[For Jorah/Hannibal] Homecoming

[tyrelltempest]

In Essos, Daenerys had given birth to a healthy and lively baby girl. She had her father's dark eyes but the light hair and full face of her mother. It was shortly after her birth that a letter arrived from across the Shivering Sea - too far for a raven to fly. It came from King's Landing and bared the Bolton seal. The letter invited Daenerys back to Westeros, but not to reclaim the Iron Throne. Apparently, Hannibal Bolton had taken control of King'sLanding, and the Starks had all but been demolished. The Lannisters, in turn, had also been eradicated.

Daenerys was shocked. But more than that, she suspected treason. As did Tyrion Lannister. With her newborn daughter to her breast, Daenerys took council with Jorah, Grey Worm, Missandei and Tyrion.

"Who does this Bolton think he is?" She snapped. "Inviting me back without promising to relinquish the throne to me? It is mine by birthright, I will not allow some savage northman to take what is mine."

Lannister, Baratheon, Bolton - the name didn't matter. A thief was a thief.

"If he took King's Landing and defeated the Lannister army, my queen, then we can conclude that he indeed has a powerful army of his own," Tyrion pointed out.

****

A few weeks had gone by, and Margaery's belly had begun to swell only slightly with their fourth child. Of course Olenna could spot this a mile away and was already declaring name options. Aenar was with the pair of them while they took tea in the gardens overlooking the ocean. The boy was now sitting up on his own in his mother's lap, but still feed from her breast. The twins were studying with their tutors.

"So tell me child," Olenna sipped her tea. "What is your husband's intention by inviting the Targaryen girl back here?"

Aenar cooed when Roose came close and he patted his hands over the dragon's nose. Margaery glanced up to her grandmother, who added more to her question.

"Don't tell me he means to surrender his throne to her, now that they have a confirmed common lineage?" Olenna scoffed.

"Certainly not, grandmother," Margaery replied sharply. "Do you honestly think my husband is the type of man to relinquish power? No. But if you're so curious, all him yourself, he should be joining us shortly."

Comments

[notavegetarian]

Hannibal smiled proudly when they expertly brought down the buck. "Tie it off and let's get it back to camp." He said.

He scanned the area until the buck was secured to the extra horse and they began to ride back towards the camp.

[tyrelltempest]

As the twins tied off and secured the buck, there came a slight rustling in the bushes. Rhys paused, Reina continued her work. Then suddenly, a great badger leapt out at her, teeth gnashing and claws ready. Rhys acted quickly and threw a dagger at the beast, hitting it in the head before it could get to Reina.

Margaery had cried out in terror, but when Rhys moved so quickly, she grinned and threw an arm around him, holding Aenar with the other. "Oh my darling, such a good protector for your sister!" She exclaimed.

[motheroftitles]

Daenerys had also noted that they apparently had more children. Three? They were indeed potent, weren't they?

She dismissed the Greyjoy woman, smirking at the double meaning. Dawn suited her just fine. Daenerys then dismissed the others to confer with Jorah.

"Your thoughts?" She tilted a brow. Curious his opinion of the Greyjoy woman.

[bearinshiningarmor]

Jorah waited until the room was indeed clear. "She is far too brash." He said quickly. He then calmed himself a bit before speaking more. "She seems genuine enough. However, I am worried about this being a trap on some level." He said. It almost seemed too good to be true to him.

He then sighed deeply again. "I agree that his lineage claim is sad and weak. However, he might be genuine about not meaning direct harm if he truly believes it . At least no harm without cause." He said.

[notavegetarian]

Hannibal was just about to fire his arrow when Rhys killed the creature with his knife. He nodded his approval. "Well done my son. Why don't you skin that and make a nice hat out of it?" He asked as Rhys began to tie the badger down on his own horse before hey all mounted up again.

They rode back to camp without any further problems. Hey returned to find everything in ride and ready to butcher the catches of the day.

[tyrelltempest]

Rhys beamed with pride, happy for the praise, but more so happy that he had protected Reina. He secured the badger and mounted up when they were ready to move on. Reina was a little shaken, but she pushed through it, happy that her brother had protected her.

Olenna glanced up when she heard them return. She saw the buck and smiled to Hannibal. "A fine catch. I see we won't be going hungry."

"We caught it, Mimi!" Reina exclaimed.

"Gods be good!" Olenna was surprised, but not shocked. "Well done then! Both of you, and a badger too, yet!"

Olenna silently thanked the gods - the children knew how to hunt, and she knew Hannibal had taught them. She knew he would stop at nothing to protect Margaery. For the first time in decades, Olenna felt she could relax, that there were no true enemies anymore that could threaten her Margaery.

[motheroftitles]

Daenerys chuckled softly at his initial anger. She rocked Daella in her arms and glanced up to him again. "You think we should turn her away?"

She held Daella up so that the baby could prop herself against Daenerys' chest and look up at her father. Daenerys maintained her gaze with Jorah. "We will be taking our weapons with us. We could force a mutiny if things don't work well for us."

They could take over the boat and force the crew to sail them back to Westeros under threat of torture.

[notavegetarian]

Hannibal smiled and gave a courteous nod at her praise. "Indeed he gods are good. He children have trained well. I have no doubt that once they are full grown they will be able to hunt anything in the seven kingdoms." He said. He looked to his children with pride, but especially young Reina.

He watched as the two of them set to work on skinning the deer. He looked to both Olenna and Margaery. "It is far too soon yet, but it will be quite difficult for us to match Reina when she comes of age. Unless the boys will bend and obey her commands, it will be very difficult for them." He pointed out. He saw Reina growing more confident every day. He knew that one day they would both likely test his authority. That would be a true test on how obedient they are.

[bearinshiningarmor]

Jorah sighed and shook his head. "A mutiny won't work with iron born. We would have to kill them all." He explained. "She is likely a far safer transport than anyone else he could have sent. Her being here means one of two things. Either he trusts her to keep her words. Or he feels that she is expendable and that is why she was sent. To test your honesty in accepting his offer." He said. "I cannot figure which it is." He said with a hint of worry.

[tyrelltempest]

Reina and Rhys were both happy at the praise, and eagerly took to skinning their kills. When Hannibal brought up a match for Reina, Margaery pursed her lips in thought.

"You are right," she admitted. "She's much like me, independent and strong."

"But you were taught to be compliant and timid when the situation demanded," Olenna pointed out. "Reina has no need of that, she's a princess."

Margaery nodded, taking no offense in the words. It was a fact, she had been bred and groomed to be a queen at whatever cost. She had been meant to be molded to whatever situation necessary to make her queen. It was only her good fortune that she had been betrothed to a man who had admired her true personality.

"Likely she will need a Northman," Olenna pointed out with a smirk.

"Indeed. They're not afraid of strong women," Margaery winked at Hannibal.

[motheroftitles]

Daenerys nodded slowly in understanding. Then she glanced up with a playful smile at Jorah. "You don't like the way she looks at me, do you?"

She chuckled before lifting Daella and standing slowly. "Well, let it not be said that I do not keep to my word. We will go, but we should make sure that wherever we are on the ship, she can't box us in for a slaughter."

[bearinshiningarmor]

Jorah nodded in agreement. "Indeed, I do not like how she looks at you. I swear she will not be given an opportunity to be alone with us. We should have a few unsullied officers with us along with your most trusted bloodriders." He did not say it, but he was concerned if the iron born were not afraid of his wife, but they were afraid of Hannibal Bolton. A ruler needed to be both respected and feared. If they did not have both, it would be impossible to lead.

Grey Worm approached slowly, "Missah, this one has found that the ships that came in are not enough to house the horses and the men, but combined we can transport the whole army. Also, to put extra water on all ships would leave the city dry." He reported.

[notavegetarian]

Hannibal chuckled softly at that. "That is true, a Dornishman would also be respectful of her strength and independence. We will need to keep our eyes open for options. Our sons will be easier. We can wait for a few new young ladies to be born for them." He said. It was more difficult if the woman was older than the man.

[motheroftitles]

Daenerys nodded slowly. "Yes. Unsullied and the blood riders." She felt better at the suggestion alone.

When Grey Worm approached, Daenerys felt comforted, but soon she became troubled. "The Dothraki will not travel without their horses..." she thought aloud. "And we can't leave the city without water."

Light sparked in her eyes and she looked at Jorah in fear. "He planned this."

[tyrelltempest]

Olenna scoffed. "The men of Dorne are unruly and promiscuous. If she married a Dornishman he would never be faithful to her. She deserves better."

"But, as we said, it is far too early to discuss such things." Margaery pointed out. "We have much to celebrate now anyway."

"Good food and good wine, I quite agree," Olenna laughed.

[bearinshiningarmor]

Jorah frowned as he listened to the report. He heard her realization and nodded with a slight frown. "I think you are right. An option is to not take your full force to Kings Landing. If you do you must choose the potential risk of men dying aboard the ships from illness or the city not having water to survive." He said thoughtfully. He saw the clever move, they were indeed dealing with someone of high intelligence. This was looking more and more difficult and dangerous with each new bit of information.

[notavegetarian]

Hannibal chuckled and nodded in agreement. "It is just something to think about. However, yes. Let us enjoy the good food and drink." He said in agreement.

[tyrelltempest]

Margaery smiled and the three of them retired to a set of portable chairs that had been brought for the hunt. A servant set out pastries and mint tea Margaery had been craving, as well as fine cheese and wine.

The twins finished skinning their kills and washed up to join the adults. Margaery smiled as the pair sat beside them.

"So then, what do we think the new baby will be?" She chuckled.

"A brother!" Rhys proclaimed.

"No! A sister!" Reina protested.

"Another girl would be a welcome change," Olenna replied, reaching out to hold Aenar, which Margaery handed him over happily.

[motheroftitles]

Daenerys thought long and hard. She growled in anger and shook her head. "Fine. We won't play into his plan." She looked to Grey Worm. "We will take half our force, but not our strongest warriors." She declared. "Half of our best warriors will stay here, safe from illness and from the threat of attack in case he's planned foul play."

She didn't want them all dead in one fell swoop to leave her with only the lesser warriors if she mounted an attack later.

[bearinshiningarmor]

Jorah nodded in agreement. "That is our wisest course of action. I fear that her words of warning about the water are genuine. I have made the trip and have even seen seasoned sailors clinging to the rail for a day or two." He said.

Grey worm bowed before setting off to give the orders to the troops.

[notavegetarian]

Hannibal smiled and chuckled at the banter. "I think it will be another Princess." He said. He had noted that her belly was growing differently than when she carried Aenar. He woul keep that observation to himself.

[motheroftitles]

Daenerys looked at Jorah, unsettled. But there was nothing to be done.

"If I do not go, it will show the people that I am afraid of him," she took a deep breath and looked into his eyes. "I will show no fear. The Seven Kingdoms are mine by birthright, and I will have them back."

[tyrelltempest]

Margaery had only just started showing her pregnancy. Her belly was barely swelling, but it was lower than Aenar had been.

"Be prepared children," Olenna warned. "Your mother is not the most gracious of expectant mothers."

"Everyone deals with carrying children differently, grandmother," Margaery rolled her eyes. "What shall we call her if she is a girl?" She posed the question to the twins and to Hannibal.

[bearinshiningarmor]

Jorah nodded on agreement. "We must be prepared." He said in agreement. He too was worried about foul play.

***

Dawn arrived quickly. Jorah rode on horseback holding their young daughter. They arrived at the main command ship along with the troops going with them. "How many need to load up on each of your ships?" He asked Yara.

Yara grinned when she spotted them. "100 dothraki on a ship and 200 unsullied. This is assuming they are all fully armed. A few more without arms." She said.

[notavegetarian]

Reina piped up quickly, "Elaena!" She said.

Hannibal chuckled in amusement. He was proud that she was studying her history so well.