Fire, Ice, and the Kraken (Fate X ASOIAF, Jalter quest)

QM Note: Been doing some rewrites of the side stories to make them flow better and to reveal more on the events occurring in Planetos. I've mainly just edited Nobunaga's part in this sidestory.

There will be more rewrites soon, so have a look out for those!

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Robb I

Robb Stark, the King of the North, looks out the castle's window as his blood boils, there's now a dilemma. Edmure's blunder has lead the Mountain to slip from his grasp, losing 200 men for a mill and two Lannister boys, an absolute waste of good men. He should've coordinated better with the Tullies this he knows but managing the Northern lords, coordinating a war, and dealing with Theon's betrayal has left his hands full. His nights have been troubled, to say the least, fears of what Twyin's armies would do after he handles Stannis in Kings Landing has kept him awake. The prospects look grim, even more so now that the Tyrells have pledged their support, but no matter, the North will prevail and Winter will come for the Southron bastards.

A lordling interrupts his contemplation.

"My king"

Robb turns around to see the slim figure of Lord Robin Flint dressed in armour, his cheeks droopy and is complemented by his stubble. Robb guesses he may be a few summers younger than Father.

" Is there something you need Lord Robin?" he asks

"I haven't gotten any ravens back from my holdings in the North for months Lord Stark, I request that I come back with my 100 men"

"Shouldn't you have asked Roose Bolton for this?"

"I did ask Roose Bolton for permission but he told me to ask you"

" I see... So you think the Ironborn raided it"

"Yes Lord Stark, it was a matter of time considering where it is"

"Forgive me, Lord Robin, you're an honourable trustworthy man of that is no doubt, but I need you here with me in this war"

" Milord Stark, the things the Ironborn could do to my family---"

" Yes I know, and I hope you know the Ironborn isn't only in Flint's Finger Lord Robin. They're at my home where my brothers are, so don't think you're the only who doesn't want to be here"

Lord Robin pauses and grimaces.

"Forgive me, Lord Stark, I spoke out of turn, it's just...I worry for them, my family"

Robb puts a consoling hand on Robin's shoulders.

"I know, Lord Robin, I know. That's why we need to finish this war quickly so you can go home to your family, so we can all go home to our families"

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Crimson blood stains the viridescent flora of Yi-Ti's jungle. Corpses are strewn about in different states of mutilation as the smell of gore mixes with the residue of gunfire.

A man stands among the circle of his dead comrades, looking towards the oppressive, uncaring sun. His shivering hands wipe the blood off his brow only to stain his face further with crimson. He looks to his hands in a daze and sees the holes and bleeding stumps of his wrists.

A comrade of his screams a gurgled scream, shouting for his mother to take him home. The man barely moves his head towards the direction of the sound.

Tired. So tired.

He looks down to his armour, rattled with holes, each a fountain of dripping blood. His hand falls upon the hilt of his jian, a hilt that he once grasped a thousand times. It consoles him in its familiarity as his lethargic good eye survey the battlefield, the other eye being a mangled mess.

Manchu Longwei, the eldest son to Bu Gai, the seventeenth Azure Emperor, laments his weakness. He clutches his Jian tightly as he is overwhelmed with regrets.

The heir to Bu Gai, loved by the smallfolk and regarded by the nobility as the stoic son who will mend the wounds left by his father, holds back tears.

There's still so much to do, he can't die here, in this bloody field.

These fire spears...they were horrifying. His vanguard disintegrated in three mere volleys, and the infantry was slaughtered en masse. Oh, gods.

He needs to warn his father, or the enemy will burn a path towards Yin unimpeded. He needs to tell them that the Red Rebel is a more significant threat than the ancient feuding houses of Yi-Ti, or of Cao Jian's machinations.

A loud BANG rings across the battlefield as the man chokes on his own blood, the newly open hole in his throat killing him.

Manchu's last thoughts were of his wife and son that he'll be leaving behind. A single tear drips down his cheek as the Great Prince of Yi-Ti falls to the ground. His blood mixing with the green of the land.

Through the smoke and mists, a woman appears. She wears a black trenchcoat with six golden buttons and a belt at her waist. Her resplendent red cape sways brilliantly in the wind and contrasts with the rest of her attire. She wears baggy pants fitted with golden circular kneecaps that are right above her golden boots. Her gloved hand wields a katana with a yellow hilt and a red edge that shines magnificently despite all the smoke. The peaked cap she wears follows the red, black, and gold colour of her attire. At the front of the peaked cap is the golden symbol of a flower of her clan. Her smooth pale face, sharp chin and nose, and long flowing pitch-black hair create this sense of dangerous beauty. An entrancing flower of numerous thorns.

Her piercing red eyes observe the battlefield as she summons an arquebusier to her free hand and pulls the trigger. Another man screams in agony before his cries peter out.

The red woman turns her head back towards the noble entourage that had observed her battle. Each of them wears distinctive lamellar armour with golden symbols denoting their house on their chest. They stand still, some of them petrified, some are contemplating, while the rest trace their hilts instinctively with their fingers.

One of them speaks, his armour orange, and his voice careful with an undertone of reverence. "A single battle...and...the largest royal army ever assembled in three centuries just...destroyed. In a day."

The woman speaks, her tone dripping with satisfaction, "Save your breath Pol Qo and enjoy the view. Think of this splendid sight as a generous gift from your new Emperor."

"I am honoured you deign us worthy of such a gift. Your weapons are as terrible as the storm."

"And your men will wield them soon enough, this will be the first of many battles for conquest. "

"So you really seek to rule Yi-Ti? Even if you lack the blood to claim the throne."

"Tell me, General, is it claims and bloodlines that unites a people or the might of arms and a shared idea?"

"Might of arms brings people to submission, not unity. And a Yi-Ti ruled under a shared ideal is impossible, we've been fractured for millennia."

"What a pessimistic outlook, General. I abhor your attitude, and besides, the might of arms is a unifying force rather than an oppressive one." The woman chides, "I concede that the greater our army, the more the people fear its power, but also the safer they feel from internal and external threats. It is a stabilizing force that the people will crave in this time of turmoil, and it is a stabilizing force I intend to command."

"And if they don't see what you see, if they revolt? What then?"

The woman snorts derisively at that "Oh, no worries General, even if the people revolt under my new rule I will certainly not be deposed, I have my own way of dealing with rebels after all. But it's not like they would revolt in the first place." She raises her gloved index finger, "Innovation is the key to prosperity you see. When the wheels of industry start accelerating, this country will be wealthier than it has ever been, wealthier than this Empire of the Dawn of ages past. And wealth and prosperity are the greatest weapons against revolts." She taps her head with an index finger, " When you fulfil the people's needs and wants, you win their hearts and minds, and a shared idea solidifies this even further. I will bring this Empire into a new era that will dwarf all the other eras before."

"You will rule all of Yi Ti with your progressive policies then? Bring prosperity after millennia of schemes and suffering? Be the messiah of our people and save us from our decadence? Those are the ambitions of a dreamer, do you think this has never been done before? Your conquest of Yi-Ti must be based on what is possible rather than the lofty heights of your ambitions."

A twisted grin appears on her pale face " Oh how narrow minded of you general, what I'm giving you is much more magical than fairytales. And besides...Who said I plan on conquering just the Yi Ti?"

The men around freezes in shock at her statement, to have the ambition to conquer all of Yi Ti is crazy enough, but to want more than that is just plain madness. It is made apparent to the men and Pol Qo that the woman in front of them is ungodly yet seems to have the power to fulfill those ambitions. But does she have the mind and attitude to see her ambitions successfully? They do not know, and some revaluate their choice in following this new Emperor who came from nowhere.

"You truly are a Demon Emperor..."

"Only to my enemies general, only to my enemies. "

• [X] Jeanne D'Arc
Number of voters: 8
• [X] Explore this world a bit and learn more before doing anything too drastic ( write your vote on where to go and what she needs to learn about this world, she will immediately depart to the chosen location once the Dothrakis tells her where she is.) ( Wanderer's Route)
Number of voters: 6
• -[X] Yi Ti


No, you won't be some savage horselord leading even more savage barbarians to destroy the works of civilized men. That is why you won't stay with them for long, you'll be leaving to this Yi Ti and learn its customs and history and possibly scout out for any mages. You can't afford to be rash like last night no matter how good it felt because If the contemporary magi of this era catch wind of your existence, well it'd be very troublesome to say the least, especially if this era is during the Age of The Gods.

Well, none of that now, because right now is for sleep. You close your eyes and enter oblivion. The same kind of oblivion you experienced after the French singularity.

You dream of Fafnir.

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You wake up to the smell of...wait a minute. You scramble out of your bed to inspect the source of that peculiar smell, and it is as you expected. The kid sports wet stains in his trousers and his bed is riddled with...it. With a sigh, you crouch down to the kid's bed as he looks at you innocently before quivering in fear. You raise your hand, and the kid outright shakes, fearing a beating from you. Your hand falls and splits apart the kid's chains, he looks at you dumbly as you give an unamused looked at him and point your thumb to the entrance. He scurries off, leaving you only in this room. Now that you have your privacy, you think its a good a time as any for a change.

You manifest your armour and your cape as it covers what you're previous clothing could not. Your cloak had a black and red gradient, giving the impression that it was previously burnt. Not only that but your hair shrinks to0, from ankle length to a more manageable shoulder length one. You then erase your ridiculous lance while still maintaining St.Catherine's existence, the sword still tied to your waist. Now you're ready to face the world, free from the lustful stares of men...and some women. Your face transforms into a rictus of disgust as you shudder at the memory of Brynhildr's passion and push it to the furthest depths of your mind.


With that out of the way you stepped into the central room, grabbed the scroll from the pot and turn to leave. You could hear the elation of the young child right outside the hut, seems like he's reunited with his family. Well looks like its time to go, you'd steal the gold in this tent, but you don't know where to keep it, it's not like there's huge pouches in your armour.

You leave the hut to be greeted to the sight of some tens of Dothraki at the ready and at the centre is the Khal and his wife. The sun is at its Apex, it seems like you've slept till noon, how embarrassing. The Khal you see is being supported by that elderly Dothraki companion of yours, as his knee is covered by a bloodied cloth; he seems to be doing fine. He and his wife stare balefully at you whilst their son is nowhere to be seen.

"Fin jif anha tat tat get yer elat? ( What should I do to get you to leave)" The Khal says imploringly.

You respond with a grin, " I need a horse, some supplies, and for someone to tell me where the hell I am."

Forzo nods in exasperation as he calls out instructions to his Dothraki men, two of them leave the group to presumably get the things you've demanded.

The Khal gestures at the scroll you're holding, and you comply, he opens it up to reveal the map of the two continents and points at a river. This time he doesn't speak, his wife interprets for him.

" We're north of the Volaena river, and if you take a boat South, you will be at Volantis. Travel north, and you will be at Qohor while the only landmark in the east is Vaes Dothrak, home of the Dothraki."


You grimace at that, you very far from Yi Ti.

"Thanks." You say.

Then one of the Dothraki men that left earlier comes back sprinting, he says something to Khal Forzo as his woman interprets for you. "Your horse and supplies are ready Jeanne d'Arc and I hope you are cursed with a dangerous journey."

You give her a weak smile, "lady I already am cursed."

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You walk to the outskirts of the camp to see a horse ready for you, it seems like they honoured their promise as you see large saddlebags made of leather skin seemingly full of supplies. The Khal must really want you gone huh...

You jump up to the saddle of the horse and hold the reins, it neighs before calming down. It's been a while since I've ridden a horse, you reminisce, not since Orleans...that siege felt like it was aeons ago, from a life you've never lead but you still remember details like it was yesterday. You could almost hear the high admiration your men gave you, it's like they're still with you, calling out to you...

"Mi..La...dy"

Wait, that's not your memory speaking its someone else. You turn your head towards the Dothraki camp to see a blonde speck coming fast at you.

Oh, what is it now?

The blonde speck goes closer, its features growing more visible. You see caucasian features on the womanly face of the lady running towards you. Her blonde hair reaches down to her back and her large brown eyes look pleadingly at you. She wears a leather rag that diminishes the beauty of what would've been a pretty woman and her hair is dishevelled.

She pants and pants as she reaches you, desperately trying to breathe in air. Once she's recovered she looks at you with a determined look and speaks with the pitch of an alto.

"Take me with you, my lady, wherever you're going must be much better than this place."

Oh so that's what this is all about, "No"

"Thank yo--what!!?" She gives you an undignified and unladylike shout. " But I'm excellent in cookin--"

"You'd be deadweight" You interrupt, " I don't want to be babysitting some dumb blonde girl in the desert, besides don't you have someone here who'll miss you."

"No one will miss me, my lady, I'm just a slave who's also a handmaiden for the Khal's headmistress. "

"Even so what good are you to me?"

" I heard from the headmistress that you only speak the common tongue, I know Valyrian and Dothraki, and I can help interpret and teach you the languages in your travels."

"Well then, do you know Yi Tish?" The woman pauses, and her eyes widen.

" No, My lady, but I can learn."

"Then how usefu--"

She interrupts you with her overeager tone, it is insulting, but you'll allow it.

"Forgive me, my lady, but how are you gonna get to Yi Ti in the first place? If you take a boat in Volantis, you're going to need to know Valyrian, if you take the land route through Vaes Dothrak you're going to need to know how to speak Dothraki. My skills can help you save time in your journey and make it less troublesome. And I can fend for myself thank you very much."

"Have you ever wielded a sword? maybe even a dagger?"

"No, my lady."

"Have you ever fought someone before."

"Only with words, My lady." she says hesitantly

"Then you'll die"

"Well I'd rather die than live the life of a slave girl!" she shouts, drawing the attention of nearby Dothraki. "Comforting the men day in and day out, being at the mercy of that pervert Khal Forzo, and having his bloodriders do what they want with me isn't living at all!" My my how emotional this woman is, " I'd rather spend a day living in freedom out there than be the property of some savage horselord, please My lady, I beg of you! Take me with you!"


sigh...

What to do with the slave girl?
[] Take her with you, she might be worth babysitting if she could interpret and translate for you.
[] She's dead weight and another mouth to feed. too much trouble.
[] write in...

Which route will you take to Yi Ti?
[] Land route through Vaes Dothrak and into the bone mountains (Guaranteed long journery (at least a year), possible chance of being harassed by some Khalasars and the mountains are fraught with danger. )

[] Sea route from Volantis into Qarth and see where to go from there, (Possible chance of pirates and bad weather, and the Kraken is out there...somewhere... medium length journey, possibly 6-5 months)

[] Mixed Sea and Land route, Volantis to Mereen then the Bone mountains. ( Small chance of pirates and bad weather, Kraken is out there... and possible chance of meeting a certain Mother of Dragons...also dangerous mountains)

[] Write in...(I reserve the right to Veto.)


QM Note: And off we go!