would calm some people down to see him married, I don´t see that happening soon… and Xichen doesn´t have any reason to change that, not when he is happy with having my husband and son as heirs.”

“I think that the right woman could make any man change their minds.”

“I´m sure, but I´m surprised that, considering how he is the current single heir, you haven´t taken my Sizhui into account in your plans” he was quite amused by the reaction she tried to hide. Repulsion… probably for bastards. “He is quite the comely boy and it would soothe my heart to see him settled, though he still hasn´t chosen a good Yitish lady, so I thought that I should try with someone from your country.”

“Back when I made effort, I didn´t know who to offer, considering the… particular situation of your son. But I think I can lend a hand to you” Selyse offered a smile, one that make her look a little bit like a fox. “How about Falia Flowers? She is quite pretty, daughter of Lord Hewett and in the right age to marry. Though… considering his station, perhaps we should consider some higher standing woman… maybe Myrcella Hill or Joy Hill? It would be quite the solution to take the former Princess all the way to Yi Ti. It might also save her life.”

“What about Margaery Tyrell?” the woman coughed.

“My Lady, I consider Lady Tyrell, who is the widow of my goodbrother, a very dear friend and think that she should marry closer to home. Besides, I doubt that she would want to change Highgarden for the dangerous Mountains of Gusu.”

“I see” Wei Wuxian said, with a smile. “Well, I guess then that I should prepare to depart to Castamere, knowing that you will take care of those affairs. Until we find each other again, your Grace.”

He bowed and left, repressing the need to laugh. Frankly, it had been funny to toy with that woman, more than enough to compensate him for the murder he had to avoid last night for diplomatic reasons. He meant… it was nice to think that Jiang Cheng still considered him important enough to threaten some idiots for some mere words. And flattering that Lan Zhan wanted to defend his honor so much, even after they had showed each other again and again that they were the only ones for each other. He didn´t need to punish a bunch of idiots for saying stupid things, not if he was going to cause a diplomatic crisis. Well, at least for now, his A-Yuan and A-Ling were watching them… and Ouyang Zizhen was watching them. If he could count on that one on something, it was to be the voice of reason of the group. Though he was a bit absent and thoughtful those days. Humm, back to his fun…

“Lady Olenna Redwyne, let me tell you that I have heard much about you and wanted to get to know you personally, without the presence of your granddaughter” Wei Wuxian bowed to the woman, who merely stopped her guards from trying to engage him with a gesture of her hand. Smart Lady.

“If you have heard about me, then you should know that I can´t take small talk. Out with it, girl, what is it that you want?”

“I´m merely thinking about the prospects of marriage of my goodbrother and son. I have heard from Nie Huaisang that you are planning some marriages to bring our nations closer, including himself and your granddaughter… a match he is actually considering seriously.”

“Of course he is, Margaery is a prize that should have only been given to a King. Sadly, Stannis survived and won, so we have to change our plans. Or she” he and Olenna exchanged looks. “You certainly weren´t thinking that this was a love match, no?”

“Very few matches are like that, even in Yi Ti” he sat down in front of the Queen of Thorns. “I find myself lucky for having such one. But my Shijie was married for political reasons… and still managed to find love with her husband. By the time their son was born, they were smitten with each other.”

“Hummm, that sometimes happens, to those that are lucky. Too bad her luck run off short time after her babe´s birth, no?” he didn´t show his emotions at those words. “Enough of that, though, what are you truly here for? Have you found any fault in the matches we wish despite having not met the Ladies?”

“Oh, I wouldn´t dare… but I also want the best for my son” he crossed his arms. “I know that you are thinking of matching him with a Fossoway, though you are offering a much better offer to my beloved shidi…”

“Are you saying that you want us to exclude Lord Jiang.”

“Oh, for Heaven´s sake, no!!! The gods know he is going to need all the help he could get if he wants to over find a wife.” He rolled his eyes. Madam Yu would be rolling up in her grave if she knew how much Wei Wuxian was doing to help her son find a wife. Even if it was a foreigner wife. “Do you know that he somehow got rejected by three ladies of lesser Houses and since then no woman wants to marry him?”

“Your point?”

“I´m glad for your help finding potential matches for my shidi, but I have to think that the nieces of Lord Fossoway wouldn´t do.” He approached more, snatching a piece of cheese. “I think you also might think that, considering my dear goodbrother´s reputation” he thought again about Lan Xichen and his practically widowhood after the death of Nie Mingjue. That one wouldn´t marry even if he was dragged to the altar by Lan Quiren himself. “What do you think?”

“We are also bringing the Tarly, Hightower and Rowan maidens. He is free to court any of them under watch if he finds one of them more pleasing than the Fossoway maidens” Olenna Tyrell nodded. “Though I have to say I´m surprised that you are complaining about that. You have seen my grandson´s wife, Lady Leonette, in the company of my granddaughter. I´m sure you are aware of how pretty she is.”

“I have to keep my options open” he sighed. “Besides, considering that Zewu-Jun might never marry and my husband and I haven´t been blessed again, I´m pretty sure the Elders of the Lan Clan are thinking about marrying my A-Yuan to one of his Lan cousins. And there are plenty of them that are very pretty.”

“Seriously? And here I thought that Lans only married for love.”

“It´s exactly the reason why my goodfather´s and husband´s marriages were so unpopular, but the Elders of the Lan Clan were forced to accept them. I doubt they are going to extend that benefit to a third generation, especially with the future of the main family on the line. They might force the union if they think they are capable of. And knowing how dutiful my son is, he might accept his destiny.”

“Dutiful is better than a complete fool” Olenna said, rolling her own eyes. “Like my idiot of a son, Lord Puffish. It´s his fault that we are in this situation right now.”

“You mean after your failed attempt to crown Lord Renly? Or the alliance with the Lannisters that went wrong?” he raised an eyebrow. “Yes, my son told me everything about it. Now you are trying to cling to what´s been your family´s for centuries, knowing exactly how much of a threat a Florent Queen is.” He smirked. “It´s why I´m here, Jin Guangyao nearly kills me more than once, also my son. So I want him dead, for my family´s sake.”

“Everything is done for our family´s sake, no?” the old widow answered. “I will see what I can do. But you should consider the Elder´s suggestion. After all, they
might not like you, but they want House Lan to grow stronger, from what I can gather.”

“I will”

Wei Wuxian left, having taken a measure of Olenna Tyrell. She was a cunning woman, who always knew what to say, even in situations that might not favor him. And she wanted her family to be protected most of all. That was her main aim, something he liked… but her ambition needed to be controlled. If they allowed them that, Olenna and Margaery Tyrell would expand the influence of their family to Yi Ti and try to gain everything they could, including in the political ambit. He trusted Nie Huaisang to keep those ambitions under control, though. He wasn´t a pushover, not anymore. And talking about that…

“Have you had a satisfactory talk with our resident lion?” Wei Wuxian asked as he found his friend examining the maps for the last time. Technically, he should have already departed with Song Zichen and Wen Ning towards Castamere, but before that he wanted to talk to some people about… delicate issues. “I heard that you went again to the Black Cells.”

“He is willing to bend the knee, if King Stannis names him Lord of Casterly Rock and Lord Paramount of the Westernlands… also that he keeps his brother and the children alive” Nie Huaisang grabbed a paper that he had close. “And talking about that, Tywin Lannister himself sent me a communication via a spy. Of course, I already knew he was a spy long ago, but decided to keep him close to feed false information to the other side.”

“Not the first time you have fed people false information. Or something worse” the Yiling Patriarch crossed his arms, remembering all the manipulation that earned that delicate looking man his nickname. “What did Tywin Lannister do? Threaten to conquer Yi Ti if we didn´t bow down and return to our homeland?”

“More like accepting that he is at disadvantage as soon as us, cultivators, are still here. So he is trying to convince us to leave. And with an empty hand” he passed it to his old classmate. “He is offering brides from the Westerlands to a lot of our people. He even included Nie Zonghui, by the way” he chuckled to himself. “He wants to pair my cousin with a rich heiress called Alysanne Lefford. Of course, their children would take her name, but he would have his own castle and lands.”

“Zonghui is too loyal to the memory of Chifeng-Zun and to you to even think about leaving the Unclean Realm behind” he opened the letter. “Another thing I have to know before I read what the Lion Lord said?”

“He mentions your little radish and your martial nephew… also your shidi and Xichen-ge.”

“Seriously?”

That was nearly all of his family. If he had included Nie Huaisang too… no, he had definitely included him, which meant that the man was definitely including not only all his family, but his closest friends. He read it very carefully. Alysanne Lefford for Nie Zonghui… it made sense in paper, but as he said, he wouldn´t leave the Unclean Realm. Cerisse Frey for Jiang Cheng… considering the options that his shidi had until then, he would be open to consider them both, as he was sure that Jiang Fengmian would prefer for his son to marry and have children to continue the Jiang line. Something that wouldn´t happen if they limited their search for brides to the Jianghu. Janei Lannister for Jin Ling… and a considerable sum of pure gold for that engagement to hold despite the time it would take for the girl to flower. He didn´t think Jin Ling would like that, as he would want to start having children as soon as possible. The next closest heir would be Jin Chang, who was too much like his father to entrust him the Jin Sect. An older bride would catch his attention more. The man even offered his daughter Cersei to Xichen-ge and his granddaughter Myrcella to Nie Huaisang… he didn´t like how insulting the offering of a known adulteress to his sanctimonious brother-in-law or how the Sect Leaders would find the offering of a bastard to the Chief Cultivator. He nearly teared the hand in two when he offered Joy Hill to Sizhui, of course after Tommen legitimized her. A legitimized Lannister for a legitimized Lan, he said.

“Calm down, you are getting your chance to shove that thing right up his ass” the Viper of Quinghe said, crossing his arms. “Keep that resentment for when the battle starts. You are going to have a lot of work at Castamere and Tarbeck Hall.”

“How do you know…”

“He practically insulted your little radish and no one messes with your baby” the Nie Sect Leader answered, putting his hands on his hips. “Besides, your eyes are glowing red right now, just as they were before Nightless City.”

“Don´t mention it, please” he closed his eyes. Then sighed. “When we return, I will personally arrange some marriage interviews for A-Yuan with the candidates approved by the Elders. It´s finally time for him to settle down.”

“And give you grandchildren that are not rabbits?”

“As if you aren´t being pressured by the Nie Elders to marry soon!!”

“Oh, they gave up long ago. More when I did what I did to the Yaos” it was the reason why Sect Leader Yao and his family had become pariahs in the Jianghu. Also why Zizhen was no longer betrothed to one of the Yao daughters, but Sect Leader Ouyang continued to be friends with the man for some reason. “That´s why I´m considering the offer made by the Tyrells so seriously. Lady Margaery is a very good prospect and would make a good Madam Nie. It would be better if she was a cultivator, but I´m as much a pariah to female ones as Jiang Wanyin is.”

“No, you are merely scary, he is rude” he sighed, remembering how his shidi managed to offend a woman so much that she got him blacklisted. “Do you really think that´s going to work for you?”

“Not only for me, but for many others. Haven´t you seen Ouyang Zizhen spending time recently with a nice lady called Arwyn Frey?” Wei Wuxian´s mouth opened in horror. “Don´t worry, your ducklings understand that they couldn´t marry without your permission. They seek it more than the ones of their parents.”

“Sect Leader Ouyang wouldn´t dare…”

“He would, when he hears that Walder Frey offered the bride´s weight in silver. That might at least made him consider the match” Nie Huaisang said. “And it´s not like the girl is going to live as much as a cultivator would. She would die much faster and then Zizhen could get remarried and have children with a female cultivator of his own choosing, perhaps even a Yao of the new generation… and even so, she might leave sons behind with strong golden cores if they are raised well. Or that´s what he might think.”

“At least no one mentioned the Yus” Wei Wuxian said, already seeing the reaction that Madam Yu´s eldest sister and her daughters and sons would have if someone dared to threat them as normal ladies.

“In fact, Lady Tanda Stokeworth invited Yu Yansen to eat with her and her daughter, proposing him to marry Lollys Stokeworth.”

Wei Ying actually shuddered. He had never actually met the relatives of Madam Yu, but knowing the kind of woman that had come out of their family, then they would feel insulted and made it known to everyone with their wrath at their son, who despite never inheriting was a strong cultivator, being offered a simple, ugly lady for a wife, no matter that she would come with lands and a castle in Westeros. He better got out of there before that explosion took place, because he didn´t want to give Lan Zhan more reasons to be angry, much less at Jiang Cheng for his mother´s cruelty. So he went to collect Son Lang and Wen Ning, then said goodbye to his ducklings and his brother-in-law, attempted to do the same to his brother but only earned a frown, and took off with Lan Zhan. He was the one that was going to take him in Bichen to the places that were selected as his targets.

And, as soon as he stepped down from Bichen, he could tell why. Castamere was deserted, but there was a lot of resentment there. Resentment directed towards the man that killed all the people that died there, Tywin Lannister. Lan Zhan was uneasy. He would normally try to make the spirits there to rest in peace, to bring sooth to their souls so they could go onto the cycle instead of being trapped in those mines, but they were instead using them as an army to weaken the Lannisters before the main force arrived.

“Well, time to begin” Wei Ying said as Song Zichen arrived. “Let´s hope that Tywin Lannister doesn´t really believe the tales about the ghosts and fierce corpses I am able to convoke to fight my battles.”

“Wei Ying…”

“Lan Zhan, you know that Jin Guangyao already told him about the Sunshot Campaign and my particular method of cultivating.” He took his dizzi out of his belt. “Whether they really believe the tales… that´s another thing.”

Wen Ning had gone directly to Tarbeck Hall, their next spot to attack. The Ghost General had strict orders to keep himself hidden until Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji arrived. To do that quickly, more out of worry for his old friends than anything else, Wei Wuxian started playing Wangxian with Chengquin. The flute resonated all over the ruined fortress, soon being joined by the sounds of the fierce corpses that were woken up from death by the sound of the instrument and the resentment energy that was now feeding them. Even the corpses of a woman in a dress that once must have been lavish, but now looked like dirty rags; and a man with stray locks of red hair. And entire army of them.

“I have given you the lead, march this army towards the Rock” he then turned to his husband. “Now let´s meet Wen Ning in Castamere.”

-In Casterly Rock-

Lord Tywin Lannister was eyeing the positions of his different forces around the Westerlands. By his side, his brother Kevan was drinking more than it was advisable. Because, while Lancel managed to escape to the Rock safely with Cersei and Tyrek, the news of the taking of the Golden Tooth by the Stark boy had put him in a very compromised position. Just to be sure, Kevan had sent Dorna and Janei, who were visiting her niece in the moment the war exploded, to the Golden Tooth. It was said to be inexpugnable and was closer to them than Casterly Rock even if not by much. He recriminated himself that he should have told them to come back to the Rock instead of closer to a place that could be besieged by the Stark army in any moment… but the Stark Army was supposed to stay in the Riverlands!!

“Kevan, is the Redwyne fleet already here?”

“Not yet, but surely they are on their route” he answered, ever his brother´s loyal henchman. “Paxter Redwyne and Mace Tyrell… and his mother, who really controls the Reach… know that they are not exactly of Stannis Baratheon´s liking, much less since they tried to position Renly on the Throne along with their little Golden Rose, so they must be eager to prove their loyalty to him in any way…”

“They won´t support us? Not even with the danger that a Florent Queen poises to the Tyrell´s holding on Highgarden?”

“Apparently, they think that we are going to lose now that we are facing practically all Westeros by ourselves, it´s more probable that we are going to lose.”

“And the Yitish? Have they at least answered?”

“No, not yet. But I know that your letter has reached the man they called Chief Cultivator” Ser Kevan answered. “There is hope on that side, though. He has discussed the advantage of retiring from the war with his advisor, Nie Zonghui, but he is not that agreeable to the matches you set in exchange to leave the war. I mean, he favors the one between him and Myrcella and the one for his cousin. He thinks that Janei is too young for Jin Ling, who needs an heir as soon as possible even according to his uncle, and Jiang Wanyin needs a softer maiden than Cerisse, who sadly shares a lot of Genna´s personality. He has strict requirements about what he wants in a wife and doesn´t deviate on them. It´s caused great troubles to both House Jiang and House Yu.”

“And the Lans?”

“He thinks he might convince Lan Xichen, but Lan Wangji and Wei Ying are going to need something else to be convinced. And my spy says that the Dark Witch of Yi Ti is cleverer than we would have thought.” He served himself another glass of wine. “The spies in the Red Keep sent me some news about her confronting Selyse Florent, the Queen of Thorns and Lady Catelyn Stark. And Lan Wangji seemed to be angry about something, though it´s difficult to know with a man as quiet as him.”

Tywin looked out of the window, very thoughtful. Wei Ying… he had never thought much of her. A figure of terror for the superstitious people of Yi Ti, a soldier that helped decimating the Wen House, turning the tides of the Sunshot Campaign; then a Dark Witch that freed dangerous prisoners of war that turned out to be harmless old people and women who had the poor luck of being born with the last name Wen, though they were harmless; but that was enough to make the whole noble houses to recruit an army (Jin Guangshan had apparently turned the surviving Wens, even the old men, women and children, into slaves; something that wasn´t tolerated in Westeros nor in Yi Ti) and went to slay him. She was defeated and the refugees killed… but she survived and managed to return years later, when her husband and Nie Huaisang exculpated her. And before that, she had birthed a son, Lan Sizhui, who was almost the only heir to the Lan House… he never thought about her like an impediment, more like a woman tired of fighting that had settled down and become a normal lady. But she was starting to become a nuisance. Not one as big as that whore Ellyn Reyne once was, which increased her chances of surviving, but…

“Lord Tywin!!!”

“The Seven have mercy!!!”

“The Seven Hells have been opened!!”

“It´s the Dark Witch of Yi Ti!!!”

Lord Tywin and Ser Kevan Lannister run towards the closest wall, where they saw Liafang Zun using a Myrish glass to look at the advancing army. He passed the object to both Lannister brothers, who were dumbfounded when they saw the kind of army that was approaching them. It was an army completely made of corpses. Some that they, unfortunately, recognized. Lord Lannister felt a shiver run down his spine as he recognized, despite the state of the corpses, Lady Ellyn Tarbeck and her son Tion amongst the crowd. And in the front, there was a big man, pale as a corpse, but clearly intelligent. He was using a sword that seemed to cut easily through the bodies of his men, leaving a mark. Lord Tywin recognized him from one of the songs, Son Lang.

“Gives you the creeps, no? Seeing it from this side of the battlefield” the man said as he watched the corpses advance on the Rock, wailing and bringing down whatever unfortunate soldier that was outside. And it didn´t seem like the walls and other defenses of the Rock would stop them forever. “It´s a sight I haven´t seen since I was spying for the Sunshot Campaign on Wen Ruohan´s court.”

“For the Seven, what is that?” Ser Kevan swore.

“The March of the Corpses, the Yiling Laozu´s immortal army that never needs to eat nor to sleep nor… anything to maintain themselves really” Jin Guangyao answered with a smile. One that didn´t augur anything good. “Now you know what the Wens saw in each battle before they were taken apart by the corpses.”

“And what are we going to do?” Ser Kevan asked.

“I have planned a few diversions.” He said, frowning. Ser Kevan knew that they were safer in that moment, or at least have more time to plan something. If something he had learned from that man, it was that he was prepared. “Also put boiling oil in the direction of Castamere and Tarbeck Hall, as they are the possible bases Wei Wuxian might take.”

“Castamere is occupied, I have put…”

“They must have already been exterminated by his favorite guard dog.”

The sound of a flute and the screams of more corpses started to arrive from the direction of Castamere. Tywin Lannister cursed, he never thought that once the Rains of Castamere would become his worst mistake. After this, he might never want to listen to the damn song again… and he might start to take into account what he heard about the Dark Witch. He smirked, frankly he could see now why Lan Wangji decided to court the woman despite her awful reputation, it was more than him being a love-stricken fool. Pretty much like him and Joanna, he had recognized something worthy in the woman to make her his wife and mother of his children… or only child. He also could tell why Jin Guangshan wanted her dead, taking all her knowledge for himself. Yes, he could understand what both men had wanted now that he saw for himself the power of the Dark Witch, specially as he watched the Castamere army approaching, Roger and Reynard Reyne at the head, their bloated corpses standing over the rest of the forces. They were leaded also by a pale man dragging chains behind him. Again, he recognized him from the songs. Wen Ning, the Ghost General, and Wei Ying´s favorite guard dog. The very same Tyrion warned them the Witch had sent to ward her son and nephew from any harm in Westeros.

“Kevan” he stood tall. He wasn´t going to run with his tail between his legs, much less when it was a woman the one that was facing him. “Tell Cersei to prepare herself and the children, then tell Tyrek and Lancel that they are accompanying the King to Essos, where he is going to be safer until I have put this under control.”

“Are we going to be able to survive this, Tywin?”

“I don´t know, but… I doubt we have many other options.”

-In Dorne-

Doran Martell had received the news of the arrival of the Yitish forces with a bit of skepticism, as he doubted they would be able to change much the tide of the war. Though, apparently, he was mistaken. And he blamed himself for that. Neither him nor Oberyn had been present in the battles fought in the Rebellion, which made them unable to see first hand the true extend of the martial uses of the power Liafang Zun had. Of course, when they had heard the songs and the tales he brought from his homeland, he barely thought about it before dismissing them as the words of a charlatan. Oberyn, of course, had gone and done some investigation, returning with tales about what the man could do. Though neither brother liked the man, Lannister lickspittle as he was. They talked about ways to neutralize him… but apparently he had opened a door to something else, something…

It had not been entirely a surprise when he heard that Viserys Targaryen had gotten himself killed by his Dothraki goodbrother. He had begun to have his doubts about the boy when he heard the reports about him being unstable, but he continued with the plan as he considered Arianne strong enough to put her to-be husband on his place when she was Queen and take the reigns of the Realm. Surely she was stronger than Rhaella had ever been. But then Viserys had died and the plan had changed. So he sent Quentyn to marry Daenerys Targaryen, to become King Consort to a girl that had shown she was also strong… but needed a husband to have children and teach her about the Realm she was to govern. And, again, Arianne was free to marry someone else and become the Princess of Dorne she ever wanted to be. She also wouldn´t be the first Ruling Princess of Dorne to marry a foreigner, Alyandra Nymeros Martell had set that precedent. For power. Now, Arianne was going to have to do the same. Which was why he summoned both her and his brother to his solar that day. That and the letter he had received from the Stag King.

“You are certainly not going to do it, no, brother?” Oberyn asked, taking a seat. “We have done much to kneel before another fucking stag, even if this one is putting the Lannisters in their place, in whichever of the Seven Hells they deserved to…”

“But that´s exactly what we are going to do, at least for the moment.” Doran answered his brother without losing his calm. “Don´t worry, I´m not going to abandon our revenge. In the meantime, I´m going to send you to the capital with other lords of Dorne and enough bannermen to finish the Lannister uprising. In other words, you are going to be my eyes and ears on the battlefield, Oberyn. In the meantime” he turned towards his daughter, who was looking down at her hands, pouting. “Arianne, you have to be the same for me in King´s Landing. And I´m also sending you with another mission, to find yourself a husband. A Prince Consort worthy of ruling Dorne by your side.”

“Father…” her face went brighter. “I thought that Quentyn…”

“Quentyn is now in a longer, harder path. And you, as my natural heiress, will assume the role of Princess of Dorne some day. You need to have the right man by your side” Doran said, looking at his daughter. “I have heard that recently, the Yitish have arrived in force, with many lords and their heirs, but also spares. You have the freedom to choose between them.”

“Brother, why Yitish? I´m pretty sure that there is plenty of eligible bachelors here in Dorne that would love to marry the future…”

“The Yitish possess a power we have barely begun to comprehend. And we won´t if we don´t have some of them teaching us about that. I´m sure other Houses have also seen the potential this power has and are already trying to match some of their own with the Yitish nobles that now are on the market. In fact, I heard that Lady Tanda Stokeworth has reached an agreement with a certain Lord Yao to marry her daughter Lollys to his third son, despite her being despoiled and having a bastard.”

“Poor man”

“But that is good, it means that some of them are open to the possibility of marrying here in Westeros or taking some of our maidens as brides. The Tyrells between them are hoping for several matches with the Great Houses of Yi Ti.”

“Hummm, I guess I will have to write to Willas to check the veracity of those claims before I leave for the capital” Oberyn was already thinking about that. “And I guess that you are also sending my dear Ellaria, my oldest girls and some eligible heirs and heiresses to make other matches if it´s possible, no?”

“We have to keep all possibilities open” Doran said, then looked at his daughter. “Don´t disappoint me.”

“I won´t” she answered with a smile. After all, this was the mission she was most adequate for.

Chapter Text

Tyrion Lannister had never particularly liked the Rains of Castamere, but as he approached the place his father had let to fall in disrepair, he couldn´t help but appreciate the irony. His father´s favorite song and one of his greatest achievements, the extermination of rebel Houses Reyne and Tarbeck, into something that now threatened him. He also found himself thinking that, as beautiful as she could be, there was no way he would marry a woman like that. He didn´t know what that Lan lordling was thinking… though, from the way he had seen him looking at her and her at him… he knew it was a long lost dream, that no maiden would ever look at him, a deformed dwarf, in such a way, but still… he wondered for a second why he had still asked Stannis for Jaime´s life despite the truth he had revealed when they were both allowed to reunite in the Black Cells. Tysha had looked at him with such eyes… now he didn´t even know where she was or if she would ever direct one of those looks towards him ever again. Not since what his father had done.

“Are you still thinking that you could charm such a woman into opening her legs?” he asked to a pale looking Edmure Tully. “I wouldn´t and you know that I can be quite the charmer.”

“No”

“I thought so”

Though how much of it was because of the cold dead glare said woman´s husband was sending the way of the Riverlands knights all the time they were at court, the hot ones said woman´s brother was sending their way as he promised death, the one her nephew did for having offended his aunt, the one her son did for what he was told they were saying about his mother, the fact that the three of them were Lords or heirs of Great Houses of Yi Ti, the dressing down Stannis had given them when he was made aware of this nearly diplomatic incident by his master of whispers, the Red Woman, or the dressing down the Blackfish had given his nephew on behalf of House Tully and Lady Catelyn for possibly ruining her plan for the advantages of the Riverlands and the North… he didn´t know what had been worst on poor Edmure Tully. Or perhaps his unhealthy appearance was due to the prospect of marrying a Frey to free his Stark nephew of his own betrothal. Lord Frey had been more open to that change after Lord Bolton married his granddaughter, and Lord Ouyang had asked about a possible marriage between his heir and one his many daughters. Apparently, he had tried to get him married for a long time, but he hadn´t exactly been very open to that until meeting the lady. He guessed it was one of the nubile ones. Though, from what he gathered from Lord Ouyang´s proposed brides for his son, he agreed with the boy. What the Lord was thinking, when his old friend Lord Yao was as desperate as to marry his son to Lollys Stokeworth between all noble ladies for a few pieces of silver…

“Lord Tywin must be distracted enough by now” Nie Huaisang said by Tyrion´s side, one of the few that were on horses instead on his sword. From what he could gather, the man didn´t use his saber much. Or at least leave it to his escorts. “Unfortunately, my dear San-ge isn´t. He knows me quite well now and knows who he is playing go with. He must have placed wards around the place, to keep the dark creatures away. Wei-gongzi is smart enough to take them down, but it´s going to take some time… and while Lianfang-Zun´s golden core isn´t that strong thanks to his late start in cultivation, it isn´t anything to laugh at either. And he must have also put to work the stronger golden cores of his children.”

“If you need to infiltrate the Rock, then I know the cistern…”

“He must already know that, likely placed soldiers there expecting an infiltration” Nie Huaisang said. “No, we need to take another sort of approach, as the usual won´t work.” His smirk widened. “It´s a pity that the Greyjoys refused to become our allies, preferring to remain neutral. Having their navy would have made things easier for us…”

“You are planning a naval attack?” Edmure Tully asked, surprised. “I thought that the Redwine fleet was still coming. And the Lannister one is guarding Lannisport, so it wouldn´t be so easy to take.”

“Who said that I was going to attack with a Navy? When it´s a fight on the water you want, you leave it to the Yummeng Jiang” the Lannister ships started to lit of fire. “They also have one of the best archers in Yi Ti, besides of wanting to recover their prestige in the naval battlefield since the Wen navy destroyed them at Lotus Pier.”

“Lord Tywin isn´t going to like it, it was something like this that sent him against the Ironborn”

“I know” Nie Huaisang said when she covered his face with his fan. “That´s why I know that he won´t fall for the ruse so easily, especially with the barrier A-Yao put around the castle. But he still won´t trust it, so he would send his daughter and greatest political peons to somewhere safe under the cover of the night and a few of his mightiest galleons to protect the ship. Maybe he even sent some members of his family with them to make sure his idiot of a daughter doesn´t ruin everything up.”

“Cersei is not particularly bright, but how do you know…”

“I know because I asked around the Red Keep what she did as Queen of Westeros, if she ever championed a charity or did something that someone politically sound would do… she never bothered with that.” His expression remained unreadable. “The money in the coffers of the kingdom was hers to spend on frivolous things… the way she spent gold would have scandalized even a Jin. And that without the many lovers she apparently took… the servants are quite there, you know.”

“It seems that Varys has some competition as master of whispers.”

“Oh, no, I have enough work in my homeland to lose time with some on the other side of the world when it´s not concerning us” he frowned. Then looked. “Oh, look at that. Apparently someone did take the bait.”

“What in the…”

“Sandu Shenshou certainly is enjoying this, he wouldn´t be wielding Zidian in such a way if he didn´t” he chuckled darkly. “Well, he always has had a bone to pick with A-Yao, especially after he ordered the murders of his sister and goodbrother. I bet he wants to rip something from him that means as much as Jiang Yanli did to him… no, something more important, like Jin Ling. He has always considered his nephew as a son” suddenly another sword appeared close to him.
“Er-ge!! I thought you were going to be with the other Lans, taking care of the ships. We do not need reinforcements here.”

“Shufu is more than capable of leading the capture in my stead” Lan Xichen seemed unhappy with something. “And I can trust in his honor. He won´t harm defenseless women and children nor let anyone with him do it.”

“Really? Because I can remember a time when…”

“We were all victims of a lie then” he answered, glaring at the Chief Cultivator. The Lords were looking at one and the other alternative. They had never witnessed such a tense exchange, much less between a Lord Hand and Lord Paramount. “You should know, your own brother was involved and he was an honorable man himself.”

“The question remains, why are you here, Er-ge?” he put the edge of his closed fan to his mouth. “Certainly you don´t believe anymore that I´m unable to get out alive of a situation like this one.”

“I´m here to make sure that you behave in the honorable way and, if there is to be a parlay, you don´t attack and break it.”

“Do you consider me capable?”

“After the Guanyin Temple, there is nothing that I consider you incapable of.”

“Thanks for the confidence, Er-ge, but he assured, I will never stain the honor of the Nie in such a way” he answered, opening his fan. “As you most certainly aren´t here to make sure a certain criminal escapes justice again merely because you once held some affection for him, am I right?”

“I would never stain the honor of the Lan either, A-Yao will receive the punishment he deserves. Besides, you know that your brother was my oldest friend, almost like a blood brother… it´s the reason I took care of you so much after he died, when I thought you were only a scared and grieving youngster” the other smirked. “A-Yao too… to some degree.” Their gazes were practically clashing with each other. “You might only hold hate in your heart for him, but I… I´m only hoping that there is enough humanity in you to allow him to have a quick and lawful death.”

“It´s the only way this is going to end after all”

Tyrion Lannister was starting to worry, but it seemed like there was no need. Whatever Nie Huaisang had planned, despite the barriers of Liafang Zun, had ended up in putting the defenders of the Rock very nervous. Though he had to admit that he would also be nervous if the ghosts of the Reynes and the Tarbecks were coming for him. Also, the commanders of that Army of the dead were none other than the famous Ghost General and Bitter Snow. And, backing them, was equally unfamous Yiling Laozu. Now he understood why Wei Ying had the reputation she had between the Yitish. He was surprised that the woman managed to get herself a husband with those abilities. Certainly not what many men would call attractive… though that might only be the Westerosi thing. Though he can see the irony when Wei Wuxian started to play the Rains of Castamere with her flute to command her army. Surely his father wouldn´t be enjoying that song in a very long time.

“Wangji…” Zewu-Jun said, looking at the distance.

“Don´t worry about them, they are about to stop soon” Nie Huaisang explained, looking at everything as if he was seeing a board of cyvasse. “It´s time for the Old Lion to try to parlay with us. He would want, considering the offers he gave me to marry some of us to some of the most wanted Ladies of the Westerlands.”

“Would you marry a fourteen years old child?”

“Of course not, just as I know that you will never marry at all”

“You between all people know why”

Nie Huaisang merely smirked again. Tyrion had to give it to him, the boy knew his game. It hadn´t been a thing of luck or ascendance that had seen him to such a high position at such a young age. Or that his peers and elders were so terrified of him. Just once, he wished he could play a game of cyvasse with him. Something told him that it was going to be the most entertaining game he would ever play. As he waited for his father to make his move, he wondered if the Yitish would leave immediately after the Rock fell and their criminal´s head was taken. They wouldn´t have another reason to remain there… though Nie Huaisang had expressed some interest in Margaery Tyrell. And some of the other Yitish lords seemed to be having some negotiations to have themselves and their children married to some Lords and heirs of Westeros. Also, the Chief Cultivator himself seemed to have developed suddenly an interest in visiting the Wall in the North… and wherever he wanted, he achieved. If he wanted the other Lords to visit it with him, they would. In that he was pretty much like Tywin Lannister. He was thinking precisely that when a terrified man arrived with a message. He seemed to have gone through the Seven Hells and back.

“Lo… Lo… Lord Tywin… Lord Tywin Lannister sends…”

“Oh, give me that” an exasperated Edmure Tully said. “We are in luck, the Old Lion is demanding a Parlay. He invites the Zewu-Jun, Hanguang-Jun, Lord Jiang and the esteemed Chief Cultivator, along with their Westerosi allies to a parlay in neutral grounds. He is also asking for free pass for the negotiation and return of the Lannister party.”

“And he didn´t invite the one who is besieging his castle? I wonder how Wei Wuxian will react when told that the invitation doesn´t include him.”

“My Lord” the Riverlands heir said, approaching him. “While it´s not strange for women to inherit keeps and technically lead armies here, this kind of affairs are left to men most of the time. In this case, her husband, though her son would have also been a possibility. There are no Houses here like the Yu of Meishan, who are matrilineal, and few that recognized women as heiresses over men.”

Lan Xichen frowned, having come from a clan that was once ruled by a woman. Lan Yi had been ruthless in her time, but her Chords Assassination Technique had been used by several generations now and she was recognized as not only a brilliant woman, but a great warrior, from what the little Lannister could learn in his short interaction with the Yitish. For his part, Nie Huaisang seemed about to laugh. Considering that he had seen female Nies in his ranks that looked more manly than him, Tyrion could tell that the household was not exactly the only domain of women in his family. And Wei Wuxian… well, a Lady married and with a child… and more menacing than anyone he had seen.

“Xiozhang” Lan Wangji said as soon as he arrived in his sword, probably after having received some sort of message from his brother. Lord Jiang did the same a few minutes later, the usual scowl on his face. “Jiang-zongzhui.”

“Where is Wei Wuxian?” the man in purple asked. And he thought that they were in good terms, for how he reacted when the Riverlands knights said things about her. “Isn´t he going to be here for something as important as the meeting with the man he is besieging? One of the most important military commanders from here?”

“He wasn´t invited” Nie Huaisang explained with a smirk. “Apparently, Hanguang-Jun´s presence is enough, as his spouse, to decide for him” that obviously wasn´t something that the other Lord liked. Or appreciated. “I think Tywin Lannister would have gotten on well with your mother, Jiang-zongzhui.”

“Hummm”

The corpses retired later, when the parley was scheduled. Tywin Lannister was at the head of the procession, Lannister banners around him. Following him was Ser Kevan, looking at his nephew between the enemy lines with resignation. The Strongboar, Lord Marbrand, Lord Westerling and many other nobles were around him, several of whom looked uneasy. Emmon Frey was even hiding behind a septon, who was praying quite loudly to the Seven. It was surprising that he was not hiding behind his aunt, but if he knew his father, he had sent Lady Genna along with Cersei to make sure his wayward daughter behaved. He had been willing to sacrifice Joffrey mainly because he was a monster, but he was very conscious of why he had ended up like that. And he wasn´t allowing Cersei of all people to ruin the legacy he was putting so much effort to build. Concentrating on the situation at hand…

“Lord Nie, Lord Lan, Lord Lan, Lord Jiang, Ser Tully, Sers” he saluted, glaring at his son, who refused to tremble. Not after what Jamie told him before he was sent to the Wall. “I welcome you to this parlay. Salt and bread to everyone, so we observe the rules of hospitality while this conference is held.”

“I have heard about this tradition of yours” Nie Huaisang said, examining the piece of bread he was offered. “In Yi Ti, normally our word and honor would be enough. Though I understand if you don´t trust that entirely, I have known a few people that have broke those guest rights in my homeland too” he ate it anyway. “Talking about that, A-Yao seems to not be here. It´s not his style to miss things like this, especially when they could decide his future.”

“Liafang Zun and his wife are mourning yet another child. Luceon Zun died yesterday, whipped to death with something that seemed like lightning” his eyes drifted towards Jiang Wanyin, who seemed very pleased with himself. “I hope you have found the exchange equal, Lord Jiang, the life of Liafang Zun for the one of your sister and her husband… possibly their child if you haven´t taken matters into your own hands.”

“He told you”

“Part of the truth, part of the lie, but I could deduce what parts he wanted to hide.” Nie Huaisang sat down in the chair prepared for him, with Ser Brynden Tully by his side. In the absence of Lord Stark, he was authorized to negotiate in the name of King Stannis. “I think you have already found out that your men are losing morale rather quickly. And how much will they last in such a state? What do they fear more, the dead army at your doors or you, my Lord, who are the focus of their resentment?”

“Ellyn Reyne and her family received what they deserved.”

“Oh, I´m sure you think that. But that doesn´t mean that they didn´t resent you in their last moments of life or in their deaths” he answered. “And I´m also sure that you are going to know our demands.”

“Just as you know that I don´t have the intention to bend the knee” the Lion Lord said as he looked at Nie Huaisang as if he was the only one that mattered. Because, in his eyes, he was. “My grandson is the rightful King of the Seven Kingdoms and there is nothing more. Cersei committed some mistakes with his eldest brother, I´m aware of that, and perhaps Joffrey´s dead was for the best, but he was the rightful King after his father died. You, my Lords, will bend the knee. I´m not going to demand the same of you, the Yitish Lords, because you are not our subjects and I committed a political mistake by giving asylum to a criminal that was sentences for such gruesome crimes as kinslaying and murder of a Lord. To correct that, I´m going to give you Liafang Zun and keep my word regarding the possible betrothals that I proposed to you… as compensation for the amount of time I prevented him from facing justice.” Lord Tywin seemed like he would convince Lord Nie. “I know that´s what you truly wanted, as one of the people affected directly by his crimes.”

“And as such, you should know how much of a pleasure it gave me to kill every last member of his new family in front of me. Da-ge was my only brother, my only family” he stared back at Ser Kevan. “Tell me, Ser, if you suddenly found yourself Lord of the Rock, but at the price that all your siblings died without descendance… assassinated by someone, namely Ellyn Reyne or a member of her family, what would you feel? Wouldn´t you want to do the same to him?”

“I would like to do worse”

“Exactly” Nie Huaisang said. “And it´s why I´m going to reject your offer. You are going to give us your unconditional rendition, immediately, or face the consequences. San-ge is not the greatest of cultivators, you know. I doubt his last son has even developed a golden core and the daughter… she might be a small problem, but she has never faced experienced cultivators. She might be more Jin than all the others and with a golden core that might turn some faces, but she is going to go down eventually.”

“You might find, my Lord, that I´m harder to impress than a legitimized bastard whose greatest achievement was to murder a single man from the back.”

“Curious, I thought that´s exactly why your son was famous for.”

“Consider my offer, Lord Nie, as when I recover Jaime and put Tommen on the Throne, you might not only find yourself in the position of Chief Cultivator, but secure your own legacy by marrying a Princess of Westeros and having one of your own as Lady of the Rock… and Lord consort of the Golden Tooth.”

“Tempting, but I am great at reading people. Enough to know that the only legacy you truly care about is your own… and that you might not give me all that I want” the Viper of Qinghe and the Old Lion of the Rock stared at each other. “I might reevaluate my choices if I were you, my Lord.”

“And you, Lord Lan? From what I have heard of you, you want justice, but at the same time you want peace. Also, certainly you don´t want your goodsister to face the repercussions of having used what your people call the demonic arts again? Your brother and nephew already lost her once.” He then looked directly at Hanguang-Jun. “From experience, I could tell what losing your only beloved does to a heart. You have luck in having recovered your wife and you’re your child his mother, a luck me and my children would never have, as my Joanna has passed. Don´t put her in danger again.”

“Wei Ying can make his own decisions” was Lan Wangji´s only answer.

“And, as you say, we want justice as much as we want peace. A-Yao might face justice.”

“I already said that Liafang Zun is to be handed over to your custody, so he might face Yitish justice” Lord Tywin certainly didn´t know what he was talking about if he thought Jin Guangyao didn´t have a way to escape. “There are reparations…”

“And am I to think that you don´t expect to gain something from such… reparations? Or from my beloved San-ge´s progeny, which had been cut down to two yesterday?” Nie Huaisang interrupted, earning a look from Lan Xichen. The man was too honorable to see things like this, but… “Lord Tywin, I want to put this plainly. I know that your daughter took many lovers while she was Queen. Your grandchildren´s legitimacy is in doubt… but nothing of that really interest me. I want to squash Jin Guangyao and anything that came from him. Wasn´t that what you did to Ellyn Reyne and her progeny?”

“Indeed… which is why I understand you, but at the same time can´t allow it.”

“A-Sang…” Lan Xichen started.

“Also, I would never side with you because that would be a mistake. Not only because you are at tactic and strategic disadvantage, but because you won´t be the kind of ally I want at my back when the true fight begins” the other cultivators looked at him confused. “Soon you are going to see why I´m so against this alliance.”

“Be as it may” he got up. “apparently, we aren´t going to get anywhere here. We are leaving, but Casterly Rock isn´t going to fall. Not to any army, living or dead.”

“We will see”

Tyrion wondered when it was the last time his father had found someone like that. He could tell just by looking at him that the old Tywin Lannister had something more for the young Nie Huaisang, respect. He wondered if his father ever would look at him in such a way… he doubted it entirely. Anyway, he better prepared himself for whatever the man had prepared, because seldomly he saw such a strategist. The next thing he knew, some of his own lords approached to ask him some things, but they were stopped by a mere raised hand. He spent the next few hours playing a game with some stones by himself… until there were screams coming from the Rock and then chaos. It was when the armies of corpses started to enter and the chaos ran rampant.

“What did you do?” Lan Xichen accused Nie Huaisang.

“It was not me this time” the Chief Cultivator expressed, fanning himself as if he didn´t have a concern in the world. “It was only a matter of time before Stannis lost his patience and sent his Asshai shadowbinder to take care of the issue. And when he saw his main benefactor die… well, you can guess what the rats did” he placed another stone. “But he is running out of places where to run to.”

“Chief Cultivator, we found something” some Nie cultivators said, dragging a woman. “We found her in a wardrobe after scouting the castle. Apparently, they left her behind.”

The Rock has been taken by the panicked Lannister men, who had given the Lannister family members present up, even their own Lords turned against them when they saw the corpses coming… they thought of it as a punishment for the sins of Tywin Lannister and his children more than the Dark Witch´s doing. Nie Huaisang had seen them, noticing who was still missing. This woman shared their features, but not close enough to be a direct relative. Tyrion watched as he smirked at the captive, who immediately tried to escape.

“Lady Theora Lannister, I guess… another of A-Yao´s tossed off brides. Though, I have to say, you have fared far better than Qin Su did” he looked at her over his fan. “Care to tell, my Lady, where is your husband? Or your children?”

Theora Lannister shook her head, sobbing. Then someone put himself between her and the Chief Cultivator.

“Nie-zongzhui, it´s been enough. I will take Lady Lannister from your custody, you have already taken enough from her” Lan Xichen said. “Besides, I don´t think A-Yao shared where he took off with the children with her.”

“Fine”

Nie Huaisang turned to leave with the rest of the Westerossi and Yitish… and if he had been less attentive, Tyrion would have missed how his distant cousin grabbed Zewu-Jun´s robes and pulled on them. He helped her up and whispered something in his ear. The man tried not to react, but he did. The Chief Cultivator smiled softly, apparently as attentive as him. As they prepared to return to King´s Landing, Tyrion noticed the movement in the Lan encampment. What had Theora Lannister whispered to Lan Xichen? Whatever it was, he hoped that it didn´t end badly. After all, like everyone said, his cousin had already lost enough.

-In King´s Landing-

Desmera Redwyne certainly didn´t know what she was doing there. Margaery was no longer going to be Queen and she felt threatened with that Florent woman on that position… Selyse Florent had never been kind to anyone. And she knew that Stannis had a grudge against both her father and uncle. So why had Margaery and their grandmother summoned her and other ladies from their bloodline? She could already tell that the women reunited with her in the tea table were aligned with them, despite some having Florent blood.

“I thank you for coming so quickly when I called” Lady Margaery said as she entered the room, the Queen of Thorns by her side. “And I guess that you already have heard about the interesting guests that have come thanks to King Stannis alliance and… interference from an unexpected source.”

“The Yitish” Elinor Tyrell said with a flirty smile. If she wasn’t already betrothed to Alyn Ambrose, she would certainly go further than a few words. She had already seen some of the men that came to Westeros and if their lords were as beautiful as those she saw were… “It´s a good plan, getting allies from somewhere else now that the Florents have become so powerful. But I doubt that shrew doesn´t have her own plans.”

“We also have our ways, no?” she turned towards Desmera and Bethany Rowan. “Cousins, you are to focus on Lord Jiang Wanyin” Margaery told them with a sweet look. “He is a bit older and has a nephew that is almost a man grown, but his domain have most of the waterways used for commerce in Yi Ti. I think that you specially, Desmera, would find something in common with him.”

“Have faith on us, cousin” Bethany, much more confident, said. “Tell us, how is Lord Jiang?”

The Redwyne girl wasn´t that sure. Much less when she heard Marge talking about the Lord in question. And his requirements for a marriage partner. He seemed like a cranky old man… and considering that he was looking more for a mother for his orphaned, already a lord nephew than a bride for himself… she didn´t think she could do it, so perhaps she should leave it to Bethany. The other one seemed to hunger for it, despite the apparent difference in age, mainly because of how well connected he seemed to be. His sister had married into a Great House back in Yi Ti, one that seemed to be what the Lannisters were to Westeros, so he had a nephew that was not only a Great Lord, but very rich. He had also married his father´s ward to the brother and heir of another Lord from a Great House, who had given birth to the only Lan heir of his generation.

“Megga, you should also try your chances with Lord Jin” Margaery continued making her plan known to her forces. “He might like your personality.”

“I think I would like to take my chances with the young Lord Lan too” the boisterous Megga said, smiling deeply as she certainly dreamed of a man finally kissing her.

“And I think that you might not have many chances with him” their cousin said, looking directly at Megga, who shrunk on herself. “From what I could gather, the Lans are the silent kind. They are also famous in Yi Ti for their musical prowess apart from the fighting and scholarly one. Even Wei Ying is a master of the flute. And I know that both Zewu-Jun and Hanguang-Jun have put a lot of effort in young Lord Shizui´s education. From what I gather, he plays both the guqin and two kinds of flutes… can you say that you have the same prowess with music?” Desmera zooned off after hearing that for a bit. “… and Alla might also have a chance with him.”

“Alla?” the Redwyne girl asked, surprised. “Megga I understand, she could flower at any moment, but Alla…”

“She will become a woman soon too and hasn´t been betrothed yet. She might as well risk it.”

Desmera wasn´t of the same opinion. Yes, Alla was proficient at the woodharp and sung rather well, and she was the shy, quiet type… but something told her that she wouldn´t flower in an environment so far from home, from everything she knew. Desmera, Megga, even Margaery and Elinor were made of harder stuff. Shy, gentle Alla might do better marrying Russell Merryweather or even one of their Hightower cousins… she might even propose her as a match for Horas, making her Lady of the Arbor, only to spare her of that faith. She was thinking about that when she heard the trumpets. Apparently, King Stannis was victorious and the Lannisters were finally defeated… even if the false King Tommen was still at large with his mother and sister. Or that´s what she heard during the day, as she did her best to ignore the celebrations that were going on. Better leave Bethany to work her charms on Lord Jiang. Another thing that had made her feel depressed was that, while she was forced to attend the ball, she got to get a glance at Lan Wangji and Wei Ying. They… if only a man had ever looked at her like that… or only half… she had been thinking about that when she saw a fight between people dressed in gold. She approached, thinking that a whole group was about to hurt a smaller looking boy, but he put them down with ease. As they ran away, he screamed at them in other language. She approaching, doing her best to calm him down. She had done it plenty of times with Horas and Hobber, who tended to act like children more than adults. He seemed to speak her language, because he thanked her… and to be rather young, because he seemed to crave maternal love or something like that.

“Jin Ling!!!” she heard the voice and see her young lordling go stiff. Jin Ling? Where had she heard that name again?

“Jiujiu” he said, lowering his head. This person was apparently both very important and very intimidating for this young boy.

She was about to leave them to talk, but something made her stay. She even defended the boy when the other seemed to attack him, something that paused him. He was certainly surprised enough to allow the boy to go and change to Westerossi to talk to Desmera. Apparently, the boy was his nephew and a Lord already, so he couldn´t go around fighting with his cousins despite being quite young. Desmera rebated, saying that despite is high position, someone couldn´t simply allow others to insult him. Then she asked forgiveness for her intervention in his family matters, gracefully getting up. The man offered to escort her back, but she said that it wouldn´t be proper. Before she could leave, he asked for her name and she answered that she was Lady Desmera Redwyne, daughter of the Lord of the Arbor. This seemed to give him a pause. She returned to her family and then to her room, convinced that she had at least avoided the attention for that night.

She was woken up the next morning by her maids before ever the sun rose, maids that were followed by a cheerful looking Margaery. Desmera was about to ask why she was so happy when the maids started to fill her tub and put some expensive oils that she was sure her cousin had brought herself. She rose from the bed and was about to ask about the matter when her cousin grasped her hands.

“Dear Desmera!! I knew I could count on you!!!” count on her? Count of her for what? She hadn´t even been on the banquet more than it was required. “Rumor says that Lord Jiang has mentioned you. Considering that he made an effort to avoid Bethany, I think that is a huge success. In fact, he accepted to have breakfast with us this morning. Come, come, I invited Alla, Megga and Elinor too so you don’t feel that alone.”

Desmera wanted to ask why, but then she was undressed, bathed and redressed in a purple dress that she was sure didn´t belong to her. Yes, she had worn purple a few times, it was one of the colors of House Redwyne, but she was sure that such a dress fitted more Margaery´s tastes than her own. It showed… too much flesh. And she had always been shy because of her freckles. Her hair was also styled in a way that fitted her cousin more than her.

“Marge…”

“I know, dear Desmera, but we have to show all your assets while we can” Margaery got behind her, stunning as ever and making her doubt herself even more. “Just look at yourself, you are beautiful.”

“Never as much as you, Marge”

“Of course you are, we are cousins” she answered, laughing. “Lord Nie is also invited, by the way. He is such a handsome man, and we danced practically all time yesterday after the banquet. I taught him so many dances…”

Margaery went on a tangent, surely to calm Desmera down before she could be presented to Lord Jiang. She didn´t even know when she had seen him… had they saw each other at the banquet? Then she was taken to the place where her grandmother and her cousins had already taken their places. A servant announced the arrival of the guests. She was surprised when she saw the man in purple that arrived, with the young boy in gold practically hidden behind him. The boy and his uncle from yesterday. But… the age gap between Lord Jiang and his late sister must have been great, because he didn´t look old at all. Lord Nie was at the side, an entertained look on his face as the other Lord sneered at her. She lowered her gaze. She allowed people to talk around her, knowing that she had disappointed the expectations of the Lord she was supposed to impress. She might not like Margaery´s plan, but disappointing her family was…

“I thought that you liked other styles, my Lady. And fragrances” Desmera practically jumped when she was surprised in the garden by Lord Jiang that afternoon, after taking out all the other things and putting on something actually hers. Something much more conservative. “You actually look better in that.”

“Thank you, my Lord.”

“Might I sit down with you?”

“Please”

They talked a bit about everything that came to their minds. He grumbled a lot about Jin Ling, his nephew, but she could detect the sincere fondness he had for the boy. She talked about Horas and Hobber, and how she had mothered despite being younger than them. Their mother, Mina, was occupied with other things, so Desmera tried to curve the worst of the twins´ behaviors. She wished she had done a better job, as they were rather idiotic. She also kept quiet while he was talking, something that seemed to catch his attention even more. What could she say, despite mothering the rather loud twins, her personality was not so strong and she was quiet by nature. Perhaps… that was the kind of woman he liked, because he accompanied her to the Maidenvault.

“May I frequent you, my Lady?” Lord Jiang asked before retiring.

“You might.”

After that, Margaery stopped getting into the matters of her dressing and whatever perfume she wore. And Lord Jiang seemed to favor her over Bethany because of her personality and gentleness… and her conservativeness. As they talked over the days, she realized why. Yu Ziyuan, the mother of Lord Jiang, seemed to have been a rather strong tempered woman. While she was conservative in her way of dressing, the imponent Violet Spider seemed to use her whip on whatever servant that caught her attention. One of her favorite targets was Wei Ying, who she hated for being the child of the woman her husband had loved before their arranged marriage. Even her children were not spared her scathing tongue… pretty much like Mina Redwyne when she was paying attention to her or the twins. They seemed to bond over that, as having mothers with barbed tongues had affected them both to a certain level.

“When I return home, I have to fix some business with the merchants that use the waterways that cross Yummeng…”

“Perhaps I might be able to help you in that” Desmera offered. “My mother might have been occupied in other things, but she put an effort in my education. Just as much as my grandmother, Lady Olenna.”

When they departed, she started to think that it might have been some sort of test. Was he trying to see if she was competent? Well, it didn´t matter. She was beginning to think that she might not mind to marry Lord Jiang. She might miss home, but she had always known that she would eventually leave to make her home in some other place. As she sat down to take the tea with Margaery and the other ladies from the Reach that day, she noticed that she was being glared at by the much more gorgeous Bethany Rowan. Well, she should have known that her usual tricks won´t work. But better that she didn´t, no?

-In another place-

“When are we going to finish? It´s been hours!!” the Princess of Dorne said, fanning herself. “At this rate, winter will come before you finish!!”

Arianne Martell complained as the wheel of her carriage was repaired… or the servants try to repair it. She was so… sighing, she opened the door of the carriage to get out and walk towards the Red Keep herself, no matter that the streets of King´s Landing were filthy, but somehow her ankle twisted and she started to fall down. She screamed and heard yells around her, closing her eyes as the mud covered floor approached, hoping that someone would catch her before she got filthy with who knows what. Before she could touch the ground, though, she was caught somehow by someone. She was about to thank the knight or servant that helped her, only to see a gorgeous man in strange clothing holding her. And that came from a dornishwoman.

“Thank you, Ser” she said, somehow impressed speechless. Then she mentally slapped herself. It was not the first beautiful man she had seen. “You have the gratitude of House Martell too. I´m Arianne Nymeros Martell, Princess of Dorne.”

“Yu Yansen, son of the current leader of Meishan Yu” he answered with a bow. “Perhaps I could escort you the rest of the way along with your knights, Princess.”

Meishan Yu? He must be one of the Yitish that have come when Stannis made an alliance. Now she only had to reunite information about him and his family to decide if he was a worthy prey. She exchanged a look with Tyene, who surely sent the message with her father. And she didn´t have to wait much to start getting information after presenting herself to the King and his ugly shrew of a Queen. She liked what she heard. Meishan Yu was not a Great House, but they were powerful enough to force a marriage on the Lord of a Great House. He was also connected to two of them. And more, a Meishan Yu man wouldn´t deauthorize her, as his family had a matriarchal inheritance law. It meant that Yansen was raised to be a support to his older sister and eventually his wife, if he were to marry. He was also a good warrior, as he had given Daemon Sand and even her uncle Oberyn a good fight on the battleground.

“Well, I think that Doran won´t be disappointed if you were to marry someone like him” her uncle said as they broke their fast. “But you have to be careful, dear niece, the Yus have a reputation for being masters of poisons and assassination techniques.”

“Much like us dornish” Arianne answered, drinking some spiced tea. Her dress wasn´t conservative in the least, something that scandalized that shrew Selyse Florent and many of other ladies. What can she say? The Princess liked to stand out. And to attract the eyes of possible good fucks, as she was forbidden to go to the brothels by her father during this visit. “What else?”

“Tanda Stokeworth tried to set him up with her daughter before Lord Yao decided to sell his son to her… though Lord Frey is also interested in pairing him up with Tyta Frey or even Amerei Frey.”

“Really? Tyta the Maid or Gatehouse Ami? And that fat cow Lollys… I would have run all the way back to Yi Ti if those were my choices.” She smirked. “But maybe that is for the best, my competition is practically inexistent.”

“There are some other options”

“Like what?”

“The young Lord Lan has a close cousin, who is rather young too, that might give you ties to a Great House… but considering that the Lans are prudes, perhaps we shouldn´t put much effort in that.” Oberyn smirked. “They were certainly the most scandalized when we entered…” there was suddenly a sound, trumpets.
“What is that?”

“I don´t know”

The dornish delegation went to the Throne room only to see an old looking man entering with former Queen Cersei, her son and daughter, Ser Tyrek Lannister, Ser Lancel Lannister and Lady Genna Lannister being practically dragged by men in white, lead by an old looking man. The children looked terrified… which made her wonder if her cousin Rhaenys had looked like little Myrcella the moment Amory Lorch came for her. As they were lead towards Stannis, the man that was respectfully addressed as Grandmaster Lan asked for the prisoners to be given an humanitarian treatment while on the custody of the crown. Arianne wondered exactly how much humanitarian that treatment would be. Will those children die in the Black Cells? The only thing that was true was that the Lannisters were done for. And she wished the dornish had a stronger hand on that.

-In another place-

“How much longer are we going to have to fly?” Silena asked, feeling tired already. Her golden core was strong, but she could already feel her spiritual energy running out.

“Just a little bit more” Jin Guangyao answered, equally tired. Then he saw something in the distance that made him smirk. At least before he turned towards her. “Now, Silena, you are going to have to be careful with this one. He is not like Tywin Lannister, he can be… rather terrible when he wants.” His gaze sharpened. “Don´t stray away from me and be careful in every moment. I´m being very serious here, Silena, this can be especially dangerous for you as you are a woman.”

This perked her attention. She knew that her father, in his trade, had made shady business with more than person that had to be handled carefully, but for her father to act in such a way… something major was about to happen. And, as they landed on the deck of a ship, she could tell why Jin Guangyao had been so careful in his dealings with such a person. She could tell that nearly all the people around her were mutes… their mouths lacking a tongue when she caught them open. As she followed her father, her eyes went to a flag that flied over the mast of the ship. Certainly…

“I see that you didn´t lose time” Jin Guangyao said, his sword at the ready. “Tell me, Euron, is your brother dead already or all that money I gave you so you didn´t have to give up your precious Valyrian steel to the Faceless Men.”

“My brother, unfortunately, has taken a tumble down one of Pike´s many bridges. So sad” the man answered. Silena felt her heart stop for a second. Crow´s Eye. This was the Crow´s Eye, Euron Greyjoy. “But I see that he is not the only Great Lord that died recently.”

“You are right” he answered. “Tywin Lannister is dead… and there are many changes that you should be informed of before the Kingsmoot.”

“I´m dying to know”

Chapter Text

Jiang Cheng had been wondering why they were still there, in the Red Keep, while Jin Guangyao and his daughter stayed fled somewhere else. From what he could gather during his short fight with that brat Luceon, who had been enough of a challenge to remind him of Guanyin Temple, his sister was much more talented at cultivation than him. Enough for her to stand up between the children of Jin Guangyao as the best cultivator in Westeros after her father… not that her father was that much of a cultivator himself. His late start had made him focus more on strategy than on what he could do with his weak golden core. Then he remembered that there was something else he needed to take care of before he left the Red Keep and pursue the schemer behind the dead of his sister.

“Lord Redwyne, Lady Redwyne” he said, bowing to the couple in a formal way. “I have come to you to ask you for something.”

“Lord Jiang” both the nobles nodded. “What is it that you need?”

“I would like to ask you for your daughter´s hand in marriage” he answered, very serious. “The Lady Desmera is gracious and precious treasure, one that I would certainly cherish. And I´m pretty sure that she will enjoy living in Lotus Pier.”

He had considered the pros and cons of the marriage, and while a non-cultivator will live considerable less time than him, there was no impossibility for Desmera to give him children that, raised well, would become worthy leaders of the Jiang Sect. Besides, if he managed to negotiate the engagement contract well, then he will get many benefits from this union. Even more than the benefits he gained late for Wei Wuxian´s marriage into the Lan Sect, as a recognition that the Yiling Patriarch had once been part of the Jiang Sect. Besides, the benefits of the trading with Westeros might increase considerably after the Jianghu had gotten used to the products brought from Westeros. And talking about marriages…

“Lady Olenna, Lady Margaery” he saluted them when he arrived to the place Lord Redwyne insisted they held the negotiation in. Lady Mina and Lady Desmera were there too, the later dressed in a rather conservative purple and pink dress, unlike her cousin. “I was not aware that you were going to be part of this negotiation.”

“I am here in representation of my son, the Lord Paramount of the Reach, who sadly is still on his way here” the old woman said, as if even the Yitish didn´t know that she was the true power in the Reach. “And I´m also grandmother and grandaunt of Desmera here, so I have a good reason to wish the best for her.”

“I assure you, my Lady, that Lady Desmera will wish for nothing in Lotus Pier” Jiang Wanyin answered, the disciple behind him nodding. “We not only have control of all the main waterways of our country, but are in a strategic point that gives us power over the Jianghu. We might not be as wealthy as the Jin, but we are arguably the second in wealth and a most prominent Great Clan in Yi Ti.”

“Yet again, it was precisely that which saw you attacked during… what was that called again? The Sunshot Campaign?” Lady Olenna retorted. “Don´t misunderstand me, but your father once lost your home to invaders during that period, am I mistaken?”

“That´s my father, not me” he answered. “And, between us, while he loved me and my sister and taught us what being gentry was, he was a man plagued with indecision. I have always been more like my mother, so I don´t have that unfortunate flaw.”

“Yet, your mother was the one that allowed their infiltration force to get into your fortress.”

“I´m afraid that she overestimated the honor and decorum of the Wen Clan in that case, but she opened her eyes later and died in a fierce act of protection of the Pier and it´s successors” Jiang Cheng continued. “Though that´s a time that has long since passed. Wen Ruohan and the Sunshot Campaign are problems of the past that doesn´t have anything to do with what we are going to negotiate now.” He smirked. “Besides, the circumstances are different.”

“Of course, of course” The Queen of Thorns cut some cheese while Margaery Tyrell poured some tea with the skill of someone that has grown up in the jianghu. She certainly had put a great effort in learning that skill in such a short time. “And not only because of the times of peace your land is currently enjoying, at least if you didn´t count the small issue of Jin Guangyao being at large, but your… connections to two of the Great Families of Yi Ti.”

“My nephew is already the Leader of the Jins, even if he needs my help some times. It´s due to his youth, with time he is going to stop needing my help, but he will always hear my council” he answered, knowing that the people there were interested in what they would gain from selling their daughter to him more than in her happiness… though he didn´t have the desire to make his spouse miserable as his father had done to Yu Ziyuan. “Jin Ling has been raised mainly by me
since the death of his parents after all.”

“And that without mentioning your… other nephew, if that´s how we could call him. The son of your late father´s ward” Lady Olenna smiled. Jiang Cheng clenched his fists under the table. He hated the idea of receiving anything from Wei Wuxian, even his help, but considering the situation… “I have also heard that Lan Xichen has no wish to marry and that he left the issue of siring heirs to his younger brother… on your foster sister.”

“Lan Sizhui is and I are not as close as you think, but I have received him a few times in Lotus Pier” always with Jin Ling, but he didn´t say that. If he could use this to his advantage, then he would. “My shixiong doesn´t have a problem with entrusting his only child to me.”

“You must have been very close as children.”

“Indeed, we were.”

“That many connections between great Families is seldomly seen, even here in Westeros. It speaks of the strength of your country.”

“After the Sunshot Campaign, we learned that strength is in unity. After all, wasn´t the strength of all the Sects together what brought an end to the Wen?”

“Very well said” Lady Olenna made a gesture. “Then, can we proceed with the negotiations?”

Some of the disciples moved in nervousness, earning his glare. He had brought a few of them as a cohort, to make sure the procedures were all done well. His aunt Yu had also given her blessing, something the Elders of the Jiang Sect won´t be able to do, having all of them perished in the Massacre of Lotus Pier. In the end, they signed a contract that left every part satisfied and something more. Jiang Cheng knew how much the gentry of the Jianghu had come to enjoy the wines from the Arbor, so he decided to take advantage of that. There was still much to do in Yummeng to improve the waterways…

“Can I… ask for something?” Lady Desmera said, raising her voice for the first time since. “I… I´m not familiar with the wedding ceremonies and rites in Yi Ti, I would like to have instruction”

“And I´m sure my aunt will be pleased to teach you, my Lady” Jiang Cheng answered his now fiancé. “By the time you reach your new home, you are going to be as familiar to them as to those of your homeland.”

“I… I would also like for a wedding to be held here in the Sept, before we depart” she practically pleaded. “If I´m going to have to say goodbye to most of the things I know, including my religion, then I wish at least to be married in the way of Westeros, even if it´s not going to be consummated until I´m wed in Yi Ti.”

“Sounds like an agreeable petition” the Jiang Sect Leader nodded. “Very well, once we have finished our issues here and the traitor Jin Guangyao is apprehended, we are going to get married in your Sept. You shall remain untouched until we arrive at Lotus Pier and the ceremony is prepared, even a red dress, to exchange vows in the Ancestral Hall.”

“That would be delightful. You should tell me everything, Mina, Paxter, when you come back.”

“You are very welcome to witness our wedding, Lord and Lady Redwyne”

“Thank you very much, Lord Jiang” Lady Olenna nodded, offering a motherly smile. “If you don´t mind, would you tell me a bit about Lord Lan and his heir? I mean… they are also family through your… how do you call it? Shion?”

“Shixiong” he said with a certain distaste in his voice. “I don´t know either really well, as Lan Wangji and I don´t like each other that much. Wei Wuxian has tried to get us to be closer, but I would want to spend more time with a yao than that barely animated jade statue. You should invite Lan Quiren to tea if you want more information about them.”

“Grandmaster Lan? Their uncle?”

“That´s the blood relation between them, but Qingheng-Jun locked himself up in seclusion when his secondborn was really young and even before wasn´t a model father.” Jiang Wanyin answered frowning. “He was the one that raised the Twin Jades of Lan. He is also a great and respected teacher that has lead the disciple exchange, so he knew Lan Sizhui.”

He knew that Olenna was already hatching a plan. And as much as he would enjoy seeing the kind of expression that old goat would put at Olenna´s plan to try and snare more influence on their homeland. Besides, he already knew that Lan Quiren had already accepted reality and was planning for Lan Shizui to marry the granddaughter of a cousin of him, a fellow Elder too, so he could inherit the Sect Leadership without much trouble. Of course, there were other heirs that were attracting… and spares, as he heard that Lord Yao had sold his son to a fat heiress that seemed to have the intelligence of a mule. He had also noticed their intentions regarding Jin Ling… but he was more worried about something else. His nephew had barely paid attentions to any of the flirty Ladies from the Reach that the Tyrells sent his way, preferring to spent his time with the innocent looking Sansa Stark.

“If only he had given a chance to any of the Ladies me or Aunt Yu have presented him”

Though he wasn´t exactly in position of saying something like that, as he had also completely ignored or outright insulted the ladies his aunt presented him. But, that apart, he could tell that the innocent redhead was far from the wife Jin Ling needed. Yes, she was beautiful, but not very smart in the way a good Lady should be. Madam Jin had been a good furen, his sister, despite her frailness, had been a good furen… but Sansa… she was not only too innocent for the pit of vipers that was Koi Tower, but didn´t seem to be very smart. He had heard enough about her to know that the girl had her head in the clouds, in the tales her wetnurse told her about valiant knights and beautiful maidens, in the concept that being obedient and good would bring happiness… even Qin Su had left it behind when she was told she would marry the bastard sin of Jin Guangshan. If she didn´t forget those notions soon… well, he doubt she ever will. From what he could gather, she was already known the real world from her time as a hostage of the Lannisters, and she hadn´t changed that way of thinking. On the other side, there was another northern Lady that actually surprised him… and that might win his approval to marry his nephew. And for that, he needed to speak with the Lady Paramount of the North.

“Lady Stark”

“Lord Jiang, what a nice surprise” she said, surrounded by her Ladies. “I guess you have already heard the good news that Ouyang Zizhen, a good friend of your nephews, has formalized his engagement to Arwyn Frey.”

“I was unaware, but it doesn´t really surprises me to see so many engagements made while we are here” he said, trying to keep his famous fiery temper calm.
“My Aunt Yu has told me that her brother is seeing a certain Princess Arianne Martell… and that she seemed interested in something beyond simple friendship.”

“I would be careful of the Martells, my lord, they have the fame of being as poisonous as the vipers that live in their deserts.”

“The same could be said about the Yus”

“Lovely, but I think those are not the engagements you are interested in” Lady Catelyn approached, followed by her Ladies. They sat down in a nearby table, the servants bringing some tea and pastries. “Your nephews might worry you more.”

“Wei Wuxian and I are not as close as we once were” he said as he lifted the cup. “But Jin Ling cares about his son, so I wouldn´t want to see him in troubles. That´s why I want to warn you, Lan Quiren and the Elders of the Lan Sect are already planning to marry him off to one of the Elder´s granddaughters… to lessen the influence of his mother.”

“Does that have something to do about the boy´s mother being of lesser blood?” Lady Catelyn asked. “I don´t mean to offend you, I know your parents treated her as another daughter, but nothing could erase that she was the daughter of a simple household knight and certainly not a match worthy of the second son of a Great House. Not like your sister.”

“Jiejie was of a great bloodline indeed, though she had a gentleness that distinguished her. A Lotus Flower with a heart of steel, exactly what the peacock she ended up marrying needed to finally become a worthy man… something your daughter Sansa certainly isn´t.” Catelyn Stark didn´t change her expression, but her fingers clenched around her cup. “And I don´t think I´m alone in that thought.”

“Sansa is… a delicate girl. She needs someone who will bring her the sun and the moon, someone closer to home where she can be helped by her family” the redheaded Lady seemed to share his sentiments. “If it was someone from Westeros, I would give it a thought, but…”

“On the other side, you don´t think your other daughter would make well in Westeros, which is why you have let her interact so much with our people.”

“I have to admit that I never understood Arya or her fascination with fights… but as your women are allowed to fight, I thought that maybe she would fit in your society” she conceded, then took a sip from her cup. “Which is why I would lie to as you to allow the two young children to know each other… unless you prefer to make the arrangement now.”

“If I have learned something about arranged marriages, it´s that they work better when both contractors knew each other.” He sighed. “Jiejie and Jin Zixuan were betrothed practically since they were born and that caused a lot of issues since the beginning. He didn´t appreciate it and she was resigned to never know love… but they grew to know each other during the Sunshot Campaign and find out the virtues the other had. Then love flowered and an arranged marriage became one of love.”

“It was pretty much the same with me and Ned, frankly speaking” Lady Catelyn smiled. “Which is why perhaps you want your nephews to have marriages with someone that would learn to appreciate their virtues.”

“I´m more worried about Jin Ling, as he seems to have made good friends with your daughter Sansa and it´s probably thinking about marrying her. I wouldn´t entirely blame her, she is nice and young and beautiful and of the noblest of births here in Westeros… but being frank, that poor girl doesn´t know what awaits her when she arrives at Yi Ti or Koi Tower. That place is a viper´s nest and our homeland, as beautiful as it is, it´s dangerous”

“You don´t need to convince me, Lord Jiang, as I am of the same mind” the Tully woman looked down. “Though, considering his age and the things I have learned of both your homeland and the Jins, I think we have other propositions that might benefit both of our houses… and your sister´s legacy.”

“Tell me more”

-In another place-

“Huaisang, you never said that you were going to have companions” Wei Wuxian said, his cheerful smile still in place. “I would have brought Lan Zhan and A-Yuan if you have told me there would be so many young ladies. Maybe even Zewu-Jun, if he is in humor.”

Some of these ones giggled, totally ignorant of the joke inside. The old woman that presided the table and a young woman in a revealing dress didn´t though. And they had the same calculating shine in their eyes as Huaisang did when he was developing a new strategy after foretelling that the one he had planned before was going to fail. Talking about Huaisang, he had been confused when he had received his invitation. They weren´t such good friends anymore and his last plan, endangering his son, had killed the little good grace he had for the boy he had once considered one of his closest friends. He neither trust nor wishes to endure the snake he had become… but he also didn´t want to earn the enmity of Nie Huaisang. It was only a small tea, probably somewhere public, and he could defend himself in battles of words, even against one of the greatest liars in the world… he hadn´t expected to find more than one there. But it was okay, he had gotten out of worst things.

“Would you have really brought them, my Lady?” flirty Elinor Tyrell asked. “I have wanted to meet Zewu-Jun since I saw him at that banquet…” she let out a swoon like a maiden from a tale. “I have never seen such a beautiful man.”

“My Lan Zhan is better”

“Some would say that…”

“And really well-endowed under all those robes. I ended up satisfied night after night, all night long.”

There was more giggling and some comments about his shameless attitude, but he had developed his thick face since childhood. Besides, the key ladies were the ones giggling, probably wishing they had husbands like that. Specially that girl Elinor. From what he knew, she was engaged, but enjoyed flirting with anything with a cock. Poor Alyn Ambrose, her fiancé, but it wasn´t like she was cheating or something like that. And he could understand the attitude, though. Flirting was harmless, ultimately it didn´t mean anything and it was an excellent tool for haggling… unless you have a very protective and jealous husband who would drag you away from whatever stall you were haggling in with the guniang present and drag him straight to the Jingshi, or the inn or whatever place they were staying in and fuck him until his brain melted and he was begging him to stop.

As he looked at Nie Huaisang, he could tell he was pleased with the turn on the conversation. Considering how many spring books he owned in his youth, it wasn´t that much of a surprise that he would enjoy this conversation. Besides, he was looking for something. He wouldn´t even consider attending this little party with the true governor of the Reach if he didn´t know. Much less to invite Wei Ying, as fun as he was during parties. No, Huaisang was trying to achieve something here. And not only the final doom of his long time enemy, but something more. But what did he need Wei Wuxian for? It was practically common knowledge around the Jianghu that Lan Sizhui was to marry the granddaughter of a Lan Elder and inherit the Sect Leadership when Zewu-Jun died. They had insisted in this, on the bloodline of Lan An to continue being the one in the main family, even if A-Yuan had never really been added to the Wen family registry, being born so late in the Sunshot Campaign. Which made the Lan family registry the only one he was in, as the son of Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian. But that didn´t matter to the old geezers, no, they had to…

“I have to say, I enjoy knowing that some other ladies found enjoyment in their marriages” Lady Olenna spoke directly at him. “My Luthor was… many things, but good in bed was not between them.” The old woman now seemed to approach. “But if you have such a great satisfaction in bed, why haven´t you had more children?”

“Well… A-Yuan kept me busy when he was really small, then… I guess you already know what happened. The singers gently made the tale sound so sweet” he nearly rolled his eyes. He was no gentle maiden like that song suggested, he never was. “Anyway, we decided that one was enough for the moment… though that could change. Maybe in the future, there is going to be a second young master Lan. Or young Lady.”

“Only the gods would know” she continued. “But, considering that perhaps it would be easier to have grandchildren than children now that your son is so grown up…”

“A-Yuan is conscious of his duties. Especially since his uncle expressed the desire to never marry leaving Lan Zhan and him as the only heirs” he shook his head. “He even accepted to marry Lan Fanshe, one of his cousins, to cement his position.”

“Humm… many blessings upon the couple then. I´m sure you are going to have many grandsons and granddaughters soon.” The Queen of Thorns continued.
“Though I wouldn´t spoil them too much if I were you. I did that with Loras and just look at how he turned out.”

“Grandmother!!”

“What? Am I not telling the truth? Loras is a little selfish, self-centered, spoiled little idiot; unlike the rest of my grandchildren” she shook her head. “And that happened because I allowed Mace and Alerie to spoil him too much.”

“Oh, I´m pretty sure that´s not going to be a problem with mine” Wei Wuxian said after taking a small sip of tea. “The Lans are notorious for their formality and discipline. They even have this thing called the Wall of Discipline, which is a mountain with one of it´s faces carved with the rules of the Sect, rules that practically reign their existence.”

“Yes, those four hundred rules are the bane of the guest disciples’ existence” Nie Huaisang suddenly joined. “Sometimes you couldn´t even take a step without breaking one of those dan things and being forced to copy them until your hand hurts worse than after a strenuous training.”

“Talk to me about it, I had the worst time staying in line”

“Didn´t you write a book on how to prevent punishment by finding loopholes in those rules?”

“Am I not the reason why the Three Hundred Rules that originate decorated that Wall changed to Four Hundredth?” Wei Ying smirked, proud of himself. “Lan Quiren always blames me for having ruined his perfect pupil and making him break the rules.”

“Lady Lan, but I thought…” a particularly young and shy girl asked.

“Ah, Lan Zhan and I just eloped, as there was no way those stuffy Lan Elders or Jiang Cheng would have allowed it if they could stop us” he enjoyed the scandalized looks of some of the older ladies… though Lady Olenna remained the same. “I still remember the pandemonium that formed when we returned… Shizui already knew, of course, but Lan Zhan had sent that letter to his uncle that left the poor old man bedridden from the impression and the Elders in a such a state of disarray…”

“I should have been there to see it”

“I would also like to see it, men my age have a tendency to be so set in their ways… as if they didn´t notice the ways the world change, that it´s always changing” she grabbed the cheese tray and started to cut it. “What about the other young boy from your family? What was his name… Jingli?”

“Jingyi? Well, he has been friends with A-Yuan since they were little” he answered. “They are also cousins… more than cousins. He is the closest thing that A-
Yuan has had to a brother and I´m really glad for that.”

“Really? Then he might be an attractive groom for a fortunate Lady” she continued, certainly referring to the gathered Ladies. “That will bring not only our Kingdoms, but your own family closer. I don´t know if you have heard, but dear Desmera here has just gotten engaged to your former foster brother.”

“Jiang Cheng?” he asked, then his smile widened. “Those are wonderful news!! Shijie would have been ecstatic, she would have launched herself into arranging the ceremony and…” he stopped. “I wish you good fortune in your marriage, Lady Desmera, in case I´m not there during the ceremony itself.”

“Why would you not?” Margaery asked.

“Jiang Cheng and I are not as close as we once were. Back then, when we were young… our roles were clear to us. Once his father passed, he would be the Leader and I would be his right hand, as Shijie was to marry into the Jins… but many things happened… and he is still angry at me for leaving the Jiangs… and getting married into the Lans.”

“Some things are unavoidable… and perhaps you marrying into the Lans have brought him more benefits than prejudices” the old Lady said, knowing that those alliances had been taken into consideration when negotiating his engagement to Desmera. “Returning to the boy, I´m sure there are at least one or two pretty ladies that might interest him. Lady Talla Tarly has always had a warrior hidden inside of her that has been hidden by discipline. Lady Cerise Cupps is very smart and Lady Patrice Ambrosse…”

“I think we should allow the children to know each other first, don´t you think?”

“Of course, but… don´t you think this is a good way of strengthening the position of your descendants?” damn, this Lady was good. Almost as good as Huaisang. “We might not be able to join the heir with someone from the Reach, but a spare like Lan Jingyi wouldn´t be disregarded. Besides, who says that they couldn´t join the Houses once their children are born? Lan Shizui and Lan Jingyi are good friends, after all, and they could see the betrothal between their children as the next logical step.”

“Maybe… if they see friendship or something more flower between the unborn youths yet to be conceived or their parents even married.”

Wei Wuxian was no fool, he knew what this woman was thinking… and her granddaughter too. He also was aware of the negotiations between the Nie and the Tyrells so Margaery become the new Madam Nie. It had made Queen Selyse clench her teeth as much as her husband, apparently because unroot the Tyrells from what her family claim their rightful seat wasn´t going to be as easy as she thought, now that she was Queen. Their new “allies” were merely pieces in their game of go. Just like the Sect Leaders did about these strange new nobles they have discovered. And now both sides were using their children as pawns.
That´s why he considered politics a drag. Lan Zhan was of the same thought, but he manages to endure it. Maybe it was because he was raised as a young master and heir, though… he didn´t know. He had argued the hardest when the Elders had told his son that he could either marry their elected girl or renounce to whatever right to the Sect Leadership his adoption gave him. They didn´t care that he was the most accomplished disciple they had ever trained or that he was the image of Hanguang-Jun at his age, they only see that he lacked the blood of Lan An… or maybe that he wasn´t as easy to control as Lan Xichen. Wei Wuxian recognized that he was too furious in that moment to do anything but argue, Lan Zhan nearly pulling Bichen out and not to stop him… until A-Yuan had stopped the bloodshed in progress and graciously accepted the Elder´s terms. He would be more disappointed if he didn´t know that his little radish had a mind of his own and was not that easy to fool thanks to having learned from his experiences with two of the biggest schemers in the Jianghu. He knew that his boy would be the best Sect Leader and not as easy to manipulate as poor Lan Xichen… still, he wished his child had the chance to find a love as great as the one his parents shared. Returning to the reality, he should add Lady Olenna to the list of great schemers he had known. And perhaps her granddaughter Margaery, when she matured a bit more. Either of them was on pair with Nie Huaisang, but some day she might be there. They were well matched in that sense. And talking about matches, he had the feeling that the Viper of Quinghe had brought him here either to warn him about Jinghi being a target now that A-Yuan was revealed as engaged or to give him the opportunity to meet the candidates proposed by Olenna Tyrell before she initiates her attack. So he could have a chance to help the boy or warn the Lans, specially Jinghi. They were all there.

“So, Lady Talla” Wei Wuxian said, using his most charming smile. “I heard that your father is a very reputed battle commander. Do you have some understanding about the battlefield or at least to fight with a sword or a weapon?”

“I´m a Lady, so I…”

“Please, Talla dear, Lady Lan has grown up in a land where you have to fight to survive” Margaery said with a voice that dripped honey. “And she has gone through a fight where she lost both her foster mother and father in the battlefield” he wouldn´t say Madam Yu was… “And where women are trained to use a sword like their male peers. I´m sure she knows that our culture is different, but even I have told Lord Nie how much I enjoyed hawking and archery… perhaps more than doing embroidery or the household books.”

“Oh, those are horrible” Wei Wuxian said without being able to stop himself.

“You handle the account books for the Lan Sect?” Huaisang asked, a bit surprised, genuinely surprised. What? He considering them boring, but he wasn´t beyond of doing them!! And he wasn´t about to give Lan Quiren any other excuse to call him a useless nephew-in-law!!!

“I´m perfectly capable of handling those, thank you very much” he answered his former friend. “They are boring, but a necessity. Also, Lan Xichen refuses to marry, so that is left to poor old me as the spouse of his younger brother. But as soon as A-Yuan gets married, I´m dumping that work on his wife and reassume my night hunting. After all, Madam Yu did that when Shijie was old enough, why not me?”

He wasn´t an idiot though. Madam Yu had handed the account books to Jiang Yanli to spend her time night hunting when she proved she was capable and ready to handle such a responsibility. And, in his case, he already knew that Lan Quiren checked his work every time, not carrying that he had proven efficient at handling such work. And quite frugal too, something he learned while living on the streets and with the Wen refugees. He would do so again with whoever succeeded him on the job, if only to curve the influence of the other Elders in the future Sect Leader´s issues. But that wasn´t what they should be focusing their attention in. He was about to ask Talla Tarly again, but the girl surprised him.

“My father didn´t like to have so many girls, but he somehow allowed us to learn to hunt as girls so we could go hawking and hunt with other ladies. And I was so good an archer and amazon that my mother told me I should have been named Samantha once… then she retracted it.”

“Samantha?” Wei Wuxian asked.

“For Samantha Tarly, my Lady, two times Lady Hightower after her consecutive marriages to both father and son” Talla answered. “I know, quite shameless, but she refused to be shamed even by the High Septon himself. When he refused her entry to the Sept, she entered on a horse to show him her power.”

“Shameless… I already adore her. You see, I was called shameless in my youth too.” The Yiling Laozu smirked. “And you enjoy archery too? Back then, I was considered one of the best archers of the Jiang Sect. I even won an archery contest made by Wen Ruohan before the Sunshot Campaign broke off.”

“I remember that one, Da-ge forced me to enter it” Huaisang said, hiding behind his fan. “The Twin Jades and Jin Zixuan took the other prices, no? Even I saw through that fake smile of Wen Ruohan´s when he announced how glad he was that the youth of the Jianghu was so promising after both of his sons and his other Clan Members got themselves disqualified.”

“Being frank, if Wen Chao hadn´t forced him to leave before it began, Wen Ning could have won at least the last place” Wei Wuxian said. “I saw him practicing and he was amazing.”

“That I didn´t know?”

“But now he can´t use it well, not after… it´s one of the things that Jin Guangyao and his accomplices took from him” he sighed. “But enough of this sad things. What about you, Lady Cerise? Do you enjoy archery too? Or are you more of a books person? Gusu Lan has the biggest Library known in Yi Ti, despite the Wens attempting to burn it to the ground. They are considered the guardians of knowledge in our homeland.”

“I… well…”

It turned out that Cerise Cupps´ smartness was only about the quality of fabrics, embroidery and fashions, not about things that would impress the frugal Lans. She would fit in more in the Jin Sect, though he wouldn´t wish her upon poor Jin Ling. Perhaps on Ugly Jin junior, as a way of taking vengeance on that one for trying to kill him. Maybe he could introduce them, he was sure that the stupid boy would fall for such a pretty face. As for Patrice Ambrosse, the girl was better educated than her distant cousin. She also enjoyed hawking and hunting with Lady Margaery, who was obviously flirting with Nie Huaisang with her eyes, but she wasn´t also interested in intellectual pursuits. She would be a better partner for Lan Jinghi, but he doubted so. Jin Ling would also have to search for his match in another place.

“And what else have you…”

“Lady Lan!!! Lord Nie!! The King has summoned you!! There is a ship in the way!! An Ironborn ship!! They had declared Euron Greyjoy King of the Iron Islands now that Lord Balon is dead and have declared them independent!!!”

“And why should that…”

“Jin Guangyao was seen with Euron Greyjoy too!!”

Both of them frowned deeply. Whoever this Euron Greyjoy was, he must be an awful person like Xue Yang or Su She to ally himself with that bastard Meng Yao. As they entered the throne room, they found Lan Zhan, Lan Xichen, Jiang Cheng and Jin Ling already there, looking at the prisoners. And old man with damp, long hair that seemed like not have been washed in ages and a girl that shared his eyes, but had recently washed. She also didn´t look like a normal girl from these lands, more like… oh, he understood now. Ironborn. A nice name for a culture of Westeros which revolves around piracy. In other words, glorified pirates who follow captains with title. As if they were more than sea scum.

“Your Grace” Lord Mallister, who seemed to have captured them, bowed. “I present you Lady Asha Greyjoy and Aeron Greyjoy, her uncle and Priest of the Drowned God. They were on a ship that we captured attempting to enter King´s Landing.”

“Probably her deranged uncle and her were fleeing from her even more deranged uncle.” Stannis talked as he looked at Asha. “Well, Lady Greyjoy, what do you have to say? Your father didn´t answer when I called for the banners to put an end to the Lannister uprising. Even if he didn´t raise for the Lannisters themselves, he knew that I would punish him harshly for this rebellion. Did he not care about his son? And now that he is dead, having fallen to death from one of his so called castle´s bridges…”

“My father didn´t die, he was murdered” Asha Greyjoy claimed. “By Euron Greyjoy. And, while many had decided to overlook this or the right Theon and I have to Pike to give the Sea Stone Chair to Euron, we have not. You Greenlanders and your pet magicians don´t have anything against us to…”

“She has only said curses about the Greenlanders since we captured her, your Grace.”

“And I doubt she would willingly do so” Wei Wuxian said, looking at the daring girl in the eyes. She was also quite fetching despite being a pirate… and daring. He guessed she was also quite the warrior. “With your permission, I would like to do something to look into her and her uncle´s memories. It´s called Empathy… though I do not guarantee that they remained sane after it.”

“Wei Ying…”

“It´s going to be okay, Lan Zhan, I don´t…”

“No!!!” someone screamed and all the eyes looked at the Stark retinue. There was Theon Greyjoy, looking horrified at him. Then at his uncle and sister. “Please, Asha, Uncle, don´t continue with this. For now, the enemy is uncle Euron, don´t make this worse on yourselves. Your Grace, please, I implore you…”

“Don´t get on your knees, Theon, I already know what the Drowned God wants me to do” Aeron Greyjoy said. “What do you want to know, Dark Witch? I haven´t met one like you since that woman Euron cherished died by his hand.”

“What?” both Asha and Theon asked. Apparently, they didn´t know about this woman at all. And Wei Wuxian… Wei Wuxian had a feeling that this was going to be informed. Aeron Greyjoy only looked as if he was remembering something very disgusting for himself.

“Interesting, tell us more”

“It happened when we were very young. Euron… everyone knew he was crazy since he was a child. Even our mother, Aerin Sunderly, was afraid of holding him as an infant because she could see something in him that… she told me and Urri to stay away from him, Balon, Harlon, Victarion too. He was even entrusted to other wetnurses… many of which suffered accidents that incapacitated them. The only one that lasted, that practically raised Euron, was a woman who was… a Dark Witch is the only way to call her. And, coincidentally, she was Yitish.”

“I thought Lord Quellon Greyjoy didn´t take thralls.” Stannis mentioned.

“She was a gift from Lord Sunderly, our grandfather, who knew his daughter needed help with her difficult child… as if Euron could be called that.”

“The woman… she was from Yi Ti? Do you know her name or the name of her Clan? If she is in the registry of some Sect, perhaps we can find her…”

“I don´t know… she was something Xie… Shue… Xoue…”

“Xue?” Nie Huaisang adventured, at the same time praying that his theory wasn´t true.

“Yes, I remember now, her name was Xue. Xue Xuèshí”

There were murmurs all around, specially from the cultivators. That last name was tied to many infamous villains, the last one to have it being Xue Yang, courtesy name Chengmei, a known ally of Jin Guangyao in some of his evilest crimes. Another was Xue Chonghai, the demonic cultivator that was the origin of said evil clan, the greatest danger that the Jianghu had faced, even worse than Wen Ruohan. There were others… but most no one knew where they have come from, only that their members hid until they did something horrible or were killed by some fortunate incident. They all had also believed that Xue Yang was the last one on that bloodline, but this one… what age was Euron again?... perhaps a little bit younger than Xue Yang… maybe they were…

“Xue Xuèshí is the mother of Xue Chengmei” Nie Huaisang answered. “I made sure to learn everything I could from those involved in my brother´s death. There wasn´t much about Xue Yang, as he grew up a little delinquent in the streets, but by the age he was left alone he already had a golden core and practiced demonic cultivation” they all looked at the Viper. “He got rather chatty when he drank sweet wine, especially when he was alone with someone he could trust. And he liked sweet things too much… sweet wine was something he only indulged when he thought he was alone with Xiao Xincheng” some there flinched.
“Luckily some of my men were tagging him, because your martial uncle certainly didn´t have your immunity to alcohol. In fact, he was the total contrary, Wei-gongzi.”

“Hummm” Wei Wuxian muttered, probably thinking about something else. His mind was always taking steps where there others´ crawled.

“So, the mother of a notorious outlaw from Yi Ti was made a thrall of the Greyjoys… and raised one of their offspring” Stannis said, clenched his teeth. “What else could you say about this Xue Xuèshí? What happened to her?”

“Euron killed her, just as she did with four of my brothers” Aeron answered. “But that woman… whatever was wrong with Euron, with her guidance, it was made worse. And he became more and more insane, as if nothing was worth it. He even laughed at it after he raped Victarion´s wife and was exiled… and I heard him whisper that the more they resented him, the more powerful he became.”

“That makes it, he is a demonic cultivator” Lan Quiren said, stroking his beard. “Just when I thought we had gotten rid of the last of that wretched, sinful family, another follower of their path raised.”

“Yes, but why Jin Guangyao would want with him?” Lan Xichen asked, still struggling to name his former sworn brother. “He already worked with Xue Yang, I doubt there is something he knew about demonic cultivation that A… Jin Guangyao didn´t know. They could have easily crossed paths in the Greyjoy Rebellion that I read about, but why would he want with Xue Yang´s shidi…”

“Euron was the commander of the Fleet that almost assaulted Dragonstone and King´s Landing, but unlike others, his ship returned safely, one of the few” Aeron said. “And when he returned… I never thought he would care about something like that, not even his own family. Or the royal family he was supposed to capture.”

“What was it?”

“A sword”

“A…” Wei Wuxian´s eyes widened, then demanded something to draw in. He was given ink and paper, in which he quickly draws a sword. He showed it to Aeron Greyjoy, who nodded when he saw it. “It´s Jiangzai.”

“Jiangzai? Xue Yang´s sword, that Jiangzai? I thought that it was destroyed or…” Lan Xichen looked at Lan Wangji, who shook his head. “Jiangzai wasn´t captured when Xue Yang died, then. It must have been retrieved with his body… and Jin Guangyao must have been carrying it when he fled Guanyin Temple.”

“So… Euron Greyjoy received the sword of his shixiong? Why should we care? Even if he is a demonic cultivator, he must be weaker than Xue Yang because he probably began late. And we have the Yiling Laozu, no one knows more about demonic cultivation than…”

“That´s what I fear” Wei Wuxian said.

“Lady Lan? Is there something you would like to share?” Stannis said.

“Jin Guangshan was obsessed before his death with my work, that´s why he got Xue Yang to study everything he could sack from my… let´s say lair, when I was still a demonic cultivator” he bit his lips. “But he didn´t have that much of a brain, so he put his much smarter bastard son in charge of that… and he learned. Learned everything he needed to replicate some of them. Perhaps more…”

“The Yin Tiger Tally?” Jiang Cheng asked. “But even Xue Yang couldn´t reproduce it, merely repair the thing. And you… you destroyed it.”

“Still, it´s still a piece of Yin Iron. And Jin Guangyao had one that disappeared with him. He only needed a trained demonic cultivator to try and…” Wei Wuxian looked pale now. “I´m not sure, Xue Yang was talented… and if Jin Guangyao could give Euron Greyjoy both mine and Xue Yang´s notes on… Heavens Above…”

Lan Wangji put a hand on his husband´s shoulder. He had abandoned the ghostly path now that he had the golden core of Mo Xuanyu… at least until he had to go to war and needed his legions of corpses. But now… now he regretted creating demonic cultivation and that blasted thing more than ever. Even if he and Lan Zhan had destroyed it, it had found a way to shed darkness in his life again. And who knows what more Jin Guangyao had shared with Euron Greyjoy, the shidi that was to finish the work of his shixiong. And what certainty did he have that Euron Greyjoy will be obedient to him? What kind of deal did that bastard had with that insane pirate? It certainly couldn´t be just about Jiangzai. It couldn´t be…

“He is giving him his daughter.” Wei Wuxian said.

“What?” Lan Xichen asked.

“Dual Cultivation with a strong cultivator, that´s a way to strength one´s core without much work, one of the few… also a marriage held the promise of better future generations. So Jin Guangyao offered an hypothetical daughter, now the one of his children he always paid the most attention and trained the most, his pride and joy, to him as a bride.”

“That´s…” Lan Xichen covered his mouth with his hands. “I don´t think A-Yao is capable of that. And the girl is barely a child…”

“He is more than capable” Nie Huaisang countered, his eyes cold as ice. “Jin Rusong, his first son, was also a child and Jin Guangyao killed him for political gain and to hide the secret of his incestuous marriage. He even killed Qin Su so she couldn´t tell about it.”

“I… I can´t…”

“Xiozhang” Lan Wangji and Lan Quiren were now discreetly trying to support Lan Xichen, who seemed on the verge of fainting. He always insisted that there was something good in Jin Guangyao, even if the rest of him was evil… apparently he had yet to learn his lesson.

“It´s worse than that” Wei Wuxian continued. “Xuèshí, that name… I think I have read it before or heard it before… I can´t remember yet but… if Lan Zhan…”

His husband nodded. They have dual cultivated and shared Empathy too, there was no danger in him doing something similar to that and scanned his memories. As he did, everyone stayed silent. Lan Yuan looked from one parent to other, worried, but then Lan Wangji opened his eyes, wide as dishes. Wei Wuxian seemed about to vomit, needing the arms of his husband around him to keep himself on his feet.

“My mother… she told me a tale when I was very young, about a fight in which Baoshan Sanren participated and then told her about. Against Xue Chonghai…”

“We all know that history, it´s about the origin of the Burrial Mounds and a demonic cultivator out of…” the Yiling Laozu shook his head.

“His birth name was Xuèshí, he turned to the dark arts much before, but he was respected until he killed his sister Zǐshuǐjīng and worshiped a black stone from which he made his greatest achievement, the Yin Iron. Then the Jianghu joined together against him, his wife and children and army of corpses and demonic cultivators lieutenants, which called themselves the Cult of Starry Wisdom, to end his Reign of Terror.”

“That´s known to almost every scholar” Lan Quiren said. “Though I didn´t know the names…”

“Or the Titles. Empress Zǐshuǐjīng or the Amethyst Empress of the Empire of Dawn” Wei Wuxian continued. “And Emperor Xuèshí… whose name means bloodstone.”

There was silence, though the present maesters were whispering to each other. Perhaps some were interested in taking a trip to Yi Ti to learn about their culture and history. After all, they had actual evidence that there had been a reign of terror and an Empire of Dawn. Perhaps they could even tell them where the battle against the Bloodstone Emperor was!! The myth of the Long Night was supposed to have started there…

“Then… we could be about to face something like that here… and Jin Guangyao is going to be the mastermind behind it. If his new ally doesn´t kill him first that´s it” Nie Huaisang extended his fan as he said it. He already knew where his trip would take him next.

-In the Iron Islands-

“I hope your part of the promise is fulfilled soon” Jin Guangyao said as Euron Greyjoy stepped out of the room where he and his new wife had enjoyed their first night. “After all, I have already given you my daughter.”

“She was pleasing… it´s been long since I had the pleasure of deflowering a girl. Much less such a young one… and I never one with a golden core” he flexed his hands, almost as if he was admiring the power. “You were right, my own core has gotten stronger just by fucking her one night… I want to do it all night long again.”

“And our deal?”

“Have some patience, after all” Euron Greyjoy made a gesture to their new goodfather to follow him to the bowels of the Silence. “This is a material that requires delicacy and patience to be worked into what you want. Some of which my dear shixiong lacked, as he was unable to do more than repair a small trinket.”

“Heavens above…”

He had heard that Euron Greyjoy claimed to have raided every land known to men, even the Valyrian Freehold´s remains. And now that he was seeing this, he believed it. He could feel the Yin Energy coming out of each of these pieces of… of Yin Iron. Exactly how much of the thing did Euron have in his possession? He already knew that the Sea stone Chair was a huge piece of Yin Iron, which had allowed Euron´s cultivation to reach the level of Xue Yang despite his late start, but he hadn´t expected… there was a great Toad Carving, a dragon one, a boulder that seemed to be have once belonged to the top of a pyramid, which apparently had the strongest presence, and much more. With this, Euron could make something better than the Yin Tiger Tally, but also…

“Over this I will build an empire that will last. In the name of my ancestor, Xue Chonghai, I, Euron Greyjoy, courtesy name Xue Wūyā, will make something that will make the Yiling Laozu look like a disciple. In fact, I have already started.”

Jin Guangyao frowned. Xue Wūyā… that woman had given the second monster she had raised a good name. Crow´s Eye… really fitting. He still froze when he saw the fierce corpses lined up in front of the Yin Iron. They were… he had been sure that the Ghost General was the strongest fierce corpse in existence, followed by Song Lan. But these ones… these ones could give them more than a worthy fight. Perhaps he had now chosen the right side.

“Urri, dear brother” he whispered to one, his eye turning red. “Bring King´s Landing down for your King, would you?”

Chapter Text

Desmera Redwyne… Jiang… never thought she would leave for so far after getting married. She knew that she was a desirable partner, her father had been in talks with a Lannister from Lannisport with the backing of Lord Tywin, but the Lannisters proved to be enemies of the Seven Kingdoms, so that didn´t get anywhere. But still, the Westerlands weren´t as far as Yi Ti was. And Yummeng… she had been told the basics of the land she was going to be Lady of, but it was practically a whole new place in a whole new world. She was going to have to learn a lot of new things while living there. And she guessed that it was going to be… far too different from Westeros.

“Dearie, are you ready for the day?” Mina Tyrell asked before entering her daughter´s room as if it was her own. Even if she was technically a married woman now. “Your grandmother sent for several fabrics for your other wedding dress that recently arrived. I took the liberty of bringing them to you.”

“Mother…”

“Don´t thank us, my dear, it´s not all the days I could help with a wedding dress for my own daughter” the Lady Redwyne said as several servants entered carrying various kinds of fabrics. And at the end… “Lady Luo has offered to help us with the design and accessories that should be worn in that case.”

Luo Qingjiao didn´t seem willing or as knowledgeable in noble weddings, but he was one of the few Yitish her family had some measure of trust in, so they would defer to her. She sighed, then pulled out what seemed like a paper. She opened it and showed mother and daughter what seemed like an old drawing of a couple dressed in red, lovingly staring at each other. Desmera wondered if she and her own husband would ever look like that… and, for some reason, she couldn´t help but believe that the woman in the drawing shared a small resemblance with Lord Jiang.

“My mother gave me this when I asked her to. It´s… something she got from Jin Zixuan, her milk brother and childhood friend despite their difference on status. It´s a picture of his and Jiang Yanli´s wedding.”

“You mean, my daughter´s late goodsister?” Lady Mina asked, analyzing the picture. The late Jin Zixuan must indeed had Luo Qingyang in a high steam to gift her something like that. “She was indeed a beautiful woman.”

“Beautiful… yes, she was… and gentle… too gentle to stay alive for long in the ruthless land of politics” she shook her head. Desmera could tell that it was a warning towards her… after all, beautiful Jiang Yanli had been sacrificed for the ambitions of her goodfather and bastard goodbrother, to frame the Lady Lan.
“But I think we are straying.”

“And… is there someone who could remember what the late Lady Jiang… I mean, Madam Jiang… Madam Yu wore to her wedding?”

“It wouldn´t be of good luck” the young Yitish woman shook her hair. “While both marriages were arranged, the one of Jin Zixuan and Jiang Yanli became one of love after they married each other. They were… compatible to some level. In the case of Madam Yu and Jiang-zongzhui… most said that they were not evenly matched. In fact, the Jianghu believed that the calm Lord Jiang, indecisive and peaceful, and the strong tempered, violent Violet Spider were the worst match ever.”

“Sometimes a woman needs to make up for the weaknesses of her husband”

“Madam Yu was famous for being prouder and more violent than any other person. In fact, the marriage was always described as one conflict after another despite the efforts the late Jiang-zonghzui made pacify his wife” she shook her head. “Of course, Madam Yu was also a firm believer in the theory that her husband was still in love with Cangse Sanren… or that her child was his bastard… something completely ridiculous once you know how to measure time…”

“It sounds more like the Lady in question was one at fault” Mina said as she examined the painting even more. “Perhaps we should talk to Lady Lan. Her advise might be taken into account too, as the one who knew the Jiang family the most…”

“That wouldn´t be advisable” Luo Qingjiao countered with a clearly disturbed face. “It´s know that Wei Wuxian´s and Jiang Wanyin´s relationship hasn´t mended completely since the murder of Jin-shao-furen… the fight was so horrible that, despite being invited to the ceremony, Jiang-zongzhui didn´t show up to Wei Wuxian´s and Lan Wangji´s wedding nor sent a gift… though it was quite the unconventional wedding. With all and Lan Shizui being the one that gave away the bride and everything…”

It was still a huge disrespect. Lady Lan might not have been the most respectable Lady amongst the nobility in her youth, considering her being named a Dark Witch and bearing a child before marriage, one old enough to be almost an adult when she finally married his father… some in Westeros compared her to Saera Targaryen or Alys Turnberry… but at least the Second Jade of Lan had made an honest woman out of her and their love seemed genuine. Besides, he had cared for the child in his mother´s absence. If that wasn´t a show of love, Desmera didn´t know what it was…

Well, that might not have been the issue. Desmera had gotten to know her new husband, even if they were waiting to consummate the marriage, and knew that he was a prideful man that probably didn´t like his plan being derailed. And from what she could gather, Wei Wuxian had been a much-prized servant of his house, serving as some sort of Master of Arms in her youth. He probably thought that once she was declared innocent, she would remain in his House´s service, not accept the father of her bastard child´s suit. He was probably convinced of that since their childhood shared together… it must have been a hard blow to him to be abandoned by the only sibling he had left after his sister died.

“Daughter mine, are you listening? We are talking about the jewelry” Mina clapped to regain her daughter´s attention. “The hair ornaments are going to be difficult, but if I order a jeweler now to do something alike to them, I´m sure we can get it on time. As for the dress… I know a talented seamstress that can do something like that. With our own arrangement, of course. I´m sure we could add some roses and grapefruits to the embroidery…”

Desmera practically zooned out as his mother and the seamstress Lady Redwyne called after her mother finished discussing it with Lady Luo worked around her, nodding by inertia when Mina asked her something. They were using Jiang Yanli´s dress as a guide… and she didn´t know how much she liked it. Or how much her new husband would like it. After her, as beautiful as his sister was, she also was murdered very young in her life. The new Jiang-furen wouldn´t want to follow her example in that, no matter how exemplary she was said to have been. Jiang Yanli´s untimely death… it was something that haunted her, no matter how much she tried to forget it. She wasn´t naïve, not like she was said to be, but she was going to be completely new to foreign land and…

“It seems like Lady Desmera is rather distracted today. Could it be because of the marriage she still has unconsummated?” Bethany Rowan dared to say. She knew she was rather salty about Lord Jiang preferring her less beautiful cousin to her, but she better observe decorum…

“Bethany, please, leave our cousin alone” Margaery said softly. “You should focus yourself. Or do you want to lose again?”

Apparently, she had already changed targets for Bethany… would it be another high Lord of Yi Ti? But Lan Xichen seemed to be uncharacteristically reticent to marry and Lan Shizui already betrothed to a member of the family because of the… unusual circumstances surrounding his birth and inheritance. Could there be someone else? She hoped it was not her new nephew, because that would be highly uncomfortable. Besides, she couldn´t even begin to imagine what Bethany Rowan might do with all that wealth, as she seemed to be a bit of a extravagant one… that coming from someone raised by Ladies Olenna and Mina Tyrell and Margary herself. You just have to see how much cleavage she showed just so she could use a thick necklace with a huge golden apple.

“After all, Arianne Martell already had a head start… and I heard that the young Lord Yu is quite taken with her” Marge added, making her shrink onto herself.
“That´s why I decided to invite someone else to the tea today, to help you. And here she comes” she got up with a charming smile. “Madam Yu!! Pleasure to have you accepting my invitation!!”

“Thank you for inviting me”

The woman certainly didn´t look her years if this was her husband´s aunt, Desmera though as she watched her practically glide to the seat separated for her. She commended the tea, but didn´t talk much apart from that. It shouldn´t surprise her that much now that she looked much younger than she was, even Grandmaster Qiren was reputed to be older than he appeared and the man certainly appeared as old as her grandmother. Still the Madam Yu, leader of a matriarchal noble house of Yi Ti, seemed to be a woman of little words, preferring to spent her time amusing herself by watching Desmera herself. She suddenly felt like she had been put under a magnifying glass…

“I have to say, Madam Yu, that I have never heard of a matriarchal noble House” Bethany Rowan said, her eyes shinning with power. “Tell me, is that why the Yu women were infamous for having a strong temper?”

“The only one infamous for her strong temper was my sister Ziyuan” she answered frowning as she kept her eyes on her tea. “I´m glad that A-Cheng didn´t inherit her irrationality alongside with her temper. With how he was refusing marriage and kept insulting young ladies, I thought he would never marry. I´m glad to be wrong.”

“You must be, but…” Bethany shrieked when hot tea stained the front of her dress.

“Oh, my, I´m sorry, cousin!!” Margaery raised herself from her seat. “Please, accept my apologies along with an invitation to see my own dresses and pick the one you would like to replace this. Ladies” she addressed her ladies in waiting. “Please, escort Lady Rowan to my room so she could get changed.”

“Amusing” Madam Yu said once Bethany was no longer on sight. “You are a smart one, aren´t you? Sect Leader Nie and you will make a well-matched pair” she drank some of her tea. “Yes, I noticed. I´m used to the current Xiandu and his antics… you have to be to survive.”

“Madam Yu, I assure you…”

“Yes, but that loudmouth would have never attracted the attention of any suitor of a good status from my homeland. Perhaps Sect Leader Yao might want to take her for his heir, but… you already know how that one is. And his son is no better” she smirked. “Ouyang was blessed with Wei Wuxian´s and Hanguang-Jun´s intervention to turn their child into someone respectable.”

“For someone whose sister was said to have been scorned for Cangse Sanren, you have said nothing but praises for said woman´s son.”

“Surprised? I´m merely giving someone his rightful due” she answered, her purple painted lips not losing that amused smirk. “Ziyuan might have decided to held her hate for that woman consume her, despite her not doing anything against her and dying so long ago, and took it out on Cangse Sanren´s only child. Me, on the other note… well, I know how to do my numbers and let go of my own jealousy for her fame long ago.”

“Are you seriously not angry at her anymore? They could be just rumors, but they marred the honor of your sister and your House…”

“And was that an orphan child´s fault? Or was the kind of blood he carried?” she shook her head. “Whatever I had against Cangse Sanren, if I ever had, died with her and her husband. I´m no my sister nor Lan Qiren.”

And talking about Grandmaster Lan, he seemed to have become the target of Lady Olenna Tyrell´s attempts at amusing himself. Enough for Olenna to ask him to dance with her once… the man answered shielding himself with the now infamous Lan rules. It seemed to perk the Dowager Lady Tyrell´s attention and now she seemed to get fun out of getting a rice from the other elder. Though Desmera could tell why Olenna felt some strange sort of fellowship towards him. They have pretty different circumstances, but she could find some parallelisms between them. The both of them had been forced by circumstances… and incompetent lords… to handle the lands of their families with an iron hand. Qingjeng-Jun could be more competent than Luthor or Mace Tyrell, but he apparently had refused to involve himself in matter of ruling after losing his wife. So much that his younger brother had to practically raise his young nephews without help. And managing Gusu Lan so the vassals didn´t seize much power during his brother´s incapacity and Lan Xichen´s minority. She thought they could be great friends… if Lan Qiren were a little bit less straight faced. Still…

“What does Grandmaster Lan had to do with Cangse Sanren?” Desmera asked, only managing to understand that it had been her who had spoken when the words had already left her mouth. All the eyes went to her, making her want to do disappear… but then a hand landed on her own. Madam Yu was looking at her with approval.

“Cangse Sanren studied in Cloud Recesses for some time after leaving the Celestial Mountain, to understand more of the world” Madam Yu explained. “During that time, she got to befriend Jiang Fengmian and Wei Changze… and the Grandmaster Lan and his brother too. Though Lan Qiren, strict as ever, considered her as a troublemaker who always broke the rules. The same with her son” she shook his head. “I´m aware that until this day, his nephew´s marriage is a bitter pill to swallow. Much more than his nephew, who he raised to be the perfect rule-following Lan, raising a son out of wedlock.”

“I think that it was commendable, doing the right thing after such a long time…”

“It was, Madam Jiang” the older woman said, her smile softening. “And not only that, but a show of the greatest of love. Hanguang-Jun was capable of going against the very rules he had been taught from infancy to obey and even harm his elders to try and save his beloved at the Siege of the Burial Mounds… they marries after Wei Wuxian´s name was cleared, but Lan Qiren has never truly accepted that and even resents the boy for making his nephew stray from the path he had envisioned for him.”

“There are some reasons for us old men and women to try and guide the young towards greatness” Lady Olenna finally talked after hearing that.

“Yes, but we shouldn´t underestimate what a youngster could do in the throes of love, a Lan most of them all” she continued to smile. “The Lans of Gusu… they were said to be as cold as ice on the inside and passionate on the inside. So passionate that they were said they could only love once with an intensity that would lead them to destroy everything that was between them and the object of their affection… or let themselves slowly die when they are no longer there of sheer love sickness.”

“Sounds so romantic…” little Alla sighed as she did when she heard the tale of Jenny of Oldstones and the Prince of Dragonflies. Now that Desmera though about it, Jin Guangyao had also popularized the history of the Second Jade of Lan and the Dark Witch, enough for some bards to take it into their hands to write songs about the Yitish couple that seemed to be an equivalent to the first.

“Romance normally has little to do with marriage… but in their case, it was much different. And in yours, Madam Jiang” she actually smiled at her, making the Redwyne Lady feel more than a little bit shy. “It might not be the same history with years of yearning, but I´m glad Wanyin has found someone like you, Desmera. You make a good pair and I´m sure that, with time, love is going to grow between you.”

“I… I also want that” she wasn´t used to be in the center of attention, much less with gorgeous Margaery still there and presiding the table. “I thought that he might preferred someone like Bethany or Margaery…”

“You mean that nasty girl that had to be removed from the table before she makes a bigger scandal of herself?” she actually snorted. “As if Wanyin would like someone like her. With her personality and how she dresses… a little bit more and I would say that she is Wang Linjiao returned from the death. And there are only a few people that Wanyin hates more than that up-jumped maid. Even I would have reacted like Ziyuan if she had said what she said in my presence… at least at the end.”

“Wang Lingjiao?” Margaery asked. “I´m sorry, but I haven´t heard about such a person. Was she a warrior that participated in the War called the Sunshot Campaign?”

“Someone has been listening to the bits of history of our country that reached these coasts” Madam Yu put down her cup. “Wang Lingjiao was a handmaiden of the wife of the Second Young Master Wen. She was curvy and cruel, so she got his attention and became his mistress. she was with him during the supposed indoctrination camp, where she delighted torturing girls that caught the attention of her lover. She even convinced him to try and kill one… and wanted to use the iron brand on her face…”

“What a horrible woman!!” Margaery covered her mouth with her hands. “And the poor girl… how will she find a suitor with such an injury on her face?”

“You are friends with her daughter, from what I was told. Lady Luo evaded the mark thanks to the intervention of Jin Zixuan, Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian” she shook her head. “Wen Chao was so useless that he practically created the perfect opportunity for the hostages to escape during that incident.” Her eyes hardened. “Unfortunately, that wasn´t the last time my nephew saw that whore. Wen Chao sent her as an infiltrator the night the Wen navy attacked Lotus Pier. Her aim was to make Ziyuan commit a mistake, as Fengmian wasn´t there. And she… she did many things… but after she said something… Ziyuan turned her anger from her target to Wang Lingjiao. And her escorts defended her. As the fight started, the whore sent the signal… and the Wen Navy attacked. Fengmian returned in the middle of the carnage, along with his retinue, but it wasn´t enough… they both end up dying that night.”

“So… my husband was orphaned and had his home stole from him… because of that woman Wang Lingjiao?” Desmera asked. Now she knew why Jiang Cheng made that face every time he saw Bethany Rowan trying to hang from his arm. “What happened to her?”

“Casualty of War” there was some satisfaction in Madam Yu´s voice when she mentioned the ultimate fate of the whore that had played a part in the murder of her sister and goodbrother. “Wei Wuxian killed her along with a lot of Wens, then used the dark arts to raise their corpses and make them attack their former allies. As for Wen Chao and his henchman, Wen Zhuliu… let´s just say that they died slowly. Even my sister would approve of that.”

“But wasn´t Wei Wuxian by then…”

“A Dark Witch, as you called him? Yes, but back then, no one cared. He was a good weapon to have on our side, that was the only thing most of us needed to know despite how he did things that we normally would consider unforgivable” she looked down. “Looking back, we should have behaved differently… looking for why someone as promising as him would turn to the dark arts… perhaps then nothing of what happened after the War would have happened.”

“What do you mean?”

“Here” she pointed at one point in her belly. “We have something known as Golden Core. It´s the result of years of training and allows us to fly on swords… basically do everything you have seen us done. It´s the source of our power, which goes through the meridians to the rest of the body” so this… golden core was like an organ for magic? And these meridians were the blood vessels? “Wen Ruohan´s pet, Wen Zhuliu, came from a fallen sect with a special ability. He could destroy golden cores.”

“Then he is better dead” Olenna commented. “You certainly should have gotten rid of that man sooner.”

“I won´t discuss that, as we should have done that” Madam Yu frowned. “During the Massacre of the Pier, he destroyed my sister´s and her husband´s golden cores before killing them. Wei Wuxian and my nephew were forced to escape by Ziyuan, but… the Wens ended up catching up with them. Wanyin was able to escape, but Wei Wuxian´s core was destroyed… and then Wen Chao, because he hated him, threw him in a place that had been cursed for several centuries now: the Burial Mounds.”

“I guess it was there where Lady Lan learned to master the Dark Arts” Margaery intervened, listening carefully. “But without his magic organ…”

“The Dark Arts don´t need one, and Wei Wuxian was very smart. His survival instincts were” she shook her head. “During the war, none of us cared about his use of what he learned during his hellish months in that place, learning to manipulate energy that came from the resentment of the deceased. Wanyin said he cared, but he never… said anything against that… or the possible side effects it could have in his mind” she sighed. “I know that he cares for Wei Wuxian despite the strain in their relationship… but the only one who seemed willing to do something about it was Lan Wangji. He spent the whole war following Wei Wuxian around as much as he could, asking him to come to Gusu with him… he probably thought he could do something to purify him and push him back towards the rightful path… sometimes I think things would have been so much easier if he had been successful. Too bad he had to lose him nearly permanently first before we stupid elders realized that part of what happened was our fault too. Jin Guangshan and Jin Guangyao might have been the ones to frame him, but it was us who was eager to swallow the bait and turn on a person trying to do the right thing for something he didn´t even choose to begin with.”

“It´s still a beautiful history, even more than the one that… what is that?” Margaery asked when she heard a clash in the distance. “If it´s another training session…”

“It´s not that, keep it quiet. And your heads down” the older woman ordered, her eyes hardening as she took her hand to a ring in her finger. “The Red Keep is under attack, you better keep hiding before.”

The door was then opened by force and strange looking men started to enter. Alla screamed and cowered like the little girl she was, crying so much that Margaery had to move from her hiding place to drag her to her lap and console her. The fighters in the room, for another part, were already ready to defend the women. Madam Yu was up in a second, whip in hand. From where… the Matriarch then jumped to battle, slashing through what seemed like a bunch of whigs from the tales of the Long Night. She couldn´t help but want to shrink into herself and scream… but then she noticed that Alla was about to get caught by one of the corpses that were slashed but could somehow still move. Desmera quickly went towards her cousin, as Left and Right were too far away, protecting Margaery and Olenna, and pulled out something that Wei Wuxian had given her for her own protection… as a wedding gift. Or at least that was what Lady Lan said, when her new husband wasn´t looking. She called it a purifying talisman. Desmera enveloped her cousin with her arms and threw it as she was told to do… somehow, the magic in the paper managed to stop all the corpses. They were…

“That was very smart of you my dear” Madam Yu said, approaching her. “Wei Wuxian is one of the greatest talisman makers in the Jianghu, his dexterity with them as legendary as the one with demonic cultivation” she put a hand on his shoulder. “Also that he had the wisdom to put spiritual energy on it before giving it to you… so you could use it to protect yourself. And you were very smart to carry it with you and use it in this situation.”

“Thank you, Madam Yu”

“Thank you, dear niece” she smiled softly. “I can be calm now that A-Cheng actually chose well, despite your youth and lack of training in cultivation. Lotus Pier and my nephew is going to be in safe hands, once you get used to it.”

Desmera didn´t know what to say. She hadn´t expected her new in-laws to accept a foreigner as Madam of a Great Sect so easily. But apparently Madam Yu saw the value in being courageous. And to know what to do in emergency situations, even if it was to use the gift of someone her own husband didn´t seem to be able to forgive or her inventions. She had wondered for a second if Jiang Cheng had ever hoped to marry Lady Lan… but the way he talked about his foster sister reassured her that she was merely that. And after losing so much, she could understand feeling betrayed because she decided to leave forever with her husband than remaining with him. She would work to reconcile the two of them, a feat that not even their nephew had achieved. Returning to Madam Yu, she was glad to receive her approval. Desmera hoped to live up her expectations, she really did.

-In another place-

Jin Ling was surprised when the corpses attacked the city, much more when his Daifu used Suibian instead of Chengqin to combat them. At least until Lan Shizui managed to unleash an array that ended them all. He would be lying if he said that, in times like this, he wasn´t feeling a little bit jealous of his cousin. Lan Sizhui somehow still managed to be on top of the young masters despite being an heir, one forced to marry one of his adoptive cousins so he could succeed Lan Xichen when he was gone instead of the usual love match of the Lans, and him being a Sect Leader. He was technically more powerful, but… he could feel that he somehow was behind him in terms of spiritual energy.

Returning to the present, his Daifu seemed to be examining one of the corpses with Lan Wangji and Lan Shizui behind him. Jin Ling would also approach, but he was too busy making sure Lan Jinghy didn´t do anything stupid. Besides, he didn´t want to look inside the mouth of a corpse like Wei Wuxian seemed to be doing now, in plain light. The people around him cringed and fled the place, at least those that stayed alive… what a way to finish a shopping trip. They were supposed to try and find some Valyrian steel or Yin Iron. Yes, it was a far chance, but it was to relax a bit before Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji went to…

“Humm, they surely are martial brothers” Wei Wuxian interrupted his train of thoughts. He seemed to find something interesting as he watched the mouth of the corpse. “Xue Yang also had the distasteful habit of cutting the tongue out of his victims, both alive and dead. And the painted eyes technique…”

“I have already enough nightmares about Yi City to add to it” Jin Ling said with a shudder.

“No, but this is strange. These corpses…” Wei Wuxian continued to ramble as Hanguang-Jun and Lan Shizui listened carefully. Jin Ling and Lan Jinghy certainly preferred the short version of his monologues. “They aren´t strong enough. If they were supposed to kill us, then this wouldn´t be enough. Even A-Yuan could with this level of corpses and he carries a dose of the cure with him in case of corpse poisoning…”

They all shuddered at that. Having to take one dose of that glutinous rice congee made specially by his dear martial uncle, which means it has enough chilly to turn the thing red, was punishment enough to make any disciple think twice before attacking any corpse without a plan to avoid corpse poisoning. Even Jin Ling himself, who carried a dose with him, learned to do that after the… incident in Yi City where he was forced to try his dear Daiju´s cooking. Which made him wonder how Shizui could still be alive after he was forced to eat his adoptive father´s cooking when he was four. Didn´t that amount of chilly ruined his digestive tract?

“But this doesn´t make sense at all” the ramblings in the background made him return to where he was. “This small force… and these corpses are something that Lan Zhan and I would be able to take care of. Of course, with so many people around, we would focus on minimizing the loses, but…” he stopped himself as he realized something. “It´s a trap. He wanted us in this place while he attacked the castle.”

“Attack the castle for what?”

“I don´t know, but” he searched for something in his qyanqu pouch. “Lan Zhan, do you think you can stall whatever we are going to find there?”

“Hmmm”

“Then perhaps we will be able to gather some information on Euron Greyjoy´s plans.”

Of course, that was easier said than done. As Jin Ling followed his uncles and cousin through the streets, then into the Red Keep, he realized that, once again, Wei Wuxian had been correct. The sound of swords crossing swords and digging into flesh of corpses that weren´t stopped unless a cultivator downed them. He drew Suihua, ready to help his men, when another sound took his attention from the lower-level corpses. Song Lan and the Ghost General went through a wall, along with some other thing… a high-grade fierce corpse? He knew that Xue Yang was insane enough to attempt to replicate the success his Daifu had when he reanimated Wen Ning, except for giving Song Lan a will of his own, but he had never realized that his martial brother would also descend into that level of insanity. Apparently, he had expected too much from those demented demonic cultivators.

“Wen Ning!!” Wei Wuxian screamed, seeing his own friend ensnarled in battle with the thing. It was tall, black haired and… and looked very young. Heavens, this poor thing couldn´t even have been sixteen when he died. And if Euron Greyjoy was anything like Xue Yang, he probably did with much pain. “What´s happening?!!”

“Master!!! He tried to assassinate the King and kidnap the Princess!!!”

Wei Wuxian cursed, grabbing Chengqin this time. He needed to take control of all the corpses as soon as he can to give Song Zichen and Wen Ning the most advantage. Besides, he had an array to prepare. He had the feeling that the deep resentment in this being was directed to the one that made him like that. And just as his Shixiong, Euron Greyjoy could be defeated easier by something he himself created. At least he wouldn´t be surprised to see that man not suspecting if it were to return to him, even if it was empty handed. He might even laugh as he died, just like that bastard Xue Chengmei did.

“Entertain him for a bit” he looked at his husband then. “Lan Zhan…”

He didn´t need to be told more. Hanguang-Jun already had Wangji in his hands and started playing rest. A flute joined him, Liebling… apparently Lan Xichen had also managed to get away from the commotion and joined to help his brother. Wei Wuxian, while the others were doing their thing, prepared. What he was going to do was going to be complicated. He technically had already done that, with his martial uncle´s friend, but… Euron Greyjoy wasn´t Xue Yang. They might have learned from the same master, at least in the basics, but they weren´t the same. And something told him that this was going to be even more complicated than what he did for Song Lan.

“Ready!!!” he screamed.

The brothers Lan send a powerful wave of spiritual energy with their instruments and pushed the thing onto the array Wei Wuxian prepared. The corpse tried to get out, but the Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation stopped it. He then proceeded to try and return that animated body his humanity, but suddenly he found himself dragged into a deep, dark sea of resentment. Was this… was this a trap for him? Wei Wuxian could feel the resentment energy trying to claim him, scratching at him, just like in the Burial Mounds… no, the sensation was more like when he used the Yin Tiger Tally during the Sunshot Campaign… Yin Iron?!! But they had destroyed every last bit of it!!! From where would Euron Greyjoy get Yin Iron?!!! Unless… were they sure those five pieces were the only ones that Xue Chonghai was able to make? Couldn´t there be more? From what he gathered, there was enough material in that sky stone to make more than those little bits…

The cling of a bell helped him recover control. Was that Jin Ling? Was he using the clarity bell he had made for him for his hundred days ceremony? The ring of the bell again made him remember his mission. He couldn´t let the Yin Iron get the better of him now. He had controlled it once, he could do it again. And WILL do it again. He escaped from it´s grasp and reached inside the tortured soul that was inside the body. The first thing he could hear was… the creak of a rusty iron hinge. Suddenly, he was in a room that smelled like the sea and the humidity. He looked back and saw a little boy trembling in his bed. Surprisingly, he was not alone in that dark place. There was another little figure trembling, faking to sleep in another bed by the other´s side.

“Please… please don´t come… please leave me alone tonight…” the boy pleaded, looking at the other bed where who Wei Wuxian could guess was his brother shook. “And if he did… if he did… please, let him choose me… don´t let him bypass me again… Ari doesn´t deserve this… please, let him choose me…”

“Urri…”

“Let him choose me, Drowned God, please…”

The creak sounded again and the door opened, revealing a dark figure that even Wei Wuxian could tell that was reeking of alcohol. But not enough to dull his senses, indeed, nor his cruelty, because his eyes immediately landed on the trembling child. As if he could guess what he was praying, his gaze quickly turned into the smaller frame. Wei Wuxian already had a guess about what was going to happen… he could tell by the look on the eyes of the young man that was now walking towards them. It was the same expression Xue Yang had when he looked at the corpse of Xiao Xincheng, the one that made Wei Wuxian realize that he wouldn´t care if the resurrected Daohist had refused him, he would have taken what he thought belonged to him by force if it was needed to achieve it. A look that more than shared, seemed to be identical in more than one way. It was almost as if they were…

“Euron Greyjoy”

Wei Wuxian quickly took care of the specter of Euron Greyjoy, who released an otherworldly scream. It wouldn´t erase what the real Euron had done to these children, but it would be enough to free this soul from his forced servitude to the man who had defiled him. He also would have a chance to avenge himself with his own hands…

“Urri…”

That word was the first thing that he heard when he returned to his body. Lan Zhan was already by his side, to support his body as he nearly fell to the ground. This was strange… why had this soul been strong enough to drag him in an Empathy like trance? He turned to see who had talked and saw Damphair running towards who he thought was his brother. The cultivator only needed to see that to know who had been that other child Euron had abused during his childhood. Aeron Greyjoy stopped short from the start of the array, covering his mouth with his hand as he addressed the state of the corpse…

“Urri… Urrigon, brother, what has he done to you?” he asked, horrified. It seemed like the both of them were close thanks to the shared trauma. Perhaps even closer than with their other brothers. “Urrigon, what happened…”

“Hmmmmm”

Urrigon Greyjoy raised his head to look at his brother´s face. There was recognition in his eyes, also care as he passed his cold hand over his face. Aeron put his own over it, despite the shudder. Was it because of the coldness or the unnatural state of his brother? Or perhaps… well, that was something they were going to have to fix between themselves. For now, he had to interrogate Urrigon Greyjoy about his brother´s plans. And something told him that there was something else afoot. If only he could guess what…

-In the Silence-

Silena Zun… Greyjoy tried and failed to get out of bed. It was not only his neither regions that hurt, it was all her body. She… she certainly wasn´t ready for what Euron Greyjoy would do to her every time he claimed his rights in the marital bed. How was she married even? She was too young even by Westerossi standards!!! But, then again… she was not the one at fault for this. This torture, this horrible pain, physical and mental as she didn´t know how to cope with what happened to her in the wedding night, much less in the nights after that…

She heard the voice of her father outside the door and felt a wave of disgust fill her. Once upon a time, she had enjoyed their close relationship. He called her Shi-er and caressed her head, allowed her to train in the yard as her brothers and to cultivate a golden core. Silena thought she was his pride and joy… now she wondered if he was merely raising her value in the marriage market to obtain more gaining from her. Or if he had planned to offer her to that monster Euron Greyjoy, who wanted a strong cultivator for a wife to improve his own cultivation and get stronger children. She wondered… if Liafang Zun, Jin Guangyao, Meng Yao, however he called himself now had ever loved his daughter. Or even his sons, as he seemed to not even bat an eyelash when they fell.

But it didn´t matter. Dual cultivation was dual for one reason. And while Euron grew stronger by feeding from her, she did too. Also, her golden core was strong enough so her body would stop to ache soon and she would drag herself back to the desk, where some manuals of demonic cultivation were. She had taken it upon herself to read them and master the techniques there, so she could kill Euron one day, possibly soon… and with that bastard, she would also take revenge on her bastard of a father. She chuckled to herself when that thought crossed her mind. Like father, like daughter indeed. After all, hadn´t Liafang-Zun killed his own father in such a humiliating way because the man insulted him time and time again? History would repeat itself then, she would also kill him in such a way that no one would ever forget… after all, wasn´t she her father´s daughter?