It was midday when the group of five returned. After a quick breakfast and other business that had been delayed for too long, like a toilet break. Making their arrival shortly before it was time to close the lists for the tournament. The first activity was axe-throwing, in which Andromeda intended to get the first place. After that, at a different location, was the Archery contest, followed by the horse race and at the end of the day came the competition for the singers.
Nearly all men, including the guy responsible for the lists, looked down on women participating, but Harry and his wives, being used to all kinds of attention, weren't bothered by it. Not that these people could've prevented them from taking part in it, with the prince having personally permitted them to do so. A lowly organiser couldn't go against that.
Before the first contest began Harry checked upon the tent, looking for Bellatrix, Kinvara, Andromeda and Gabrielle. He also found Ros and Davos in the tent, both looking uncomfortable. Ros looked straight down to the floor and Davos seemed normal, but upon a closer look Harry saw the man was tense, looking more prisoner than guest.
The last Potter captured their attention immediately. "We're back! Anything we need to know?"
Gabrielle answered, after all claimed their kiss of welcome. "No, we just enlisted ourselves into the various competitions and searched for Davos and Ros, like you asked. We found them, as you can see." motioning to the two.
"Indeed." Harry agreed. "Good day to you Davos, Ros." nodded with his head towards each of the two. "Did you have a pleasant experience the previous night?"
Davos answered with a nearly unnoticeable nod. "Yes, m'lord. It was... eventful." came the somewhat evasive answer. Ros just gave an absent nod.
A sigh escaped Harry, it seems he couldn't catch a break. "Alright, what happened to get you in such a state?" Harry had his suspicions, but it would be rude to point these out.
This time Bellatrix answered bluntly. "They just fear that we will feed them to Arrax or Meleys. I have to say, if any more people gawk at us, I am tempted." it was said with a somewhat unhinged grin, that would give lesser men shivers. Though, only people who spent a good amount of time with Bella knew her to be jesting. Sadly, Davos and Ros knew her not very good.
Melisandre spoke up not knowing or caring what effect it had on their guests. "You know that they can't tolerate human meat." she huffed in displeasure at Bellatrix forgetting such important information, for Melisandre anyway. "They like elephants, camels and cattle, maybe even some sheep, but human gives them stomach aches." Poor Meleys had shown symptoms shortly after their flight and had probably gotten them after eating some horse-fuckers of the Dothraki Sea. Melisandre had told her not to, but she didn't listen to her mother, being a wilful child. So, she deserved what she got, but Arrax had them too, from following his sister's example most likely. It was really quite queer for dragons to have such a reaction, but she counted it as a positive or the two could've made much more problems in the past.
'Maybe it is because of how we bound them to us?' The red priestess mused, remembering the blood she added and if it could've possibly such an effect. Luckily the upset stomachs recovered quickly and weren't a problem today.
Davos grew green in the face, while Ros tried to imitate a ghost's pale complexion, causing Bellatrix to roll her eyes. Really, it was as if these people thought them monsters. "Oh, calm down, I was jesting!" it was far too long ago that she had some fun in that direction. Hopefully the tourney will alleviate her boredom somewhat.
Noticing Bella's mood and the cause for it, Harry commented casually. "Don't be so crestfallen, Bella. I have a new toy waiting for you back home." the way he said that made it clear what he had for her. He may not like torture, but Bella did, kind of. It fell behind himself, having sex with him and killing people who stood against him. That didn't mean she would decline such a gift. Besides, Hizdhar was a traitor and maybe had more information hidden, like that everyone was happy. Well, expect Hizdhar.
"Really?" Bellatrix perked up excitedly. Upon his nod she skipped to him and pulled him into a hungry kiss. "Thank you!" she purred in content. He knew her so well!
Looking at the two smallfolk once more the Head of House Black inquired. "Did you find the Starks and if so, had you any luck in arranging a meeting for solving Ros' problem?"
Said woman looked up with wide eyes, startled and surprised.
Not caring about her reaction Andromeda shook her head. "Not yet. I found their tent, but none of them were present, according to the guard anyway." probably in other people's tents or passed out drunk somewhere, like the uncivilised brutes they were. In case of Brandon and Benjen, who were drunk and passed out, and Eddard, who slept in another's tent, Andy would be correct, but not in case of Lyanna. She was in search of armour. Not that the middle Black knew that.
Just as Harry wanted to ask more, trumpets sounded in the distance, announcing the beginning of the tourney. "Seems like it'll begin shortly, come on. We don't want to be late." with that they quickly changed clothes. The Black sisters wore black robes that covered more of their bodies, but weren't worth less. Fleur and Gabrielle in turn had a simple blue dress and the red priestesses wore what they always did. Harry didn't need to change.
All eleven of them left the tent soon afterwards, walking past their dragons, who feasted on two cows, and began the short trek to the tourney grounds. Their destination was the bear pit, where the axe-throwing was to take place.
On the way there the group of eleven encountered a commotion, with a mob forming around some guy standing on rocks that had once been part of a wall or tower. He had a pox-marred face, rotten teeth, bare feet that were gnarled, wore tattered robes and around his neck hung a leather cord with a bronze sword on it. "Demons walk among us, of slitted eyes and black where white should be, flying on scaled abominations created by sorcery most vile and foul!" he yelled for all to hear, causing the common idiots to murmur in agreement. "They soil the holiness of guest right with their mere presence, daring to use it as their shield for their just punishment in form of the seven hells!" the crowd howled in agreement, cheering at the superstitious man.
Harry just shook his head, bemoaning the fact that regardless of where he was idiots always talked bullshit about him and that rumours still seemed to travel faster than anything else. 'It seems it was a foolish hope to think that all people hadn't seen or remembered our features yesterday evening.' most likely they had seen it after his group had left the feast or the information of their appearance simply was spread around by the highborn people after Fleur and Gabrielle lifted the effect of their Allure.
Not that it would've helped much. After all today people could see them as clearly as yesterday.
He saw Bellatrix's finger twitch as if she had the urge to strangle someone, while Melisandre's and Kinvara's eyes tried to burn a hole through the septon's head. Harry could ignore the idiot talking, being used to it from his past. The rest just growled in displeasure, knowing that they couldn't harm these morons. It would just give them justification to do more extreme things. As long as it stayed by useless prattling of idiotic people, it wasn't so bad. At least nothing ridiculous was added, lied about or simply made up, yet.
'Only a matter of time until that happens.' Harry groused mentally.
It didn't take much longer for them to arrive at the Bear Pit. Before Andromeda separated from the rest to enter the arena she was stopped by Harry, who pulled her into a kiss. "I would say good luck, but I know you don't need it." he smiled after his public display of affection.
Andy nodded. "Of course I will be victorious!" it was said as if it was a foregone conclusion. No doubt remained in her mind. Andy was first surprised when the rest of her sister-wives nodded towards each other, then she was startled when she got a hug from each. As well as an enthusiastic kiss on the mouth from Kinvara. In the end she shrugged and decided to ask after her victory. A thought saw her armour on her body replacing the dress.
The others went into the stands for the spectators. On the sight of them it grew quiet immediately. Harry very nearly rolled his eyes, remembering his time at Hogwarts and the times the Great Hall grew silent at him entering and rumours about him circulated wildly.
As soon as they sat down on unoccupied places some smallfolk edged away from them and preferred to stand or leave, rather than to sit near Harry's group, leaving seats free in a circle around them. Davos looked like he was about to be put on a pedestal and didn't know how to handle it. Ros sat as far away as possible, still close enough as to considered a part of the group, but connecting to the other smallfolk.
It was a wonderful day for Lyanna Stark. With said woman nearly vibrating on the spot as she imagined her future.
Not the one with her chained to the oaf Robert Baratheon, but the one where she escaped all that on the back of her dragon. It was only announced this morning, but apparently the visitors of Essos had brought with them a dragon egg as a prize for the joust. At first she was sceptical, but then she saw the glass-case with the egg inside it, standing beside the other prizes, shimmering with a mother-of-pearl sheen.
Since then her imagination had run wild. Fantasies of herself escaping and living a life of adventure with no one to tell her what to do or be. 'Though, first I have to win the joust.' the problem was that women weren't really allowed to enter. Well, she could do so, but she would get into trouble with her brothers, for not behaving like a lady.
Lyanna snorted at that thought. In times like these she really hated the fact that she hadn't been allowed to learn sword fighting with her brothers. 'Well, who wins in jousting is mostly determined by the skill in riding rather than any other. And I am a very good rider, if I say so myself.' Lyanna thought smugly.
The solution to the problem of not participating was that she was to go as a mystery knight. Those came to nearly every tourney, but most weren't very good, just there to attract attention. Only the best or most scandalous ones were remembered.
Next was the problem of finding armour. She couldn't ask her brothers for obvious reason nor any other knight or man, lest she be laughed about, mocked or bring dishonour to the Stark family through her actions. At this moment she had a helm, some gauntlets that had been lying about and a cuirass. It wasn't as if some people, would miss the stuff when they let it lie around so carelessly. Right?
It would look mismatched for certain, but that wasn't important, only that it concealed her identity.
'While I am at it I can teach those three squires a lesson!' the fourteen, nearly fifteen year old girl thought fiercely, having seen the trio during the feast. Sure they already had been beaten up by one of the Essosi women, that didn't mean Lyanna wouldn't take silent delight in knowing they were again beaten by a woman. That thought caused her to imagine what would happen should she win and then reveal herself.
A very ladylike giggle escaped her at that thought and the chaos it would bring, therefore it was ruthlessly suppressed immediately. Her grey eyes looked around, making sure no one had seen or heard that. It wouldn't do for her to be seen as she giggled. Really, she wouldn't be taken seriously by her brothers anymore. That she wept because of the prince's song was enough cause for Benjen and the rest to tease her. 'Stupid prince with his stupid harp and stupid voice.'
Once she had herself under control Lyanna made her way to the Bear Pit. Not many highborn people were there, most simply not interested in the axe-throwing, archery contest or horse-racing, because it didn't bring as much prestige or prizes to win them. Archers were seen as cowards by most knights, axe-throwing was associated with the Ironborn and therefore rapists and raiders. Horse-racing wasn't very popular, because the joust and melee were the same for most people only that two or more people knocked themselves down there and was therefore much more exciting for most. Not to mention more bloody.
While her brothers did not go, since they were hungover or otherwise occupied, thinking the tourney only really began with the melee and they had another day to drink, Lyanna went. Mostly because she was bored and currently had nothing better to do and no bribe, threat or argument would get her to visit one of these stitching circles of the gossiping southron ladies inside the castle proper.
So here she stood, before the Bear Pit as the contest was about to begin. She climbed the steps to the viewer section and was surprised to see free seats. The only female Stark had expected that all seating would be claimed right now, it was nearly time to start after all.
Shrugging she went to take a free seat, but then she saw why people avoided the ones in the middle. It were the peculiar looking Essosi people.
While others were clearly afraid Lyanna was curious.
'They said that women are allowed to fight, they even have an army out of women!' she thought excitedly. On one hand she wanted to know more, on the other she wasn't sure what type of character the man of the group was. From what she heard he had eight wives and that reminded her more of Robert than she would've liked. Although he hadn't made a single inappropriate comment or action, like Robert would've. Most had been done by his two silver-haired wives, ranging from public display of affection to ignoring people when spoken to, to which Brandon could attest to himself.
That in turn intrigued her again, not because she found rude people appealing. No, Lyanna liked that they didn't care what others thought of them and did as they liked, things she'd like to do herself, but couldn't due to her status as a highborn lady.
In the end curiosity won out and she walked over to them. The man, Harry she believed he was called, sat in the middle with three women behind him, three before him and one women sitting left of him. Another man and woman sat a little bit away, but close enough to be considered part of them. She herself took the one free spot on the exotic man's right. "Excuse me, but is this spot taken?" she asked politely and with all the manners she possessed no matter how little she thought such thing counted.
All eight pair of eyes turned to her as one in an eerie, unblinking fashion. First, she of course noticed their strange features. The hair varied greatly. The man had midnight black hair with a bright golden streak in it. The two ethereally beautiful women had the typical silver hair of the valyrian people only that it seemed shine on its own. Three women of equal yet different beauty had also midnight black hair like the man, but with different assembles of silver dots in it, ranging from a large mass looking like the moon to a normal night sky. Last came the red-heads, whose hair looked more like a living flame, free and unbound of braids, which was unusual for highborn women. Next came the eyes, also varying in colour and intensity, with the man's mixture of emerald green and gold being the most mesmerizing, sitting in pools of black ink.
They all looked beautiful in a way that was a strange amalgamation of enticing, forbidden, danger and power making them look tantalizing. Not a single one of them held themselves without confidence. Their heads held high, but not so high as to seem snobbish or arrogant with a straight back, but not rigid either. More like a relaxed confidence that everything was as it should be and that nothing could harm them.
What confused her was that, upon closer inspection, the man seemed to be wearing a dress. Well, not exactly it looked more like a robe the Maesters wore, only more expensive looking.
"Are you alright?" The voice asking the question brought her back down to earth and out of her head. Startled she looked at the man confused. "You seemed to be elsewhere in mind. Is everything alright?"
Lyanna suppressed her rising blush cause by her embarrassment, which would be seen immediately on her pale skin, as she noticed that she must've been staring. "I apologize, but I have never seen people with features such as you." That was true, even if she should remember them from yesterday evening. Though, Lyanna only remembered seeing beautiful women and a man, however as the memories of the evening progressed the fog on her mind seemed to lift a little. Not by much, but just so that their features seemed to clear a bit in the memory.
Harry smiled easily. "No problem." waving the incident off. "To answer your question once more, no, this place is not occupied."
Lyanna found herself tentatively returning the smile. "Thank you." she said and sat herself beside him.
Looking down in the pit Lyanna saw targets made out of wood. Each had five four inch wide circles painted on them. The better the throw the more points you got. Hitting the edge got you one, while every section further in gave one point more, the middle obviously gave the most with five points. Not hitting gave zero points. Each contestant had five throws with a maximum score of seventy-five during three bouts.
At the moment the contestants were throwing their axes at a practise target. The female Stark noticed something almost immediately. A woman was among the mass of men of mostly Ironborn, participating in the competition and from the looks of things it was one of the people she sat with. The pitch black hair with the mass of stars in it a dead giveaway.
She turned to the man beside her. "She is allowed to fight?" Lyanna found herself asking. It was one thing to be told and another to see it. The woman down there was expertly throwing her one-handed axes at the practise target. Hitting home more often than not and cleaving bits out of the target with ease. "Is that Valyrian Steel she uses?" from the distance Lyanna couldn't see it properly, but the silvery shine on the black blades send mixed messages. Not to mention the extremely expensive looking armour.
Amused, the man beside her answered her questions. "I will answer your second question first, Lady Lyanna." looking her in the eye and shaking his head the negative. "No, that is not Valyrian Steel. It is Mithril and superior to Valyrian Steel." she noticed pride and maybe a little smugness in his voice. "As to your first question, yes all my wives are fighters. Though, all have their preferred methods and weapons. Andromeda's are axes. And the prince personally allowed them to take part."
Sceptical about his claims, Lyanna challenged with a scoff and eye-roll. "Better than Valyrian Steel? I doubt that!" really it was as if he thought her stupid, falling for empty boasts of some man. She wasn't some tavern wench, easily impressed with empty words.
What the she-wolf certainly not expected was to have him procure his sword from... somewhere? "Eeep!" she shrieked, though the shriek turned to sounds of awe as she saw the blade up close. It was a shining black blade that had a mirror-like surface with silver ripples in it much like Valyrian steel. Only that it also had golden runes engraved on it, looking like the ones of the First Men. The grip was white bone, while the pommel and cross-guard looked like a majestic bird, gripping a black and simply cut stone in its talons. The Hand-and-a-half sword glowed with a faint silver light, which could be seen properly in the present light. "Wow!"
Ignoring the amused looks of the women around her, Lyanna watched as the man put the sword on the stone ground with the point first and pushed it in with just one finger. The she-wolf's eyes grew as large as saucers when the blade slipped into the rock as if it was naught but water, sinking into it up to the guard. Valyrian Steel couldn't do that!
Before she could ask where he got the sword it vanished, returning from where it came. Catching herself and closing her mouth Lyanna reluctantly admitted. "Ok, maybe you really told the truth." acting as if it was no big deal after all.
Harry just chuckled and turned his attention back to the arena, where the contest just started.
Andromeda was indifferent to all the jeers, lewd jokes, insensitive comments and rude remarks. Much too focussed on her goal to win. It seemed that most participants where from these so called Iron Islands, all but a few missing more than one finger. One even had a hideous scar on his face that split his lips, making it four instead of two. Most likely an unlucky hit with an axe did that to him. Though, he was also the only one not to mock her, which gave him points with her.
Nonetheless no one of these men made any unwanted advances towards her. Either because they thought her a demon or witch from hell was debatable. 'Not that it would be wise to anger a demon or witch with idiotic comments.' Andy thought a bit startled at the similarities between here and home. It had been the same in England, after all. People being accused of going dark and then shunned and mistreated, like Harry in second and fourth year. If he was so powerful as to petrify someone or enter a tournament with "good" protections then he should be handled with caution and not with open hostility.
After the first bout on the practise target and more lewd jokes later the men weren't laughing any longer, having seen the accuracy with which she threw her axes. Now they looked as if they wanted to take her axes for themselves.
Something she wouldn't tolerate! Harry had made them especially for her after all.
Then it began in earnest. Most were smallfolk intent to win the prize and make their lives better with it. Or to simply finance their future whoring and drinking. Andy shook her head. 'It doesn't matter, I win either way!' she had thrown axes in the middle of combat while explosives went off around her and hit her target still. This was nothing against that.
So it went on with one after another disqualified. The first bout weeded out the pathetic and hungover ones. One even had managed to miss all five axe-throws, causing the crowd to mock and jeer at him. Problems only occurred during the third and last bout, where the wood couldn't take the abuse any longer and cleaved the bull's eye in half, gaining her no points and falling behind four-lips.
Andy scowled at the referee. She saw her axe clearly on that bull's eye before it was split in the middle. 'Stupid ass.' she thought. Sure, her axes would've cleaved that target much sooner if not for the temporary dulling charm she had placed on them, that didn't mean she was happy.
Four lips came over to her after she had picked up her axes and wanted to leave and join Harry. "You have a decent throw, Missy." he said gruffly, but not unkindly. After he gave her a once over he commented. "Shame you lost because of weak wood." he gave the idiots who laughed at her the evil eye. They only laughed because she lost, but had done much worse than her.
Andromeda looked at the man, noticing his shaggy beard and somewhat twisted smiled due to his scar. The man wore many rings, gold and silver and bronze, set with sapphire and garnet and obsidian. Despite his appearance he didn't seem to mock her or gloat. "Yes. At least you seem to use your ruined lips for more than sucking your own cock, unlike most of these idiots." motioning around them towards the men trying to make themselves feel better by insulting her.
Despite what Narcissa thought Andy still knew her courtesies. Only that these wouldn't bring her much with the man in front of her. You had to speak on the level of the one you spoke with. Be it true words or violence they understood best.
The man laughed at that, it sounded like a typical pirates laugh to Andy's ears. "Aye, true enough." he grew more determined, for what Andy didn't know. "My name is Dagmer and my pride as an Ironborn won't let me win this because the wood gave out. I saw you hit the middle with my own eyes."
Turning fully to him Andromeda raised an eye-brow in question, stretching out her hand for him to take. "Andromeda Black." he shook her hand firmly, but gently like someone should with a woman. "What do you say we do then?"
His smile was back with just a hint of bloodlust. "Easy, we do the finger-dance."
"I am not familiar with that dance, I'm afraid." she replied in cool confidence, despite having no idea what Dagmer was talking about.
His smile didn't waver. "Then let me explain." and explain he did.
For the Finger-dance you had to walk in a circle with your partner and throw hand axes at each other. You either had to catch it or jump over them. One could only walk forward in the circle and not backwards to retrieve an axe or evade. Ducking was forbidden as well, because only cowards ducked. The first one to lose a finger or more lost.
"Alright." The Black sister agreed with a decisive nod and prepared herself, taking the dulling charm off her weapons, intent to end it quickly. Normally no one other than herself would be able to pick up her weapons due to the blood she had added to them. However, that was easy to solve. She just had to allow it and he could pick them up. Not that she was afraid of theft, much like the Sword of Gryffindor their weapons and armour all had the enchantments to come when called. Only that they aren't stored in a battered old hat, but in a storage-rune on their rings. The man before her was lucky her weapons weren't poisoned like the rest of their group's weapons.
The axes, be they her own or his, also wouldn't be destroyed by her protection against projectiles, much too big and slow for it to do so. Arrows, bullets and shards of glass or rock were easily dealt with, but not something the size or speed of a thrown axe.
Dagmer took his place opposite of her with his hand axe in hand.
No one argued Dagmer's decision. Most who had come this far were Ironborn of his crew, having heard of the tourney and being in the vicinity at the time. He was their captain and therefore king in all but name. Not to mention that Dagmer was a proud man. And to win not because of his skill, but because of a technicality was like paying the gold price for something instead of the iron price. He would loose all respect by winning such a hollow victory, against a woman no less!
Both contenders began circling each other, waiting for their opponent to make the first throw. As it was, Dagmer threw his one first. Andromeda used the moment to throw her own at him, not wasting a single motion with her throw as she let it loose at once.
Axes sailed through the air, Dagmer caught her axe barely as the force of which she had thrown it became clear, just so stopping short of finishing what the axe in his youth started. The surprise gave way to another smile of enjoyment.
Would he have known that Andromeda threw only with half of her strength, then he wouldn't have smiled. She didn't want to kill or humiliate him after all. Not after he was willing to go so far for fair play. That's what Andromeda thought anyway.
The woman with a galaxy in her hair jumped over the axe the Ironborn had thrown and was now without something to throw.
They circled each other again, Dagmer picked up his axe and now had two, while Andy had none. Each contestant was only allowed one. In a flash her own axe was sailing towards her again she caught it without missing a step, while evading the second following after.
That continued for a few minutes, until Dagmer yelled. "Let's make it more interesting, Missy." at her look he said with a grunt as he caught the axe sailing his way. "Each one gets another axe."
Andromeda just nodded and took the axe strapped to her belt and thigh, to prevent self-injury by the wild swinging of her sharp axes. Dagmer did the same and grabbed a second one. Soon enough the two looked more like a pair of jugglers to the onlookers than two people trying to hack the others fingers off.
It took another five minutes for an opening to come, but when it came Andromeda leapt at it. Right now one of Dagmer's axes was lying on the ground, while he had one of her own axes in his hand. Andy herself had one of his and one of her own. The moment Dagmer threw the axe Andy threw his in such a way that he had to jump over it or risk injury or even losing a leg. While Dagmer prepared to jump Andy was already in the air, higher than before due to her ritually and potions enhanced body. Easily reaching two metres of height as she cartwheeled through the air.
While Andromeda was upside down she caught the axe perfectly, found her target, who was jumping in the air himself and threw both axes in short succession with maximum force, propelling the now airborne weapons much faster than before.
Dagmer had no place to go, being in the air, so he prepared for an impact that came all too soon. First he felt nothing amiss, but upon landing he noticed that he was missing a leg, causing him to fall down like a newly felled tree. He lost an arm as well, which he noticed when he couldn't catch himself properly from falling face first into the ground.
Silence was the only thing as people couldn't believe what they had just seen. A foreign woman beating an Ironborn at his own game.
The cheers came soon as the crowd saw blood where they didn't expect it.
Andromeda landed gracefully and walked calmly, nearly leisurely, towards her opponent. She wasn't worried that she had broken guest right. People died all the time in these kind of events, be it the melee or joust. This should be no different, though she had no intention of letting the man die.
First Andy picked up her two axes, who had cleaved straight through the man, storing them away again. Next she reached for her mokeskin-pouch and pulled out a jar of Bifröst pine sap all of them had ready in case of emergency. The viscous fluid had the typical amber colour of tree sap, but leaned more towards gold in colour.
Thirdly she collected the man's limbs quickly and smeared the sap on them. " 'Twas a... good match." Dagmer groaned and complained without much accusation behind it. "Shame, I ain't... dying near... the sea."
Andromeda looked at the man, countering. "Who said you were going to die?" not waiting for an answer she performed one of the few healing spells she knew. "Vulnera Sanentur." incanting it only two times instead of three, to stop the bleeding and clear the wound of the sand and other dirt it had on it. Next she applied the sap on his stumps and stuck his limbs back on. Then she finished the incantation and said for the third time. "Vulnera Sanentur." the wounds immediately closed and knitted themselves together, looking as good as new as the spell got help from the magical sap. He still would've to rest to get blood back, but apart from that he was okay.
Without waiting for any form of gratitude Andromeda, stuffed the jar back inside her pouch, picked up the bag full of gold and left the Arena to join her family.
Lyanna couldn't get over what she just saw. It was incredible and astounding to her. A woman beating a bigger and stronger man and making it look easy. Sure, these people looked exotic and had apparently equally exotic customs, but she supposed it was the same for them when they looked at Westerosi people.
The Blacks had been the first to leave after the man's limbs had been cut off and waited outside. She followed after them out of nothing more than curiosity, obviously. Not because she had nothing better to do and also not because she had no female friends to speak of or anything. Nope, it totally was not a reason as silly as her idolizing these women. Ha, as if!
Bellatrix began in a fashion unusual for her. Namely embracing her sister in a hug surprising no one but Andy with her next action. A kiss on the mouth for her sister. Not for long and not a passionate snogging, though a short but sweet one.
It took Andy a while, but she came back from her shock. "Ok, what is going on?" first these hugs then a kiss from Kinvara and now from her sister. Something was going on.
"Well," Narcissa began somewhat reluctantly, building up courage as she went, but aborted the attempt when she remembered they were in public. "that is something done in private and we have an audience at the current moment." she was looking over Andromeda's shoulder towards the open-mouthed she-wolf.
With all eyes on her Lyanna shuffled her feet nervously, waving her hand a little, not knowing what to say.
Harry knew she had followed them and diffused the situation. "Ah, Lady Stark. What can we do for you?" it had been rather easy to put a weak compulsion on her to follow them. She would've done so anyway in all probability, though Harry wanted to go the safe route. That the woman was a Gryffindor to the bone made it only easier. Harry would prefer to speak with a man of the Stark family, not because he thought them better, but because he doubted Lyanna had much sway in how things were done.
'Well, her brothers should come looking for her eventually.' he thought unconcerned.
The she-wolf gathered her wits and courage, doing like she always did, trying take what she wanted. "I wanted to inquire if I could join you for the day?" she wanted to know more about them and while she was at it maybe learn to do what these women could do.
Harry just shrugged, appearing nonchalant. "I have nothing against such." a look around said that his wives and companions were alright with it as well.
From then on a barrage of questions was fired from Lyanna's mouth that didn't seem to stop. Mostly focussed on their training in fighting or similar. Harry didn't know how long it took for them to arrive at the place where the archery contest was held, but it seemed longer than it actually was.
After a while the group walked out of the castle and on the tourney grounds proper. The pavilion for the noble families was all set up and ready to use. It looked grand with many a carpenter and woodworker having laboured at it day and night. Next to it connected to the pavilions were the ordinary stands for common folk. In front of it was the ground for the melee, which was an archery range at the moment, with targets set up much like with the axe-throwing. Just farther away than previously.
This time Narcissa separated from the group, but not before she got the same treatment as her sister before her. Though, she wasn't as confused, knowing the reason why already.
Up in the stands Lyanna again sat beside Harry, still asking question after question. "Remember to breathe, my lady." Harry said teasingly, a grin on his face.
Lyanna blushed red in embarrassment with a huff, trying to mask her awkwardness with her usual demeanour. "I told you to call me Lyanna!" she didn't like all that lady business and knew this group did so too.
"Alright, Lyanna." Harry said softly. "Though, you will have to call me Harry then." the grin was still in place, but it was a friendly and inviting one even if it was more on the roguish or mischievous side.
The female Stark tentatively gave a smile of her own. She didn't do that much, only when she was with her family, riding, fighting or walking in the glass garden to smell the blue winter roses. "Okay, Harry. Who trained your wives to fight like they do?" maybe the one responsible would be willing to train her too.
Not at all surprised at the question Harry answered honestly. "I did." the knowledge he had taken from the goblin was more than just forging, however he still had to practise and transfer them to muscle-memory. The fighting in the war was more than sufficient to do so, for him and his wives.
Not to mention that the resurrection stone had helped to find tutors for these and more subjects. It was a shame the stone wasn't functioning any longer. Except for exorcising and commanding existing ghosts, but not summoning them from beyond the veil. Something he found out after the stone lost its primary power.
Lyanna's eyes grew large, as if she couldn't believe what she heard. Then the last hour came back into her mind. Harry didn't lie a single time as far as she could tell. "Really?" the question was asked equal parts excited and disbelieving. On one hand she couldn't believe it due to her experience with men and them not letting women fight. On the other here was someone who would most likely not be opposed to teach her. From what she saw he must be a good if not excellent teacher.
Andromeda answered for Harry, sitting next to him on the other side. "Yes, really. Without him and his training we would probably be dead right now." that much was entirely true. Before Harry she, like most or nearly all of the magical community, had been in abysmal physical condition, trusting her magic to do all for her. After the first few fights she had seen and known that every advantage was needed to come out alive.
"Could you teach me?" Lyanna blurted out in her excitement, nearly imploring Harry to do so.
Harry simply raised an eye-brow and answered calmly. "I don't think it would be a good idea." he raised a hand to stop her protest in their tracks. "We are only here for the tournament, scant more than a week. Not nearly enough time to train you properly. Besides, I don't think your brothers would like my methods." not to mention that he was on vacation, which definitely didn't include training some teenage girl.
Now a bit disappointed, but more wary, the she-wolf asked not just Harry but also the rest. "What methods?"
"Well," Bellatrix's grinned. "for one he wouldn't go easy on you just because you are a woman. Bruises, cuts and injuries in general wouldn't be out of the ordinary." the eldest Black remembered those memories with fondness. Of course, she first had had to heal from her ordeal in Azkaban in order to receive training. Even then the injuries were easily healed with spells and potions. Though, now the war-paint could be used to protect one while training. It was easy to make and bronze weapons were abundant.
Lyanna grew angry at that, whispering harshly so that the people nearby wouldn't hear. "I am not some southron girl in need of protection. I can take any kind of training you could offer!" she had what she wanted in her grasp and wasn't about to give up easily. Even if it was just for more than little over a week.
Harry waved her off. "I didn't say you were too weak or not capable of it, but the fact of the matter is that I can't just decide to do so without your family's approval. I doubt they would like me much when they learn that I was the one causing your injuries." Though, something about the girl seemed to call out to him with a strange sense of familiarity, causing Harry to look deeper. What he saw was not what Harry expected.
It seemed she was magical, however not in the sense of their own magic. It was more of a special inherited ability, like Parseltongue or being a Metamorphagus. Only hers seemed to be more primal and unrefined or rather untrained.
'Something to do with animals?' Harry pondered, poring over the information he had gotten from the citadel. Most of the Maesters may be information hoarding bastards, but they also had the biggest library in the known world because of their monopoly on knowledge. A shame that the title of biggest library now belonged to Harry's own, due to having copied all the books on his visit. Regardless of the fact that more than a few books were discarded because of false information or being entirely made up on speculation with no proof to support their claims.
Some useful pieces of information came to him after a few seconds. 'Wargs they are called, I believe.' Now remembering that the books spoke of people who could enter the minds of animals or change into one. Harry supposed he could teach her to turn into her Animagus form, should it be that. If not, then he could at least look for a teacher.
As he came out of his musings Harry saw Lyanna look like a kicked puppy with big pleading eyes, not understanding his denial. Lamenting his inability to deny something he could easily give, Harry said with a sigh. "Look, how about we make a bargain." she perked up at that, looking him in the eyes without fear. Harry ignored the bemused looks his wives exchanged. "I train you for the duration of the tourney, in turn you help me bring a matter of great importance to me to your brother Brandon."
"Deal!" she exclaimed loudly, not caring what he wanted to discuss with her brother and tackled him in her exuberance. The strength of her embrace was nothing to scoff at, but Lyanna let go as she noticed just what she had done, blushing red in embarrassment once more.
Harry chuckled. "For now, lets enjoy the competition." looking back down onto the competitors and searching for Narcissa. He found her easily enough among the many people.
Down at the archery range there were many archers from all over the kingdom. Like Andromeda previously, Narcissa was the target of many idiotic comments, whom she ignored with practised ease. Her face an icy mask and her nose upturned at the rabble she stood with. Most smelled as if they never had a bath in their life or like someone had dumped a bucket full of shit over them and they didn't notice. Thankfully, the modified bubblehead charm made it so that she could breathe through her nose without problem.
What irritated her were the many ghost flying around, distracting her. Their group had to ignore them or look even more out of place. Talking with invisible people wouldn't cast them in a much better light than Aerys, not that many of these ghost did anything but moan and complain. 'Just like the useless ghosts in Hogwarts.' she thought contemptuously, with Binns in the back of her mind.
That wasn't even the only thing that grated on her nerves. Another was the many idiots talking behind her back, about how they wanted to fuck her or boasting that they could, masking their fear with empty words. Narcissa snorted at that mentally. One look of her, saw these fools running for the hills with the tail between their legs. Her face an impassive mask, eyes cold and her glare made a glacier look inviting, that combined with her armour cast an intimidating figure.
She was ready with her double-curved bow out of dragonbone in her hand. Cissy was confident that she would win this with her bow, which was easily capable of reaching seven-hundred yards and up to eight-hundred, due to her enhanced strength and the enchantments on bow and arrows. Her arrows now, on top of anything else, had Hydra blood imbued into them, which acted extremely corrosive. By now the Mithril arrows fired from it were nothing but a silent streak of silver, piercing armour with ease and even capable of embedding themselves into stone.
That was why Cissy gave the bow the name Shooting Star, because it looked like it shot stars.
Obviously all of the spectators and competitors expected her to fail. She was a woman and looked the part with her slender, but buxom figure. Being an archer is all about the strength with which you can pull the bow string and logically a man has more strength than a woman and could therefore hit targets harder and farther away. This was not an idle fancy, but simple fact. Luckily, that didn't apply to Narcissa or her sister-wives, as evident with her 300 pound draw. It could've been more, but that hadn't been necessary.
Also she used a double-curved bow and no longbow, which would normally see her at a disadvantage. With the longbow having much higher reach and power than a shortbow. However, the longbow also took a lot longer to learn properly, often multiple years, if not a decade. The reasons for that were simple. A longbow was bigger, which gave it more power, but drew to the ear, making it much more difficult to sight along the shaft for accuracy, while her bow let her see the shaft from the eye. A longbowman also had to build up a good amount of muscle to be able to wield such a weapon.
Narcissa had eliminated all the weaknesses of a shortbow with magical enhancements, making it even better than a longbow. Her superior strength due to these enhancements and the material her bow was made out of most important of them. In the end it took her only two months to reach the deadliness of a longbowman of old, together with better accuracy and mobility.
That didn't mean they could do the same for all of their archers, from which no one carried a longbow. Something Harry's group intended to correct. Problem was that no one of them knew how to train a longbowman. But, if they could get a good force of archers with longbows then it would be much easier to dominate a battlefield. A good longbowman was accurate, deadly, possessed a long range and rapid rate of shooting. A longbow also was superior to the first firearms that began replacing it.
There even exists an example in the history of Westeros as to how effective a good force of archers with a longbow was, if Narcissa remembered correctly. The Battle of the Redgrass Field, where the First Blackfyre rebellion ended. In the beginning the battle went in favour of Daemon Blackfyre, but as soon as Brynden Rivers gained the high ground with his company of archers, the Raven's Teeth, he showered the enemy with arrows, killing thousands, as well as the leader of the rebellion and his sons.
Not to mention that most factions in Essos didn't wear full steel plate like in Westeros to protect against arrows. The Dothraki wear no armour, neither do the Jogos Nhai. Only the many mercenary companies did. Narcissa had no knowledge of the equipment in Yi Ti or Asshai, but doubted it was good. Yi Ti was divided into a hundred little petty kingdoms and Asshai had no army to speak of. Though, even plate armour couldn't protect against a sufficiently powerful hit and the correct bow should be able to deliver that.
The youngest Black came out of her musings to hear the herald announce the beginning.
'Finally, the contest begins.' Cissy thought with just a hint of annoyance. She cast a quick spell, muttering under her breath "Crinus Muto" to let her hair arrange itself in a braid and prevent it from distracting her by hitting her in the face, due to the wind.
First the target was only twenty-five yards away. Child's play for her or any respectable bowman. That some couldn't hit the target was a disgrace in her eyes.
When it was Narcissa's turn she tuned the rest of the world out, took aim at the target, breathed in and the second she let go of her breath, so too did she let the arrow fly forth. There were many gasps, murmurs and other exclamations of shock when her projectile flew straight through the middle of the target and buried itself into one of the far castle walls behind it, leaving a vanishing silver trail of light in the air. Luckily no one was harmed by the arrow.
The wary looks increased in intensity, accompanied by a few of resentment, as if it was her fault they were so pathetic, but no one made a move to stop her from partaking in the contest.
Slowly the distance increased from twenty-five to fifty yards and then to seventy-five yards. Each time she hit the bull's eye with extreme accuracy. By now the wall of the castle had several holes in it that looked like the acidic effect of the arrows worked perfectly.
At hundred yards most archers were eliminated from the contest with only the best remaining.
Fortunately, Narcissa's eyes were sharper than normal since the ritual to give them abilities of a cat. Their peripheral vision had increased and they didn't even need to blink on a regular basis, making it easier to aim and keep her eyes on the target. She and the rest of her group still blinked, however. A part of human instinct that could only be stopped consciously. Besides, it unnerved people to talk with someone who didn't blink. Luckily, they didn't get the negatives as well, like being near-sighted or colour-blind.
Sight wasn't the only sense enhanced by the ritual, though. Their sense of smell was also much more sensitive, being fourteen times as strong as the one in normal humans. That was both a blessing and a curse. Mostly it was a curse in the company of stinking people, something that had been the norm, even back home in Essos.
'Thank the gods that has changed.' Narcissa mused, while waiting for the idiot before her to finish already.
The youngest Black doubted she or anyone in her group wanted to use the bubblehead charm constantly for the rest of their lives. The new sense of smell had also been the reason why she cured the pirates of their various maladies. It hadn't been what little compassion she had for muggles, the lice, scurvy or rickets. No, the smell alone had motivated her to do something. Narcissa wouldn't have been able to stand that another day. Thankfully such things weren't a problem any longer.
What was more embarrassing was that they also acquired other traits that weren't controllable. For example, Bella purred when happy be it during eating, sleeping, being petted or something else. She also played with her enemies more often than not or her prey as she referred to them sometimes.
Andromeda was more one for scent rubbing, while cats do that with their heads Andy liked to run her hands through Harry's hair or rub his cheeks as a sign of contentment. That was also probably the reason all of them liked to wear clothing with Harry's scent on it. It didn't just remind them of him, but for them it signalled to all they were his. Not that anyone but them saw it like that.
Narcissa's guilty pleasure was grooming herself, just like Fleur and Gabrielle. All three liked to look their best for themselves and Harry.
Marcella in turn stretched herself always shortly before sleeping or waking up. The Italian woman also did something called kneading, where she repeatedly tread her hands on the bed, Harry's or her sister-wives' bodies. It had the same effect as Andromeda's actions, but stemmed from something different.
The youngest Black had no idea what Melisandre's or Kinvara's quirks were, but Narcissa supposed she would find out soon enough.
Finally the idiot before her had finished firing his arrow, hitting the target, but only the very edge. She just so prevented a cutting remark or mocking smile from escaping.
Of course, her arrow hit the dead centre, like always. Only Narcissa and another man, who looked like he was of the smallfolk remained now.
The distance was increased to one-hundred and twenty-five yards.
Narcissa went first.
She took aim, not needing to check the wind. With how fast her arrow would fly the wind was not a problem for such a distance. Like all the shots before this one was bull's eye as well. She had done more demanding shots in the midst of battle, then Narcissa could do these with ease.
The man coming after her missed, making her the winner. Though, it seemed he didn't want to admit that as he angrily accused her. "You cheating witch!"
Narcissa looked completely unconcerned and unperturbed. "And Pray tell, how did I cheat exactly?" an inquisitive eye-brow raised in question. Not at all bothered by the insult. It was true, after all. Well, the witch comment, not the cheating part.
"You used your foul sorcery, of course!" nearly frothing at the mouth for having lost against a woman and a foreign whore at that.
Nothing in the youngest Black's posture changed for the untrained eye, but her consorts saw her subtly tensing. Ready to defend herself at a moments notice. "I assume you have evidence of that, except your accusations?"
Sputtering as his rage increased the man countered. "I don't need evidence! Everyone saw you using it."
By now the guy was pointing a filthy finger in her face, which she batted aside. "I am sure you are confused, just because my arrows look different than normal ones doesn't make them better or worse." she lied, accompanied by a subtle twitching of her fingers. Ensuring the man was under a Confundus charm and believed what she said. Narcissa could've proven it otherwise, but such tedium wasn't in her plans for today.
The man whose name she didn't bother to learn shuddered briefly nodded and said. "You're right, obviously!" then he went on to his business. To appease her own consciousness and to not disappoint Harry with her, admittedly slight cheating, Narcissa gave the man half of the winnings. He was from the smallfolk and she had more than enough money already. She supposed five-thousand gold dragons were enough to do so.
Once that was finished Narcissa rejoined the rest, who all congratulated her, even Lyanna in a more subdued way. Right now it was afternoon, just a bit after three o' clock Harry estimated, and most people looked for something to eat after all the unexpected excitement.
Davos led them to a woman who sold an excellent pottage and not something he called a bowl o' brown. Whatever that was, the feeling Harry got from it wasn't a good one. The group could've gone into the Hall of a Hundred Hearths and eat there, but Harry and the rest had no patience for the nobility right now. Though, Harry was surprised that Lyanna stayed as well.
"So, Lyanna." Harry began, having the woman perk up. "When do you think I can speak with your brother Brandon?" he wanted to get that business with Ros done as fast as possible.
After swallowing the last spoon full of stew the she-wolf admitted. "I am not sure." she put her spoon into the bowl. "I suppose at the feast after the singers competition is the best time to do so." that would be the time shortly before the ale and wine would flow freely and most men will get drunk or at least slightly inebriated.
Harry frowned. "I see. That is unfortunate, since we have been invited to dine privately with king Aerys." he wouldn't have time between the end of the singers competition and preparing for the meal. Though, that didn't mean someone else couldn't do it for him. "I am assuming it wouldn't be seen as a slight or similar when one of my wives would bring the problem to his attention?" Harry doubted that, but wanted confirmation.
Lyanna just barely kept from laughing. Brandon turning down meeting a beautiful woman? The answer for that wasn't even worth mentioning. "I doubt he will. We Northerners don't care as much about stuff like that as the southron lords." the contempt and venom dripped from her voice at the last part, clearly not liking the south very much. Part of her dislike came from Lyanna blaming the south for influencing the north so that ladies weren't allowed to fight. Only the Mormont women were fighting and that was more out of necessity than desire.
'Not to mention that meddling Maester Walys.' the she-wolf thought with burning hatred. Lyanna was sure it was that man's fault that she was betrothed to that oaf of Storm's End and Brandon to that floppy fish Catelyn Tully. She may not have much education in the business of lords, but even she knew to disregard your bannermen like that wouldn't end well. Starks are of the North and always married in the North.
"Good." Harry said, turning to Fleur. "I suppose you can handle the problem on your own." Brandon also was clearly interested in her, which made using the Allure that much easier to convince him.
"Of course." the French Veela answered completely certain. From what she had seen of the man he had no self-control and an easily influenced mind.
Just then the trumpets sounded again, signalling for the competitors to begin preparing for the horse-racing. Just Fleur and Gabrielle wanted to participate in it, the others weren't interested. Well, expect Lyanna, but she had other plans and was technically not allowed to do so anyway.