2,744A/N: EDIT: Maybe it's the holiday, but there's not a lot feedback this time around, it seems. And here I really tried to get this chapter out in time. I really did try, ya know...T_T
It seems I failed...
Tada~! One last spooky update for the spooky season! You might not understand what I mean at first, but be assured, you will by the end of the chapter, sorry about last week's delay, this one needed time to cook; as such, it was either this, or nothing at all. Looking forward to your feedback!
Many thanks to newboy (a reviewer) for offering a great many ideas regarding the Iron Islands!
As always, I wanted this chapter to feel like a proper Game of Thrones episode!
Hopefully I succeeded~!
Alright, I've kept you waiting long enough, methinks. Enough of this old man's rambling; you're here for a story. Hope you're prepared for the chaos to come. Once more, I own no references, quotes, memes or themes. Not a wit or a one. Nope. They're simply tributes to legends far greater than I. Lastly, a reminder to one and all. Naruto's Westerosi name remains Nathaniel. Joanna -and now Rhaella!- prefer to call him Naruto, yet they're the only ones who truly do.
Timeline is obviously a little skewed here, but hey, that makes things...fun.
References and verbatim from Game of Thrones below. Away we go~!
This chapter is feisty to riot, and I had a blast with it ~!
Naruto now has a nickname for Nymeria as well...
"... I suppose we should be getting back."
"Must we?"
"Nym, we've been gone the better part of a day now. They're probably worried sick."
"Just once more?"
"You're insatiable, you know that?"
"A girl knows and a girl regrets nothing!"
~?
Change the World
Naruto blinked.
Frowned in disbelief.
Squinted hard now, as he beheld the sordid mess before him. "What in the hells did I miss...?"
To his credit, he and Nymeria had returned to Casterly Rock with all due haste in the hopes of quietly quelling any dissent that might have formented in their absence. He was used to the chaos, expecting it even, given their unceremonious departure.
And some of it, he had been able to predict.
Tywin -Father!- for instance, had asked to speak with him later, while Joanna merely looked at him and Nymeria and just...smiled. Hiding was fruitless, there.
Mothers always knew what you were up to. They were scary like that.
To be fair, he'd not seen neither hide nor hair of Tyrion as of the moment, but perhaps that too was for the best; he wanted his little brother to remain innocent of such things a little while longer.
Alas, in all his years, he'd not been prepared for this.
Anticipated it? Yes.
Prepared for it? NOPE.
How did one prepare for this sorta thing anyway!
Answer!
You do not! For you cannot!
Truth be told, e'd expected something else altogether.
Instead they found...this strange sight, awaiting him in his bedroom; rather, the three of them sitting upon his bed in varying states of disarray. Lyanna's beautiful blue dress was ripped near the shoulder to expose a hastily bandaged cut there, Cersei bore a bruise of lively purple and black on her cheek, while Elia was nursing a split lip with a bloody handkerchief. Of Oberyn and Tyrion, there was no sign. Wise of them. They must've got while the getting was good. He couldn't blame them; because the girls didn't even seem to notice him, they were too busy glaring at each other.
They were not nice glares. Too sharp. Too angry, promising pain to one another at the least, outright murder at the worst.
Judging by their injuries, they'd must've had a fight of some sort while he was away. Ordinarily,that wouldn't have troubled him whatsoever. People fought all the time, noble ladies more than most. Best to let them air their grievances and be done with it, right?
Wrong.
He might just be marrying Lyanna once this mess was over, his feelings for Elia were still something of a mystery, and Cersei...nononotgoingthererightnow.
No matter how good she looked in that crimson dress of hers-gah!
Heresy! Foul treachery! From his own mind no less!
For a wild moment he thought about just backing the hells up, easing the door shut and simply not dealing with this today. He was sore, sleepy -really needed to have word with Rhaella in his dreams come to think of it-and he had an attack to plan.
Too late, they saw him.
"There you are." Cersei spoke first, idly noticing a silent Nymeria at his side. "Brought her back into the fold, have you?"
"...I have." He hedged warily, not liking the look in her eyes for a moment. "What did I miss?"
"Oh, nothing." Elia tossed her head, flicking a strand of dark hair out her eyes.
"We simply had a little talk," Lyanna said. "Just the three of us."
Cersei seconded her. "A very enthusiastic talk."
"Seems like more than a talk to me...
Elia blinked. "Does it?"
They were trying very hard to play innocent about something; but what, exactly? They'd clearly gotten into a fight, but what would they possibly be fighting over...oh. It would have to be him, wouldn't it? He couldn't think of anything else that would rouse the three of them to violence so swiftly. Unless they'd simply decided to start thumping one one with training weapons for no reason while he was away.
Un-bloody-likely~!
Cersei granted him a grim grin. "You must be seeing things, little brother."
He scowled at his smug sister. "You've got a bruise on your face."
Ellia sniffed. "We haven't the foggiest idea what you mean."
"And you have a split lip!"
Lyanna opened her mouth to refute that.
"Not a word form you!" he jabbed a finger her way and snarled her into silence. "The three of you are going to sit and allow yourselves to be healed. Do you understand?"
Credit where it was due, Cersei and Ellia knew better than to protest.
Not so Lyanna. She had to be stubborn. "I'm fine, my love. Really. Its just a scratch-
Naruto drew on the natural energy in the air, yanked it inward and made his eyes gleam gold. "Do. You. Understand?"
Nymeria hid a giggle behind her hand. "Perhaps you should let them keep their injuries? After all, they've clearly claimed that they have none."
"Nym," he chastised her under his breath, "Not the time."
Oops.
They noticed that.
Or rather, Lyanna did.
(.0.0.0.)
Lyanna idly noticed the nickname; in the same moment, she noticed Nymeria lingering close by his side, closer than usual.
She had returned, it seemed. That was good, she supposed. Nathaniel had been most morose without her.
But she was standing awfully close to him.
Almost leaning against him.
Wait...!
Suddenly concerned, she peered closer at the pair, and while there were no overt signs of foul play present, she knew. She didn't know how, or why, or when, only that she did. Although Nymeria wore yet another of her many faces, the faceless girl's eyes were half-lidded with smoldering smugness, her cheeks pleasantly flushed, her posture at ease and well-relaxed. She favored her right leg over her left for once as well, which seemed rather unusual for one normally so fleet of foot. All signs pointed to the obvious.
Call it a woman's intuition.
And right now? Lyanna's intuition told her that they were, all of them, currently fighting for second place. She was merely the first to realize it. Already Cersei and Ellia were staring her way; perhaps they knew, or merely suspected the truth. Regardless, it didn't change the facts.
That sneaky bitch...
Small wonder Nathaniel had convinced Nymeria to return. He'd lain with her. Multiple times, by all likelihood.
The realization stung...less than Lyanna thought it would. Oh, it still wounded her, make no mistake, and she was going to get Nathaniel for that, but it more a warning to hurry the hells up lest she be left in the dust.
She couldn't even blame Nathaniel for what he'd done; he was a young man, and all men had their urges.
Nymeria was, by rights, the safest option by which to sate his carnal desires, with little risk involved.
She herself had the prospect of children to fear for and while there was always the option of moon tea, accidents were known to happen. She'd no desire to bear a child out of wedlock, such would dishonor her house and result in her bearing a bastard. Nymeria had no such obligations and by all rights, she'd known him much longer. Truly, it was miracle she hadn't jumped Nathaniel's bones before now, and due in no small part to neither of them realizing their feelings for one another.
But now they had, hadn't they?
It seemed so obvious now in hindsight; she saw it in the way Nym hovered over Nathaniel as he tended first to Ellia's bloodied lip, the act of which drew a startled gasp from the Martell princess. The way in which she would occasionally glance his way as he healed Cersei's bruise, her brow furrowing as the older Lannister gasped and squirmed under her brother's ministrations. All the while she stood closer than ever before; ready to spring into action at the slightest provocation, not solely out of duty, not anymore, but rather, love.
Seeing it hurt.
It hurt an awful lot.
This hurt, it hurt, ithurtsodamnedmuch.
Of all of them, it seemed only Nymeria was truly free to do as she pleased, when she pleased, how she pleased; it made her so wretchedly jealous.
When it came time for Nathaniel to heal her, Lyanna barely noticed. He asked permission, she muttered her assent, and held out her arm, ready to have this over with, find her cot, and sulk. She could -and likely would!- be angry later. Right now she just wanted to be alone with her own thoughts and cry.
She was of the North. She was proud. She was strong. She would not let something like this break her, no matter how much it might hurt-yeow!?
At his touch, a warm tingle shot down her wounded limb and pooled in her chest, drawing a startled gasp from her.
What was this sensation?!
It didn't stop at her bosom; his healing hands sought out other unseen bruises, mending her every ache and pain garnered in today's spar, one by one. She allowed it, still cross with him, but began to relax as he spoke to her ever so softly, asking her how she was, how she'd been, how she felt, until slowly but surely like an unwound knot, her anger came undone.
Unlike his time with Cersei and Ellia, he didn't stop at mending her arm.
He touched her delicately-yet-expertly, fingers stroking her sore shoulders through her dress in slow rhythmic circles until he gradually reach her back, followed by her ribs, then her hips. His strong-yet-so-supple fingers dug into her muscles to render both her thoughts and her body a gooey mess.
Oh. That...that felt rather nice. Very nice, really.
In the wake of his touch came a strange, giddy euphoria, leaving her swaying where she sat. Nathaniel didn't give her time to savor it; he'd already gone on the attack. Without pausing, he dared to lift both her legs and rub her sore feet, and when working the kinks out of her toes didn't satisfy her fully, he went to work on her calves with dexterous aplomb. Next came her thighs where she'd pulled a great many muscles.
Riiiiiiiiiight...muscles. Those things. She'd pulled a great many muscles, hadn't she?
She could see why Ellia and Cersei made those noises now. This was heaven.
It felt...rather nice. Downright tingly, really. Among things.
Her breath hitched at the thought as he touched her again and she became as putty in his hands; with only a little prodding on his part he had her sprawled out on her stomach upon the bed, arms tucked under her chin.
Undaunted by what appeared to be a most compromising position, he deftly sat atop her legs and began to dig his dug his thumbs into her lower back, followed by her hindquarters, leaving her pleasantly numb.
And then... not so numb at all.
She shivered and bit at a fist to stifle a groan of relief, then pleasure as her senses spiked, to no avail. Her back arched a little despite her best efforts to maintain control, all for naught.
Oh gods, it felt like she was about to...!
Distantly, she aware of Cersei and Ellia staring, eyes wide and faces red as she cried out in blessed release, but in her blissful haze, she couldn't bring herself to care for their jealousy. He'd probably have them gasping his name soon enough, but she got to experience this first. What had he called this technique again? A back-rub? No that wasn't the right word.
A massage? Yes, that was it. By the gods, it felt gooooood...
This was better than sex...
"I'm sorry for upsetting you," Nathaniel leaned down to whisper in her ear, lips brushing her outer lobe as he continued his masterful ministrations. "I'll explain later. Hopefully this makes up for it."
Yes...explaining sounded nice. Loud explaining. Noisy explaining...preferably tonight...
That settled things now, didn't it?
His massage had done much to curtail her worries, but not all of them.
Still swimming in a pleasurable haze, she made up her mind and cast a glance Nymeria's way.
The faceless girl -woman!- wore the sweetest smile.
They were already at war, but now?
It was personal.
(.0.0.0.)
A girl was smug.
Smug, sore, and spent.
Nymeria luxuriated in the feeling as she lounged in her cot.
For once, she didn't have to guard Nathaniel; he was perfectly safe meeting with his father, which in turn gave her rare leave to lay back in bed and just...breathe.
Inhale. Exhale. Revel in her most heady triumph.
It felt...rather nice, actually.
Winning.
She luxuriated in the feeling almost as much as the silk sheets rubbing against her bare skin.
...what? She liked so sleep in such a manner. Such was her way; had been for quite some time, now.
Bereft of both clothes and her many faces, she stared up at the slate-grey ceiling of her quarters, clasped both hands behind her head and took a moment to contemplate her victory.
She wasn't all that surprised by the Stark's reaction. She had not...well, she had not intended to take Nathaniel's first time. Or his second. And third. She simply hadn't been able to help herself. Having discovered the rare pleasures of the flesh, she found herself craving them all the more. She might have take care in the future, lest she lose herself to it.
Regardless of her feelings on the subject, Lady Stark wouldn't be in any position to demand answers from her anytime soon. Nor would Lady Lannister and Lady Martell for that matter. They had, each of them, demanded a massage after Lyanna had her turn, naturally. They wouldn't be walking about any time soon.
Hmm. Perhaps she should ask for one of those as well...but no, she much rather preferred the sex.
Her face warmed as she rose; here at last she caught sight of herself in the mirror.
Confusion dawned.
Her violet-grey eyes widened, bulged now in disbelief. She'd not had a chance to look at herself since returning to the Rock; in truth she simply hadn't felt the need. Nathaniel's healing ministrations hadn't gone unnoticed last night, but she'd paid them little heed, thinking he was merely healing the worst of the scars on her breasts and shoulders.
She was both right...and so very wrong.
Because you see, it was gone.
Vanished.
Her facial scar was nowhere to be seen. She sat up, scrubbed at her eyes with both hands, but the scene before her did not change. That ghastly mark that had once carved the length of her true face was now nowhere to be seen, as though it never existed at all.
She made a small hysterical noise, momentarily unable to believe it.
So that was what he'd done last night.
Nymeria began to laugh.
Still laughing, she moved to don one of her few dresses -a long, lovely thing in golden Lannister red-arrayed herself before the mirror, then spun about for good measure, pale hair lofting about her head like some holy halo. Her reflection preened back at her as she came to stop, proud as a peacock. She looked like a proper princess. Even if she would never truly be one. She could take solace in that, at least.
The door opened behind her and she jolted as Joanna Lannister herself entered the room.
A girl wasn't prepared to face Nathaniel's mother!
"Lady Lannister?!"
Thankfully, the older woman looked like she'd seen a ghost herself. "...you look just like Rhaella now..."
Nymeria sputtered in quiet confusion. The queen? What did she have to do with this? "A girl does not understand."
A look of anguish flashed across the Lannister matriarch's face before she shook her head. "Nevermind."
With one hand, Lord Tywin's wife closed the door behind her and locked it for good measure.
Nymeria eyed her warily, wishing she had a knife. "Did you need something?"
A wan smile was her only reward. "I had hoped we might talk."
About poor Nathaniel, no doubt. "If that is your desire...
Joanna glided into the room, hands clasped before her golden gown. A perfunctory inspect of her surrounds followed before she sat on Nymeria's bed, leaving her with no choice but to stand. The power play wasn't lost on her. Nobles were often like that. Master was the only one she'd ever understood and he baffled her sometimes. His mother mystified her.
"My son cares for you a great deal."
Speak carefully, now. "He does, my lady."
Joanna stared at her for a long moment. "You've been with him."
Nymeria contemplated lying, then thought better of it at the last. "I have."
"When?"
"Recently." she retorted instantly, lifting her chin.
"Last night, then." Joanna nodded softly to herself, as though confirming something she'd silently suspected all along. "Good. Had you lied, I would've cut out your tongue."
Nymeria did not quail; she'd long since grown inured to such violent threats. Instead, she raised her chin higher and stared her down. "A girl is nothing if not honest."
"So you are." Lady Lannister shook her head. "If only she could see you now. Would she be proud, I wonder? Or would she hate you?"
She...? Ah, but the Lady was still speaking and she must attend her.
"Be good to him, Nymeria. And if you betray him...
Quick as a flash Joanna burst to her feet and crossed the distance between them to seize her by the face. She pinched both cheeks viciously, fingernails biting into her recently healed visage.
...nothing in the world will save you."
She hissed at her. "I would sooner die than harm him!"
Joanna released her. "I believe you. One more question. How sharp are those knives of yours? Have you gotten rusty?"
Her smile proved just as sharp. "A girl has not."
"Good. Then I have a task for you...
(.0.0.0.)
"You seem satisfied."
Naruto didn't look up from the battle map. "I suppose I am."
"Finally brought that faceless girl of yours back into the fold, did you?"
A muscle jumped in his jaw, quietly quelled. On a certain level he knew Tywin was trying to goad him; the better to measure his reaction. He didn't begrudge him for it. Such was simply his way. Even so, he couldn't quite conceal a prickle of irritation at the dismissive tone he'd used just now. Like she didn't exist. Didn't matter.
"Her name is Nymeria."
For some reason, that made Tywin laugh, a rare genuine sound. "Good. Remember that and do not lose sight of her again."
Confusion had him looking up from the plan he'd sketched out, hiding his confusion behind another glass of wine.
Did the old man know...? No, surely not.
"Keep her close." Tywin took a brief drink of his own, paused now, as their eyes meeting his over the rim of his goblet. "That woman will give you strong children. Lannister children."
Naruto nearly choked on his wine.
"Stop that." his sire chided him as he coughed for air. "Even I was young once. Nymeria is loyal-if not to House Lannister, then to you. Beyond that, I trust her to be discreet. Nothing else matters. Now about this latest scheme of yours, I must protest." he traced a finger along the fleet of ships he'd arrayed across the table. "Even you cannot walk on water."
Naruto's strained grimace became a beatific grin.
Couldn't walk on water, eh?
How little he knew.
(.0.0.0.)
The Stark forces arrived just in time.
Only two days before the Greyjoy fleet was set to arrive, a mighty column of men reached the gates of Casterly Rock.
Some of the Northmen grumbled at the idea of helping Westerners; that much was to be expected.
Still, they were Northerners, they kept their word, and the Greyjoys were an old enemy.
For a Wolf, the Kraken seemed as good a foe as any.
Lyanna saw the man standing at the head of the column, leading them...!
She leaped into his arms with a delighted cry. "Father!"
Lord Rickard Stark caught her with a startled grunt, laughing but a little.
"Come. There is much we must discuss...
(.0.0.0.)
The Greyjoy fleet sailed into Lannisport under cover of darkness.
They were well prepared for those foolish Krakens.
All of them.
From his hideaway in the docks, Naruto considered them intently, watching as they drew closer.
"Ready?"
Nymeria's chin came down over his shoulder, her leather armor creaking ever so softly against his own. "Always."
Since making peace with Nymeria, he noticed her more often; strange as that might sound. She wasn't always at his side directly, but when she was, she no longer shied away. She'd found her confidence. Good. She'd be needing every bit of it tonight.
A unique variant of Hidden Mist Jutsu on his part had likewise emboldened the Greyjoys; doubtless they thought themselves safe under the fog.
How little they knew. It was almost sad. Truly.
"Did you bring your mask?"
"A girl has it." she held up the item he'd made for her, carved from darkest night and fiery paint, shaped in the likeness of a snarling dragon. He had one himself, fashioned by his own hands of black and red ceramic carved into the horrific shape of a roaring lion. Proper spooky, he thought. For the invaders, it would be terrifying.
Kurama and Shukaku had a good laugh over that one.
Shame they wouldn't be joining them in this battle.
But now was not the time for such things.
Reaching behind his back, he drew his great black blow. It was an absolute monster of a weapon, nearly as large as he was tall when full drawn. From there he held out his hand and Nymeria placed three arrows into it, large bulky things with strange cylinders affixed to where the arrowhead should be.
He knocked three of them to heavy string, grunting as he drew it back fully.
Such an act was difficult, even for him, but he managed.
Pushed chakra into them now, and...!
Let them fly.
Each soared into the air silent as a whisper, even as they flew, he flung out a hand and Nymeria gave him three more, each loosed after the last.
As for what followed...well. That proved telling.
The Greyjoys never stood a chance.
It was not Wildfire -Aerys jealously kept that under lock and key- but it didn't have to be. He'd created a marvelous substance of his own.
He called it...blast powder.
In the centuries that followed, it would become known by a far different name.
Gunpowder.
It would change the world.
But for now, Naruto merely let another explosive arrow fly.
It was akin to firing a rocket-an apt comparison, not that he knew what such a thing was.
The explosion was massive; not only that it ignited the mist in a fiery cloud of napalm, immolating a vessel outright. This mist was no mere mist after all but filled with explosive chemicals. Flammable materials all. Lots of things that went boom, discovered after a great many days of experimentation.
Unsatisfied with the yield, he loosed another arrow after the second, sending it streaking forward in a fiery missile of death. It struck a longship's hull and detonated explosively, blasting a massive hole in the craft. The vessel floundered and began to take on water, still struggling forward...until he loosed another arrow.
Followed by another.
Yet another.
ANOTHER.
By the time he was finished, three craft were disabled and a score more were well on their way to sinking.
Time for the grand finale.
He yanked on his mask, drew his weapons, and strode across the water, hollering at the top of his lungs, chakra warping his voice into something horrific.
As he spoke, he reached out with said chakra to weave quite possibly the most powerful killing-intent based genjutsu he'd ever created.
"RIP AND TEAR!"
There is something to be said for the brute force approach; the men on those ships did not see a young man in a mask, they beheld a towering terror, a creature straight from nightmare, a beast conjured forth of their worst fears.
"BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!" he fell into the act completely, menacing them with rich peels of raucous laughter. "SKULLS FOR THE SKULL THRONE! FLY YOU FOOLS! I SHALL REAP YOUR SOULS!"
When faced with-what they thought to be-a demon from the mist, the Greyjoys reacted much as he knew they would.
Like the cowards they were...they bolted for land.
The surviving longships rowed like mad to make it to shore. Naruto gave chase, cackling all the while.
For it was there that Starks and Lannisters awaited them with drawn blades.
Henceforth, this battle would gain a horrifying moniker.
The Night of Bones.
A/N: Spoooky~! Do let me know if you enjoyed it! Feedback matters! I can't write without it.
The Starks did arrive on time, and it did take them a while, we simply had a time skip of sorts, which will be addressed in the next chapter
As stated, the next chapter title will be Night of Bones.
We'll step back a little, circle back to some romance moments with the girls, see how this happened AND include the battle proper. Trust me, it'll be well worth it.
Hope you joyed this chapter as much as I did writing it.
Should this remain a story? Would you like weekly updates? I've got five slots left. Or should it remain monthly? By all means, speak up.
So...in the immortal words of Atlas...
...Review...Would Ya Kindly? And of course, Enjoy the previews. Potential ones...
Previews are -mostly!- the same this time. Didn't want to spoil the upcoming chapters.
WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!
READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!
SPOILERS LAY AHEAD!
YE BE WARNED~!
(PREVIEWS)
"Did you know about this?"
Oh, dear. Nathaniel sounded angry.
Rhaella raised her hands. "There was nothing I could do! Aerys has been more paranoid than ever! I've been locked in my chambers for days! I had no way to reach you, and I couldn't find you in my dreams!"
He sat beside her. "Start talking."
Rhaella grimaced. He really did look quite cross with her; it felt like they'd taken several steps backwards...
Damnitall, Aerys. What had he done this time?
Someone clamped hands over his eyes.
"Guess who."
He blew out a sigh. "I don't have time for games, Ellia.
She tackled him to the floor.
"Another egg?! Where did you even find that thing?! Where was that one even hiding?!"
Cersei held tight to the blue-scaled object and clutched it to her bossom, wearing a sheepish expression. "All's fair in love and war...?"
"Cersei, no...
"Cersei, yes! "
He held out a hand. "Give it here."
She backed up quickly. "Why? So you can hatch it...?"
Ships sailed toward the Iron Islands.
It would be a massacre.
But for whom?
EDIT: Hey, you made it! I do hope this chapter lived up to your expectations. By all means, feel free to let me know what you think!
Looking forward to your feedback/chatting with you when I get back from work!
Hope you have a great day filled with lots of luck,
~Nz.
R ~! =D