personal6

Chapter 49

Incoming storms

Oberyn POV

The Dragonstone stood proud and firm. Still, it was time for it to fall. The Baratheon era will be gone with it. The stone gargoyles looked down on us as we neared the castle. It wasn't hard to take over the port, as it was mostly empty.

From the first look, I could tell it would be impossible to take the castle swiftly. I would need to stay there for a while. The only option was to starve them, as I didn't believe they would surrender to me.

"There is only a token of men inside. If we could get inside, the battle would be over."

Daemon Sand was by my side. He was looking for a way to take the castle fast. It was a foolish thought. Still, it was true that we couldn't just stay still and do nothing. But we shouldn't be hasty. Even if Daemon is one of the best swords of the Dorne, against stone walls, it means nothing.

"Set up a perimeter, rain on them with fire arrows. We might get lucky and set something on fire," I ordered the men. "Dismantle the ships left there and start building ladders."

There wasn't much else I could tell them to do. The farmer and fishermen below the castle were gone inside Dragonstone. So, we took their homes as our camps. There wasn't much food left behind, but we could sustain ourselves from the sea. And we brought enough resources for a long siege.

"Do you think there be plenty of loot, Prince Oberyn?" Lord Vaith asked. "Maybe a few dragon stones. For a right buyer, they would be worth a fortune."

"I heard that Stannis hired many sellswords. If there was anything, he had already sold it," Lady Nymella Toland replied.

"It's not like you need any more wealth," I responded to them. "In the past ten years, you both become one of the richest families in all Westeros."

"Not as rich as house Martell," Lord Vaith replied. "Or house Tully. It truly shocked me when I heard he harbored a Targaryen. Who would imagine that?"

"You can ask about it more from Lord Stark," Lady Toland. "If he's still alive, that is."

I didn't know what would be better if he was alive or not. I had no love for him or his family. Still, I didn't know how to feel about the man who hid Rhaegar's bastard. Now, that same bastard is being called the King.

Well, it didn't matter much in the long run. My hate mainly lies with the Lannisters. I am only mad that I won't be able to see Tywin's face when he loses everything. Even this battle didn't mean much if I couldn't take Stannis' daughter and wife as hostages.

Eddard POV

I didn't need to see, to hear the battle. At least I could determine the time from these sounds. I could listen to men running outside the dungeons preparing for a battle in the morning. During the day, I could hear countless arrows raining. In the evening, I heard men screaming in pain.

It repeated for a week until two men came to my cell. I could see that they were the queen's men from one glance. Both wore grim faces. I could see through their eyes that they were desperate.

"Come with us, Lord Stark."

So, this was the end. I didn't know who was sieging Dragonstone. Neither the North nor the Riverlands had a fleet to transfer men. Maybe Mallisters, but they were on the west coast. Still, whoever it was, they were my ally, and I was a valuable hostage.

The men dragged me out of the dungeons. I was too weak to stand on my own feet. After Stannis left, nobody cared to make sure I was well fed. After all, I was a traitor, a man destined to die.

Soon enough, I was brought outside the castle into the courtyard. Three wooded pillars were standing in the middle of the yard. The sun was starting to set, and arrows in the sky diminished. I felt foreboding about this situation as the ominous red sky darkened.

"Today, we gathered there to offer a sacrifice to the Lord of the Light, R'hllor," The Queen Selyse said. "The Lord of the Light will shine us a path to the victory against these heathens."

"My queen, is it wise? The priestess isn't there," Someone questioned her.

"Do not fear. The true God is with us."

I never was so sure of my actions as I am right now. The woman was mad. Surely someone will tell her that gods won't turn the tide of the war. Nobody did. I was dragged in front of the queen. Soon enough, Jory and Harwin were dragged next to me.

"My lord, are you alright?" Jory asked with a raspy voice.

"I am sorry, and thank you for your service till now, ser Jory, Harwin," I knew we brought there not for a show.

As the queen preached about her god of the light. We were put on the wooden pillars with our hands and legs bound. Beneath us, wood and hay were piled up. At this point, we knew what they were going to do.

"Jory, Harwin," I said. "You both served house Stark admirable. You don't deserve to die like this. I once again thank you. I promise you that our death won't be meaningless, and your names will be remembered fondly by the North."

"Are you done with your last words, Stark?" The queen asked. "You are right. Your death won't be meaningless. It will bring victory to us and my husband, King Stannis. The North will fall soon after. The night is dark and full of terrors."

"Is alright to feel fear, my lady," I answered. "For bravery is when you conquer your fear and rise above it. The light is a fickle thing. It can fade away as fast as it ignites. So, to rely on it will be your mistake as it is your husband's."

"Mother, father had forbidden for hurting lord Stark," The little princess came and said to her mother.

She was so tiny, yet braver than every other man there. I could see her trembling hands and tearful eyes, yet she stood before her mother. Selyse dismissed her daughter and ordered the guards to get her out of the way.

"Princess Shireen," I called out the girl. "Don't blame yourself for our death, for we will bravely accept our fate. You are a brave and strong girl. Don't let fear control you as it does your mother."

Selyse didn't care for my words as she dropped a torch at the hay and wood beneath us. The fire quickly spread and started to climb up. I could feel the heat rising towards me, but I could only think of the warmth of my wife and the cold of my home.

Oberyn POV

The siege went well. Slowly but surely, we started to dwindle the men of Dragonstone. Once hit by our poisonous arrows, they would surely die painfully. Yet tonight, something was happening in the castle. Three pillars of fire could be seen behind the walls.

"Do you think they are burning bodies?" Daemon asked.

"Why would they do so? No, it's something else, and I don't like it."

As the fires burned and then disappeared behind the walls, I could feel a wind picking up. The sky was still clear, but you never can be sure in the sea. A storm can hit you at any time. We were on the island. We would be safe; it wouldn't be a big deal even if some ships drifted away.

"Let's go. We should rest for tonight," I said to Daemon.

Just as we returned to the house in the village, the rain started to pour. Not long after, thunder could be heard. To be safe, I ordered for everything we had on the ships to be brought to the village where we were staying.

The wind started to blow stronger as men worked in the rain, carrying everything that wasn't nailed down from the ships to the village. A storm was soon upon us, and it felt like it would be a long one.